Oscar Blues (Lyons, CO)

The controversial theory of human evolution

Our post-Avery day was actually the first day we were hung over the entire trip.  Perhaps it was that mottled death cloud, perhaps it was the beer, but either way we took our first real day-off from beer snobbing to recuperate and reflect on the trip so far.  As of Avery we had polished off some +/- 42 pints collectively, which translates into seven gallons of beer over the course of a week.  Not bad, but we still had a long thirsty road ahead of us.

Oscar Blues is the brewer of Dales’ Pale Ale and Old Chub, the two beers you’re more apt to find in a liquor store throughout the West.  As far as Oscar Blues other beers goes, there were some hits and misses.  Fortunately it was Sunday, the day of which I celebrate football by sacrificing many beers at the inner sanctum of my gullet.

The Imperial Red

Mama’s little Yellow Pils:  Most Sundays during the last football season I steadily drank Lagunitas’ Pils, which has metastasized into a peculiar fondness and almost superstitious reliance on the beer.  The Little Yellow Pils wasn’t bad, but not good enough to sway the football gods from forsaking the Denver Broncos.  Then again, that team may need more than divine intervention.

Old Chub Skotch Ale:  Probably my favorite of Oscar Blues’ beers.  Strong and malty, thick and potent, even from a can.

photo of the photo of the Red

Oktoberfest:  Could this be it?  Could this at long last be the Oktoberfest to end all others?  Have I finally found that one alt beer that stands out amongst the rest and guide all us beer snobs into the light?  Hell no!  Another ambery fall beer that fails to impress or unimpress.  It’s as neutrally disappointing as it is refreshing.  How is it that so many different Oktoberfests can taste the same?  Why?  Why?

Imperial Red:  At first, when Ali got this beer, I was certain that this was actually Dale’s Pale, because it was so uncharacteristically non-red and deeply hoppy.  We even had the waitress cast the deciding taste.  Fortunately for us she thought it was the Deviant Dale’s Dbl. hopped ale and gave us another pint of the Imperial Red, which it was all along.  The beer may not be red, but it’s damned good.

Rating:  Oscar Blues= 34 out of 42 Galaga space bugs (but it gets an extra life because it has a vintage arcade room).