By the time I arrived at 3pm, the party was in full swing; live music, long lines and the smell of Uncle Billy's BBQ in the air. There were easily a couple thousand people in attendance, which was honestly surprising. Craft beer is a legitimate draw, it seems. The tasting glass you were issued was 4 oz. and all you had to do was walk up to each brewery's booth, hand over a ticket and they would pour you the brew of your choice.
I made it a point to sample brews that weren't widely available in Austin. Not much point in spending that much time and money to try something I could get at the corner store. I thought it was very cool that the lesser known brewers consistently had much longer lines than the well-known guys (Shiner, Independence). Overall I was pretty impressed with the beers I tried. One dimension I thought was lacking was the interaction (or lack thereof) with the people pouring your beer. It was rare that anyone who was involved with brewing was manning the booth, and when they were, they generally weren't very engaging. Maybe it's just my inexperienced take, but as a small craft brewer I would think the chance to market your beer to hundreds of consumers face-to-face would mean it's time to bring out your A-game. Exhausting? Maybe. Still totally worth it though from a small business perspective.
All that being said, here is my ranking/rundown of the eight most memorable beers I tasted beers I tasted:
8. El Hefe Weizen
No Label Brewing Co. - Katy, TX
Style: Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 12
Appearance: Blonde/Yellow
Aroma: Banana and hint of spice, true to style. Aroma overall a little weak.
Taste: The banana notes you expect from a German wheat beer end up much closer to Circus Peanuts. Not especially bad, but it hurt the "classic" hefeweizen taste the brewer is aiming for. The malted wheat flavor is well represented, but I was disappointed in the lack of complex spices and citrus.
Mouthfeel: Excellent mouthfeel, very silky for a hefeweizen.
Finish: Finish was just right, and the banana notes actually improved a little.
7. Skylight Dunkelweizen
New Republic Brewing - College Station, TX
Style: Dunkelweizen
ABV: 5.1%
IBU: Low 20s
Appearance: Dark Amber/Copper
Aroma: Sweetness and mild alcohol.
Taste: I was very happy with how comfortable New Republic was with putting the malt up front on this beer. However, it was almost too sweet, like marshmallow. Hop balance was good and on-point for the style.
Mouthfeel: Thin and flat mouthfeel, not with expectations. Very well may have been a by-product of the outdoor venue or the handling, but really put a damper on the beer. There was an enjoyable dryness that continued on through to the finish that was a really nice surprise though.
Finish: Finish was strong with alcohol. As mentioned, nice mild dryness.
6. Mesquite-Smoked Porter
Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling - San Antonio, TX
Style: Porter
ABV: 6.1%
IBU: ?
Appearance: Dark Copper; A little cloudy and thin in sunlight.
Aroma: Mesquite and Smoke
Taste: Ranger Creek definitely created one of the more unique tasting brews available at the festival. The mesquite is obviously the star. There is a nice hint of smoke as well, and honestly I wouldn't have minded having it brought forward more. The malt was really overwhelmed and basically absent, which is unfortunate in a porter.
Mouthfeel: A little thin, but well within the style.
Finish: Mesquite and smoke, obviously.
5. Alamo Golden Ale
Alamo Beer Company - San Antonio, TX
Style: American Blonde Ale
ABV: 5.3%
IBU: Low 20s
Appearance: Cloudy Straw-Gold
Aroma: Hops and very slight jalapeno.
Taste: Very clean, accessible and drinkable blonde (as they generally should be). I had a chance to chat with Eugene Simor, the company president, and he made clear that this ale is meant to be an easy-drinking, introductory craft ale. Crisp taste, not overly hoppy, malt (and corn maybe) were thin but apparent. Very slight apricot and citrus notes.
Mouthfeel: Light mouthfeel. Almost like a light lager.
Finish: The glacier hops really define the finish. Light all the way through.
4. Fuego
Twisted X Brewing Company - Austin, TX
Style: Pilsener
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 46
Appearance: Yellow-Gold
Aroma: Hops and very slight jalapeno.
Taste: I was looking forward to this one since these guys operate basically around the corner from me. I intended to try their Premium Lager but their volunteer accidentally poured the Fuego. It definitely lives up to it's billing as a jalapeno pilsener, as the the flavor of the chili is front and center right from the first sip. They certainly dial it back more than other beers in this genre, but there's no denying that it dominates the flavor. It's a pilsener, so there really isn't anything else that can compete with that unique spiciness. Expertly crafted, and as balanced as can be expected.
Mouthfeel: Great mouthfeel for a pils, and a great job of keeping the jalapeno fire under control.
Finish: Jalapeno and a touch of hops.
3. Fire Eagle IPA
Austin Beerworks - Austin, TX
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.4%
IBU: 70
Appearance: Bright Amber; Very Clear
Aroma: Hops primarily, but surprisingly soft on the nose.
Taste: Anyone that listens to me long enough when I nerd out about beer knows that IPAs aren't at the top of my list of styles; I love malt. Thus, the fact that Austin Beerwork's IPA made it this high in my list is a tribute to its excellent execution. Well-hopped and bitter, but the taste stayed fresh and drinkable throughout. The first sip didn't immediately scream HOPS, but instead mixed them tastefully with some fruity esters.
Mouthfeel: Thin for the most part, but worked well with the freshness of the brew.
Finish: This is where the hops really make themselves known. Again, bold but not overpowering. Surprisingly smooth for style and ABV over 6%.
2. Bombshell Blonde
Southern Star Brewing Company - Conroe, TX
Style: American Blonde Ale
ABV: 5.25%
IBU: 20
Appearance: Blonde
Aroma: Perfect blend of alcohol and sweetness, not much hops.
Taste: Very crisp taste, almost lager-like with how clean it is. As usual, I was hoping for more malt, but it's definitely there. Subtle buttery diacetyl flavors actually add a lot to this brew as well.
Mouthfeel: Light, light light. Doesn't dry out though.
Finish: Slight buttery flavors maintain, but the finish is still very clean. Easy to take the next sip.
1. Nightlight
Circle Brewing Co. - Austin, TX
Style: Dry Irish Stout
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: ?
Appearance: Dark Coffee
Aroma: Amazing blend of sweet roasted malt, oak and coffee.
Taste: I love stouts and porters as much as the next beer nerd, and I really thought with all the stylistic branching out I did at this festival I would have a favorite that wasn't dark as night. Circle Brewing Co. threw all that out the window. I had never even heard of this brewery before the festival, and that's what's great about these events. Circle completely nailed the Irish Dry Stout style. They didn't overdo it with the roasted malt, and they really let the more subtle notes shine in this beer. The hops were even detectable, and just enough. A great example of a stout that doesn't feel like a meal and leaves you ready for the next glass.
Mouthfeel: Great dryness with a medium viscosity, perfect for style.
Finish: Dry, malty finish with a nice touch of hops which is so often missing in stouts.
And there you have it! Thanks to all the great brewers and the people that helped out at the festival. If this post is your first visit to the blog, be sure to follow me in every possible digital way. It validates me as a person.
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