for when you're not quite sure

There are an increasing number of specialized beer stores in this town, but only two German stores.  One of them, the one with the good pickles, had this "beer" up on the shelf, and the exciting label caught my eye.  Now, it's not exactly beer, it's a mix of beer and a caffeinated fruit beverage, but how bad could that be?

The X is for "extreme", no doubt

There's a sweet berry smell that hits the nose immediately after opening.  The beer comes out red...dish.  There's a hint of red in the head also.  I'm reminded of a very dark Kool-Aid when looking at my drink on the table.  The taste is alright, not too sweet.  It's definitely fruity, though.  Guarana is not a fruit I've tried, but I'd bet it doesn't come out as sweet as raspberries or cherries when processed for flavoring, which makes this mixed beer more bearable.  It is without a doubt a party drink.  It might have beer in it, but it's a little less than half the content, and the fruity flavor is what comes out most clearly.  Shandies, radlers and claras tend to have more a stronger beer flavor than this, so it isn't even a gateway drink, something to get the palate used to beer while distracting it with something else.  It's not that it's a bad drink, but it's not something a beer lover would pick up when there are other choices available.  Unless those choices consist of certain industrial beers, then one might consider a Berry-X just for the sake of drinking something with a taste.