Flying Dog Earl Grey Black Wheat

The sample box from Flying Dog arrived just before we left for our Florida vacation. When I saw the bottle of Earl Grey Black Wheat I was intrigued, and it didn't take long after our return home for us to decide to crack it open. Colleen, being the tea fan in the house, wanted to try it as well, so right after the photo op I split the pour into two glasses to easily share.

The beer pours a dark, mahogany tinted color with an attractive mocha head. The aroma is yeasty with roasted and nutty aspects, and a hint of citrus comes into play as the beer warms. The tea influence is evident in the tasting and the tannic bitterness and citrus of the tea is readily apparent. This combination of the tea with the roasted coffee and cocoa notes works surprisingly well. Mouthfeel is moderately thick and the finish exhibits a strong tea astringency. 

Earl Gray Black Wheat Dunkelweizen is the second in the brewery's Brewhouse Rarities series for 2015. As with most beers in the series, it's not exactly "typical." It still has the dark malt and chewy wheat traits expected in a Dunkelweizen, but the tea influence is an interesting, and tasty twist.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.