Bridgeport – Dark Rain

When I selected this beer, it brought up memories of the Pacific NW and there is probably not a better description of the rain in that regional area than Dark Rain.  I thought of my friends in the Seattle area who suffer through the dark and rainy winter and thought they would probably enjoy Dark Rain – shout out to George and Michael.  Bridgeport is based in Portland, has been around for some time and has earned a number of awards over the years.  Bridgeport is the oldest craft brewer in Oregon.  Dark Rain (5.6% ABV and 60 IBU) is winter seasonal ale that the brewery describes as a Black Pale Ale.

American Black Ale - http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/175 – BeerAdvocate

Appearance – It is black and pours with a large head.  I had to let the head reside before I could pour the remainder in a 16 oz. pint glass.  Very little light will get through the glass and the light gives a dark brown / reddish hue.

Aroma – Pacific NW hops are the focus and you can detect the a combination of citrus and piney.  The malts also step up to the plate with an aroma of coffee and just a hint of dark fruit.

Taste – I thought the hops used would taste a little more bitter than it tastes.  Don’t get me wrong, it is hop-forward but the bitterness is not overwhelming and there is the taste of citrus and pine that one expects with the hop selection.  The roasted malts also provide a nice roasty taste and I detect hints of coffee.  A very good mix for this area of the country.

Overall – A- - This is a nice beer from Bridgeport and some will really like and some will not.  I think they did a great job highlighting regional ingredients and making a beer that is great for the dark and rainy time of the year.

 PDF description – “Black Wheat and Dark Crystal Malt add dense color and mild smooth flavors to this intensely hopped Black Ale. This ale has a very drinkable, mid-level alcohol and bitterness that starts with roasted and hoppy aromatic notes and finishes with the dry hop character of the Nugget hop varietal. A Chinook, Crystal, Centennial and Cascade blend is used in our hopjack to provide full flavored background hoppiness.”

Bridgeport – http://www.bridgeportbrew.com/#/our_beers/