Freedom Rolling once again presents another Brew Review. This time, we'll be visiting Against the Grain Brewery and Public House in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. First started in 2011 at their location adjacent to Louisville Slugger Field, Against the Grain has been offering a wide variety of beer, along with an assortment of barbecue menu options. We'll be taking a look at a few of their offerings, but as always, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First up to bat, we find the Sol Mate, their version of a wheat beer. After one sip of this brew, you'll find that it is that clean and smooth taste you'd expect from a wheat. There is a bit of a heavy malt to it, but it covers any sort of aftertaste that may come as a result of drinking. If you're looking to enjoy a good summer beer by the river and don't enjoy the hop taste, this may just end up being your "Sol Mate".
Against the Grain is certainly proud of their Louisville location, and what better way to celebrate this than with their hazy pale ale, the "Loo-a-Vuhl". It is unclear where the "hazy" part comes, as the presentation of this brew is a clean yellow. With one sip, you'll find an incredibly strong hops taste, but not really much of anything else. The lower ABV value, 5.5% specifically for the Loo-a-Vuhl, is what makes a beer a Hazy Pale Ale as opposed to the IPA version of the Hazy, but it's definitely teetering on the fence.
Time to show some excitement with Jazz Hands! In comes one of the more interesting styles of brews, a jasmine rice lager known as the "Jazz Hands". Behind the appealing golden color, one sip will remind you of drinking sake, a traditional Japanese rice wine. There is an aftertaste that comes much later, but if you're already in tune with sake, then you'll find it to be familiar. Although there wasn't a food pairing included when trying this, it would be curious how this goes with a sushi roll, or some other form of less-cooked fish entrée.
Unique and sometimes colorful titles are a trademark of Against the Grain Brewery. The brewer must have had a rowdy night prior to the making of their signature Double IPA, the "Citra Ass Down". Trying this particular brew, we can understand why it's so highly lauded. Starting off with that pleasant scent from the citra hops, you won't necessarily get the strong taste of hops you'd expect from a double, but this is a full drinking experience, as the strong hops will come in the aftertaste. You might need a palette cleansing water if you're looking to try anything else, but if it's just this brew for you, we can see why this 8.2% ABV monster is going to be thoroughly enjoyed.
We now take you south of the border, this time for the El Nopal Mexican Lager. One sip of this particular brew will find a much cleaner and smoother taste than what would be expected from a cerveza. It isn't a truly bland experience, though, as the first sip will find a little bit of a hop taste at the top of the palette, just to give that extra kick. This might not be brewed in Mexico, but if you want to take your mind down there, this may just be the way to do it.
For the final offering from Against the Grain, it's time to step over to the dark side, this time for their Black Pilsner. A first look might mislead you into thinking this is a stout, but this won't have the heavy taste. It's clean and smooth, and although chocolate malts are used, the taste isn't very strong, making it a much more balanced choice. The brewers do give a funny tall tale about brewing this in the dark while blindfolded, but whether or not they saw what they were doing, they showed great control in crafting this choice, and is a satisfying choice for those that like to live on the "dark side" of beers.
So if your Internal Compass ever takes you to Louisville, don't shy away from the downtown area, because you'll want to give Against the Grain Brewery and Public House a try.
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