Spring Reign, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene Oregon

Well, I raved about the Ninkasi Double Red a bit ago, so now I will rave about there next beer in my sampling, the Spring Reign....Available in 22oz bombers around Oregon, it presents itself with 28 IBU's and 6%...

It pours a honey hue with a tight head.

The aroma is burnt sugar and caramel with a hop tang at the end.

It is roasty malt right up front, hop earthiness appears in the medium body. It is very refreshing with roasty notes at the end. The hop lifts the malt and keeps it from getting too heavy with the sugar notes.

THe aftertaste is bitter with lingering biscuity malt.

More malty than expected but still refreshing with the bold hop backbone. I highly recomend this spring refresher - even if it is already summer~

Cheers!

Believer Double Red Ale, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene Oregon

Now, let me prep by saying I usually don't enjoy reds, but as mentioned before, put double in front of it and you've got me!

It pours deep and dark with a big tight head.

The aroma is sweet with caramel malt and mild vanilla. Hops are aplenty and there is a slight pine aroma as well.

It has a full smooth body. A slight sourness (that's meant in the best possible way) builds in the body, but it finishes creamy just as the hop bitterness builds. That vague pine is buried it deep, it took me a while to identify what it was I was tasting and that is the best way to describe it. For a double, the beer is fairly dynamic offering up sour, bitter, pine and ultimately sweet then bitter tones.

The aftertaste is bitter with bold malt character.

Quite a beer and I continue to be impressed by Ninkasi's line-up. So far I've enjoyed every beer I've had from them and look forward to continue trying their beers. Look for the double red in the 22oz bottles.

6.9% with 60 IBUs and I'm a believer!!!

Cheers!

Oatis, Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene Oregon

My first love in beer was the stout. Although my tastes now lean more toward the hopped-up ales, I am still quite picky about my stouts. Our next comes from the Ninkasi Brewery in Eugene, Oregon. I only recently found out about this brewery since moving to Portland, but I've been impressed by their IPA offerings. Their Oatis is the oatmeal stout...

It pours opaque with a big dark head.

The aroma is sweet malt with both chocolate and vanilla tones.

It is oatmeal stright off, but then is balanced back by the hops in the body. It finishes clean. The Oatis has a full body and is rich, but doesn't get sticky at all. It doesn't leave a thick residue, either. It is roasty and quite creamy. Very easy to drink for a dark beer.

The aftertaste is roasty malt. It lingers for a bit before finishing clean for a stout.

I keep my musings in a notebook and then refer back to my notes when I make the blog post. I tried this beer in late December and quite liked it. A lot. I wrote 5 stars next to it in my book.

It is 7.5% iwth 45 IBUs

I'm not sure what the distribution is like beyond Oregon, but here Ninkasi is available all over...
Drink up...Enjoy!

Cheers!

Tricerahops Double IPA, Ninkasi Brewery

Our next beer is in my favorite category of beer; the double IPA. It is from Ninkasi Brewery in Eugene, Oregon and available in 22oz bottles. This is my first beer from Ninkasi, which I just discovered when I moved here.

It pours a milky amber with a good head.

The smell is subtle. I was expecting a big hop aroma, but it is mild but flowery hop.

The taste is initially big hop, but then balances quickly in the mouth. Bitterness, which I am a big fan of, doesn't really set in until the back of the jaw. It is one of the most well-balanced Double IPA's I've had, it offers up a smooth taste.

The aftertaste leaves a strong hop flavor which lingers nicely. It is slightly floral, but again, very balanced. Quite drinkable indeed!

It is 8.8% with 100+ IBU's ( a little surprising to me to find that out, showing how well-balanced the beer is...)

Cheers!