end of year sparkle

I'm going to be sampling some brews from home soon enough, so I felt I should make the effort for one last local, or national, beer.  Arriaca has been good for ales.  Seems like a safe bet.  I picked up a session ale, also to be safe since mornings are hard recently.  Cans are becoming more and more popular, it seems, with some breweries using them exclusively.  Although, I think I have seen bottles of Arriaca in the past.

The beer is slightly ruddy, but mostly a clear straw color.  The ale citrus is there, but it's a very light note, flitting to the nose and brain.  I expect something sweet and fruity, but I'm surprised by the complexity of the flavor.  There's a moment of sweetness, but it's quickly overwhelmed by bitterness, and the swallow ends with a touch of sour.  I'm reminded of some citrus sodas, purporting to be all natural, that end up brisk and biting without added sugar.  Some sweetness does kind of build up towards the end, mellowing out the aftertaste.  The citrus doesn't punch very hard, leaving an impression of something more like a lager.  A nice light beer, as session ales should be, a good accompaniment to snacks or a meal.

Supplier: Espuma
Price: €2.07