RAM's S'no Angel weizenbock is a big beer (7%) with spice notes from the yeast. This year's wheat malt goes in the direction of roasty chocolate tones (brewer Andrew informs us no chocolate malt was used) compared to last years beer that had more deep fruit tones.
Brewer Liz's Winter Wheat at College Park Rock Bottom is an unfiltered wheat with interesting spice notes leaving a great balance of wheat beer with spice. Brewer Jerry's version at RB downtown boasts slightly greater hints of the coriander and cinnamon spice. Both are interesting holiday beers.
Actually all three brewers have a fair amount of brewing latitude. At the RAM Andrew can brew nearly anything as a specialty beer. On Thursday he had an IPA brewed with Anaheim chile peppers - a somewhat moderately heated chile but there was plenty of spice in this Anaheim IPA. He also had his Farmhouse ale saisson on tap. All three of the specialties are worth a trip.
While there is an incorrect perception that Rock Bottom Brewers lost brewing latitude after the merger into CraftWorks Restaurant and Brewery Group, actually RB only mandates four house recipes. Perhaps a bit "ordinary" those four still were derived from previously award winning versions. However, most RB locations have 10-15 beers on tap which mean there are 6-11 varieties by your local RB brewer, normally one of which is that brewer's own interpretation of a seasonal like Winter Wheat. CraftWorks is a merger of Gordon Biersch and Rock Bottom formed by Centerbridge Capitol when they acquired each chain. Gordon Biersch was actually bought first (1999) by the owners of Big River Brewing in Chattanooga which changed their company name to Gordon Biersch (somewhat of a David buying Goliath). Big River is now a small appendage of Craftworks which is run jointly by former Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch CEOs.
We can be thankful for all of the good beer from all of our local brewers -- chain or independent!
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