Uptown Staff Pick:
Ghost of Christmas by Hi-Wheel Fizzy Wine Co.
6.8% ABV, Cranberry wine with ghost peppers
This review is brought to you by our very own Head Brewer, Tyler! Here are his thoughts:
Pours a lovely shade of hazy, light pink. It is effervescent enough that "Fizzy Wine" is an apt description, but not anywhere near a champagne quality. The drying bitterness of the cranberries balances the beverage enough to likely satisfy most imbibers. That being said there is a touch of residual sugar that gives it a sweeter finish than this IPA swilling reviewer enjoys. But, credit where it's due: it's not very often that a company says they used a pepper (jalapeno, habanero, whatever) and the heat actually comes through. This is exactly what I want when I hear "ghost pepper" as an ingredient. Not just pepper flavor but pepper heat. It's not overbearing, but it is certainly present. Cranberry is an unlikely pairing, but I've got to hand it to them they pulled it off. I really want to drink this with some seasonally inappropriate fish tacos covered in a lovely lime crema.
This fermented beauty would make a great showing at your next bottle share or be a pleasant surprise for your adventurous drinking buddies that are always looking for the "hot" new thing. Hell, now I'm thinking about marinating some chicken in it.
Well there you have it, thanks Tyler! Hi-Wheel Fizzy Wine Co will be pouring samples of their tasty creations at our 5th Anniversary party.
