Lantern Brewing

Lantern Brewing  15Jan2017

A small sign on the corner of the building announces Lantern Brewing's presence

 Lantern Brewing is a block off of Aurora on N 95^th, which makes all the difference in ambiance. The neighborhood transitions from semi-industrial to residential mid-block.

The front door is inviting even though utilitarian buildings such as this one are hard to dress up 

Lantern is, for the most part, a production brewery with limited taproom hours. I endangered the execution of my dinner duties by paying a late afternoon visit.

As you enter the front door the bar is on your immediate right and beyond is the brewing area

The brewery building is a pretty standard warehouse structure with only a sandwich board to guide you in. As you walk in the front door you can see the bar to your immediate right and the brewery proper beyond the seating area, also on your right. The taproom atmosphere is pretty standard industrial warehouse and a bit drafty in the winter. Behind the bar the beer list is plainly evident with short descriptions of each beer. Pints, schooners and taster flights are all available. I opted for 8 tastes of the 10 beers on offer.

The beer list

Tasting Notes:

Pumpkin Ale (5.9% ABV): Murky orange. Fruity, phenolic aroma. Subtle squash flavor and no spices. Sweet, Belgian yeast phenols. Full body. Sweet finish.

Dubbel (6.3% ABV): Murky reddish brown. Subdued Belgian character. Sweet and bitter. Bitter finish. Full body. A bit smokey.

Brio (5.5% ABV): Spicy bready aroma. Dark yellow color slightly hazy. Dry, hoppy but low bitterness, with fairly neutral yeast profile. Sessionable.

Au Brun (5.6% ABV): Light red and clear. Hoppy and phenolic aroma. Dry. Bitter finish. Moreish.

From l to r front row: Pumpkin, Stout; second row Bonneville, Au Brun; third row Dubbel, Trippel, Brio, Sombre

Bonneville (7.2% ABV, 73 IBU): Dark red and clear. Mostly hops and some phenols in the aroma. Dry, full body, bitter hop on the nose. Dry finish with lingering bitterness and hop aroma.

Trippel (10.1% ABV): Pale gold and clear. Fruity phenolic aroma. Full body, dry, low bitterness. Dry finish. Hides its alcohol well.

Sombre (11.0% ABV): Black with red highlights. House yeast aroma. Roast malt flavor - both sweet and dry. Dry finish.

Stout (5.5% ABV): Opaque Black. Roasted malt aroma. Burnt malt flavor with low bitterness. House yeast adds complexity.

Happiness is visiting a brewery when the brewer is behind the bar ready to answer questions from a pestering beer blagger. The brewer explained how he manipulates parameters of the yeast pitch to attenuate or amplify the profile of esters and phenols. In that way he can attain a more neutral profile for the stout or a more intense Belgian character for the Dubbel and Trippel. Even though the brewery is a block from Aurora the proximity to residential areas gives the clientele a neighborhood feel. The vibe is friendly and homey even in an industrial warehouse setting. Lantern does beer differently than many other local breweries and in that way is not another “me too” kind of place. The visit was worthwhile and I did make it back home in time to serve dinner.