The tinyHaus series from 10 Barrel Brewing focuses on small batch beers brewed on the small innovation and R&D pilot brewery, led by Tonya Cornett. It’s a bit of a playground for the brewers, with the beers releases in limited edition cans; here’s the company’s short description of the project:

tinyHAUS is a brewery within a brewery, showcasing creativity and innovation through limited and exclusive projects from within 10 Barrel Brewing Co. The project is led by Tonya Cornett and her team, creating small batch award winning beers packaged in 16oz cans that have been specifically designed with our creative team, guest artists, and the brewers who made the beer.

Earlier this spring, tinyHaus #011 was released, Marionberry Cheesecake Sour, basically a pastry sour ale with all the dessert flavors you’d expect from the name. The base beer is a Berliner weisse and it’s the additions that turn it into something different: marionberry, cream cheese powder, lactose, graham cracker, and vanilla.

Yes, actual cream cheese powder, and I had no idea there was such a thing until Cornett told me about it when she gave me samples to review. It’s 6.1% ABV and here’s the description from the website:

What do you get when you take an Imperial Berliner Weisse, add marionberry, graham cracker, and vanilla, and give it the rich decadence of cheesecake? Imagine a slice of marionberry cheesecake freshly served the way that grandma used to make it. But better… because Marionberry Cheesecake Sour is beer.

My review:

Appearance: Magenta colored and mostly opaque; there’s pink foam but it didn’t last long and dissipated quickly.

Smell: It does smell like cheesecake(!) — the lactic richness of the cream cheese, with a touch of vanilla, and toasty graham. The fruity for me is a bit secondary; it’s there, but as the compote/topping of the cake, and the pastry character is prominent. But, it is as described.

Taste: The tart Berliner weisse base beer along with tart berry takes center stage in the flavor, with light cheesecake flavors showcasing a bit of vanilla bean and savory cheese. There’s some tart berry notes, perhaps slightly underripe, blending with the lactic character of the sour ale and cream cheese for a bright pop.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with some structure and body from the pastry elements, for a rich yet tart finish.

Overall: It’s pretty much as advertised, and hits the profile Cornett was aiming for. Pair it with cheesecake!