If you’re not one of the lucky lads or lasses who will be in attendance for the country’s biggest and baddest beer fests, aka Great American Beer Fest (aka GABF), fret not. The 29th installation of the GABF September 16-18 might offer over 2,200 beers to try which is more than you’ll likely find at any other single festival, but after all, who can drink 2,200 beers in three days (We’re imagining a few friends contemplating it).
This month, do what so many people around the country are doing, take a staycation. Yes, it’s that catch word you’ve likely heard promoted from advocates of living local, but it certainly is good for the economy, and in these rougher economic times, it might be just what you need to enjoy the fruits of the Pacific Northwest, in our humble opinion, one of the greatest places to live on the planet.
Here’s a look at some events coming up in September that you might consider attending if you love Oregon craft beer Read More…
Just when you thought the craft beer life would calm down, in just a blink of an eye, Oregon Craft Beer Month has slipped into harvest season. With less than a month left of summer, 2010 has been a mildly comfortable season for most folks in the Willamette Valley, the nation’s second largest hop growing area specific to the greater Cascadian region where approximately 30% of the world’s hop supply comes from. Washington State’s Yakima Valley to the north accounts for around 75% of the nation’s hop rations. The Willamette Valley boasts 15%. Before the turn of the 20th Century, the Willamette held a stronghold on hop production, but modern agricultural practices, especially irrigation techniques have aided in Yakima’s rise.
Still, there is no where like Portland, Oregon, which is unique in its close proximity to bountiful hopyards. Where Seattlites find themselves more than two hours from the vast humulus lupulus orchards of Yakima Valley, Portland aka Beervana rests less than an hour from places like Mt. Angel, Woodburn, and Hopmere. The latter destination is the home of Sodbuster Farms, run by Doug Weathers and his skilled crew. Full Sail Brewing generously organized a tour of the farm for roughly forty lucky people from the craft beer industry including many pub owners, bartenders, and media. The trip was replete with provisions of Full Sail’s Session, Black Session, IPA, and Pale Ale.
The tour started in the hopyard where we were able to witness firsthand the felling of the mighty hop bines that grew up substrates almost twenty feet to the summer sunshine. Weathers reported that 2010′s harvest was not on par with last year’s bountiful yield due to a late start to summer and cooler weather. Still, the dank fields of Magnum hops we watched being harvested were plump and resinous. According to Weathers, these cones possessed about 18% alpha acidity, which is on the high end for most hops.
After spending about an hour frolicking like bemused children through the enchanted columns of seemingly infinite hops (according to Weathers the farm grows on about 500 acres of land) while truck after truck zipped away with loads of sticky green, our group headed up the road to the processing plant. Here the individual clumped bines were attached to a conveyor and suspended from the ceiling above, then shucked of their fruits before multiple custom-made belt, ramp, and screen filterings honed the lush cones down to their desired form. After this, the cones where brought to a heated kilning loft above the farm to dry and eliminate risk of mildew and other undesirables. The scent in this warm loft was pure heaven for those who enjoy the olfactory of ripe resinous hops. The same could be said of the vast refrigeration unit that housed the kilned hops bailed into 200 pound quantities. From about ten feet to the massive cooler door, the whiff of air was unfathomably luring.
Concluding the detailed tour by Mr. Weathers, our crew was treated to a barbecue under two large outdoor tents in front of Sodbuster Farms. As a special treat, our group was presented with to two quarter barrels of hoppy Full Sail beers including the Brewers Reserve Spotless IPA, and the champion of the day, Read More…
My own pursuit of hoppiness and great beers lead me to Ebenezer’s Pub in Lovell, Maine for their 6th Belgian Beer Festival. This trip has been managed by the Bieropholie website. I could gather with friends and get a private driver for the whole weekend. Isn’t that beautiful?
We left Montréal on Friday to reach Le Siboire, another great brewpub that opened within the last three years in our province. Located in Sherbrooke, it came to the world in an old train station. Brick walls, wood, nice view of the brewery, smiling staff, and with music not too loud that offers an inviting ambiance to a quite young crowd. A tasting panel revealed a high quality of beers, without defaults. The Belgian White Capricieuse and the Abbey Tripel Trip d’automne III where among my favourites. The brewer Jonathan Gaudrault, poured us some of his new Citra Pilsner directly from the fermentor. These new hops (for me) provided a bold citrus taste and made this sampling experience very interesting. I like it when brewers go out of normal bounds to make the effort to try new recipes instead of just keeping the classical blonde, brown, red and black.
