Suggest a new beer for Fort George Brewery
March 9th, 2010Fort George Brewery over in Astoria, Oregon, is busy this month: not only are they celebrating their third birthday coming up on March 14th, they’re also holding a contest to suggest their next new beer. From their blog:
We here at Fort George take being a Public House very seriously. It has been because of our great customers that we have been able to grow and better our business and for that, we would like to give back. Fort George Brewery would like your ideas for a new beer that could be made in our brewery. If you would like to see a new style of beer, would like us to try something new with our beers, or have a recipe of your own that you would like to see pouring at Fort George, submit an entry and it could end up being brewed!
All beer entries must be able to be made with our American Ale Yeast or our Belgian yeast. The beer selected will be based on quality, creativity, availability of ingredients, and by how delicious it sounds. You may submit as many entries as you like but only one beer will be chosen.
Click through to the blog to get the details on how to submit your beer idea. You have until April 10th to get your entry in.
Session #38 announced
March 8th, 2010The roundup for Session #37 has been posted (hmm, seems a little sparse; I don’t see mine or several others I remember reading listed there yet…) and the topic for The Session #38 for April has been announced:
With Kate the Great Day a recent memory and the day of the Dark Lord fast approaching, I started thinking about what beer or beers that I would get up at 4:00 in the morning, drive across state lines, stand in a long unmoving line in the cold and rain for the chance to taste with a crowd the size of Woodstock.
So here is my question to you (with a couple addendums).
What beer have you tasted recently (say, the last six months or so) that is worthy of their own day in the media sun?
And to add a little extra to it, how does “great” expectations affect your beer drinking enjoyment?
AND If you have attended one of these release parties, stories and anecdotes of your experience will be welcomed too.
The host for April is Beer Search Party. The usual rules apply: publish your Session blog post on Friday, April 2nd, and shoot an email or leave a comment on the host blog. And be sure to read all the others posts that day, too—putting the “group” in “group blogging” you know.
The Session #37: When to Drink the Good Stuff
March 5th, 2010
Three years ago this month The Session celebrated its inaugural Friday with the topic of Stouts. This month, The Session’s third birthday, we have an entirely apropos topic: When to drink the good stuff, hosted by The Ferm.
Finding a drinking occasion that lives up to the reputation of the bottle and the story of its acquisition is not a dreadful struggle to have, but it is a struggle nonetheless. When my good friends are over and we have had a few other beverages, will we still be able to enjoy my cave aged Hennepin that I bought after my tour of the brewery and have cellared for ten years? Will I miss it like I miss that four year old Golden Monkey?
In March, The Ferm has the honor of hosting The Session, a monthly assemblage of beer bloggers to opine on a shared topic. The March 2010 topic is “The Display Shelf: When to Drink the Good Stuff.” The topic is open ended and the rules of The Session are close to nil. You can use your post to be persuasive or therapeutic. You may choose to tell a story of a great bottle you once opened or boast of your own beer collection.
As I write this post up, I’m enjoying a 2007 vintage bottle of The Abyss—partly in appreciation of this month’s topic, partly to celebrate The Session’s anniversary (enjoying an Imperial Stout in a nice symmetry with that first month of stouts), partly “just because.”
All of which leads into the best answer I can give of “when to drink the good stuff”: I don’t know—it’s entirely up to you.
What? Too anticlimactic? Well, there’s no way around it—beer can be such a subjective topic and everyone has their own tastes and preferences. The only one who can tell you when to drink that prized beer is you.
But if you can hold on to that beer for ten or more years? My hat’s off to you.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’m going to enjoy the last of this ‘07 Abyss…
Empire Strikes Back
March 3rd, 2010I’m sure the movie is the first thing you think when you see the title of this post, but in fact it’s the name of the latest limited-release beer from Double Mountain Brewery. In fact they’re holding release parties tomorrow and Friday, and thanks to the Bend Beer Blog I know that Friday’s release party is being held here in Bend, at Brother Jon’s Pub.
(I’d completely overlooked this, since I saw the “Moon & Sixpence Pub” in Portland as the first location and assumed it was all Portland.)
I had to read this line about the beer from the Double Mountain blog and smirk, though:
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is a concept beer that answers the question, “what happens when you make a big Northwest-style IPA with all-English malt and hops?”
Um, you have a traditional English IPA?
Yes, completely snarky because it’s a silly concept question. But to be fair, it’s Double Mountain, so I’m sure the beer will be very good.
The release party at Brother Jon’s is from 5 to 9pm Friday, the 5th.
