First opened in 1997, Live Oak produces lagers and ales using an old-world style of brewing and open fermentation to create some classic and unique beers. If that’s not interesting enough, the brewery packages their beer in 12oz cans, perfect for the hot Texas sun and perfect for the beach…and of course perfect for your ‘fridge.
Today we’ll be sampling five different beers (yes five) from Live Oak so off we go. I debated the sequence of these beers, and in the end I think the sequence worked out really well. Up first we cracked into their HefeWeizen. This beer is what Live Oak calls a “proper Bavarian-style hefeweizen” and of course if pours a bright straw color with classic Hefe cloudiness. The aromas lead with subtle banana and a bit of clove, and the flavors follow with the classic clove and banana as well. We also found a really pleasant slightly sweet vanilla flavor that I really enjoyed and an interesting spicy finish. The beer finishes clean and crisp and I found it to be really drinkable. HefeWeizen rolls in at 5.3%-AbV & 12 IBU.
It was a tough choice, but up next we opened Live Oak Gold. This beer is a “North German-style” pilsner that pours a bit straw-colored and a bit gold-colored with a very subtle malt aroma. The flavors follow with light malt and just a bit of floral hops. The beer really finishes clean and crisp and a bit dry and I can see how popular this beer would be on a hot summer night. I think the simple balance of this beer takes center stage and at 4.8%-AbV & 34 IBU, it’s no surprise how popular Gold is.
Up next it just seemed natural to crack open Live Oak Pilz. This beer is a “classic Bohemian-style golden lager” that is brewed with a decoction mash. Pilz uses Moravian heirloom barley malt and it pours a bright and clear golden color with lots of pleasant bready aromas. The presence of floral and spicy hops is much more prominent in Pilz than Gold, and as a lover of all things hoppy, I really liked how hop-forward this beer was. Pilz finishes crisp and clean and I thought it was really drinkable and refreshing. Pilz rolls in at a very sessionable 4.7%-AbV and a hoppy 36 IBU….nice beer!
I couldn’t resist the name on our next beer; Big Bark so off we go. According to Live Oak, this beer is a Vienna-style amber lager and yes it pours a rich amber color with a really prominent malty aroma. I found a bit of grassy hops in the nose as well, but the malt really shines in this one. That malt follows into the palate and overall I think once again Live Oak has created a really well-balanced and drinkable lager. There’s a bit of sweet caramel in the flavors and just the right amount of grassy hops to make it all work. Big Bark hits 4.9%-AbV & 25 IBU.
I’ll admit I saved Grodziskie for last. It’s a style I’m only a bit familiar with and the the word “smoke” in the description, made me think last was best for my taste buds. This beer is a “Polish wheat lager-ale hybrid” and it is brewed with oak-smoked wheat malt and Saaz hops. Grodziskie pours a light straw color and you cannot (and will not) miss the smoke aromas in this beer. There’s a bit of herbal hops in there, but the smoke dominates in the aromas and flavors. Yes we found some herbal hops flavors in the end, but the smoke flavor dominates. The level of smoke is what I think most would consider a light smoke flavor, but in the end the beer is flavorful, complex and unique. Grodziskie hits a true-to-style 3%-AbV & 36 IBU.
All of these beers are packaged in 12oz cans with a really prominent family resemblance from beer to beer and can to can. We really enjoyed this tour of classic European, German and Bavarian lagers and I really enjoyed all of the beers and styles. Be sure to try these beers for yourself and also look for their Liberation IPA, their Schwarzbier Rauch as well as their Weisser Rauch limited offerings at their taproom. You can visit the taproom at 1615 Crozier Lane in Del Valle, TX (just outside of Austin, TX), to check out some of their beers and even play some disc golf. When you do get a chance to try any or all of these tasty Live Oak beers, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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