Roseade Rose & Pineapple

Rose & Pineapple from ROSEADE is a California-made ready-to-drink malt beverage. It's a flavored malt cooler, not a wine, and it pairs floral rose with tropical pineapple. Drinks in this category are built on a neutral malt base. That base carries the flavoring without the grain or hop character of a beer, so the rose and pineapple should be the main things you taste. The producer describes the flavor as a balance of floral and fruity, and that's the part to focus on. Expect pineapple to show first as a bright, juicy fruit note with some tartness. The rose should come in behind it as a soft, perfumed floral layer, most noticeable on the nose and through the mid-palate. Coolers like this are usually light-bodied and lightly carbonated, with little or no bitterness and no tannin or oak. They tend to finish short, clean and mildly sweet. The pineapple's natural acidity is what keeps that sweetness from turning heavy. The details we have don't give an ABV or a sweetness level, so check the can or bottle label for the strength. Serve it well chilled, around 38 to 42°F, straight from the refrigerator or over plenty of ice. Warmth flattens the floral notes and makes the sweetness more obvious. Drinking from the can or bottle works fine. If you want the rose aroma to come through, pour it into a tall glass or a stemless wine glass. A few pineapple wedges or a sprig of mint is enough as a garnish, and a squeeze of lime adds extra tartness. Decanting doesn't apply, since there's nothing to aerate. This is a drink-now product. Don't cellar it, because the fresh fruit and floral aromas are strongest when it's young and cold. For food, choose dishes that handle sweetness and a little heat. Grilled shrimp, fish tacos with a pineapple salsa, chicken skewers, Thai or Vietnamese salads and mildly spicy noodle dishes all suit it. Its light body also works with salty snacks, fresh cheeses such as feta or goat cheese, and a charcuterie plate that includes cured ham. Rich, heavily sauced or smoky meats would overpower it.