Why do we love you? Let me count the ways! We love you because you send us free beer! When we started this blog almost a year ago now, we used to say wouldn’t it be great if we could get free beer or whiskey from doing these reviews! Well here it is! And it feels doubly cool that it is coming straight from the brewery themselves. Thanks Buckbean!
We love you because you embody the American spirit and the soul of a craft beer start up brewery. Real entrepreneurs that take a risk. You don’t know if I will love or hate your beer, but you send it to me anyway, and I did inform your marketer that I will be brutally honest, good or bad. You wouldn’t have it any other way. So for being entrepreneurial and taking a risk we love you.
We love the fact that you are an all can brewery! From your inception you have had green principles in mind and made the investment to can your brews from the very start. That is awesome, particularly for people who camp and backpack. Packing out a can that has been crushed is far easier than packing out heavy clanky bottles. And no can taste! The technology has progressed to the point where excellent beers stay excellent longer in cans. Very wise and a great commitment on your part for your beer and our environment.
Finally, we love you because you make some pretty damn good beer! All the other stuff is great and all, but if the beer sucks, it really doesn’t matter. I must say I was a little concerned, maybe because Buckbean is a western brewery, and I live out west, or perhaps it is because you have done all these other things, but if the beer was bad I would have to call you on it. Fortunately this is not the case. I’m happy to say that if Buckbean was available in my area (for gosh sakes why aren’t you, I mean its just 425 miles!) I would buy it regularly. So lets get onto the reviews…
Buckbean Orange Blossom Ale
After my rather lack luster experience with Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom Ale, I was kinda dreading this brew. But I’m happy to report that it is far better than the orange flavored Budweiser that I had to endure earlier in the week.
This beer poured a golden orange color with a pretty significant head on it. I was a little aggressive on the pour and got about three fingers out of it. It eventually went down to just a thin line of creamy foam.
The nose wasn’t huge orange. Is a matter of fact there was a slight astringent quality to the nose that had me a little concerned before I drank it. I was able to also pick up on a big malty backbone along with a hop note and yes…orange.
The flavor was very good too. It had orange yes, but it was all ale with a big maltiness that kept the brew from getting too sweet. One other thing that kept it from getting too sweet was the fact that they didn’t use the actual orange in the brew, but the blossoms from the trees. This gives it a nice refreshing orangesque quality without making it taste like a hangover remedy. All in all this was a nice summery beer that I would be happy to serve at a BBQ or just lounging around on a warm summer day. With an ABV of 5.8% this brew can be enjoyed mid day in moderation and is a nice treat for the season.
Buckbean Tule Duck Red Ale
The Tule Duck Red Ale poured a hazy crimson color with about a one finger off white head. This is a 6.2% ABV brew that had a very nice maltiness and a smooth hop finish that drank very easily and had a little bit of a warming sensation as I drank it.
The first thing that hits is the maltiness, but it is nicely balanced with hops that round out the flavor and help to conceal the alcohol. Smooth is the best way to describe this brew. It tastes good, and goes down easy.
Buckbean Black Noddy Lager
Finally the Buckbean Black Noddy Lager is actually a schwarzbier, and they do the style proud. It poured a dark brown with about a one finger tan head. It wasn’t completely dark, light did get through on the edges of the glass.
The nose was big and malty. It smelled very roasty and reminded me of roast marshmallows. I picked up on just a hint of hops and caramel and vanilla scents.
The flavor was solid for the style with a medium mouth feel and big roasted malts. This brew, surprisingly had the lowest ABV of the bunch at 5.2%. I usually expect a dark beer to have a higher abv in the flavor profile, but this really worked well. The flavor of the malt with all its roasted goodness and kind of crunchy flavor aspects really shined through. The alcohol content was almost unnoticeable and this is a very interesting concept having a dark session brew. It was a style and a flavor that I really appreciated.
As it continued to warm more of the caramel and vanilla tones came through in the flavor and it was an absolutely beautiful beer. Very well crafted.
So Buckbean, You got a funny name, a quirky nature and you are only 425 miles away from Boise! Send it here! There are two places for sure that would carry it. The CoOp grocery Store, and Brewforia Store in Meridian. Its almost cruel if you don’t. Send me good beer and then keep me from buying it? What’s that about? I know there is more to it than that, but you need to make this happen! By all means if you see these beers pick them up. You won’t be disappointed.
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Well you might love them for a variety of reasons (including they sent you free beer) but I never got mine! WTF? Anyway the “we” (as in “we” love Buckbean) should be “I” as in “Don” because “Jim” never got “his.”
Anyway, nice to see you liked their beer on its merits and aren’t just selling out because they gave you a free peek up their skirt. I’m still hoping mine will arrive so I can verify your findings – they won’t be selling it out east.
Still, I like it when good things come in cans.
If they sell it here, I will send you some. Seriously the Black Noddy and the Tule duck, and to a little lesser extent the Orange Blossom could become my house brews like Dales for you.
Sounds like some good brews, and gratis is always nice! Good to hear you have at least one orange-flavored beer you can cling to.
Don you tree-hugger, stop giggling and check this out! Perhaps cans aren’t so hot after all and actually suck more for the environment than bottles do?
http://www.norcalbeerguide.com/home/2010/5/3/why-craft-breweries-should-stop-using-cans.html
Plus, ever try bottling home brew into cans – not gonna happen!
Still, as a guy who wants good beer at my local lake club, tasty brews in cans are a godsend (bottles are verboten there). Forget the environment – I need a beer!
Whatev. Aluminum rocks. We need it for beer!!
Right – forget airplanes – save it for beer! I like roadtrips anyways.
I just have my priorities straight.
Yes, but you don’t know how to prepare a nice icy glass of whiskey… 😉
Funny! They sent Nate some brew a while back but I was zipped. I’m happy to say that mine should be (a few months later) coming in the mail. They are extremely generous and nice. I can’t wait to sip on there, especially after reading this.
I liked it quite a bit. Where you been lately?
Nice to see I’m not the only co-blogger who got stood up, Mike. It’s kinda smart though, as I’ll probably do a “my take on Buckbean” post when my beers arrive. If they ever do, that is.
Don, every time you take a swig you will hear a baby tree scream. Can you live with that?
Yeah, that guy was probably paid to write that by the Northern California glass blowers association….
You should hear them when he gets going with the chainsaw, Scott.
Well Jim, sometimes things get lost in the mail! We sendout everything we can, and there are times it never makes it to the doorstep. On occasion, UPS opens our packages and will not send them because we’re shipping beer.
If you’d just drop me a note I can do my best resend.
Will do, Constance. I’d love to try these for myself, especially after reading Don’s review. Thanks for offering to
try again-I’ll be in touch.
Now that’s great public relations! I like Buckbean better already!
Don,
I’ve been without the internet and was in Indiana and Oregon before that. I should have the net on the 19th. I’m back, though.
Jim,
I’ll be getting some next week. Nate just got some brew from an Irish brewery and I might get zipped on that one, too. I guess it’s time to start soliciting.