Beers We Drank

The Horned Aviator is a dry hopped double IPA made from Northern Lights Brewery for a bar in Spokane, WA called the Flying Goat. The beer had the dryness and bitterness of Jonathan and I’s Devils Spit Double IPA. I did like ours more. They did have an Imperial IPA that was closer to the Devils Spit. Overall both beers get a 10 and the bar had a great atmosphere.

A few years ago I wrote a blog post on this site about the Wasatch Devastator. I would like to state that I have had a change of heart about this beer. Before I get to that I should share some background about it.

The Wasatch Brewery Devastator beer is a double bock that weighs in at 8% abv. It’s a pleasantly warming beer with a very nice mouth feel and an earthy malty, grainy flavor. It also happens to be a very popular beer because of its label. The label features a picture of a giant ram charging through downtown Salt Lake City. In the picture the ram is charging past the LDS temple and another building with what looks like fire burning in the background. It’s my guess that the beer label is popular with drinkers that are frustrated with odd and occasionally restrictive Utah liquor laws.

In the past I have not enjoyed this beer very much. I did like the abv, the mouth feel, the flavor, and definitely liked the price. However, the finish flavor of the beer ruined it for me every time. For some reason I thought it tasted similar to the way dog food smells. To put it mildly I found it to be a turn off.

This last week I decided to return to the Island of Misfit Beers and give some of them another chance. My palate is evolving and I find I’m enjoying more complex flavors. The thinking is that perhaps there are some beers out there I didn’t like in the past that I would enjoy more now. I first sampled another Acme Pale Ale. That was an utter fail. In my opinion that beer may be the worst label/beer mismatch of all time.

To my surprise and pleasure the Wasatch Devastator is a completely different story. No longer do I sense a ‘dog food’ after taste. Instead, I found the beer to have a very malty, grainy finishing flavor. This finish lasts on the palate long after the swallow and is quite pleasant with the right food pairing or as a sipping beer.

My hat is off to you, Wasatch Brewery. You continue to produce excellent beers that are delicious, easy on the wallet, and always raise a cheer when brought to a party. Thank you for being patient with my immature palate. One more thing, your beer labels and ad campaigns are fantastic. Cheers and keep up the excellent work!

In reviewing older posts I found that there wasn’t much description of what I did not like about the Acme Pale Ale. The first time was several years ago so I have little recollection of my impressions of the first tasting. Being a lover of all beers great and small I thought the Acme Pale Ale could use another chance. I picked up some at the store to give another go.

I should say that I love most beers great and small. This is not one of those beers. However, before I jump into impressions I should share a little background first. I bought a single bottle of the Acme beer at a state run liquor store. The bottle has been chilled to 50 degrees for about three days in my little beer fridge. It has been a long day at work and I cracked open the bottle cap looking forward to some pale ale ‘love’. I should also note that I have almost a Pavlovian response to my little beer fridge. Wonderful things happen when I open the door and select a bottle of beer. 50 degrees is often the temperature that I really enjoy pale ales at, too.

My first swallow of the beer almost immediately brought a frown. The mouthfeel of the beer is thin and watery. This is accompanied by a weak yet bitter combination of flavors of hops and malt. It does not give the impression of balance. It’s neither complex nor simple – just ‘weak’. The taste that comes after is actually a bit sour. The sour taste follows through into the finish and is what is left on the palate after swallowing.

After a couple test swallows I decided to drink the rest with dinner. I had picked up a turkey avocado sandwich on focaccia bread from a local bakery on my way home. Yum! I thought perhaps the flavors of sandwich and beer would complement.  I was mistaken. The sandwich highlighted how much I was not enjoying the beer.

For the first time in about 3 years I didn’t finish a bottle of beer. I decided to let the last quarter of it go. I did not enjoy it that much.

If anyone at North Coast Brewing ever happens to read this – please reassess the recipe or process for this beer. I love the pin-up girl label and the price is well set. If the beer lived up to the branding and tasted like it was worth more than a dollar a bottle I would happily enjoy it on a regular basis.