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  Oregon Beer News, 02/29/2012

  Posted: February 29th, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy Leap Day! February 29th only rolls around every 4 years so of course there are a number of Leap Day-related things of note going on along with the usual news and items of interest. As usual, I’ll be updating this news post periodically throughout the day; if you have some news you’d like to share, please contact me and I’ll get it updated.

  Leap Year for Beer: Morton’s Steakhouse in Portland is hosting this Leap Day beer sampling and food pairing event, featuring a number of breweries with brewers on hand to pair their beers with Morton’s signature hors d’oeuvres. Breweries involved include Oakshire, Double Mountain, Boneyard, and Laurelwood. The event starts at 6:30pm and costs $50 per person; you can make reservations online here.

  Ninkasi Brewing (Eugene) posted a picture of what looks to be a label for their popular (heretofore non-bottled) Quantum Pale Ale—with a design evoking the TV show “Quantum Leap” which means (I’m hoping and totally guessing) that they are finally bottling it for Leap Day release. (Maybe?)

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/29/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/28/2012

  Posted: February 28th, 2012, 7:30pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the Oregon beer news for Tuesday, February 28—nearly the end of the month but being a leap year we get an extra day tomorrow. As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so please contact me if you have some news to share.

  The Lucky Lab (Portland): This weekend, Friday and Saturday March 2nd and 3rd, is the Lucky Lab’s annual Barleywine & Big Beer Fest! Now in its 12th year, this is one of Portland’s (and Oregon’s) premiere “strong ale festival” featuring not only barleywine ales (though there are plenty of those!) but many other strong beers of various styles, all above 8% abv. Here’s a (partial) list of this year’s offerings. The Fest spans the two days from noon to 10pm each day at the Lucky Lab’s NW Quimby location; I don’t know about pricing (or the usual fest commemorative items), but It’s Pub Night has a preview of this year’s beers that’s worth checking out.

  The Brew Shop (Bend) has a tasting tonight featuring Firestone Walker from 6 to 8pm. They are looking to have Union Jack IPA, Double Jack Imperial IPA and Pale 31 pouring samples, and all of those will also be on draft.

  Below Grade Brewing (Bend): Some of their beer is now in Portland! “Two of Below Grade Brewing’s beers are now available for a limited time in Portland at Cork Wine Shop, located at 2901 NE Alberta Street. Stroll on in for some Validation Imperial IPA and Volksvitzen South German Weissbock 22 oz. bottles.”

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/28/2012” »

  
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  Nibiru Yerba Maté Tripel (Elysian 12 Beers of the Apocalypse)

  Posted: February 28th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  At the beginning of the year Seattle’s Elysian Brewing announced a unique series of “apocalypse beers” to be released each month on the 21st leading up to December 21st—the end of the Mayan long count calendar and long heralded as the end of the world by that reckoning (the so-called “Mayan Apocalypse”). In addition, this series is also a collaboration with Fantagraphics Books to produce the label art, taken from Charles Burns’ work “Black Hole.”

  The first beer in this series is Nibiru, a Belgian-style Tripel brewed with yerba maté, and “named for the mysterious planet X supposedly on a collision course toward Earth”. Yerba maté is a native South American plant used for a popular tea-like beverage that contains caffeine.

  The beer is 7.6% alcohol by volume, which seems a little low for a Tripel, but combined with the maté it could pack a bit of a punch.

  Appearance: Crystal clear, golden color, champagne-like effervescence feeding a fluffy white head that has the consistency of beaten egg whites.

  Smell: Sweet and slightly sugary nose with a touch of Belgian yeast phenols and an herbal, almost smoky contribution (from the maté I assume).

  Taste: Herbal and smoky character right up front, most interesting! A touch of that phenolic yeast character present in the aroma comes out as it warms up. It has the clean sugary sweetness of a Tripel at the front of the tongue and dries out nicely at the back.

  Mouthfeel: A bit thin, lighter than medium-bodied, well attenuated, clean with a dry, smoky character in the aftertaste.

  Overall: Really nice, with a different yet tasty profile. A bit understrength for a Tripel but I’m really digging the herbal smokiness it has.

  Nibiru on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 83/100. RateBeer: 3.07/5.

  
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  Bend: “It’s the water”

  Posted: February 28th, 2012, 1:00am CET by Jon

  One of the reasons why Bend beer is so good? The City of Bend issued a press release today:

  Bend drinking water wins best tasting award

  Bend’s water was awarded first prize at the Annual Best Tasting Water Contest held by the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade to Coast subsection of the American Water Works Association.

  The water sample from the City of Bend, taken from the City’s surface water source springs, won first place this year with a score of 95 out of 120 points. A number of factors contribute to the taste of tap water, including its source, treatment process, pipes and reservoirs. Judges, after a blind taste test, rated water samples based on odor, flavor, and aftertaste. Bend’s water was described as “clean, crisp, and grassy,” with a “nice aftertaste.”

  The four judges included a brewery owner, a winemaker, a water analysis systems company official, and a former National Football League fullback. Thirteen water utilities submitted samples to compete for the title on Feb. 16, 2012, in Eugene. Contestants followed strict guidelines for collecting and storing water samples. This was the fifth year of the competition.

  As winner of this year’s contest, the City of Bend is eligible to compete for the Pacific Northwest Section title of Best Tasting Water May 2-4 in Yakima, WA.

  Apparently it really is the water!

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/27/2012

  Posted: February 27th, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the Oregon beer news for Monday, February 27th. I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so if you have some news you’d like to share, please contact me and I’m happy to get it posted.

  Burnside Brewing (Portland) is all set to release their first specialty barrel-aged beer in 1.5 liter magnum bottles: Neptune’s Wrath, which is a “Strong Ale brewed with 18 gallons of Hama Hama oyster liquor and 4 pounds Lemon peel. We took half of this batch of beer and aged it in Cristom Pinot noir barrels. After 6 months on oak we back blended it with the non barrel aged half. This beer is 10.2% ABV and has notes of cherry, french oak, malt sweetness with a slight brininess at the back end.” The official release is tomorrow, Tuesday the 28th, and there will only be 100 bottles available; they will be on sale when the brewery opens at 3pm for $30 per bottle. (Which seems like a lot but remember that is the equivalent for $15 for a 750ml bottle which is what you’d normally see on the shelves.)

  The Concordia Ale House (Portland) is featuring “Beer Brawl V” all this week starting today: “Oregon vs. Washington vs. California, 12 BEER blind Taster Tray featuring the best Pale Ale, IPA, STOUT, and Brewers Choice Beers each STATE has to Offer.” Today through Sunday, you’ll be able to blind taste and vote on the best beers from Hopworks Urban Brewing (representing Oregon), Hales Ales (Washington), and Firestone Walker (California). (Don’t know the cost of the blind taster tray.) Sounds like fun!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/27/2012” »

  
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  The Ale Apothecary (Bend) is official!

  Posted: February 27th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  I’m incredibly excited to read this blog post from Paul Arney announcing that The Ale Apothecary (his brewery venture that I wrote about in detail here) is now official and brewing beer! (The blog post was published on Wednesday the 22nd and I had posted the announced the first beer on the 15th, after seeing a Facebook post.)

  The Ale Apothecary has been approved, licensed, granted, sanctioned, decreed, and authorized to manufacture malt beverages by numerous Big Brothers.  If it hadn’t been so difficult and costly, I’d think we were getting away with something.  The brewery was fired up for the first time last week and produced wort for yeast propagation…our first fermentations are on track for next week.

  The fact that beer will be fully on track this week (to be ready likely by June) is exciting enough, but what’s got me more excited (particularly from a beer geek/homebrewing perspective) is this:

  2 Flagship Ales to be in year-round production, targeting June for initial release(s):
  SAHALIE. One of the most unique beers in the world.  There.  I said it.
  THE SAHALIEN. The bizarro version of Sahalie, similar in appearance yet very different in flavor.

  3 Specialty Ales in limited production, available to our yet-to-be-defined beer club members:
  *UNNAMED ALE #1* Blended test batches, aged in a pinot barrel on wild black currants for over a year with wild yeast.  Fermented with 11 yeast strains.
  *UNNAMED ALE #2* Unhopped crystal malt ale aged in brandy barrels for over a year with wild yeast.  Fermented with 5 yeast strains.
  *SAHATI*  Inspired from the ancient Finnish ale, we will cut down an 85 foot tall spruce tree and turn the trunk into a traditional mash tun.  The boughs will be used as the mash filter, and the fresh tips for aroma.
  Other specialty ales may be produced, but dependent upon brewery capacity and consumer consumption.

