I made it! I’m now a Brewniversity Dean at Taco Mac. It’s taken me 6 years and 750 beers, but I’m now a Dean. To be sure, I’ve lived in Georgia since September of 2001, but I didn’t join Taco Mac’s Brewniversity program until we bought a house here in Canton back in 2010. For those prior 9 years, I either drank almost all my beer at home (for the year and a half we lived in Rome) or at Summit’s Wayside Tavern and assorted brewpubs (7 and a half years in Vinings). No matter, though. I’m making up for lost time with 750 beers between March 14th 2010 and April 7th 2016. That’s about 10 beers a month if you do the math.
“But Bruguru!” you say. “We don’t want to do the math! We came here to hear about Southbound Picture of Nectar, not listen to you ramble about where you like to drink your beer!” Well, that’s fair enough friends, so here we go. Still, I wanted to establish some background on this milestone for me, and why I chose a Southbound beer to celebrate it with. I’ve enjoyed every Southbound brew I’ve tasted, and Picture of Nectar is no exception. It’s further described as a “complex beer with fruit and spice” on the label, and also a “Double India Pale Ale with elderflower and peaches added”.
From the website:
Before you slip into the night, you'll want something to drink. Picture of Nectar is the perfect complex beer with a huge pine and citrus hop profile sure to satisfy your craving. Our Double IPA
No indication of malts used, but they do tell you that hop varieties are Simcoe, Magnum, Cascade, Centennial and Columbus. Elderflower is no stranger to alcoholic beverages; the French make St. Germain liqueur with it.
Southbound Picture of Nectar has an alcohol content of 9.3% by volume and 90 IBUs. I paid $7 for an 11-ounce glass at Taco Mac. I consider this more of a fruit beer than an IPA. Sue me. My reward for making Dean was, as you can see, a beautiful engraved German-style growler.
My glass of Southbound Picture of Nectar arrived a murky orange color with a light head formation and a pronounced flowery quality in the also herbal smelling nose. Taking a sip, there’s chewy caramel malt in the palate, then juicy peachy nectarine flavor, and lastly a dry and very grassy-bitter herbal flowery finish. I am really enjoying the soft floweriness mostly from the flowers but also the Cascade hops poke through nicely as well.
Was your mother a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries? Maybe he was drinking Southbound Picture of Nectar. Or maybe not, but now that I’m a Dean, I’m so excited I may change my last name to Martin. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must go. I need to drink another 250 beers to make Chancellor.
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