Forbidden Root Wildflower 4Pk

Forbidden Root Wildflower 4Pk is a botanical American pale ale brewed in Chicago, Illinois, at approximately 5.6% ABV and sold in a four-pack of 12 oz cans. Produced by Chicago's first dedicated botanic brewery, this pale ale layers real flowers — elderflower, marigold, and sweet osmanthus — into a citrus-forward hop profile built on Cascade and Mandarina Bavaria hops.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.6%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Botanical American Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Forbidden Root Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Forbidden Root Brewing Company operates out of Chicago's West Town neighborhood at 1746 W Chicago Avenue, founded as the city's first brewery devoted entirely to botanic beer. Wildflower is built on a grain bill of pale and Vienna malts, hopped with three varieties including Cascade and Mandarina Bavaria. What separates this pale ale from conventional examples is its infusion of elderflower, marigold, and sweet osmanthus — a fragrant shrub native to Asia with deep roots in Chinese cuisine — which collectively shift the beer's aromatic register from strictly hoppy into genuinely floral territory.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Citrus hops lead the nose with grapefruit and orange peel, followed by a floral bouquet reminiscent of honeysuckle and lavender. The elderflower and osmanthus add a sweet, perfumed layer beneath the hop brightness.

Taste: The entry is sweet and caramelly, with impressions of honey and savory graham cracker from the Vienna malt base. Mid-palate, Mandarina Bavaria hops push forward with grapefruit, orange peel, and fleeting notes of mango and lemon. The floral additions weave throughout, giving the beer a layered complexity that extends beyond a typical pale ale.

Finish: Herbal, grassy, and gently piney with a bittersweet balance that doesn't overwhelm. A lingering flowery arrangement and crisp, clean snap keep the finish refreshing and medium in length.

How to Drink Wildflower

Wildflower is best served cold in a tulip glass or standard pint glass at around 40–45°F; the wider rim helps release its floral aromatics. Its moderate bitterness and botanical depth also make it a versatile cocktail ingredient: try it in a Beer Shandy, where lemonade amplifies the citrus-hop character; a Radler with grapefruit juice to double down on the Mandarina Bavaria notes; or a Beermosa with fresh orange juice at brunch, where the malt sweetness and floral complexity stand up to the fruit.

Best For

• Introducing craft beer drinkers to botanical brewing
• Spring and summer backyard gatherings where lighter, aromatic beers shine
• Pairing with herb-driven dishes at a dinner party
• Gifting to someone who appreciates experimental craft beer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wildflower taste like? Forbidden Root Wildflower delivers citrus hop flavors of grapefruit and orange peel alongside honey, caramel malt sweetness, and a distinctive floral quality from elderflower, marigold, and sweet osmanthus. The overall impression is a medium-bodied pale ale with a bittersweet, herbaceous finish.

How does Wildflower compare to Dogfish Head Namaste? Both beers incorporate botanical ingredients into approachable pale styles, but Namaste leans on dried orange slices, lemongrass, and coriander for a Belgian witbier-adjacent profile, while Wildflower uses actual flowers and citrusy American hops on a pale and Vienna malt base for a distinctly American pale ale character.

Is Wildflower good for craft beer beginners? Yes — at 5.6% ABV with balanced bitterness and approachable floral sweetness, Wildflower provides enough complexity to be interesting without the intensity of higher-IBU or higher-ABV pale ales.

Where is Wildflower made? Wildflower is brewed by Forbidden Root Brewing Company in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, at their brewpub located at 1746 W Chicago Avenue.

What foods pair well with Wildflower? Grilled chicken with herbs complements the beer's floral and grassy notes. Fish tacos with citrus slaw mirror the grapefruit and orange peel hop character. Light salads with goat cheese and honey vinaigrette echo the malt sweetness. Thai green curry works well, as the beer's elderflower and osmanthus notes harmonize with lemongrass and galangal. Aged cheddar balances the hop bitterness with rich, savory fat.

What sizes does Wildflower come in? Forbidden Root Wildflower is available in a standard four-pack of 12 oz cans.

Is Wildflower worth the price? Wildflower positions as a craft-priced botanical pale ale, reflecting the specialty ingredients and small-batch approach of Chicago's first botanic brewery — a reasonable value for drinkers seeking something beyond conventional hop-forward pale ales.

Why Wildflower?

Forbidden Root Wildflower exists in a genuinely uncommon niche: a pale ale whose identity is defined as much by flowers as by hops. The use of sweet osmanthus — rare in Western brewing but a staple of Chinese culinary tradition — gives the beer an aromatic dimension that standard pale ales simply don't reach. Built on a clean Vienna and pale malt backbone with Cascade and Mandarina Bavaria hops providing citrus structure, the floral infusions add complexity without masking the beer's core drinkability. For anyone interested in where botanical brewing intersects with American craft tradition, this is one of the more deliberate and distinctive examples available from a brewery that has made that intersection its entire identity.