The Ram at University Village (Seattle)

This is weird.  I feel like I'm the only person drinking a beer.  I'm at a brewpub and surrounded by high schoolers.

I started with the sampler and here's my review:

Big Horn Blonde
The Blonde's a Blonde.  If you're a Bud Light drinker, you're going to be a fan of the Blonde.  That's what it's for and it's well made as that.  As a craft beer drinker, you're not going to get much out of this beer.  It's kind of...Canadian.  (This one won awards...I don't agree with that.)

Big Horn Hefeweizen
It's trying to taste like a German-style, but it's watered down.  It doesn't have the balls to taste like a real Hefeweizen.  Not a great aftertaste, either.  It's a disappointment, 'cause it smells like it could be real - it's got banana and clove - but, it's just not risky enough.

So far, I wouldn't write home about the first two.  They're what you might expect at a chain microbrewery.

'71 Pale Ale
Both the Pale and the Hefe have a minerally...something.  (All these beers have an unpleasant bitteringness to them.)  The aftertaste is like you're licking a stone.  There's a good "Mac and Jack's*" taste at the beginning of the Pale, but then...  I recommend eating spicy food with this one as it masks the "stone" flavor.  It's actually pretty good then - it has a good fruitiness.  Eat it with The Ram's Buffalo Chicken Salad or some Thai food.

Big Red IPA
I'm a pretty big fan of their IPA, actually.  Nice, fruity, citrus flavor.  It's got a really nice hoppyness thoughout and it's real clean.  It's bitter, but it ends clean.  I like it.  It's a good, easy-drinking IPA.

Buttface Amber
Smells like water.  (Damn!  It just went up my nose!)  It's hard to know what an "Amber" style is, but it's not a bad one.  It's biscuity with a dark caramel taste.  It tastes like a lighter version of Fat Tire - in a good way.  You can have more than one, unlike Fat Tire, which I think kills itself after 1 pint.  A solid beer.  I would definitely order a full pint.

Total Disorder Porter
That's not bad!  It's actually pretty nice.  Maybe a bit "licking of the stone," but it's not offensive.  Great roastiness, sweetness, a little chocolate, very balanced.  Good flavor, but not so overdone you wouldn't order a second one.


Overall
Nothing they make is bad.  Everything is mediocre, but with a couple surprise hits.  The Porter is the best.

The Sampler is $3.63.  It's a ridiculous deal.  The best sampler price I've ever seen.  I'm not sure why they don't screw you over more.  Maybe they messed up.  Anyway, come get the sampler, 'cause it's a great deal.


*A popular Amber beer in the Seattle-area.

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I'm starting this blog to share my thoughts on the great - and not so great - beers of the world.  Stay tuned!