Heirloom Rustic Ales
Whether you think the Chinese proverb “may you live in interesting times” is a blessing or a curse probably comes down to whether you’re a glass half-full or half-empty kind of person. Regardless of your outlook on life, when it comes to Oklahoma beer and how fully our pint glasses are filled, we DO live in interesting times.
Since that famous 2017 vote on all things alcohol, aspiring breweries have been popping up faster than Sonic can race Quiktrip to the nearest vape-less corner lot (P.S. that’s really fast). As an equal opportunity drinker, I try my best to toil through the grueling work of sampling them all as part of the sacrifices I make for you, the loyal reader. The result of which, besides getting bigger belts for Christmas every year, is that every now and then I get to try something special that should be on your “Oklahoma Bucket List.” One item that should definitely be on that list is a visit to Heirloom Rustic Ales located in the Kendall Whittier district near Admiral and Lewis.
The first thing you will notice is how un-taproom-like their taproom is. Instead of feeling like an overgrown man-cave, the taproom at Heirloom feels much more inviting, like a neighborhood coffee shop or bistro. Melissa French, one of the owners, told me that her goal was to create something that was welcoming to everyone and that reached out to the community. Coming from a seasoned taproom explorer, I can assure you that Heirloom captures the right balance of class and function.
So, now that you know what a great place it is, you’re probably wondering about the beer. Is the beer great too? Oh the beer…the wonderful beer. If you know anything about me from previous writing, you will know that I’m a bit of a traditionalist. It’s not that I shun progress, but I have a profound appreciation for the art of craftsmanship and the delayed gratification of maintaining the integrity of a demanding process. Enter Jake Miller. Aside from having an awesome first name, Jake’s approach to beer is like that of a master woodworker building a boat by hand. And just as the name Heirloom suggests, Jake makes beer the way beer would have been made generations ago. From the diligent sourcing of ingredients to the open oak fermenting vessel that would make the technophile gadget brewer’s head explode, Jake’s insistence on keeping the old ways alive has given Heirloom a unique flavor line-up that simply can’t be found in mega-breweries (and certainly not anywhere else in Oklahoma).
With a penchant for saisons, Jake continually challenges the definition of a craft brew. At the taproom, you can sample brews containing locally sourced ingredients such as mulberry, plums, and sumac (yes, sumac and no, not the poisonous variety, at least not until Beer Fest comes to Tulsa). Or try a REAL lager brewed with ten different grains! This one is so demanding that it’s only done once a year. And this is not an attempt at niche marketing; a saison (the French word for season) was traditionally sourced from what was available in the area at that time for a true “farm to table” beer.
Your Go To Beer: Whitecaps; Pilsner Urquell
Official Description: A further evolution of our foeder (465 gallon oak vat) fermented pilsner. Drawing inspiration from the early batches of Pilsner Urquell and the hop focus of Tipopils, this beer is brewed with 100% German heritage barley and fermented with our house lager yeast at frigid temperatures in an oak foeder and dry hopped modestly with fresh tettnang. This beer reminds us of butterfly gardens next to the woodfire bagel bakery after the summer thunderstorm has subsided.
Summary: This is your summer beer. It’s refreshing without being too light and has a finish that makes you feel like you just accomplished something like mowing the lawn…even if you just sat on a barstool.
My Personal Favorite: Barrel Aged Nightcall
Summary: Full disclosure – I am a bourbon guy so this beer made me want to re-evaluate my life. It’s amazing. I would have it on tap in my kitchen if they could keep up with the volume I would consume. It tastes like sitting in a leather chair next to a fireplace in a chalet while you quietly contemplate the fate of your enemies.
In addition to the owners, the team at Heirloom is made up of about half a dozen people. During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting with Caleb (bartender/brewing) and Jessica (Taproom Manager). The philosophy of quality isn’t just at the ownership level, but rather a part of the culture that Heirloom has obviously worked hard to instill within their team. Caleb gave me a tour of the brewing operations that was both informative and fun. I left the brewing side of the house with a solid understanding of how Heirloom operates. Once the magic that makes my favorite beer into reality happens, it is up to the sales expertise of Mitch Gilliam to spread the gospel of the barrel-aged awesomeness. If you do happen to visit the taproom, thank Jessica for keeping the non-brewing side of the house running smoothly. As a taproom manager, Jessica schedules the taproom events and does a terrific job at customer service and dog greeting (yes, Heirloom is dog friendly, which means it’s pretty much my favorite place).
I won’t tell you to go to Heirloom Rustic Ales because they have a dedication to a traditional process that is rarely found anywhere these days, nor will I give you the same old tired “support your local blah blah…” line, but what I will tell you is that if you want to sample the fruits of labor from a team who puts quality ahead of quantity, then in these interesting times we are living in here in Tulsa, you should check out the line-up at Heirloom Rustic Ales. So whether you’re a glass half-full or half-empty person, make sure the half you have is at Heirloom Rustic Ales.
Heirloom Rustic Ales, 2113 East Admiral Boulevard, Tulsa