  (Emphasis mine.) All of those beers are interesting (particularly the unhopped wild yeast #2) but the Sahati? I’m familiar with the practice of using boughs as filters (from various evergreens and juniper) as well as tips for aroma (used much like hops), but using the trunk itself as mash tun? That hadn’t occurred to me but how could you not get excited by something like that?

  (And yes, that’s some Apocalypse Beer thinking, right there, as well.)

  There is also mention of a beer club that, while details are forthcoming, sounds a bit like a wine club in that you’ll get first crack at upcoming beers at discount prices, probably limited to 3 bottles per quarter. Which seems like a good idea for a specialized selection of limited run beers.

  Other details on the upcoming beer and release plans are also mulled upon, it’s worth the read. And, if you haven’t been reading Arney’s blog until now, bookmark it and read all the past entries; The Ale Apothecary may well be the most interesting brewery to come around in a long time.

  
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  Worthy Brewing groundbreaking ceremony

  Posted: February 25th, 2012, 6:41pm CET by Jon

  Yesterday (Friday the 24th of February) was a perfect day for the official groundbreaking ceremony for one of Bend’s newest brewery ventures, Worthy Brewing Company—nearly 60 degrees, clear and sunny (contrasted with this morning as I write this, it’s snowing somewhat heavily).

  

  Principals Chad Kennedy and Roger Worthington had arranged a nice setup to welcome guests to the groundbreaking: an outdoor event tent with tables and chairs for guests, a keg of Boneyard Beer‘s RPM IPA, and food provided by Stephanie Schultz (wood-fired pizza, a red cabbage salad, and chocolate stout cake). The event started at 3pm with speeches and the actual groundbreaking taking place closer to 4.

  Continue reading “Worthy Brewing groundbreaking ceremony” »

  
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  No Oregon Beer News for today

  Posted: February 24th, 2012, 11:39pm CET by Jon

  I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with baited breath for the Oregon Beer News post today (I know I was!) but unfortunately the day got away from me and I’m getting ready to head over to the Worthy Brewing groundbreaking. I might be back with a news post later or tomorrow, and with a report on Worthy.

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/23/2012

  Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:31pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Thursday, February 23rd. I’ll be periodically updating this throughout the day, so if you have some news to share please contact me and I’ll get it posted.

  The 3rd annual Nano Beer Fest is this weekend in the  Portland area—at Max’s Fanno Creek Brewpub in Tigard to be exact. From 24th through 26th (Friday through Sunday) you’ll be able to sample a bunch of “big” beers from a number of small Oregon breweries, including Astoria Brewing, The Commons, Bend Brewing, Vertigo Brewing, Heater Allen, and more. There will be live music all three days, and the hours are 11 to 11 Friday and Saturday and 11 to 6 on Sunday. As for cost, a commemorative glass is $5 and a 4-ounce taster is $1.50 (which is a pretty good deal considering the strength of some of these beers!). Should be fun time!

  Fort George Brewery (Astoria): Today is the release party for the release of Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale in cans, at the Liberty Glass in Portland (938 N. Cook) starting at 7pm. “Come hang out at PDX’s longest running Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale tap, the Liberty Glass for a Can Release Party!  Fort George will be hanging out with their go-to OPA cans in hand to celebrate the release of this beer in 16oz pounders just in time for Spring.  Local Astorian Folk mastermind, Michael Hurley, will be hanging out playing music and there will be Fort George specials all night.  If you’ve never been to Liberty Glass, it’s the awesome pink house on the corner of Mississippi, just off of Interstate.”

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/23/2012” »

  
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  The next Session: Local beer (again but different)

  Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 8:44am CET by Jon

  I’m behind on posting this, but the next Session—number 61, taking place on Friday, March 2nd—is being hosted by Matt at the Hoosier Beer Geek and the topic is “What makes local beer better?”

  The topic I’ve been thinking about is local beer. The term is being used by just about every craft brewer in the country.   What does it really mean though?  Is it more of a marketing term or is there substance behind the moniker? This month I want to think about what makes local beer better?  I’m not just talking about the beer itself, although it’s the focal point, but what makes local beer better?  My connection to local beer is far from thinking that my beer is actually “local.” Maybe you don’t agree with me, and you can write about that. Bonus points for writing about your favorite local beer and the settings around it being local to you.

  This isn’t the first time the Session has been on the topic of Local Beer: the first was #4 way back in 2007 albeit that topic was more “guidebook” rather than “why it’s better.”

  To participate, write a blog post about the topic on Friday, March 2nd, and submit a comment linking to that post on the Hoosier Beer Geek blog, or send Matt an email with the details at hoosierbeergeek -at- gmail -dot- com.

  
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  Sunriver Brewing Company (coming soon)

  Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 11:30pm CET by Jon

  Bend’s local alt-weekly The Source broke the news today that there will be another new brewery opening up in Central Oregon, possibly by this summer: Sunriver Brewing Company, based south of Bend in the resort town of Sunriver.

  In what will be about the 15th brewery in the area to receive federal approval to brew, Sunriver Brewing Company plans to open this summer.

  The owners are keeping extremely silent on the details, and declined to release information about the size of the brew system, the identity of the brewmaster, the styles of beers to be produced or the pub’s menu. The owners will keep mum until opening, said Brian Cameron, one of the three co-owners.

  “We are keeping the specifics under our hat until then,” said Cameron, whose brother is also a co-owner.

  The brewery is moving into a space at the Country Village Mall and will operate as a true brewpub, combining brewery and pub operations at the location. The square footage of the space is around 3,600 feet.

  Interesting timing on this news; I had heard about a new Sunriver brewery this weekend when we visited Phat Matt’s Brewing over in Redmond (a spur-of-the-moment visit, met the brewer Josh) who mentioned the new venture. I had done some initial searching online for details about it and had sent an email off to the Village Bar & Grill in Sunriver, asking if they were the operation (since they are moving into a much bigger space to be completed later this spring). I hadn’t received a response, however, and with The Source’s news it sounds like it’s not the Village B&G.

  In the meantime, here are a few other tidbits that I dug up while searching:

  • A Facebook post from the 15th (from “Discover Sunriver Vacation Rentals”) that says, “We just found out we’re getting a brewpub that hopes to be done early this summer. It’s Sunriver Brewing Company and will also have food. Can’t wait.”
  • The domain name “sunriver-brewing.com” was created on February 12th of this year. (There already is registered a “sunriverbrewing.com” that was created back in November of 2009. Both domains point to domain landing pages only.)
  • As far as brewing system size, I’d guess 1 to 3 barrels, based on the square footage number (3600) given above, considering it’s a brewpub that will need kitchen, food storage, dining area, etc. At least up to 5bbl system at most (this source gives 3 to 5bbl systems as needing at least 300 to 500 square feet).

  More as I learn about it.

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/22/2012

  Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 8:30pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Wednesday, February 22nd. As usual, I will be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so if you have some news you would like to share please contact me and I will get it posted.

  The Bier Stein (Eugene) is hosting a FOOD For Lane County benefit today: “Local homebrewer Denny Conn is turning his camp experience into a benefit for FOOD For Lane County. One of a select few to attend Sierra Nevada Brewing’s “Beer Camp” last November, Conn was able to participate in the brewing of a 20 barrel batch of beer. The result is an Americanized version of the German alt bier style. Camp participants are able to share in the results of their brewing experiences and Conn chose one of his favorite charities to benefit. “Alternate Ending” will be on tap beginning February 22nd until all three of Conn’s kegs are sold. Because of Conn’s and The Bier Stein’s generosity, all proceeds from the special brew will be donated to FFLC. The specialty beer will be $5.00 per pint, which means each pint sold will provide the equivalent of 15 meals! During the kick-off event there will also be drawings for Sierra Nevada Brewing merchandise, along with FFLC barrels to collect food donations.” This is a great event benefiting a terrific cause, so if you’re in Eugene swing by and buy a pint or three. The keg will be tapped at 4pm today.

  The Green Dragon (Portland) has a Green Dragon Brew Crew release tonight starting at 5pm, Hoppy Night CDA: “Brewed by Oregon Brew Crew Burgermeister, Roy Nifoussi, this Cascadian Dark Ale boasts a strong, hoppy aroma with hints of chocolate, citrus and pine. A foundation of Caramel malts provides Hoppy Night CDA with a dark body and a creamy tan head, while maintaining a light mouthfeel and a dry finish.” It’s a 6.9% abv beer with 79 IBUs.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/22/2012” »

  
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  Worthy Brewing groundbreaking

  Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  This Friday, February 24th, is the official groundbreaking ceremony for Worthy Brewing, one of Bend’s newest breweries-in-development fronted by ex-Laurelwood Brewmaster Chad Kennedy (Facebook announcement). The ceremony takes place at 3pm and (I believe) both Kennedy and partner Roger Worthington (of Indie Hops) will be on-hand.

