When I had my cuisinternship in Oregon, I met @kfinsand from @taplister on Twitter before coming out there. It was great to finally meet up with him at the Oregon Brewers Festival and chat. I found out that he was also going to be at SXSW and was helping to put together a beer lovers get together. I couldn’t turn down the chance to meet other beer folks, and try some local brews, so we met up at Opal Divine’s in Austin. I had never heard of an oatmeal pale ale, nor Ranger Creek, so I thought I’d give this one a try.
Numbers: 5% ABV, 33 IBUs, 14 SRM, 14 degrees plato
Appearance & Aroma: As you can see, it was a very cloudy yellow-orange color with a thick, very creamy head on it that left some nice lacing on the glass. There was a citrusy hop aroma, that reminded me a bit of grapefruit and pineapple.
Taste & Feel: With the oatmeal in it, the mouthfeel was smooth and creamy, giving it a very full-bodied feel as well. In fact, it almost seemed a bit chewy. The flavor up front and in the middle was a slightly toasty, bready, caramel maltiness. It finished with a complex hop flavor mixed with citrus and pine.
Food Pairing: Due to the thickness of this beer, I might suggest going with something a bit lighter, such as a spring salad. The interesting citrusy/piney flavors might bring out some of the flavors in the salad as well.
Overall Impression: It was interesting to see what the oatmeal does to the clarity, mouthfeel, and head on this beer. It had a mixture of flavors, from malty sweet to citrusy bitterness. The drinkability was OK, but I didn’t feel like I wanted another one when I was done. It was a unique beer because of the oatmeal, but the flavor wasn’t very remarkable.
My Rating: 
Reader Ratings[five-star-rating]
