Bent River Brewing - Jalapeño Pepper Ale

Today I chose to review Bent River Brewing. Bent River's tasting and distribution center is located in Rock Island, IL, and the actual brew pub is located in Moline, IL. Outside the Rock Island station is something I have never heard of before, a drive thru station! Or as they like to call it, "The Uncommon Beverage Station." You can drive up and order your beer to go without getting out of the car.

Bent River was founded by Tim Koster who was also a part of Koski's Home Brew Fixens. Tim Koster had this vision of Bent River and recruited support to open Bent River Brewing Company in 1997. Two years later, Bent River brewed their first barrel of pale ale and now produces over 1500 barrels of their specialty beers annually. Bent River has received many aw
ards at brew competitions throughout the Midwest including second place at the Great American Brew Fest. 

In 2009 friend of Bent River, Joel Korgman, joined Bent River and helped create their restaurant and menu items. During an experience at Bent River you will not only find great food and beer, but also special events and live music by local and regional musicians to add to your experience. 

Bent River brews 8 different year-round beers:

1. Uncommon Stout
2. Oatmeal Stout
3. The Dry Hopped
4. Paddlewheel Pale Ale
5. Jalapeño Pepper Ale
6. Raspberry Wheat
7. American Wheat
8. Mississippi Blonde

Being a lover of spicy foods, I decided that Jalapeño Pepper Ale would be perfect for me. I have never had a spicy beer before and thought this could go one of two ways, delicious or too strange. Bent River describes Jalapeño Pepper as, "Light bodied and spicy! A perfect compliment of sweet fruit and bold peppers!"  

Another reviewer's opinion: "This beer has a wheat base, with a surprising kick. Slightly hazy, it appears otherwise like an American pale. The smell is nothing remarkable, but there is a subtle hint of the pepper inside. As it first hits your tongue, nothing special, like a standard wheat or very mildly hopped American pale. However, as it makes its way to the back of the tongue (and down your throat) the pepper surprise kicks in and is very present. This was really my first introduction to a pepper beer. I liked it, but I couldn't drink this all night, but its good for a pint or two. It did inspire me to brew a pepper beer of my own."

My experience: The beer poured as a slight golden but almost diluted color. Unlike the other reviewer, I had found the smell to be incredibly spicy, as if I was sniffing a jalapeño itself but also very earthy. The taste itself was very earthy/woody as well and when you take the first sip it is a tolerable spicy, but when it reaches your throat it is too much for me to handle in a drink. I thought I would enjoy this, but it is not refreshing and left me wanting to drink something else, something crisp and cooling. I'd say this is a beer to try just for fun but it is not very drinkable. More than one was too much for me. I still want to try Bent River's other brews to see what they are all about.

Next week I will be writing about Shamrock Shuffle experience in Chicago. Why you ask? Because at the end of the 5K you are rewarded with a beer!