Now that I have actually sat down to think about it, there is not too much for me to say specifically regarding the beers The Wife and I sampled while at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse over the weekend. Oops, I just revealed the location that was the inspiration for my not so random thoughts yesterday. There may not be too much to say, but a quick rundown is still in order before my memory of them fades away.

The lighter four

We decided to do a flight of all 8 beers that we saw on the menu (which we were ultimately overcharged for) because why exclude a few styles when you don’t have to? The flights consisted of . . .

• Lightswitch Lager
• Brewhouse Blonde
• Harvest Hefeweizen
• Piranha Pale Ale
• Jeremiah Red
• Nutty Brewnette
• P.M. Porter
• Tatonka Stout

A loving gaze was directed at The Wife after her first sip of the Lightswitch Lager when she said it tasted like water. Since strong flavors are actually consider a fault in that style it was what it was supposed to be. That made me even more surprised at the amount of domestic light beers I saw being ordered.

The darker four

The Blonde (a Kölsch) and the Hefeweizen were light and non-offensive as expected, with the Hefeweizen probably having the more prominent aroma of the entire group. The (American) Pale Ale was probably my favorite of the group and I think The Wife at least mostly agreed.

The Red and the Brown Ale I was mostly indifferent on with my palate leaning a bit toward the Brown if I was forced to choose between the two. The (Robust) Porter and the Stout were a bit lacking in the aroma for me. I was hoping for some really good roasted characteristics in the aroma at that point in the flight but really did not get them. The Porter was OK, but the Stout was billed to be an Imperial and fell short of the expectations I had as a result. Both had some good roasted flavors, but the Stout certainly felt quite a bit light in body to me.

All together now

In total, all of the beers were serviceable for sure, very similar to our thoughts after being at Granville Island in Vancouver over the summer. Ultimately though, I tend to judge these places on the how memorable the beers are and there was not one among that group that I will be craving again anytime soon or (more accurately) ever.

I am glad to have crossed it off the list of places to go and also to have at least sampled what beers I could while there. Since there are other styles only seasonally available (like a Grand Cru in the next few months) I might just find my way there again to give some of them a try as well.

Cheers!

Making changes to the look of the site is kind of fun and I hope that it will be easier to use for everyone.  There is much more work to do in the coming days and weeks, but it all is moving along nicely.  Feedback is certainly welcome.

Though I cannot remember specifically, I think that this particular Flying Dog beer is one of those (along with one or two from Dogfish) that helped to start my transition to drinking more and more craft beers.  During that time six-packs of Flying Dog were a staple of my beer diet and they exposed me to more styles than I was buying at the time.  Thinking of that, I really should make an extra effort to visit the brewery when we are in Baltimore in a few months.

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery (Frederick, MD)

Name: Tire Bite Golden Ale

Style: Kölsch

ABV: 5.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass.

Aroma: Bit of grainy character with low hops and moderate esters (somewhat citrusy?).

Appearance: Pale gold color.  Full four finger, white head that slowly dissipates with no trail.  Crystal clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Light grainy character with very low hop bitterness and the slightest citrus note.  Slightly sharp/dry at finish.

Mouthfeel: Light body with medium to high carbonation and some slight astringency.

Overall Impressions: Crisp, refreshing, and easy drinking though nothing special.  More of a drink six at a time beer.  Decent, but not at the top of the Flying Dog pack for me.

Grade: B-

Flying Dog Brewery - Tire Bite Golden Ale