Style: Hard Seltzer

ABV: 4.3

85/100
Aroma: 12
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 15
Mouthfeel: 5

Core Brewing & Distilling Co Scarlet Letter Blue

What the brewers say

Hand-crafted spiked seltzer flavored with blueberry, white peach, tamarind, and lemon.

What our panel thought

Slight yellow tinge. Huge white-peach-nectar aroma, with lighter tamarind and faint blueberry. The flavors seem to clash—fuzzy peach and tamarind are stronger, while blueberry brings a medicinal quality. Bubbly and easy drinking. Leans a bit sweet.

What our editors thought

Sparkling, clear, tinted like the palest of white wines. Nose like blueberry Hubba Bubba bubble gum—big, dark-fruity candy scent. Moderately sweet taste draws out some fruit-cocktail flavor. Artificial, candy-like character hinders the refreshment value.

Review printed in: Beyond Beer: Hard Seltzer, Hard Kombucha, and More (Apr-May 2021) (View All Issues)


REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Core Brewing & Distilling Co Scarlet Letter Red

Clear with pinkish tint. Floral aroma with notes of lemon, lemongrass, robust cucumber, and ginger. High carbonation. Flower-petal flavor, with heavy cucumber and lime. Balanced ginger adds spicy edge, not heat. Slight saccharine sweetness. Delightful combination.

Core Brewing & Distilling Co Batch 01 - Barrel Aged Barleywine

Decadent, complex, and deep aroma with huge toffee, banana-nut bread, pipe tobacco, figs, raisins, chocolate, vanilla, leather, and dark cherry all vying for attention. All of the aromas beautifully transition into the flavor profile with an added coconut, German chocolate cake, and caramel complexity. Warming, velvety fullness without being filling or cloying in body and flavor, but the mouthfeel is not quite as viscous as some may want. Some alcoholic warmth is present, but it’s not overly harsh.

Port City Brewing Schwarzbier

Nice caramel welcome, with a twist of mint from floral, spicy Noble hops; low coffee, cocoa. Subdued, balanced roast melds with hop bitterness. Finishes dry and quickly, begging for another taste.

FRESH BEERS >

The best new craft beers available in a beer store near you. Sponsored content.