Walkabout Brewing Worker's Pale Ale

Walkabout Brewing just celebrated it's 13th year of business, and is as standard on tap as Coors and Bud in Southern Oregon.  The brewer, Ross Litton, has slowly been expanding the line of Walkabout offerings and keeping Medford bars in local beer.  Walkabout Brewing recently began offering their flagship beer, Walkabout Brewing Worker's Pale Ale, in 22oz. bottle.

Walkabout Brewing Worker's Pale Ale poured a clear, hay-hue with moderate carbonation trails and a white, sticky head.  The nose was light citrus and sugar cookies.

Worker's Pale Ale started with a lightly hopped front and ended on a sweet and slightly flat sweet bread note.  There was a slight bitterness in the linger that was out of place for such a subdued hop profile.  

The hops never really came through as strong as I expected for a Pacific Northwest style Pale Ale, and the malts were maybe a bit too strong and sweet at the end.  This is clearly a beer that shines better on tap, where a bit of additional carbonation brightens up the front and gives the hops a bit of support.  In the bottle, Walkabout Brewing's Worker's Pale Ale is just barely average, which is a shame given the above-average experience it gives from tap.

Walkabout Brewery Jabberwocky Ale

Another (maybe the only other?) bottled beer from local brewery Walkabout Brewing, Walkabout Jabberwocky Ale is one of their first and strongest offerings. 

Walkabout Brewery Jabberwocky Ale poured a deep crimson brown in the glass, with no observable carbonation and a thin, bone white head that quickly dissipated. The nose was light but led by toffee and caramel.

                                   

Walkabout Brewery Jabberwocky Ale drank somewhat flat poured out of the bottle, with a hint of hop bitterness before settling with an unsweetened middle of caramel.  The caramel and hints of coco sweetened in the fade and a little heat came through. 

Walkabout Brewery Jabberwocky Ale is a nice, middle-of-the-road take on the English strong ale.  Undoubtedly a big beer when it first hit the scene thirteen years ago, the recipe could stand to be revisited if it wants to stand up to the last few waves of big craft beers.