Northwest Bierhaus Jerky - Hot IPA

Northwest Bierhaus Jerky is a brand owned by GJ Products, based out of Clackamas, OR. It's run by Glenn Loehr who started it in 2015.

The company also owns, "Oregon Wine Country Jerky". Together, the two brands infuse the flavors of craft beer and wine from the Pacific Northwest, and target the tourist and gift basket markets.

This, "Hot IPA" variety is described by the company as blending the, "bold aroma of bitter, flavorful IPA beer with the spicy WOW of premium cut beef".

Ingredients

Beef, beer, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, black pepper, red chili flake, celery powder

Review

The first flavors that hit my palate is a light garlic and onion seasoning, with a light sweet. There's also a light chile pepper flavor. The chewing brings on teriyaki style flavor, with a light bit of heat building. I can also pick up a bit more chile pepper.

For being marketed as, "Hot IPA", it definitely has some heat to it, but it's hard to pick up the IPA. I can detect flavors that suggest the sharp, pungent hops, and even touches of malt, but it's hard to discern from the chile pepper, and other seasonings. Suffice it to say, the IPA does not jump out at you. Otherwise, the level of heat sits at "medium" on my personal heat scale (level 3 out of 5).

The primary taste profile is comparable to a teriyaki style jerky, with some chile pepper flavor, light garlic and onion seasonings, and a medium level of heat.

The meat consistency looks great. These are thick strips of whole muscle, appearing lean with no visible signs of fat. Chewing is chewy, and slightly tough at first, but breaks apart easily. It takes on a meaty feel, with a little bit of a steak-like texture. Handling is sticky.

Verdict

This Hot IPA Beef Jerky from Northwest Bierhaus delivers a fair amount of heat along with some chile pepper seasonings, but didn't seem to go far enough into the bitter, floral flavors of a hoppy IPA. There's at best just faint hints of malt and hops in the background, but they're difficult to identify against the stronger chile pepper, garlic, and onion. Otherwise, what this jerky offers is mostly a typical blend of spices found in hot beef jerky. The meat consistency, as it turns out, is this jerky best quality. Thick, meaty strips feel substantial and offer a satisfying chewing experience. Overall, this jerky is snackable, but still seems average, and doesn't provide any of that Oregon craft beer experience.

Rating: Average