On the Road: Barley Brown’s Review

They don’t brew it like this in Portland…
I recently paid a visit to Baker City, OR, population 1.2 million (10,000 not including the cows), home to lots of sagebrush, soaring mountains, quaint old buildings, my parents and, thankfully, Barley Brown’s brewery.

I love Barley Brown’s so much that I was excited for weeks about this trip just because I knew I’d get to imbibe their outstanding brews (sorry, Mom and Dad). So when Beer + Cheese asked me to blog about the experience, how could I say no?

To warm my palette, I started with a sampler of every beer Barley’s had on tap (except one). Glorious, isn’t it?

In order from the left: Hot Blonde (brewed with jalapeños!), Disorder Stout, WFO IPA, Whiskey Malt, Tumble Off Pale Ale, Golden Ale, Wheat.

While all the beers were delicious, there were a few standouts. I honestly wasn’t crazy about the Hot Blonde but I have to mention it because, damn! They brew it with jalapeños! It was fun to try, but ultimately not my thing. The Disorder Stout, on the other hand, most definitely was. I love a strong wintry brew (even in June), and Disorder had rich notes of roasted coffee and bitter chocolate. The WFO was a reliably good IPA – aromatic and hoppy with a pleasant flowery aftertaste.

Barley’s signature Whiskey Malt was also excellent, smooth and delicious like an amber ale. A little too smooth, in fact. The flavor of whiskey was definitely present but it couldn’t quite hold its own against the smoothness of the malt. But pair it with some tangy blue cheese like I did, and you have a near-perfect combination of flavors. The tang of the blue cheese added instant zing and lent just the bite I was looking for to this slightly too-smooth beer.

With 9.5% alcohol content, Barley Brown's Tankslapper is only served in a 10oz glass. We aren’t in Portland anymore.

The real pièce de résistance, however, was not included in the sampler – the Tankslapper 10th Anniversary Ale. At 9.5%, this exquisite brew was strong, fragrant and extra hoppy. But somehow it managed to be incredibly well-rounded, too! The strong hoppiness was balanced by sweet floral notes (do I detect a hint of hibiscus?), a touch of citrus, and a slightly fruity finish. Flavorful, complex and utterly delicious, Tankslapper is one impressive beer.

The verdict: Barley Brown’s + me = double happiness. Now if only Baker City had a cheese bar…