Great River Brewery - Roller Dam Red; 483 Pale Ale; Redband Stout; Oktoberfest

Brewed in Davenport, Iowa, part of the Quad Cities.

I first found Great River in 4-pack cans at the Bread Garden Market on the Ped Mall in Iowa City, Iowa.  They have a good selection of beer and wine, with many beers available as singles.  They are also a gourmet grocery store and deli.  I did not eat there, but the food I saw looked and smelled good.  They have a lot of outdoor seating too if the day is nice.

Roller Dam Red - This 5.4% ABV beer pours a reddish light-brown in color. The aroma is malty, roasted, toasted, almost nutty, caramel, not too sweet, but with a floral hop bitterness.  The taste follows the aromas and finishes nicely balanced and dry.  It is very drinkable. From the can: “We drink what we can and we can what we drink”. “Great River Brewery’s Roller Dam Red Ale is named for Mississippi River Lock and Dam No. 15, which is the largest roller dam in the world and just south of our brew house. Our red is brewed with English pale and two crystal malts, sterling hops and American ale yeast. This dam ale has a ruby red color and rich caramel flavor".

483 Pale Ale - pours a copper color with not much head.  The aroma of hops predominates.  You can tell this is a hop forward pale ale.  Flavor is first a deep rich malt followed immediately and finishing with a fragrant, dry hoppiness.  This beer is hop forward for a pale ale, as many American pale ales are, but still well balanced.    From the can: "Great River Brewery's 483 Pale Ale is named after our mile marker on the mighty Mississippi. A classic American pale ale, it uses generous amounts of centennial hops and a final dry hopping of cascades, creating a bold floral and citrus aroma with a balanced malt body".

Redband Stout - This is a stout with coffee added.  This particular four pack of cans came from the Liquor House liquor store on Gilbert Street in Iowa City, Iowa.  The coffee comes from their local coffee roaster, New Orleans who does an iced coffee the brewers love.  The coffee added to this stout is from Ethiopian and Indonesian beans.  The beer pours as dark as used motor oil with a tall half inch of nearly dark brown head.  The head dissipates fairly rapidly and leaves little lacing.  The beer is well carbonated.  The aroma is deep, dark, well-roasted iced coffee.  The taste is iced coffee predominantly, with the tart yet bitter and dry finish one would expect from a coffee stout.

Oktoberfest - This Marzen style beer is 5.9% ABV and pours a dark amber, burnt orange, light brown in color with a short head of off-white to light brown foam.  This four pack of cans came from Benz Beverage Depot in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  The aroma is lightly roasted caramel malt, nutty, and a light tangy fruitiness.  The taste is a nutty, roasted, toasted malt, caramel sweetness, yet a tang and dry bitterness on the finish.  Very good.

http://www.greatriverbrewery.com/