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Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA

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They say:

Pitch Black IPA takes you to the dark side with our take on Cascadian dark ale. Debittered black malt lends a midnight hue along with rich, toasty malt flavor. Generous doses of alchemy and cascade hops provide a complex herbal aroma and subtle citrus note, balanced perfectly by a smooth Widmer Brothers finish. Embrace the dark side.

Black IPA, or Cascadian dark ale, is the latest fad on the craft beer scene. Not quite a hoppy porter, too dark for an IPA, it’s a new style and not without a little controversy.

But don’t beer people love to argue about beer styles?

It pours a deep brown with ruby highlights, but somehow not as “thick” as a porter or stout. Aroma is subtle, with some roastiness. Hop aroma is light. Medium body. Flavor has some more roastiness but is offset nicely by the hops. The flavor gets a bit richer as it warms.

I don’t know if I’d make this a regular selection, but I’d gladly have it again.

Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA

Widmer Brothers X-114 IPA

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Ron got to drink a little of this during Podcast Episode 8. Then my wife discovered this on tap at a new pub. And then we discovered it at the local beer store. Cool!

They say:

Meet X-114, our secret formula for hophead nirvana. Named for the experimental hop that came to be known as citra, this aromatic IPA balances perfect proportions of big fruit and citrus flavor, with hints of peppery spice, caramel malt sweetness, and a bitter but smooth finish. It’s one experiment that bears repeating. Often.

Pours clear and light gold, white head. Biscuity with a floral hop aroma. Moderate mouthfeel, big hop character; fruity, bitter. I like it. My wife does too. I’ll be lucky to get half of the six-pack.

Widmer Brothers Rotator IPA: X-114

Widmer Brothers: More Than Just a Hef

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Widmer Brothers Brewing out of Portland, Oregon, has decided to show California their true beer colors—that is, that they are more than just the creamy yellow Hefeweizen we so often associate with the Widmer label. With their Explore Your Craft Tour, Widmer is setting the record straight.

Saturday’s event at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco was an eye-opening and flavor-savoring experience of the highest order. Teaming up with Draft Magazine, the event paired many of Widmer’s unknown (in California) beers with some delicious grub that left for long lines and satisfied smiles all around.

By his own admittance, Co-Founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing, Kurt Widmer, said that outside of Portland, the versatility of Widmer’s beers doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves. Their Hefeweizen is a staple of the style, and anyone with a lemon wedge in the summer knows if they pick up a twelve pack, it will be money well drunk. But Kurt was approachable and adamant, and so were his beers, showing that Widmer Brothers has a lot more going on than many of us know.

Some of the highlights of the night included brown sugary ribs paired with a KGB Russian Imperial Stout, a smooth, dark offering that had the line of San Franciscans wrapped around into the dance floor for most of the night. Another popular table was the cebiche, fish and chips, clam chowder, and steamed mussels that paired wonderfully with Widmer’s Pitch Black IPA. A Reserve Galaxy Hopped Barleywine complimented an assortment of cheeses and fruits, while their Nelson Imperial IPA and Barrel Aged Brrrbon added some sweetness to the desert table. Upstairs, aside from a live artist painting for a silent auction for charity, were two beers that head brewer Doug Rehberg said are normally only found in their Portland pub. An India Wheat and a Raspberry Saison were great examples of Doug’s ability to brew unique beers with sophistication. Standing at well over six feet, Doug is a funny, knowledgeable representative of this popular northwestern brewery that really knows how to throw a party.

The night passed with lots of laughter and even some dancing as contemporary Americana band Buxter Hoot’n wailed away to the delight of hipsters and beer aficionados from all over the Bay Area. If Widmer did one thing on Saturday night, it was to show Californians that they are more than just a solid Hefewiezen, and perhaps remind us we should be searching out some of their other great labels where we can find them.

Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale

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Widmer BrothersBeer-a-Day #45

What can I say about this beyond what Ron said? Well, I can say that he spent nearly as much to send me one bottle as it cost him for the six-pack. And that he broke a number of laws and the shipping company’s rules.

Honey-colored, with an off-white that drops fairly quickly. I love the aroma of this thing; it’s just loaded with grapefruit. Medium body and not overly bitter.

I don’t know if this is the best pale ale I’ve ever had, but it’s very good. This needs further research.

Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale

p.s. Thanks Ron!

Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale Review

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Widmer Brothers has come up with a new brew they call Drifter; it is a pale ale and it is quite unique. I have only had something similar from a local brew pub, the Pump Station Pale from the Albany Pump Station. While unique, Drifter is true to the pale ale style. It is golden amber in color with a light caramel sweetness. It has a light to moderate hop bitterness along with significant nose presence of grapefruit and tangerine. The twist comes from the variety of hops they used, the new Summit hops, which is not your typical American pale ale Cascade or other “C” hop, nor English Fuggle or Kent Goldings.

“We crafted Drifter to make waves in the category and provide beer lovers with a new pale ale experience,” said Kurt Widmer, co-founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing. “Most pale ales are brewed with Cascade hops. Ours is truly an original, made with Summit hops known for their delicate flavor and undertones of tangerine, mandarin orange and grapefruit.”

Drifter

Drifter

I don’t know if it is the hops with their fresh citrus character or if it is just my love of these Amarillo-like hops, but this beer just tastes so fresh! It doesn’t taste like it came from a bottle, but rather off the tap from your local brew pub.

Drifter is intended to be savored (or quaffed) on a lazy summer day while drifting on the water. Saranac Pale Ale use to be my summertime “go-to beer”. Over time, I got a little tired of it and it was replaced by Southern Tier’s Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale. I’m starting to look for a change again and Drifter could easily win that title.

So I’m looking at the unofficial Hop Talk rating guide I ask myself…

  • Do I really, really like it? Oh, yes.
  • Would I consider making it my “go-to beer”? Absolutely.
  • Would I go out of my way to buy this? Sure, maybe not state borders, but I will drive out of my way.
  • Would I ask my retailer to order it? Definitely.
  • Would I resort to violence if someone takes it away from me? …define violence…

I consulted with Al and neither of us have ever given a beer a perfect 5 on our ratings. Drifter comes as close as to a 5 as any other beer I have rated.

Drifter was a Silver Medal winner in the Pale Ale category at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival (GABF); the beer sails in at an ABV of 5.7% and 32 IBUs. Drifter is already available on tap in 20 select states, with six-packs on shelves in early February. The beer will launch nationwide in mid-April and will be offered year-round.