Recently while scouring the beer list at a local pub, Mrs. NatsGM and I stumbled upon an intriguing option with a baseball theme, RAR Puck Face. I first became aware of this Maryland beer several years ago, due to the obvious nod to the infamous 1989 baseball card of Baltimore Orioles’ legend, Billy Ripken, but had been unable to secure one until now.
With an obvious connection to baseball, and the fact that NatsGM.com proudly supports local breweries, I figured I should revisit a recurring column and scout this beer. Using a modified version of the 20-80 baseball scouting scale, Mrs. NatsGM and I held a beer tasting to evaluate this sour. Below are our grades and scouting notes on this five-tool Maryland brew.
Marketing & Presentation NatsGM – 70 / Mrs. NatsGM – 75
The beers come as a 4-pack of 16 ounce cans bound together with a simple, black plastic binding. The can possesses an over-exaggerated cartoon drawing of the Billy Ripken card, with the artist taking some liberties with the original for comedic (and likely legal) reasons. I have yet to stop belly laughing at the image on the can of a human lime making a sour face with puckered lips. The plain binding, rather than a vibrant box, keeps it from a double-plus grade for me, but we are both massive fans of the artwork.
Appearance & Aroma NatsGM – 60 / Mrs. NatsGM – 40
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Flavor & Taste NatsGM – 40 / Mrs. NatsGM – 30
This light-bodied sour has a unique taste combining several flavors. It begins with a light wheat taste before the tart, lemon-lime kicks in and that sour flavor increases as it flows down the palate. It reminded me of a sour and more potent lemon-lime Gatorade. At 4.6 ABV and zero IBUs, it is a light beer with a crispness that will get you making a sour face after a few sips.
Overall NatsGM – 60 / Mrs. NatsGM – 40
Mrs. NatsGM and I agree the artwork and presentation of Puck Face is outstanding, and we regard RAR Brewing as one of the elite craft breweries in the region. While both acknowledging we could not drink more than one due to the strong sour taste, we had a difference of opinion on this beer – she felt it was too sour and could not enjoy “more than a sip or two”, while I had little difficulty finishing my pint.
Puck Face comes in four 16-ounce cans and cost me $21 for the four-pack in a store, so it is not an inexpensive purchase. Therefore, I would hesitate to recommend it unless the person is a massive baseball fan and greatly enjoys Berliner Weisse style sours. That said, due to the burgeoning sour beer market and large crossover of beer-drinking baseball fans, I figure there are plenty of people that would enjoy this tasty brew. If you are looking for a late holiday present, or a fun way to spice up your upcoming fantasy baseball drafts, I highly recommend Puck Face.
For more information, visit RARBrewing.com and @RARBrew on Twitter!