Sockeye Brewing has been in Boise since the early ’90s. One of Boise’s original breweries and for most all of that time has produced some well know quality beers we’re all well familiar with. The classic, and their flagship beer Dagger Falls IPA is one the the best selling brands in the region. A hoppy sturdy IPA that has been making appearances at backyard bar-b-ques and BSU tailgate parties for nearly 3 decades.
When the craft beer explosion, renaissance, awakening…whatever you want to call it, took over in the mid 2000’s, breweries starting popping up in the area every several months it seemed. Many of these places had to find their own niche, establishing their unique foothold in the growing local craft beer economy. Some were largely experimental and esoteric, others focused on German styles etc. Sockeye seemed to stick with what they already knew they did well. A standard line-up. An IPA, a Brown, an American wheat, an Amber and a Pale. These and a few rotating seasonals, the menu didn’t change that often and when something new did show up, it was pretty few and far between, It also disappeared…usually for good after a short time.
I’ve often told people, and written about this on numerous occasions. The most interesting part of the craft beer industry, for me as a consumer and beer nerd is the never ending variety of what I can get a pint of at a local brew-on-premise. With this in mind the now 30 some breweries in the area, out competed for my attention, and business. Over the last several years Sockeye had dropped off my frequent rotation due to what seemed to me, a strategy of sticking mainly to just their regular lineup.
Catch and Release
I’m happy to report that evidently this is no longer the case. Something clearly changed several months ago. There are now, and have been, regular appearances of uncommon, or lesser known styles and recipes. Rogenbiers, Italian Pilseners, Saisons, Vienna lagers etc, have all recently shown up on their new “Catch and Release” list. I have to think this change was at least partly set in motion from feedback and suggestions that reflected my own view.
I had a conversation with Derek at the West Boise location recently and he confirmed that this was/is an intentional change. Maybe it is a bit of “keeping up with the jones’s” or maybe just livening things up with some “fresh blood”. Either way, I’m loving it. I’ll still order a Dagger Falls at a local restaurant, with dinner, when I see it. These experimentals at the brewpub are just a lot of fun. I’ll be trying as many of then as I can as they are released.
There is also rumored to be a rye-barrel aged “Baklava Russian Imperial Stout” on the horizon. It still has at least a few months to go, before its ready for prime time. I’ll be watching for that one especially. But with these small batch experiments coming out more often, this Idaho craft beer icon is back in my wheelhouse.
-Cheers
lce3yp
pjy7kf