Beer # 178 - Auld Battle Axe, Laurelwood Brewing, Portland, Oregon

Ahhh, Laurelwood - a consistent provider of delicious beers! We ventured over to the East Side to enjoy the Laurelwood Pizza Company and happened across the very last bottle of the Auld Battle Axe, a Scottish Style Ale. At 10% in a beautiful bottle, I was anxious to crack it open -
Let's pour!
It pours a deep brown with a thin head.

The aroma reveals big malt, which greets the nostrils with big vanilla and slight nut.

It has strong alcohol tones right away that build with the big malt presence in the full body. It is strong and aggressive with vanilla, but there is not too much sweetness, with nuttiness rounding the vanilla off. It is lively on the tongue. Oak and slight cherry sourness arrives in the finish, giving it a very dynamic arc.

The aftertaste is big and strong with malt and alcohol dominating, with subtle nuttiness, oak and slight cherry.

It is a full body, full flavor beer - Bold, strong and delicious! For being so big, it still provides dynamic flavors that keep the palate lively -
If you can find it, get it!
Cheers!

Beer #152 - Wry Pale Ale, Laurelwood Brewing, Portland Oregon

The Laurelwood Brewing Company serves up certified organic ales at 3 public houses/resaturants around Portland. Select ales are also available at a variety of stores in 22oz bottles. One of their recent seasonal offerings is the Rye Pale Ale. An interesting hybrid of Pale Ale with Rye Malt. Let's give it a try!

It pours a brilliant straw color with a medium-sized tight head.

The aroma is bright hop with mild citrus tones.

The medium body introduces straw and citrus tones right off. There is substantial bitterness on the tongue, but it does not dominate the palate. A rounded malt backbone is evident on the back of the tongue, curbing the hop and balancing the flavor. Citrus tones reveal subtle grapefruit and orange layers.

The aftertaste holds tones of grapefruit citrus which initially dominates, then fades to a mild bitterness that leaves a freshness in the mouth.

A refreshing beer with plenty of substance and a unique spin with the addition of the rye malt. It is a good sipper on these last hot days of summer, but also will pair easily with many dishes.

Cheers!

Vinter Varmer, Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, Portland Oregon

Let's bring it home! The Laurelwood Public House & Brewery has a spot just a hop (sorry, I'm a sucker for bad puns) up the street from us here in Northwest Portland. They have some brilliant brews and from limited experience some very good food. Their beers are available in stores around Portland and from their Public House locations. Those outside of Oregon may find it hard to find.... So let's see how their seasonal holds up....

It pours nearly opaque with a big head.

The smell is all malt with some slight vanilla.

The taste is initially malty. I was worried it might be sweet from the notes of vanilla I detected in the aroma, but it is not overly sweet at all. It retains big notes of vanilla, but the sweetness is capped by the malt, which holds a roastiness throughout the brew. There is slight caramel at the end, but it again isn't enough to overwhelm. The beer holds balanced throughout and has a nice medium/full body that fits into a winter evening quite well.

The aftertaste is a nice roastiness and it finishes with a nice warmth.

This is a great solid non-spicy winter warmer. I highly encourage you to grab one while they are available. In a season overwhelmed by holiday ales, this is a nice classic warmer to enjoy with a hearty meal or by itself...

Cheers!