IPA NO.5 by Ground Breaker Brewing + Gastropub

100% Gluten-Free Craft Beer
Crafted in a Dedicated Gluten-Free Brewery

70 IBU 6% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 3.7/5
Untappd score 3.4/5

21A. American IPA

A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale, showcasing modern American or New World hop varieties. The balance is hopforward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish, and clean, supporting malt allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through.

Found at Safeway

I once had a gluten free beer back in the day when Omission started hitting the market. I don't recall if I liked it or not...definitely not a good sign. So, I decided to try another one. The description makes it sound interesting with the use of Sorghum, Lentils and Chestnuts. Can't say I have never had a beer made using chestnuts. Or lentils. Anywho, on to the review!


Aroma: A sweet pineapple citrus aroma with an aggressive nose full of sharp hop backing it up. Smells like an IPA.  7

Appearance: Love the color. It's a little bit past a copper color, almost a red ale. A nominal head but does have decent lacing. Beautiful looking beer.  9

Flavor: Unique. I have never tasted anything like it. Hop forward with a citrus cutting through it. This gives way to a flavor I can't pin down. It's trying to simulate a malty backbone but just doesn't quite get there.  6

Mouthfeel: Crisp and the right level of carbonation. Nicely rounds out the beer.   7

Overall: Considering this is my second/first attempt at a gluten free beer, I really didn't know what to expect. Ground Breaker does a decent job of hitting all the IPA categories except for one. The malt flavor just doesn't taste like malt to me but it has its own uniqueness. It's not a bad flavor, just different...and different is good...especially in a beer. IPA NO.5 is a solid offering if gluten free is your thing or if you want a different tasting IPA. Let's face it, a lot of IPA's taste the same. 7.25

Matt's mark: 3.63/5

Weapon of Mass Seduction Chocolate Oyster Stout by Gigantic Brewing Company

7.5% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 4.04/5
Untappd score 3.9/5

20B. American Stout

A fairly strong, highly roasted, bitter, hoppy dark stout. Has the body and dark flavors typical of stouts with a more aggressive American hop character and bitterness.

Found at Safeway/Albertson's

I found a beer that I have never had in the last place I suspected it would be...at a Safeway in small town Oregon. To top it all off, it is Valentine's Day themed! I didn't really think about it, just kinda happened that way. I mean, Weapon of Mass Seduction Chocolate Oyster Stout definitely screams Valentine's Day right? Right? Or maybe I am imagining things...anyway, on to the review.

Aroma: So, the aroma was chocolate, with a touch of chocolate and then chocolate on the back end. I did detect a little bit of a faint ocean smell underlying it all...no, not really. I just smelled chocolate. Which, don't get me wrong, is not a bad thing. I just thought there would be more.  7.5

Appearance: Looks decadent. Deep, dark chocolate roasty color with a nice thick, lightly colored chocolate head. Looks as if it might actually be chocolate. 9

Flavor: Yep, just what I thought. Bitter chocolate up front which smooths out a bit with mild sweetness. Has a nice touch of brine tingling on the back of the tongue. Also, just so you know, it doesn't taste like an oyster... and that is a good thing. 9.5

Mouthfeel: A really nice creamy texture from oatmeal with the right amount of carbonation. Left me wanting to drink more despite the richness of the flavor.  9.25

Overall: I really didn't know what to expect from this brew. In my opinion, it's quite exotic. I mean, Gigantic didn't use just oyster shells, real oysters were used. Well, they hit it out of the park with this one. I don't know if it is an aphrodisiac or anything for Valentine's night, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. At the very least, you will love this brew if you like chocolate and/or stouts...of which I love both. This weapon does pair well with chocolate (I know, shocker right?) and I paired mine with a Bourbon Cask Aged Unroasted Dark Chocolate bar from Raaka that I found at my local chocolatier, Sanity Chocolate. If you're in Portland, I recommend going straight to the source of the chocolate that seduces in the brew, Woodblock Chocolate. And if you are ever in Cottage Grove, check out Sanity Chocolate as they have fantastic chocolate. There, I think I have covered all the shout outs. 8.75

Matt's mark: 4.4/5