Zipline Brewing Company - Oatmeal Porter

Zipline's Oatmeal Porter pours a very dark brown color, almost black, capped by a sturdy head of medium brown foam. Porter is a broad style with English origins that's interpreted in a multitude of ways in the present day. This version is decidedly in the "robust porter" camp, featuring a bold profile that's right up our alley. On the nose, we picked up plenty of roasty notes with touches of dark roast coffee grounds and very dark chocolate, along with hints of scorched caramel and a dash of hop spice. In the flavor, look for those prominent roasted malts to deliver touches of char atop a core of deep-down caramel and those aforementioned coffee and chocolate impressions. Mild residual sweetness is balanced well by both the dark malts and a moderate dose of spicy hops. Oats are often used in stouts to offer smoothness on the palate, and we're happy to see the technique employed to the same effect in this porter, which is quite creamy. For pairing options, grilled or barbecued meats are a natural go-to, and don't be afraid of a little spice, as this beer can easily handle boldly flavored dishes. We also love chocolate, coffee, caramel, or vanilla-centric desserts with beers like this. Cheers!

Zipline Brewing Company in Lincoln, Nebraska first started production back in 2012, focused on making high-quality beers and building up a sustainable community around those beers that the brewery would be able to support. While the brewery started with just one of their three brewery founders (Marcus Powers) as the company’s lone employee, Zipline has since grown to about 40 employees.

Since their opening, the brewery has quickly grown to the full capacity of their production system, and they decided to respond to that constraint by focusing on their nearby markets and adding retail locations. Zipline’s first taproom opened up in 2013 adjacent to their brewery in Lincoln, and they opened the Zipline Beer Hall in November 2016, the latter also in Lincoln, but focusing more on a beer-garden vibe. The brewery’s third taproom opened in summer 2017, in northern downtown Omaha, with more of an urban industrial vibe, and Zipline opened their Culture Lab facility (focusing on mixed-fermentation beers and wild projects) there in February of this year. For good measure, Zipline’s fouth taproom, the Zipline Beer Lounge, opens in Omaha this summer.

Currently, Zipline produces eight year-round brews, plus a wide array of seasonal, small-batch, and barrel-aged beers, incuding the delicious MAAANGO! IPA we featured earlier this year in our Rare Beer Club. For more info on the brewery and their multiple locations in Nebraska, give 'em a ring at 402-475-1001 or visit ziplinebrewing.com.