Brew Review – Forbidden Ritual by Ceremony Brewing

I love Ceremony Brewing, mainly because it seems to be at complete odds with almost everything that’s around it.

Just a few blocks from the brewery is downtown Bonita Springs, and just beyond that is a rather amazingly large concentration of what looks to be excellent Mexican restaurants.

Being in Bonita Springs, however, there’s a lot of the, how should we say, conservative retirees? And Ceremony Brewing is as metal as they come.

Seriously, there’s been a few breweries in the State of Florida that seem to embrace the darkness, and Ceremony Brewing is most definitely one of those. This is funny, because A) they’re pretty cool people and B) it’s a lifestyle, it’s nothing to be afraid of.

Recently, it looks like they got a review from somebody that is afraid of them, saying that they ‘felt a dark presence’ and all sorts of other things. A couple phrases in that review were meant to be warnings to people not to go there, but it ended up being so inadvertently metal that Ceremony is going to use those for beer names in the near future.

It’s a good thing this customer never saw the label art for Forbidden Ritual (Hazy IPA, 6% ABV).

I’m sure their heads would have completely exploded.

Maybe this is the darkness that Ceremony Brewing likes to master, making killer beers with awesome hop profiles. Forbidden Ritual has a slightly darker straw color with a naturally hazy complexion and big notes of grapefruit and orange on the nose.

The flavor definitely comes forward with pineapple, papaya, lemon, and a touch of tangerine. This is coming courtesy of a healthy hop bill of Cashmere, Motueka, and Sabro. And those Cashmere hops, I’m starting to really love them for the velvety smooth hop character they provide.

It’s an amazingly bright and sunny flavorful IPA, completely at odds with pretty much the overabundance of black on a visit to Ceremony. I will say, to the person that wrote that review, part of me feels sorry for them. Why pass up a chance for some of the best craft beer in Southwest Florida just because you think they’re dark and negative?

An attitude like that is the darkest thing in Bonita.

Drink Florida Craft,

Dave
@floridabeerblog
floridabeerblog@gmail.com

Florida Beer Blog is a part of Florida Beer Media. Find us at FloridaBeerMedia.com.

Listen to the Florida Beer Podcast – Powered by Florida Beer Blog on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more!

Get 10% off a new Stone Brewing mini fridge from NewAir with code FLORIDABEER10!

If you’re looking for awesome beer glass or cigar gifts, make sure to head to GroovyGuyGifts.com!

Advertisement