Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale

4 out of 5 Hops


Widmer Bros "Drifter" is a moderately hopped Pale Ale from Oregon, USA. Aroma is a tasty citrus/orange with malty bread. The taste is toasty/toffee at the front and citrus at the finish. Alcohol level is 5.7% which puts it in the higher session beer category. This beer is enjoyable outdoors ice cold in the bottle as well as in the glass at room temp. I believe Widmer Bros always strives to release quality brews and this is no exception. My wife and I both enjoy this beer and its a great go-to beer in a pinch for a BBQ or Sunday football game on the tube. Its also readily available here in the Northwest. I am really enjoying the malt and mouthfeel of this beer as I write this. Aftertaste is relatively dry and an enjoyable hop flavor. This beer, like all Widmers', feature the proprietary "Alchemy" blend of Warrior, Millennium, and Horizon Hops. Aroma and dry-hopping is courtesy of Summit (citrus/tangerine flavor) and Nelson Sauvin (unique fruity hop). For a large scale production beer, I think they make it consistently delicious. Try one today, six packs on sale often!

Widmer Brothers "Brrr" Winter Ales

4 out of 5 Hops

Brrr is another fine addition to NW Winter Beers this season from Widmer Brothers in Oregon. This a malty strong ale with unique hops and a slightly sweet tasting warmer. Aroma is caramel and pine with a hint of citrus. At first taste, this beer seemed very malty and sweet. After a few sips I began to taste the hops more. Widmer lists "Alchemy" hops as the bittering hop. Upon investigation, this is a proprietary blend of hops including Warrior and Millenium. This blend gives this beer a great independent and complex hop profile. Thumbs up for the Alchemy. The finish is slightly dry, with a clean, pleasant aftertaste. Alcohol level is enjoyable at 7.2%. Opinions run the gamut for classifying this beer as an American IPA, or Winter, or a version of a Red, but I say shuck the categories and pick this beer up ASAP for a holiday party in your mouth. Great job Kurt and Rob!

Christmas Ale Party

5 Hops each!



Today I am tasting 3 Northwest Winter/Christmas Ales. I thought a side by side comparison of 3 would give you a range of choices for beers of the season.

First up is Bridgeport 'Ebenezer'. This is brewed in Portland, OR and would be considered an English Strong Ale. Bridgeport makes a tasty traditional IPA as well. Ebenezer pours a rich amber color with scents of malts and fruit with a small hint of hops. Taste is on the malty/toffee side with only a hint of hop bitterness. At only 40 IBU, it is not a Hop Killer. I think it has a mellow refined taste and very enjoyable. I cannot find the hops used other than being "local and imported hops" according to the brewery. I don't detect a lot of late addition hops for flavor and aroma, so I would assume most are early boil for bitterness.

Next up is Rogue Ales 'Santa's Private Reserve' from Newport, OR. Rogue is by far one of my favorite breweries. They brew amazing beers that transcend boundaries and styles. All their beers are class acts. So Santa pours a light red hue with awesome citrus hop and malt aromas. Flavor is a hop fest in your mouth. Not overpowering at 65 IBU, but enough to get your attention; especially at the finish. This is in the range of an IPA for reference. Bittering is courtesy of Chinook hops with flavor and aroma by Centennial and the mystery "Rudolph" hops. The 3 C's hops: Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook are west coast favorites producing evergreen sprucey and citrus flavors/aromas. Mmmm...bitter never tasted so good. Abv is around 6%.

Last but certainly not least is 'Jolly Roger Christmas Ale' by Maritime Brewing in Seattle/Ballard, WA. This is one of my early holiday beers I first tasted in 2006. I even brewed a half decent clone of it last year. This 8-9% brew pours a red/amber color with complex malt aroma. For me, this is a rich, delicious, alcohol laced treat each year. The malt profile and hops are perfectly balanced in my opinion. It may be high in the IBU department; upper 80's I estimate, but I love the taste as a confirmed Hop Head. Bitterness, Flavor, and Aroma hops used are Chinook and Cascade alternatively with Chinook doing the bittering. Don't listen to any naysayers, pick one of these up ASAP and support Seattle!

I believe these selections present a variety of flavors that can be enjoyed by all. For those who prefer a milder, smooth and malty ale, try the Ebenezer. If you prefer a solid hoppy seasonal, go for the Santa. And if you enjoy a winter warmer with extra warmth and more malt, grab a Jolly Roger. Cheers!

Pelican Pub & Brewery "India Pelican Ale"

4 out of 5















On our last trip to the Oregon coast we drove down to this brewery in Pacific City. The brewpub, Pelican Pub & Brewery is located on the beach and has a great view. I sat on the sand with a pint while my pups played. Great place. Highly recommended. This IPA has a crisp grapefruit/citrus aroma courtesy of Cascade Hops. Bitterness is a strong 85 IBU made possible by Magnum and Centennial hops. I may be a hop wimp, but this is my limit for hop bitterness in a everyday brew. Malt hints are faint which is fine for an IPA of this stature. Now that I have procured the taste, its time for a frozen pizza to satisfy my appetite and a watching of Brewmasters on Discover. Cheers!