2 Finger Pour
Orlison Brewing Co.

 

 

Going in, I had a lot of respect for the brewers for going after a concept--a bold move to seek an imitation of a cocktail but with a beer smoothness--and to rely on handcrafted bitters in place of hops. They made an effort here. But it was an odd one to rate because my respect for the idea was greater than my experience of the beer. Also I can't claim to be a whiskey cocktail expert.

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass.

L - I found this beer to have a beautiful appearance--brightly orange and clear. High marks. Lacing didn't stick around, but that seemed OK for the style.
S - The smell was offputting to me--I perceived a dankness, which seemed odd given the replacement of hops with bitters. But then, maybe it's not so strange that the bitterness worked this way. There was some orange there, too, but not enough to overcome the bitter. Could it be that the orange was bitter, too--like rind?
T - The taste grew on me a bit as this warmed, but I couldn't get past that bittering. Might be subjective but not at all to my taste. The dominant flavors reminded me most of a homebrew I made once with old hops--bitter and seeming dank ruled over the fun citrus/floral tones that hops can produce. The whiskey flavor was muddled in there, too, but it didn't stand out for me.
F - feel was fine, though it was supposed to be intriguing that this tastes like cocktail but is smooth like beer ... I got more tingle on the tongue than smoothness. Maybe relative to a mixed drink it's smooth.
O - I rounded up again out of respect for the concept. This is a very cool idea that didn't pan out for my tastes.

Handsome orange amber color with modest foam swirls in the small Gulpener tulip. Sweet but tangy. The orange flavor is really fruity and there is a marmalade note. I like the taste from using bitters instead of hops in this case. The boozy touch is just right. Warm roasted malt aroma with something like pumpkin.

This is one of the more interesting flavored brews I've had lately. The moderate bitter aftertaste is just right, and so different from the common bitter hop overdose. Quite rich and delicious as a happy hour glass. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Elizabeth Station in Bellingham for $6.59.