  Before then, though, I thought I’d grab a couple of pictures of the land that Worthy will be occupying, before any buildout starts:

  

  Worthy Brewing land, at the northeast corner looking southwest

  

  Worthy Brewing land, at the west edge looking east

  Not much to look at now but it’s a nice big chunk of land that’s easily accessible and will develop out nicely. The land fronts Highway 20, the main east-west route in and out of Bend, and in the immediate area there is a movie theater (kitty-corner to the southwest, Pilot Butte Cinemas), a lot of residential housing, a large restaurant and smaller dining and fast food options immediately adjacent (The Phoenix, along with a Subway, Taco Bell, China Doll, Starbucks, a frozen yogurt shop), several hotels within a few blocks, and a larger shopping center across the street to the west that includes Barnes & Noble, Safeway, Whole Foods, Costco, Old Navy, and more. In short, it’s a good location for a (much-needed) eastside brewery.

  And it should be an impressive facility; here are their plans, and a design mockup:

  

  

  And in the latest email newsletter the following features are listed:

  • A 22,000 square foot production brewery
  • Pilot brewhouse for nailing recipes and concocting experimental beer styles
  • 4,000 sq. ft restaurant anchored by a wood fired oven
  • Bar top sourced from reclaimed old growth Doug Fir sourced from the Oregon State Hospital, featured in Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
  • A 1/3 acre low trellis hop garden showcasing Oregon-grown experimental hops and a herb garden
  • Top of the line European-made rotary head canning line
  • Greenhouse named after Dr. Al Haunold, America’s greatest HopMeister
  • Solar Panels and a Thermal Water Heating System
  • Bavarian beer garden with picnic tables, two firepits and shade trees festooned with lights…and more hop vines
  • Bike racks, bottle filled Gabion boxes and of course a full sized VELODROME!
  • Just kidding on the Velodrome, but hey, we’re dreaming, right?

  It’s very ambitious and will be interesting to watch the progress, which will culminate in a finished brewery by (tentatively) January 2013.

  If you wanted to attend the ceremony, follow the RSVP directions on Facebook. (I’ll be there.)

  
• 

  Zombie Apocalypse beer brewing event (which I missed)

  Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 6:43am CET by Jon

  I wish I had known about this event sooner. And been in Durham, NC, to have attended.

  Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: Beer Brewing

  Friday, February 10, 2012 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (ET)

  Durham, NC

  Beer is an important food group for most college students, so knowing how to make your own if things go south is essential. Learn about the basics of homebrewing in this hands-on workshop.

  Hosted by Duke Campus Farm:

  The Duke Campus Farm is a one-acre fruit and vegetable farm that provides the Duke community with fresh, delicious, sustainable produce and an educational facility around all things food related.

  Alas no, just missed it. It’s hard to tell if it was simply a beginning homebrewing class or if they were taking the “brew in any situation” angle. I hope it was the latter, especially considering they have a whole series of “Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse” events.

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/21/2012

  Posted: February 21st, 2012, 8:00pm CET by Jon

  It’s Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) today which seems like appropriate reason to hoist a beer. Here’s the Oregon beer news for the day as well, which I’ll be periodically updating throughout the day. If you have news to share, please let me know and I’ll update it.

  Ezra commented on my post yesterday concerning Fire on the Mountain has actually been established and brewing beer for several months now: indeed I got this wrong. They’re still new, but not “yet to open” new!

  Cascade Brewing (Portland): Today is their Tart Fruit Extravaganza which I’ve been drooling over, celebrating tart fruits and tart beers all day long (starting at noon when they open). They have some 29! fruit beers to tap, and they’ll keep them on tap for a week or until they blow the keg. It’s a pretty amazing lineup they’ve posted, with beers like Winter Gose, Apricot, The Vine 2011, Live Chocolate Raspberry, and  Rhubarb Crisp. Be sure to stop in today to try some of these amazing beers!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/21/2012” »

  
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  Apocalypse Beer: Which apocalypse?

  Posted: February 21st, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  In the Introduction I laid out a few Apocalypse scenarios and spent a few brief words on some basic post-apocalyptic survival activities. But before we can get down to the “how-tos” of brewing beer in this new world, it would be helpful to examine a few of these apocalyptic scenarios to get a feel of what we’re up against and to determine how likely it is we’ll be able to brew in each case.

  Remember, for the most part we are focusing on the post-apocalyptic aftermath: there’s no sense in trying to find time to brew beer while the fires are still raging and bearing down on you, so to speak.

  Continue reading “Apocalypse Beer: Which apocalypse?” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/20/2012

  Posted: February 20th, 2012, 11:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy President’s Day! If you’re lucky enough to get the day off, treat yourself to a beer—I suggest a Porter in honor of George Washington. Those of us at work will just have to wait until later. In the meantime, here’s the news in Oregon beer for Monday, February 20th. I’ll be updating this periodically throughout the day, so please contact me if you have news to share.

  Worthy Brewing (Bend): This Friday the 24th at 3pm is the groundbreaking ceremony for the new brewery and beer garden headed up by Roger Worthington and Chad Kennedy on their land on the east side of Bend. In addition to (I believe) a 30-barrel brewery there are also plans to build out an educational facility and—best of all, in my opinion—a beer garden. I’ll be in attendance and will be posting pictures, stop by if you’re in Bend!

  Fire on the Mountain Brewery (Portland): This new entry into Portland’s brewing scene isn’t open yet but I noticed on the latest Oregon Brewers Guild 2012 guide it was listed to open this spring; looking it up (linked on the OBG) reveals that it’s going to be Fire on the Mountain wing company’s new Fremont location: “Under the guidance of Brewmaster Ben Nehrling, we strive to provide consistently high quality ales and lagers. Ben has been brewing professionally for seven years splitting his time between McMenamin’s Highland Brewery and the Concordia Brewery at the Kennedy School. He is very excited to be on board with long time friends at Fire on the Mountain. Together, they are committed to matching fine quality beer with fine quality food in a relaxed and communal atmosphere.” Should be interesting to watch this one develop.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/20/2012” »

  
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  Zwickelmania Bend notes

  Posted: February 20th, 2012, 7:30pm CET by Jon

  Saturday saw a really good turnout for Zwickelmania here in Bend; between strong offerings from the established breweries and interest in the new ones, it was easily the best open house event yet. We weren’t able to make it to all the breweries, but we managed a good number and picked up a few interesting tidbits along the way.

  Continue reading “Zwickelmania Bend notes” »

  
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  Zwickelmania 2012

  Posted: February 18th, 2012, 5:48pm CET by Jon

  Today is Oregon’s fourth annual Zwickelmania event, the statewide “brewery open house” celebrating the state’s great beer culture, all organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild.

  2012 President’s Day weekend, dozens of Oregon breweries and brewpubs will open their doors to visitors for the state’s 4th annual Zwickelmania. Zwickelmania, hosted by the Oregon Brewers Guild (OBG), is a free statewide event that offers visitors a chance to tour Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers.
  When: Saturday, February 18th, 2012 from 11-4 pm
  What: Oregon Brewers Guild Brewery Open House.

  I’ve been mentioning this all week in my Oregon Beer News posts because I think it’s a fantastic way to get people interested in beer and brewing and it’s such an easy way for breweries to participate. And many go above and beyond just offering tours as well: sampling rare beers, offering food, glassware and other swag, and much more.

  And don’t forget the three big beer regions have shuttles running too: Portland, Eugene, and Central Oregon. The schedules for those can be found on the Zwickelmania page.

  Read on to see the full list of participating breweries

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/17/2012

  Posted: February 17th, 2012, 10:48pm CET by Jon

  Happy Friday! Here’s the news in Oregon beer for the end of the week and the weekend. I’ll be updating this news post throughout the day, please contact me if you have some news you would like to share.

  Is everybody set for Zwickelmania tomorrow? This year’s (fourth) edition looks to be the best yet, with lots of breweries participating and many going above and beyond to offer up a great experience. And remember, if you’re in Portland, Eugene, or Central Oregon there are shuttles that can take you touring to the various breweries.

  GoodLife Brewing (Bend): In addition to the Zwickelmania festivities, tomorrow they are also holding their bottle release party celebrating the release of their Mountain Rescue Pale Ale in 22-ounce bottles.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/17/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/16/2012

  Posted: February 17th, 2012, 12:13am CET by Jon

  Here’s the Oregon beer news for Thursday, February 16th. As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so if you have some news to share please contact me and I’ll get it posted.

