I'm all for exploring new styles of beer, and it's been cool to see a lot of forgotten recipes pop up again as brewers look for original beers to try. I was in a local liquor store the other day when I saw a new style I'd never heard of- a Grozet. It's a Scottish style that is brewed with wheat, gooseberries and a few other strange ingredients (bog myrtle, anyone?). Supposedly Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns were quite fond of this style, but with the other options out there in those days, that probably isn't saying much. So let's check the Grozet out.
Grozet pours a clear pale golden color with a 1/2 finger white head and some nice lace. It didn't really look that different to me, but I did notice a lot more carbonation that normal rising from the bottom of the glass. The smell was definitely different, with an earthy and slightly musty note catching me first. There was a definite ripe berry and fruit backbone with notes of kiwi, red currant, gooseberry, fruit leather and just a little wet hay. Promising, for sure.
Unfortunately, the taste is where things fell apart for me. I was hoping for some hints of all the things I was smelling, but instead I was met with what seemed to be a weak filtered wheat ale. There's some grain, slightly chalky yeast, and a bunch of off-tasting wheat throughout. The finish brings a sort of sour wheat flavor that doesn't linger long before tailing into watery nothingness.
This beer gets points for smell alone, but the flavor just never connected with me. I'll definitely pick up another Grozet if one comes my way, but this particular one will remain untouched by me.
Final Grade: C-
Top 250 Beers Tasted: 132
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