Beer of the Week: Three Beagles

From the Beer Writer: It’s harder than it might seem for brewers to stick to their guns in this day and age. While most open their own breweries to “make the kind of beer I like to drink” and “respect the traditions of old-world brewers”, no matter how passionate, they often have to make concessions to a consumer base that is obsessed with the next shiny new toy. Those flashy playthings include over-fruited kettle sours, smoothie-style ales, pastry stouts and, of course, the hazy IPA. While there are plenty of brewers who appreciate and enjoy crafting these modern-day styles, there are a great many purists who have no desire to do so. Yet, most have to in order to keep their breweries going and appeal to as many potential patrons as possible. So it’s remarkable to see local brewer Jeff Bagby not only continue to unapologetically brew precisely the old-school styles he wants to–and nothing else–but rack up accolades for them in the process. You’ll find 20-plus house beers on-tap at his Oceanside brewpub, Bagby Beer Co., the majority of which will be traditional takes on ales and lagers of U.K., Irish, Belgian, German and Czech origin. They’re the beers he and his wife, Dande, adore and have traveled all over Europe to not only enjoy but study in an attempt to create the most on-the-nose versions of them on this side of the Atlantic. It’s something he’s been very successful at. Even before going into business for himself, he had earned more medals than any brewer  in the history of the prestigious Great American Beer Festival. And over the past eight years he has continued to pad his lead in the department, most recently with this week’s featured beer, Three Beagles. A mainstay at Bagby Beer from the very beginning, it earned a silver medal in the English-style Brown Ale category at this year’s GABF. No, it’s not what all the kids are talking about, a score for the secondary beer-trade market or the might-as-well-be-an-alternative beverage your friend who doesn’t really like beer will settle for. It’s beer. Traditional, old-world, beer-flavored-beer done exceptionally well. Drink it and (if you’re old enough) prepare to be reminded of what good beer was before lactose and London III came into the picture.

From the Brewer: “Three Beagles is a beer we’ve been brewing at Bagby Beer since we opened. It was named for our original three dogs and was inspired by some of the darker ales brewed in parts of the U.K. For us, this beer is perfect. It showcases dark malt flavors and aromas while not being sweet or cloying. The body is light and it finishes dry. It’s a very pleasant, easy-drinker that pairs well with a wide range of food. What more could you want in a beer? Try one. We believe it will be one of the best beers you’ve had in a long time.”—Jeff Bagby, Co-owner & Brewmaster, Bagby Beer Co.