Beer of the Weekend #517: Glacier Ale

Today’s brown bottle lunch is another Yellowstone-area beer: Glacier Ale, brewed by the Red Lodge Ales Brewing Company of Red Lodge, Montana.


Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No bottling date.

Appearance: Straight pour into a stange. The color is medium, caramel brown. The pour created a tall, frothy cap of light tan head that dissipated slowly and left lacing along the sides.

Smell: Sharp, grassy bitterness with light lemon citrus and undertones of caramel, toffee, and brown sugar. As the beer warms, the strength of the sharpness fades and allows the malts to shine and dark fruit (mostly plum and cherry) to emerge.

Taste: The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and the flavor offers toasted malts that are absent (or probably overpowered) in the aroma. Toasted malts, caramel, toffee, toasted chestnuts or walnuts (I think it may be closer to walnuts), sharp grassy hops (which are present in each sip), hints of dark fruit, and a touch of lemon citrus.

Drinkability: This is very tasty and drinkable stuff. Yet another reason why I should visit Yellowstone someday.

Fun facts about Glacier Ale:

-Style: The brewery website says it is modeled after a German altbier.

-Price: No clue.

-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.

-According to the website, Glacier Ale won a gold medal at the 2007 North American Beer Awards and a silver at the 2010 edition.


The Quiet Man’s grade: B.

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