Calicraft Brewing Company Oaktown Deep & Soulful Brown Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Calicraft Brewing Company Oaktown Deep & Soulful Brown Ale.  I noticed that Calicraft Brewing Company was going to have their first pint night at Hop Yard in San Ramon (October 2nd) and while shopping at a local bottle shop (Mission Liquors) I found that they carried their beers so I thought I’d pick up a 22 and sample this offering from a new local brewer.

From an interview with Jen Muehlbauer at Bay Area Craft Beer (dot com): “Oaktown Brown: Redefining traditional brown ale, this is a hoppy, malty, deep and soulful brown ale. We use California-grown organic Cascade hops that give this beer a flavor reminiscent of an IPA. The California grown hops express flavors of orange and marmalade vs. pine and grapefruit from the Pacific Northwest. We then ferment the beer with a blend of three oaks with the foundation of the oaks being American. The beer starts bitter and roasty with subtle smoke. As it warms, layers of chocolate, toffee and caramel begin to shine. The use of oak during fermentation gives this beer structure that lays in your mouth similar to a great cab or zin.” 

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a dark reddish brown with a huge thick tan head and loads of sticky lacing.

Aroma: Roasted and sweet malts, chocolate, caramel, toffee, roasted nuts and sugar with just a touch of hops.

Taste: Sweet malts, coffee, roasted nuts and grains, chocolate, toffee, caramel and finally a nice citrus hop finish. Very good!

Overall: Well balanced and smooth Calicraft Brewing Company’s Oaktown Deep & Soulful Brown Ale is highly drinkable brown ale and one that’d I most definitely purchase again.  At 6.7% ABV it drinks more like a 5% ABV so careful as you open your 2nd or 3rd.

Special thanks to Brian Stechschulte (Founder & Editor at www.BayAreaCraftBeer.com) for allowing me the use of the beer description in the interview that Jen Muehlbauer (a writer for Bay Area Craft Beer dot com) did with Blaine Landberg (founder and head brewer of Calicraft Brewing Company) here.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey