Bend Axe Head Red Ale

Brewed by Bend Brewing Company
Style: Amber Ale
Bend, Oregon USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Draft @ the brewpub. Pours a reddish color with a small off-white head. Has a malty hoppy grapefruit aroma. Sweetish malty hoppy bitter grapefruit flavor. Has a sweetish malty hoppy bitter finish with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

(Draft: Bend Brewing Company in Bend, OR) A special release with proceeds going to Bend’s sister city in Nicaragua for their fire department, this seems big and malty enough for a fireman. But why is it that every beer for a firefighter’s charity is a red ale? Anyway, this smells very close to their Old Ale, sweet, caramely, fruity, and malty, but with a fair amount of toastiness, and low on the hops. Sweet, caramely and malty flavor is balanced by a moderate bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied, with a clean, but sustantial palate. Deep ruddy amber color. Light tan head fades to a ring, but leaves some patchy lacing on the glass. Not as good as the Old Ale, but plenty good enough.

On tap at the PDX Green Dragon. Pours murky red/copper with a faint beige head. Flavor was hops driven, citrus with a pithy grapefruit finish. The beer tasted kinda murky also, not sure how to describe it, but green hops, yeast, sort of like a stirred up keg (maybe could be the case). None of this really came together well, not a bad beer by any means, but just mixed up a bit.

Decent, and well balanced to boot. This has a great toasted toffee and caramel flavor, with some nice citric acitidy and piney hops to round it out. Super easy to drink, truly a great session beer.

Draft at the Brewpub: Rusty brown pour with a moderate beige head. Nose is mild and of malt, caramel, and has an overt sweetness. The taste is more malty, some rye, earth tones, and citrus. It was on nitro; very smooth. I think this may boost my feelings on this one.

On tap at Bailey’s Taproom in Portland, OR--Definitely looked like an amber ale with a small whitish head. Hoppy grapefruit and caramel hops nose. Very nice for the most part, but a little watery in the finish.

Reddish amber color. Aroma is crystal malt, grapefruit, caramel. Medium bodied, moderate bitterness and sweetness. Decent amber.

Draft @ brewpub; dark brown with thin tan head and minor lacing; nutty aromas of sweet malt and big fruity hop kick; smooth, soft texture and light bodied; decent overall and very sweet; candy malts with a big time bitter punch at the end; a little harsh, but tasty

Pour was light golden with white fluffy head. Aroma of citrus and light fruit. Flavor was the same. Decent brew. May buy again.

on-tap, Bend Brewing - Had on both regular and Nitro tap - Looked great, deep amber hue with a big white head (on the nitro) - Sharp hop presence, very ’fresh hop’ essence, piney with moderate grapefruit. Rich caramel malt backbone - preferred the nitro, fuller mouthfeel and really softened the astringency of the hops.