Rating: 5/5

Atomic Kangarue collaboration by The Bruery and Smog City is a 9.5% ABV American Wild Ale dry hopped and brewed with grapes.
Label:

HOLY SMOGOLY!
This complex ale was brewed with 2 grape varieties, fermented with brett trois, blended with a sour ale, dry hopped with Amarillo hops & bottled just for you.

We’ve been friends with the folks at Smog City for many years and getting to brew a beer with them was a dream come true. Truly, only in the world of dreams could this remarkable beer have been manifested. A Belgian-style golden ale, brewed with Semillon and Viognier grapes plus three types of hops, fermented with Brettanomyces Trois as well as our house yeast strain, then blended with a sour blonde ale and finally dry-hopped with Amarillo hops. This beer couldn’t be more complex and we couldn’t be more proud of it.

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This beer was a collaboration from Torrance local favorite, Smog City and The Bruery of Placentia. When I first heard they were doing a collaboration, I really wondered how it would turn out. As the Bruery is mainly experimental Belgian styles and Smog City IPA and variety styles. They bring forth a beer that actually uses Smog City’s best kept secret, the use of Amarillo hops which is what fan favorite, Amarilla Gorilla is based on. So since the Bruery rarely uses or plays with hops in their potent beers, a 9% doucey with hops I could only imagine how it would go. This beer was originally released to Reserve Society members and I believe will be hitting the public venues where the Bruery and Smog City beers are sold. Definitely can’t wait to try it, so let me break this caged beast for you, cheers!!

Aromas:

Oranges, citrus, lemon peel, peppercorn, vanilla, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, white grapes, white sage spice, coriander, basil, garlic notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, stone fruit like apricots, peaches, mango, herbs and spices.

Flavors:

Oranges, tangerine, white sage spice, floral notes, flowers, white grapes, brettanomyces, stone fruits like apricots, peaches, vanilla, caramel, lemon peel, citrus, grapefruit, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, rich biscuit bread, honey, farmhouse hay, basil, garlic notes, onion hints, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, farmhouse hay, herbs, honey, white wine grapes, musty funky notes, stone fruit apricots, peaches, old mango, coriander spice, clove spice and hints of allspice.

Aftertaste:

Tangy Oranges, Tropical fruit notes, floral hops, vanilla, herbs and spices linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to medium drinkability, light to moderate mouthfeel, medium to light body, very crisp and refreshing.

Overall:

A perfect collaboration! Drinking more along of the Belgian Strong Pale Ale or Golden Ale, this beer definitely takes its roots and reminds me a lot of the Eschatological Ale from Stillwater if it was more sweeter with grapes and a bit more tropical. This beer is not a complete sour at all. The balance with the bitter hops and the brettanomyces helps it blend to a sweet, bitter and sour/tart tri-force of flavors.

Anime Corner:

Android 18/Lazuli from Dragon Ball Z/GT was used in this pairing to pair with the Sour Blond aspect and the colors of the beer as well as several things. Lazuli was evil in her beginnings but it wasn’t until she was in danger and was cared for by the protagonist Krillin, in which she learned to care and love. She grew sweeter and softer which eventually showed her true powers. This is reflected in the beers tropical and sweet yet bitter and sour aspect. Hey just because 18/Lazuli is sweet and awesome she still has attitude. That ain’t going away. Her stance is that of like an animal style in Kung-Fu lore. I have no idea what it is but let us call that one “The Kanagarue” Style lol. While I added Trunks in the mix, I wanted to basically show that basically, the Bruery while all powerful, a brewery like Smog City, in this case Lazuli, can bring so much more to the table and together can take the world by storm. Awesome job guys!!

Sources:
http://cfile30.uf.tistory.com/image/2123114651D44B2806EEB0
http://www.zerochan.net/full/1561469