Beer #30: The Bitter Taste Of Disappointment –OR– Occidental Kölsch
First Brewed: Can’t find online
Brewery: Occidental Brewing Co., Portland OR
One of the recurring themes on this blog, if you aren’t a faithful or frequent reader, is that choosing beers based solely on their appearance is a great way to get into things that you wouldn’t normally expect. Sometimes this works out, and sometimes it doesn’t, but the end result is always interesting at the very least.
On a recent trip to the local beer shop, I picked out several beers that I’d never seen before and didn’t know what to expect. However, one beer I noticed I thought I had completely squared away. It came in a bright yellow can, which is enough to grab anyone’s eye, especially mine, and turned out to be a kölsch brewed by Occidental Brewing Company. “Great!” I thought, “a beer from Northern California, just like me!”
If you’re from the Pacific Northwest, you’re probably asking yourself “Why did he think that beer was from Northern California? Why didn’t he read the rest of the label and come up with a complete set of information? Why am I reading this blog again?” All of these are valid questions.
You see, I assumed a beer from the Occidental Brewing Company would trace its origins to Occidental, California, a tiny little town in Northern California that my family and I would pass through for a few summers on my way to and from band camp. You heard me: band camp.
I spent four summers of my youth attending Cazadero Performing Arts Camp, where I and several other like-minded individuals spent two weeks learning music theory, rehearsing for about 8 hours a day and otherwise spending our summers wisely. I was thrilled to find a beer that had been crafted close to the very same redwood trees where I had such wonderful memories.
So naturally I bought the beer and took it home, excited to try it. You can imagine my disappointment, then, when I saw the brewery was based in Portland, Oregon, not even in the right state. If the clerk had caught me early and mentioned that the beer was, in fact, not related to the town of Occidental, I would have at least assumed it had something to do with the small liberal arts college outside of Los Angeles. Yes, that would be an odd thing to name a brewery for, but stranger things have happened.
One of those stranger things that have happened is that two former residents of Montana relocated to Portland to start a brewery named Occidental that specializes in German beers for no apparent reason. I mean, I get the German beer idea, primarily because you have to start somewhere, so why not use styles of beer from one of the most famous beer nations on Earth? I just don’t get the name Occidental, because I can only assume they chose it to trick me specifically. It turns out that the term “occidental” refers to anything in the West, and Portland is in the West, so that sort of works, but I’d much rather think that two complete strangers have conducted this extremely intricate prank just to get me to drink and write about their beer. They pulled it off! I’m doing just that!
For those of you who don’t know, kölsch is a style of beer that originates in Cologne, Germany. Technically, only beers from this part of Germany can be called kölsch, much like how champagne can only be called such if it is made in the Champagne region of France. The lengthy traditions associated with brewing kölsch allow for a beer that is very light but full of flavor, usually with a much stronger hop presence than you would find in an average lager (its closest relative). Several craft breweries in the US have started to brew kölsch-style beers, and clearly Occidental caught wind of the trend and decided to try their hand.
Knowing what I did about kölsch beers, I wasn’t at all surprised to see the straw color of Occidental’s kölsch as I poured it into the glass. The head was relatively small and dissipated quickly, something that happens often in highly carbonated beers. In fact, if I were presented with a glass of Occidental kölsch without knowing what it was, I’d assume it was a typical American lager, like Budweiser or Coors. The odor was somewhat different than expected, as it held subtle notes of fruity hops that would never be found within a mile of a Budweiser plant.
The taste was basically a more complex version of your standard American fare. Again, without being identified, you could easily trick unsuspecting beer drinkers into thinking this was just another light beer. This isn’t a knock against Occidental, but more of a knock on kölsch as a style. The unfortunate thing about kölsch is that it isn’t particularly interesting. In this instance, I found hints of a very light malt as well as some mild hops, but not much else. I was able to drink this beer very quickly, which I suppose is a positive, but I usually find it to mean that the beer is forgettable.
In addition to the forgettable taste, I found another distinct flavor element: disappointment. I was tricked (admittedly by my own inability to read a whole label) into thinking that this beer would have close ties to my personal history, and instead I had a beer to which I had no connection. This, in addition to the instantly forgettable taste, put me off this particular beer. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but I’m much more interested in something with a much more distinct flavor. If I wanted something forgettable, there’s a lot cheaper ways to go.
Make sure you follow the blog on Twitter (@99BottlesBlog1) and Tumblr (where you are right now), give it a “like” on Facebook (facebook.com/99bottlesblog) and find me on untappd.com. If you’re interested in joining the mailing list, providing critiques or penning love letters, send all messages to [email protected].
