The Brewing Projekt Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It 4Pk

The Brewing Projekt Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It 4Pk is an 8.3% ABV imperial smoothie sour ale brewed with strawberry, rhubarb, granola, graham cracker flavoring, and vanilla. Carrying a 4.1 out of 5 rating on Untappd across hundreds of reviews, this release stands out even within the crowded smoothie sour category for its distinctly dessert-forward profile that channels strawberry-rhubarb pie in liquid form.

Quick Facts: ABV: 8.3%  |  Origin: Eau Claire, Wisconsin  |  Style: Imperial Smoothie Sour  |  Brewery: The Brewing Projekt

Production & Heritage

The Brewing Projekt operates out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and has built a reputation for boundary-pushing sour ales and heavily fruited styles. Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It uses a grain bill of malt and wheat, with lactose (milk sugar) added to create the thick, smoothie-like body that defines the style. What separates this expression from a standard fruited sour is the layering of granola, graham cracker flavoring, and vanilla alongside real strawberry and rhubarb — an intentional nod to baked fruit pie that goes well beyond simply dumping fruit into a kettle sour.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright, fresh strawberry leads immediately, followed by a warm vanilla sweetness and subtle bakery-like notes. The rhubarb adds a faint tartness to the nose that keeps the fruit character from reading as candy-sweet.

Taste: The entry is plush and full-bodied thanks to the lactose, with ripe strawberry and tangy rhubarb arriving first. At mid-palate, the granola and graham cracker elements emerge, lending a toasted, cereal-grain depth that genuinely evokes pie crust. A gentle tartness balances the sweetness throughout, preventing the beer from becoming cloying despite its dessert-like ambitions.

Finish: Medium in length with lingering vanilla and a faint lactic tang. The strawberry and graham cracker impressions persist, leaving a clean but indulgent closing note.

How to Drink Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It

Pour cold into a tulip glass or wide-mouth snifter to capture the full aroma and appreciate the beer's deep, hazy red color with its pinkish head. At 8.3% ABV, this drinks deceptively smooth, so pace accordingly. For cocktail-curious drinkers: blend it with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent beer float; use it as the sour component in a beer-based shandy with fresh lemonade; or try it alongside a splash of ginger beer for a fruited mule riff that plays off the rhubarb's tartness.

Best For

• Sharing with craft beer enthusiasts who chase limited smoothie sour releases
• Pairing with a summer cookout dessert spread
• Introducing adventurous drinkers to the imperial smoothie sour style
• Gifting to someone who gravitates toward fruited, pastry-forward beers over hop-heavy styles

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It taste like? It tastes like a drinkable strawberry-rhubarb pie — thick and creamy from lactose, loaded with fresh fruit flavor, and accented by toasty granola, graham cracker, and vanilla notes with a moderate tartness for balance.

How does Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It compare to 450 North Slushy XL? Both are imperial smoothie sours with heavy fruit loads and thick, pulpy bodies, but Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It distinguishes itself with its baked-goods additions — granola, graham cracker, and vanilla — that push it into pastry-sour territory rather than a purely fruit-forward profile. 450 North's Slushy XL series tends to lean more heavily on raw fruit intensity and higher sweetness levels.

Is Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It good for beginners? Its sweetness and fruit-forward character make it approachable, but at 8.3% ABV it is a strong beer that may catch newcomers off guard. Sour beer novices who enjoy fruity, dessert-like flavors will likely find it more accessible than traditional wild ales or lambics.

Where is Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It made? It is brewed by The Brewing Projekt at their facility at 1807 N Oxford Ave in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The brewery is known throughout the Midwest for its rotating lineup of inventive sour ales.

What foods pair well with Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It? Vanilla cheesecake mirrors the beer's creamy sweetness; sharp aged cheddar provides a savory contrast to the fruit; fresh berry tarts echo the strawberry and rhubarb notes; grilled pork chops work well since pork is a classic partner for rhubarb-based sauces; and buttery shortbread cookies complement the graham cracker character.

What sizes does Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It come in? It is sold as a 4-pack of cans, the standard format for The Brewing Projekt's smoothie sour releases.

Is Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It worth the price? It positions as a premium craft release within the imperial smoothie sour category, where specialty ingredients like real fruit, lactose, and flavoring adjuncts drive higher production costs. For fans of the style, the layered complexity — particularly the pie-crust additions — delivers genuine differentiation over simpler fruited sours.

Why Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It?

The imperial smoothie sour category is crowded with one-note fruit bombs, and Strawberry Rhubarb Shove It earns attention by going beyond fruit alone. The deliberate addition of granola, graham cracker flavoring, and vanilla alongside strawberry and rhubarb creates a multi-layered drinking experience that reads more like pastry than simple sour ale. Its 4.1 Untappd rating across hundreds of reviews reflects consistent drinker satisfaction. For anyone seeking a thick, dessert-inspired sour with genuine complexity and balanced tartness, this is one of The Brewing Projekt's most complete expressions of the style.