The year’s Tour was outstanding! With thoughts of that great race still in my head, it was the fleur-de-lis on the label that piqued my interest in the beer I chose for this week’s review. LaPadite (surely a reference to the French farmer in Inglorious Basterds) by Battered Boar Brewing in Oklahoma is a wonderfully aromatic and fruity farmhouse style beer that would be a perfect refreshment after your next hammerfest.
The beer pours a hazy and opaque yellow with orange undertones. The beer releases an off-white head that diminishes to thin islands of bubbles soon after pouring. The aroma is pronounced and fantastic. It is somewhat floral, but fruits dominate with an underlying honey sweetness. Peaches and apricots are the main players.
LaPadite has a fairly light body, but the viscosity is still adequate to allow the flavors to coat the tongue. The honey noticed in the aroma is surprisingly lacking in the taste. Apricot is definitely present, but the peach is dominate. The peach and apricots make the beer fruity without being overly sweet.
The hops used are detected on the middle and sides of the tongue. The hops provide a bitter and acidic interlude between the initial fruitiness and the aftertaste. The back of the tongue still picks up a bit of the peach, but the typical farmhouse funkiness of cloves, bananas, and peppery spiciness is taking over by this point. The pepper bite lingers long into the aftertaste.
LaPadite is an easy-drinking beer and is quite clean for a farmhouse style ale. Though saisons and farmhouses are more typical of spring, the fruitiness of this beer makes it great for the hot days of summer as well.
LaPadite would pair well with funky cheeses, fresh fruits, and sourdough breads. The beer has seasonal availability and comes in four packs of 12 ounce bottles for around 13 bucks.
Cheers and Vive le Tour!
Alex
Bikepacker Friendliness (glass bottles with a twist-off) 6/10
Aroma (pronounced fruit and honey) 9/10
Flavor (fruity with a funky finish) 8/10
Style Appropriateness (more fruit flavors than typical) 7/10