  McMenamins (Portland): Saturday the 25th is the Hillsdale Brewfest, and this year it’s the 19th annual edition of this “grandaddy” of McMenamins beer events. This is the fest where 22 original McMenamins beers are entered from their different breweries, the winner of which (based on people’s choice) represents McMenamins at the Oregon Brewers Festival. Read the full press release here.

  Lompoc Brewing (Portland): Tomorrow, Friday the 17th, is Lompoc’s Batch 69 Baltic Porter Release Party from 4 to 10pm at their main Lompoc location. In addition to this perfect cold-weather beer, they’ll have a number of other delicious-sounding beers on tap: “Batch 69 Baltic Porter is a strong dark beer with hints of chocolate and black licorice. It was brewed with a lager yeast, giving it a much cleaner smoother finish than a traditional porter. We’ll also be serving up New Olde Ale, an old ale brewed with an English style Windsor yeast resulting in a beer that’s rich and full bodied with a deep mahogany color and rich malt fruitiness; Sour Willy, a blend of five different beers for a light, complex, slightly sour beer with a fruity aroma and mellow cherry, oak flavors; Rosemary Stout, our Sockeye Stout that sat on rosemary sprigs for five days, lending a slight rosemary aroma with a licorice and chocolate flavor; C-sons Greetings; and Fool’s Golden Ale.”

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/16/2012” »

  
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  Press Release: McMenamins’ 19th Annual Hillsdale Brewfest

  Posted: February 16th, 2012, 11:56pm CET by Jon

  22 McMenamins brewers present 22 beers in competition at the historic “Battle of the Belt”

  PORTLAND, Ore.—On Saturday, February 25, 2012, the notorious “Battle of the Belt” rages for the nineteenth time at Hillsdale Brewery & Public House (1505 SW Sunset Blvd.). McMenamins’ Hillsdale Brewfest is a day-long event featuring 22 original brews such as Mad Hatter Imperial IPA, 4K Lager, Mexicali Rose Wheat and The Girl Next Door Belgian Blond, along with food specials, revelry, merriment and – most important – a competition for the coveted Belt. The Hillsdale Brewfest is free to attend, begins at 11 a.m. and is open to guests of all ages; those 21 and over may taste the ales.

  Twenty-two of the finest ales from McMenamins’ breweries are sent into battle, their brewers vying for bragging rights, the notorious championship belt and a berth in the annual Oregon Brewers Festival. Patrons order “trays” of beer, arranged from lightest to darkest – each of the two trays offers eleven 4-ounce samples. It is our guests’ duty to decide who deserves the coveted title. With seventeen ales from Oregon and five from Washington, these beers cover the spectrum of brew styles – from steam beer to American brown ale, imperial stout to black IPA and beyond. Each taster casts one ballot that lists his or her top three choices.

  The victorious brewer at this year’s Battle of the Belt will represent McMenamins at the 25th Annual Oregon Brewers Festival in downtown Portland on July 26–29, 2012. For more information, visit www.oregonbrewfest.com.

  And now… [drumroll, please]… the 19^th Annual Hillsdale Brewfest entrants are….

  Cornelius Pass Roadhouse Brewery (Hillsboro, OR) * Steam Beer
  Steam Punk

  West Linn Brewery (West Linn, OR) * Special Bitter
  Green Eyeshades Special Bitter

  McMenamins on Monroe (Corvallis, OR) * Wheat
  Mexicali Rose Wheat

  Mill Creek Brewery (Mill Creek, WA) * Pale Ale
  Hop Loops

  McMenamins on the Columbia Brewery (Vancouver, WA) * Amber
  Four Winds Amber Ale

  McMenamins Queen Anne Brewery (Seattle, WA) * Belgian IPA
  Intemperate Disposition IPA

  Old Church Brewery (Wilsonville, OR) * Imperial IPA
  Mad Hatter Imperial IPA

  Old St. Francis Brewery (Bend, OR) * American Brown Ale
  Parson Brown

  Oak Hills Brewery (Portland, OR) * Black Wheat
  Darth Weizen

  Lighthouse Brewery (Lincoln City, OR) * Imperial Stout
  Black Pearl Imperial Stout

  High Street Brewery (Eugene, OR) * Porter
  Mon Cherry Porter

  Concordia Brewery (Portland, OR) * Northwest-Style Pilsner
  4K Lager

  East Vancouver Brewery (Vancouver, WA) * Wheat Ale
  Southern Sun Wheat

  Six Arms Brewery (Seattle, WA) * Belgian Blond
  Girl Next Door Belgian Blond

  Highland Brewery (Gresham, OR) * American Pale Ale
  Portlandia Pale Ale

  Edgefield Brewery (Troutdale, OR) * ESB
  The Reformation

  Thompson Brewery (Salem, OR) * Northwest Amber
  Treme Northwest Amber

  John Barleycorns Brewery (Tigard, OR) * IPA
  Freewill IPA

  Crystal Brewery (Portland, OR) * Doppelbock
  Obamanator Doppelbock

  Roseburg Station Brewery (Roseburg, OR) * Multigrain Stout
  Umber Waves of Grain

  Fulton Brewery (Portland, OR) * Black IPA
  Black ‘Ops

  Hillsdale Brewery (Portland, OR) * Porter
  Mojo’s Mocha Porter

  ******

  About the Hillsdale Brewery & Public House

  Opened in 1986, after state legislation was passed that allowed brewers to sell their product onsite, the Hillsdale was among the first to try fruit beers, unfiltered wheat ales and other concoctions that have become hallmarks of the Pacific Northwest craft brewing industry. It is McMenamins’ third location (following the Barley Mill and Greenway pubs). Additional history is available at mcmenamins.com.

  About McMenamins Hotels, Pubs & Breweries

  The name “McMenamin” is well known throughout the Pacific Northwest, signifying a great place to enjoy handcrafted ales, wine and spirits and Northwest pub fare with family and friends. The dream began more than 20 years ago and continues to grow in the hearts of brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin. With 57 properties (and counting), the siblings are considered to be among the pioneers of the Pacific Northwest microbrew and historic hotels industries. See mcmenamins.com for photos, history, events and more.

  
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  Boulevard Brewing refunding some bottles of Chocolate Ale

  Posted: February 16th, 2012, 9:12pm CET by Jon

  Boulevard Brewing has issued an apology and refund announcement regarding their recently-released Chocolate Ale (a beer which generated the kind of intense interest in Kansas City that Deschutes The Abyss does in Bend and Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout does in Munster):

  This week, some post-release checks of Chocolate Ale, our current Smokestack seasonal offering, revealed that certain batches of the beer had begun to exhibit flavors and aromas not intended by our brewers, attributes not detected prior to the January release of the beer.

  As you might imagine, we are dismayed by this discovery, and are conducting exhaustive investigations in an effort to pinpoint the problem. At this point we know enough to confirm that it was limited to three batches of Chocolate Ale bottles – it did not extend to other Chocolate Ale bottles, to Chocolate Ale draft beer, or to any other Boulevard beers. We can also confirm that the batches in question are not harmful to consume, but may simply display an undesirable flavor.

  We stand behind all of our beers, and accordingly are offering a full refund to any consumer who purchased a bottle of Chocolate Ale from the following batches: 2011-1, 2011-2, or 2011-3. The batch number can be found on the back label of the bottle, in the upper right-hand corner (click here to view image – the batch number is indicated by the last digit on the top line.). To receive a refund, send us the name of the store where you purchased the beer, the purchase price, your name and mailing address, and a scan or photo of the back label from your bottle of Chocolate Ale, batch 2011-1, 2011-2, or 2011-3. If you purchased more than one bottle, please include a photograph of all bottles together.

  You can e-mail this information to refund@boulevard.com, or mail it to “Chocolate Ale Refund, Boulevard Brewing Company, 2501 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64108.” You can expect a check within 2 to 4 weeks of your submission.

  I had a bottle of Chocolate Ale last weekend and it was one of this batch; instead of chocolate, it tasted very much like a chili beer (though not spicy hot). Kudos to Boulevard for recognizing and getting in front of the problem, it’s always good to see a brewery (particularly a big one) willing to do what it takes to maintain their quality and treat their customers right.

  Now I just hope the bottles that made it to Bend aren’t all in that batch!

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/15/2012

  Posted: February 15th, 2012, 10:00pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the Oregon beer news for Wednesday, February 15th. Getting another late start today! But I’ll be updating this post periodically throughout the rest of the day, and if you have some news you’d like to share, please contact me.

