Snake River Brewing Company - Snake River Pale Ale

Winner of the World Beer Cup Gold in 1996 and GABF Silver Medals in 1994 and 1995, this markedly hoppy beer presents a very floral nose with some citrus and fruity notes. Look also for a firm grain profile akin to toasted bread. With its big aroma we found it far easier-drinking than expected. Expect a flowery bitterness to hold through the finish with grains and sweet malt tones nicely offsetting the very perfume-like hop qualities. The finish is crisp, mildly bitter and fairly long-lasting. Fantastic with lime-spritzed fish tacos.

The Snake River Brewing Company opened its doors in March of 1994 in skiers haven Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The debut of their establishment marked the appearance of the first licensed brewpub in the state of Wyoming. Not only are they the oldest microbrewery and brewpub in the state, they are the most award winning microbrewery in America since 1994. In fact, when we were looking over all of their awards, we considered skipping the brewery write up and just printing the awards they’ve won and letting their long list of accolades speak for themselves. But guess what? The list was too long! Seriously, visit this webpage if you don’t believe us: http://www.snakeriverbrewing.com/opawards. We’d literally have to add another full page to this newsletter, and the big cheeses here would rather spend the extra money on procuring top-notch beers than adding another page to the newsletter… Which makes sense, it is all about the beer after all. The Snake River Brewery/Brewpub operation is the brainchild of Al Upsher, a former Wall Street broker, and his wife Joni who had once taught school and worked in public relations. The spacious pub is a converted cinderblock warehouse that combines the industrial design of a brewery with the lavish splendor of mahogany wood finishes while offering a casual atmosphere and fantastic views of the town ski area. The focal point of the kitchen is a massive wood-burning oven which has never been turned off since the opening of the brewpub. Fueled by applewood imported from Washington, it is used not only for pizza, but also for smoking meats and vegetables for pasta dishes. And while their food is a hit, their beer is internationally acclaimed. In both 2000 and 2001 they were named Small Brewery of the Year and Brewmaster Chris Erickson was named Brewmaster of the year at the Great American Beer Festival. No other microbrewery has repeated the honor of grabbing both distinctions in consecutive years. Yes, these folks are that good! For more information about the brewery, brewpub and/or scheduled tours, call (307) 739-BEER or check out their web site at www.snakeriverbrewing.com. And if you’re ever in Jackson Hole, Lander, or the Historic Train Depot in Cheyenne, Wyoming, stop in for a pint or four. Their original location in Jackson Hole rotates through a selection of about 25 beers throughout the year—so there’s something there for everyone!