Founders Green Zebra

Green Zebra - 4.6 % ABV

Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

Gose

IBU: 10

Poured on tap at Parkside in Birmingham.

What I say:

When I ordered this beer, I didn't know the real name for it. The sign at the bar said "Founders Melon Gose," and it was hot outside, so I ordered that. It did not disappoint on the "melon" or the "gose."

The beer had a light golden color, some carbonation and a smooth mouthfeel. While Founders' website says it's a watermelon gose, it reminded me more of the sweetness of honeydew. On a positive note, the melon taste is refreshing and normal tasting, as opposed to other beers, which feel like you're sucking on a Jolly Rancher. The saltiness to the beer was definitely satisfying, as I found some goses shirk that saltiness, opting for more tartness.

While the melon taste added a definite sweetness to the beer, it mingled with the saltiness and a slight bite to become what I would call tart. Plus, it was refreshing, which was nice when it's August in Alabama.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

What others say:

According to the Founders website, this is a limited release in partnership with ArtPrize, an art competition held in Grand Rapids. They describe the beer was "subtly sour and a little sweet," which I'd agree with. It claims to be lightly-hopped, although I didn't get any hint of what I would identify as "hoppiness."

On Beer Advocate, one person noted a white wine aspect to the beer, but I did not taste that at all. Maybe they're thinking of sweeter whites, which I stay far away from. The same user said something I'd definitely agree with: "The initial sweetness comes on strong, but is not enough to overpower the solid core."

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