Sometimes people ask me, they ask me, “Bruguru, why do you quote information from brewery websites and beer labels in your reviews? Can’t people just get that information from the brewery website or the beer label?”  They can, of course, but for how long is the question? I’ve been drinking beers for over thirty years now and reviewing them for more than twenty. Many beers I’ve enjoyed during that time are no longer available, and I only wish that I had preserved some information about them

Then too, even relatively new beers have their descriptions and information purged from history at times. Case in point: Independence Belgian IPA, a collaboration beer by Georgia’s Reformation, Jailhouse, and Cherry Street breweries. All three were featured breweries at Taco Mac for the month. I enjoyed this beer at Taco Mac here in Canton back in August, and as I flesh out my tasting notes for posterity, the Reformation webpage for this beer is already gone! Fortunately, I saved some details, proving out my intent that I described above.

A collaboration beer between Reformation Brewery, Jailhouse Brewing, and Cherry Street Brewing. A Belgian IPA featuring the a unique combination of Belgian yeast and American hops…

IN THE MAKING

Belgian yeast

American hop profiles

Collaboration

??% ABV

Scheduled Release Date: August, 2015

Availability: On draft at all 25 Taco Mac locations across Georgia

Taco Mac pegs the alcohol content by volume here as 6.5% by volume and I paid $7 for a 20-ounce mug. I got a nifty Jailhouse Alibi glass with my purchase, another beer of the month. I got an equally nifty Independence glass a week later.

My mug of Reformation/Jailhouse/Cherry Street Independence arrived a cloudy orange amber in color with a distinctly fruity nose, and more of that fruit in the palate (Apple pear fruitiness). As the beer progresses it is quite spicy and lightly tart with a moderate peppery hop bitterness in the finish.

Interestingly, on their website Reformation calls this a “Belgian IPA”. Since they have redacted the page, I think that might have been an original intention, but Taco Mac calls this a saison and it tastes a lot more like that to me. As such, it’s a tasty little beer that I’m glad I got to try, though I’m not sure we’ll ever see again.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 



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