BIG RED & BOURBON BLACK JACK

It's an art house film! It's a wild West duo! No, it's my meal last night at The Ram.

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Big Red IPA, an India Pale Ale by the Ram Restaurant & Brewery, Puyallup South Hill

The eighteen-ounce shaker glass arrived filled with a hazy orange/yellow-orange ale with a thin white head. This thin head left behind copious bands of lacing behind as the glass was drained.

The primary aroma was of citrus, mostly orange. There were no secondary aromas that I could detect.

Big Red tasted of citrus—mostly grapefruit, with a hint of orange for good measure. It was bitter, but not too bitter. In fact, it was less bitter than I expected for an IPA. Background flavors included wheat, a light earthiness, and an ever so faint of cardboard box.

The flavors were clean and crisp and were followed by an average finish. Big Red wasn't spectacular in any particular way, but it was good and solid. I would order it again.

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My Bourbon Black Jack hamburger was good. A sourdough-style hamburger bun held in the goodies, which included the medium grilled patty that was rolled in cracked black pepper, whiskey mustard, a generous slice of pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion.

Upon visual inspection, it appears to be way too much cracked black pepper. But it isn't. Even though the burger is smothered in it, it pulls forth an extra added spiciness from the meat. It was the right amount of pepper.

I was also worried that the whiskey and mustard wouldn't work well together, but, surprise, they did. The smooth and mellow flavors of the whiskey complemented the tanginess of the mustard.

And not only did the disparate flavors of the burger work well together, but they also worked very well with Big Red.

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I had Homemade Ram Chips as a side. They were the standout piece of the meal. They arrived warm, crisp, and lightly salted. They were the closest thing to a sublime potato chip experience that I have ever had.

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All in all: a good meal. Recommended.