The Real Okie Guide to Craft Beer

Transcription

1 The Real Okie Guide to Craft Beer Discover delicious Oklahoma brews with this ultimate guide to Oklahoma's local breweries and craft beers. Within the past five to ten years, Oklahoma has fostered an award-winning craft beer scene. Inspired by the contemporary American craft beer movement and old European brewing traditions, Oklahoma s enterprising home brewers have evolved into thriving, robust breweries. This craft beer movement in Oklahoma has formed an inspiring community: those like-minded brewers who view each success as one for the whole community, and those enthusiastic restaurateurs and barkeeps who share their passion for this proud, flourishing industry with their customers. With local craft beers from these 14 breweries on tap across the state, you can jump in and sample some of the exciting, tasty results of this phenomenon. Marshall Brewing Company has been a long-time leader in the Tulsa craft beer scene. It was opened in 2008, making it the first commercial brewing facility in Tulsa since World War II. Marshall found success early, mostly due to the quality and reliability of its core lineup: Old Pavilion Pilsner, a classic inspired by founder Eric Marshall s apprenticeship in Germany, McNellie s Pub Ale, a traditional English bitter, the Atlas IPA and the Sundown Wheat. In addition to these core offerings, Marshall also offers a potent India-style black ale year-round called El Chucuy. Be careful with this one; it s got quite a kick. Also, don t discount the seasonal offerings from Marshall. They offer a pale ale for summer, a porter for winter, a red ale for spring and, of course, a delicious Oktoberfest lager in the fall. If you have the desire to take a look behind the scenes, grab a friend and join one of their popular brewery tours. The starting goal for Mustang Brewing Company was simple: brew some quality, easy-drinking session beers for the people who enjoy them. These straightforward, fullstrength beers ended up forming Mustang s core line-up. The Washita Wheat, Mustang Sixty-Six Lager and the Golden Ale are all crisp, clean satisfying beers. However, not content to rest on their laurels, brewmasters Gary Shellman and Mike Groshong decided to develop a series of beers that would be bigger, bolder and more appealing to discerning craft beer enthusiasts. The Unbridled series began strong with seven craft beers including Rocket Fuel (a strong IPA), Farmhouse (a session saison), Frah-Gee-Lay (a robust sweet potato porter) and even a refreshing strawberry wheat ale. Even more innovative and craft-forward is the brewery s Saddlebag series, a limited offering of bold, unique brews: a chili-pepper infused IPA, an Imperial Stout with a heavy dose of raspberries and a strong Imperial Porter with hints of vanilla and chocolate. Keep a watchful eye out for more Mustang special releases in the future. In a surprisingly short time, brothers Colin and Chase Healey of Prairie Artisan Ales have built a strong international reputation for their exceptional skill and, in particular, their innovative take on nearly forgotten beer styles. Embracing less-popular beer styles like sours, barleywines and saisons, while also making his distinctive stamp on craft staples like stouts and porters, brewmaster Chase has proven himself more than competent in a broad range of brewing traditions. The Prairie Bomb! for instance is a great example of the innovative spirit that

