Shiner Prickly Pear - Spoetzl Brewery

Jason

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Clear brassy hue, thick lacing

SMELL: Fruity, hard candy, floral, mild breadiness, sweet

TASTE: Slightly smooth, wet, moderate body, fruity, grass, juicy, earthy, herbal, mild spice, baked apples, cactus, dry finish

I can appreciate the effort for doing a cactus flavored brew, if you can get past to at best ... embrace the fruitiness then this brew will do just fine by you.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 02:57:27 | More by Jason

mactrail

California

2.95/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Clear amber in the glass and a nice appearance. Well carbonated with a light moouthfeel. Faint aroma of

Rather sweet and quite fruity. Somewhat tangy, but not at all like citrus taste. Rather faint grape flavor. A touch of cherry Kool Aid as the tartness kicks in. Quite mellow and not the least trace of hops. Just an earthy touch at the end.

Actually too bad, though it's hard to pin the flavors down. Not the usual faint wheat beers with fruity flavors, either. The lack of malty and hoppy beeriness will cause me to skip it next time. From the 12 oz bottle purchased at H and H Beverages in Abilene, Texas.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 05:25:04 | More by mactrail

beertunes

Washington

3.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured into 9oz pilsener glass. Poured a clean, clear amber-gold color with less than 1/2 inch of off-white head that had OK retention and low lacing.

The aroma was certainly on the sweet side, a bit sweet, with some gentle grains and nice even hops. On the tongue, it was the same story. A soft grain base, a bit of smooth hops and mostly the fruity sweetness.

The body was pretty good, smooth, even, clean and easy drinking. Drinkability was very good, I'd have a couple of these on a warm day. Overall, I liked this beer. It was somewhat of a surprise (the only other Prickly Pear beer I'd had, hadn't impressed me, but it was from Widmer), I'd say it's probably a must try if you see it, but maybe not worth a lot of effort to obtain.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:53:01 | More by beertunes

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.05/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled from the Family Reunion pack.

Pours a dark amber color, clear, with an eggshell-white head of about a finger. Was creamy and dissipates to a foamy collar. The aroma was sweet and fruity, with a distinct melon aroma. Not sure what prickly pears smell or taste like, but I'll assume that's where it's coming from. Some bubblegum notes, possibly yeast characters. There's a hint of citrus hops in there, most likely the citra, though it's a bit muddled by the fruit. The taste was lightly bitter, with a fruit-like tartness. It's not big, bold or offensive, but it's there. After a few more sips, it becomes a bit more bitter, melding with that soft tartness and a subtle fruitiness. It's...unlike anything I've really had, but it's pretty good. The feel was light, but slick and crisp. It didn't seem highly carbed, but it is nice and bubbly on the tongue, which works well for this beer with the bitterness and mild tart edge.

Shiner's beers are typically average at best, though always very drinkable and cheap, so I always like trying the new Reunion pack when I see it, and thus far, this has been the most interesting and enjoyable. I think this would make a nice summer seasonal, Shiner.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 21:46:51 | More by EgadBananas

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.55/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a lighter copper / deep amber color. Upon pouring there is a two finger white head. The head fades over a moderate amount of time to leave a decent level of lacing.

Smell -The smell is very sweet and can be detected from the pour, well before bringing my nose to the glass. In the aroma are huge smells of lighter (in color) fruit aromas with big peach, pear, berry (raspberry and strawberry), kiwi, as well as some citrus. There is also a prickly pear aroma that comes through with the rest. Overall its smell is massive of sweet and smells heavily of candy; it is tasty, but rather strange for a brew.

Taste - The taste begins with a lighter bready flavor and a good dose of pear, peach and berry. These taste remains relativity constant, except for an increasing prickly pear and kiwi flavor that continually grow stronger as the taste advances further on. In the end a sweet fruity flavor is left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the lighter side while the carbonation level is on the higher side. For the sweeter flavors the body and carbonation are both very fitting for the brew and make it easy drinking and more refreshing (lemonade refreshing as opposed to cold water refreshing).

