Drank: Clem's Cream Ale (Migration Brewing Co.)

By Martin Cizmar

The appeal of cream ales lies mostly in nostalgia—the style's popularity peaked in the '70s, led by lighter-than-lite Genesee Cream Ale. With Clem's Cream Ale, Portland's Migration Brewing used flaked oats and a kiss of Willamette hops to make a super smooth beer. It's incredibly mild, with almost no distinguishing flavor beyond some esters. At 4.6 percent, it's far lower in alcohol than most craft beers, though you won't taste even that much in this light blond ale with half the bite of a good Kölsch. How to make such a thing even smoother? Serve it off a nitrogen tap, the way dry Irish stouts like Guinness get their soft body and plump head, which is exactly what Horse Brass Pub is doing. Bushy mustaches are back, and Clem's frothy head would look at home in a Selleck 'stache provided you're not looking for much flavor. Personally, I'm not so nostalgic.

WWeek 2015

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