  The Bend brewing scene is seeing a flurry of activity lately; in addition to the bits about Worthy Brewing‘s groundbreaking and GoodLife‘s bottling that I posted yesterday, two more of our upcoming breweries are rolling right along:

  • The Ale Apothecary, Paul Arney’s new brewing venture, brewed its first beer yesterday. Very exciting!
  • Larry Sidor’s “Yet To Be Named Brewery” is well under way, construction-wise, and they are gearing up for Zwickelmania this Saturday: “Bring your hard hats, safety goggles, and beer mugs! Come by and see our brewery before it’s a brewery. We’re located at the former AAMCO site and will be under construction. But don’t worry— we’ll have some great beer on hand. Larry, Dave, and Paul (owners of this new brewery) will be there to talk beer, brewery plans, and just about anything else you’d want to discuss (including name suggestions)”
  • Boneyard Beer is set to expand this year into a space on Bend’s north side into a 50-barrel brewing system (up from their 10-bbl system I believe they’re on now). There’s no set schedule for that yet, but the target is by the end of the year. Interestingly, this new brewery will be within a mile of both 10 Barrel Brewing and Old Mill Brew Werks‘ new brewery (which is taking over the old industrial space 10 Barrel is moving out of as they complete their own 50-barrel brewery).

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/15/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/14/2012

  Posted: February 14th, 2012, 9:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy Valentine’s Day! If you’re looking for Valentine’s beer ideas, might I suggest something dark and chocolatey? Or lighter with fruit? Or a combination? At any rate, here’s today’s beer news from around Oregon, which I will periodically update throughout the day. If you have some news to share please contact me and I will get it updated.

  Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland): Sanjay over on the Not So Professional Beer Blog reports that Hopworks has received approval and is getting ready to can their Organic IPA! I don’t know if this was previous news that I missed but I find it really exciting for HUB and canned craft beer in general. The cans will be 16-ounce “pounders”, similar to the ones Fort George and others are releasing, and Sanjay has a nice image of the approval HUB IPA can label over on his blog; it looks good and those cans will definitely stand out on the shelves.

  Speaking of Fort George Brewery (Astoria), this Saturday the 18th as part of Stout Month they are holding their “Festival of Dark Arts: A Carnival of Stouts” from 2 to 10pm: “Stout Beer Fest and festival of all dark arts.  The Festival of Dark Arts is sure to appease all the senses.  Over 15 Stouts to taste, all of which not previously showcased in Stout Month!  The Fest is ALL AGES/FREE ADMISSION.  $8 for festival tasting glass.  $1 a taste.  Also for your senses will be: Belly dancing, fire dancing, fire eating, a live blacksmith forge, on site tattoo artists, dark cuisine, music, tarot card reading, and a HUGE art show featuring some of Astoria’s great artists showcasing their “dark art.”  This is not your Mom’s beer fest.  This is an all day Stout Carnival.” They have an absolutely fantastic tap list lined up—if you’re anywhere near Astoria on Saturday, get thee to the Carnival!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/14/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/13/2012

  Posted: February 13th, 2012, 8:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy Monday! Here’s the beer news from around Oregon for February 13th. As usual I’ll be updating this post periodically throughout the day, so if you have some news to share please contact me and I can get it posted.

  Zwickelmania is this Saturday, the 18th, and breweries across the state are getting ready to open their doors to visitors for tours and tasting—many above and beyond the regular tours they offer. The Oregon Brewers Guild is the organizer of the event and they’ve pulled together an impressive list of participating breweries and itineraries on the event page. And, three of the big beer regions—Central Oregon, Willamette Valley (Eugene), and Portland—will have shuttles running that can take folks on Zwickelmania tours. It’s going to be a good day for checking out breweries, I know I’ll be hitting up the Central Oregon ones!

  Hop Valley Brewing (Springfield): It looks like today is their 3-year anniversary celebration! Starting at 6pm tonight, “Libation Society” members (their Mug Club I think) will get their first beer free, and beers are $2.50, and they’ll be tapping a firkin of “Mr. Black” (a dry stout). Merchandise will be given away every half hour as well. If you’re around Eugene or Springfield, stop by and help them celebrate three  years. (It’s a good brewery—check out my review here.)

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/13/2012” »

  
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  Logsdon Ales Seizoen and Seizoen Bretta

  Posted: February 13th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  One of Oregon’s breakout new breweries last year was Hood River’s Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, a traditional farmhouse brewery based in a barn—yes, really—that specializes in (you guessed it) farmhouse-style beers. It was founded by David Logsdon, founder of Wyeast Labs and later co-founder and brewer at Full Sail Brewing.

  Our traditional farmhouse brewery is located in Hood River County on a small farm where we also grow some of the hops we use in our hand crafted beer. Truly handcrafted in every sense of the term. We prefer to use locally grown whole organic hops, not pulverized hop pellets. We think you will appreciate the extra effort we take to make our beer this way. Our spent barley, oats and wheat are fed directly to our small herd of organic raised Scottish Highlander cattle.

  They also have a small orchard of sharbeekse kreik (cherry) trees that they imported directly from East Flanders in Belgium; and they utilize local ingredients like peaches as well as just hops. This as-local-as-possible, rustic, traditional farmhouse approach easily makes Logsdon one of the most interesting brewing operations in Oregon right now.

  Of course I’d been wanting to try their flagship Seizoen (a saison-style beer) when I first heard about the brewery and their approach to brewing, and with Jeff’s runner-up and People’s Choice selection of their Seizoen Bretta for the Satori Award, I had to try a bottle of that as well. So, since these are two same-family beers from the same brewery, a dual review!

  I actually found a bottle of Seizeon back in the fall when we took a trip to Hood River for apple picking; we had stopped at a grocery in Parkdale (McIsaac’s Store) for refreshment before heading back to Bend and unexpectedly came across bottles of it and the Bretta, neither of which had shown up in Bend yet. I grabbed the Seizoen, and drank it not long after.

  The brewery says of Seizoen, “Our unfiltered Seizoen, with its beeswax seal, is naturally fermented and carbonated with pear juice and select yeast strains, producing complex, fruity and spicy flavors balanced with whole hops and a soft malt character.”

  It is 7.5% alcohol and charmingly, the bottle is wax-dipped in beeswax—another rustic, traditional touch that I really like.

  Appearance: Lovely golden-orange color, with a lively carbonation building up a big whipped head of foam, even with a gentle pour.

  Smell: Fruity, tangy, spicy: tangerine, leather (funk), white peppercorn. It all works well together and finishes with kind of an orange marmalade note.

  Taste: Earthy, spicy, fizzy, dry; a bitter, peppery note from the hops and the spiciness (yeast phenols), lightly toasted bread crust in the malts with a touch of rye I think; earthy vegetal character like radish greens but not as spicy, so maybe more Swiss chard? Very, very nice, pungently pleasant with that note of farmhouse funk present. Appetizing.

  Mouthfeel: Very carbonated and effervescent, finishes quite dry. Nicely light.

  Overall: Fantastic saison, I’ve decided; hits all the marks and makes me want more.

  Seizoen on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 4.06/5 (6 reviews). RateBeer: 3.33/5, 84th percentile.

  The Seizoen Bretta is essentially the same beer, only half a percent stronger (8% abv) and spiked with Brettanomyces; the Brewery says, “Special Brettanomyces yeast provides added dryness and crisp complexity to the Seizoen Bretta.  Bottle conditioned with pear juice for a natural carbonation.”

  (Incidentally, that pear juice thing in both these beers? That’s a really nice touch.)

  I picked up and drank this bottle 3 months after the Seizoen. This is of course the beer (of the two) that is getting the acclaim and getting noticed: people love their Brett and with good reason.

  Appearance: Opened lively—foam is rising right out of the bottle! Poured  with a big, active head of foam, off-white, over a golden honey-colored body.

  Smell: Mildly floral and sweet nose, with a mellow line of tangy, slightly funky Brett running through it. Restrained, almost sublime.

  Taste: The Brett does not come on too strong but it presents a nice funky tang right up front which turns into a dry, funky bitterness in the back. Dry, quenching character with a bit of peppery spiciness, and the Brett funk gives an earthy, grassy quality to it.

  Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a lively effervescence and dry finish—a bit of an earthy aftertaste as it dries you out.

  Overall: This is a very nice, really well-handled application of Brett with an already terrific saison.

  Seizoen Bretta on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 89/100. RateBeer: 3.59/5, 96th percentile.

