While opinions vary about beer brewed with ingredients beyond those permitted under the (now obsolete) Bavarian purity law (barley malt, hops, yeast and water), the debate gets heated when beers brewed with fruit enter the fray.
Purists aside, many craft brews today include an infusion of floral, fruit, coffee or other ingredients. Yet, many will wince when presented with a beer that contains anything "fruity" in its name. These brews that overtly involve fruit are often labelled "beer for girls," (I do not agree with that label) and earn reviews ranging from outright disdain to sneers to "it really wasn't that bad."
This article appears in May 3-9, 2012.
