Off Color Scurry
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Tasting Notes
Scurry pours with a gentle sweetness from the honey that reads more as a soft floral and lightly fruited aroma than outright sugar — think dried apricot and white blossom rather than a cloying candy note. On the palate, the honey character integrates into a medium-light body with a grain backbone that keeps things grounded. The finish is fairly clean with a mild, lingering sweetness and just enough bitterness to provide balance. It's a subtle beer that rewards attention rather than demanding it.
About the Brewery
Off Color Brewing is based in Chicago, Illinois, and was founded in 2013 by John Laffler and Dave Bleitner, both veterans of Goose Island. The brewery built its reputation on unconventional, historically inspired, and technically ambitious beers — saisons, gruits, and various fermentation oddities that sit outside mainstream American craft categories. Their lineup tends to reward drinkers who are curious rather than comfort-seeking, and they've earned a strong following in the Midwest's serious beer community.
Food Pairings
The gentle honey sweetness pairs naturally with roasted chicken, where the light floral notes mirror the savory caramelization of the skin. A mild soft cheese like brie or fresh chèvre works well because the beer's subtle sweetness offsets the tang without overwhelming it. Dishes with light herb sauces — think tarragon or thyme — find a complementary partner in the floral aroma. For something simpler, a plain butter croissant or lightly honeyed cornbread echoes the beer's own character in a straightforward, satisfying way.
Style Guide
Honey beer is a broad, loosely defined category built around the addition of honey — either during the boil or in fermentation — to a base beer that can range from pale ale to wheat or light lager. The honey contributes fermentable sugars that dry out the body while leaving behind floral and light fruity aromatics rather than pronounced sweetness. It's distinct from a braggot, which uses honey as a dominant fermentable alongside malt, and from mead, which is honey-fermented without grain. ABVs typically land in the modest 4–6% range, making honey beers relatively approachable in strength.