Overall – It was sweet and had some nice flavors, although for me it was a bit too fruity. It would likely be nice on a warmer day when looking for something sweet as well as refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 00:48:35 | More by Darkmagus82

PorterLambic

Florida

2.8/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

In the "Family Reunion" mixed six pack.
Poured aggressively in a 12 ounce hotel tumbler. Liquid the color of strong iced tea, dark brown with red throughout. Clear with a light tan head developing. Retention is weak, dropping to a thin film within 30 seconds. Some decent lace left behind.
Smell is sweet, fruity - kind of raspberry/apple mix, no idea what a prickly pear smells like-, some weak malt and nothing else. Smells a lot like a fruity soda, like a Dayton Redpop.
Taste is strawberry-like fruit, malt and that's it. Fortunately, the overriding sweetness of the nose is well restrained here. Still, it drinks like an under-sweetened soda. Balance is fine but with only two notes how hard is that?
Medium plus body, sharp upfront effervescence (but lighter than anticipated) mellowed quickly. Feels similar to a strawberry lambic in many ways but falls well short of that style. All told, an "interesting" beer but not really worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 20:44:00 | More by PorterLambic

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Auburn colored and clear, head was about a finger and lace is so-so.

Aroma is that of grape soda, sweet and fruity.

Flavor is a bit more complex, fruity and sweet, herbal, and I suppose.... cactus.

Body is light and well carbonated, with an almost dry finish.

It's interesting, if not the brewery's best effort. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 22:59:32 | More by AlCaponeJunior

goochpunch

Texas

2.18/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours out a golden color. Head doesn't stay around very long. Very clear. Smells like artificial fruit aroma and grainy malt. The beer base is a decent enough lager (based on other Shiner products) but it is dominated by artificial flavorings. Tastes like melon and kiwi. Strange. Doesn't taste like prickly pear at all, really. Prickly pear is a delicate flavor and should have been left alone. The ¨natural¨ flavors just kill it. Like a cross between a fruit soda and some Michelob Ultra fruit mess. Mouthfeel is alright, but the sweetness kind of makes it sticky on the tongue. Not very drinkable at all.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 02:56:33 | More by goochpunch

Immortale25

Florida

3.76/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a Dogfish signature snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a dark amber with a 1/4 inch light tan head that retains a bit before soon fading to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a small patch of surface foam. Half decent lacing compared to other Shiner beers.

S- Crisp aroma with some apple/pear-like sweetness that reminds me of Juicy Juice. The malt comes in and lends a toasty characteristic leading to notes of brown sugar and sweet tea.

T- Flavor isn't as lively with more of a lager flavor pushed up against a minimal amount of pear and berry-like sweetness. There's a noticeable amount of toasty malt that balances things out. Highly drinkable.

M- Certainly not prickly but rather thin and slick. Medium carbonation and a medium-full body.

O- Probably the best Shiner beer I've had which, as you can see by the score, isn't saying much

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 00:45:49 | More by Immortale25

tjsdomer2

Illinois

2.88/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pumpkin orange with very little foam and lacing. It's flat too.

Smell: Raspberries and apples. Very faint, but it's pleasant enough.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Extremely bitter. Nothing else really. I guess I taste a bit of lemon or even some burnt cedar or quinine. The mouthfeel is like soda water, which permeates the bitterness.

Overall Drinkability: I used to live in Arizona, and also wondered what cactus beer would taste like. A friend told me it wouldn't be easy, and that's apparent here. I will give bonus points for trying to pull it off.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 23:49:02 | More by tjsdomer2

match1112

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

clear amber body with a thin white head that fizzes out rather quickly, nice sticky lacing left behind. smells sweet and candy like. a lot like many wine coolers and other hard liquor beverages. taste is a little weird, guess i know what cactus tastes like now. some citrus but mainly jolly rancher candy like flavors. mouthfeel is average for a fruit beer, maybe a little too carbonated as it livens up the taste buds. overall not bad, just kinda weird. don't think i would try again.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 22:40:22 | More by match1112

