Red Thistle ESB from Golden Valley Brewery

40 IBU 5.5% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 3.28/5
Untappd score 3.53
/5

11C. Strong Bitter

An average-strength to moderatelystrong British bitter ale. The balance may be fairly even between malt and hops to somewhat bitter. Drinkability is a critical component of the style. A rather broad style that allows for considerable interpretation by the brewer.

Found at The Bier Stein - Hails from McMinville, OR

This brewery has been around since 1993...and yet, I hadn't heard of them. So, I saw this bottle on the shelf and said, "I've never heard of this brewery, I think I will give them a try." Sometimes, that is the only reason you need to pick out a beer. And you can never go wrong with an ESB...or could you? On to the review!

Appearance:  A light amber to copper coloring with a fingers width ivory head. Bright and clear. I thought it would be a tad darker.  7.5

Aroma: Not much to say about the aroma other than a heavy dose of malt and an astringent herbal note.   6

Flavor:  It's a lightly toasted malt flavor with little to no bittering. Fairly sweet for this style of beer.   6

Mouthfeel:  It's light to medium bodied with the right amount of carbonation. Not as smooth as I would like. 7

Overall:  Golden Valley touts this as a flagship brew...I think it has the potential to be one. It's not bad but I think it needs to tone down the sweetness and bring up the bitter level. It says it has 40 IBU's. I couldn't tell. That's a little bit of a problem but is easily fixed with a few tweaks to the recipe. I definitely wouldn't say no to having another one as is though. 6.65

Matt's mark: 3.32/5

Ferment Brewing Company's White River Saison Ale

20 IBU 5% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 4.15/5
Untappd score 3.65/5

25B. Saison

Most commonly, a pale, refreshing, highly-attenuated, moderately-bitter, moderate-strength Belgian ale with a very dry finish. Typically highly carbonated, and using non-barley cereal grains and optional spices for complexity, as complements the expressive yeast character that is fruity, spicy, and not overly phenolic. Less common variations include both lower-alcohol and higher-alcohol products, as well as darker versions with additional malt character.

Found at The Bier Stein - Hails from Hood River, OR

While browsing the many beers Bier Stein provides, the nice clean look of this particular bottle stood out. If you hadn't noticed, a lot of breweries are starting to have many, many colors on their packaging. Not this one and I took notice. Upon investigating the description on the back, I was delighted to discover they used a yeast captured on the slopes of Mount Hood. What a unique thing to do for a Saison! On to the review!

Appearance:  A light golden straw with a fingers head, which was a creamy white. A crystal clear body with really good head retention. There is sediment in the bottom of the bottle so be careful pouring if you care about that.  8.2

Aroma: A spicy and full bodied aroma. I noticed some pepper and lemongrass with a nice floral layer to balance it out.  8.1

Flavor:  A nice subtle sweetness at the front, reminiscent of honey. Balanced out nicely with pepper undertones along with an earthy bitterness on the back. A little bit of straw but really no funk though.   7.4

Mouthfeel:  Dry, crisp and easy drinking. A light to medium bodied beer that is lively on the tongue.  8

Overall:  I really like this take on the Saison from FBC. Obviously it scored a tad lower on the flavor profile because, in my opinion, it's not a true Saison. Not as funky. Of course, that is due to the local yeast being used. But if I were just going from a taste standpoint, this brew is much cleaner and more refreshing with subtleties you wouldn't get otherwise. Top notch in my book. Also, I am not sure what is going on with the Untappd crowd... this brew is obviously better than what they think. 7.9

Matt's mark: 3.96/5

Rogue's Pumpkin Patch Ale

Pumpkins grown at Rogue Farms


6.1% ABV 25 IBU's
Beer Advocate score - 3.87/5
Untappd score 3.77/5

30B. Autumn Seasonal Beer

An amber to copper, spiced beer that often has a moderately rich body and slightly warming finish suggesting a good accompaniment for the cool fall season, and often evocative of Thanksgiving traditions.

Found at Market of Choice - Founded in Ashland, Oregon. Headquartered in Newport, Oregon.

The first pumpkin beer of the season! Believe it or not, I tend not to drink Rogue Ales very often because of how ubiquitous they are on the west coast. But I couldn't resist the big burnt orange bottle that was sitting in the refrigerated section. It was the last one there so many others had a tough time resisting before me. On to the review!

Appearance: A beautifully rich caramel body with a fingers width linen colored head. The head dissipates quickly.  8

Aroma: A nice malty, earthy scent. You can tell it has all the usual suspects for a pumpkin beer (nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla etc.) but blended very nicely. 8

Flavor: It's a decently rich, malty brew. There is a little bit of something that throws off the flavor a tad. If I were to hazard a guess, it would be the nutmeg. Tone that down and I think we are on to something.  7

Mouthfeel: A light and creamy medium bodied brew with the right amount of carbonation. Refreshing.   8

Overall:  It's a solid offering from Rogue. I have had better pumpkin brews at a lower cost though. Not saying that you shouldn't try it because it definitely hits the pumpkin beer craving. I think if they tinkered with the recipe slightly, lowering the nutmeg and bumping the cardamom and vanilla, it would create a deeper, richer flavor.  7.75

Matt's mark: 3.88/5

3.8 Miles Hazy Double IPA from Weldwerks Brewing

Brewed with Mosaic, El Dorado & Lemondrops hops

ABV - 8.4% IBU's - not available
Beer Advocate - 4.18/5
Untappd - 4.2/5

22A. Double IPA

An intensely hoppy, fairly strong pale ale without the big, rich, complex maltiness and residual sweetness and body of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, dry, and lacking harshness. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping beer.

Shipment from Tavour - Hails from Greeley, Colorado

I have been doing a lot of road running lately. It does a good job of filling out the days when you have nothing else to do. No job? Just go for a run. Too rainy to pull out the lawnmower? Just go for a run. Helps that I am also training for a half marathon in November and then my first full marathon in April. At the end of a run, what better way to relax than a big beer? With a name like 3.8 Miles, I feel like this particular brew was created for runners...doesn't matter if it's just wishful thinking. On to the review!

Aroma: Has me thinking of warmer days with its tropical aromas (mostly papaya and mango). Behind the tropics, hints of earth and spice resonate in the nostrils and blends in some melon on the back end. Definitely runs the gamut of smells.   9

Appearance: Has a butterscotch haze with 1/2 inch eggshell white head. It quickly recedes but has good legs.   8.3

Flavor: Tropical is the name of the game here. I detect mostly mango and some lemon. The bitterness is nicely balanced and doesn't compete with the complex dank of the flavors. Refreshing.  8.6

Mouthfeel: It's medium bodied with a nice creamy, smoothness. The carbonation is at a nice level as well.  8

Overall: This Hazy Double IPA is a really good brew. I highly recommend it. Drink it after a run, hard days work in the yard or even an evening sitting out on the porch watching the autumn sun go down. It's a refreshing beer that doesn't sit heavy in the stomach.   8.5

Matt's mark: 4.24/5