Beer of the week: Big Guns
Published 3:58 pm Friday, January 29, 2016
From Fort George Brewery, Astoria, Oregon
Style: Session IPA
Stats: 4.2 ABV
Available: Year-round, 12-ounce cans
My thoughts: Beer Can Appreciation Day was recently, so I thought it was a perfect time to check out the selection of new canned beers on local shelves.
There’s plenty of local breweries that do cans well — Diamond Knot, Fremont, etc. — but I thought I’d go with one of my favorite canned beer breweries: Fort George. I spotted this new line and grabbed a six pack of 12-ounce cans with the cute, tank-driving hop on it.
A few months ago, I bought a can of The Optimist, another Fort George IPA in a 12-ounce can. And, well I wouldn’t go as far to call Big Guns “The Pessimist,” the newest Fort George IPA is a similar beer to The Optimist, if only with the volume turned down.
Big Guns pours a very light golden color with a decent head. The flavor is lightly citrus and the hop profile is a whisper on the finish. This is a very drinkable beer. I had a couple while I watched Peyton Manning out duel Tom Brady and didn’t feel weighed down.
If I had my druthers, I’d pick up The Optimist, but, especially in the summer months, Big Guns is a great alternative to any watered down lager.
From the brewery: Polished, effervescent, hop attack. Rolls as bright and clean as a pilsner, while cutting a hoppy swath of citrus zest and tropical fruit aromas. Not every occasion commands a massive hop bomb assault on your sensibilities. Sometimes you find if you’re sporting the Big Guns, that’s all you need.
