Bitter or sweet, bold or mellow - there's an Oklahoma craft beer for everyone.
Even the novice beer drinker.
McNellie's pub in downtown Tulsa offers a Beer University, and a recent one featured 16 of Oklahoma's craft beers. Elliot Nelson, founder of the McNellie's group, and Tony Collins, bar manager, provided context and history about the state's brewers and the industry, as well as beer expertise.
They had a captive audience of about 70 people for the class, which McNellie's holds quarterly. The students laughed and chatted while tasting the beers, and the room felt like a typical bar. But these students - many die-hard beer fans, as well as a few beginners - quieted when the instructors spoke.
Chief Photographer Tom Gilbert and I were in attendance. Gilbert has advanced knowledge about beer and is a member of the Fellowship of Ale Makers. But I would be best described as a rookie, ready to learn.
We learned about different types of craft beer, all from Oklahoma. What struck me was the intense difference in flavors.
I most enjoyed the COOP Native Amber, which is sold in cans and tastes malty, but not overly hoppy, and smooth. I also liked the Marshall Sundown Wheat, with its spiced, citrus notes.
The Mustang Imperial Court Stout is like a dessert in a glass. The aroma is like raspberry and chocolate but not too sweet.
And the Prairie Gold was something you should try if you think that all beer tastes the same. It's a tart, unique beer, brewed with lactic acid.
I shy away from food and beverages with bitter notes, but I think this tasting demonstrated that beer preference evolves and that I would likely grow to like flavors that I do not like now. And like Gilbert pointed out, different beers are better at different times.
Here are the beers that we tried and notes about each from Nelson and Collins:
1. Marshall's McNellie's Pub Ale: English-style bitter, inspired by the house ales found in the pubs of Great Britain and Ireland.
2. Coop Native Amber: Malty and not overly hoppy. Smooth. Sold in cans. Good beginner beer.
3. Black Mesa Endless Sky ESB (English Special Beer): New beer from a nano-brewery. Blonde ale. Name was inspired by the lyrics of the Woody Guthrie song "This Land is Your Land."
4. Choc 1919: Original beer from Krebs brewery. Unfiltered wheat beer, yeast drives the flavor. Golden color.
5. Marshall Sundown Wheat: Belgian-style wheat beer, spiced with coriander and orange peel.
6. Marshall Old Pavillion Pilsner: Crisp and clean with a pleasurable hop flavor and aroma. Sooth with a touch of bitterness.
7. Marshall Atlas IPA: One of Marshall's best sellers. Balanced hoppy flavor and aroma.
8. Marshall Cask Conditioned Atlas: Same beer as above but cask conditioned. Smoother, with a four-week shelf life. Less carbonation, served warmer.
9. COOP F5 IPA: Very hoppy. Citrus, grapefruit and pine.
10. Choc Belgian OPA: Bold, assertive. Floral and sweeter notes from yeast strains.
11. Prairie Artisan Ales Standard: Widely distributed, very light beer. Good for summer. Saison/Farmhouse Ale style beer.
12. Choc Biere de Garde: Belgian style. Means "Beer that is kept."
13. Prairie Artisan Ales 'Merica: Unique, aromatic with fun label. Aromatic and bitter.
14. Prairie Artisan Ales Gold: Brewed with lactic acid, which brings more tartness. Unique compared to the other beers.
15. Mustang Imperial Court Stout: Smells like a raspberry chocolate. Lots of malt, sweet. Would be a good dessert drink.
16. COOP DNR: Belgian style, complex beer. Meant to be sipped and savored. Good with food.
Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Pub gets studious with beer
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