Presented on the menu at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in Memphis as a Kolsch, I was excited to try Flying Dog Tire Bite (Frederick, Maryland). I’m a big, big fan of the Alaskan Brewing Company’s Kolsch, so I had high hopes for Tire Bite. Unfortunately, Tire Bite was a bit of a disappointment.
Tire Bite poured bright and golden into my pint glass, and quickly dissipated without head or lacing around the glass. Before taking a first sip, I noticed a grainy and faintly tart aroma. The first flavor I tasted was tart apple, but this was quickly replaced with intense cereal that while pleasant enough, was quite bland. Flying Dog describes this brew as being pretty hoppy, but Tire Bite’s cereal flavors were so prominent that I didn’t notice any hoppiness at all.
The downfall of Tire Bite is its lack of body. Overall, this beer isn’t objectionable; I could see myself drinking a few of these at a party if they happened to be in the cooler. However, Tire Bite was pretty watery, and for a summer-type beer, that’s saying something. I give Tire Bite 64 points out of 100.
Photo: GroovyBrew.com
I really like Flying Dog. Old Scratch is one of my favorite beers.