Modern Times Universal Friend
Just yesterday, in a review for Modern Times’ Tetra City, I announced my newly cemented friendship with their products. Well, even the best of friends have their bumps in the road. The ironically named (for this series of reviews) Universal Friend is one of those hiccups in my bourgeoning relationship with the brewery. The 7.2% ABV farmhouse ale is brewed with Pinot Noir grape must that not only gives the beer a decidedly purple appearance, but also strongly influences the flavor.
And it’s a flavor that I am not sure I fully enjoy. The inclusion of the grape must doesn’t necessarily create an off-putting character, but it’s one that I’m not sure really works with the funkiness of the base saison. I particularly enjoyed the yeastiness and funk, along with the lively and crisp nature of hte beer. The must, however, just seems to distract from all that I really wanted to focus on.
Every relationship has their ups and downs. It just happens that Universal Friend is a bit of a dip in what I hope continues to be a solid friendship. I have thoroughly enjoyed every other beer from Modern Times that I have encountered and even if this particular brew isn’t my favorite, there are still elements within it that I liked well enough.