Beer in Review: Mission Street Brown Ale
Trader Joes is an extraordinary place. They are a microcosm of good things. I don’t go there enough, simply because there are no locations close to where I live. That being said, when I do go, I always find something interesting. In this case, I picked up a couple of bottles of Mission Street beers; their brown ale and their hefeweizen.
The Mission Street Brown Ale is brewed by Steinhaus Brewing Company based out of Paso Robles. While I have no “smoking gun” so-to-speak, I suspect that Firestone Walker Brewing Company contract brews many of the Trader Joes beers; the Mission Street label being one of the most decorated. It is not uncommon for other breweries to contract brew for other companies. Trader Joes not only uses Firestone Walker to make some of their beers but Gordon Biersch as well (for their Joseph Brau Brewing label).
At the 2008 Great American Beer Festival, Firestone Walker won both gold and bronze in the American Pale Ale category for their Mission Street Pale Ale and Pale 31 beers respectively. One of these days, I’m going to have to try both those beers in a blind side-by-side to see if I can discern the difference between the two beers. I think it’s awesome that Firestone Walker took both gold and bronze but I think it would’ve been more hilarious if it was the same recipe that won gold and bronze.
Steinhaus Brewing Company (aka Firestone Walker Brewing Company), Mission Street Brown Ale, 5.7%
Mission Street Brown Ale pours out a relatively clear, very brown ale with slight ruby highlights and a beige/tan head. The aroma has a toasted malt quality with a chocolate undertone. Once the beer warmed up some, I picked up slight caramel and alcohol aromas. The flavor is more roasted malt than toasted malt. There is still some chocolate notes in the flavor as well as some nutty and caramel character. Hop flavor is low, hop bitterness is low. This beer is medium/medium-high in body with matching carbonation with a “wet” mouthfeel. I can taste a slight alcohol flavor in the finish.
With several brown ale styles around, I am not sure what to compare this beer to. So I won’t. I will say that when compared to the English brown ales I’ve had in the past, this Mission Street Brown Ale is much more fuller bodied with a more complex flavor profile. I purchased a 22oz bottle and this was a size you could easily share with several friends, especially if all you wanted to do was taste the beer.
There is a wide range of flavors in this beer and I can see this being paired with a variety of things. That being said, I can easily see this being a dessert beer. There is a bit of malt sweetness, along with nutty, caramel and chocolate flavors a chef can play with.
Here’s the absolute best thing about this beer: I paid less than $4 for it! (Well, the flavor is probably the best thing but the price is pretty damn good as well).
July 13th, 2010 at 5:54 am
My only concern about buying beer at Trader Joe’s, and it’s not a small one, is sometimes the beer has that cardboardy taste that suggests it’s rather old. And so while I don’t consider Trader Joe’s much for beer anymore, I might give this one a whirl.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:28 am
I thought the Brown Ale was pretty average, as was the Hefeweizen. Not bad for $2 (that’s what I thought I paid…could have been more).
Some info on Trader Joe’s beers (something that I’ve been interested in myself), Goose Island brews a couple of their beers, Firestone Walker brews the Mission Street line as well as the Jumping Cow beers. Unibroue brews the Vintage Ale and there are many other brewers around the world that contribute to their other selections, including Miller.
According to someone who would know, the recipe for the Mission Street pale and Pale 31 is definitely a different recipe, as is the recipe used for the house pale ale that Firestone sells to various establishments. I would assume then that the IPA, Hefe and Brown Ale are all their own unique recipes, if not inspired by the award winning versions brewed under the Firestone label.
July 13th, 2010 at 8:40 am
@Derrick - I can see how some of the beers at Trader Joes can be oxidized. They may not have the turnover that a Whole Foods or BevMo does. Also, because these are essentially “house labels”, people might not pick them up because of poor brand recognition outside of Trader Joes.
@Mario - Good to hear that they’re different recipes. If it was the same recipe though, the amusement I find comes mainly from the judging perspective as opposed to the brewery one.
July 13th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Hi Peter,
Having worked at Trader Joe’s when I was younger I have a little insight. The beer is never refrigerated and it can stay in the warehouse or stockroom indefinitely. They also don’t rotate the stock because it is not considered a perishable item. I also know from a manager that they try not to let people know if and who brews the beer for them. I think that would be a great selling point, but maybe not.
I reviewed the Brown a couple weeks ago, but didn’t do as well as you did. It is taking some time, but I think I am finally getting used blogging. I find I taste more beer than I can write about, not a bad position to be in I guess.
Mike
July 13th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
@Mike - While that’s a little disappointing to hear, I’m not surprised. If taken care of well, beer can last a long time. I think the “house brands” are fun, in a kitschy sort of way but there’s no harm in people knowing who really makes their beers. From a consumer standpoint, we all tend to go for “name brands” as opposed to generic brands. Why not poke fun of the fact they have their beers contract brewed? Instead of “Steinhaus Brewing Company”, why not name it “Firestein Walkhaus Brewing Company” or something equally tongue-in-cheek?
July 13th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Two-tiered marketing is a common technique companies use to sell at the high and low end, and usually, the low end product is sold under a different name so as not to dilute the status of the high end name. And that’s what Unibroue andFirestone-Walker, are doing selling at Trader Joe’s under different names.
I’m trying to think of different examples in other industries, but am drawing a blank.