COOP reveals new 3.2 brews

[bchris02]

Oklahoma City brewery unveils low-point canned beers | News OK

This is good news. Ever found yourself wanting beer and its Sunday or after 9PM? Now there is no need to settle for an Anheuser-Busch product that has simply been watered down to 3.2 ABV. I look forward to trying these to see if they really were able to pull off a low ABV without sacrificing flavor.

[TheTravellers]

Oklahoma City brewery unveils low-point canned beers | News OK

This is good news. Ever found yourself wanting beer and its Sunday or after 9PM? Now there is no need to settle for an Anheuser-Busch product that has simply been watered down to 3.2 ABV. I look forward to trying these to see if they really were able to pull off a low ABV without sacrificing flavor.

Maybe it's 'cos of my high tolerance, but I find 3.2 to be worthless (and yes, I drink beer to get a buzz, not just 'cos I like the taste, which I do), have to drink way too many and pee way too much to get to that sweet spot. And while COOP has some good beers, most of theirs are just too hoppy for me. :-( I do hope they work well and help to get people to stop drinking that rocky mountain goat p*ss that so many drink by the case here, though.

[Mel]

Better than O'Doul's, you get all the fun of feeling bloated and p!ssy without that nasty buzz thingy. <this is meant as a joke.

It would be nice to have some kind of a good alternative to the mostly nasty, but cold, bear whizz beer they have at Quickie Mart.

[Spartan]

Why bother?

This is a horrible idea, and I would have thought COOP to be above this.

[kevinpate]

Why bother is simple. Money, money, money.

[TheTravellers]

Why bother is simple. Money, money, money.

Yep, that's pretty much the only reason any companies do anything in America any more. :-( But yes, COOP does see an entry into a market they previously haven't "tapped", so they can sell their beer at grocery stores, 7-11s, etc., along with Mustang Brewing, who has created a 3.2 beer (or maybe more than one). They call them "session" beers, so you can drink 8-10 of them before getting a buzz, and they can sell more... I just have no desire to drink that many beers at a time, I don't like the taste *that* much.

[onthestrip]

Why bother?

This is a horrible idea, and I would have thought COOP to be above this.

Probably because they realize the chances of changing any liquor laws soon is an unlikely thing. Its sad that it has to come to this. Why does Oklahoma hate freedom and consumer choice?

[bchris02]

Anybody tried these? I have tried Briefcase Brown but haven't tried the others yet. In my opinion Briefcase Brown is a very good beer and is proof that low alcohol does not have to mean lack of taste. I look forward to trying the others and am happy that decent tasting beer can now be purchased from the grocery store.

[Easy180]

Anybody tried these? I have tried Briefcase Brown but haven't tried the others yet. In my opinion Briefcase Brown is a very good beer and is proof that low alcohol does not have to mean lack of taste. I look forward to trying the others and am happy that decent tasting beer can now be purchased from the grocery store.

What grocery store was it in?

[bchris02]

What grocery store was it in?

Homeland on 122nd and Rockwell. I've also seen them at Uptown Grocery in Edmond.

[okclee]

Homeland 18th and Classen has the new Coop as well.

[RadicalModerate]

I just picked up a Four-Pack of the Spare Rib at the local Buy For Less. What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste . . . Especially if you like a hoppy, hoppy, hoppy brew. I'd buy this again. It was a dollar less than what I usually get (Dox XX Amber).

That being said, the other day, at Flip's I had the best all around brew I've ever tasted.
Anthem Urobourous Stout. They actually had it on tap. I was amazed in every sense of the word.

But this thread is about Coop 3.2. As I said: I'd buy this again. In fact, I'm interested in trying that other one "Negative Split" or whatever.

(btw: O'Doul's Amber tastes a lot better than Budweiser to me.)

Once again: What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste. (and labeling.)

[TheTravellers]

I just picked up a Four-Pack of the Spare Rib at the local Buy For Less. What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste . . . Especially if you like a hoppy, hoppy, hoppy brew. I'd buy this again. It was a dollar less than what I usually get (Dox XX Amber).

That being said, the other day, at Flip's I had the best all around brew I've ever tasted.
Anthem Urobourous Stout. They actually had it on tap. I was amazed in every sense of the word.

But this thread is about Coop 3.2. As I said: I'd buy this again. In fact, I'm interested in trying that other one "Negative Split" or whatever.

(btw: O'Doul's Amber tastes a lot better than Budweiser to me.)

Once again: What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste. (and labeling.)

RadMod, if you haven't already, you should try some of Prairie's brews (Prairie Bomb, Christmas Bomb, Pirate Noir, Pirate Bomb, Bible Belt, etc.), I like them better than the Anthem Stout (Anthem makes great brews, agreed)...

[blangtang]

I just picked up a Four-Pack of the Spare Rib at the local Buy For Less. What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste . . . Especially if you like a hoppy, hoppy, hoppy brew. I'd buy this again. It was a dollar less than what I usually get (Dox XX Amber).

That being said, the other day, at Flip's I had the best all around brew I've ever tasted.
Anthem Urobourous Stout. They actually had it on tap. I was amazed in every sense of the word.

But this thread is about Coop 3.2. As I said: I'd buy this again. In fact, I'm interested in trying that other one "Negative Split" or whatever.

(btw: O'Doul's Amber tastes a lot better than Budweiser to me.)

Once again: What it lacks in body, it makes up for in taste. (and labeling.)

That grocery store version of Negative Split is listed at 3.7 % alc/vol. your pic for Spare Rib is 4 %. how come other "higher" point brews aren't in the grocery stores yet?

