I was having lunch with the Province’s top beer expert (really) and I was complaining about sours, having had a “memorable for the wrong reason” encounter with one of the cranberry variety. He told me not to give up on them, and there were lots of great sours and other unique brews out there that I would like. He asked me if I had tried 12 Minutes to Destiny? I remembered seeing it on the shelf and avoiding it but I couldn’t recall why. He told me to try it out. So here goes.
First of all, lets be clear, this is not a sour. It is a Raspberry Hibiscus Lager with rose hips (as opposed to other body parts of the rose), all in abundance, according to those crazy Flying Monkeys. That possibly explains why I had passed on it before. Aren’t hibiscus the flowers that they stick in their hair in Hawaii?*
Out on the back deck, Q’ed up for a B, a BBQ and brew that is. Hot summer day. So I popped a 12 Minutes to Destiny and set my alarm. I didn’t want to be in the can or walking the dog and miss my destiny. A raspberry red, ruby red, bright red slightly hazy pour, no bubbles and with a bright white rose hip lei on top. The nose is all raspberry, raspberry front, center and all points in between. First quaff and all subsequent swigs were a fizzy mellow but prominent raspberry flavour. Not raspberry jam raspberry, more like raspberry hibiscus rose hips raspberry, if you know what I mean. Very easy drinking, bubbly and refreshing. No bubbles in the pour but when I tip the glass the carbonation headed rim side. Even when decanting it retains it’s carbonation.
It didn’t really taste like a beer to me, let alone a lager, but it was quite tasty. It could only be enjoyed on a hot afternoon so it fit the bill. Interesting that while I was drinking it the Munjo Jerry song “In the Summertime” came on the radio with a melody that was in harmony (literally) with this brew**. Not my normal choice of music but catchy. Not my normal choice of brew but refreshing. Coincidence? Of course it was. Different, tasty, refreshing, but definitely not your Dad’s beer.
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