Mybeerbuzz .com Highlights Pyramid Hefeweizen & Apricot Ale With Portland Brewing MacTarnahan’s (Review)

I’m lucky enough to get to sample some really great beers, and I’m always excited when I get a chance to re-sample some beers from when I first started exploring good beer.  I’ve mentioned before that Pyramid Brewing was one of my early beer experiences, so when a new Flagship February care package arrived from Pyramid with some of their classic brews, I was ready to go.  Add in that they included a beer from their sister brewery, Portland Brewing and I’d say my weekend is off to a really good start.
I leaned about wheat beers early on in my beer-history, but when I literally stumbled upon Pyramid Hefeweizen at a beer festival, it seemed like something new.  Yes it looked like a standard unfiltered wheat ale, but the flavors and the freshness were much different than the German imported Hefe’s I’d become accustomed to.  Pyramid Hefeweizen has a really drinkable mouthfeel that feels lively and refreshing before you even swallow.  The aromas have a soft wheat malt nose with just a touch of spice, and the flavors nicely lean toward a classic wheat ale.  There is less of the classic banana flavor up front, but just enough to tell my tongue it’s a hefeweizen.  The beer ends with the classic clove spice with a crisp and clean finish.  I remember returning to the Pyramid line at that beer festival to double-check that I liked Pyramid Hefeweizen as much as I thought…and tasting it again today, I remember why I liked it so much (5.2%-AbV, 18 IBU, 12oz bottle).
Up next is Pyramid Apricot Ale…aka the first beer from Pyramid I ever tasted.  If you’ve read my reviews, you’ll know I love all things peach and apricot, so Apricot Ale is right in the center of my sweet spot for apricot beers.  This beer uses 50% 2-row barley and 50% wheat ale so it pours a slightly cloudy amber color with a really present and pleasant apricot aroma.  Your nose will start drinking this beer before your mouth, but when you do sip it, you’ll find a really nice balance in the apricot, fruity and floral flavors.  Apricot Ale leans slightly sweet, but there is a suitable hop presence at the end to round it all out.  For reference purposes, my 12oz bottle was gone in just a few minutes..so I think it’s safe to say I really like this beer and I find it really well balanced, refreshing and drinkable…just as I remember.. (5.1%-ABV, 11 IBU, 12oz bottle).
As a bonus, I also sampled Portland Brewing MacTarnahan’s Northwest Amber Ale.  If you’re not familiar, Portland Brewing is part of the same Independent Brewer’s United group as Pyramid, and MacTarnahan’s is one of their classics.  The beer uses Cascade hops in the boil as well as dry-hopping with Cascade hops.  The beer pours a deep ruby color, and if you’re at all familiar with Cascade hops, you’ll recognize the wonderful hop aromas coming from your glass.  If you love grapefruit as much as me, then you’ll love Cascade hops and this beer.  MacTarnahan’s reminds me of some of the classic pale ales I loved in the early days of craft beer.  The beer has loads of grapefruit and citrus hop flavors with just enough malt sweetness to even it all out.  Overall MacTarnahan’s is a really nice amber ale and one that has a very classic taste and feel. (5.1%-AbV, 32 IBU, 12oz bottle)
All three of today’s beers are not only available, but they serve as great examples for what the classic craft beer flavors were when good beer started to become more wide-spread.  Thankfully these flavors and aromas (and these beers) still stand up today as some of my favorites.  Get out there and try Pyramid Hefeweizen, Pyramid Apricot Ale and Portland Brewing MacTarnahan’s for yourself…and when you do try them…be sure to let us know what YOU think.

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