The draft picks for Speciation Artisan Ales’ new Rum Barrel-Aged Sour are in! 

Michigan craft fans piled thirstily into the taproom on release day for Fruit Draft — not just because Speciation is one of USA Today’s Best Breweries in the Nation, but this limited lineup of fruity-tart players is also a collab with BeerAdvocate’s Best New Brewery, HOMES. 

So, without further ado, here are the picks you’re gonna taste out there in this 4.34 UT-rated flavor field:

• First up in big, juicy flavor — blackberries! Brewers love these berries for their jammy quality. Speciation and HOMES use them in hefty additions to smooth out the rum n’ oak flavors and power-charge their flavorful lineup with a juicy, sweet-tart swing. 

• Next up — guava! This is a hot pick among Sour officials because of its quenching, tropically sweet flavor merged with citrus-like tang. Expect the guava to play well alongside the blackberries at the front end.

• Then there’s pear, whose gentle flavor stats can be tough to pinpoint in a lot of beers. But hold the phone — Speciation and HOMES manage to coax out pear’s subtle sweetness right in the middle of each sip! 

• Chosen for further complexity is ginger, bringing a healthy zing to each mouthful. As one of the naturally stronger players, the brewers take care not to let ginger overwhelm the brew’s juiciness. 

• Last but not least, on the back end — a burst of lime! This citrus fruit is a favorite team member in a lot of beers, though here it serves as a tangy end note that leaves you wanting to dive back in for more of this rum punch-like quencher!

Aside from a tiny handful of spots around the Mitten State, this 8% ABV Fruit Draft isn’t playing outside of Speciation’s taproom. Only Tavour passholders can get access elsewhere!  

This lineup is rated 4.34 on Untappd!