One of the arguably under-represented categories in the specialty beer market is one that gains notice when done well: peanut butter beer.

Often, these are specialty or one-off beers, though there are several breweries producing year-round versions. Locally, Redmond’s Wild Ride Brewing Company offers Nut Crusher Peanut Butter Porter as part of its core lineup.

Nearly all peanut butter beers are based on darker styles, typically porters and stouts. The dark malts of these beers play well with the roasted, nutty character of peanuts, and many brewers opt to create stronger and sweeter versions (think chocolate peanut butter cups).

At 6% alcohol by volume, Wild Ride’s Nut Crusher emphasizes the peanut character rather than sweeter chocolate notes. It was first brewed in late 2015 as a winter seasonal, and its popularity spurred the brewery to release it year-round. I reached out to Wild Ride to learn more, and owner Brian Mitchell responded via email.

“From the beginning of Wild Ride there was always talk about brewing a peanut butter porter,” Mitchell said. “Heading into our second winter of operation, we thought it would be a good time to brew and release it, as it would certainly be a unique beer style released in Central Oregon.”

Peanut butter is notoriously a difficult ingredient to brew with, due to the natural oils in peanuts. These fats interfere with carbonation and can create a viscous, unpleasant mouthfeel. To reduce or eliminate the oil contribution, brewers often add peanut butter powder or extract, rather than nuts. Another method purported to work is lautering (straining) the beer through a layer of peanut shells.

I was curious as to how the brewery handled peanuts in its brew; Mitchell was forthcoming with the process.

“A lot of research and trials went into designing the brew of Nut Crusher back in 2015,” he said.

“And the largest complication and consideration with the beer was making the beer allergy-free, which is the case with Nut Crusher. In short, we use an extract that we add to the fermenter post-fermentation, which gets mixed in with the beer throughout the carbonation time period.”

The peanut butter extract simplifies the brewing process, and is safe for people who have nut allergies.

The first thing you notice when you pour a glass is the aroma, which is full of dry roasted peanut character that tends a touch creamy and blends with hints of dark chocolate malt. There’s a light savory note that reminds me of peanut shells.

Peanuts continue into the flavor, a whole unshelled peanut quality complemented by roasted grains and a touch of coffee. The base beer is a malty and smooth robust porter and there is a gentle dessert quality that is neither syrupy nor cloying. This is a beer that will pair well with a piece of salted dark chocolate.

How does Nut Crusher stand up to other peanut butter beers? I had bottles of Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout from Lost Coast Brewery and Peanut Butter Milk Stout from Belching Beaver Brewery, both from California, to compare.

At 5.6% alcohol by volume, I found Lost Coast’s version to have a subtler peanut character than Nut Crusher. The aroma offered a chocolate candy impression, with Hershey’s chocolate syrup and a touch of coffee beans. The flavor was roasty with elements of fresh-brewed coffee, roasted peanuts, and bittersweet dark chocolate. There was some malt-derived fruit (raisins with toffee) and a long roasty finish to round it out.

Peanut Butter Milk Stout from San Diego’s Belching Beaver is the brewery’s bestseller, which combines a lactose-sweet milk stout with intense peanut butter quality. I found it to be the sweetest and most dessertlike of the three. The nose reminded me of creamy peanut butter like Jif with a bit of chocolate hazelnut spread. The flavor emphasized sweet and creamy chocolate and peanut butter cup candy. There was a bit of roasted malt character though I found it to get more cloyingly sweet as it warmed. This beer is 5.3 % alcohol by volume.

There is definitely a range to these beers, and it will be interesting to see if this segment continues to grow.

“We certainly feel there is a place in the craft beer market for peanut butter beers,” said Mitchell. “It certainly may not be a style for everyone, and that’s okay, but there are plenty of consumers out there who really enjoy them.”

Nut Crusher has become one of Wild Ride’s most popular beers, winning “a dozen People’s Choice Awards at festivals throughout the Pacific Northwest,” according to Mitchell.

If you’re a fan of peanut butter, consider trying one or more of these. However, if you have a peanut allergy you should check with the relevant breweries before consuming.

1. Barrel-Aged Cherry Wheat Wine from Craft Kitchen and Brewery

2. Best Bitter from Porter Brewing

3. Blueberry Bourbon Basil Cider from Portland Cider Company

4. Simon Screams Double Hazy IPA from Silver Moon Brewing

5. Zoigl-Pils from Zoiglhaus Brewing