The Session #13: Organic Beer
It’s the first Friday of March, so it’s time for The Session — a monthly event that brings beer fans together to share their thoughts on a specified theme. This month’s theme is Organic Beer.
Honestly, I can’t tell you if I’ve ever had an organic, or rather certified organic, beer before this month’s Session. I’ve seen a few bottles on the shelves in just about any beer store I’ve entered, and was intrigued and curious, but never went for one. Well, thankfully The Session is here to push my buying habits into another realm of beer products.
I actually took this opportunity to try out two different beers from opposite ends of the brew spectrum. The first is a pale ale from Stone Mill Brewery — a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch.
Appearance
The Stone Mill pale ale pours a clear, golden amber with a light off white head. The carbonation activity looks on par with any other beer in the same style.
Aroma
Yep, smells like a pale ale. There’s a little maltiness and a nice slightly bitter hop presence as well.
Taste
This one is nice and refreshing. I wouldn’t have expected it to be part of the A-B family as it actually has some decent flavor to it. It’s got a crisp finish that compliments the light body and carbonation. The finish also has that slightly bitter hop finish that i got from the nose.
Overall
All in all, the pale ale isn’t a bad brew. I can see a six pack of it disappearing quickly on a hot summer day, but it’s nothing outstanding as far as the style goes.
Rating: 3/5
The second brew that I picked up for this month’s Session is the one that I was really looking forward to so my notes are a little more in-depth. Plus, I had seen Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout from Otter Creek Brewing on the shelves so often in the past that I am now kicking my self (seriously, even as I type this up) for not getting it sooner.
Appearance
The Wolaver’s pours a near midnight black that barely let’s any light through. The head was small and short lived even though it was poured into a freshly cleaned glass.
Aroma
I’m pretty sure that, had anyone been watching me at the time, I transmogrified into Count Chocula upon the first sniff from the glass. This thing is heavy with chocolate malt, rich espresso tones and an earthy oat presence that would drive me insane if I weren’t able to then take a sip. Thankfully, insanity was held at bay, for a little while longer at least.
Taste
This thing smooth, earthy and rich with that roasted coffee presence. There’s a slight coffee bitterness in the finish, but it’s happily accompanied by a semi-sweet chocolate, as well. This is a tasty brew.
Overall
While, it’s not my favorite stout, it ranks pretty high up there in terms of it’s character and richness. The espresso and chocolate go so well with the nutty oatmeal. I’m not sure if this is simply a prime example of this style of stout or if it’s the certified organic ingredients, but this is one tasty brew.
Rating: 4/5