Drinking with Mom – Eagle Rock Equinox

A new (occasional) feature on this here blog is what I’m calling “Drinking with Mom”. I will be sending beers to her in Portland and she will send some to me in Los Angeles. Or we will pick a beer we can both get and we will compare notes on the beer. The point being to get a different perspective on the craft beer revolution. One beer at a time. A little background. My mom is primarily a wine drinker with a particular soft spot for champagnes. When it comes to beer she prefers the porter/stout style. But not the imperial stout.

First up is Equinox from Eagle Rock Brewery.

It is a sour blonde ale with Brett yeast. Now this was a reach on my part. This is out of my mom’s comfort beer range for sure. Back in 2010, my review of the beer when it first came out was as follows, “pours really yellow. aroma is faint but a little fruity. sourness is minimal but the acid does leave its mark. very refreshing. one of my favorite sour ales so far because it doesn’t try to pucker your mouth into a grimace” I gave it a 3.7 out of 5.

My mom was “pleasantly surprised” despite not being a sour fan. She found it refreshing, easy to drink and effervescent. She appreciated the light touch on the sourness. She explained that it was similar in many respects to champagne. The Brett didn’t register as too big either because she didn’t even mention it. Maybe the cage and cork played into the wine aesthetic?

On a final note, my brother in law tasted as well and with he gave it a thumbs up too. So there you go, three different enthusiastic reviews! Check Eagle Rock’s taproom to see if any bottles are left of that or their second anniversary beer, Deuce.

Equinox Brewing

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More beer for Colorado. A great craft beer state. This one adds to the impressive Fort Collins roster, Equinox Brewing.
from Equinox website:
Our standard draft list features six rotating taps. These beers cover a wide range of styles, from light to dark, strong to mild. Our tap selection also features two beers served from beer engines and a weekly firkin tapping. These beers are naturally conditioned (carbonated) in the cask and dispensed through a manual pump (beer engine) or through gravity dispensing (firkin). Check out what’s on tap.

Draft Beers
Sunrise Golden Ale
Sunrise Golden Ale is our lightest beer, but don’t let that fool you. The malt is clean, light and crisp, with a slight sweetness. The aroma captures the distinct graininess of pilsner malt. Cascade and Mt. Hood hops balance the sweetness, contributing a slight citrus / spicy character. In the finish, the hops give way to a light maltiness. Overall, refreshing and clean, yet somewhat complex.
Cumulus Wit
A traditional, Belgian style white beer. Crisp, light and ghostly white, this is a refreshing beer. Additions of coraiander and bitter orange peel produce a clean, light and spicy brew.
Eclipse Brown
The term “brown ale” is very broad and can refer to any number of beers ranging a wide variety of colors and flavors. Dating back to the 1600’s, the term brown ale was used to describe anything from a mild ale to Brown ales from northern England tend to be strong and malty, often nutty, while those from southern England are usually darker, sweeter and lower in alcohol. North American brown ales are usually drier than their English counterparts, with a slight citrus accent and an aroma, bitterness, and medium body due to American hop varieties.
Orbit ESB
The aroma is distinctly hoppy, citrusy and earthy. The assertive hop profile quickly gives way to a rich maltiness. The finish is dry and clean with a distinct toffee roastiness, but balanced by a light sweetness.
Zenith IPA
Zenith IPA is all about balance. Hops dominate the aroma with a musty / citrus character. The flavor is also very hoppy, but, a clean malt profile balances the hops and contributes to the overall complexity. Light malt sweetness counters an aggressive bitterness. The lasting impression should be a dance of malt and hops that lingers on the tongue.
Sunset Stout
Sunset Stout has a roasty flavor, with a light smokiness, from dark, roasted barley. The aroma is light, with hints of coffee and cocoa. The roasted barley contributes a light acidity to the flavor, balancing a bittersweet chocolate finish. Flaked barley adds a creaminess to the mouth feel, while keeping the body medium.

Java Jonas!
Jonas Porter conditioned with French Roast coffee from the Bean Cycle. Dark roast malts and dark roast coffee…mmmm.