First Posted: 8/4/2014
Brewer- Elysian Brewing Company
Beer- Loser
Style- American Pale Ale
ABV- 7.00%
Description – Loser pours a hazy copper color with a rocky, slightly off-white head that leaves behind a thick web of lacing on the glass. The aroma is full a sweet malts up front mostly of the bread and toasted caramel variety, backed by subtle scents of tropical fruit from the hops. The taste follows the nose and is malt forward with bready malts again leading the charge mixed with sweet caramel malts and followed by bitter tropical fruit notes before a semi-dry finish takes over. The medium body and moderate carbonation present a very smooth and easy drinking beer that gives no hint to the 7 percent ABV and the 57 IBU’s give this beer a slightly bitter taste that is perfect for many craft beer newbies. Elysian Brewing has yet another excellent beer on their hands with the great Loser pale ale, a must try for craft beer fans.
Food pairing – The malt forward taste and aroma backed with fruit hops make this a great summertime beer and goes very well with grilled meats. Try pairing Loser with hamburgers and top them off with cheddar cheese and mushrooms for an even more enjoyable experience that will truly highlight the complex flavor profile within the beer. Loser is also a great match for pork sausages and lamb chops, the malts will highlight the caramelized flavors within the meat while the hops will add an extra layer of complexity. Tex Mex dishes also make for a great pairing some great choices are: tacos, quesadillas, tamales, chimichangas, chilaquiles, enchiladas, fajitas and huevos rancheros. Loser is a workhorse of a beer and makes for great pairings with any number of dishes; this is certainly a beer to experiment with to find your favorite combination of flavors.
The Final Word – Elysian’s Loser is not only a great beer but is also a beer that celebrates great music. Loser is a beer originally brewed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fantastic Sub Pop records, a label home to some of the most influential artists of the last 2 decades. Sub Pop is a label that has been influential upon the overall music industry since its humble beginnings and has released albums by artists such as Nirvana, Mudhoney, and the Shins; however, Elysian Brewing has had the same influence within the craft beer industry. The brewery has seen many changes in the industry since opening the doors in 1996 and the brewery has been on the cutting edge ever since and continues to be to this day.
Loser is a beer that pairs together companies that exert influence within their respective industries, but even more importantly, it is just a fantastic beer. So do not be ashamed to be a loser.
Rating – WWWW
Where can I get it? – Currently available in 12 and/or 22 oz. bottles at: J & H Beer- Plains Township; Joe’s Six Packs to Go- Dunmore; Flood’s Bar- Stroudsburg; and Wegmans- Dickson City.
Remember, enjoy responsibly!
Cheers- Derek Warren
Derek is a beer fanatic, avid homebrewer, and beer historian. He can be heard weekly on the Beer Geeks Radio Hour, 102.3 FM 10a.m. Saturdays and his beer blog found @IdTapThat.org
