Payette Brewing Company - Pistolero Porter

Payette’s Pistolero Porter presents a super dark brown, almost black, color topped with a rich, fluffy head of medium brown foam. On the nose, it’s very much what we expect for a beer on the robust end of the porter spectrum, including roasty notes, toasted bread crust, hints of smoke, dark chocolate, and earth. In the flavor department, the beer opens with a rich scorched caramel note, opening into toast and big chocolate with a distinct smoky thread. We found the earthy, ever-so-slightly citric hops played well with the roasty malts to provide a mild bitterness which is balanced by a touch of residual malt sweetness. Smooth, supple, and relatively light on the palate despite its bold flavor, Pistolero makes for a tasty anytime easy-drinker, although it will also excel paired with grilled or blackened meats – particularly beef and pork – or creamy desserts with chocolate. Enjoy!

Mike Francis founded Payette Brewing Company in 2010. A former industrial engineer for Boeing in Seattle, Mike had grown weary of the corporate grind and decided to branch out into a new direction, embracing his passion for homebrewing by going pro. His first step was to go to Chicago to study brewing at the famous Siebel Institute. Following his degree in Brewing Technology, he went to work for Seattle’s Schooner Exact Brewing Company after which he returned to his hometown of Boise, Idaho to open his own brewery.

As a nod to the adventurous, outdoorsy spirit of Boise, Mike named his new brewery after Francois Payette, a 19th century French Canadian trapper and trader famous throughout the region. In line with this theme, in 2012 Payette became the first brewery in Idaho to begin canning their beer, allowing folks much greater opportunity to enjoy great beer outdoors where bottles are either prohibited, or prohibitively heavy.

Payette’s first brewing facility was located in Garden City, immediately adjacent to Boise. But, production at this brewery topped out at just about 10,000 barrels per year, so after five years of success and growth it was time for an upgrade. Payette Brewing Company moved into a new, larger brewery in spring of this year, boasting an initial capacity of 40,000 barrels annually. Located in downtown Boise just a couple miles from their original brewery, Payette’s new facility is near the city’s Greenbelt along the Boise River and features a large Tap Room and outdoor beer garden frequented by local food trucks to attract both Boiseans as well as tourists. For more info, give them a ring at 208-344-0011 or visit them at www.payettebrewing.com.