Homer, Alaska
Crusin’ Rating: C
Booze Rating: C-
This week, hot on the tail of some tasty mead at Odin Mead we are just a short drive away checking out Grace Ridge Brewing in Homer, Alaska! On the other side of Beluga Lake from Homer Brewing Company, Grace Ridge has been in business for 8 years and is family-owned, with the Father in charge of brewing, the son in brewing training, and wife serving as the creative mind behind the beer names and space design. We had the good fortune of getting to see her operate the taps and tell us all about Homer and get recommendations for food and other adventures around the city!
Grace Ridge Brewing Co. is housed in a warehouse with a clean, stark white facade and slanting roof that definitely makes it stand out amongst the other architecture in Homer. Outside, there is a space set aside to enjoy the outdoors- a fire pit and covered deck with outdoor heaters which would have been very welcoming in the later hours. Overall, a cozy outdoor space to spend a chilly day enjoying some beer. Our review, though, brought us inside to check out a functional, working, but very clean space to sip on a couple of brews.
Well lit, with plenty of stainless steel brew tanks catching what sun poked through an overcast sky, Grace Ridge was very much a functional working space. With only a handful of tables, seating maybe 20 or so patrons, we ended up waiting for a table even on a quiet weekday afternoon - but we didn’t mind. It gives us a chance to really take in details of the space, talk with the beertender, check out the swag, and even snag some local pamphlets detailing tour info. There’s a small bar with no stools, neatly written chalk signage for what’s on tap, and a cooler that holds to-go four packs and some available snacks. Some artwork adorns the walls here and there but overall, this is a fairly spartan space - no frills, just beer and business.
We snagged a flight of four beers that ran $14, which admittedly, was fairly steep, but still not as steep as some spots back home.
Raspberry Blonde (5.5% ABV) - The color of ruby grapefruit flesh, this beer featured low clarity and mid head retention with aromas of raspberry syrup, honey, and sweet grains. Tasting of lightly toasted biscuit and new raspberries that haven’t quite fully matured on the vine, this beer was pleasant enough to drink.
Alaska Saison (6.0% ABV) - This beer featured brilliant clarity and low head retention and was light straw yellow in color. With aromas of corn bread, hay, and fruity notes, this beer had a mild sweetness when tasting and contained low notes of hay and ended slightly earthy but had a light and effervescent mouthfeel. We didn’t really pick up on any fruit, spice, or big malt flavors here like should be present in the style.
Black Pepper IPA (7.0% ABV) - I don’t think I’ve seen pepper used in beer, at least black pepper, and definitely not in an IPA so I had to dive in. This IPA featured brilliant clarity and was warm gold in color with high head retention. With aromas of peppered citrus and flavors of dark green herbs and mild pine hop presence we both were really hoping that the peppercorn would stand out more here. While herbal notes aren’t something we come across too often in IPAs, we still wanted a little spice in here.
Otter Bay Amber (5.0% ABV) - This light copper beer featured aromas of toffee and high caramel sweetness, almost syrupy sweet with hints of maillard reaction although Hannah and I both thought we picked up a little butter almost on the nose. When tasting, that butter became very apparent moving from sweet butter to some toffee-caramel with just hops that were slightly present but overall masked by the malt. That butter flavor is definitely diacetyl which did not belong here and is considered an off-flavor in beer.
In all, Grace Ridge Brewing was fairly standard, if a little below in terms of beer. While we liked their branding quite a bit, and the owner was so very welcoming and helpful to us - two strangers - I really wish the offerings for beer had been stronger. The beers were drinkable, and not really unpleasant, but weren’t going to earn a coveted spot in our beer bag back to Wisconsin - and yes, we do take our beer transport on flights quite seriously, but more on that another time! We do wish Grace Ridge all the best since they were so nice, and hopefully, when the beer making passes down to the owner's son - which sounds like it may be happening soon, there will be opportunities to improve! There is plenty to do in Homer and plenty of imbiberies, and luckily, amply chance to try some beers from Grace Ridge at local watering holes.
Until next time, keep on Crusin’, don’t stop boozin’!
To learn more about Grace Ridge Brewing Co, please visit their website at: www.graceridgebrewing.com or on Facebook: @GraceRidgeBrewing or on Instagram: @GraceRidgeBrewing
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