Robin Shepard
Its assertive fruity sweetness will undoubtedly influence reaction to The Brewing Projekt’s Hawaiian Shirt Party. It’s a kettle sour made with lots of tropical fruit puree, which lends an intense sweetness.
What is it? Hawaiian Shirt Party from The Brewing Projekt of Eau Claire.
Style: Kettle-souring is a process where the grist is allowed to cool in the brew kettle. Then lactobacillus (a bacteria in yogurt, cheese and sauerkraut) is introduced. After one to two days, the mash becomes sour. Then the brewing process is restarted with enough heat to kill the bacteria, but leave a distinctive acidic tartness. Depending upon the desires of the brewer it may stay as a tart, acidic or sour beer, or other such adjuncts as fruit or spices may be added to lend other characteristics to the final product.
Background: Hawaiian Shirt Party was one of my most memorable beers from this year’s Great Taste of the Midwest. Glass drew inspiration for his Hawaiian Shirt Party while vacationing earlier this year, enjoying a few piña coladas and being introduced to a cocktail called a painkiller.
While you might expect this beer to be tart from the kettle-souring, it begins as a sour but then brewmaster Will Glass loads it with pineapple and tangerine purees along with toasted coconut. Some of that fruit juice also ferments and adds alcohol, so much so that he calls it an imperial kettle sour.
The first batch was a big hit with The Brewing Projekt’s regulars in the Eau Claire taproom. That prompted Glass to market it in 16-ounce cans (these just started appearing in Madison’s larger and specialty-beer liquor stores).
The brewery self-distributes to Madison every couple of weeks; if it’s off the shelves, more is likely to arrive soon. It’s expected to be available into early this fall — however, intense interest from craft beer enthusiasts means it’s not on shelves long once it arrives. Hawaiian Shirt Party finishes at 9 percent ABV. Four-packs sell for around $18.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Lots of tropical fruit aroma. The pineapple really stands out.
- Appearance: Orange-copper color. Thick body. The off-white head is very bubbly and dense.
- Texture: Full-bodied.
- Taste: Assertive pineapple upfront. Notes of tangerine and orange emerge soon after. Very fruity and sweet. Also, the toasted coconut flavor is strong throughout. The kettle sour qualities are in the background remind the drinker this is still a beer; however, there’s so much fruitiness that what you take away is sweetness and warmth.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Lingering juicy-sweet pineapple and coconut.
Glassware: With the fruitiness and strong coconut character, much like a piña colada, the tulip glass is ideal for sipping this big tropical monster of a beer.
Pairs well with: brunch, as a beermosa. Or alone as a dessert beer.
The Verdict: This is definitely a different take on a kettle sour. Drink Hawaiian Shirt Party very cold to bring out its juicy notes of pineapple and tangerine. The more you drink, the more you will notice the toasted coconut, which also adds sweetness. This is a strong beer at 9 percent, but with all the sweet juiciness and coconut flavor you might not notice that right away.
I enjoyed this beer, especially as a nightcap on my front porch. The distinctive pineapple and tangerine flavors are as welcome as in any fruity summer beer, while its intense sweetness and alcohol warmth are ideal for cooler evenings into fall.
