Third Eye PA

Steamworks Brewing Co.
Place: Durango, CO

Available: CO, AZ, NM

Steamworks is celebrating its tenth anniversary with events to benefit the local humane society. Steamworks’ fans can join a Mug Club that includes four Durango-based breweries: Three Rivers Brewing, Ska Brewing, Carvers Brewing, and Steamworks Brewing. Mug club members can enjoy beer specials at any of the four.

Alcohol (vol.): 6.52
Color: 8.8
Bitterness: 69.1
Original Gravity: 15
Final gravity: 3
Malts used: 2-Row, C-75, C40
Hops used: Northern Brewer (bittering), Northern Brewer (flavor), Cascade (aroma-dry hopping at end of primary fermentation)

Bright yellow with orange highlights. The head is soft and creamy. Like a mixed bouquet in a hand blown vase—the floral and herbaceous hop tones are worth the price of admission. In the mouth, though the hops are forceful, malt takes it rightful stand. Together they are a team, satisfying the senses. The flavor, mouth feel and aftertaste are artfully balanced. We loved 3rd Eye with a shared juicy rare grass fed steak and fried zucchini blossoms. It doesn't get much better than that!
- Charles Finkel

Notably bubbly head and good lace. The beer itself has an attractive, pale orange color. The aroma reminded me of strawberries. Quite restrained, though. Feminine, discreet. Seems to stand still, silent for a moment, like a singer composing herself before launching into a Sondheim score. When the notes swing easily into song, they are soft and smooth. More flowery and herbaceous, less orangey, than most American contemporaries. Nell Gwynne wasn't here, but Blossom Dearie was. A touch of acidity and a powerful, bittersweet finish, which is rather abrupt. If you listen to this beer (™Fred Eckhardt), you will be reminded that every supper club song has a touch of Lady Day.
- Michael Jackson

Lesson learned: the danger in following up a beer you’ve had cask-conditioned in the brewery with the bottled version, at least if it isn’t bottle-conditioned. Differences? In this case, hops aroma and flavor in the bottle are comparatively muted, caramel sweetness seems less in balance, and the finish turns harsh where the cask eased from citrusy to floral. Is it the way it was served or is the beer different? Don’t know. Encouraging is that it tastes drier than I remember, thus better prepared to standup to the brewpub’s flashy Cajun boil dinner.
- Stan Hieronymus

Charles Finkel
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.

Michael Jackson
Author of Ultimate Beer, the Simon & Schuster Guide to Beer and numerous other works on drinks, Jackson has created legions of converts to fine beer.

Stan Hieronymus
Editor at Realbeer.com, a professional journalist for 40 years and amateur brewer for 15, Hieronymus is the author of four beer books, including Brew Like a Monk.

Comments are closed here.