gmfessen

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my Uncle for this donation... Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, Shiner Prickly Pear is a perfectly clear, slightly caramel but golden in color with a pillowy white head. Beautiful looking Lager. The nose is quite fruity sweet, much more than I had anticipated - smells more like a wine-cooler than a beer. The flavor reflects the same, very fruity - almost berry like flavor that again is more reminescent of a Segram's. Mouthfeel is medium in body with a creamy, viscous carbonation and a smooth, neutral finish. Overall, I may have over-reacted to the beer's fruitiness. While offputting at first just due to the immense berry fruitiness of it, the beer is actually well balanced, finishes clean and leaves you wanting another drink. I would like to know how much of this is prickly pear and how much is "natural flavor added".

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 23:57:52 | More by gmfessen

LXIXME

New Mexico

2.93/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Medium sized off white head settles into a pretty decent lacing above a clear copper colored beer.

A very sweet fruity aroma, I guess it's the smell of the prickly pear with maybe some sugar added.

An almost artificial sweetness to the taste of this beer, seems to me that the prickly pear does not transfer well to a good beer taste and they added some additional sugars and fruit taste to fill in what was lacking in the prickly pear fruit taste.

A dryish aftertaste that brings with it some of the sugars and fruit sweetness of the taste on this medium bodied beer.

If somehow they could have make the taste less artificial it might have been a pretty good drink but it just seems to fake for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 21:27:56 | More by LXIXME

mooseisloose

Florida

2.63/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Part of the family reunion sixer picked up at the local convenience. Lets give it a whirl. Popping the top is a very sweet not pear but raspberry smell. Pours to a light bronze wit a multisize bubble off white head that disappears immediately. Taste is a deep sour fruit with some bitterness and a dry light finish. Mouthfeel is sparkly. Not my style.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 02:28:19 | More by mooseisloose

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

"This small batch brew is the third in our Limited Edition Brewer's Price Craft Brew Series. A combination of Citra and U.S. Golding hops gives this refreshing lager its citrus flavor and floral aroma. The brew's signature tartness comes from the fruit of the prickly pear, a cactus native to our brewery's landscape that's hearty, rugged and unmistakably unique- qualities we surely appreciate. Prosit!" Brewed in the style of a fruit lager. Available as part of the 2012 Family Reunion 6 packs or 12 packs. No visible date.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served above 45º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a crunchy, crispy off-white head with average staying power, surprisingly good for my standards with Shiner. Lacing is specked and very light. Body color is a very mildly hazy amber-orange with sporadic spritely carbonation. The appearance is quite good for this beer. 3.75

(Smell) Wow, this is a very fruity aroma. Very fruit notes forward, highly potent, perceivably prickly pear, but a little less cidery and more berry-like in its aroma. Mild grassy and citrus hops lend a hand but have a hard time cutting through the already fruit-heavy aroma. A subtle pale malt sweetness doesn't contribute much to the aroma but probably isn't needed as much anyways- the aroma is already very sweet from the fruit character. The fruit, while unique and enjoyable is a bit syrupy sweet in the aroma, making for a natural imbalance, but this is certain to find a few people's likings. 3.25

(Taste) Flavor has an equal emphasis on the sweet as well as on a bitter tartness, always welcome for me. Mildly tart wildberry flavor with a faint residual sweetness is a better-balanced sweetness character for me. It's still front-and-center in the flavor, with a pale malt profile giving it a hint of body and a grassy hop note here and there complimenting the tartness for a better balanced but spritely and clean finish. I have a bit of a soft spot for fruit beers, as I personally enjoy the flavor but understand that a bit more balance would have been more desirable. The malt character is a touch shallow, and I don't doubt some malt body would have created an even more complex and unique flavor. Mildly dry finish with a bit of soft grain huskiness. 3.25

(Mouthfeel) There's a buzzy carbonation presence that does more creaminess and foam than stinging crispness. Body for the style is medium, and amongst all beers is slightly below medium. Alcohol presence is very well hidden by the fruit notes. I found the carbonation presence enjoyable for this beer. 4

