BEER REVIEW: Greenwarden Spruce Tip Pale Ale – Banded Brewing Company – Biddeford, Maine

If you’re in search of a super unique beer, give Greenwarden from Banded Brewing a try. This offering is quite different from other pale ales on the market right now. Keep reading to get to my thoughts on the beer.

• Beer Name: Greenwarden
• Brewery: Banded Brewing Company, Biddeford, ME
• ABV: 5.6%
• Style: Spruce Tip Pale Ale

Social Media

Website: https://bandedbrewing.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BandedBrewingCo/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bandedbrewingco/ 

Untappd: https://untappd.com/v/banded-brewing-co/1216216 

Ratings

BeerAdvocate Rating: 3.87/5 (Beer Advocate score of 86 – Very Good)

Untappd Rating: 3.69/5 

What the brewery says about the beer: “Inspired by a lore: an ale of mythic proportions. Heroically brewed with Maine-foraged spruce tips replacing flavor and aroma hops. A super refreshing, complex ale with a Maine malt base. Notes of mild evergreen, mint + sweet herb balance out candied fruit flavors – we’ve heard everything from pineapple lifesavers to grape nerds” 

Tasting Notes

Can or Draft?; Draft at the brewery

Appearance: Golden, somewhat transparent

Aroma: The aroma is not as strong as I would have imagined. I did pick up some pine and some sweetness, likely from the malt

Flavor: This is where the spruce tips come into play. A lot of pine, sap and mint come through on the tongue. It is apparent that the spruce tips replaced the flavor and aroma hop additions. 

Mouthfeel:. The beer felt light-to-medium bodied with lively carbonation, crisp.

Finish:  Somewhat sweet. The taste of pine lingered for a bit but did not persist too long. 

Overall Impression: Greenwarden is an incredibly unique beer that I really enjoyed. I think this is a ‘hit-or-miss’ beer depending on if the drinker likes the taste/flavor/aroma of pine. Everyone seems to be in search of the haziest, juiciest IPA. You’re not going to get that here. Instead, you’re going to get a well executed, tasty brew with the twist of spruce tips. With that said, this is not the type of beer that you can bring on the beach or golf course and drink all day. It’s complex and I think the spruce/pine can be a lot after a pint or two.