Oregon Brewers Festival 2010 beers
March 2nd, 2010The beer list for this year’s Oregon Brewers Festival has been posted, and it’s pretty impressive! There are all the usual suspects, of course, but there are a few standouts that caught my eye:
- Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale from Boulevard Brewing
- Hibiscus Ginger Beer from Caldera Brewing
- Dogfish Head (TBA)
- Exit 4 from Flying Fish Brewing
- Sofie from Goose Island
- Le Freak from Green Flash Brewing
- Strawberry Cream Ale from Laht Neppur Brewing
- Coconut Porter from Maui Brewing
- 7 Grain Saison from The Bruery
- Reggae Junkie Gruit from Upright Brewing
Seems like a lot of new appearances in this group, and it’s always nice to see far-reaching breweries making an appearance at the Brewfest.
There’s a nice showing of some of the (relative) Oregon newcomers as well: Hop Valley, Mt. Emily Ale House, Natian Brewery, Seven Brides Brewing, Southern Oregon, Upright, and Vertigo. (Did I miss anybody?)
All in all, based on the list in place so far, looks like it’s shaping up to be a great ‘Fest this year.
Reminder: The Session is this Friday
March 2nd, 2010Don’t forget The Session is coming up this Friday, the 5th: the topic is “The Good Stuff” (when to drink it). Since it’s the anniversary of the first Session, and given the topic is “good stuff”, I may well open a 2007 Abyss to commemorate it.
Pyramid (Spring) Fling Pale Ale
March 1st, 2010
Ah, Pyramid. Between owning MacTarnahan’s, being owned by Magic Hat, contract brewing at several locations, it’s tough to know what’s what with them. I still remember the Pyramid of the ’90s and early ’00s, with their Apricot Ale and Snow Cap in particular as strong, leading beers, so I’ve been a bit confused over the various branding changes they’ve undergone over the past few years—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and I never thought their old identity or branding was broke.
But that certainly shouldn’t stop me from enjoying the fruits of their latest efforts, their Spring seasonal, Fling Pale Ale. This is one of the three types they sent me just over a week ago, and the one I have yet to have tried (I’ve been drinking and reviewing the other two over the years).
Fling is an American Pale Ale at 5.2% alcohol by volume; it’s moderately hopped (36 IBUs) according to their site, though brewed with three different hops.
Appearance: Pale gold in color, clear. Bubbly—lots of beading—but a minimal pale tan head on top.
Smell: Fresh and floral, green grassy hops. Bright. Toasty-sweet malts, raw bread dough. Nice!
Taste: Surprising rush of bitter hops up front, not what I expected from the fresh floral notes. Clean bitterness, resiny and earthy, kind of a dandelion bitterness. A bit of cracked wheat in the malts, otherwise relatively mild.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a crisp finish.
Overall: A nice fresh pale ale with big hops—well-played for the Northwest crowd. Otherwise I’d call it a fairly standard pale ale.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B-. On RateBeer, it scores 3.08 out of 5, and is in their 46th percentile.
Bend Brewing Company turns 15 today!
February 27th, 2010There’s been almost no fanfare or publicity for this—indeed, even I almost missed it if not for my wife—but Bend Brewing Company is turning 15 today and celebrating in grand style:
Saturday, February 27th marks the fifteenth anniversary of the BBC. The anniversary party will last all day, beginning at 11:30 a.m. with half-priced appetizers and $2.50 pints of beer, both of which will be served until closing time that evening.
From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., visit the BBC Garage Sale. Miscellaneous merchandise, including shirts, hats, pint glasses and more, will be offered at very good prices. Guests will also have the opportunity to win tons of great raffle prizes from 5 to 10 p.m.
From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., enjoy live music on the patio from The Buck Rodgers Band, known far and wide for their progressive alt rock with a twist of psycho-billy and infused psychedelic jams. Fire pits will keep revelers warm as they boogie, and a server will be on hand to ensure crowds are adequately fed and watered.
In the 15 years since Bend’s second-ever microbrewery opened, what’s remarkable about it is how little it’s changed: they are still in the same building, with the same overall decor and atmosphere, and (largely) serve up much of the same menu over the years. They exist in a popular niche in Bend and done a great job nurturing that niche.
Even for all that, what’s more remarkable is what has changed: the quality of the beer. When brewmaster Tonya Cornett came aboard in 2002, she helped put BBC on the map, so to speak, from a craft brewing perspective: with Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup awards for HopHead Imperial IPA and Outback X, among others, as well as other awards, BBC has become a beer geek’s destination (and has helped cement Bend, Oregon in the “Beer Pantheon” along with Deschutes Brewing and other great brewers in town).
Happy 15th to Bend Brewing! I plan to enjoy come down and enjoy some of the party today.
Hop Press: Canvolution
February 27th, 2010My Hop Press article for today—”Canvolution“—takes a look at the canned beer segment of craft brewing (something which I have passing familiarity with) to serve as both an introduction and an advocacy piece. Oskar Blues, 21st Amendment, and Canfest all get nods.
