BY MATT STEVENS for WEEKLY VOLCANO 5/29/26 |
This week, I made it out to my very old stomping grounds of the E9 Pub on Pine and Sixth Avenue.
E9 was where I learned what beer was and how to play darts, way back when craft beer was still a new thing.
The patio at E9 is a very comfortable space, with tables under a huge tree in front of an old brick firehouse. You can’t beat it for ambiance, though it doesn’t have the water view that some other spots in Tacoma have.
I ordered Chromatic Enclosure, a sour ale barrel aged with peaches and nectarines.
Appearance-wise, the beer comes in a gorgeous golden color with a brilliant, thin white head in a tulip glass. It’s very pretty, but it initially comes out a little cloudy with the cascade, as this beer is on nitro. I absolutely love the look. The beer ended up sitting while I was forced to love a puppy sitting on the patio with me, so the nitro cascade cleared up and the beer was very clear.
On the nose, the sour comes on strong, but the apricot and peach undertones are nice. The sour smell is a little strong, so I had to really look for those peach undertones.
On the initial taste, this beer comes off a little strong on the sour, but the sweetness of the peaches really cuts under that tart bite, and it’s delicious. The apricots really smooth out the sour tartness, so it’s not overwhelming, and it’s very welcome. This is a delicious beer. After I’ve had a couple sips and my taste buds have adjusted, the tart level goes down, and this beer is delicious.
Mouthfeel-wise, this beer just keeps being enjoyable. It is a fantastic sipper. I think the nitrogen really takes the edge off the sour as well. However, I’m not sure I want more than one. I love a good sour as much as anyone who took a two-week trip to Belgium for the express purpose of drinking sours can, but these days I don’t drink that many. One of these is delicious and good for me.
Overall, this is a great sour and a great beer. Plus, I got my fruit content for the day, so it’s healthy!
E9 is at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Pine Street in Tacoma.
