Elysian The Immortal IPA

The lovely Madame Crystal was kind enough to stock the pantry with some tasty 22s for my Portland visit.  Among the collection was an IPA from Elysian Brewing, a Seattle-based brewery we visited a couple of years ago at their Elysian Fields bar and restaurant.  I recall their more exotic beers, like the Avatar Jasmine IPA and Dragon's Tooth Stout being outstanding while some of their more "in the style of" offerings being a bit more average than the price, name, and packaging implied.  But hey... before I head out to the Cascade Brewing Barrel House for a heady flight of seven 8oz. samples of sour ales, let's crack open Elysian Brewing's Elysian The Immortal IPA.

Elysian The Immortal IPA was highly carbonated as it poured into the glass, forming a big, loose white head over a clear amber body.  The nose was mostly comprised of pine, with supporting notes of biscuit.

Elysian The Immortal IPA opened with a warm citrus start with subtle touches of honey and cream.  The ale quickly settled into a decidedly malty middle, hinting at burnt sugar and stone fruit without ever leaving the bready core.  It finished on a long linger with a slight bitterness.

Elysian The Immortal IPA falls into the large group of unremarkable IPAs that glut the shelves of better bottle shops.  It is surprisingly un-hopped for a Northwest IPA and isn't remarkable enough in it's malts to stand out.  It certainly isn't a bad beer, but it falls far short of the audacious name "immortal".  However, I do have to concede it was the perfect match for a late biscuits, sausage, and gravy brunch; the malts complimenting the biscuits and the bitter finish cutting the heaviness of the meal.

Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale

Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale, a winter offering from Seattle-based Elysian Brewing, poured a honey hue into the glass, with orange highlights and medium carbonation trailing to a thick, creamy white head.  The hose carried big hop notes of flowers and candied citrus over an underlying sweet caramel.


Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale opened with a fuzzy, sweet citra start (odd, since none of the hops used are citra) with black tea spicing the background.  A rising soft rind bitterness came through as the ale mellowed on the tongue, offset by a long lasting orange fade.


I don't really have much else to say about Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale, other than it is a well made, somewhat unexceptional ale that might be the best beer I have tried from Elysian.

Elysian Bete Blanche Tripel

Elysian Bete Blanche Tripel, a take on the Belgian-style Tripel by Elysian Brewing, poured with heavy carbonation into the glass, settling into a clear hay color with a thin white head.  Most detectable in the nose was a funky, dry yeast base of pepper and clove with some banana in the background.

Elysian Bete Blanche Tripel began with a dry, yeasty start before bringing to the forefront notes of banana and subtle clove.  The ale ended on a slightly sweet fade, likely from the Belgian candy sugar added in the boil.

Elysian Bete Blanche Tripel hit most of the style guidelines to be considered a representative Tripel, but like so many of Elysian’s offerings fell short of being memorable.

Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA

Out comes the sun, pop goes the IPA!  Despite my memories of my flight at Elysian Brewery in Seattle being a mixed bag Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA stands out in my memory as one of their more notable offerings.

Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA was an ever-so-slightly hazy amber with a creamy white head as I poured it into the glass.  It’s nose carried the jasmine through with some nectarine backing from the hops.  It was managed to capture complex floral notes without being cloying or too perfume-like.  

Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA began with a surprisingly sweet start; a little thick in the body.  As the IPA settled it took on a surprisingly dry, toasted malt middle that one wouldn’t expect from an IPA.  As Avatar Jasmine IPA faded, the jasmine and more floral notes in the nose became most prominent.

Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA is a little sweeter and less hoppy than a typical IPA; coming off more like a pale ale.  The jasmine is a nice, subtle compliment to the hops, and it is a refreshing option from some of the heavier IPAs (certainly better balanced than their Immortal IPA).

Elysian Mens Room Original Red Ale

Elysian Mens Room Original Red Ale, a year-long offering from Elysian Brewing, poured a deep amber hue with loads of carbonation rushing to its bone white head.  The nose carried through hoppy pine in the nose without the associated bitterness and slight touches of sweet orange.


Elysian Mens Room Original Red Ale opened bright and citrusy at the start before slowly drying into a cereal malt flavor with underlying sweet notes of caramel.  Citrus rind sat in the background throughout the experience, trailing as a lingering, subtle orange ended the experience.


Elysian Mens Room Original Red Ale carries a hop bill that is clearly American West Coast, but the dry, toasted cereal malt prominence in the middle comes closer to East Coast (and even European) offerings.  This is an easy drinking ale that is a great recommendation for someone looking to push past their standard pale ale and IPA offerings without challenging themselves.  

Stone/Elysian/Bruery La Citruille Celeste de Citracado Ale

Stone / Elysian / Bruery La Citruille Celeste de Citracado Ale, a collaboration of ale brewed with pumpkins, yams, toasted fenugreek, lemon verbena, and birch bark between three West Coast breweries and headed by Stone Brewing, opened with hop bitterness and an earthy, tree bark and black tea flavor.  Lemon and extremely subtle roasted notes came through in the middle, and there was a citric, floral quality that took hold before the ale faded into a water finish of earthy bitterness and toasted herbal anise.  


Despite an unpronounceable name and daunting list of ingredients, there really isn't much of anything happening in this ale.  There are many novel and (mostly well placed)  flavors and aromas you won't find in a typical beer, but there just isn't enough body to the ale to make it stand up.  Thankfully, the pumpkin was just barely there and the ale was entirely devoid of sweetness.  So I guess there's that.

Pyramid Breweries Apricot Unfiltered Wheat Ale

While in Seattle two summers ago on a brewery crawl with Crystal, we managed to hit Pike Street Brewing, Elysian Brewing, and finally stumbled upon Pyramid Brewing's out-of-the way Seattle Alehouse for flights.  As one of the lower priced beers seemingly available in every store on the west coast, we went there more out of a completionist's obligation than excitement, and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and how it paired with their beers.  In addition to the year-round varietals, all well worn by my palette, they had quite a few more interesting beers available only in their alehouses.  I left Pyramid's Seattle Alehouse with a renewed respect for their brews, so it was with nostalgia that I picked up a bottle of Pyramid Breweries Apricot Unfiltered Wheat Ale.

Pyramid Apricot Wheat Ale poured a cloudy, pale yellow into the glass (I'll avoid the obvious descriptor of "apricot colored") with a wispy white head.  The nose was entirely dominated by the smell of dried apricots.

Pyramid Apricot Wheat Ale was surprisingly crisp and dry up front, with barely detectable hints of wheat.  As the carbonation receded, my mouth warmed up to a body of semi-sweet, candied apricot.  The apricot flavor sustained for a solid ten seconds, slowly fading into dryness with hints of wheat just barely coming through.

I  typically don't like wheat beer.  I typically don't like fruit flavor beer.  I like this beer.  The dryness of the ale, complimented by the softness of the wheat and the reasonable ABV, make this a beer equally suited to refresh yourself in the heat of summer or sip on and warm up in the winter months.  The prominence of the apricot prevents me from making this a regular in my rotation, but Pyramid Apricot Ale is always a welcome visitor in my fridge.