  
• 

  Buckbean Brewing is closing

  Posted: February 12th, 2012, 11:19pm CET by Jon

  Sorry to see the news this weekend that Reno’s Buckbean Brewing Company is going to be closing its doors. I saw the story come through from KOLO, Reno’s local ABC TV station:

  A popular Nevada brewery announced Friday that it will be shutting down operations at the end of February.

  Buckbean Brewing Company in Reno opened with much fanfare in April of 2008 with its lineup of can and keg beer, that quickly became a staple in stores, bars and restaurants.

  [O]wner Doug Booth said that the sluggish economy and a higher-than-projected cost of doing business eventually forced the brewery to close.

  Booth added that Buckbean is announcing its closing date now so that they can thank their customers and give their loyal fans a chance to drop by the brewery and have their final Buckbean brew, or grab a case of discounted beer.

  Buckbean is selling all of its brewing equipment to other brewers, and there is a possibility that another  brewer will open up in the space they are vacating in the future.

  Buckbean is also running deep discounts in their final weeks of operation as they sell the last of their beer inventory. Customers are welcome to stop by the brewery and buy discounted cases, four-packs, growler refills or kegs of Buckbean beer.

  The brewery confirmed the closing and final deals on its Facebook page.

  One of the earlier craft brewers to can their beer, Buckbean had sent me their four canned offerings a little over two years ago. Except for one can (the Tule Duck which was bad), they were all decent beers that I reviewed favorably.

  They were also responsible for organizing and holding Canfest, the international canned beer festival held annually in Reno (the last one was back in November). I don’t know if Buckbean’s closing means that Canfest will be discontinued, but I hope not; I like the idea of a canned beer fest/showcase and definitely think it’s something that should be kept going (and if so, I’ll make it down there for it someday).

  

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/10/2012

  Posted: February 10th, 2012, 9:59pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Friday, the 10th, and going into the weekend. I’m a little behind today with a bunch of other things going on, but I’ll update this post through the rest of the day, so if you have news to share, please contact me and I’ll get it updated.

  Deschutes Brewery (Bend): They’ve postponed and rescheduled their Chocolate Beer Dinner from tomorrow night (Feb. 11th) to next month, on Saturday, March 10th. No word on why, exactly, but perhaps they’ll be able to have some additional specialty beers available by next month. At any rate, if you weren’t able to make it tomorrow, you should definitely mark the 10th of March down on your calendars—these will be a fantastic dinner.

  The KLCC Microbrew Festival starts today in Eugene at 5pm, and continues tomorrow starting at 1pm. This will be a fun event with a lot of great breweries, a nice mix of large and small and not all from Oregon. I’ve plugged it several times this week already, so get over to Eugene already!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/10/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/09/2012

  Posted: February 9th, 2012, 9:00pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the Oregon beer news for Thursday, February 9th. As usual I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day so if you have something to share please contact me.

  The KLCC Brewfest starts tomorrow in Eugene! This annual festival benefits radio station KLCC 89.7 FM, the local NPR station, and this year they’re featuring 57 brewers pouring some 120 beers along with a music sale, a homebrew competition, and the notorious Eugene collaboration brew—where all the Eugene-area breweries collaborate on a special beer just for this festival. It all takes place starting tomorrow (Friday) from 5 to 11pm, and then on Saturday from 1 to 11 at the Lane Events Center Exhibit Hall. It’s a 21-and-over-only event, and it’ll cost you $10 in advance (purchase tickets on the site) or $12 at the door, and includes a souvenir glass (plus $1 per ticket I believe for additional tickets). Should be a good time in Eugene if you can get over there!

  Ninkasi Brewing (Eugene) is sponsoring two special screenings of “The Love of Beer” (the documentary movie following( local) women in the brewing industry) at The David Minor Theater in Eugene tonight, at 7:45 and 9:15pm: “Meet the hardworking women (and men) of Ninkasi tonight at our special screening of THE LOVE OF BEER celebrating women in brewing. Tix are $8, tastings and Q/A 30 minutes previous to both screenings at the David Minor Theater. Arrive early!” This is a great movie (I’ve seen it twice now) and if you’re in the neighborhood you should definitely check it out.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/09/2012” »

  
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  Apocalypse Beer: Redefining “Beer”

  Posted: February 8th, 2012, 9:00pm CET by Jon

  Amidst all the sometimes-vehement debates surrounding the definition of craft beer, and the arguments about styles, I am absolutely going to be cheeky enough sweep all of that aside as irrelevant and entirely redefine “beer.” Hey, it’s the Apocalypse, it’s a whole new world! And for some background, read the Introduction.

  What is “Beer”?

  In the early 21st century, “beer” has a rather precise classification among industrialized societies: a carbonated alcoholic beverage (usually less that 10-12% alcohol by volume) made from malted cereal grains (most often malted barley), almost always spiced with hops, and fermented with a specific family of yeast.

  A lot of thought and ink has been devoted to defining “beer” and classifying it down into various styles, somewhat by ingredients (“beer” as opposed to “braggot” which is half beer, half honey mead for instance) but more often by appearance and flavor variations, especially subtle ones (pale ale vs. India pale ale vs. bitter for instance). Within these definitions, of course, there is variability: other sugar or starch sources besides grains (such as fruits, processed sugars and syrups, honey, and so on) may be added to supplement the beer at various stages of the brewing process; the beer can be flavored with other herbs and spices in addition to (and sometimes instead of) hops; it may be aged in wooden barrels previously used to age other alcohols; and so on.

  Ultimately, these definitions all still agree that beer, at its core, is primarily made from grains and hops and adheres to a certain set of guidelines (and the country of Germany took this definition step further—or narrower—with their Reinheitsgebot purity law which stipulated that beer could legally only consist of malt, hops, water, and yeast).

  Continue reading “Apocalypse Beer: Redefining “Beer”” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/08/2012

  Posted: February 8th, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Here is the Oregon beer news for Wednesday, February 8th, 2012. As usual, I will be periodically updating this news post throughout the day, so if you have some news of interest to share, please contact me and I can get it updated.

  Ezra at the New School reports that the much-sought-after Pliny the Younger from Russian River Brewing is landing in Oregon today, at Higgins Restaurant in Portland: “Always the first to tap the keg in Portland, it seems Higgins Restaurant in downtown Portland has done it again and will be tapping its super fresh keg of the Younger tomorrow, Wednesday, February 8th, at about 4pm. Higgins reports it only took 47 minutes for the keg to blow last year, so get there quick.”

  Full Sail Brewing (Hood River): They are all set to release the latest in their Brewer’s Share Experimental series, “Dan’s Satin Stout”—a 5.2% abv creamy nitro stout with wildflower honey added. There will be a Meet the Brewer event on Thursday, February 16th from 5pm to 6:30 to celebrate the release of the beer, and Full Sail is doing some cool charity work along with this series: “With each Brewer’s Share Experimental series beer, Full Sail picks a local charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer. Dan has chosen to support Hospice of the Gorge so every keg of Dan’s Satin Stout benefits this organization whose mission is to compassionately support patients and families through the end of life process.”

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/08/2012” »

  
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  Shock Top Wheat IPA

  Posted: February 8th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  Last week I received a six-pack of the latest offering in the Shock Top lineup: Shock Top Wheat IPA. The Shock Top line is one of the Anheuser-Busch “craft” beer arms, and the brand revolves around a Belgian Wit (or “White”) style of beer (in the same vein as Coors and their Blue Moon series); in addition to the main Shock Top Belgian White, they also produce a Raspberry Wheat and a Pumpkin Wheat—and now, a Wheat IPA.

  What “Wheat IPA” actually means in this case is “Belgian IPA” as it marries a Belgian Wit style of beer with (usually) an American-style IPA hop and (usually) strength profile; it’s a style that’s not only been coming out of Belgium but is also being popularized here in the States by the likes of Stone Brewing’s Cali-Belgique, Deschutes Brewery’s Chainbreaker White IPA, Great Divide‘s Belgica, and others.

  And it’s such an unlikely style for an A-B craft arm to brew that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it.

  Shock Top Wheat IPA is 5.8% abv, and no idea what the IBUs are.

  Appearance: Orange color, honey-like, hazy from the (recommended) swirled pour. Fluffy, substantial head.

  Smell: Has that nice summery Wit aroma of coriander and sweet orange peel, with a touch of estery fruitiness. Mellow.

  Taste: Interesting blend of Wit and earthy English-style IPA; neither really dominates. The “Wit” aspect is dampened and tempered by a gentle earthy bitterness—not terribly hoppy but quite a bit moreso than most A-Bs. Finishes clean and a bit muted.

  Mouthfeel: Between light and medium-bodied, with a bit of a sharp edge to it.

