Jason Chavez knows something about fruit.
OK, so there’s no evidence that he studied pomology or even picked up a pocket fruit identification guide. At least he sees beyond the favored ruby red.
“Everybody is doing a grapefruit IPA,” he said.
So the brewmaster at Kelsey Creek Brewing Co. decided to branch out. Chavez had sampled a pineapple puree and decided to introduce the tropical zing to a traditional German gose.
Yes, sour beers have been subjected to hipster affectation and, in response, scorn from those who defy urban trends. And to many the biting acidity can be an acquired taste. But with a plan to add pineapple into the mix, Chavez decided to tone down the gose’s cleaving blade.
For what he calls the Pineapple Express, Chavez brewed a lean malt with coriander and sea salt. He then allowed fermentation to run its course before stirring in the fruit puree.
“We went the safe and sane route,” he explained.
By taking the middle road, Chavez created a bright, refreshing and pleasantly unique brew. On the nose it bubbles with sliced pineapple and light, sun bleached malt. But this barely prepares you for a sip.
The fruit is rich, but curiously natural, like hard pineapple candy without added sugar. The earthy undertones of the tropical fruit emerge on the finish, lending some depth to a breezy wave of lean wheat.
It is a clean, lively beer — one with a playful smile and a volume of thought.
So he has transformed the gose from a man bun favorite to a brisk and intriguing summer beer. The pineapple gushes with relief from searing daytime heat. Yet it is not a skippy flavor. Rather, it offers trends from crisp to earthy, picking up hints of coriander along the way.
“It’s a bit different,” Chavez noted. “It’s definitely a warm weather beer.”
And regulars have taken to it, especially in Lake County’s dog days.
“It’s selling very well,” he said.
