Beer of the Weekend #863: Trend Bucker
The beer of the weekend is Trend Bucker, brewed by the No Coast Beer Company of Oskaloosa, Iowa.
The color is opaque black; no light passed through when I held the glass to a lamp. A half finger of tan, buttery head leaves an even skim.
The first whiff is dark, lightly roasted, and creamy. Roasted malt and chocolate are most noticeable and most prominent. It is very simple and straightforward. The roast gives the beer a coffee character, but it is not too much, not overwhelming or dominant. The aroma portends a cream stout’s smoothness and reminds me a lot of Stockyard Stout. There is a hint of dark fruit in the aroma, but it is drowned out by the roast.
The flavor mostly mirrors the aroma with roasted malt and chocolate. It is robust and has shades of imperial stout. Dark fruit is also noticeable in the flavor, but it is again overshadowed and minor. There is also a light but persistent medicinal flavor. Is it rubber? I can’t put my finger on it.
Fun facts about Trend Bucker:
• Style: The brewery calls it American stout.
• Price: I forgot to grab the receipt, but I think it was $8.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
• Serving temperature: The brewery recommends 45ºF.
• The No Coast website calls the beer’s color “dark.” No kidding!
• Oskaloosa was home to The Cellar Peanut Pub, supposedly the best bar in Iowa, until sometime recently. Though that location appears to have closed, another location in Pella is still open. I have not been to Pella in forever, so it looks like I have a reason to visit. I wonder what kind of bike trails they have around Pella.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The color is opaque black; no light passed through when I held the glass to a lamp. A half finger of tan, buttery head leaves an even skim.
The first whiff is dark, lightly roasted, and creamy. Roasted malt and chocolate are most noticeable and most prominent. It is very simple and straightforward. The roast gives the beer a coffee character, but it is not too much, not overwhelming or dominant. The aroma portends a cream stout’s smoothness and reminds me a lot of Stockyard Stout. There is a hint of dark fruit in the aroma, but it is drowned out by the roast.
The flavor mostly mirrors the aroma with roasted malt and chocolate. It is robust and has shades of imperial stout. Dark fruit is also noticeable in the flavor, but it is again overshadowed and minor. There is also a light but persistent medicinal flavor. Is it rubber? I can’t put my finger on it.
Fun facts about Trend Bucker:
• Style: The brewery calls it American stout.
• Price: I forgot to grab the receipt, but I think it was $8.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.
• Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
• Serving temperature: The brewery recommends 45ºF.
• The No Coast website calls the beer’s color “dark.” No kidding!
• Oskaloosa was home to The Cellar Peanut Pub, supposedly the best bar in Iowa, until sometime recently. Though that location appears to have closed, another location in Pella is still open. I have not been to Pella in forever, so it looks like I have a reason to visit. I wonder what kind of bike trails they have around Pella.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