Big Beer Week: Noël Des Géants
February 26th, 2010
I suppose you can’t talk “Big Beers” without mentioning (at least in passing!) Belgium. In this case, it’s a Christmas beer: Noël Des Géants from Brasserie Des Géants in Wallonia, the French speaking half of Belgium; I picked it up shortly after Christmas without knowing much about it (but it was a good price).
It’s not just a big Belgian beer in terms of alcohol however (8.5% by volume); “géants” in French literally means “giants” and the town of Irchonwelz in which the brewery is found has an annual “giants march.” I’m not sure what such a spectacle would look like but it sounds like one of those things that should go on the list to see someday.
Appearance: Nut-brown and cloudy, with a rocky, impressive tan head.
Smell: Rich and sugary with only the barest hint of fruit. A touch of flossy cotton candy and maybe bubblegum; caramel malts and brown sugar.
Taste: Spun sugar in the mouth, makes me think “sugarplums.” It’s toffee-rich caramel and a hint of smoky malt; a rummy note hinting at its strength. A little more alcohol heat at the back of the mouth. Very rich but holding “Belgium” in check.
Mouthfeel: Chewy and sharp—bright effervescence and some alcoholic astringency on the tongue.
Overall: Sweet, rich, cloying, yet a bit restrained. Decadent and tasty.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B+. On RateBeer, it scores 3.4 out of 5 and is in their 80th percentile.
Big Beer Week: Widmer 84/09 Double Alt
February 25th, 2010Widmer’s 84/09 Double Alt was actually a beer that showed up last summer to celebrate their 25th anniversary—but I missed it the first time around somehow. Fortunately the Brew Shop here in Bend still has a few bottles, so I snapped one up.
84/09 is basically a double-strength version of their famous and pub-only Altbier, the first beer they brewed and what was notorious, in the early days, for being the “only true Alt” brewed outside of Dusseldorf, Germany (at least, according to some aficionados). It’s 9.8% alcohol by volume and if you can still find a bottle or two I’d say grab them.
Appearance: Mahogany brown with red highlights when held up to the light. Woody putty head.
Smell: Old Ale notes, malty and alcoholic, spicy phenolic notes. Leather and molasses and a bit roasty.
Taste: Spicy and malty, tobacco, nutty and hoppy with spiced earthy notes. A touch hot with alcohol but with a nice sipping character.
Mouthfeel: Full-ish bodied with a dry finish and a bit of heat.
Overall: Warming, tasty, like a spicy, leathery Old Ale. A little different but nice.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B. On RateBeer, it scores 3.18 out of 5 and is in their 60th percentile.
Big Beer Week: Ten Fidy Imperial Stout
February 24th, 2010Imperial Stout is one of those styles you would never expect to see come from a can, yet Oskar Blues Brewing is doing just that with their Ten Fidy, a burly motor oil of a stout that’s 10.5% alcohol.
Oskar Blues is of course most famous for being the first all-canning microbrewer, producing big bold beers that turn the general notion of canned beer (that of being weak industrial brew) on its ear. Ten Fidy takes that a step further, putting a huge and delicious beer like an Imperial Stout into a can (and one with a rather innocuous but great design)—rue the unsuspecting person that grabs and chugs this by mistake. It may well be the only canned Imperial Stout out there.
Appearance: Pours thick and oily from the can, very little carbonation though a chocolate-brown head builds up a bit after the pour. Dark brown/black and thick.
Smell: Sweet coffee, rich and syrupy like molasses. Doesn’t really move beyond “thick and sweet” in the nose.
Taste: It’s very sweet in the mouth too, dark chocolate that’s liberally sweetened with coffee liqueur. The alcohol is hidden well, dangerously so. Roasted malts (more coffee-ish) without being astringent or too bitter.
Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy, a creamy full-bodied presence.
Overall: Decadent chocolate-y sweet, very nice. It’s sweeter than I’d expect, but that doesn’t hurt a bit.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of A. On RateBeer, it scores 4.09 out of 5 and is in their 100th percentile.
Big Beer Week: Stone/Maui/Schmidt Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter
February 24th, 2010You almost can’t think “Big Beer” anymore without Stone Brewing coming up somehow. Most of their beers would easily qualify for a Big Beer Week review, so how do you go bigger? Select one of their collaboration beers, of course! These are “big” not only in a strength and style sense, but also in ambition and creativity.
Hence, the collaboration between Stone, Maui Brewing, and homebrewer Ken Schmidt to produce Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter, a monster of a beer at 8.5% that just oozes “Hawaii.” It’s probably a first in commercial brewing; coffee beers are common, and coconut has been used by several breweries (Maui of course being the most prominent), but I don’t know about macadamia nuts—and all three together? Yeah.
