Fallen Idol

Fallen Idol, from Toronto, Ontario's Indie Ale House, was billed as a sour wheat with blackberries. I had a 16.5oz pour of the 5% alcohol brew on tap at the brewery on a snowy Saturday afternoon in February, when I was in the mood for something fruity and fresh.

My beer showed up looking quite pretty--a slightly rosy brown ale; cloudy and covered with a thin covering of off-white head. It had a cute aroma to match, with gentle tartness, berry notes, and, in small measure, some red wine tannins. The beer wasn't as sour as I was expecting--it was tart at most. As for the blackberry, the flavour wasn't aggressive or showy. It was, however, both chipper and subtle. The mouthfeel was bright and light, but the stuff wasn't as fizzy as I wanted it to be.

Beer and blackberries are a great combo, and Indie Ale House linked them together pleasingly. Fallen Idol is a very agreeable little brew. I wasn't sure what food I'd pair it with until garlicky mussels showed up for the woman dining behind me. The flavours and aromas had me salivating like a hound, despite my full belly. Perhaps it was an odd choice for a wintery day, but F.I. really hit the spot.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.