THE BRÜ: April 2015

April 30, 2015

The Brü Revü – Oasis Texas Brewing Meta Modern Session IPA

Oasis Texas Brewing is a fairly recent addition to the beer scene in Austin that mainly focuses on Session Beers. They have had an excellent start with their initial line-up of beers and a few award winners to boot. Their Meta Modern Session IPA is a new offering that may be following the Session IPA trend, but is easily the best version I have had. The beer poured a slightly opaque straw yellow with a large white head that left generous lacing. The aroma stood out immediately with huge citrus and dank tropical fruit notes that hit your olfactories with a huge hop overload. The taste followed suite with large doses of juicy citrus and fruity dank hops that leave a pleasantly bitter coating on your palate. While the beer may initially be a bit thin, which is to be expected with a Session IPA, I felt that the added hop notes gave it enough body to keep the beer from turning into a thin watery mess that turns me off of most Session IPAs. Oasis use a technique called hop-bursting to use the Citra and Mosaic hops to their full effect and take this Session IPA to full IPA hop dosage. The Meta Modern was a refreshing and drinkable beer that will easily slake the thirst on these hot Texas summer days with a large hop bite to keep you coming back for more. I think I found my new go to summer beer. Cheers!

Oasis Texas Brewing Meta Modern Session IPA

April 22, 2015

The Brü Revü – Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous

Since Stone decided to retire this beer it seemed only right to give it a proper review. The Sublimely Self-Righteous is a Black IPA as only Stone could do it. Heavy on the hops with a solid dark and roasty background this was a truly Self-Righteous drinking experience. The beer poured a deep brown with ruby highlights and a very large and robust tan head. The hops hit me immediately with a very citrusy and floral aroma along with a bit of pine resin. The dark malty backbone was lingering beneath the hops, but not as present in the nose. The taste was a full on bitter hop assault with the citrus and pine hop notes that faded into a malty and burnt roasty porter that ended with a burnt and piney bitterness on my palate. The beer was full and creamy which matched well to its appearance and left a pleasant bitter coating on my tongue between quaffs. A really outstanding Black IPA and a shame it will be discontinued. I am sure Stone has great plans up their sleeves and I hope another outstanding Black IPA is in their future. Either way, grab a Sublimely Self-Righteous while you can and enjoy!

Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous

April 15, 2015

Beer Bums Meeting – April 2015 – Spring Beers

We chose a loose theme of Spring beers to open things up: A beer that has something to do with spring either in the label or the beer itself or whatever. Another broad spectrum of beers with the Meta Modern Session IPA being my personal favorite as it just smelled and tasted like spring as well as the can looking very spring inspired with all the purple. The rest of the beers were all very good and light and easy drinking which is alway good for Spring.

Martin House Brewing River House Saison

Oasis Texas Brewing Meta Modern IPA

Shiner Prickly Pear

Big Bend Brewing Hefeweizen

Next Month, May – Chris’s Birthday Special

April 8, 2015

The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball

Lagunitas’ hangover halting beer was a fitting end to the SXSW madness in Austin. The beer poured a deep ruby red to copper with a full and creamy head that left great lacing. The sweet malty aroma held a bit of fruit as well as a slight roast. The taste was very malt forward with a burnt bitterness underneath. There were notes of caramel, brown sugar and dark fruit with some fruity hops for good measure. It left a lingering bitterness on my tongue from a combo of the roasty malts and fruity hops. The Hairy Eyeball is not as hop forward as most of the Lagunitas brews but the hops play second fiddle to the big malty sweetness. A different and dynamic beer all around that has a good balance of sweetness with a touch of hops. While it was slightly boozy at the start, the booziness dissipated as it warmed and the creamy chewy body really became a deliciously easy drinker. All in all another great beer from Lagunitas and the perfect morning after remedy for a week of hardcore SXSW fun.

Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball

April 2, 2015

The Brü Revü – Real Ale Full Moon Rye IPA

Real Ale has gone through a re-branding that seems long overdue. One of the stalwarts and unsung heroes of the Texas craft beer scene they have been brewing world class beers in Blanco, TX will little fanfare or acclaim. They are loved and well known to those of us who have been in and around the Austin and Texas craft beer scene, and their re-branding has brought their lineup a sleeker and more consistent look. I for one love the change as it instantly recognizable and gives their brews a fresh look. Along with this re-branding, Real Ale decided to make a recipe change to their already outstanding Full Moon Rye Ale to make it a Rye IPA. An added dose of hops and an increased abv have created a spicy rye IPA that will most likely have more appeal to the newer craft beer crowd that craves IPAs. The beer pours a deep orange amber with a nice and fluffy head. The nose was a terrific hoppy blend of citrus and tropical fruit and immediately let me know that this was a different Full Moon. The taste followed the nose with the citrus and tropical fruit hoppy bitterness that was riding the familiar spicy rye malt flavors. The additional hops really took this already great beer to a whole new level. A citrus and fruity IPA with a spicy rye malt backbone that was impeccable. A great revision of a great beer just created a sublime IPA.

Real Ale Full Moon Rye IPA