Beer At The Source

We had the opportunity to visit the Mountain Goat brewery this past Friday night. Wednesday and Friday nights, they open a bar in one half of the warehouse that is home to the brewhouse equipment.


It appears to be very popular with people of all ages, and one reason has to be the beer. We enjoyed a couple pints of the excellent Riwaka pale ale, and Mrs. Cicerone had a pot of Hightail Ale dispensed through a Randall full of Galaxy hops. Your humble correspondent found the Randallized beer to be far too chlorophyllic to enjoy, but Mrs. Cicerone didn't mind. The Riwaka hops, derived from cross breeding Saaz with a New Zealand strain, give a fine, smooth, citrusy and floral character, without any noticeable harshness or pungency. At 4.8%, it's pushing the limits of what I'd call a session beer, but its smooth drinkability and many flavor nuances keep it interesting across multiple pints. Also on tap was Rapunzel, a strong Belgian golden ale, but we were wary of such strong beer before dinner. 'Twould have to wait for another time and place....