Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Since I couldn’t make the Washington Brewers Festival last weekend I decided to hit a couple of Tacoma’s breweries for some much-needed liquid sunshine. Wingman Brewing Company and Engine House 9 Brewery have a few new (and interesting) releases. First stop: Wingman Brewing.  Wingman has brewed something a bit lower in alcohol but not on flavor. Pomegranate Weizen is a very different beer for this brewery. A light pomegranate aroma hits the nose as soon as you raise your glass. A lighter bodied beer, there is a hint of hops and sour fruit. The finish is crisp and snappy. And the alcohol? A nice 5.2% ABV is a little more manageable than the bigger beers Wingman is known for. I loved this beer so much I filled my growler!

Another interesting beer from Wingman is a triple IPA specially brewed for the Über Tavern’s anniversary celebration at the end of this month in Seattle. Operation Cross Roads Triple IPA is one highly hopped beer. One might think the 100 IBU’s would be enough to cause even the biggest “hop head” to lose his faculties. Surprisingly, Operation Cross Roads is very malty for an IPA. The aroma is floral with grapefruit acidity. The body is thick and syrupy. The taste is very sweet, I mean REALLY sweet but the hops mellows it out a bit. Definitely a sipper this beer is not for the faint of heart; it’s also not for anyone driving. 16.8% ABV to be exact, so pleeeaaassseee proceed with caution!!

Moseying over to my usual hang out, Engine House 9 Brewery, I decided to try one of their newest creations. E9 is trying out a program where they select a recipe from one of the Tacoma’s many homebrewers and brew it on the big tanks. This month’s creation is a fun and quirky Pale Ale. So what makes this pale ale so quirky? They threw in Hot Tamale candy, and named it Parky. Yes, you read correctly…Hot Tamales! Hot cinnamon spice in the aroma and flavor and the color is unusual shade of red. Sweet and light Parky is a fun beer that brings back childhood memories. The candy part, not the beer part.

A guest beer currently making an appearance at E9 is Double Mountain Brewing’s Clusterfuck. Again, you read that correctly. Not only is this beer fun to order (cover your ears Grandma) but it is a great beer to drink. This single IPA is a true “hop monster” that packs a hoppy punch. Grapefruit aroma and strong citrus finish. This beer has been very aptly named and hubby loved it!

Grab these beers while you have the chance as they are only on tap for a limited time.

Cheers!

Liz