Natural Selections 6 Pack--Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale

Of the beers that came in this mixed six, I was definitely most excited about Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale. It came in a really great looking 330mL bottle--it had a distinctive shape and a cool label featuring a pink grapefruit as a rising sun. Brewed in Whistler, British Columbia, by the Whistler Brewing Company, Paradise Valley Grapefruit Ale contains 5% alcohol. According to the label, these suds are brewed with grapefruit zest and coriander.

It was a hazy, rust coloured brew that poured with a thin, off-white head that faded quickly. There is a dose of (big surprise!) grapefruit in an otherwise mild aroma. This unique little beer blends honey sweetness with citrus tartness in an unusual, but oddly enjoyable melange.

Given the label, I was expecting the grapefruit flavour to be pretty heavy-handed; however, it was really used more as an effective accent. The downside is that the stuff is too sweet for this beer geek to sit down to regularly. It's tasty and modestly refreshing, but a bit to saccharine to be "easy-drinking".

Rating: 7.0 out of 10.