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Oso Brew Co

pumpkins

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On the twelfth day of Beermas I went and got for me
Twelve pumpkins smashing
A scene ripe for peeping
Ten space lords leaping
A third of nine dancers carefree
Eight spice rack maidens
A taste of one of seven seas
Six alarms a-ringing
A high-powered ring of fire
Four silent moths
Three frisky parrots
A bottle but not two cans
And more than half a liter of perry

Another Beermas at an end, and what do I have? A beer I probably should have had at Halloween! Well, better late than never, and things keep pretty well in cans. It’s Oso Brew’s Smashing Pumpkin Ale, with a decidedly autumnal look. How do we get from drumming to pumpkins? The smashing, obviously. Whatever connection you want to make for it, it’s a celebratory beer, one that has a little something special, something you just aren’t going to see every day. Or even every Beermas, probably.

It’s a cidery color with a not quite pumpkin pie aroma. Head is nice at first, but vanishes within a minute of pouring. It does smell more like natural pumpkin than pumpkin spice, although there is a tiny bit of clove or maybe allspice. It tastes like a märzen with a little pumpkin infused in it, something like Fabrica Maravillas’ märzen a few years ago. It’s a little dusty in texture, makes you think it just came in from the pumpkin patch. Is this the most appropriate beer to finish Beermas? Who knows? The fact is that this year it’s the grand finale, and it might not be Christmas-y or even New Year’s-y, but it has a definite holiday feel. My favorite holiday no less. Twelfth day down, Beermas complete!

tinta de verano

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Weather patterns are strange things. Last summer was unbearable straight through, and this summer is only intermittently so. It’s bad when it’s bad, though, makes you feel like hibernating. The best I can do, I think, is turn to Oso Brew, with their snappy label designs and wild pastry stouts and sours. Or maybe not so wild this time, Tinta porter is actually a very laid-back can in comparison with others.

Perhaps a little extra bubbly, and with murderous bubbles at that. You can see them attacking the head and eating it away from the second you stop pouring. The color is nice, rich chocolate brown, and the aroma sends up tendrils of plum and cocoa. Yes, you might think it’s more appropriate for colder days, but I will not be denied my dark beer at any time of year. The chocolate carries over into the flavor, with shades of fruit – I can’t quite tell if it’s more cherry or raspberry, but it is a lot like those fancy dark chocolate bars with bits of fruit in them. Maybe more cherry, like the ones with chili and cherry gel. The taste is pleasant and mouth-filling, although the beer doesn’t feel very heavy in itself. There is a slight trail of aftertaste, leaving hints of smoke. It’s a happy little beer, maybe not as elaborate as Oso’s pastry stouts, but it gives you something extra in the style, something that leaves you well satisfied.

Supplier: Be Hoppy
Price: €4

this little bear

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After weeks of warmer than usual weather, spring has returned! It makes me think I should have saved that stout from a couple of weeks ago. Oh well, there’s nothing wrong with a little light beer on a rainy evening, and Oso Brew know how to make light beers too. I think I remember their table beer from a Beermad of the past, now canned in a hot and swimsuit worthy color. Mesa ought to be just the thing you’re ready to grab whatever the weather.

It’s a summery gold color and the head is a clean white while it lasts. There are promises of IPA-like fruit aromas, and there is a good whiff of citrus and maybe pineapple. It has a full beer flavor with just a touch of fruit, less bite-y than the aforementioned, more like mango or watery peach. There’s a strong breadiness that rushes out ahead of the end of the swallow and sticks around for a while after. The beer itself has a very light feel, predictable for its less than 4% alcohol, but the aftertaste makes it feel like a more corpulent one, with more presence than a beer that banks on its low ABV to be appealing. It certainly feels like a beer that could be at the table – a pre-meal drink, a midday break, the beverage of choice at dinner are all believable.

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €4

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