  Overall: Decent, a bit different, I’ll give A-B props for doing one like this. I don’t know if it quite hits the mark but it’s drinkable and not harsh (which I think could happen to any example of this style).

  Shock Top Wheat IPA on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 2.88/5 (4 reviews). RateBeer: 2.48/5, 16th percentile.

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/07/2012

  Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:00pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the beer news in Oregon for Tuesday, February 7th. As usual, I’ll be updating this post throughout the day so if you have some news you’d like to share, please contact me and I can get it updated.

  If you were planning to attend the Ninkasi Brewer’s Dinner for the Civil Liberties Defense Center at The Granary in Eugene tonight, be aware that it has been postponed; no word on why the event had to be postponed but if you’d like to know when they event will be rescheduled you can contact CLDC directly.

  Planning has begun for this year’s Corvallis Beer Week, and this year the CBW takes place from September 10th through the 16th (Monday through Sunday). Mark your calendars and plan accordingly!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/07/2012” »

  
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  Widmer Spiced IPA

  Posted: February 7th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  The second of the two beers I received from Widmer last week is their latest offering in their Rotator IPA series, Spiced IPA. This one has an interesting provenance, as it is (as far as I know) the first collaboration beer Widmer has brewed with a homebrew club that isn’t the Oregon Brew Crew; the recipe for the unusual beer originated with the homebrew club, QUAFF out of San Diego.

  Widmer explains:

  In the spirit of collaboration, we teamed up with San Diego’s Quality Ale and Fermentation Fraternity, or QUAFF for short, to brew Spiced IPA, a beer that offers an intriguing twist on the West Coast’s favorite style. Blending familiar flavors with unexpected ingredients, this hop-forward yet balanced IPA is brewed with malty assam black tea, ginger, cinnamon, clove, star anise, black pepper, and cardamom. The beer and the spices come together, much like the brewers behind it, to create on amazing brew.

  Essentially the beer is spiced with a complex, chai-like tea—combining the black tea and spices to high effect, and in fact as part of the gimmick of the PR package I received, there was included a bag of what is essentially this tea mix for which I could brew up tea with, and get a sense of how the spices would present normally. (Similar to having a bag of loose hops on hand to smell, taste, and so on.)

  Spice IPA finished out at 7% alcohol by volume. It’s also new enough that I’m not sure it’s hit the shelves yet.

  Appearance: Crystal clear copper-golden color, with a fine series of bubbles rising to feed the off-white head.

  Smell: Black tea along with light citrus hops; other spicing that reminds me of cloves, orange peel, sweet tea; cotton candy hops.

  Taste: Bitter-forward flavors that combine resiny hop stems with strong black tea and some fruity notes. Very earthy and maybe a touch of tobacco. Very interesting and characterful, lots of layers (though “tea” is the predominant essence for me).

  Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a spicy, earthy, bitter aftertaste.

  Overall: I keep sipping to explore the spicing, it’s earthy and complex and much more “savory” than “culinary” (or dessert-y) which definitely is appropriate for this style… assuming this is a “style”…

  Spiced IPA on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 4.1/5 (only 2 reviews so far). RateBeer: 3.8/5 (only 1 review so far).

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/06/2012

  Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy post-Super Bowl Monday! Did you all unlock the “Brew Bowl XLVI” badge on Untappd? Back to work today… and here’s the news for February 6th. I’ll be updating this post throughout the day, so please contact me if you have news to share.

  The Broken Top Bottle Shop is now open in Bend—in fact they opened Saturday late afternoon to a large, eager crowd. We stopped in for dinner and beers, and we very impressed overall; there were a few opening night snafus but all were entirely understandable. They are going to be a valuable addition to Bend’s craft beer scene.

  McMenamins Edgefield (Troutdale): They are continuing to showcase the distillery/brewery connection this month with their limited edition tasting coming up this Thursday the 9th, featuring “The Widowmaker”: “Shortly after Halloween, we filled a freshly emptied Hogshead Whiskey barrel from our own Edgefield Distillery with a limited-release Black Widow Porter. For a month, the complex flavors of this wicked ale mingled with the whiskey barrel, resulting in a beer that marries the two — it is sublimely full-flavored with plenty of whiskey aroma and flavor, coupled with hints of vanilla and oak.” The tasting starts at 5pm and lasts until the beer is gone; in addition you can get tastings of the Edgefield Distillery’s Hogshead Whiskey along with The Widowmaker, and the brewers and distillers will be on-hand to answer questions about it.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/06/2012” »

  
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  Widmer W’12 Dark Saison

  Posted: February 6th, 2012, 6:00pm CET by Jon

  This year’s Brewmaster’s Release “W” series from Widmer Brothers Brewing—the W’12—is Dark Saison, a French farmhouse-style ale with a roasted nuttiness to it. But don’t let the “dark” part fool you: unlike that other unusual “dark” beer style rising in popularity, this isn’t anywhere near black or even that dark a brown, but rather a deep amber colored ale. And this one is of course one of the bottles I received from the Brewery.

  The beer is 5.5% alcohol by volume, and Widmer says:

  Inspired by the classic French Farmhouse ale, our interpretation of the Saison style gets its dark color and deep ruby hue from a hint of caramel and dark chocolate malts. While the beer is darker than many examples of the style, the citrus spice of Saaz hops provides a perfect balance of complex fruity esters with earthy and spicy notes. Dark Saison finishes slightly tart with a drying, clean, and pepper-like finish.

  Jeff notes that this will likely be the first Saison that many Americans try, since it’s getting nationwide release—and I can’t think of any other widespread commercial Saisons with that much general reach either, can you?

  Appearance: Amber-brown color (mahogany), clear, with a skiff of light tan foam.

  Smell: Spicy and peppery, fairly fragrant—I notice the aroma from a distance—along with a nicely floral note. A nutty aroma?

  Taste: Dry, white pepper with a touch of cracked black pepper, and a bit of roast to it, almost a nuttiness. A spicy, earthy bite to it, but it’s very clean, with perhaps a tiny bit of astringency.

  Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and dry, with a thin(ish) feel to it on the tongue.

  Overall: This is a nice, “mainstream” saison, I think. Nothing flashy but fairly easy drinking.

  W’12 Dark Saison on Untappd. BeerAdvocate: 84/100. RateBeer: 3.28/5, 65th percentile.

  
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  Received: Shock Top Wheat IPA

  Posted: February 4th, 2012, 10:35pm CET by Jon

  I have to say, one style I wouldn’t have expected the big breweries to delve into (even as part of their smaller “craft” branches) is the relatively-new Wheat or Belgian IPA… but that’s exactly what Anheuser-Busch has done with their latest Shock Top release: Shock Top Wheat IPA, which I received a six-pack of this week.

  

  This is slated to hit the shelves nationally on the 6th (Monday), and at first blush—it’s rather interesting and actually not bad at all. I’ll be drinking more and writing up review notes for it this weekend sometime.

  (And no, I don’t automatically turn my nose up at macro-brewed brands remember—I’m a beer geek, not a beer snob, and I’m always interested in trying new beers—whether from A-B or the newest nanobrewery down the street.)

  Some details from the press release:

  The newest full-time addition to the Shock Top family, Shock Top Wheat IPA is a unique hybrid style that brings the refreshment and smoothness of a wheat beer and marries it with the crisp, hoppy bitterness of an India Pale Ale (IPA).

  To create the new beer, brewmasters started with Shock Top’s signature recipe, adding citrusy Cascade and Magnum hops and dry hopping the beer for several days to give Wheat IPA the rich, hoppy aroma that is the signature of IPAs. Containing 5.8% alcohol by volume (ABV), Shock Top Wheat IPA will be sold nationwide in six- and 24-packs of 12-ounce bottles and on draught.

  Which interestingly puts it at about the same level as Deschutes‘ Chainbreaker White IPA (just recently announced as the newest year-round addition to their bottled line-up).

  More soon.

  
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  The Session #60: Growlers Galore

  Posted: February 4th, 2012, 8:30am CET by Jon

  Today is The Session‘s Diamond Anniversary! (Although technically it would be its “mensiversary” for the Latin and date geeks among you.) The Session is a monthly collaborative beer blogging event where a different host for each month suggests a topic, and on the first Friday of that month everyone who wants to participate writes about that topic. (As simple as that!) Our host then collects links to all the other Session posts for easy reading.

  This month’s host is Kendall Jones of the Washington Beer Blog, and the topic he has selected is “Growlers Galore“:

  These days people take growlers for granted. In my neck of the woods, growlers are a relatively new phenomenon. I don’t recall exactly when they appeared on the local beer scene but it could not have been more than eight or ten years ago. Maybe they existed in obscurity before. My memory fails me. Today growlers are everywhere. I think. Growlers are very common around the Pacific Northwest, anyway. I cannot speak to their popularity elsewhere. I’d love to know.

