I first had a pint of Schlafly's No. 15 at the Bottleworks in Saint Louis in early December. I remember being quite surprised with this beer at first, because it didn't taste anything like what I was expecting. Before having a full pint of the No. 15, I'd gotten a small sampling glass in the brewery's tasting room. The No. 15 has an orangish-brown color, somewhere between an amber and a wheat beer. It's much close to an amber in color and clarity though, think of an orange tinted amber... The taste of the No. 15 was nothing like an amber however. The first thought that came to mind when I tried the No. 15 was 'Belgian.' This beer has that tart, almost sour, banana flavor that Belgian beers are known for. The No. 15 is more complex though, it has a sweet orange flavor as well... which was surprising to me because of the color. I'd expected the No. 15 to be a typical amber style ale, hoppy and a little warm, but this was a big surprise.
Lunch at Schlafly's Bottleworks started with a small batch of hearty Pale Ale bread and a Christmas Seasonal beer. I had a pint of the No. 15 with my pulled pork sandwich, which was awesome. The sweet barbecue and coleslaw went well with the No. 15's tart and citrus flavor. Since the trip to Schlafly in Saint Louis, I've had a six pack of the No. 15 and the bottled version holds up pretty well. It isn't quite as tart as I remember, but like most beers, it just tastes better on tap.