Red Horn Roggenbier

As i've been writing this blog for a number of years now, the need for new styles of beer to discover, try out, and write briefly about increases, but with the craft brewing community still chugging along strongly, i usually don't have to look too far.  Cedar Park, Texas' Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Co, aside from being one of my favorite places in town to go to, has really been stepping up the game here in central Texas since first opening a couple of years ago.  Over the weekend, i tried their Roggenbier, a kind of Hefeweizen brewed with rye instead of wheat.  It was fantastic.  The beer pours a dark, malty brown with a foamy off-white head and smells of malt and spice with maybe some hints of banana.  The flavor consists of those same hints of banana swirled with a dry maltiness and some spice notes with a general earthiness to the whole affair.  And at 5.4% ABV, the Roggenbier is easily sessionable, and pairs with pretty much anything (i had a meat and cheese tray and salad to go along with it).  If you live in the area, take a growler home with you, and act quickly, as they may or may not brew it again.

Visit the brewer.

Community Razzy Witbier

This last weekend brought chocolate, candy, eggs, and other assorted Easter goodies, a threat of rain that never materialized, a large family lunch cooked by yours truly, and a delicious, ultra-sessionable raspberry witbier to wet my whistle (on Saturday at least, as i upped my game into barrel aged stouts on Sunday).  Dallas' Community Beer Co's Razzy Wit is a 5.5% ABV day drinker that pours a gorgeous, reddish gold with a quickly dissipating white head.  The brew smells of wheat, spice, citrus, fruit, and raspberries, and the flavor is a wonderful blend of citrus, light tartness, hints of coriander, and raspberry notes that never get too sweet or overpower the rest of the beer.  Finishing crisp, dry, and light-bodied, i easily could have drunk this all weekend long.  Maybe next weekend.

Visit the brewer.

Figaro Figaro Figaro FIIIGAAARO Quad

When my wife and i moved into our home a year and a half ago, we noticed that we had a fruit-bearing tree in our back yard that yielded us plenty of...something.  It took a little research, but evidently we have a loquat tree, and until last year, i had never had a loquat before.  They are pretty tasty, a quick blast of sweet and tart that i am now contemplating harvesting and brewing into a homemade beer of sorts.  Unfortunately, i've still got over a case of my last home batch of Christmas Ale to get through before i can start brewing again (i need the bottles), so i may be freezing some fruit soon.

Anyway, that was a long and rambling introduction to get to talking about Buffalo Bayou's wonderful quadrupel ale brewed with figs, the aptly named Figaro Figaro Figaro FIIIGAAARO.  This 11% ABV treat pours a dark, reddish brown with a foamy white head and smells of dark fruits, malts, and notes of fig and yeast.  The flavor is full of fig and other dark fruit notes, as well as spicy yeast and bread notes like what you would get in an abbey ale.  All in all, a great post dinner brew that's way stronger than it tastes.

Visit the brewer, and i'll keep you updated as to any loquat creations in the future.

The Illustrated Man Dark Sour with Berries

Over the last decade or so, as i've made and honed and tested my beer palette, i've discovered that for the most part, i love all of it.  Bitter, malty, hoppy, dry, fruity, sour...and on and on, every season seems to bring me a new favorite.  And never in a million years would i have figured myself for a sour beer fan, but i am what i am.  Austin's Independence Brewery recently released a dry and fruity dark sour called The Illustrated Man.  The beer pours a dark brown with hints of purple and a bubbly, off-white head.  Initial aromas of citrus, berries, and tartness abound, with some subtle notes of malt and roast.  The flavor is tart and fruity, a mix of citrus and berries at 6% ABV with an all around dry finish.  All in all, The Illustrated Man is a great backyard beer for a warm afternoon or cool evening.

Visit the brewer.