Magic Rock/Wiper & True Fresh Start

Fresh off the blocks in 2022 is this bright citrusy gose* — the brainchild of two of the UK's craft beer heavyweights, Huddersfield's Magic Rock Brewing and Bristol's Wiper And True.

Conceived as an antidote to festive excess, Fresh Start aims to appeal to the Dry January partakers and those looking for a healthy, clear-headed start to the year, mixing the brewing techniques of gose with seasonal citrus fruits to produce a fresh and zingy soft beer.

Fresh Start pours well, with a bubbly head and very bright, fruity aroma. As with traditional gose there's little in the way of hoppiness. It's predominantly sweet orange, grapefruit and cranberry. The liquid is cloudy and beautifully deep pink/orange in colour, courtesy of hibiscus and beetroot extracts.

Much of the sweetness fades away when tasted, giving way to a mild, salty bitterness. It's light bodied but has just enough substance not to disappoint. An acidic, zesty aftertaste is light enough to entice you back for more although the sourness and saltiness might eventually be off-putting.

If you're a fan of light, fruity, citrus-centric NoLo beers but want a change from hoppy IPAs then this gose is a worth a try.

* Gose is style of beer originating in Goslar, Germany. Typically brewed using 50%+ malted wheat and mildly saline water (or sometimes added salt) the character is typically more sour and herbaceous than hoppy and bitter.