[RadicalModerate]

I realize that this thread is about The Heresy of A Local Craft Brewery--specifically, COOP Ale Works--veering from its supposed or pre-conceived mission of providing fine finished products of The Brewer's Art--so I will apologize, in advance, for what follows. I have no axe to grind neither do I have a dog nor a chicken in this fight . .

I first enjoyed this, at Flip's, when I asked if they had a dark beer on tap.
And enjoyed it in a glass very much like this.
Except, as I said, from a tap rather than a can.


Trust me on this: This brew is so overflowing with rich flavor, with a hint of sweetness, that you only want to enjoy one of them at a time. Perhaps why they are sold in a 4-Pack. With those cool, substantial-looking, can binders.

.

[RadicalModerate]

They say, never judge a book by it's cover.
The same thing could apply to a brew by it's can.
So let's do an A/B comparison . . .

[RadicalModerate]

Especially bad is judging by only the front side of the can.
I was checking to be sure that "By Weight"/"By Volume" content
was properly displayed and duly noted. Apparently, it was.

[RadicalModerate]

The coolest part of all was exploring the "Proper Use" Instructions.
And the food pairings.


I don't always drink beer . . . but when I do, I prefer beer that tastes good.
Regardless of where purchased or the so-called alcohol content.

[RadicalModerate]

Did I forget to mention the amazing non-juxtaposition of "Wind Powered" and a picture of an Anvil?
(On the can labeling?) COOP 3.2 ain't half as bad as some ^ might say it might be. =)

Edited to Add (for the sake of context, detail and authentic texture =):

The nice waiter/greeter/bartender at Flips, in response to my inquiry regarding the immediate availability of "something dark on tap?" replied, "Yes we have something from a local brewery . . ."

"Sounds great to me," I interrupted, "I'll have one of those."

After I enjoyed the meal (a nearly perfect pasta and seafood dish) shared in the company of my sweet wife and soulmate, on a very special afternoon, I just had to ask the waiter/bartender what that brew was.

The server replied, " . . . I know that I'm going to butcher the pronunciation . . . but I think it's 'You-Row-Bore-Ohs'".

To apologize for his mispronunciation (and in appreciation of my introduction to a good way to combine all of the basic components of The Brewers' Art, including CanSignage =):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros

Making a 3.2 version of this beverage could be challenging.

[Urbanized]

You're not going to be able to do a 3.2 stout. And I agree, Anthem does do a good job. Also Roughtail in MWC. I also like Prairie Artisan Ales a lot at times, though they can be wildly inconsistent.

Most of the other state breweries have been concentrating on watery switch beers, trying to dumb down beer for the Bud-swilling audience that dominates beer sales in the state. COOP for a long time was the standard-bearer for beer snobbery, going in the complete opposite direction and brewing complex and sophisticated flavor profiles. They assumed that there were a lot of people here who were either frustrated hop heads or who would easily develop a more sophisticated palate if only given a chance. They were right. It's really good now to see breweries like Roughtail and Anthem picking up the same flag and running with it.

As for the "heresy" of COOP brewing 3.2, I completely disagree. Their mission is to give as many people as possible a local beer option, AND to convert new people to drinking local. Considering the fact that by far the most package beer sold in this state comes from grocery and convenience stores - and that many drinkers either wouldn't think to buy beer at a liquor store or might not even have one in close proximity - 3.2 is the best way to reach many consumers. Besides that fact, it's also a good option for their regular customer if that person runs out of brew on a Sunday or during non-liquor store hours.

Also, by offering 3.2 it enables them to more easily support festivals with their beer trailer and fundraisers, etc., as rules are different for 3.2 in regards to discounts/free and the ability to sell to someone and let that person then take the beer outside of a controlled premises.

Plus, I honestly think they enjoyed the professional challenge of brewing 3.2 and keeping high-quality flavor profiles, which flies in the face of commonly-held notions.

[Teo9969]

That grocery store version of Negative Split is listed at 3.7 % alc/vol. your pic for Spare Rib is 4 %. how come other "higher" point brews aren't in the grocery stores yet?

by volume not by weight. You cannot sell a beer that is more than 3.2% Alcohol by weight in grocery stores, and neither the Negative Split nor Spare Rib are.

[Dubya61]

I also like Prairie Artisan Ales a lot at times, though they can be wildly inconsistent.

That's good to hear, because I gave up on Prairie based on a six-pack (four?) I bought at the recommendation of a liquor store owner / representative for a local wheat beer. It was probably the ONLY wheat beer I've disliked. Good to hear that it may have been a bad representation of a local brewery.

[bchris02]

by volume not by weight. You cannot sell a beer that is more than 3.2% Alcohol by weight in grocery stores, and neither the Negative Split nor Spare Rib are.

This is why it's so funny when people around here try to act like a Texas Bud Light gets them twice as drunk as an Oklahoma Bud Light. In Oklahoma it's actually 4.0 while in Texas it's usually somewhere between 4.0 and 5.0 for domestics. I hear people all the time say they have to drink two beers to have the same effect as one beer everywhere else and I try to tell them it's not true but a lot of times they don't believe me. That's not to say 3.2 beer doesn't matter - it does, it matters A LOT, but it's because of flavor and the way the big brewers modify their product to comply with the 3.2 beer law, not the buzz you get.

[Easy180]

Just picked up two four packs at the Homeland at 104th & S Penn so us south siders have at least one location to try these out

I asked the cashier if they had sold very many and he said this is the first time I have seen these lol

[pw405]

YES!!

Good thing about these is that bars can put them on happy hour discounts/etc!!

Very glad to have some local, quality, 3.2 options. Not a huge fan of 3.2, but primarily because I can't stand drinking Bud/Miller/Coors garbage.