Blackcurrants are most famous for being used to make a very popular brand of juice drink, beginning with 'r'. After drinking this though i'm all for shifting the focus of blackcurrants to beer instead.
Not that up against the behemoths of the juice industry I would stand much of a chance, but it's worth a go. Plenty of blackcurrants around after all.
GlassHouse have an 01/21 version of this and are also now selling their 03/21 version, which is a little mysterious as I can't find any information on these names anywhere.
I can only assume that they're related to the months they were created in, and GlassHouse intend to keep going with them right through the rest of time.
The can pop reveals a smell that is almost indistinguishable to Ribena, except for a slight tang that marks out a difference.
The pour is a beautiful deep red that the camera doesn't really do justice, with a pink foam head that creates a thick top to drink through. The aromas are much sharper during the pour and despite the fruitiness, the tartness cuts through.
The flavour is sharp, which is unusual for a pale ale and is more akin to a sour. The first sensation is to almost wince, but that quickly fades into a smoother, more mellow blackcurrant flavour that keeps a more natural tartness to it which bringing the fruit in spades.
The balance of sweet fruit and sour flavour remains right to the end into the aftertaste, with a slight dry finish that makes it a very quaffable beer.
I hesitate to use the phrase 'boring' for cans because some of the most simple are the most effective, but this is a little boring.
It's a lovely light purple colour which is a lot lighter than the beer pours, but is more in keeping with what crushed blackcurrants look like. The main detail on the front is the GlassHouse Beer Co logo, which as it goes is a pretty good one. Triangle inception making it look a little space-age, it could easily be a logo of some kind of space agency of the future.
The beer name and style along with the brewery name is present in white text at the bottom, adding to the simplicity which is actually really quite effective.
Grab it from Honest Brew for just £5.08 a can for members, or alternatively go to the GlassHouse site to get it in packs of 6.
GlassHouse are already selling their 03/21 version of this so it's already got a vintage vibe to it.