Zeus Frowns On Fake Red, Smiles On Rainbow Bridge

Elysian Brewing. I admit I'm a fan.

In business about 15 years in the heart of Seattle, they've produced some very good beer that I have no problems recommending. The Immortal IPA, The Wise ESB, Perseus Porter, and - my favorite - the Dragonstooth Stout (chosen as the first beer of 2010 for your author) are all top-notch examples of their particular style. I have friends who worship their Jasmine IPA as a minor deity. When asked about them, I would always respond that you honestly can't go wrong with anything on their roster.

Sadly, I'm forced to change that statement. You almost can't go wrong. And while I'm not saying that The Mens Room Original Red Ale is swill, it's definitely not up the standard that Elysian set with their other brews. I realize this opinion runs counter to Seattle's - bottle shops in the area have had this beer at, or near, the top of their selling list so it's clearly getting love. But I think that love is tied to the KISW drive-time show that it's named after/created for and not for an actual opinion on the beer itself. And while I know this style can range from mild ambers to bitter hop blasts, I feel saying "Red Ale" means you plan for the bitter end of the scale. This beer couldn't find Bitter with Google Maps and a GPS.

There is the barest hint of a reddish-tinge to the beer along with about a finger of head that didn't stick around. The nose is not big and letting it warm up for a few minutes produced more sweet malt scent than anything else. It tastes very neutral with both the hops and the malt moving around on your palette, but neither one stepping forward. The finish is faintly hoppy but there's a spice bite that comes in from left field that took awhile to identify. The more time I gave it, the more I got convinced it was cinnamon. But I can't find a single recipe or mention of this anywhere else, so you would figure I have to be wrong. It's possible that one of the malts tricked out my taste buds, but I was not enthusiastic about that finish.

It's an amber with a bit of spice to it. Not horrible or an immediate drainpour, but nothing I'm suggesting you should try.

BiFrost, on the other hand, is not one to shy away from. An odd-looking Winter Warmer (straw-colored, almost like a pale ale), it's got a pine-like hop scent to the nose with a little bit of floral worked in there. While not bread-chewing quality, the beer is thicker than what you would expect from a visual standpoint. Opens with sweet floral hops and then quickly transitions into a more pine/weed hop bite with a spicy/bitter finish. Tiny bit of alcohol burn, but not quite something that would have you reach for the bottle to look up the ABV (7.5%, if you care). It's not among my top three or four seeds from the brewery, but it's still a moderately good offering.