Abita Beer Arrives in Oregon

We got our first shipment from Abita yesterday. I took a mixed six pack home last night and here's what my housemates and I thought :


Purple Haze - Commercial Description: "Abita Purple Haze is a crisp, American style wheat beer with fresh raspberries added during secondary fermentation. Subtle coloration, fruity aroma and tartly sweet taste."

I found the pinkish, grapefruit juice color to be a little strange, and it's lacking any of the traditional "beer" flavors of malt, hops, or wheat, but it's pretty good if you're in the mood for something light and fruity. The raspberry flavor tastes fairly natural, and carries a little woody astringency along with the tartness which helps compensate for the lack of any hop bitterness. If you're looking for "a beer" this may not be right for you, but people who like wine coolers and ciders should enjoy it immensely.




TurboDog - Commercial Description: "Abita Turbodog is a dark brown ale brewed with Willamette hops and a combination of British pale, crystal and chocolate malts. This combination gives Turbodog its rich body and color and a sweet chocolate-toffee like flavor."

Justin and I each had a bottle of this last night, and we both thought it was pretty solid brown ale. Consumed from the bottle it has a good roasty, hoppy bite to it, but if you pour it into a glass it opens up a little bit and shows off some nutty maltiness and fruity esters from their "unique German alt" yeast. This brew should appeal to those who want something like Newcastle, but with a little more "oomph" to it.



Abita Amber - Commercial Description: "Abita Amber is a Munich style lager brewed with crystal malt and Perle hops. It has a smooth, malty, slightly caramel flavor and a rich amber color."

This is their original beer, and still one of their best sellers. It doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the plethora of amber lagers and other "california common" style beers, but it can hold it's own in a crowded segment. If you enjoy things like Anchor Steam, Sam Adams Boston Lager, and other light, malt-forward beers you should give this a try.

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Tags: Beer, Belmont Station, Abita Brewing, Purple Haze, Turbodog, Abita Amber