Review: Idle Hands Pandora
Pandora, the first beer to be bottled by Idle Hands Craft Ales of Everett, is a unique take on a Belgian pale ale. A cloudy, honeyed amber, it emits a muted aroma that suggests melons, bananas, and peaches. The beer is spicy and peppery while also dry and bitter, almost sour. Hops -- earthy and citrusy -- are up front, as they would be in a beer that has been dry hopped with Amarillo.
The defining characteristic of this beer is its fruitiness -- overripe peach and apricot -- but it retains no sweetness whatsoever. As the beer warms, the citrus flavors emerge even more. If apricot nectar started to go sour and ferment, it might taste something like Pandora. This extraordinary beer is one that would appeal equally to beer aficionados and wine drinkers.
Pandora is 6 percent alcohol by volume. A 750-milliliter bottle costs about $9.
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About 99 BottlesGary Dzen writes about craft beer here and in the Globe when he's not covering the Celtics for Boston.com. He can be reached at gdzen@boston.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeGaryDzen.
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