This Saranac Octoberfest was one of the four beers that Matt Brewing sent me last month and, like their Pumpkin Ale (which I’m writing about next), is the first Oktoberfest beer of the season for me. This is a classic Oktoberfest-style lager, made with German Pilsner malts and Saaz and Tettnang hops, and is 5.4% alcohol by volume. Appearance: Bright copper color, very clear with lots of bubbly carbonation building up a nice thick dense … Continue reading →
Last weekend my friend Kina facilitated the delivery of two growlers of beer from Barley Brown’s over in Baker City: their GABF-gold-medal-winning Turmoil CDA (Cascadian Dark Ale) and a new beer, Speed Wobble IRA (Imperial Red Ale). I’ve had Turmoil before (and reviewed it here) and drinking it fresh again is eye-opening: this may be the best Cascadian Dark Ale (or Black IPA, or American Black Ale, or whatever you want to call it) being … Continue reading →
The next Session (#56) has been announced and it’s being hosted by Reuben at The Tale of the Ale, and the topic is “Thanks to the big boys“: Most of us that write about beer do so with the small independent brewery in mind. Often it is along the lines of Micro brew = Good and Macro brew, anything brewed by the large multinationals is evil and should be destroyed. Well I don’t agree with … Continue reading →
I attended Bend’s The Little Woody for a couple of hours Friday evening, and wrote up a “first look” (with recommendations for others attending) over on my local Bend blog which I encourage you to go read if you’re interested in how the Fest shaped up. But of course I have some notes to mention here as well. On my other blog I wrote: Unlike some beer festivals I’ve attended, this one is focused on … Continue reading →
The Session: collaborative beer blogging that occurs on the first Friday of each month, on a topic suggested by that month’s host. Ready? Go! This month’s topic is hosted by HopHeadSaid and Curtis has suggested the topic of Label, Coaster, and Cap Art: Posting Directions: Choose your favorite label, coaster or cap art. Scan, download or take a picture of your label, coaster or cap art. Write a paragraph that explains your affinity to your … Continue reading →
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