Sep 12, 2016

Old Ox Funky Face Blood Orange Gose

I’ve been really enjoying the bottled and canned releases that Old Ox Brewing has been putting on shelves the past year or so. Just about everything I’ve had from the company has simply been solid. The company is now heading into the experimental realm with their new Funky Face line of beers that will explore sour and tart aspects of brewing. The first release in this limited run is Blood Orange Gose, a 3.4% ABV (5 IBU) gose brewed with, you guessed it, blood oranges.

I’m not a huge fan of many examples of this style on shelves as of late — a good number of them have just been way too damn salty. Blood Orange Gose initially gave off the impression that it was going to follow right in line with those brews, but once the beer hits the lips, the level of salinity isn’t as strong as initially feared. The combination of the salt, blood orange and a moderate, tongue-grabbing tartness all work well with one another, providing a refreshing, flavorful brew.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first offering from Old Ox’s Funky Face series. It’s full flavored, tart and well balanced amongst all primary elements. Blood Orange Gose provided just the right levels of each plus an incredibly refreshing nature on a hot July afternoon. I’m looking forward to more releases from the brewery in their experimental run.