Oklahoma Trip

What started out as an ordinary trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to visit family turned into an interesting beer tour in a state more known for its football team than its place in the modern American craft brew movement.

 

After arriving, I stopped into a liquor store for weekend provisions.  Interestingly, Oklahoma, like many states in the South, is still dealing with the vestiges of Prohibition.  One of the state's peculiarities is that only beer with less than 3.2% alcohol by weight can be sold in grocery or convenience stores.  For anything else, you've got to go to a liquor store or saloon.  For those of you outside of Oklahoma, this is why many of labels include an OK+ designation.

In any event, I happened to wander into a decent liquor store where the clerk actually knew a thing or two about beer.  For the relatively small size of their beer section, they had a quality selection, where I found McNellie's Pub Ale by Marshall Brewing, which has been brewing in Tulsa since 2007.

I also ran across Big Stick Brewing, brewer of  texas SUX lager, which will have its own post with pictures.  

The next day, per the recommendation of the liquor store clerk, the Wife and I headed to McNellie's Public House in downtown Tulsa to congratulate my oldest friend Woody on his upcoming nuptials.

 

The Mcnellie's beer menu was fantastic - better even, I think, than either the Flying Saucer or Gingerman in H-town.

 

I started with the Marshall's pub ale, which I liked better on draught than in the bottle due to some over-carbonation and overzealous head retention issues in the first bottle I tried.  I've brought another bottle back to Houston, so we'll see if it has the same issues when I open it.  There was also quite a bit of yeast floating in the bottle beer.  I don't know if this beer is bottle conditioned (it doesn't say on the bottle or the website), but if it is, a minor snafu in bottling could explain all the flaws, which would be familiar to any homebrewer.

Nonetheless, the pub ale on draft was a great example of a British bitter ale.  The hops were bracing and flavorful and well balanced by the malt.  It was appropriately carbonated, and had a great full body.  The head retention and lacing were excellent.  The beer was a slightly hazy, but didn't contain any yeast floaties or other debris.  A great craft-brewed beer.

 

Next on the menu was the Horny Toad by Coop Ale Works in Oklahoma City.  I have to admit that I don't have any good notes or particularly insightful recollections on this one - not because it wasn't a good beer, but because it was tucked into conversation and a few hours of day drinking.  I remember it as malty-sweet, almost like a maibock but not so strong.  I couldn't even tell you if it was a lager or an ale, but I'd bet on lager.  My recollection is that I enjoyed it, and it would be a great session beer.

Sticking with the Oklahoma theme, we next went with Miner Mishap by Choc Beer Company in Krebs, Oklahoma.  The brewery calls it a German schwarzbier.  It was lightly carbonated and had a light body, but it also had plenty of roastiness and well-balanced hops.

Finally, we ended with the Long Strange Tripel - one of Boulevard Brewing's Smokestack Series.  They're from Missouri - not Oklahoma - but I'm a huge fan of these beers.

 

Honestly, I was shocked at both the variety and the quality of the beers from all these breweries.  It just goes to show that with a little effort and a little passion we can save beer from its mass produced self.  If craft breweries can open and succeed in Tulsa, and even Krebs, Oklahoma, maybe we really are returning to the historic brewery system where all beer is local.  

Beautiful.