Found another Oktoberfest... Yes

And I thought I had found all I could down this way without resorting to beer trading. We braved the roads of downtown to go to The Sauce, as that and a couple of Chinese and Mexican joints are the only ones that are open. Broken glass everywhere.

The waitress brings out my Oktoberfest and the wife's beer, whatever she ordered.

Live Oak Oaktoberfest
And its local. Light malty and cascade hoppy smell. Clear amber color. Light malt in the taste but medium to strong hops. WTF man? Lacy head. What's going on here. I'll have to try this one again at maybe Alamo Drafthouse or something. If someone told me this was a Pale Ale if not an IPA with that maltiness, I would believe them. I mention to the waitress that this is kinda hoppy for an oktoberfest, but she must be new as she didn't seem sure what I was getting at. Oh well, I'm already halfway through the pint. I even go to the kiosk to see what the "answer" is on the receipt. I has German hops on there, which could mean it has those musty hop aromas like the Hofbrau I have in the fridge. I taste the wife's beer and realize that she has a soapy oktoberfest while I have her Flying Dog Doggy Style Pale Ale. Isn't that just great. At least I got the style right, and even the hops. 3 Stars for the Doggy Style. It's so funny b/c I was thinking medium malt the entire time, but still got that pale ale flavor going on.

Live Oak Oaktoberfest, the real one this time.
Wow. Lighter amber than the Doggy Style, low head. Light malt and sweetness. Lops hops. True oktoberfest but has some bubblegum mintyness to it. Turns out the wife's lipstick is on the glass and that's what I'm smelling and tasting. Oh behave. Medium carbonation and kind of light in the body. 3 Stars. Goes great with the Guiness Au Jus sauce and roast beef sandwich we're having. Here's to hoping I can find a few more Oktoberfests before the season wraps up.

But the oktoberfest was what I thought it was. And we let 'em off the hook.

Me and Hops, Done

I figured it could happen at some point. I finally OD'ed on hops and am drinking malty beers. It's just in time for the Oktoberfest season, so I'm good. I know I'll get back to hoppy beers, probably right along with the progression of the season beers (Oktoberfest/Pumpkin Ale in the Fall, Winter Warmers/Stouts/Christmas Ale in the Winter, Bocks in the Spring). So I guess I'm right in line with it all. Neat. My ratings for IPAs and whatnot are not getting above a 3, so I know somethings up. I've even have some Elissa IPA in the fridge that I haven't touched in weeks. You know that its real when the Shiner Helles Lager is just awesome for me back in my Fantasy Football draft.

So this happened after a Houston Dynamo game with a couple drinking buddies at the Sauce. I usually get three beers of a certain style in one night to compare, plus its fun. So here we go...

August 16, 2008

State: Packed in the bar, still sweaty from watching the Dynamo murder Real Salt Lake (Texiaria Army Baby), and eating chicken fingers and fries.

Live Oak IPA

It was supposed to be on fire sale but they hadn't erased the board, so I had to pay full price. Dark bronze-copper. Smells a little malty, low head though. First taste is a low malt and then a RUSH of hops that taste like Cascade. I think it was Cascade that did it for me. It's bitter on the aftertaste and feel kinda gritty on the finish. Not very balanced, very tilted toward hops. I put in parenthensis that I got a slight "emptiness" that I associate with light beers. 3 stars. I'm tasting this one long after I drank it. As the place was packed and our waitress who looked like a beer waitress version of Beyonce was taking forever, so I had that stuff on my tongue for many minutes.

Green Flash IPA

Gotta love that name. Flowery biting hop scent, copper color. Medium body, with a strong strong rush of hops on the outset I would expect from the West Coast. Lingering aftertaste. Lacy white head. Bring the pain baby. Light malt in there but its greatly overpowered by the hops. I like my IPAs with at least a little balance, like Elissa and Broken Halo. Lacy head with low carbonation as I keep drinking it. It actually has a better balance as it warms and I get used to it all. I would probably really like this one 5 months ago, but for now its a 3 star.

My main man is trying the Brother Thelonius which I put as a 5 star, so am a little nervous. I hope he really likes it, or he'll bust my chops forever more like I do for one of my other friends with his Bud Light Lime.

Anchor Liberty Ale

(Classic American IPA)

At least that's what it says on the menu. I was dangerously close to blowing my weight watchers points, but we were still there and I didn't want to be chugging water, so I went for this one to wrap it up. Nose is fruity, like apple. Light straw color with a kinda foamy white head. It tastes almost wheaty for an IPA, medium hops, and light malt. I keep thinking it's wheat-beerish. I know Anchor is considered top-notch, but whatever. When I think IPA I think about Halo and things like Stone. Crisp and light-medium body. High Carbonation. The carbo is getting weaker now, but the At is a little icky yet dry. I should have gotten this one first, and we all agree this should have been a starter beer. I didn't even write down a rating.

Well, I think that about wraps it up for me for hops. I have had pale ales since then, but I need something more sweet for now. I've heard people's preferences change over time anyway. I may grab me some of the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for my tailgating beers for good measure. Next up, a little trip to Atlanta and did a Gordon Biersch beer get a 1 Star rating?