Beer Me! — Yakima Brewing and Malting / Grant's Ales — Yakima, Washington, United States

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Yakima Brewing and Malting / Grant's Ales

(Black Bear Brewing)

(Closed)

1803 Presson Place
PO Box 9158
Yakima WA 98901
[Update]

Notes

Opened: 1982

Annual Production: 10,000 bbl

Contributor: Melissa Christianson

In 1995, Grant's was purchased by Chateau St. Michelle Winery, which is owned by Stimson Lane Vineyards, which is owned by UST, Inc., which also owns US Tobacco. After Bert Grant's death in 2001, the brewery was sold to Black Bear Brewing. And after a few more transactions, the microbrewery was closed in 2005. Bert Grant's Real Ales will be brewed under contract at various locations around the country.

Updated: January 21, 2008

Beer List

Apple Honey Ale

Garden (Fruit Wheat) Beer
- Date: May 5, 1996 (#1443)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI
  
  Score: 11½ points
  
  Overall Impression (2½)
  Golden-amber, low carbonation and head. Cidery aroma, a little honey. Very cidery flavor, even sour. Flowery-ish finish. Tastes like a sweet cider.

Bert Grant's HefeWeizen

Light American Wheat Beer with Yeast

Date: November 3, 2003 (#5131)

Package: bottled

Place: Beer Club International

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Yellow, hazy. Moderate head. Clean wheat aroma, with spicy hops. Light body, fairly fizzy. Lots of wheat malt flavor. Fairly fruity.

Bert Grant's Lazy Days

English-Style Summer Ale

Awards:

Gold Medal, 2004 World Beer Cup
Gold Medal, 2003 North American Beer Awards

Bert Grant's Scottish Style Ale

Scottish-Style Export Ale

Date: September 28, 2002 (#4446)

Package: bottled

Place: Beer Club International

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red-amber, some haze, low head. Caramelly, spicy aroma. Medium body. Big caramel malt flavor with some smoke. Mild hop flavor and bitterness in the finish.
Date: February 27, 1996 (#1329)

Package: bottled

Place: Long's Drugs, Kailua HI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, some haze, OK head. Smoky caramel aroma. Thick, smoky, clean.
Date: July 12, 1995 (#1104)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Amber, good head, very slight haze. Big malty nose. Malty flavor, very smoky.
Date: June 27, 1993 (#104)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Score: 11½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Lighter (red) than I remember. Maybe I wasn't paying attention. Fruity nose...no smoke? Thick enough, but smoky/peat character is missing! Good beer, but...this deserves better. The bottled version is phenomenal!
Date: February 7, 1993 (#2518)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Spicy nose, good stuff! Drink gallons of this!

Bert Grant's Summer Ale

American-Style Amber/Red Ale

Date: September 28, 2002 (#4445)

Package: bottled

Place: Beer Club International

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
"Amarillo hops" featured prominently on the label. Bright red-amber, low head. Caramel malt aroma with a hint of maple. Medium body, huge caramel malt flavor with quite a bit of toast. Pretty sweet in a malty sort of way.

Date: February 16, 2003 (#4686)

Package: bottled

Place: Woodman's Food Market #20, Green Bay WI

Score: 17½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright red-brown, thick head. Huge toasty malt aroma with lots of caramel, some spicy hops, and maybe some raisins. Medium body, mildly astringent. Hugely malty, with lots of toast and hints of wood and raisins. Nice herbal hop flavor shows up at the end, along with a mild bitterness. Just a little warming. Good beer.

Date: June 3, 1997 (#2089)

Package: bottled

Place: Moloka`i Wines and Spirits Unlimited, Kaunakakai HI

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Dark yellow opaque, OK head. Hint of banana aroma. OK banana flavor, OK body. Not bad, not real exciting. Same beer as Weis?

Date: March 24, 2000 (#3404)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, thin head. Sweet coffee aroma. Light body, not nearly as thick as expected. Excellent malty, black, roasty, chocolate flavors, but body and alcohol are lacking. Thanks to Nick Egan for the bottle!

Date: April 29, 1996 (#1410)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
As black as it gets, with a nice brown head. Gingerbread...smells like cookies! Black and burnt, especially in finish. Mighty tasty.

Date: January 25, 1992 (#2510)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Black as night. Thick, chewy, everything you'd want in a Stout. Way high alcohol.

Date: May 3, 1996 (#1435)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 15½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Pale amber, low carbonation and head. Maltier aroma than I expected. Pretty bitter, pretty thick, pretty good malt flavor. I figured Bert's beer would be even hoppier than this.

Date: January 25, 1992 (#2508)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Yellow, pretty clear. Hoppy, but not as much as Drake's. Has a clove flavor like Spaten Club-Weiße. Suspicious...it tastes a lot like the Club-Weiße.

Date: September 14, 1996 (#1573)

Package: bottled

Place: Kona Wine Market, Kailua-Kona HI

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Extremely dark red, OK brown head. Sweet chocolate aroma, some hops. Sweet black malt, some cardboardy oxidation. Some bitterness but black malt dominates flavor and finish. "Best by 08/96".

Date: December 27, 1994 (#666)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Pale amber, thick white head. Spicy aroma, all right. Ginger, also in flavor. Perfect body to carry the spice. Finishes clean.

Date: December 18, 1993 (#2529)

Package: draught

Place: Lyon's Brewery, Dublin CA

Overall Impression
Spicy! Very nice indeed.

Date: April 24, 1996 (#1387)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Golden-amber, not much carbonation nor head. Definite wheat-malty aroma. Pretty big beer, pretty well-balanced. Lots of malt flavor, hops show up late. Even has some smoky notes.