Off Color Beer for Power Plays Baltic Porter

 Off Color Beer for Power Plays Baltic Porter. 

7.5 % ABV, Off Color Brewing, Chicago, Il. 

Dark brown color with ruby highlights, cocoa BBC toned head, utterly opaque. 

In the nose: malty, creamy, nutty. Highly likable.

In the mouth: dark, smooth, rich and surprisingly drinkable. Well, I’m not surprised, but I bet someone is…Slightly sweet, barely bitter, and a joy to quaff. Quite delightful.?

They don’t call this a Baltic Porter anywhere, but they should. “Baltic-style dark lager?” Give me a break! 

At a feisty 7.5% ABV, our Baltic Style Strong Dark Lager hits hard enough to put you in the penalty box for a five minute major.

MALTS: Pils, Munich, Extra Special, Dark Roasted

HOPS: Nugget, Saaz

SECRET INGREDIENTS: Ice Cold Lagering

Off Color Beer for Fantasy Witbier with Blood Orange and Dragonfruit

 Off Color Beer for Fantasy Witbier with Blood Orange and Dragonfruit. 

5% ABV, Off Color Brewing, Chicago, IL.

Clear, pale crimson coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose:  citrus explosion. Dragonfruit and blood orange hold court, but the essence of a wit lies beneath. 

In the mouth: light bodied, with a touch of spice. Touch of tart. Essentially easy-drinking. Hits the spy on a day like today (high in the mid-90’s). 

Good fruited witbier and you can drink it. 

Dragon fruit lends hints of kiwi and bartlett pears while the blood orange puree casts a peach hue with subtle flavors of raspberry. Crack one open as you begin your next adventure and don't forget to pour one out for those lost along the way.

Off Color Apex Predator Third Tropical Level Farmhouse Ale

Here we have the first Off Color beer on the Bitter Nib. Or, in it, if you prefer. Why did it take so long? We'll ponder that later, for now, we dig in.

Off Color Brewing Apex Predator Third tropical level (whatever that mean) Farmhouse ale. 6.5% Alc. /Vol. IBU: 25. Malts: pils, flaked wheat, honey malt.  Hops: Crystal, Sterling. Secret techniques: Free Rise fermentation, prey selection. Brewed and bottled by Off Color Brewing, Chicago, IL.

Hazy, cloudy, straw yellow coloring, with a voluminous ivory head, leaving lace.

Citrus aromatics, spicy, wheat-y, musty, and a little bit funky. Just right.

In the mouth, all those flavors and more. Citrus-y spicy, and slightly sour. Fresh, zesty, and easy-going. Lots a lemon, a touch of spice, and a little honey. I love the taste of this. An authentic feeling farmhouse ale, unlike so many others. Slight hop buzz, slight a bunch of things, but it's the Belgian yeast that's making the biggest impression on me. This feel right. Go get some.

So, back to the why it's my first. I'd heard about them, but it was either the expense or the uninspiring graphics that did not spur me into purchasing a 4-pack. Nice illustrations, but the lack of color pushed me away, I'd bet. But, then, would they be "Off Color" if their graphics weren't black and white?

So, while some people were saying good things about them, I just wasn't listening very hard. I still haven't bought one. This was a sample from the Sample Man, bless his heart. (A different one from last time. They're always different, every time.) I have two new jobs thanks to him: buy more bottles for me to try out, and buy some kegs from him to share with the fine folks on the West Bank.