Laurelwood Red Elephant
November 3, 2016Laurelwood Brewing Co.
Laurelwood Red ElephantPortland, Oregon Style: India Red Ale ABV: 7%
Laurelwood’s first canned beer combines the hops of its Green Elephant IPA and the malts of its Free Range Red.
This animal is the love child of two other Laurelwood beers. The result is a big, hoppy creature that’s bigger than the sum of its parts. The Red Elephant starts out with a clear, amber pour and an eggshell-colored head that lingers long in the glass. Caramel notes dance with aromas of citrus, tropical fruit and pine resin, and the tango continues on the tongue. The finish sticks around a bit, making this IPA a bit more of a sipper than many, but it still goes down nice and smooth.
Lisa Morrison has been writing about beer for nearly 20 years. She also owns Belmont Station, a well-known bottle shop and taproom in Portland, Oregon.
The color is pretty, a sort of maple syrup hue, and the tan head drops back, holding on to a wisp. The aroma is unusual, reminiscent of wort at high krausen (early rollicking fermentation), mint leaves, green hops and lupulin powder, with just a dusting of Cheetos. The hop attack is hard and scouring, clearing aside all malt in its path. Caramel tries to gasp out some last words, but is pulled under. The hops hang long past the end, muttering threats. It’s all a bit rough to me, and I call for back-up. Just you wait until the pulled pork shows up.
Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster's Table and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.