Wish

...which is a strange thing to do to a style built on being pale, but here we are. Alewerks took the traditional Czech lager and pushed it darker.

Wish pours a deep, ruby hue that catches the eye before it even reaches the glass. On the nose there's a floral bouquet layered with subtle pepper notes, and despite the color and the aromatics, it drinks remarkably light and crisp, not the heavier experience the hue might suggest. That's the quiet trick of the whole thing: it looks like it should weigh more than it does.

Williamsburg's Alewerks already has a Black Forest in the portfolio proving they're comfortable pushing dark styles further than expected, and Wish fits that same instinct without repeating it.

Available Saturday, draft and 16oz 4-packs, Alewerks Taprooms only.

A dark beer that acts light. Not a common trick, and not a bad one.