Origin: Spain
Type: Double malt ale
Color: Dark amber
Alcohol content: 5.6%
Recommended serving temperature: 10ºC/50ºF
Brewery: Fábrica
de Cerveza Kettal
Now that spring is here, I feel it is time to write
about those beers that are particularly refreshing, yet still boast fantastic
bodies (another distinctive feature of spring, sexual innuendos).
That does not nevertheless mean that I will stop writing
about darker, heavier beers (that is the beauty about spring, you can fit
anything in there -no sexual reference intended there) but I will tend to drink
fresher, lighter or amber colored beers and hence, the probability of me
writing about them will also increase.
In that spirit, I have chosen to write today about the
Kettal Fanega.
This beer is dark amber, pale reddish, almost copper
in color.
It does not have a large amount of foam by any means
and what it does have is quick to fade. However, this lack
of noticeable foam does not keep it from displaying a pretty intense
smell.
This smell is pretty intensely sweet and fruity. The
first thing that comes is the sweetness, due to its double malt character,
which gives it an odor close to caramel. This is however quickly overpowered by
the smell of soft fruits, which brought to my mind peaches and maybe mango.
This smell is largely reproduced in the taste, where
the fruity flavors are the most present. The Kettal Fanega is soft and veloury
in taste, reproducing the main characters of the peach, the fruit whose taste
largely accounts for the flavor of this beer. It does not obviously loose the
sweetness of the double malt and the caramel, mentioned before regarding its
smell. However, the peach is by far the most identifiable taste every step of
the way.
The clearness of the fruity taste is aided in my
opinion by the fact that there is really no bitterness in this beer, and the
peach is therefore not masked by any other flavors.
This lack of bitterness makes the beer that much more
refreshing as well, as it does not dry your mouth much after every sip, leaving
it fruity and refreshed, something ideal for the warmer seasons. This
especially holds true in places like Cadiz, where the beer is brewed, which is
one of the sunniest places in Spain and a city which reaches well over 70º
Fahrenheit or 21º Centigrade from the month of May.
The temptation in a city like this would be to make a
beer that is almost watery, thereby making it easy to drink and very low in
alcohol content. This would surely promote its consumption in larger
quantities. Nevertheless, the Kettal Fanega is a pretty brave beer. It has 5.6%
ABV and a palatable body with a straightforward notable taste. This would be a
risky move were it not for the sweetness of the double malt and the softness of
the peach, which keeps the alcohol nicely at bay.
Another aspect worth noticing regarding this beer is
the fact that, despite the lack of any lasting foam when you pour it, it has a
quite elevated carbonation. This makes it similar to other spring and summer
friendly styles of beers such as the pilsner, which is markedly fizzy despite
its moderate amount of foam.
This though, much like the beer itself on a warm day,
does not last long. It disappears over time after having opened and poured it,
as the beer warms in contact with the air.
If you were to drink this beer with food, I would
suggest pairing it with something flighty and tasty, such as some seafood, a
specialty in Cadiz. However, this beer's character makes it perfect to drink at
any given moment on a warm day, without the need for any food to accompany it.
With or without food, definitely a refreshing beer for the warmer seasons.
Comments
Post a Comment