Beer Review: Burial Beer Resurrection of Riches

photo by Kevin Gibson

Hurry though, this pale ale will only walk the earth for a limited time!

I’ve yet to taste a brew by Asheville, N.C.’s Burial Beer Co. that I didn’t like. When I recently was gifted a four-pack of Burial’s Resurrection of Riches, which was a collaboration beer with Oceanside, N.Y.’s Barrier Brewing Co., I simply smiled. My enthusiasm was soon rewarded.

Always appreciative to have friends with beer knowledge, I came into possession of this pale ale by way of my friend Laura, who’d traveled to Asheville for a long weekend.  She knows I’m a fan of the American pale ale style, and she delivered in a big way. When I poured this hazy, golden beer, I quickly knew I was in for something different than I’d expected, and when the aroma of the liquid hit my senses, I knew I would wish I had more than just a four-pack.

The creamy white head foretells a whirlwind of tropical flavors, a pretty big leap from the simpler, malt-forward APAs and sweet-ish British pales my pale-ale-loving palate grew up on. Truly, Resurrection of Riches is a tropical explosion, starting with aromas of lemon, orange and pineapple. These flavors and more come through in the flavor profile, and the ultra-smooth body helps make it one of the more drinkable pale ales I’ve encountered.

The more sips I took, the more I realized that even with all the hops involved—Mosaic, El Dorado, Huell Melon and Nugget—here was only minimal bitterness, and none of the hop-related pine expected from a beer dry-hopped with so many varieties. Of course, Mosaic is well known as a bright, tropical hop, while Huell Melon is a German hop that imparts flavors and aromas of honeydew melon, over-ripe strawberry, and hints of apricot. El Dorado, typically used in bittering, also brings hints of pear, watermelon, and stone fruit, while Nugget is the only hop in this beer that is used more for its bitterness and earthy tones.

It wasn’t long before it dawned on me that Resurrection of Riches is what might happen if an American pale ale and a Northeast IPA got married and reared a child. I’m not a fan of the latter style, but I do love a tropical IPA, especially those brewed using Mosaic hops. For anyone whose palate resembles mine, this drinkable beer will be a treat.

All of this is to say that to call this beer a “pale ale” might not be enough—in fact, it may even be misleading. I did get a kick out of how the description on the can worded it: “Within this tin lays the cross-section of our idyllic wants and quenchable needs.”

I can’t argue that. It’s a one-off, though, so hurry to your local bottle shop and cross your fingers. My guess is that everyone who gets their hands on these are going to do away with them quickly, just as I did.