Our Cat Loves Bitch Creek ESB

So a few days ago I wrote to Grand Teton Brewing (www.grandtetonbrewing.com) just to clarify the change in category on their Sweet Grass APA and give them a heads up I was reviewing their Tail Waggin’ Cellar Reserve (you can read about it here).  Not only did Emily from Grand Teton write me back and clarify the category change, but the Brewmaster Rob Mullin also wrote me and left a comment on the blog!

Beer tastes better when you know the people behind it are good people.

This sort of interaction leads to a cycle of beer drinking that goes like this:

The beer is good—> The People are Good—> The beer is better because the people are good—>I need more good beer to support the good people—>The beer is good—> The People are Good—> The beer is better because the people are good—>…its a vicious cycle…

I’ve eyed their Bitch Creek ESB (Extra Special Brown) for awhile and today I found it in a 22oz bomber.  I wrote to Rob to let him know about the Grand Teton beers I’d picked up and to see if there was anything he wanted to share with me.

“What can I say about Bitch Creek?  I think it’s safe to say that this beer defined the American Brown Ale Category.  It’s big all-around, malty and hoppy, and a great food beer–fantastic when paired with steak or game.” -Grand Teton Brewmaster Rob Mullin.

….About the Cat.  She’s obsessed with condensation on beer glasses.  Generally we kick her out of the pictures but this time the Boy thought it’d be funny to let her stay in the picture.

As for the beer, I definitely understand why Rob feels this one defines an American Brown Ale.  It’s a beautiful murky deep brown ale that sticks to the glass and is topped off with a tan head.  The nose is all rich malts with just a hint of floral/bitter hop.  The malts are slightly roasted with vague chocolate notes.  The creamy body is nice and I get a sweetness that is interesting.  Sorta caramel, sorta toffee…maybe molasses.  I can’t quite pin it down and maybe it doesn’t want to be pinned down.

Specifications
Original Gravity: 15.0 Plato (1.060)
Malts: Idaho 2-Row Pale, German Melanoidin, CaraAmber, CaraAroma & CaraMunich
International Bittering Units: 54
Hops: Galena, Chinook, Centennial, & dry hopped with Centennial
Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%

I suspect this will be a regular feature in my house as it’s delicious and six packs are, happily, easy to come by.

-(Random Fact, originally I was planning to have the blog called BitchNBeer. I thought it was a clever reference to a female beer drinker and Bitchin Beer.)