Widmer Brothers Falconer’s IPA

Widmer Brothers Falconer’s IPA

Widmer Brewing Company opened on April 2, 1984 in Portland, Oregon founded by brothers Kurt and Robert H. Widmer.  It is safe to say though that their business in beer started earlier than this.  Kurt and Robert were having trouble finding beer in the U.S. they could enjoy and when home brewing became legalized in Oregon in 1979 the brothers began brewing beer that could enjoy with their friends.  In 1984 the brothers quit their jobs and made brewing beer their full time jobs opening Widmer Brewing Company on April 2, 1984.  The first beer they made and commercialized was their famous Weizenbier, which would later become the first America-style unfiltered wheat ale.  In 1986 they became the first U.S. brewery to offer a full four-season beer lineup after the release of Festbier in the winter of 1985.  As the quickly outgrew their brewery in Portland the brothers moved to their current location in North Portland and renamed the brewery the Widmer Brothers Brewing Co..  They began offering their beer in glass bottles in 1996 after becoming t he nation’s largest draft-only brewery.  One of the most interesting things the brothers did was a collaborative project with the Oregon Brew Crew; this was a project that start an annual competition where they would select different home brew recipes that would be produced by their brewery giving everyone a chance to see their recipe produced on a large scale.  For information on where you can located Widmer Brothers brew in your area check out their website: Widmer Brothers Brewing Co

Check out what the Widmer Brothers had to say about this brew.  “Glen Falconer was passionate about friends, familly, and great IPAs. So in tribute, we've created an IPA worth of this master brewer. Made with Falconer's Flight hops from Hopunion, LLC, a blend named for Glen himself. The result is a bright, moderately bitter IPA with stonefruit aromas and a strong malt backbone. We think Glen would have approved. Proceeds from the sale of Falconer's Flight hops go to the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, providing scholarships to professional and aspiring brewers. In addition, Widmer Brothers Brewing is making a donation to grant two additional scholarships. Learn more at www.glenfalconerfoundation.org. Prost! To true hop heads.”

General Information

Style:     India Pale Ale, available September-October yearly

ABV:    7.0%

IBUs:    65.0

Color:    Light golden color which progresses to a red color as you look further up the pint glass with a white foam head

Mike’s Review

This beer came in a traditional 12 oz brown glass bottle with a clean label depicting the beers name very clearly but also the other 3 IPAs in the Rotator IPA Series.  The beer is a light golden/reddish color with a white foam head.  The beer has the traditional hoppy aroma of an IPA but also has a spicy herbal aroma to it suggesting the possible use of Millenium hops.  On first taste I’m pleasantly surprised; they have the bitterness of the traditional IPA but a complex combination of flavors.  It doesn’t have the spicy flavor the aroma suggests but rather a light citrusy/sweet taste with a piney, almost honey-ish flavor to the aftertaste.  If you’re a fan of IPAs then this is a must have.  Excellent beer all the way through; I can’t wait to have another one.

Matt’s Review

There is nothing like cracking a great IPA and boy does this one look great! This IPA’s aroma is different than most (in a good way). Widmer may have used a different combination of hops then most traditional IPAs. The beer has a light golden/red color to it with about a quarter of an inch ring of foam around the pint glass. This is a beer that gives you a great first impression on the first taste; you can really taste the fresh hops in every sip. This is a great beer to have at anytime.