Review: 7 Beers from North Coast Brewing Co.
Fort Bragg, California-based North Coast Brewing Co. isn’t your typical Cali brewer. Its focus on fruitier, malt-heavy, European-style ales is a far cry from the traditional west coast style IPAs that dominate its region. It’s particuarly ironic since North Coast is actually situated directly on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. You don’t get much more “west coast” than that.
North Coast makes a plethora of brews. We turn our attention to a lineup of seven — all of which are available in 12 oz. bottles instead of just 22 oz. bombers, so typical for high-abv rarities like some of these listed below. (750ml bottlings of many of the higher-end beers are also available… like the one pictured here.)
Thoughts, as always, follow.
North Coast Old Stock Ale 2014 – An old ale made in the English style, with all-imported, English ingredients. Starts off fresh and fizzy, then the chocolate, coffee, and toffee notes come rushing at you like a freight train. The beer quickly turns into a burly, brooding monster with moderate sweetness and an epic finish that knocks you down with its notes of wine, figs, and intense malt character. Could use a touch more bitterness (or maybe some time in the cellar) to balance all of the above out. Ageable. 11.8% abv. B+ / $14 per 4-pack
North Coast Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale – A Belgian strong dark ale, this is a chewy, malty brew that brings a lot of fruit to the forefront. Raisins, figs, and plums are all amply represented here, with a dense, almost chocolate-driven core. Minimally hopped. The various components come together after a time — let it warm up a tad — creating a surprisingly harmonious whole. This drinks a bit more cohesively and less aggressively than the Old Stock Ale (at least without it seeing considerable cellar time). Ultimately it proves surprisingly silky and pleasant. 9.4% abv. A- / $12 per 4-pack
North Coast Le Merle Saison Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale – Slightly sour, this fruity saison offers notes of cherries and rhubarb, balanced with some yeast character. Dark caramel and coffee notes emerge on the finish, punching down some of this beer’s initial fruit notes. The overall impact is a little muddy, but compelling enough for enjoying on a hot day. 7.9% abv. B+ / $12 per 4-pack
North Coast Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale – Another strong Belgian ale, but not a dark ale — a pale ale. Initially a bit sour, this beer settles down with a strong granary character plus mild notes of apricots and peaches. A more modest dosage of hops give Pranqster a better balance than Brother Thelonious without requiring any aging time at all. Ultimately, the silky mix of bitter hops, chewy malt, and seductive fruit is a winner. 7.6% abv. A- / $10 per 4-pack
North Coast Scrimshaw – Even North Coast’s pilsner is burly and malty, a chewy, grain-heavy brew that is rounded and mouth-filling. Light citrus notes give it some complexity, but on the whole it’s a relatively simple brew with an Old World backbone. 4.4% abv. B+ / $8 per 6-pack
North Coast Blue Star Wheat Beer – A pale wheat ale, this Americanized hefeweizen drinks crisp and clean, lightly grainy (probably the least grain-forward of all the beers reviewed here) with a touch of juicy lemon and a hint of pine needles to it. As it warms, the wheat becomes more prominent, which makes things even simpler — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 4.5% abv. B+ / $8 per 6-pack
North Coast Old No. 38 Stout – As stouts go, this rendition is dry and restrained, hoppier than most while nodding only gently toward those Old World notes of coffee and chocolate that are traditionally part and parcel of this category. No. 38 starts off with a gentle bitterness before fading into a sort of sweet-and-sour character that is only modestly dusted with notes of hot cocoa (er, cold cocoa), walnuts, and some lighter vegetable notes. A very pleasing and more easy-drinking (vs. dark and brooding) rendition of stout. 5.4% abv. B+ / $9 per 6-pack
North Coast Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale
$10
