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PrintC'mon, get hoppy with Oklahoma beers
A sampling.
We don’t have a lot of Oklahoma beers, but the ones we do have are experiencing tremendous success. Be sure to sample our features this month and salute your state.
Two premier Oklahoma breweries include Choc beer made in Krebs and Marshall Brewing Co. here in Tulsa. Choc was started by Pete Piegari, who arrived in America from Italy in 1903. In the early 1920s, Piegari started making Choc beer for the local miners. Choc was a home-brewed recipe passed from the Indians in the territory to the Italian immigrants.
Piegari started serving food as well and during Prohibition went to prison for making Choc beer illegally. Choc beer continued to be sold illegally in the restaurant until 1995, when Piegari’s grandson, Joe Prichard, finally went through the steps to make Choc beer “legal.”
Choc beer comes in a number of styles, including: 1919 Choc Beer (American wheat ale), Miner Mishap (black lager), Waving Wheat and Pietro Piegari (amber ales).
Marshall Brewing Co. opened in 2008. Eric Marshall, a Tulsa native and beer fanatic, is the owner. He left Tulsa in 2004 to study beermaking in Munich, Germany.
The brewing company has just begun selling six-packs in liquor stores but has been successful selling 22-ounce larger bottles of its brewskies, including: Atlas IPA (India pale ale), McNellie’s Pub Ale (through James E. McNellie’s Public House in downtown Tulsa), Sundown Wheat, Old Pavilion Pilsner, Big Jamoke Porter and Oktoberfest.
The staff at Three Palms Wine & Spirits, 9999 S. Mingo Road, have had difficulty keeping the Marshall beer in stock because it moves so quickly. Ranch Acres Wine & Spirits, 3324 E. 31st St., sold out of the Jamoke Porter the first day the store received its recent shipment.
Now, that’s some good brew for you.
SIPS AROUND TOWN
James E. McNellie’s Public House
McNellie’s has the largest selection of beer in Tulsa. General Manager Travis Taylor sells Marshall’s beers on draft by the truckload from $5 to $5.50 a glass. McNellie’s carries the full line of Marshall’s beers and any day is expecting the Big Jamoke Porter. Choc is also a good seller for the restaurant, which carries all varieties. Taylor suggests you branch out and try the Choc’s Signature Series Belgian Style Dubbel for $9.50 a bottle.
It recently won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, a national competition for beer.
409 E. First St., 382-PINT
Kilkenny’s
Patti Stevens, a bartender at Kilkenny’s, offers up the Marshall’s Atlas India Pale Ale (IPA) for $6 a glass on tap.
“It’s crisp and refreshing and customers love it,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to serve our guests a beer made right here in Tulsa! For St. Patrick’s Day, I can add a little green coloring for our Irish-Tulsa friends.”
1413 E. 15th St., 582-8282
SIPS AT HOME
Marshall Brewing Co. Big Jamoke Porter, Tulsa (22-ounce bottle, $4.99)
The color is a cloudy mahogany and two to three fingers of head. Diving into the brew, hints of dark chocolate, coffee, toffee and smoky caramel and malt reveal themselves. Black licorice joins molasses with a slightly bitter finish on this rockin’ American Porter. This will pair beautifully with smoked barbecue brisket or ribs, grilled steaks, hearty stews, Mexican food and surprisingly, chocolate-coffee-toffee desserts. Wow — this is a killer!
Choc Waving Wheat, Krebs (12-ounce bottle, $1.79)
Yes, you can buy individual bottles of beer if you just want a small sample. This Choc is designed after a Belgian wit or white beer, which is known for being rustic and unfiltered. It has a hazy appearance because of suspended yeast and wheat proteins. Hoppy, spicy and citrusy orange-peel flavors jump out and make this a crisp, refreshing beer. I find that wheat beers are terrific, versatile food partners — some of the best beers to pair with food overall.
Marshall Brewing Co. McNellie’s Pub Ale ($8.99 per six-pack)
This ale is brewed in the style of a British bitter. It reveals a copper, amber color and dishes out less carbonation than you would expect. That makes it drink very easily — just slipping down your throat like great brews should. The flavors unfold with citrus, hoppiness and spicy caramel at the forefront and finish with a slightly bitter kick. It’s medium-bodied and perfectly balanced. If you’re looking for perfection in a pale ale, here it is. And it’s Tulsa’s own.
Choc Miner Mishap Black Lager, Krebs ($7.99 per six-pack)
It looks like a stout with its black-brown color and two-finger, tan head. At the same time, it tastes like a lighter rendition of an American porter. It delivers flavors of coffee, chocolate and roasted maltiness with bumps of spice and hops. You’re left with a hint of smokiness and burnt, black licorice. This is a fun beer to try, especially with meats braised in beer and even bittersweet chocolate desserts.
Wine columnist Randa Warren is a Certified Master Sommelier; Certified Wine Educator; has earned a Diploma of Wine and Spirits, granted through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in England; and is a Certified Specialist of Spirits.