Interestingly, unlike a lot of big beers coming out these days, this is only available in 12-ounce bottles (rather than the 22-ounce bombers everyone seems to be using). That makes for a nice serving size but the price is steeper than what you might be used to: $8-9 for the 12-ounce. It’s worth it, though.
Appearance: Coffee-black with barest ruby hints at the light. Light cocoa-colored head is creamy and fine.
Smell: Rich coffee and dark chocolate with hints of coconut; roasty-sweet without being burnt.
Taste: First impression is a sweet, thick dark chocolate syrup and coffee—dark mocha. There’s a buttery, nutty essence and the coconut comes out lightly in the back. It’s like Death by Chocolate Cake times 2. Absolute dessert in a glass.
Mouthfeel: Syrupy and thick with a touch of dry from the roasted malts giving way to sticky sweet layers on the tongue.
Overall: Pretty amazing.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of A-. On RateBeer, it scores 3.91 out of 5 and is in their 98th percentile.
Big Beer Week: Deschutes Jubel 2010
February 23rd, 2010Though every year Deschutes Brewery brews a draft-only version of their Super Jubel—a double-strength Jubelale—only twice have they bottled this beer: once in 2000, and now again in 2010. (Respectively known as Jubel 2000 and Jubel 2010.) This time around this Jubel 2010 “Once a Decade Ale” is bottled in 22-ounce bombers and wax-dipped as part of Deschutes’ Reserve Series of beers. And (you’ll recall) that the Brewery sent me a bottle.
It’s 10% alcohol by volume, and is aged in Oregon pinot oak barrels (or at least, part of it is). The Brewery calls it a “deeply dynamic presentation of the flavors found in… Jubelale” which is a bit marketing-ese but also gives license to say “like Jubelale, but different!”
Appearance: Very dark red-brown; you can just see ruby when held to the light. Finely-bubbled half-finger of tan foam.
Smell: Sweet and boozy, reminds me of a Barleywine with molasses and dark fruit. Brown sugar? Cloyingly roasty.
Taste: Sweet, almost syrupy on the tongue, and it hides the 10% well. What I’m getting are various layers of sugar—caramelized, beet sugar, molasses, licorice, burnt sugars, toffee, and more. I’m actually envisioning cooking white table-sugar in cast iron until it caramelizes. Something strikes me as “Belgian” in a way, too; perhaps hints of candi sugar or even star anise in the licorice?
Mouthfeel: Full and thick and sticky. Leaves a very pleasant sweet aftertaste.
Overall: A winner, fun to drink but one you shouldn’t take lightly. However, I think it’s a bit over-balanced towards the sweet and while “fun to drink,” this is the first Deschutes Reserve Series beer that I would rather have in a 12-ounce bottle—or split the 22-ounce among a friend or two; it’s almost too cloying for me to drink by myself. I’d really like to put this away for a year or more to see how it ages (which I plan to do).
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of A. On RateBeer, it scores 4.06 out of 5 and is in their 94th percentile.
Big Beer Week: Anchor Old Foghorn
February 22nd, 2010Let’s start off our Big Beer Week reviews with a classic: Anchor Old Foghorn, the venerable Barleywine from one of America’s oldest craft breweries. Barleywine is one of my favorite styles of beer, and Anchor has been producing their Old Foghorn since 1975—I wrote “classic” above, and to my mind this beer sits in the pantheon of American Barleywines.
The current bottling has a strength of 9.4% alcohol by volume (their site gives a range of 8-10%, which makes me think it possibly varies by batch—or year). Here’s Anchor’s description:
Old Foghorn is highly hopped, using only Cascade hops. It is fermented with a true top-fermenting ale yeast. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called “bunging,” which produces champagne-like bubbles. Our “barleywine ale” is dry-hopped with additional Cascade hops while it ages in our cellars.
Appearance: Hammered copper in color that’s deep red when held to the light. Nice tan head that broke down to lacy rings.
Smell: Rich and aromatic, nicely fruity when I first opened it; sweet brandy character after that. Toffee, vanilla, maple, leather, lightly peppery.
Taste: Smoky wood and a touch of cherries; honey-caramel sweet and has that luscious brandy alcohol heat and sipping character. A bit cloying, a bit plummy, a touch of leather and perhaps star anise.
Mouthfeel: Think and syrupy and slightly sticky; eminently satisfying on the tongue.
Overall: Superb—balanced, mature, perfectly sippable, simply one of the best Barleywines out there.
On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B+. On RateBeer, it scores 3.85 out of 5 and is in their 98th percentile.
