Asher Brewing Company

I suppose that when I tell you I will do a beer review on a Saturday, I should do it.  However, we just don't always roll that way around here...  Sometimes I just have to collect my thoughts before I write the post.  But here it is for you, in all of its beer-loving glory.

Friday night, we decided to round up the parentals and make our way to Asher Brewing Company in Gunbarrel, CO.  Asher prides itself on being the first ever organic certified brewery in Colorado, and we were really curious to see what that meant for the overall flavors and selection of beers offered.

Asher had 7 beers on tap:  Green Lantern Kolsch, Tree Hugger Amber, Green Bullet IPA, Greenade Double IPA, Green Monstah Strong Ale, a seasonal Ginger flavored beer, and a cognac barrel aged strong ale called "Funbarrel".

Everything except the Funbarrel is shown here.

Thoughts on the Kolsch;  It's a light beer, good for people just getting into microbrews.  It reminded me of an American Pale Ale.

The Tree Hugger was Ammon's favorite beer.  While I normally am the amber drinker, I found it a little too hoppy for me, it rated a 40 on the IBU scale.  I tend to prefer a little more mellow Amber ale.  Ammon found it very drinkable and balanced.

Green Bullet IPA; The first IPA that Ammon has willingly drank most of, it was his 2nd favorite beer.  Not too bitter for an IPA, rated also at a 40 on the IBU scale.

When I had happened upon reviews of Asher on the internet, many had noted that the Greenade Double IPA is a go-to beer for them, and I was really curious as to why.  once I tried it, I understood.  Despite being more bitter than the Green Bullet, it was a really smooth, drinkable beer.  Had I been in the mood for a full pint, I think I might have ordered this for myself. 

My dad ordered a pint of the strong ale for himself.  At 10% ABV, it's obvious why this bad boy is a "strong" ale.  This was their darkest offering by far, though still not very dark.  It was somewhere between a brown and an amber in terms of flavor.

My mom was adventurous and ordered the seasonal.  The ginger flavors were certainly there, though they weren't overpowering.  I really liked this one as well, it was really refreshing.

Least favorite for everyone was the Funbarrel.  They had warned us that it had a powerful nose... but that most people found it more drinkable than it smelled.  While that may be true, it was a burden for 4 of us to finish a 2 ounce taster.  Ammon and I are finding that for the most part, we do not prefer barrel aged beers.  They seem to better appeal to those who are into sipping spirits, or have a very discernible palette.  We just like to drink beer and have a good time. 

Overall, while we each found something we liked, I don't think Ammon and I are going to be rushing back to Asher.  We really missed having a darker offering like a brown, stout, or porter.  We also felt like everything got its flavor from the hops they use, and that on the whole, the beers tended to be more bitter than we typically prefer.  If Asher were on the menu at a Restaurant, and my beloved 90 Shilling were not, I would certainly order one of their beers again.  I just wouldn't go out of my way to drink their beer.

Thank you to Asher Brewing Company for letting me and my family come by and sample your stuff!  We had a blast.