  Tell us about your growler collection. Tell us why you love growlers or why you hate them. What is the most ridiculous growler you’ve ever seen? Tell us about your local growler filling station. Ever suffer a messy growler mishap? Anything related to growlers is acceptable.

  I haven’t taken to collecting growlers in the same way that I would collect bottles, partially because I don’t have the room—indeed I did a major purge of my bottle “collection” about a year ago and I still really don’t have room for more—and partially because the growlers I have are a reusable commodity: I keep getting them refilled!

  I only have a small number of growlers though: two from 10 Barrel Brewing, one a Rogue Dead Guy growler, one from Hopworks Urban Brewery, and one from Steelhead Brewing in Eugene. Those are my clean and reusable set, and all are the standard brown glass, half-gallon “jug” style without much fanfare; I have another fancier one from Southern Oregon Brewing with a ceramic flip top and metal handle that my brother gave me, but it’s not in good enough condition to fill unfortunately.

  But for me these are “working” growlers: I’ve taken to always carrying one or two in the car with me on the off-chance that I’ll be near a brewery, and for the most part I’m unconcerned about the decor on the bottle. And fortunately that decor doesn’t matter as I live in a state (Oregon) that has lenient enough beer laws to allow breweries to fill any growler that comes in the door, even ones from other breweries (indeed, some breweries will fill just about any lidded container you bring in), unlike, say California or South Dakota that will only let you fill a growler if said growler is from that same brewery.

  So I love having a growler on hand, but not for a collectible purpose, for me it’s almost entirely functional. Don’t get me wrong—having a Hopworks growler is cool but what’s even cooler is being able to fill it with fresh beer from Deschutes, or Brewers Union, or Barley Brown’s, or any number of other Oregon breweries anytime I’m in their neighborhood. It’s hard to beat that.

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/03/2012

  Posted: February 3rd, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy Friday! Here’s the beer news from around Oregon for Friday, February 3rd (and going into the weekend). I will be periodically updating this post throughout the day with news bits, so if you have something to share please contact me and I’ll get it updated.

  Old Mill Brew Wërks (Bend): The original owners of the brewpub/restaurant in Bend’s Old Mill District have sold the pub to focus entirely on building out their own (production) brewery, according to a local Bend Bulletin article (which is unfortunately behind their paywall). They will be renovating the brewery space formerly occupied by 10 Barrel Brewing tentatively beginning in March, installing a 7bbl system. They’ve tapped Michael McMahon from Langley Brewing in Langley, Washington to be their new head brewer. (I’m not sure how/if the name will change considering they’ve taken the brewery out of the “Old Mill”.)

  Brewpublic has a nice article on the new Golden Valley Brewery Beaverton which opened recently, giving a nice overview and introduction to the new brewpub and former Chili’s location. “The bar now offers up large TV’s to catch some sports while sitting at some tall bar tables in the middle and shorter tables around the perimeter. Speaking of the bar, Golden Valley offers a full liquor selection along with 6 wines on tap and 10 taps of their beer that they bring in from their McMinnville location. The ten selections offer some excellent variety in styles that you’d expect from a brewpub with this history.” And they just recently released their first beer brewed at the new Beaverton location, “Exit 65 IPA” which is looking to be a popular addition to the GVB lineup.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/03/2012” »

  
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  Apocalypse Beer

  Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 9:00pm CET by Jon

  Welcome to the start of a new regular feature here at The Brew Site for 2012: Apocalypse Beer. This is a (mostly tongue-in-cheek) subject I’ve been thinking about for awhile and since nobody else appears to be doing it, I thought it was high time to tackle it. What follows is the introduction to “Apocalypse Beer” and I’ll be unpacking the concept over the next few weeks before getting into practical matters. Or as “practical” as post-apocalyptic brewing can be, I suppose…

  Just what is an “apocalypse” anyway?

  The original definition of the word refers to a writing or work which acts as a disclosure of hidden information, akin to a prophecy, and from the Biblical Book of Revelations it came to be associated with the end of the world.

  Modern usage defines “apocalypse” to mean a great disaster, and commonly it’s viewed as leading to the end of the world as we know it. And while this sounds pretty straightforward, modern times and pop culture has given us a variety of apocalyptic scenarios to choose from:

  • Zombie epidemic
  • Meteor strike
  • New Ice Age
  • Technological collapse
  • Nuclear war
  • Epidemic/disease outbreak
  • Environmental catastrophe
  • Natural disaster
  • The Mayan 2012 “end of the world”
  • Alien invasion

  Sort of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” for the end times, and shows that we have a (unhealthy?) fascination (obsession?) with the Apocalypse. Or rather, it shows that we have a fascination with the post-apocalypse, as much of the focus is actually on life and survival in the post-apocalyptic aftermath.

  One of the most common visions of the Post-Apocalyptic world is one of a societal and often technological collapse, with survivors banding together to scavenge, forage, survive, and rebuild. Often they have to start from scratch. We get details of food (foraging, hunting, growing), defense (weapons, fortifications, building armies), building (shelter, agriculture, attempts to recreate “lost” technology), but one question has been repeatedly coming to my mind lately:

  Where are the beer brewers?

  Continue reading “Apocalypse Beer” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/02/2012

  Posted: February 2nd, 2012, 7:00pm CET by Jon

  Happy Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today which means six more weeks of winter, traditionally. Do any Oregon brewers make a “Groundhog Day Beer”? At any rate, here’s the news in Oregon beer for Thursday, February 2. I’ll be periodically updating this post throughout the day, so if you have some news you’d like to share please contact me and I’ll get it updated.

  Alameda Brewing (Portland) today is celebrating their My Bloody Valentine Release Party, their Valentine’s Day-themed Blood Orange Farmhouse Saison: “Dried orange peel and hand squeezed blood orange juice adds to the citrus and peppery essences from the yeast.” As part of the celebration, pints are available for $2 all day long, and limited-edition wax-dipped bottles will be for sale all day as well. The release party itself runs from 5 to 9pm tonight and will feature live music from the Alice Kollinzas Trio.

  And speaking of Valentine’s Day events, Brewpublic and Saraveza are teaming up again for the third year in a row to present My Beery Valentine on Sunday, February 12th starting at 6pm (no tickets required to enter): “This is an event designed especially for lovers of craft beer, sweethearts, and sweettooths, and features some of the region’s best breweries concocting specialty one-off brews with a Valentine’s Day theme.Dessertif and delicioso decadent ales will be married with the tantalizing treats of Sugar Pimp, Saraveza’s own Lori Adams Clinton’s divine cupcakes. Beers brewed with fruit, chocolate, liqueurs, barrel-aged, and other fanciful ingredients will be featured from Alameda, Block 15, Breakside, Cascade, Coalition, Fort George, Laurelwood, Mt Tabor, The Commons, Upright, Vertigo, and more. If you love craft beer the way we do, you are not going to want to miss out on this event!” The beer list has also been published to the event page, and all I can say is “Wow!” Yes it’s that impressive!

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/02/2012” »

  
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  Oregon Beer News, 02/01/2012

  Posted: February 1st, 2012, 9:15pm CET by Jon

  Here’s the news in Oregon beer for Wednesday, the first of February. As usual I’ll be updating this post periodically throughout the day so if you have some news to share, please contact me and I’ll get it updated.

  Lots of beer news going on in Bend today: Deschutes Brewery is holding their official Grand Re-opening of their expanded and remodeled Pub starting at 5pm. Owner Gary Fish will be on hand to welcome everyone, the first 1000 people in will receive a commemorative pint glass, and there will be a special “Imperial Bachelor Bitter” on tap for the opening.

  And, literally across the street from the Deschutes Pub in downtown Bend, Brother Jon’s Alehouse is also opening today: this is the second location spun off from the popular Brother’s Jon’s Public House, which offers great food and an impressive taplist on Bend’s westside. The opening of their new downtown location provides another great spot for finding good beer in Bend.

  Silver Moon Brewing in Bend is closed today and tomorrow (the 1st and 2nd) for a kitchen remodel, and will be back open on Friday for their new “Keg Killer” special: a single keg of Dark Side Stout barrel aged and infused with coffee and hazelnuts, that will go on tap at 4pm and only be available until the keg blows. Last week they also offered a deal where the person that orders the last pint from the keg gets a free Silver Moon pint glass, though I don’t know for sure if that is happening this week as well.

  Continue reading “Oregon Beer News, 02/01/2012” »