Tasty Weasel Tap Room

My last stop during my quick visit to Longmont, CO, last week was the Tasty Weasel Tap Room at Oskar Blues Brewery. I had been told they regularly tap limited beers, so I was curious to see what they might have. I saw a special beer tapping list, but it turned out I was in between events. In a poor choice of words I ask if they had anything unusual on draught, to which the reply was "All of our beers are unusual." Touché.

I then learned that G'Knight Imperial Red Ale was being served from a nitro tap. G'Knight is a very good beer that takes the sweet malt profile of a Red Ale and ramps it up with citrusy hops, hence the "imperial" in the name. It was one of the beers I had enjoyed the prior evening at the Oskar Blues restaurant, served in the usual CO2 method. The nitrous pour gives the beer a frothy head, but without a side-by-side comparison I couldn't comment on the difference. I'll just say I enjoyed it very much.

I nursed my beer while chatting with other patrons at the bar. I started talking with a couple of guys I had seen drinking over at Left Hand earlier that evening. It turns out they both work at Boulder Brewing Company. How cool is the craft beer world? I was sitting at Oskar Blues, talking about beer with two brewers from Boulder Brewing, after we'd all just departed the Left Hand brewery tasting room.

It also turns out that my visit coincided with the monthly meeting of the Can Can Girls Beer Club. This is a group for women craft beer fans. Later in the evening the bartender brought over some special beers that were left over from the club's tasting. The few of us that were still at the bar were treated to pours of some barrel aged Oskar Blues beers. I didn't bother to take notes but I recall, among others there was a Ten FIDY aged 4 months in whiskey barrels and G'Knight aged in Merlot barrels. I felt privileged to share in these one-off beers.

It was a fun way to end my short visit to Colorado. Each time I visit the greater Denver area I am amazed how many great beer experiences I have. I didn't plan for anything specific, but just happened upon some good times. I think the density of breweries in the neighborhood certainly makes it easy to find good beer, and people to enjoy it with. In comparison, despite sharing the same city name in our mailing address, a visit to my favorite local pub, at Blue & Gray Brewing, requires at about a 30-40 minute drive from home. It's just not as convenient as a 5 minute drive, or even a short walk, as I've enjoyed these past couple of days.

But then again, it's probably good that I can't do these whirlwind beer tours everyday!

Left Hand Brewery Tasting Room

While in Longmont, CO, my GPS led me on a somewhat circuitous route to the company office. However, that turned out to be a good thing as it took me right past the Left Hand Brewing Company. I hadn't yet researched the specific addresses of local breweries so was pleasantly surprised to see this, and made note of the location.

I returned later in the day, specifically hoping to try the Nitro Milk Stout. I had read about the new bottled distribution of this beer, but really wanted to taste it "fresh." The brewery's tasting room offers both indoor and outdoor seating. I chose a place at the thick, stone-topped bar. I noticed the array of 12 tap handles, two offering beers on nitro, including the Milk Stout. There was also one beer on hand-pulled cask, the Good Juju Ale. I ordered my Milk Stout and waited patiently for the proper pour to be completed.

The Nitro Milk Stout is delivered with a thick, cascading nitro-infused head. There's a pleasant and mild roasted aroma and the mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy. The flavor is that of mild, roasted coffee tinted with sweet chocolate notes. A touch of roasted bitterness lingers in the mouth. Left Hand Milk Stout is a smooth, creamy beer by its nature, but serve it on nitro and it becomes a dessert-like treat.

It was tough to decide what other Left Hand beers to try during my brief visit. Many Left Hand beers are available in Virginia, but having a beer on draft, at the source, beats a well-travelled bottle any day. I was seated right in front of the row of taps, so I could see what others were drinking. Polestar Pilsner and 400 Pound Monkey seemed to be quite popular, and I opted for the latter. 400 Pound Monkey is an English IPA that pours a bright orange color with a thin white head. The aroma is sweet fruit and bread. The flavor is slightly sweet with white fruit notes — apples, grapes, with a hint of caramel. Very enjoyable.

The beer board listed another beer that intrigued me, Fade To Black Vol. 3. Described as a Pepper Porter that's brewed with multiple varieties of chili peppers. I asked for a small sample to try. The beer looked like a standard dark porter. The flavor was rich with dark roasted malts with a mild smokiness. After I swallowed my first sip, I thought "Oh, that's tasty, but where is the chi..." That's as far as the thought went when the peppers made their appearance. I first noticed the chili warmth in the back of my mouth, then even up to my sinuses. Nothing overwhelming, or unpleasant at all, but definitely there. So another sip to confirm. After that I could note the mild roasted peppers in the taste, however the chili notes really shine in the finish, along with some bitterness. I found this to be a surprisingly enjoyable flavor combination. Another time I may try a full pint to see if the the enjoyment lasts, or if it's a few sip novelty.

The Left Hand Tasting Room seemed to be a quite popular after work stop for local residents. Almost everyone appeared to be "a regular" and many folks simply walked up the bar and received their known favorites. There was a neighborhood feel to the place, and service was quick and friendly. It was hard to tear myself away, but I had another local brewery to visit as well, and my time was limited.

Left Hand Stranger

I debated over writing about this beer. I typically avoid posting reviews about beer I didn't care for, or that are just plain bad, preferring to spend my time sharing thoughts on beer I enjoy. Left Hand Stranger American Pale Ale isn't necessarily a bad beer, but also not one I found particularly tasty. It's not what I expected from this Colorado brewery. I'll post my thoughts, you decide.

Left Hand Stranger is a transparent, bright marmalade color. Even a hard pour creates only a thin, short-lived head. There is a mild floral aroma, with a bit of a soapy background. The flavor is mildly citrus but there's also a distinct sour aspect to the finish. Even for a mild pale ale, the overall flavor profile is weak. The aftertaste leaves a lingering bitterness behind. I often prepend the word "bitterness" with "pleasing" since I'm a fan of bitter finishes in beer, but there's something off here. The mouthfeel is thin, with too much tingling carbonation.

Left Hand Stranger is best described as underwhelming. I won't go as far as saying it's unpleasant, but I think my initial comment was "bleh." I've had a couple of these so far, and I'll likely finish the six-pack, but won't seek it out again. I checked some reviews on some online beer-review websites and found the feedback to be oddly varied. The ratings and comments run the gamut.

Has anyone else run had Left Hand Stranger? What was your experience?