Alvarado St Brewings UnCRUSHtables SLUSH - Review by @Robyn_Seto

May 5

May 5 Alvarado St Brewings UnCRUSHtables SLUSH - Review by @Robyn_Seto

April just flew by like crazy, didn’t it? With everything ramping up for summertime, I’ve been easing into the warm weather with these delightful sours. How about something extra fun for our last April Sours entry?

Alvarado Street Brewing has been quickly rising to the top of my favorite breweries list. Their sours are out of this world, and today’s beer is no exception. UnCRUSHtables SLUSH is a smoothie-style sour inspired by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It takes its name from the Smucker’s brand of pre-made PB&J sandwiches that have the bread crust removed. I’m a big fan of gimmick beers, though they tend to be hit or miss. UnCRUSHtables SLUSH is definitely a big hit in my book.

Brewed with concord grapes and strawberry, the flavor of the fruit has jam-like qualities of warmth and thickness. The smoothie-style comes from the use of fruit purees added to the beer and creates a pleasant viscosity to the mouthfeel and body. It’s certainly mouth-coating, but doesn’t have a syrupy texture or flavor. There is a distinct nutty taste in the background for the fruit to stand out upon, and a strange but familiar bready taste. The can states that this beer is made with “a natural peanut butter flavor”, that apparently is not derived from peanuts meaning that this beer is safe for those with peanut allergies. I wasn’t able to find out exactly what they used to create the nutty bready taste, but apparently there are peanut flavored powders out there that contain no nuts! I would never have guessed the nut flavor didn’t actually come from a peanut, which makes this beer uniquely interesting. At a hefty 7% ABV, I wouldn’t recommend this as a replacement for a real PB&J sandwich. But if you’re looking for a fun treat that’ll loosen you up, this is a great option!

The sour style is vast and grand, full of variance and creativity across countless breweries. Even in the colder months, I still find myself drawn to the odd sour as a reminder of sunnier days. Sours are a great entrance into the craft beer world because of their variety and they’re not a far cry from some of the more popular beverages such as hard seltzers or wine coolers. Sours can also be a great source of fruit nutrients for you, although I may be reaching a bit there. In my personal opinion, I would say that sour beers are perhaps the most varied style of beer and the most accessible to the average adult. There’s something out there for everyone’s taste. Enjoy the rest of April as we foray into yet another month of unknowns. Don’t forget to kick back every once in a while, and maybe relax with a nice little sour.

5/5 Burps