1001 Beer: Ninkasi

1001 Beers: Ninkasi Oatis Oatmeal Stout & Tricerahops Double IPA



I loved my last trip to Ninkasi and I had wanted to make the voyage again in order to knock out the two beer from this brewery on the list, but like quite a few of my original plans, we just did not go the distance.

I had the Vanilla Oatis while I was at the brewery and I think that it is a mighty fine beer. I actually enjoy it more than the regular Oatis and I almost thought about subbing it... but for ones that are still around, I will be true to the book.

Ninkasi Brewing was named to honor the ancient Sumerian goddess of beer. The Sumerians gave up their nomadic way of life when they began to grown barley, making them among the first known brewers. Their beer is documented in a hymn to Ninkasi that is considered the first beer recipe.

I always pray to Ninkasi on my brewdays, but I have never thought about tracking down the "first" recipe... I should do that and brew it... hmmm...

Beer Number 78: Oatis Oatmeal Stout

Oatis is a beer with a massive dose of oatmeal added to each batch. "I love oatmeal stout. It is my favorite of the stout styles. And there are not a lot of commercial examples of the style in the marketplace." says brewer Jamie Floyd.

The inspiration behind Oatis is pretty straight forward and Ninkasi does it well. They have always been a favorite brewery of mine being on the West Coast and I am disappointed I can't get them any longer.

I feel that Oatis is very big and chocolaty. Almost like that chocolate syrup flavor. It has a nice roast on it and a very sharp bite. A nice warming alcohol presence into the finish dark, stone fruits make a unique appearance. A great, full body and a hint of creaminess to blend it all together.

Beer Number 79: Tricerahops Double IPA

Tricerahops is a beer I did not care for when I first started drinking craft beer. Though, I was not crazy about IPAs then, either. I totally hated them. So, let's see how things go this time around.

Floyd says his other, unofficial name for the massive Tricerahops beer is Sleepytime. "This beer has had a common effect of letting people become extremely familiar with the shape of any chair that they are sitting in while drinking it," he says. "Two pints and it's often nap time."

Thinking about this beer, I can totally see that. I mean, it is only 8.8% alcohol by volume... What is the worst that can happen?



This time around, I had a far better experience with Tricerahops. The citrus and deep pine scents and flavors were fantastic. The harsh bitterness that I experienced before was rounded out by a nice malt sweetness, almost honey or nectar like but not quite syrupy. I found a lot of balance to the flavors in this go around and it drank relatively smooth. I can totally see how Tricerahops would send you into "Sleepytime".

922 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

Cheers!