Bent River Brewing Company - Paddle Wheel Pale Ale

This American-style Pale Ale is a looker, pouring an attractive amber color with some light haze and lots of fluffy foam. We got lots of spicy, herbal-grassy hop notes in the aroma on this one—a couple of us even felt a touch of mint come through—bolstered by a bit of a floral note. On the palate, there's a very nice, smooth, caramel malt core that has a bit of breadiness to it and delivers some mild sweetness to support the hops which come through pleasantly herbal and spicy. Expect some fruity notes to dance around on the palate, contributed by both the hops and the esters given off by the ale yeast during fermentation. We really enjoyed the good balance between malts and hops which makes for an easy-drinking brew. It's also destined to pair well with a wide variety of food; try a burger topped with an earthy cheese like Fontina, perhaps with some prosciutto and arugula for a bit of flair. Cheers!

Starting his own microbrewery had always been a dream of Tim Koster, owner of Koski's Home Brew Fixens in the Historic District of Moline, IL. One day in 1996, homebrewer and Koski's customer Darron Morris asked Tim what it would take to start up a microbrewery. The two summoned the courage to turn their dreams into reality, and Bent River Brewing Company was born in 1997. With the help of several investors, they were able to purchase the remainder of the 1922 Italian Renaissance-style building that housed the homebrew store, and then transform it into a brewpub. The company received an award for their renovation of the building by the Moline Preservation Society. The brewpub features a full menu and plenty of beers on tap, and remains a popular watering hole for the local fans of good craft beer.

In 2012, Bent River Brewing Company added a second location in order to address their need for increased production capacity. Located in Rock Island, this new package brewery houses a new bottling line and shipping center, allowing the company to efficiently brew and distribute their beer throughout the area. The location also features a tasting room where you can sample any of Bent River's seven year-round beers as well as their rotating seasonals.

For more information, visit them at www.bentriverbrewing.com, or call 309-797-2722.