Tasting the Poi Wheat ale

Jeffrey Crane wanted a follow up on the Poi Wheat ale I brewed a while back, so I figured I'd post about it following the tasting session approach Lewy's been using on his blog (plenty links in one sentence, yeah?).



Aroma: A subtle, pleasant fruitiness, sort of reminiscent of guava, probably from esters produced by the yeast in a warm fermentation. Also has a slight acidic citrus aroma, likely resultant from adding cascade hops late in the boil.

Appearance: Straw colored, or perhaps just a tad more orange than pure straw (the greenish hue I noticed when the beer first went into the carboy seems to have settled out). Translucent (lets light through), but not clear--probably resulting from protein haze caused by use of malted wheat in the mash (protein haze is not undesirable in wheat beers). A brilliant white head, reminiscent of egg white meringue, that persists for several minutes, and leaves some lacing on the sides of the glass as the beer is drank (or drunk, or drunken... whatever). Bubbles continue to rise throughout the drinking of the beer, maintaining a ring of foam inside the glass, though the carbonation isn't strong enough to result in bubble chains--it's more diffuse, like rain drops in reverse.

Flavor: Some initial fruitiness, probably linked to the aroma. A sort of powdery, alkaline taste hits the roof of the mouth a moment later. Finishes with an almost grassy bitterness from the cascade hops. Crisp and refreshing throughout, which I associate with the wheat/ale-yeast combination.

Mouthfeel: Not too heavy in body, and not too light--a sort of middling roundness. Very slight tingle from carbonation, well below sting-level. Somewhat cloying after the second bottle (which is where I'm at now, in the course of writing this review).

Overall Impression: In the end, it's a pretty good beer. Not the best I've ever brewed, but definitely the best I've brewed so far in Hawaii. I'm not too sure of what characteristics were contributed by the poi, though I'd be more confident attributing the powdery, alkaline flavor--which comes mid-way through a sip--to poi than anything else. I'm still interested in exploring poi as a beer ingredient--particularly in letting the poi sour for a few days before adding it--but at this point I can't say that there is any definite result that merits the extra cost.

Other Info: Original Gravity was 1.047. Final Gravity is 1.007. Estimated alcohol by volume is 5.3%, and the alcohol is felt in the head more than the heart--befuddling/relaxing more than emotively inspiring.

Also: The Taro root is considered a physical reincarnation of the ancestors. It is kapu to argue in front of the poi, and I'm applying that rule to this beer. If you wanna brawl, maybe try Fenton Smith's Sparring Spud Stout instead.