2 they re known for: an imperial stout aged on espresso beans, chocolate, vanilla beans and ancho chili peppers. This intensely flavorful yet subtle beer has come to be one of their most respected and popular offerings. With a collection of beers so varied and complex, Prairie offers something for every craft beer drinker s taste. There are several types of sour ales, one made with extra hops and another brewed with raspberries. You can try an Imperial Stout aged in apple brandy barrels or one aged in Jamaican rum barrels, lending distinct undertones to each. Sample their farmhouse IPA or their flagship saison. Prairie also regularly introduces new and limited availability beers throughout the year. If you re thirsty for more, head to Tulsa soon for a tasting in A bastion from the days of the brewpub, CHOC beer is produced in the brewery at Pete s Place, the legendary Italian restaurant in Krebs. After the change in brewing laws, CHOC beer was able to leave the tasting room at Pete s and spread to bars and stores all over the state. Their classic, unfiltered wheat beer has long been the cornerstone of the CHOC line-up, and now the 1919 brand has become one of Oklahoma s most recognizable beer labels. However, there s a lot more to CHOC than their refreshing summer wheat beer. Miner s Light is a crisp American lager and a tribute to Krebs s strong mining history. A sweet, light peach brew, an American white ale and a spring IPA round out the roster at CHOC. Though, in case you think it s all bright and summery beers at CHOC, sample their rich, malty, gold medal winning, abbey-style Signature Dubbel for a taste of something different. The story of Roughtail Brewing Co. is common to many of the craft breweries in Oklahoma: two craft beer enthusiasts begin home-brewing together and then have the crazy idea to take their best recipes and run with it. In this case, it was Roughtail founder Blaine Stansel who met brewmaster Tony Tieli at a local brewing club. Soon after, they made the leap to commercial brewing and haven t looked back. With their distinctive designs and bold flavors, Roughtail has become one of the most recognizable breweries in Oklahoma. If there is a theme to Roughtail s beer line-up it would be intensity. Their flagship IPA and, even more so, their Hoptometrist Double IPA are full-scale onslaughts of crisp, piney, hoppy bitterness. The Polar Night stout and 12th Round ale are dark, rich, boozy delights. However, for those looking for an easy-going session beer, grab one of their West Coast-style pales for a refreshing draught. Keep an eye out for their limited brews such as the Wee Heavy, a strong, malty Scotch ale, or their coffee-infused imperial stout Coffee Tsar.

3 One of Black Mesa Brewing Company s guiding principles is to recognize and celebrate the character and authenticity of Oklahoma, which can be seen in every beer they brew. While their roster isn t as extensive as some, operators Brad Stumph and Chris Sanders have shown their strong brewing skills and their desire to make a unique contribution to Oklahoma craft beer culture. As far as brewing philosophy goes, it s all about the malts at Black Mesa. Hops are used for balance of flavor, never as the primary focus. The Black Mesa American Blond Ale is a great example of this approach. With a hearty malt backbone and an understated nectar aroma that gives way to a clean, dry finish, this beer is smooth and subtle. They also brew an excellent ESB. Traditionally standing for Extra Special Bitter, this style comes from the English bitter or pub ale. However, this being Oklahoma, the brewers couldn t avoid using a Woody Guthrie line and called it the Endless Skyway Bitter. This well-balanced beer features a blend of nutty malts offset with the subtle grapefruit note of Pacific hops. If you just can t get enough malt, try their double ESB for a stronger, deliciously indulgent experience. They also have a couple of stouts making the festival rounds, so keep an eye out for those as well. In Anthem s early days, founder Matt Anthony shared space with Black Mesa and Mustang brewers at OKCity Brewing Co., a cooperative brewery in west downtown that has enabled local brewers to produce without the great expense of buying their own facility. Soon, Anthem was able to move into its own urban farmhouse brewery. Now, new brewmaster Patrick Lively and his team are poised to make a profound impact on the craft beer scene in Oklahoma and beyond. Presently, Anthem features three core beers, all distinctly brewed in the rich Belgian tradition. The Golden One is a bright, citrusy blonde ale. Arjuna is a wit bier or white ale with fruity notes and a refreshing finish. The third is Uroborus, a robust Belgian-style stout with strong notes of roasted malts, chocolate and dark candied sugar. Anthem also regularly produces special release beers like a sour ale aged in oak, an ale aged in tequila barrels and a Belgian-style blond aged in bourbon barrels. An IPA and other tasty developments are brewing at Anthem as well, so keep an eye out for new releases.

