BEER TASTING NOTES
The difference between beers and ales comes down to type of yeast used and the temperature at which they are brewed. The following are produced all year at Barrow Brewing: EVIL CATFISH IPA: Named for a Salado legend, this India Pale Ale has a clear, somewhat dark yellow color with excellent head and lacing (the residue left by the head on the glass). Fruity and refreshing smell and taste. CREEK DON’T RISE LAGER: Named for a rainy day in March when Salado Creek rose dangerously close to the brewery. Deep gold in color with a foamy head. The flavor is crisp, light and refreshing. Those new to craft beers will enjoy this one. 784 BELGIAN STYLE WHITE: Named for the number of Salado residents who voted to allow the brewery in 2014, this witte (white) beer tastes and smells of orange rind, coriander and a traditional Belgian yeast note. Color is a hazy yellow with a great head and good lacing. Clean finish. Witte fans will enjoy it. BIG BUBBLY BLONDE: Named for the springs near the brewery and made for hot Texas summers, this
is one of the lower ABV (alcohol by volume) beers offered, coming in at 4.5%. It has a strong hop punch like the Evil Catfish IPA, but with more of a malty backbone. TIPSY VICAR STOUT: This dark black English stout foams in a narrow, tan band with brown edges and very little lace. The aroma is reminiscent of chocolate, dark roast coffee and mildly earthy hop. Taste is dry, light, with a slight bitter roasted grain and somewhat fruity pear note. This is a favorite of dark beer and ale fans.
and brew experimental and small batches as often as possible. But 2020 brought some unexpected challenges to staying in business. “This pandemic has forced us to only offer beer to-go from the brewery. When we opened in 2016, Barrow became a place for community to happen and that has been taken away from us and from our customers/friends,” KD says, and the hurt is evident in her eyes as she speaks. “For the safety of the community, shutting down in this manner is the right thing to do, but we sorely miss our friendships and the life that we used to experience here on a daily basis. Personally, I have never been so sad or angry in my life. I really miss serving people.” To meet the challenges presented by the pandemic and required shutdowns, the company changed packaging ratios and shifted employees around to new work strategies. Barrow Brewing Co. began baking sourdough and beer bread that now is sold every Saturday morning at the farmer’s market on the brewery grounds. The brewery got approval from the Texas
14 FALL 2020 | TEX APPEAL
MYSTERY OF THE DEEP DIPA: DIPA stands for Double IPA, and this one is a heavy hitter with a 9.2% ABV and 86 IBU (International Bitterness Unit). It has a dark copper color with minimal white foam. The head fades fast leaving a lot of lace on the sides of the glass. The aroma is bready with hints of caramel and herbs. The taste is grainy, earthy, herbal and reminiscent of caramel. Visit barrowbrewing.com for their seasonal and rotating tap room offerings.
Alcoholic Beverage Commission to open for onpremise consumption on Aug. 7. The taproom is closed, but the Biergarten is open with food trucks on site. KD grew up in Florence and most of her family lives in Central Texas. Her parents moved to Salado a year after the brewery opened and are Barrow’s biggest advocates. Graydon’s daughter, Emily, has grown up watching them work to create a small business where employees thrive and where they can give back to the community. When asked what it was like working in the microbrew business, KD says she was ready for it. “I was in the Air Force then contracted with the Army, so I was ready for the male-dominated brewing world. I am honored to get to work with the creative, hard-working people here at Barrow as well as collaborate with our brewery friends,” she says. “Women are steadily gaining numbers and respect in this career field so it’s an exciting time to be here and get to encourage other women to explore craft beer.”