Jun 11, 2018

Surly Zest Crazed

Back in the end of April, Surly Brewing announced their BC Small Batch series — in honor of their original Brooklyn Center brewery — that would produce limited runs of one-off beers. The second product in that new series is Zest Crazed, a 5.5% ABV American pale ale crafted with grapefruit and lemon zest (along with a fairly healthy does of Citra hops). And it is gonna fit right into your Summer refreshment routines perfectly.

The hazy, apricot colored pale ale sits solidly in the glass, capped with a dense head of tawny foam that shows excellent resiliency as you dive into the luscious and fresh fruit aromas. Grapefruit, lemony citrus, grassy hops, pine and a touch of bread waft cleanly from the surface and are reflected quite well in the flavor profile as well. An active carbonation and that fresh fruit zest trait make for a lively drinking experience. A generous hop presence with grassy notes and moderate amount of bitterness only adds to the refreshing nature of the pale ale.

Zest Crazed is a great Summertime brew. I love the lively bounce and fruitiness that drives this beer. The pale ale is tasty and fairly light in terms of alcohol content, so you’ll be quite able to enjoy a couple as the temperature heads to triple digits over the next coming months. Well, those of you in the limited market of Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and the Chicago region will be able to taunt your out-of-the-area friends with tales of this tasty pale ale.

This is a review of a promotional sample.