Beer O'Clock: Mango Gose

I love mangoes.

I include mango nectar to the fruit smoothies that I make for myself nearly every morning. I love packing dried mangoes as a snack on a long bike ride. And I love the lush fruit in a good chutney.

So when I saw a can of beer with a cut mango on the label, with a sunburst image that read "Juicy! Juicy! Mango!" I was all in.

I wasn't expecting to visit a brewery when DW and one of our friends, and I wandered the streets of Kensington Market last weekend. But when I saw a sizeable building with "BREWERY" written in big letters on its outside, I had to investigate.

And once inside, it would have seemed rude to leave empty-handed.

Perusing the shelves of brew, my eyes first fell on this bright, yellowy-orange can with the mango, and seeing that is was a gose-styled ale, I was intrigued. I also picked up a couple of cans of saison and a couple of DDIPAs, but I'll review those at a later date.

Today, it's all about the mangoes.

Mango Gose (4% ABV)
Burdock Brewery
Toronto ON

Appearance: pours a hazy, effervescent, pale orange with a white, fizzy head that disappears to nothing after about a minute. Sitting in the glass, the gose reminds me of Orangina.

Nose: mangoes come on strong, followed by a bit of a barley aroma, similar to what I sometimes detect in a radler. There's also a bit of a mineral smell to it.

Palate: the mango comes through and is surrounded by a touch of salt and cilantro. The mango fades quickly, leaving me with the impression of flint. The finish is somewhat watery and short.

Overall impression: I've had other fruity gose beers before and this one is a nice mango take on this style of brew. It's fruity but not sweet. It's palate-cleansing and thirst-quenching. There is a nice balance between the fruitiness and herbal qualities. The salt wants me to drink more, and at only 4 percent alcohol, I can easily have a second pint.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺 + .5

While the shelf at Burdock Brewery seemed well-stocked with Mango Gose, I cannot find it on their Web site. They do make a lime gose—alcoholic and non-alcoholic—which is available through the LCBO, as are various other Burdock Brewery selections.

If you find yourself in the GTA, Kensington Market is always worth a visit, so stop by the brewery and pick some up while supplies last.

Cheers!

Beer O'Clock: Peach Gose

I don't have to wait for Dry January to go for a non-alcoholic beer. Sometimes, I just want to have a drink without getting drinky.

When DW and I were in our local Loblaws, over the weekend, we found ourselves down the beer and wine aisle when all we were looking for was sparkling water. Naturally, my eyes fell to all of the colourful cans behind the glass refrigerator doors and I thought, "do I want to pick something up while I'm here?"

"Nah," I replied to myself, "I've got plenty of beer at home. I don't need anymore booze."

As I moved further down the aisle, away from the fridges, I saw more beer, in boxes, lining the shelves. I saw a familiar non-alcoholic beer label, from Partake, and recognized several of their booze-free brews that I tried when I participated in Dry January, in 2020. I saw their pale ale and their IPA. I was happy to see their stout and was tempted to pick up a four-pack, but then I saw a style that I hadn't seen before.

Peach Gose.

While I don't tend to gravitate toward sour beer, I do like the subtle sourness of a gose. And though I'm allergic to peaches, I do love that flavour and miss it. And I'm happy that none of my fruit allergies carry through when I drink beer that is flavoured with those fruits.

I picked up a four-pack and continued to the sparkling waters.

Later in the week, when our neighbour came over for tea with DW, I joined them with one of these non-alcoholic beverages. Here are my notes:

Peach Gose (0.3% ABV, 15 calories)
Partake Brewing
Toronto ON

Appearance: a slightly unfiltered, apricot yellow with a white, foamy head that settles to a thin but solid cap.

Nose: ripe peaches.

Palate: the peaches carry through in the mouth, with a bit of melon, right through to the finish. While I find many non-alcoholic brews to have a somewhat watery feel to them, the slight—very slight—sourness tempers the watery sensation. The peach lingers all the way to the next sip.

Overall impression: if I didn't know that this gose was non-alcoholic, I would have easily believed that I was drinking a light, fruity, alcohol-fermented beer. You can enjoy this brew without feeling that you're sacrificing anything. At only 15 calories, it's a better alternative to sugary pop. As with the other Partake beverages I've had, I'd happily drink this anytime I was thirsty but didn't want alcohol. That said, I prefer Partake's Pale Ale and Stout, but that's just my personal preference rather than a smear of the Peach Gose.

Beer O'Clock rating: 🍺🍺

I found this offering in my Loblaws but according to Partake's Web site, it should also be available in various grocery stores such as Sobey's, Metro, Independent Grocers, as well as The Beer Store. On a search of the LCBO Web site, only the Pale Ale and IPA are available.

Some pubs also carry Partake, and because today is St. Paddy's Day, you can still party while keeping your head about you.

And, according to Partake's Web site, Peach Gose is part of their regular offerings and is here to stay.

If you do see it at your local grocery store, pick up a four-pack and keep it for when you want something light, fruity, and with next-to-no alcohol.

Cheers!