African Amber, Amber Ale, Mac & Jack's

I have watched enough TV to know about the magical moment when the dashingly handsome guy meets the plunky and cute office worker who everyone thinks is the average girl, one character suddenly has love at first site. Some where in the middle of this drama, the average girl suddenly becomes hot by letting her hair down and taking off her geeky thick glasses. Hello....she was already hot!

I don't believe in love at first site, that's the pragmatist in me, but how about beer love at first sample. Now, this is more my realm.

Looking over the taps selection at the local lounge, the usual fair from left to right and back across. Most places are limited to their distributors which is unfortunate but part of the business. Offerings include: Elysian (does the tap come with a pronunciation guide?), domestic taps (how do you type the vomit sound?), Deschutes taps which are becoming too ubiquitous for my tastes and, wait, whats this Mac & Jack's. Whats this? Mac & Jack's? Just the name invokes images of Brits with their bitters in London. The name alone gives it legitimacy. Its beer flirtation and its game on. Simple tap with no pretentious carving or highly gloss print. The African Amber shouts out at you, "drink me or don't. your call". I love the simplicity.

I pay for a half pitcher but the bar keep hooks it up with a full pitcher. Nice. I'll have to tip her. Yes, pun intended.

Pours gorgeously, the whole process of pouring this beer is sublime and an attention grabbing process. It pours like milk, little Belgian lacing or foaming over the top of the glass. Its cloudy and rich but not in the sense of a porter or stout, its an Amber after all, but its not clear, more akin to a hefeweisen, yet its not. Intriguing.

Music thumps on my phone, not feeling the current selection so I scroll through my albums, the anticipation of first taste rivals that of with a woman. Sorry ladies, your taking back seat for the time being. All ridicule will be accepted and deflected. Ah, got the track and my man Pas Micheal of the Fugees, fellow member Wyclef in tow.

First taste. Angels sing. OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH....every man want heaven, no man want to die, sing it Clef!

I look at the glass. What are my thoughts, are there any? Nothing I have ever sampled compares, its like meeting a person for the first time, like seeing that geeky office girl for the first time, like asking a person twice "whats your name?" but its something easy like John. I do a double take, what is this again? Its the African Amber, the name has not changed. I take another swig then look at the tap again. What kind of beer is this? Its still an amber. Another swig and another glance.

Smooth with low carbonation is your initial reaction, subtle hops with a lemony note and a fine malt back. Its sessionable with a crisp mouthfeel with a warm fuzzy feeling as if you have known this beer for years. Have you ever met someone and it feels like a lifelong friendship? That is the feeling invoked by this brew, a familiar unfamiliarity.

Second pint in and Pras is throwing down the prose with no remorse. Clef doing his best Marley tribute and its hauntingly accurate.

The name, Mac & Jack's comes back to me. Simple and humble sounding, no weirdness or outlandish title. I raise my glass to the founders of this brew house. I am in love with your beer. Its the geeky office girl with her hair down and just like in movies where everyone seems to ignore the girl incognito, I am happy to observe patrons glance over my secret as they go for the flashy taps. More for me.

Grade: Fat Elvis


Mexican Food Pairing: Enchilladas with guacamole sauce, side of fried taquitos

Music: Pras Micheal, Angels Sing ft. Wyclef Jean

Brewer: Mac & Jack's

Pro Eval: Beer Advocate

Hop Monkey, IPA, laurelwood, Oregon

Arriving at my local watering hole, I surveyed the taps and noticed a new Laurelwood handle, Hop Monkey IPA. Now, Laurelwood already has a delish IPA, the Workhorse IPA, so I was naturally curious with this new tap.

I sat down with my pitcher of the simian beverage in a corner to myself, I like to hermit myself when experiencing a new beer, in case its epic, I don't wanna share.

Pouring the Hop Monkey did not create much head foam and quickly gave way to a soft amber hue. Odor was faint but still gave way to a delicate hoppy note that teased and quickly retreated.

Initial taste is not surprising, true to its IPA roots, the Hop Monkey gives you a recognizable hop zig and then, suddenly, it zags. As the taste develops on the palate, there are citrus and honey notes that give way to a full malt onslaught. Strangely, as you session the beer through your first and second pints, the hops takes a back seat to the malt which causes the drinker to review the label. Yes, its still and IPA, but only in name as the beer developed a caramel and malty complexity.

My Itunes player has downloaded the Common Market Tobacco Road album which compliments the beer ever so well. RA SCION, a spiritual emcee and the face of the group, takes you on an lyrical ride through the album with his intelligent candor and easy delivery. Sounding a lot like Talib Qwali, RA Scion still holds his own and deservedly so.

track: Swell

"I been lost at sea, tossed around in this hell
Til some folks up in the Beacon guided me through the swell"

Easing back, taking a swill, I ponder my initial notion that this would just be another IPA. The beer now only gives its title little to no heed, hiding behind it all is a beer more akin to a strong ale in the English tradition.

A warm smile takes over my lips and the Hop Monkey comes to life, jumping off the handle and meandering under the tables of patrons, eventually making it over to mine. I invite him up and pass over a pint glass to which the monkey guzzles with gusto. Perhaps the name was intentionally given to mislead you, with the word "hop" in the title, but monkeys are mischievous creatures with complex personalities that unravel with time. This being the Pacific Northwest, hops is KING and it sells beers, but can also lead to unbalanced, overly hoppy beers. Perhaps this is Laurelwoods attempt to entice you with the hops, only to introduce the malty goodness of a well balanced brew, using the mischievous monkey as a metaphor for what awaits in the beer.

Well played Laurelwood.

Grade: Don Ho!





Mexican Food pairing: potato tacos with light tomatillo salsa

Music: Common Market, Tobacco Road

Brewer: Laurelwood

Pro eval: Beer Advocate