Full Sail LTD 1

HOOD RIVER, OR (PuzzledNews)--Full Sail Breweries this week* re-released the original Recipe 1 of their "LTD" series of craft beers upon a thirsty and chilly Oregon public. The idea behind the LTD series is that, in celebration of the brewery's 21st birthday, they were going to brew a bunch of limited edition experimental beers. While I enjoyed Recipe 2 last Spring, I had missed Recipe 1 and wasn't expecting it to return, so when I saw it on the shelf, staring at me with its delicate green box, begging me to take it home and drink it, I couldn't say no, even though I was in the middle of a trial.

Donning my lab coat and pouring the beer into my standard laboratory testing vessel (a Paulaner hefe glass), I was impressed by the orangey color of the beer, bright enough to shine away the ol' Seasonal Affective Disorder, especially after 3-4 bottles. Transferring the test subject from the vessel to my mouth, I was pleased at its sweet, Christmasy flavor, almost like a liquid fruitcake. In fact, it was so sweet I had to think twice about the cake I was having it with; after the first bottle I switched to Triscuits.

The next day I woke up feeling full, but well, and had to skip breakfast and have a light lunch. A bit heavy for my taste, but an excellent source of holiday cheer.

* A few weeks ago.

Appearance: Orange.
Taste: Sweet.
Puzzle Factor: Moderate-to-high (6.4%).
Day After: Not hungry.

Rating: 8/10