
Last weekend,
Aloha Beer Company held a tap takeover event at
Grace in Growlers where they
previewed a few new selections coming soon. Dave Campbell has always
been one to enjoy drinking traditional styles and he strives to make the
best examples of each. For anyone who's visited their brewery, the love of the craft is everywhere.
I
was invited to meet up with Dave this week and try the new beers coming
soon. A quiet Monday evening is the perfect time to talk story and
think about what's in the glass in front of you. Dave's love of the
craft is infectious, be sure say hello if you stop by. Releasing
'probably' this Thursday, October 4, 2018, are two lagers, which are
based on some of his favorite recipes, both from other breweries and his
own from past ventures. I have to say, I personally love
these styles and am happy to have them pouring locally.
 |
Queen St. Pils |
First
is the
Queen St. Pils, a Czech style Pilsner with an American hoppy
twist. Coming in at 5.2% ABV and 28 IBU, it's a light and refreshing
beer perfect for hot weather, yet full-flavored to avoid that "lager is
water" stigma.
 |
Blackish Bier |
The second is just finishing up
in the tanks, their Schwarzbier named
Blackish Bier. Coming in at 5.6%,
it's full-flavored with chocolate malt notes, yet easy drinking. He
laughed about the misnomer of the style that inspired his name for it:
although schwarz is German for black, the beer is more of a dark brown
with red hues. The full head was almost nitro like, leaving a great
mouthfeel with the complex flavors.
Both
recipes are subject to change in future iterations based on what people
like and how Dave and brewer Kaiao Archer feel about how the final
product turned out. Dave said he'd like to get the ABVs on both down a
little bit.
 |
Froot Lupes |
As an added bonus for hopheads
coming mid-October is a new double IPA:
Froot Lupes. Coming in at 7.8%
ABV with 40 IBU, it's not an overwhelming bitter beer, but it is
misleadingly strong. With a fruity aroma, the mild bitterness is
perfectly balanced with a full malty profile. The name is fitting:
"Froot" for those complex fruit tastes, and "Lupes" for the generous
lupulin. Be sure to give this one a try!
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the friendly bartenders Isabel and Roberto who made the evening fun! Cheers!