Tamarack Brewing Company in Lakeside, MT turned 3 years old this week and celebrated with two new brews, an Anniversary Amber and Grizzly Bear Coffee Stout. I was fortunate enough to be passing through this week and was able to stop for lunch and try out a pint of the Stout.

Grizzly Bear Coffee Stout is a very dark brown with a tan head.  The aroma is roasted malt with coffee. There’s an initial robust, roasted malt flavor with quite a bit of coffee. The finish has a very nice lingering coffee flavor.  It is medium bodied, very smooth and nicely balanced.  It is a solid brew and I’m guessing it won’t last long. The stats are 6.0% abv and 30 IBUS.  I also tried a sample of the Anniversary Amber (5.8% abv, 30 IBUs) and could taste just enough to know it goes in a very different direction than their year-round Yard Sale Amber. Where Yard Sale is a malt-forward brew, the Anniversary Amber seemed to have more of a hop presence, trending toward pale ale territory.  I’d have to have a whole pint to know for sure.  Hmm . . . .

As a teaser, the chalk board line up of brews lists an intriguing brew coming soon:  Rye Sally RyePA.  Aside from an outstanding name, I’ve never seen an IPA with rye and definitely want to give it a try.