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WE ARE WHO WE PRETEND TO BE

Beachwood Brewing
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🌍 United States · Gueuze · One of 11 Gueuzes in hopIQ

We Are Who We Pretend To Be from Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach, California is a Gueuze-inspired spontaneous sour ale that channels the storied lambic tradition through a distinctly Southern Californian lens. It pours a hazy, pale golden straw with a fine, evanescent head. The aroma is immediately captivating — tart green apple, lemon rind, horse blanket funk, and a whisper of oak. On the palate, assertive acidity drives flavors of wild cherry, fresh hay, and aged citrus peel, underpinned by a pleasingly dry, bready complexity. The mouthfeel is light and effervescent. The finish is long, clean, and bracingly dry with a lingering tartness that rewards contemplation. A confident, artfully crafted wild ale.

ABV
6.4%
Bitterness
Mild
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
See all Gueuze alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp and barely bitter.

Trim and gentle — the beer moves through with an unforced, easy rhythm.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Gueuze.
Hop character
citrusy
herbal
Malt character
bready
Fermentation & yeast
funky
sour
tart
Distinctive notes
dark fruit
oak
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FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best American Sours

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for WE ARE WHO WE PRETEND TO BE

Appearance

Pours a hazy pale golden straw with luminous clarity despite suspended yeast and fine sediment. A delicate, evanescent head forms and subsides quickly, leaving minimal lacing on the glass. The carbonation is lively and persistent, visible as fine bubbles rising through the body.

pale goldenhazy, brightfine carbonationephemeral head

Aroma

The nose opens with assertive tart green apple and lemon rind, immediately engaging the senses. A striking horse blanket funk—earthy, musty, characteristically wild—underlies the citrus, with a whisper of aged oak adding complexity. The aromatic profile is confident and unconventional, reflecting the spontaneous fermentation at its core.

tart green applelemon rind, horse blanket funkwild, earthysubtle oak

Taste

Acidity drives the palate from entry onward, with flavors of wild cherry and fresh hay emerging alongside aged citrus peel. A pleasingly dry, bready complexity underpins the fruit and tartness, creating layers of interest. The mouthfeel is light and effervescent, never cloying, allowing the wild character to dominate without heaviness.

wild cherryassertive aciditydry, breadylight, effervescent

Finish

The finish is long, clean, and bracingly dry with a lingering tartness that invites reflection and encourages another sip. Residual acidity and the faint echo of hay persist on the palate without becoming fatiguing.

long, cleanbracing drynesslingering tartness
87
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
86
Appearance
84
Finish
87
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of WE ARE WHO WE PRETEND TO BE

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with WE ARE WHO WE PRETEND TO BE

About Gueuze

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Gueuze?

Gueuze is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Gueuze

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same funky, sour, dry character as WE ARE WHO WE PRETEND TO BE will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Gueuzes in hopIQ

Explore all Gueuze beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →

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