247: Big Bison Ale

Here’s three interesting things that come to my mind when I think about bison.

• There’s a lot of talk now about farmed fish, and how more and more fish consumed in the US is no longer wild, but farmed. Crazy, right? But a recent NPR story made a pretty interesting paralell: before 1800-something, there were as many as 100 million bison (aka buffalo) in the US. Now there are … 100 million cows. Wild red meat replaced with domestic red meat (numbers from memory and may not be wholly accurate).
• This beer. Not exactly memorable, but given a hair more alcohol and slightly more complexity, this could be a 5-star beer.
• A really great book by one of my favorite writers on his experience hunting a wild bison in Alaska. Yep, apparently there are bison in Alaska. Who knew? I guess we’ll call that half a thing, bringing the total to 3.5.

Beer Name: Big Bison Ale
Brewer: Crown Valley Brewing
Price: $1.50 ($8.99 for mixed-six)
Sampled: September 4, 2010
Rating: 3/5
Notes: Yeasty aroma. Very fine and dry, with some spicy plums. Sort of an odd, minerally finish, but I like this concept – a dry, plummy dubbel.
ABV: 7.2% abv
IBU: N/A
OG N/A
TG N/A
Serving Type: Bottle.