Buffalo Bill's Brewery Alimony Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Buffalo Bill's Brewery Alimony Ale. Buffalo Bill's Brewery is the closest brew pub to my house and I feel REALLY fortunate to have such a fantastic place so close to home. We have a couple of growlers from Buffalo Bill's and we enjoy getting some of their goodness to bring home from time to time. We enjoy everything about the restaurant as well – good food, music, ambiance and the kids like it too. In February Buffalo Bill's Brewery announced the re-releases of its historic Alimony Ale in bottles. Needless to say I picked up my first case immediately (I think I might be on case #3). Alimony Ale has been my go to beer when visiting Buffalo Bill's Brewery so I was really happy that I could take some home and not in a growler.

From the Buffalo Bill's Brewery website: “Twenty three years ago Buffalo Bill’s Brewery, then owner Bill Owens created Alimony Ale to celebrate a patron’s divorce. Today, owner Geoff Harries has re-released this vintage brand to commemorate the history of one of America’s first brewpubs, started in 1983 and located in downtown Hayward.
By 1987 Alimony Ale had quickly become one of the most exocentric brews in America with a reputation as the “Bitterest Beer In America”. Today it’s no longer one of the bitterest, but certainly one of the best. Alimony Ale is an IPA with 6.8% alcohol and strong hop flavor with 80 IBU’s.
The packaging continues to read, “Steve, newly single (and paying alimony), is looking for a full-bodied woman who can enjoy an honest, full-bodied brew, and knows the meaning of parsimony, 510-886-9823 operators standing by.
Let’s face it - good beer, like true love, doesn’t last long. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a golden amber copper color with a fluffy off-white head and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Mostly citrus and a slight scent of pine hops followed by biscuit pale malts. Nnnnnice!

Taste: Well balanced with citrus taking center stage, a little pine and sweet caramel malt.

Overall: I am so incredibly happy they decided to bottle Alimony Ale. It is extremely drinkable, well balanced and there is a reason I keep buying case after case of this terrific beer. I love to drink local and thanks to Buffalo Bill’s Brewery I can!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey