Tule Duck Red Ale, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, Nevada

Welcome to the Buckbean Brewing Co. Rubber Match. The Tule Duck Red Ale is the third of the Buckbean beers I have sampled, and so far I have had mixed reviews on the brewery. With trepidation I poured the Tule Duck into my stein and watched the frothy head emerge from the reddish brown sea of beer. The Red Ale was creamy with good malt flavoring. The beer ended with a nice fruity hop tone. I find that most red ales can go either way, and this one is definitely at the top of the spectrum. Yes, it comes in a can. Deal with it. Buckbean seems to be available only in the Nevada and the states surrounding it, so next time you are in Vegas, search it out. With a 6.2% ABV, you’ll at least get your bang for the buck. The Tule Duck Red Ale gets a 4.0.

Orange Blossom Original Ale, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, Nevada

With the temperatures in the sixties and the cherry blossoms in full bloom in DC, I decided to crack a brew on my porch and enjoy a lazy Sunday evening. Looking for something light, I picked out the Buckbean Brewing Orange Blossom Original Ale, breaking my unwritten rule of reviewing the same brewer twice in a row.

Cracking open the can, I was overwhelmed with the scent of oranges. I poured the orange brown elixir into my stein and went to work, that's if you consider sipping beers in wicker chairs working. And work it was, the orange blossom water dominated this beer, and my palette could not stand up to the onslaught of orange.

I had hoped the beer would resemble a light summery ale, instead I got something that resembles one of those Belgians I have a hard time with. Perhaps the hefeweizen and Belgian lovers would find this style more appealing, however I did not. It is very rare that I can't finish a beer, and this I couldn't make it more than halfway through.


The Orange Blossom Original Ale has a 5.2% ABV, and it receives the lowest rating I've given in a long time, 0.5.

I have another Buckbean Brewing beer in my fridge. I hope it resembles the Black Noddy Lager more than the Orange Blossom.

Black Noddy Lager, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, Nevada

So a couple of months ago I received an email telling me that there was a brewer in Nevada looking for some bloggers to post some reviews. I joined Twitter, sent a message and a few weeks later a box containing three varieties of Buckbean Brewing Co's beer showed up on my door. Due to the arctic cold that had descended on my doorstep this past weekend, I decided that the Black Noddy Lager was the way to go.

After travelling over 2,800 miles to reach my doorstep, I was a bit concerned whether the beers would tolerate the trip well, especially leaving the warmth of the Left Coast for the freezing temps of the East. I poured the Black Noddy into one of my favorite steins and hoped for the best. The Noddy was as black as advertised and poured with a monstrous tan frothy head. The taste matched its aroma of roasted coffee. There was a twinge of bitterness, but the beer finished very smooth. Halfway through my glass any concerns how the beer survived its Eastern journey were dispelled. Per my legal obligation I must mention that yes, this is a micro-brew served in a can. I’d have to say the biggest disappointment regarding the Black Noddy is that it only appears to be available in Nevada and California, which are two places I do not live. I think if you are looking for a dark beer with a Guinness feel, you wouldn’t be remiss to consider the Black Noddy. The Black Noddy gets a 4.0.