(Overall) I still don't get why Shiner holds out these types of beers for their limited releases when they're easily more enjoyable and flavorful than their staple beers. If you haven't had a prickly pear-led beer before then you're in for a treat. A more berry-tart aroma than cidery acidity obviously leads this beer, but it's not a complete palate wrecker- somewhat light body makes for likely repeat drinks, and if I had more to enjoy I'd certainly take them up on that. 3.5

Spoetzl Brewery's
Shiner Brewer's Pride Craft Brew No. 3: Prickly Pear
3.4/5.00

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 16:21:41 | More by Jadjunk

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.08/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a transparent, but delicious-looking rich brown.
The smell is of raspberries. Seems like raspberries to me, anyway. Maybe that's what prickly pears smell like, though. I don't know.
Taste seems kind of like raspberries too. It reminds me of a New Belgium attempt at frambozenbier that I had one time. But this is far better. The beer goes better with the fruit in this. Since I don't know what prickly pears are supposed to taste like, I'm at a loss to know how much impact that exact flavour makes. It's very fruity, though. It just tastes like berries to me. Berries in a light brown ale. Decent stuff.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 04:49:42 | More by ElCommodoro

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

3.08/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, copper colored with a 1" white head that dissipates leaving some lacing, clear
S: sweet fruit smells of apple and pear, citrus hops, sweetest and fresh
T: taste is watery with little happening, sour fruits mixed with light lager
M: thin with a ton of carbonation, constant streams of bubbles,finish is crisp
O: I got excited over the look and smell, let down by taste, I would have liked more complex flavors to match the delicious smell

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 03:16:34 | More by M_C_Hampton

donmonkey1

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: Copper color with a 1/2" white head that dissipates quickly. Moderate lacing. Good carbonation.

Smell: Fruity. Pears, mangoes, peaches.

Taste: Fruity, pears, much like the smell.

I started to think that all Shiner beers sucked. This is a totally decent fruit beer with a unique character. It's a session beer that is thirst quenching and satisfying. If you're into fruit beers, this is definately worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 21:07:27 | More by donmonkey1

raznug

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: This beer pours an amber color and is topped with a good inch of off white head that tends to hang around quite a few sips into the beer.
Smell: The smell is like none that I remember it has an odd tartness to it that is quite intriguing. The blend of hops and that prickly pear tartness has my mouth watering.
Taste: The taste is a bit disappointing in comparison to the taste not that it is bad just not quite as bitter as I had hoped.
Mouthfeel: I love the mouthfeel of this beer it is just what a warm day in Ohio is suppose to be easy drinking but good flavor that keeps you wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 13:06:27 | More by raznug

TCMike

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Produced about a finger, and a half of white head. The beer color is a translucent, medium amber.
The aroma is of prickly pear, and biscuits.
The taste is similar, but not as bold as the smell had indicated.
Light mouth-feel, and fairly high carbonation.
Good beer, for what it is. My wife would enjoy this more than me.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 22:22:42 | More by TCMike

RodneyFarva

Spain

3.2/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

a: pours a deep copper with around a half finger of tan head, dissipates to a thin film

s: very sweet, aroma of raspberries, and an underlying hint of malt and corn. while an enjoyable scent, the image it brought up was a Four Loko without fusel alcohols.

t: while I will admit I don't know what prickly pear fruit tastes like, the flavor is much less sweet. perhaps a bit like a less wheaty and less sweet Abita Purple Haze. nicely carbonated to cut the sweetness.

o: of course more of a hot weather beer. i know lots of non-craft beer friends that would quite enjoy this. more of a novelty for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:18:03 | More by RodneyFarva

GMB

Japan

2.98/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Beer reviews usually begin with a discussion of the appearance of the beer under review, but in this case I am compelled to make an exception; not because I wish to break with tradition; not because I want to indulge in some rhetorical flourish. No, I have to begin with smell because that is what this beer demanded of me. As soon as I popped the cap off of this beer, my kitchen filled with the sweet smell of bubble gum and fruit. I stepped a few feet away from the bottle and could still smell its sweet, candy-like aroma.

