DCBeer thanks contributor Bruce Webster for writing this SAVOR profile.
Name: Mother Road Brewing Company
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Website: www.motherroadbeer.com
Type: Production brewery
Available in DC Market: No
What you need to know: Opened in late 2011, Mother Road is a part of a growing craft beer scene in Flagstaff. Their focus is on becoming a regional brewery by using local ingredients and engaging with their community. Besides the beers they are bringing to SAVOR, Mother Road’s other mainstays include a Kolsch-style ale and a pale ale, with seasonals and experimental beers being brewed as well.
Beer #1: Lost Highway (Black IPA / 8% ABV)
Beer Description: Lost Highway Imperial Black IPA is a robust imperial IPA that balances the malt characteristics with 100 IBUs of bitterness and finishes with roast and coffee flavors from the Black Patent malt. This big, balanced beer drinks smoothly. Originally brewed as a seasonal, it was popular with their customers, so Mother Road added it to their year-round beers.
Food Pairing: Beef Carpaccio on Walnut Toast (Paper-thin slices of charred beef tenderloin on walnut bread with tarragon and mustard.)
Our Thoughts: The description sounds pretty good, and the few reviews online back it up. The pairing sounds tasty, and there’s only a couple of Black IPAs at SAVOR this year. If Black IPAs are a style that you are interested in, this one should get serious consideration in your plans for the festival. Look for the char on the tenderloin to pair nicely with the roast in the beer. The hops, meanwhile, will blend nicely with the herbaceousness of the tarragon.
Beer #2: Whitewalls (IPA / 6.8% ABV)
Beer Description: Whitewalls IPA features hop-derived citrus and pineapple on a crisp light body. It clocks in at 60 IBUs, and is apparently named for the largely lost white walled tires of the automobiles in the golden age of motoring.
Food Pairing: Clams on the Half Shell (Steamed clams topped with garlic, thyme and lemon. Served chilled on the shell.)
Our Thoughts: Reviews are mostly okay, but there’s not a lot of information to be found on this beer. With 20 IPAs and nine more imperial IPAs that will be poured at SAVOR, it will take something special to stand out. The pairing does sound nice, but that probably won’t be enough to keep this one on my radar. With that said, if you're going to stop by to check out what sounds like a great pairing with the Lost Highway, you can check this out too and thank Mother Road for coming to SAVOR!
This profile is a part of the DCBeer.com SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2014 SAVOR participants.
