Why It’s On Our Shelves
Lime | Tart | Creamy
A sharp and refreshing dessert sour inspired by Key Lime Pie, packed with lime and balanced by a subtle creamy sweetness.
Ampersand Key Lime Pie takes the flavours of the classic citrus dessert and turns them into a 5.4% kettle-soured beer that's sharp, creamy, tart and wonderfully refreshing.
Heaps of lime juice are used during fermentation, putting bright citrus very much at the centre of the beer. Lactose and oats provide the counterbalance, introducing a subtle creamy sweetness and softer mouthfeel that echoes the richness of the dessert without disguising that all-important lime acidity.
The result is vibrant and effervescent, with plenty of citrus bite followed by just enough sweetness to bring everything back into balance.
What does Key Lime Pie taste like?
Expect an immediate sharp, zesty hit of lime, with plenty of fresh citrus acidity and the characteristic tartness of a kettle-soured beer.
Then comes the contrast.
Lactose provides a gentle sweetness while oats add body and softness, giving the beer a creamy quality reminiscent of the filling in a Key Lime Pie.
Importantly, that sweetness doesn't take over. Lime remains the star, leaving the beer tart, refreshing and effervescent rather than heavy or overly sweet.
How to enjoy it
Serve well chilled. Its combination of sharp citrus and creamy sweetness makes this particularly refreshing on its own, but also gives you plenty of opportunities for food pairing. Try it with:
- Spicy Mexican food
- Tacos and nachos
- Thai and Southeast Asian dishes
- Grilled prawns and seafood
- Barbecued chicken
- Fresh goat's cheese
- Creamy soft cheeses
- Salty snacks
- Cheesecake
- Citrus desserts
- And, naturally, Key Lime Pie
That bright lime acidity is particularly good for cutting through rich, creamy or spicy foods.
Product Details
Beer: Key Lime Pie
Brewery: Ampersand Brew Co.
Style: Dessert Sour / Kettle Sour
ABV: 5.4%
Key Flavour: Lime
Character: Sharp, citrusy, creamy and effervescent
Made with: Lime juice, lactose and oats
Contains: Lactose
Why we like it
Once again, this is the sort of beer that demonstrates why working with independent breweries can be so much fun.
Take a familiar dessert, identify the flavours that make it work and then ask whether those same characteristics could work in a beer.
In this case, sharp lime + creamy sweetness makes a great deal of sense.
The clever bit is keeping the balance right. There's enough lactose and oats to suggest the creamy richness of Key Lime Pie, but not so much that you lose the refreshing acidity that makes a sour beer so enjoyable.
Sharp, creamy, refreshing and unmistakably lime.
Another rather good example of Norfolk brewing being prepared to do something considerably less ordinary.