The beer has a deep amber body and a frothy head that sticks around long enough to lead me to expect a creamy mouthfeel.

The bottle tells us that the beer is made with Citra and U.S. Golding hops. Neither is detectable at first, as the fruity characteristics and sweetness are overwhelming. But as the beer warms, some Citra aromas do come through, and I even manage to detect a bit of the roasted malt.

Overall the taste of this beer is somewhat monochromatic. It taste more or less like it smells, and does not develop very much on the palate. Citra and U.S. Golding (usually Sonnet) hops are known for their sweet characteristics; Citra is often said to produce flavors of tropical fruits such as guava. The toasted malt is sweet, and one can just barely detect its flavor as the beer warms and as one grows accustomed to beer's primary flavors. What this amounts to is a beer that layers sweet, candy-like fruit upon sweet aromatics upon sweet malt. The brewery might have done well to consider developing a more sophisticated flavor profile here. It would have been nice to see how the bubble-gum- and cherry-like flavors of the fruit played with hops that offer floral characteristics as opposed to citrusy or fruity ones.

I regularly eat prickly pears, which come in different colors and varieties. No indication is made of which variety was used here, though I suspect based on strong flavors of bubble-gum and cherry that the purple fruits have been used.

Fruit beers divide the beer drinking community like few other styles. I've met beer enthusiasts who don't care very much for one beer style or another: one may avoid stouts if possible; one usually doesn't find the intensity of an American IPA very appealing. But when it comes to fruit beers, opinions seem to be stronger. I am always curious to try them, but, after the first sip or two, usually find myself wanting to move on to something else. Shiner's Prickly Pear was fine, just fine.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 21:04:03 | More by GMB

paperbackfoster

Missouri

3.45/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Discovered as part of the Shiner family sampler pack.

This one pours a lighter saffron amber, with a generous finger or so of head that quickly dissipates. The lacing's spotty, no retention. Some clouds.

The smells hits you as soon as the beer leaves the bottle. It reminds me of carbonated juices like Izze - Not an artificial or sugary smell, just a faint whiff of fruit.

The taste is pretty faint as well. Flowery and fruity, but barely so. It's backed by a clean grain and an agave-like sweetness. That said, the aftertaste is tinny and reminiscent of the average stadium beer.

The mouthfeel is thin, but not off par for the style. It could be livelier in the carbonation department, given the bright, more subtle flavors.

Overall, I give shiner points for effort. I was impressed by the quality of some of their beers, and while this one fell short of the rest, I do commend them for bringing in a fruit beer that is unique, geographically pertinent, and not loaded with unnecessary sugar and spice.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 23:36:56 | More by paperbackfoster

Goosehunter75

Missouri

3.16/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A - Nice Amber to dark ruby color with a nice white ehad that diasapated rather quickly. Very pretty beer

S- Very sweet smelling. Smellled like raspberries to me.

T - Not nearly as sweet as it smelled. I was not expecting that. I would almost call iit more tangy than sweet. There is a definate bitterness on the finish.

M - Would call it a light to medium bodied beer. Lots of bubbles.

O - A very intersting beer. I was happy with it. Not something I would drink all the time but wouldnt mind picking up a sixer every now and then. Very drinkable beer. I wouldn't call it complex but it has some very interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 00:37:13 | More by Goosehunter75

Beerevity

3.53/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - A substantial clear copper color with rather decent head lacing.

S - Sweet and fruity. I get a lot of peach and champagne grapes.

T - I still pick up sweet peach and perhaps what I imagine prickly pear to taste like. A bit artificial to me but not in a way that puts me off.

M - Fizziness bites the tongue right off the bat, in a good way. The beer is light bodied and a very easy drinker.

O - My second 'Brewers Pride' beer from Spoetzl and another winner. Why can't the rest of their lineup be even close to as good?

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 04:44:28 | More by Beerevity