Roughtail Brewing Company - Everything Rhymes with Orange

Pouring a very hazy golden orange with plenty of persistent foam, this brew – not surprisingly – offers tons of orange aromas that jump out right away with a nice balance between juice and zest. There’s a touch of tangerine among the citrus notes, as well, plus a dose of softer tropical fruits, hints of stone fruits, and a certain woodsy and spicy herbal character. Being a “citrus ballad”, in Roughtail’s words, it’s also no surprise to find those citrus notes taking center stage in the flavor, too. Look for a touch of fruity residual sweetness within the very lightly caramelized malty core, which is easily balanced by the moderately bitter hops whose aggressiveness is toned down, as expected for this style of IPA. We particularly enjoyed the feel of this brew; the body feels substantial while remaining nimble, and the whole thing comes across just super juicy and engaging. For pairing options, it’s natural to go towards dishes with a citrus theme, like orange and tarragon marinated chicken, stir-fried orange peel beef, or lemon-glazed shrimp. Cheers!

Roughtail Brewing Company’s story begins when homebrewers Blaine Stansel and Tony Tielli met in a homebrewing club. Dissatisfied with the craft beer options in the area, which were limited and, in their words, “safe”, the duo decided to launch their own brewery. Originally they were eyeing Dallas due to the huge size of its untapped beer market, but ultimately they decided to build their brewery in their home of Oklahoma City. Founded in 2012, Roughtail officially hit the market in 2013, offering a well-hopped red ale, an 80 IBU IPA, and a boldly malty and hoppy American strong ale, all produced at their small location in downtown OKC. They named their “rough around the edges” brewery after the Roughtail Gecko, a tough little critter they felt exemplified their attitude.

Soon after launch, Roughtail moved into a larger facility in Midwest City, just a few miles east of downtown OKC. Stansel, Tielli, and their team made the most of their modest 10-barrel brewing system and 5,000 sq.ft. of space, but by 2017 they were brewing at maximum capacity and the need for a larger brewhouse was apparent. Construction of a brand new facility on the northern edge of OKC began soon after, and the brewery moved into this space in 2020. Designed to offer the company enough space for the present and the far future, the new building features a 30-barrel brewing system with over 12,000 sq.ft. of production space and 8,000 sq.ft. for their Taphouse and offices.

Roughtail currently produces five core year-round beers as well as four seasonals and an ongoing variety of limited releases, including barrel-aged ales. They’re also in the very popular hard seltzer market with their Skyline brand, currently offering four different flavor combinations. For more info on the brewery, their Taproom, and upcoming events, check them out at roughtailbeer.com.