CARAKALE - Jordanian Craft Beer - Living in Jordan as Expat

Introduction

Long overdue, here comes my homage to Carakale, a wonderful micro-brewery in Jordan. Carakale brewery, located at the beautiful Blue Canyon of Fuheis, just 15 minutes West of Khalda, Amman, was the first micro-brewery in Jordan. What I like about Carakale, is that they don’t just play it on the safe side but actually try out many different things, which results in their Seasonal Brews or Collaborations apart from the well-known Flagship Brews. This year is the 10th anniversary and with all the different beers they brewed and bottled, I am sure there are plenty more beers to come and enjoy.

sdr — Carakale – All the different beers

Carakale beer can be enjoyed in many different ways. As of now, you will find plenty of outlets that have Carakale on tap, for most time just the Blond Ale and Pale Ale. In bottleshops across Amman, you usually will find a good collection as well, such as the IPA, Jordan Lager, Dead Sea-rious, and others. If you want your beer to be delivered, try out Get Spiritz, which is an awesome app for delivering drinks right to your doorstep, so you will never run dry. The best way for sure is, however, to head over to the Tasting Room. Right at the brewery in Fuheis, you cannot only enjoy a selection of fresh draft beer in a smoke-free environment but also join a tour of the brewery and get some insight into the ingredients, the process of beer brewing in general and the history behind Carakale. Yes, the place is remote and they only have limited working hours, but the more you can enjoy the quiet, the views, the sunset and might be one of the first people to try out one of their new creations.

Carakale – Beers

Carakale – in Bottleshop

Carakale – Beers on Tap written on the board

I have tried most of the bottled beers that are available in stores since I came to Amman. I have also tried some of their limited beers at the Tasting room, such as the Big Boozy Belgian, the Schwarzbier, and others. Some people are not very experimental and prefer to stick to their typical Lager, but I really love trying out new tastes and even the rather exotic creations such as the Dead Sea-rious for example, are actually pretty good. So, let’s have a look at the different beers and what they have to offer. Not that I am a beer Sommelier but being from Germany, I am a bit biased and influenced by the beer culture.

Blond Ale

IMG_20190815_160851 — Carakale – Blond on the Balcony

The Blond Ale is probably the most known flagship beer from Carakale and is just great. If you go to a place that has Carakale on tap, the blond one will be available. It is nice to drink, alone or with food and not boring at all in taste. It is a refreshing light colored ale with around 5% alcohol.

Dead Sea-rious

Are you THAT serious? No, I am Dead Sea-rious! This beer has not only a really cool name and a funny logo design, but it actually tastes quite nice. It is a bit like when you order a Mexican but it has the lemon and the salt already mixed in. The extra ingredients (pink grapefruit, cardamom, and salt) are locally sourced with the salt coming from one of the saltiest places on earth, the Dead Sea. It is a German-style gose beer and it is an awesome Summer drink.

Doppelbock

Carakale - Mixed Bottles — Carakale – Mixed Bottles

The Doppelbock, pictured on the right side, again has a really funny logo of a Ziegenbock (German for billy goat) wandering under Abdoun bridge in Amman. Bock beers are quite strong in taste and alcohol, dark in color, and a typical German creation, although not very popular. Carakale’s attempt is definitely drinkable although these kinds of beers are more enjoyed once at a time rather than many glasses.

Fig Deal

The Fig Deal, pictured second from right, is another interesting brew. It sounds more strange than it actually tastes. Let me assure you that you won’t taste much of figs in there, so give it a try.

Guave Pilsener

The Guave Pilsener is really yummy. It is a nice refreshing Summer beer, again not loaded too much with taste of guava, but you will get the hints of fruits for sure. This is a great beer to be enjoyed on the terrace of the tasting room while gazing over the canyon and letting the sun warm you up.

Imperial Red Ale

The Imperial Red Ale, is a very strong beer both in taste and alcohol with about 9.3%. Usually available at the tasting room as well as in bottles it is one of the more common beers from Carakale. Again, for these strong beers are interesting and it is nice to enjoy one or two, but I wouldn’t sip all night long on this one. Although it goes in a similar direction of German Alt-Bier, it has its own much stronger taste. It typically does not have too much carbon dioxide and goes perfect with nuts as a snack.

IPA

The IPA features the Caracal, a cat-like animal at home in Africa, the Middle East, and India. Its distinctive large ears give it a unique look, which can be found on the IPA bottle and the Carakale Logo itself. The IPA found in bottles is a beer with a high content of hops and also a bit stronger than the average beer with 6.5% alcohol. I actually liked it, however, it has been slightly modified and I had already the chance to try a newer version at the tasting room.

Jordan Lager

The Jordan Lager with 5.5% alcohol is a beer that probably most average beer drinkers will enjoy. It is a Lager that goes down easy, while its taste is a bit more interesting than the average Lager sold by the large breweries.

Pale Ale

The Pale Ale is another flagship brew found in pretty much any liquor store, the tasting room, and in most places that do serve Carakale beer. It is the big darker brother of the blond ale, stronger in taste and alcohol (6.5%). A nice solid beer to be enjoyed by the dad, while the kids sip on Orange juice.

Pilsener

Pilsener, originally from the city of Pilsen in the Check Republic, is the most common beer type in Germany, so I am very familiar with it. Carakale’s version does however not taste much like a typical (German) Pilsener. This one reminds me actually more of the IPA as it has a strong taste of hops. It is a nice beer for sure, but don’t expect it to taste like the average Pilsener.

Red Sea-rious

Sorry guys, but that is pretty much the only beer from Carakale I really don’t like. For me, I would associate this with what young girls might like, but it is not for me. I tried it once in the tasting room but did not enjoy it. I can’t even describe it much.

Schwarzbier

sdr — Carakale – Schwazrbier with a View

I tried the Schwarzbier at the tasting room as pictured also in the title picture of this article. Again, this is a beer originated from Germany. It is a dark-colored Lager, not too strong in alcohol. It has a nice taste, is not so much carbonated.

Spiritus Sanctus

The Spiritus Sanctus has, without doubt, one of the coolest beer labels I have seen, and the ingredients are not less strange. With dates and myrrh, it is a very unique stout. I have to admit that I am not a big fan of stouts in general. The rather flat taste without bubbles doesn’t go well with me. You don’t need to be afraid to taste it though, as the flavors are very delicate and it is not like you will experience a strong taste of dates or so. If you do like stouts, it might be an interesting beer for you.

Cheers and enjoy responsibly!