Beer of the Week: Denim Tuxedo

From the Beer Writer: When it comes to consuming adult beverages, we all have to start somewhere. My first alcoholic beverage (if you can even call it that) was Bacardi 151 rum on the rocks. Actually, it was four straight orders of that…at the dearly departed Rock Bottom La Jolla where there were award-winning beers just an empty rum bottle’s throw away. Fortunately, my first beer experience went better, with my friends ordering me an Arrogant Bastard Ale and setting me on a course that would change my life for the better. But you know, I still have a soft spot for that 151. Some beverages hold a special place in our hearts…and that’s OK. It’s great, in fact, because celebrating our roots and scads of fun memories made over simple liquid pleasures is a wonderful thing. So, I tip my cap to the co-founders of Oceanside’s Northern Pine Brewing, who paid tribute to some of their long-time, low-frills faves when brewing up their Canadian-style pilsner, Denim Tuxedo. Crafted to emulate easy-drinking offerings from Labatt Brewing, this recently tapped, hilariously named number is straw gold in color, with a bantamweight body and clean, refreshing finish. And it’s one of the first in a line of lagers that Northern Pine has in the hopper. For more on that and the origins of this week’s featured beer, read on…maybe with some Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne or Nickelback playing. No…there’s never a reason for Nickelback…ever.

From the Brewery: “We all have that one classic ‘light beer’ that’s our go-to. The one you take camping, the one you have while rooting on your favorite team, and the one that is always part of your beer fridge no matter how into craft beer you are. For myself and my husband, Aaron, that beer is Kokanee, and for our business partner and fellow brewery, Bobby Parsons, it’s Labatt Blue. Occasionally, we can find Labatt Blue at one of our favorite watering holes in Oceanside, which is owned and operated by two brothers, the Raes, who are from Canada. The Raes keep it simple with just three beers on tap—something dark, something hoppy and something light—and, to their surprise, we are always excited when Labatt Blue is part of the line-up. Denim Tuxedo was inspired by Kokanee, Labatt Blue and the Rae’s, and we are all thrilled with how it turned out. This beer is light and crisp with a slightly sweet finish and comes in at just 5%, so there is room for more than just one. Since reopening after the shutdowns, we have started brewing more and more lagers and pilsners, and we are so excited to have these beers added to our already diverse line-up. First up was a Mexican Lager, then this Canadian-style pilsner, and next will be a German Noble pilsner followed by a Czech-style pilsner. We love brewing lagers and pilsners, and we are working them into our brew schedule so that we will always have at least one on tap. Come on by and give this pilsner a go, eh?”—Anne Ortega, Co-founder & COO, Northern Pine Brewing