Subsidiaries
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
500mL bottle from Portland, drunk 11/16/25, as pictured.
Big dark fruits and lots of cherry-like character with vanilla and oak and definitely some acetic character, though it isn't obnoxious or dominant. Still smells fairly "fresh" and vibrant. No oxidation in the nose; doesn't even smell tired.
Acid up front is piquant and tart, but the oak tannin, vanilla notes and still-present maltiness all soak it up and it relaxes, finishing fruity, mildly tart at best, and reasonably malty. Nice that the body has held up here. There's also no oxidation and the carbonation is fine and tight. Very fruity. Has elements of fruity, sour amber BdG's and also oud bruins. The carbonation, lively cherry character and malt depth all are standouts and serve to make this a very enjoyable experience six years on.
Big dark fruits and lots of cherry-like character with vanilla and oak and definitely some acetic character, though it isn't obnoxious or dominant. Still smells fairly "fresh" and vibrant. No oxidation in the nose; doesn't even smell tired.
Acid up front is piquant and tart, but the oak tannin, vanilla notes and still-present maltiness all soak it up and it relaxes, finishing fruity, mildly tart at best, and reasonably malty. Nice that the body has held up here. There's also no oxidation and the carbonation is fine and tight. Very fruity. Has elements of fruity, sour amber BdG's and also oud bruins. The carbonation, lively cherry character and malt depth all are standouts and serve to make this a very enjoyable experience six years on.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 16 Nov 2025
at 22:11
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Canned 8/27/25, drunk 11/16/25, as pictured.
Light, airy, cracker and honey-like malts balance fresh herb-like hops. Nothing overbearing, but clean, crisp and aromatic. Weird, because these Zero Gravity contract brews have been terrible up to this point.
Remains clean, crisp, balanced and malty in the mouth. A pale ale in name only, as they could have easily called this a hoppy helles or pils. It's got tons of malt depth, plentiful hop flavor and just an all around robustness to it, yet still something I'd happily drink at a concert. Loads of flavor for its size, even tending on the quite malty side. Fresh herbs galore with light lemon and pepper to balance. Well, here's to better contract brews at Zero Gravity going forward (or maybe this was just a really small batch equating to higher quality, I don't know).
Light, airy, cracker and honey-like malts balance fresh herb-like hops. Nothing overbearing, but clean, crisp and aromatic. Weird, because these Zero Gravity contract brews have been terrible up to this point.
Remains clean, crisp, balanced and malty in the mouth. A pale ale in name only, as they could have easily called this a hoppy helles or pils. It's got tons of malt depth, plentiful hop flavor and just an all around robustness to it, yet still something I'd happily drink at a concert. Loads of flavor for its size, even tending on the quite malty side. Fresh herbs galore with light lemon and pepper to balance. Well, here's to better contract brews at Zero Gravity going forward (or maybe this was just a really small batch equating to higher quality, I don't know).
Tried
from Can
at
Oxbow Brewing Company
on 16 Nov 2025
at 18:16
8.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 9
Texture 9
Overall 9
500mL bottle, as pictured, drunk 11/10/25.
Light sage and light Cryptomeria with good acidity, but nothing sharp. Soft, honey-like malts and rounded mixed culture influences with salinity and mineral lingering long. Very clear and aromatic nose.
Soft, rich, malty, dry. Spice, herb, savory characteristics and easygoing, well-aged culture. Big salinity and mineral presence. Stupidly flavorful for its size. This is the Oxbow I fell in love with.
Light sage and light Cryptomeria with good acidity, but nothing sharp. Soft, honey-like malts and rounded mixed culture influences with salinity and mineral lingering long. Very clear and aromatic nose.
Soft, rich, malty, dry. Spice, herb, savory characteristics and easygoing, well-aged culture. Big salinity and mineral presence. Stupidly flavorful for its size. This is the Oxbow I fell in love with.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 10 Nov 2025
at 22:19
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Portland draught, as pictured, 11/8/25.
Bit of toast and caramel, slight vanilla. Seems maybe a bit too dry? Not getting any smoke or adjunct.
Some peach and maybe a bit of malic acid. Zero smoke. Toasty, crackery texture but not thin. Good acidity and drinkability w pepper and such lingering. Gains more body with warming, as is usual.
Bit of toast and caramel, slight vanilla. Seems maybe a bit too dry? Not getting any smoke or adjunct.