4 One of the most successful Oklahoma City-based breweries has been COOP Ale Works. With a dynamic design, locally themed artwork and a diverse line of beers that are also distinctive and delicious, COOP is an influential member of the state s craft beer community. Cofounders JD Merryweather and Daniel Mercer have put together a distinguished operation and their experienced brewmaster Blake Jarolim has produced excellent beers in classic craft styles. The Native Amber is a balanced blend of smooth malts with just enough hop spice, the F5 is an invigorating West Coast IPA hop explosion and the excellent DNR is a strong, complex Belgianstyle dark ale best enjoyed in moderation. If you re looking for an easy drinking, session type beer, COOP also offers their Spare Rib pale ale, Briefcase Brown Ale and a Belgian-style table ale, all of which are in the 3-4% alcohol range. Keep an eye out for the popular, seasonal Oktoberfest as well as their limited availability Territorial Reserve series that consists of unique, rustic stouts and barley wines often aged in bourbon barrels. An exciting, flourishing brewery now based in Tulsa, Dead Armadillo Brewery is making waves in the craft brewing community. Their flagship brew and most popular selection is their classic American amber ale. A well-balanced, eminently drinkable beer with notes of caramel sweetness, roasted malt and a slightly bitter finish, this amber has been gaining popularity since Dead Armadillo started operations in June of Since then, brewmaster Mason Beecroft and co-founder Tony Peck have shown that they have much more up their sleeves. Dead Armadillo s sophomore effort was a creative take on a lesser-known style of brew called black ale. Dubbed the Black Hop, this intriguing beer is brewed with an array of dark malts and a healthy dose of Northwest hops to create a rich coffee and bitter chocolate sweetness finished with a light and refreshing bitterness (an intense, satisfying draught). The Dead Ball Hooligan is their version of Belgian-style session beer brewed in cooperation with the Tulsa Athletic Soccer Club. They also have an IPA and an American pale ale that have made the rounds at festivals and brewing events.

5 A smaller brewery operating out of Edmond, Battered Boar produces excellent craft beers of surprising variety. Seven beers make up the core line-up including the rich and slightly sweet Briar Patch Amber, the golden red, aromatic Company Man Pale and the straightforward and satisfying 405 Oklahoma Lager. Their Chuck s Pumpkin Ale, brewed with real Oklahoma sugar pumpkins and loads of fresh ground spices, is a sweet, fragrant treat full of autumnal flavors. A coconut cream stout and a pair of refreshing unfiltered wheat beers round out their permanent offerings, but Battered Boar also releases popular seasonal and specialty brews throughout the year. Twins Bazil Twins, a unique farmhouse ale, dry-hopped with Thai basil and Szechuan peppercorns, offers an unusual but compelling flavor profile. It s more drinkable cousins are their La Padite and Lion s Tooth Floret, which are more traditional and subtle saisons. The Chocolate Cherry porter and Stumbling Goat imperial stout are further examples of their bold approach and are sure to warm the hearts of craft beer fans everywhere. Keep an eye out for more special releases from this hard-working brewery. Iron Monk Brewery Stillwater s first craft brewery, Iron Monk, has the facilities and brewing experience to be a distinct addition to the Oklahoma craft beer scene. Their flagship milk stout and Payne County imperial IPA are just the beginning of what co-founders Dave Monks and Jerod Millirons hope to be a year-round lineup of at least six beers with, most likely, frequent special and limited releases. (405) Brewing Based in Norman, (405) Brewing is poised to make a big impact on the craft beer scene based on the warm reception that greeted their flagship FDR imperial stout. They ve also released a lighter spring stout called Little Heart Breaker and, with their new facility up and running, are sure to have more exciting selections to come.

6 Elk Valley Brewing This Oklahoma City-based brewery has been a hot topic in craft beer circles since they released their popular Nemesis imperial stout. Founder and brewmaster John Elkins has also released a session pale ale and an IPA called EXperimental. Also, look for their Scotch ale, their Bar-B-Q smoked beer and any of the other exciting selections Elk Valley plans to release in the future. Cabin Boys Brewery consists of a tightly knit team of individuals with a passion for crafting a community through hand-crafted ales. Cabin Boys puts a unique twist on traditional styles of ales. By unique, we mean extravagant, boisterous, uncanny, elegant, and subtle like the people that are meant to enjoy them. The Muskogee brewing company is a local home town brewery. With a tap room that is dedicated to good Quality Beer. With Seasonal favorites.