Organic Beer Reviews

It's been awhile since I've done a beer review of a commercial beer, especially an organic one. Recently I ran across Eel River Brewing Company, which is now available in the Twin Cities. Eel River is apparently the first organic brewery in the country, brewing since 1999. I picked up their IPA and also came across a bomber of their Amber Ale.

Eel River Amber Ale:
This beer was apparently the first certified organic beer in the country. Their flagship pours a a dark amber/copper color with a finger of white head. Some nice biscuit, caramel aromas with some nice citrus notes present as well. Wonderful biscuit flavors balanced nicely with some hoppy bitterness and lingering caramel sweetness. There's a lot of floral hop aromas and the caramel is present throughout. Nice soft mouthfeel and I really like the balance of the bitterness, biscuit and caramel. An excellent amber ale.

Eel River IPA: This was the first of the beers I bought from Eel River and it made me want to come back for more. An excellent IPA, probably the best organic beer I've had. It pours a hazy organish/amber with a foamy two finger white head. Great citrusy aromas. Right away there's some nice grapefruit, honey and orange flavors followed by some nice malty sweetness. It finishes with some nice hop and honey sweetness. There's a little bit of bitterness that balances nicely with the maltiness and citrusy sweetness. Great IPA.

Recently El Jefe and I made a run across the Wisconsin border into Hudson to buy some beers that aren't available in the Cities. Among them was a beer I've read a lot about but never had, Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout. Wolaver's also has been one of the leaders in organic brewing, since 1998 they have been brewing organically as part of Otter Creek Brewing Company in Vermont.
"Every beer we brew is a manifestation of our commitment to the welfare of the environment, the welfare of the farming landscape, and the welfare of the consumer."

Their Oatmeal Stout is as good as advertised. It pours jet black with a foamy light tan head. Wonderful roasty, burnt aromas. A great smoothness and roasty, chocolatey, coffee, and caramel flavors. The mouthfeel is perfect for an oatmeal stout, smooth and slick with some nice sweetness lingering in the finish. This beer is a great example of a oatmeal stout and one that I hope makes it way to Minneapolis.


Nice to see more and more organic beers available in and around the cities. These are two of the pioneers of the organic brewing movement. Hopefully breweries like Bison and Laurelwood will make it East as well.
Salud!
Bearded Brewer