Brew Review #15 Old Market

The 15th Brew Review of the project was at Old Market Pub & Brewery on March 26, 2010. There were seven people to test the brews, including new comer ‘person whose name I can’t remember.’

The architect & I tested ten different beers – and we have, as per usual, some excellent comments. The parenthetical descriptions come from the brewery itself.

1. Maple Vanilla Stout

  • The architect – Yum
  • The gazelle – Yum
  • Mr. Pi – Yum

(Original bunch, no?)

2. Hop On (A classic amber severely overhopped at the finish of the kettle boil)

  • The architect – Good, I like it.
  • The gazelle – Initial reaction: not as hoppy as I was expecting; later: better when not following the super delicious Maple Vanilla Stout.

3. Rat Dog ESB (A heavily hopped Extra Special Bitter)

  • The architect – Not impresed.
  • The gazelle -ehn.

4. Mr. Slate’s Gravelberry Ale (A smooth wheat beer spiked with raspberry)

  • The architect – interesting; not bad for a fruit-flavored beer
  • The gazelle – smells really good, the flavor is ehn.
  • The stranger – she liked it!

5. Mr. Toad’s Wild Red (Made with 5 different malts and 3 varieties of hops)

  • The architect – kind of boring
  • The gazelle – I am so disappointed! The name was so awesome, and the beer is so not!

6. British Bombay IPA (Based on an original India Pale Ale recipe that was shipped to the Indian colonies)

  • The architect – Good. Really good.
  • The gazelle – Really good. (Again, we are so original)

7. Great White Wheat (Our semi-cloudy weizen (wheat) ale.)

  • The architect – Pretty good. Interesting flavor.
  • The gazelle -Fine. I’d drink it in the summer on my patio.
  • Mr. Pi – tastes like a wit. Good.

8. Multnomah Village Golden (Our incredibly crisp, clear golden ale. Dry hopped in the keg with a huge bag of Oregon Hallertauer hops!)

  • The architect – Pretty good.
  • The gazelle – It’s a golden ale. ‘Nuf said.
  • Mr. Pi – Could have been water after tasting the seasonal [maple vanilla stout]

9. Pacific Porter (A fine, smooth porter to cure the winter doldrums.)

  • The architect – Pretty good (that’s how he felt about so many, apparently!)
  • The gazelle – there are really good porters. This isn’t one of them.

10. Old Granny Smith (Green Apple Ale A crisp golden flavored with Granny Smith Apples.)

  • The architect – Delicious!
  • The gazelle – Surprisingly good.

As for the food

  • Cilley – the bacon is excellent
  • The architect – the ladies admired my wiener (he had the sausage)
  • The gazelle – the burger was delicious
  • The Ambitious one – the pita (on her gyro) was really good

After the sampling, Mr. Pi & I had the Maple Vanilla Stout (it tasted like delicious cream soda….and it’s the first time I’ve ever ordered a pint of the stout at a brew review – usually it’s too much for me). The architect had an IPA & a Granny Smith. I didn’t write down what others had – although I believe there was a Mr. Slate’s and at least one more Granny Smith.

I think the Maple Vanilla is gone now (so sad), but I will be stalking their website next winter to find out when it’s back. So good. One of the best surprising & new beers I’ve had on this journey.

Next brew review is at a New Old Lompoc – stay tuned for that review!