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  • Permalink for 'The_Brew_Site/2012/02/06/Oregon_Beer_News__02_06_2012'

    Oregon Beer News, 02/06/2012

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

    Oregon BeerHappy 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” »

  • Permalink for 'The_Brew_Site/2012/02/06/Widmer_W%e2%80%9912_Dark_Saison'

    Widmer W’12 Dark Saison

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

    Widmer W'12 Dark SaisonThis 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.