Garage Project Sichuan & Pineapple Pilsner

Rating:

“Let your taste buds take a trip. Sichuan Pineapple – ma la spiced pineapple pilsner, delivering a mind bending blend of spicy chilli, numbing Sichuan Pepper and ripe pineapple. Sweet heat, numbing warmth and juicy fresh cut pineapple aromatics, interwoven in a beautifully crisp, clean golden base. Mind blown.”

Glassware: Stemmed tulip.

Appearance: Clear golden pour capped off with a fizzy two finger head which gradually peels off. It forms a collar with scarce lacing left in its wake.

Aroma: We’re suckers for any beer with chilli in it. Even more so when it’s a chilli/sweet combo as the two ingredients compliment each other so well. With sichuan being such a potent spice there are no surprises the spicy, slightly citrusy and peppery qualities are direct and balance the sweetness of the pineapple really well. It’s a fun and unique spice and one rarely seen used in beer so full points to GP on this one.

Flavour: Classy. We’d totally forgotten this was a Pilsner until the first sip. Initially we get a hint of sichuan and chilli and then the clean and crisp Pilsner malts wash over. A subtle heat from the chilli returns mid way along with a very delicate pineapple sweetness. That numbing effect from the sichuan also kicks in late before the semi sweet but ultimately crisp and spicy finish.

Mouthfeel: Light on, clean and warming (from the spice). Light-moderate body with the 5.8% ABV well hidden.

Overall: It’s certainly an enjoyable drop on this hot late-Spring arvo. A good hit of chilli heat and spice, it’s crushable, it just lacked that knockout punch for us though. Not bad.