Mybeerbuzz.com Highlights Flying Dog White Peach Saison & Carolina Reaper Peach IPA

It’s no secret that I love all things “peach”…fruit, pies, salsa, preserves…..and of course beer.  So it should be no surprise that Flying Dog made my day with not one but TWO new peach beers for me to sample.

It would be a tremendous understatement to say that these beers really ONLY have the peach-part of the recipe in common; and as you’d expect, these are REALLY opposite beers when it comes to sampling.

Flying Dog Brewhouse Rarities White Peach Saison was an idea that came from Erin & Nate in Flying Dog’s marketing team…and I’ll admit it was my idea to sample it first (before the HEAT Series beer).  White Peach Saison pours a really pretty and slightly cloudy golden color and right up front there is subtle peach aromas and the yeasty/spicy Saison aromas you’d expect.  The taste also has some soft white peach flavors up front followed by the slightly peppery finish you’d also expect in a Saison.  There’s an interesting quiet almost vanilla-peachy flavor and just the slightest touch of El Dorado hops to help balance it all out.  White Peach Saison hits 5.9%-AbV and a deceiving slightly-sweet 13 IBU, so I think you’ll find it to be a really pleasing and drinkable beer….I know I did.

Anyone familiar with the Carolina Reaper pepper will tell you this pepper packs the heat  (Guinness World Record holder–2.2-million Scoville Heat Units).  So I’ll admit I had a little trepidation for what Flying Dog Heat Series Carolina Reaper Peach IPA would do to my tongue.  With that in mind, I think my mind only heard the “Peach IPA” part…so off I went.   Once again the peach and peachy-hop aromas dominate, and on your first sip there is a really nice peach flavor and some juicy Galaxy hops.  On the second sip you start thinking peach-IPA with a pleasing body and hoppy 40 IBU…and then it happens.  HEAT……more heat….more heat…followed by even MORE heat. 

Puckerbutt Pepper Company’s Smokin’ Ed Currie did not disappoint with this Heat Series beer pepper choice….it’s Hot.  The Peach IPA portion definitely takes a back seat after the 3rd sip and it was hard to bring back after the reapers hit.  I did share this beer with a hot pepper-loving friend, and he too found it to be on the flaming side of really-hot!  At 6.8%-AbV this beer will not only get your attention with heat, but also with strength, so do be careful with this one.  With all of that said, I’d definitely recommend you try this beer and see for yourself if I’m a heat-wimp or not.

Be sure to try Flying Dog Brewhouse Rarities White Peach Saison and Heat Series Carolina Reaper Peach IPA (preferably in the sequence we recommend above).  They are both available now (released 8/12) in 12oz bottles….

so get out there and taste them for yourself….and as always…when you do….be sure to let us know what YOU think.