Whenever I go on a trip, I make a point of bringing home some local beer to sample post-unpacking. With all of my travels this summer, I have quite the full beer shelf at the moment. In the coming weeks, as I slowly wend my way through some of my gatherings, I will highlight a few that particularly strike me in some fashion.

Last night I opened a bottle from my Toronto trip. It is a collaboration beer between Amsterdam and Great Lakes Brewing called Maverick & Gose. This one-time beer is, obviously, a take on the traditional German Gose style. Why Gose has suddenly appeared out of the murky depths of beer esoterica (remember Wild Rose also did up a Gose this summer – reviewed here) is an interesting thought I will save for another day. For the moment, the beer itself. The name is a playful takeoff of Top Gun’s Maverick and Goose.

It pours a pale gold with a slight haze, offering no real head to speak of. The aroma is sharp citrus and soft malt with a clean tartness around the edges. There is also a faint grassiness. The sip continues the theme of citrus and grain. A light fruitiness plays upfront that is taken down mid-palate by a mild tartness. The sour is not overdone, just enough to add angles to the beer. I get touches of hay and honey as well. The finish offers up a low key but noticeable saltiness, which serves to make the beer seem more refreshing.

I have only sampled a couple of Goses in my day, so can hardly consider myself an expert in the style. However Maverick and Gose feels and tastes like I imagine a gose should be. The careful balancing of contrasting flavours, the lack of fear regarding salt. Summery citrus and fruity sweetness balanced by tartness and saltiness. It is like lemonade for adults.

This is clearly a Toronto highlight for me and I am now sad I only brought back one bottle of the stuff.