I was browsing through the beers listed on craftshack.com, deciding which ones to buy. Lo and behold! Dog Ate My Homework, a fruited saison from Brouwerij West of San Pedro, California, came up on my screen. Craftshack said:

Saison / Farmhouse Ale | 7% ABV

Commercial Description:

A fresh, decidedly fruit-forward saison brewed with lots of Washington state blackberry juice. This beer is deep, deep red in color, but rather than being sweet like many fruit beers, it is dry, tart, and refreshing.

I added a can to my shopping cart. AT $4.49, it wasn’t that expensive really. Consider that the brewery sells it for $15 a 4-pack ($3.75 a can), and Total Wine $12.99 for 4 cans ($3.25 each, but not sold in Georgia) and this did not seem all that pricey.

About a week later, my beer arrived. Shortly after that, I popped open my can of Dog Ate my Homework.

Brouwerij West Dog Ate My Homework pours to a hazy purple color with a very foamy, frothy pink head and a dry grainy nose with bright (but not sweet) berry fruit. Taking a sip, the beer is very grainy and bready, almost like rye bread from the spelt and juicy blackberry and currant fruit. It is not at all sweet and finishes dry, it is in fact one of the driest fruit beers I have ever enjoyed. As I sip, it reminds me of a slice of currant-studded rye toast (but not exactly like rye) slathered with blackberry jam (tart, not sweet jam). I can even taste the seeds. Hints of clove emerge and a dry Hallertau bitterness punctuate nicely.

I found this beer to be very impressive and would certainly drink it again. They call it a saison, and with the dry spicy notes I can see that. It would fit equally well pegged as a fruit beer.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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