Beer Talk by Art of the Table
September 30, 2010
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North Coast Brewing Company is one of those beers you've probably had and love...but you probably didn't know North Coast was making that super awesome, ridiculously good beer you rave about.
Old Rasputin, yep, that's North Coast. Le Merle?...North Coast too. Pranqster??? Yeah, same thing...it's North Coast. I'll never forget the first time I had an Old Rasputin. It was an incredible experience and for weeks following, I had no idea Old Rasputin was produced by North Coast. Same thing happened again when I first tried Le Merle. I was amazed by the quality of the beer, and more so...I made the connection that Old Rasputin and Le Merle were produced by the same brewery. This was far to much for me to handle, friends.
I tell this story for one very important reason. North Coast Brewing Co. is all about the beer. Their name is rarely stated on the label or packaging, and each beer has a distinctly unique label. Honestly, the labels and packaging are so varied, I wouldn't guess they were produced by the same company. The beer is also this way. Each beer is very much it's own beer, and the styles vary wildly.
The one thing that is incredibly consistant with North Coast is quality. They have something for everyone. We are proud to carry their products and we are sure you can find a beer or two (or six) you will love from them.
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Their Big Bottles
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A Belgian Abbey style "dark strong ale", this beer is well recieved and praised by Belgian beer lovers. Ringing in at an ABV of 9.3%, this is no slouch of a beer. Rich malt flavors, expressive over ripe fruit and intense carbonation drive this beer. Also, every purchase benefits the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, a program focused on giving quality music education to both public grade school and college level
alike at no cost to the student.
Le Merle
Farmhouse Saison in lovely fashion. I would go as far as to say this is one of my top 10 favorite beers of all time. Very high in alcohol for a Saison, this beer reaches 7.9%. Spicy yet fruity tones interject slightly hoppy tones over strong carbonation and earthy hues on the finish. Refreshing, and astringent with just the right balance between old world tradition and new world progressiveness.
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Their "Normal" Bottles
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Scrimshaw
A pilsner of fine quality and refined taste. Able to be sessioned like a "lawn mower" beer...but certainly can be thought out and scrutinized without fault. The hops are subtle and the malt is crisp. Very refreshing and highly recommended.
Red Seal
A pale ale of sorts, this hop loaded amber-ish beer is borderline classic. Often regarded higher in quality by reputable beer critics to it's similar nieghbor, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Earthy and bitter with balancing malts of bread-like character. This is a foodie's match in heaven. Red Seal ale and food is a win/win.
PranQster
A Belgian style golden ale sporting floral aromas and fruity flavors. Advertised as using "antique" yeasts and traditional Belgian methods of brewing...blah, blah, blah...this is great beer! A staff favorite here at Art of the Table...this guy is always in the cooler.
Old Rasputin
This beer has been a catalyst for converting "stout'' drinkers to real stout drinkers. Stylistically a Russian Imperial Stout...Theoretically, a life changing experience. A rollercoaster of dark brooding flavors, noticeable hops, roasted coffee, dark chocolate...oh man, this is good. Really, we mean it when we say it will change your viewpoint on what a stout really is...or at least should be.
Old Stock Ale
This beer is meant to be aged. It mellows with proper age, and develops as time goes on. I've heard of it being laid down for at least 8 years or more, and even then, the potential for more age was there. Port like qualities are found on the nose and palate, while the malt and generous hops mingle together to create a well crafted ale with incredible super aging powers. It's not everyday you get to age a beer...take that wine lovers.
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A closing thought
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North Coast produces many other great beers. We so wish we had room for all of them. Please visit their website and browse through a bit to get a feel for other great things from this quality company. Let us know if there is something you would like. We are happy to order it. The link to North Coast Brewing Co. is below...Cheers.
North Coast Brewing Co.
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