Some peach and maybe a bit of malic acid. Zero smoke. Toasty, crackery texture but not thin. Good acidity and drinkability w pepper and such lingering. Gains more body with warming, as is usual.
Tried
from Draft
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 08 Nov 2025
at 21:36
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Portland draught, 11/8/25, as pictured.
Light cherry and pepper with vanilla and maybe a touch of light bourbon. Medium malts show toast and a touch of caramel.
Pinch of acetic, perhaps, or maybe just big lacto, but it's gone quickly. Juicy and spicy with big vanilla, hints of caramel and lingering heavy pepper. Wish it was just a bit more soft/round and the bourbon were a bit more apparent.
Light cherry and pepper with vanilla and maybe a touch of light bourbon. Medium malts show toast and a touch of caramel.
Pinch of acetic, perhaps, or maybe just big lacto, but it's gone quickly. Juicy and spicy with big vanilla, hints of caramel and lingering heavy pepper. Wish it was just a bit more soft/round and the bourbon were a bit more apparent.
Tried
from Draft
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 08 Nov 2025
at 21:26
8.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Portland draught, as pictured, 11/8/25.
Dry and chalky with big mineral and well macerated/expressed grape. For all of the fruit it's shockingly low in both sugar and acid. Soft cherry meat on the end with light oak and vanilla.
Cherry and peppery raspberry. Juicy, light, fruity, flavorful and with a malty but attenuated body. Just enough acidity. Somehow not too fruity. Reminds me of First Fruits which is high praise. A real gem. Nice and dry.
Dry and chalky with big mineral and well macerated/expressed grape. For all of the fruit it's shockingly low in both sugar and acid. Soft cherry meat on the end with light oak and vanilla.
Cherry and peppery raspberry. Juicy, light, fruity, flavorful and with a malty but attenuated body. Just enough acidity. Somehow not too fruity. Reminds me of First Fruits which is high praise. A real gem. Nice and dry.
Tried
from Draft
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 08 Nov 2025
at 21:16
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
2018 bottle at the Portland location, 11/8/25. As pictured.
Round and soft with fruity, cherry-vanilla acidity and rich, baguette-like malt. Floral notes with earth and old wood. Nothing aggressive.
Well damn, this has aged gracefully. Big floral notes like heather and chamomile soften things. Light cherry-like acidity. Excellent malt frothy with honey and white bread and a woody dryness in the very end. Lingering pepper and mild funk. Polished and flavorful. Maybe not their most complex blend, bit if it's drinking this well at 7 years, I ain't complainin'.
Round and soft with fruity, cherry-vanilla acidity and rich, baguette-like malt. Floral notes with earth and old wood. Nothing aggressive.
Well damn, this has aged gracefully. Big floral notes like heather and chamomile soften things. Light cherry-like acidity. Excellent malt frothy with honey and white bread and a woody dryness in the very end. Lingering pepper and mild funk. Polished and flavorful. Maybe not their most complex blend, bit if it's drinking this well at 7 years, I ain't complainin'.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
on 08 Nov 2025
at 20:54
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
On tap at Blind Tiger. Pours a clear gold with a grapefruit hue and a white head that dissipates quickly to the edges. Aroma has a nice tart cherry with a bit of acid and a hint of bourbon underlying. Flavor has tart cherry throughout with some earthy bourbon and a hint of flora backing.
Tried
from Draft
at
Blind Tiger Ale House
on 27 Oct 2025
at 18:54
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7
Can at home watching HBO all night. Dark pour brownish body, beige head is a finger or so of foam. Nose is Ash and chocolate. Tastes of earthy bitter dark chocolate, campfire ash, prunes, raisins, licorice. Bitter finish and very dry. Light bodied.
Tried
on 27 Oct 2025
at 03:23
4.1/10
—
Appearance 5
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 3
Cask at Public House, 10/18/25.
Quite hazy, no head.
Very yeasty, in the freshly fermenting sense. Clovey and doughy.
Clovey, doughy, oily, bitter. Way too yeasty, not done refermenting, yet also flat. In really bad shape or too old, though not oxidized. Not 100% sure what the issue is here but it's undrinkable.
Quite hazy, no head.
Very yeasty, in the freshly fermenting sense. Clovey and doughy.
Clovey, doughy, oily, bitter. Way too yeasty, not done refermenting, yet also flat. In really bad shape or too old, though not oxidized. Not 100% sure what the issue is here but it's undrinkable.
Tried
from Cask
at
The Publick House
on 18 Oct 2025
at 21:38