There’s been a lovely altruistic trend in craft beer lately, with breweries teaming up with non-profit charities to raise money for worthy causes. Proceeds from Longwood Brewery in Nanaimo’s latest release, Rugged Coast Lime Gose, go towards funding the Rugged Coast Research Society, a newly formed society developed to research and restore remote coastal habitats along the B.C. coast. Twenty-five cents from each can of Rugged Coast helps clean up B.C. beaches and save marine wildlife.So if anyone gives you the stink-eye for crushing cans at the bus stop at eight in the morning, just tell them it’s for charity!
Regardless of its positive environmental implications, this is a pretty delicious gose — a salted sour wheat ale, for those unfamiliar. Made with Vancouver Island Sea Salt and fresh-squeezed lime, Rugged Coast is as close as you can get to a lime margarita in beer form. Tart and citrusy, the briny minerality balances the acidity. The result is light-bodied and refreshing — and at just 4.5 per cent ABV — highly crushable.
Hopefully Rugged Coast sticks around until summer, because it seems almost a shame to waste it on a rainy day.
Rugged Coast Lime Gose by Longwood Brewing
Gose • 4.5 per cent ABV • 11 IBU • 473 mL tall cans
Appearance: Hazy copper peach colour with an ample white head.
Aroma: Citrus, lime, margarita.
Flavour: Lime, citrus, grapefruit, margarita, wheat, balance minerality and acidity, very refreshing.
Body/Finish: Light-bodied with a tart, dry finish.
Pairs with: Barbecued chicken, shrimp ceviche, SPF 5 tanning oil and a long day picking up trash off the beach.
More beery adventures at thegrowler.ca.
