Evil Twin Brewing was founded by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø in 2010 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name might look familiar, his brother (Mikkel Borg Bjergsø) is the founder of the very successful Mikkeller brewery in Copenhagen as well. Evil Twin Brewing is a gypsy brewery, which means it that does not have brewing equipment on site but will brew their beers in other facilities. This sets Evil Twin beers up to be unforgettable and very unique; the Femme Fatale Sudachi is no exception. Whenever I see the combination of sour and IPA I jump on it. Individually these on my two favorite beer styles, so I’m always intrigued. Now on to the review.
Femme Fatale Sudachi (Bottle Date: Unknown)
Served in a cold New Belgium tulip glass
Appearance – slight golden haze, about a finger and a half of white head on pour, slight murky tint (probably due to the Brettanomyces), silky head that laces the glass as you consume, nice level of carbonation
Aroma – Brettanomyces Yeast, a huge wave of bitter citrus, grapefruit and lime notes, grassy hop aroma the sneaks through the astringent citrus rind. I’ve never had Sudachi but I feel this overpowered any other notes that I could get on the nose
Mouthfeel – this was a medium to light body beer, a ton of tartness with slight funky flavor that coated my mouth and palate. I couldn’t get much of that barnyard funk that I would have liked, was definitely overshadowed by the Sudachi bitter citrus
Taste – this was really tough because of all the bitterness, very astringent, very little sour funk, maybe a little melon at the end. After a few ounces my tongue was only getting the tart notes of the Sudachi
Finish – not very sour, over shadowed by the citrus notes, slight boozy finish for only a 6 % ABV, bitter rind sits in mouth long after beer is gone
Personal recommendations for food pairings: spicy chipotle chicken or pork tacos, adobe short ribs or pork shank
Personal recommendations for cheese pairings: aged brie with berries, danish blue, and a sweet mascarpone would pair well with the bitterness of the Sudachi
Overall Rating: 7.9/10
Personal notes on beer style:
Overambitious in the attempt and inconsistent in the delivery. I think adding an obscure fruit (to most Americans at least) leads the drinker to a very confusing and clashing beer. I think sour IPAs are difficult to begin with, the clashing of the funky yeast with the hops just seems to set up a royal rumble in the bottle and mouth. But that won’t stop me from buying more of this style in the future.
Cheers!
bitesnpints 