Long Live the Kingpin!
The Bar Pilot is seeing red
Posted by: John Chandler on Mar 04, 2011 at 03:00PM
7 Comments
I can’t remember the last time I had a “go-to” beer, one that exerted a pull so powerful that it caused me to ignore the sale-priced suds of the week and reach for a sixer no matter my financial circumstances. It’s like being in love: When you’re between relationships one tends to be very unsentimental and pragmatic when it comes to passing fancies. In other words, we buy whatever brew is on special. But when Cupid’s arrow finds its mark, and your palate pouts when there isn’t a bottle or two of your favorite in the fridge, the world is suddenly spilling over with choirs, unicorns, and the laughter of children—and that’s how Bridgeport’s Kingpin makes me feel.
Bridgeport’s head brewer Jeff Edgerton (who succeeded the legendary Karl Ockert last year after serving a 13-year apprenticeship with the company) explains that the triple-hopped red ale came about because he was looking for a new brew that would feature Liberty hops, a relatively recent strain with a lovely sweet aroma.
As we chat over the phone, it’s pretty obvious that Edgerton is every bit as jazzed as I am about his latest creation. We agree that it’s surprisingly light and drinkable for a 7.5 percent ABV ale and that Kingpin’s full-bodied “candy orange” citrus flavor is a revelation. The balance of rye and malt is seamless, and even with three loads of hops added during the brewing process, it’s a well-rounded taste with almost no trace of lingering bitterness. Aesthetically, the beer is a rock star from Mars; a deep, rich red in the glass that’s like staring into a warm, ruby infinity. This is a beer that inspires poetry.
The best news of all, Edgerton says, is that Kingpin is a permanent addition to the Bridgeport roster. It also dawned on me that in all the time I’ve been reporting on the local beer brigade, I’ve said very little about Bridgeport. This isn’t because I don’t care for their product—far from it. Bridgeport is as dependable as a bus driver with OCD, and all of their beers are consistently high quality. Blue Heron, Bridgeport IPA, and ESB, are like model employees that you never have to worry about. And now they have a rising star on their hands. So where did the name come from?
“The original idea for the Kingpin label was kind of mafia-inspired,” Edgerton says. “But a lot of people have brought up a bowling connection because of that Woody Harrelson movie.” If I had Kingpin at my local bowling alley, every game would be perfect.
Tags: Bridgeport Brewing New Beer
Damn, sounds good. Gonna have to get me some of that. There are way too many quality brews in this town for me to choose a favorite, but I’m currently really enjoying Deschutes Green Lakes Oragnic Ale, which goes down frighteningly easy.
Shiner Bock, of course. It’s an Austin thing.
Blue Heron from the tap fills in nicely here in Portland on sunny summer afternoons.
if it inspires poetry, let’s hear some
I’m not really sure what Jeff’s talking about. Liberties became a commercial strain about 20 years ago—and were in development in the early 80s. (And he must know that.) See here, for example: http://www.yakimachief.com/hopvarieties/liberty.html
Kingpin is not my cup of beer, but that’s the beauty of beer: so many cups!
@Jeff: I’m sure it was my fault and I probably quoted him out of context. :(
Alas, I cannot join you in your love affair with this particular brew. I must have things gluten free. Current fave in that department is Greens. Expensive. But, oh soooooooo worth it. 2nd runner up is New Grist. But, I say that hoping that more people will come up with more GF options. Getting bored of the fact that there are only about 4 possible selections at the grocery store, and usually one or none in bars/restaurants.
That said, I hope you enjoy a long a fruitful love affair with Kingpin. At least, until a new aromatic hoppy hussy steals your affections.
My go to beer is Laugunitas Maximus. I love a strong IPA, and it’s technically very economical, because one bottle will get you pretty buzzed. This is the reason I usually never buy the whole six pack.