Modern Times Fruitlands is a sour gose from Modern Times Beer in San Diego, CA.  Modern Times Fruitlands was a seasonal release, but starting on March 1, 2016 it will become available year-round. It looks like Apricot and Passion Fruit/Guava will join Sour Cherry in the Modern Times Fruitlands lineup.

Modern Times beer has an interesting story behind it.  Founded in 2013 by former Stone Brewing Co. employee, Jacob McKean, Modern Times was named after an utopian community founded in 1850.  On top of that, most of the Modern Times beers are named after “real utopian experiments or mythological utopias.”

Modern Times currently has a core line consisting of four canned and three bottled beers to go along with 16 seasonal releases.  They actually have a bottled release every month.  The January release is called Devil’s Teeth and it’s a coffee imperial stout.  I’m gonna need that.  Actually, I’m gonna need a lot of these beers from Modern Times.

Modern-Times-Fruitlands
This is the 2015 packaging. The look will change in 2016 with the 2 additions to the Fruitlands line.
Modern-Times-Fruitlands-cap
I kinda love the Modern Times logo.

Modern Times Fruitlands Sour Cherry Gose

Style: Gose

ABV: 4.0%

IBU: 17

Fruit: Sour Cherries

Malt: Pilsner and Malted Wheat

Availability: Seasonal – To become year-round in 3/16

MSRP: $8.99  22 oz bottle

Brewer: Modern Times Beer – San Diego, CA

Beers consumed for review: 2 – 22 oz bottles

Modern-Times-Fruitlands-head
Fruitlands Sour Cherry really is a beautiful beer.

Nose:  The aroma of the Modern Times Fruitlands was packed with sweet and sour cherry notes.  There were some yeast and dough notes in there as well.  The sweet and tart notes were tempered by some salty notes.

Appearance:  As you can see from the photos, the Modern Times Fruitlands poured a brilliant cherry red in color.  The foamy white head was about two fingers after the pour and settled in around one finger.

Flavor:  My palate was hit with effervescent cherry notes up front.  It reminded me of that old school cherry seltzer that came in those little glass bottles from Original New York Seltzer.  That flavor was soon blown away by a juicy tart cherry note on the tongue.  When I say tart I mean TART!  There were some salty notes in there as well.  The finish was crisp, though the tartness lingered on the tongue a bit.

Overall Thoughts:  There was some serious pucker factor here, but I loved it!  I dig everything about this beer.  The look, taste, drinkability and sessionability all combine to make this a winner.  I cracked my first bottle in early December, so don’t go thinking that this gose is only good during the summer months.  There is enough flavor here to keep me “warm” despite the low ABV.

Modern Times is based in San Diego, but I don’t see their beers in my hood too often.  But when I do, I buy one of everything.  The Modern Times Fruitlands line is one that I will grab multiples of every time I see it.  I really can’t wait to try the Apricot and Passion Fruit/Guava in March!

Mixed and Mashed Rating: 

Click here to take a look at our 5-point beer rating system