This week on tap: Ethereal Brewing

By Alex Wright

The Anomaly Saison has a distinctly tart flavor with a bit of a sour kick. It tastes of a wild fruit you would find and enjoy on a long hike through the Eastern Kentucky woods. Its tartness and light body would pair well with some light, sweet food, like a small bowl of local craft ice cream, which can conveniently be found next door at the brand new ice cream parlor.

This Belgian IPA is clearly hoppy, but with a Belgian kick. The flavor is deceptively heavy for how light the body is and the flavor lingers in the throat, making it an excellent beer to drink while snacking on food from the many food trucks that regularly visit the Pepper Distillery Campus. The hops are not overpoweringly bitter and make this an excellent beer for those looking for the flavor of an IPA without all the bite.

The Berliner Weisse is the most experimental of all the beers I tried while visiting Ethereal. It was immediately, but not overwhelmingly, sour. And unlike most sour beers, the sourness did not linger for a particularly long time. A slightly bitter set of hops can be detected lingering under the surface, not wanting to take center stage but still wishing to make their presence known.

The Hop-Shaka-Laka is very hoppy but without much bitterness. Its ABV does not lend itself to long drinking sessions, but its flavor will make you want many a pint. This is a hop lover’s beer. The hops come through remarkably clean and exude earthy herbal tones. As the flavor lingers on your tongue you can almost see the hop plant being grown in front of you, and you will find yourself wondering what sort of magic turns a plant into such a delicious and refreshing beverage.