USA Brewery Tour # 1 – Off Main Brewing

A name not often used to describe a brewery would be boutique but that is what Off Main Brewing has in it’s branding. And I like that term.

But this post is about the beers in a possible taster tray, so let’s pour….

Comanche Moon – “Blonde Ale that embodies the essence of the Texas Hill Country with its clean, crisp profile and
a touch of hop aroma and subtle sweetness from the malt.”

Bluebonnet Bock – “this traditional Bavarian strong beer is a malt-forward amber lager with a higher gravity, delivering a robust and flavorful experience.”

The Weekender – “this brew is crafted with flaked and malted wheat, giving it a satisfying body that perfectly complements the complexity of Southern Hemisphere hops. And here’s the best part: it’s fermented with Kviek Yeast from Norway, which imparts a delightful citrus flavor to the beer.”

Home IPA – “this surprisingly drinkable 7.6% American IPA is the first recipe we ever created.”

Let’s Tour – Ranger Creek Brewing

The line between spirits and craft beer has been blurry of late with Ballast Point, Anchor and Rogue creating artisan beverages on both sides. But they came to spirits after.
Today’s entry brewed both from the get-go!

Here is their take on their unique twist, Ranger Creek is a combined brewery/distillery proudly located in San Antonio, TX. We make beer and whiskey in our “brewstillery”, and we make it by hand one batch at a time with lots of love and attention. As a combined operation, we use much of the same equipment to make both our beer and our whiskey, and we can do this because there are a lot of similarities between the two processes.”

Their current beers are:
South Texas Lager
Oatmeal Pale Ale
Mesquite Smoked Porter
and my pick to try….
La Bestia Aimable
“In 1685, the explorer La Salle claimed Texas in the name of France, landing at Matagorda Bay on a ship called the Aimable. In honor of Texas’ French and Mexican heritages, we created a complex Belgian-style ale with a name to match: La Bestia is Spanish for “The Beast,” while Aimable is French for “friendly.” This devilishly friendly dark strong ale has a rich, complex nose of deep berry and fig with cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper spicy notes, and a superbly drinkable body full of rich, dark fruit flavors. The use of Texas honey and a well attenuated body in the Belgian abbey tradition make this beer superbly drinkable despite its high alcohol content. La Bestia Aimable pairs well with carbonade, lamb, game and fowl, rich cheeses such as triple-crème and Gorgonzola, as well as decadent desserts like sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate and raspberry cake, and tiramisu.”

Alamo Brewing Company

from Draft magazine…
Alamo Beer Company, a microbrewery near San Antonio, Texas, began selling its Alamo Golden Ale out of founder Eugene Simor’s minivan in 2003. Now, the brewery is upping the ante by calling on Dallas-based Ben E. Keith Beverages to distribute the brew throughout San Antonio.

The brewery describes Alamo Golden Ale, which is brewed with a self proclaimed “fiercely independent spirit,” as “a full-bodied, refreshingly lighter style ale with a smooth, velvety finish.”

“Our little beer now has a big distributor,” Simor says. Look for the beer on shelves in San Antonio now, and possibly all over Texas in the next few months — if it’s following the rags-to-riches musician example.

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