Purple Haze - Abita Brewing Review
We’ve had the honor of drinking quite a few beers from Abita Brewing out of Covington, Louisiana, and we can never get over how southern they taste. It’s true. Every time I’ve had one of their beers I always think, “Damn, this beer was made for a southerner to cool down on a hot day.” And it’s no different with Abita Brewing’s Purple Haze Raspberry Lager.
Purple Haze is brewed with Pilsner and wheat malt, Vanguard hops, and Abita Springs water. Abita adds the raspberries after filtration is already complete, to give this beer its namesake, a wonderful purple haze—like a muggy morning in the south, only with the promise of refreshment, not sweat down your crack.
Enough jawing, let’s see if this fruited lager is as fresh as promised.
First Impressions
On the Eyes--You guessed it, hazy, with a tinge of purple in a golden-orange body. And a creamy one-finger head to top it all off.
On the Nose--The raspberry is tart, fresh, and forward. It truly gets the mouth watering (as all fruit beer should) with a tingle in the salivary glands. The malt is light, and the soft wheat malt aroma comes out to complement the raspberry.
On the Palate--The tart raspberry balances nicely with the mild pilsner and wheat malts. It is exceptionally smooth for a lager, maybe lending to the extra sugar in the raspberries, but it maintains its light body through the dry finish. The Vanguard hops add their noble characteristics with a hint of herbal and earthy flavors necessary to counter the sweetness of the raspberries. It is not cereal-like as some fruit beers brewed with wheat can be, but it is refreshing and a great sessionable beer at 4.2% ABV and 13 IBUs.
Food Pairings: Abita suggests pairing Purple Haze raspberry lager with salads or light fruit desserts. They also suggest pairing it with some cheeses, like ripened Brie, or chocolate desserts.
Final Thoughts
It happened again. We drank this beer and thought, “Yep, this is a southern beer made by southerners.” Purple Haze is light, refreshing, and offers a slightly dry finish to prepare the drinker for the next chug. It is also sessionable, with the perfect amount of fruit kick. The flavor reminds me more of a ripe blackberry than a sharp raspberry, but it is true berry and as smooth as a glassy pond in summer.
Southern or not, give Purple Haze a try, or try any number of Abita’s interesting beer and soda options. They are true southern and it is apparent they love bringing their concoctions alive with Louisiana flair.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew