Non-Boujee Brews 

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• Mike Riedel

Uinta - Watermelon Philly Sour: The next installment in Uinta's Pro Line Series of beers, this new sour features Philly Sour yeast, which was discovered from an old tree that inhabits a Philadelphia cemetery. Its low-sulfur profile and sour qualities have been making this a popular yeast for tart beers around the country.

It pours a crisp, fizzy head of a pastel white color over a mildly hazy golden-yellow body, with light carbonation. Head retention is poor, and there is no visible lacing. Juicy watermelon sweetness hits the nose up front, with the gentle subtleties of malted wheat, pale malts and very light sour tree fruits.

The base and watermelon come through very nicely to form a tangy and refreshing collective flavor. Smooth, clean wheat malts, with the residual and unique gentle sweetness of watermelon pulp, are accented nicely by the tanginess of the fruit, particularly on the finish. The texture is slick, slightly chewy, clean, tangy and medium dry. Carbonation is moderate, generating a medium frothiness and a very crisp finish. The 7.0 percent body is medium for the style, light/medium overall. Balance is nearly even between sweet, acidic and tangy. Alcohol presence is very light, and there are no off characters.

Overall: I'm finding melon characters, including watermelon and cucumber, are excellent compliments to a sharply acidic beer. Without compromising the traditional and simple flavor parameters, the watermelon comes off light in this beer, resulting in a quenching, yet simultaneously thirst-inducing balance of flavors. Very enjoyable.

Bewilder - Chick Flip: The Pink Boots brews keep on rolling in—and that's a-okay with me. All of the local brewers that have tried one have managed to keep them all unique. This one is a West Coast double IPA, with great clarity in color with decent retention. The aroma is incredible; I spent way too long just hovering over it. The bright citrus (particularly lime) is definitely amplified here by the supportive Citra element. Next comes some catty funk along with notes of grapefruit, lychee and grassiness. There's even a little bit of "white wine," with a kind of a tropical/stone fruit/mineral note.

On the tongue, this has a lot of chewy, oat-like malt combined with dank and grassy hoppiness, melding notes of light tropical fruit cocktail with some bright citrus and herbal elements. Pineapple-like intensity combines with lime, tangerine, passion fruit and mango. A kind of chalky mid-palate gets a bit indefinite here and there, but I really like the complex hop elements up front and in the finish. I don't initially get much of the 9.0 percent ABV here either, but as it warms, it starts to become a little bit more apparent. It feels nice and round in the mouth, not like an NEIPA; I'd say the malts provide a caramelly/creamy experience that are aided by medium carbonation.

Overall: Loved the flavor and the great bready flavors. Again, balance rules the day here, and you can just feel the freshness and craftsmanship in the flavors. For a pale ale, there is a lot going on here. The grassiness again is present and a nice yet mild fresh hop flavor, with light citrus notes under the bread notes.

Of course, these are both limited release beers; 16-ounce cans are the thing now, and both of these beers are proud, loud and right at home in their packaging. Your best bets for both of these offerings are at their respective breweries. As always, cheers!