On Saturday, we pick up some US bottles to bring back to Canada at Glen Beverage, in the cosmopolitan city of Glen. Lots of classics (Stone, Rogue, Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada), so we didn’t purchase anything special there. Few hours after, we reached Lovell, Maine. I was expecting for a crowded site, without any place to put our tents and it stressed us a little, but when we showed up, there were plenty of places, so much that we could have a table for twelve. Except the glasses and the t-shirts printed for the event, nothing gave us the feeling that a beer event would take part here. Instead of a legion of beer geeks, families with kids and grand parents were in the place. It was miles away of my first thoughts. Nevertheless avoiding long queues, and being served promptly always a pleasure. The tap menu was a real Belgian Beervana. A majority of beers I’ve never tasted before and some I’ve never even heard of. This sort of experience pleased our group. I give big thumbs up to De Struise Black Albert, an imperial stout brewed specifically for the pub, a great mix of vanilla, coffee and black chocolate flooded through 13 % of alcohol. Simply excellent. Another great extreme brew was the Mocha Bomb, also from De Struise. Another explosion of coffee, chocolate and bourbon barrel. Again, I discovered a brewery that creates products that brings your tastebuds to another level. Thanks De Struise.
I had the opportunity to have my first Cantillon (Cuvée des Champions) on tap. Acidic (of course), sour and a bit funky. Great Cuvée that you want another pint of. I had, like everybody in bar, a glass from a Methuselah of Val-Dieu Triple. I think this bottle has been offered by Chris, the owner. If not, thanks to the guy who order a too big bottle and to his decision to share it with the rest of us.
For the evening, an event has been planned by the pub, and Alan Sprints from Hair of the Dog was invited. I thought there could be a booth, a promotion on HOTD beers, some special kegs, but the event was a presentation from Alan in the Ebenezer cellar including a tasting of Doggie Claws, Matt and Dave. Yes what you red is definitely true, a taste of Dave. Of course, some selected bottles from the pub’s cellar did complete this presentation/tasting. Would you like to see the pictures? Well, don’t ask me. I wasn’t there. Only 20 peoples were admitted in the cellar and the entrance was sold at 50 USD $$$.
Everything has a cost in life, and it is valid for beer, too. I choose to not pay this amount for 2 ounce tastings. Try to appreciate a beer when you share it with 20 people… Even if it is a rare bottle, it is quite ridiculous. Sometimes, you have no obligation to join the family. That’s why I continued to have beers with my folks at the table. At the closure, we received a bill of 966 $ USD for the whole table. Ouch! But it was so good.
This huge dinner has been continued at the tent village beside the pub with folks randomly met. We brought some of our great brewery products of Québec like Microbrasserie Charlevoix and Unibroue. Some other folks from brought growlers of Hill Farmstead brewery. This brewery will be considered for another trip to Vermont.
Back home on Sunday, we stopped at the Moat Smoke House & Brewing Co. It’s been a while I had beer for breakfast. Gee, I discovered that passion has limits. The worst is that I wasn’t impressed by what I tasted, and it was not caused by the early hour. Do you know only one great beer is brewed with blueberries? Can it be only used for jam and pies please? That was my feeling of the Violet’s B’s Blueberry. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the German Hefeweizen was quite refreshing. I can’t really recommend that place, but if it’s on your way, you might give them a try, but try to have a breakfast before.
Lompoc’s Sidebar is a tasting room that features barrel aged and seasonal specialty beers; it’s located at 3901 N Williams, just past Pix Patisserie on the left. Hours are 4 to 10 PM on Friday and 2 to 10 pm on Saturday. This weekend’s line-up includes:
Bob’s Memorial Braggot – brewed in the summer of ’08 and blended and bottled in March ’09, this beer is 2.25 parts mead to one part brown ale. The late Bob Farrell, one of the true gentlemen of the Oregon craft-beer world, was a great fan of braggot, and helped blend this before his untimely death from cancer. We raise our glass to Bob when we drink this! 7% ABV
’08 Bourbon Barrel Aged Pagan Porter – Brewed in August ’08 and aged in bourbon barrels for three months, this porter is black in color with hints of bourbon and vanilla. There is a soft roastiness in the nose and a rich chocolate flavor. 6.4% ABV
Sockeye Stout – This is a perfect stout, featuring roasted malt flavors with rich chocolate and coffee undertones combined with an addition of oats for a lasting finish. 4.9% ABV
Red Scare Imperial Red – This imperial red ale brewed with Nottingham ale yeast is a certified malt bomb. Medium bodied with a deep crimson hue, Red Scare tastes of dark fruit with a light biscuit character. 9.5% ABV
Centennial India Pale Ale- Our classic Northwest IPA is brewed with Crystal malts for a rich golden color. Centennial hops provide a floral nose and sharp bitter finish. 6% ABV
Condor Pale Ale – A crisp and nicely hopped Pale Ale that’s great for quaffing with comrades or enjoying along side with some pub grub. 5.2% ABV
Come discover Silverton! And for those who have been here before, Rediscover Silverton at Septoberfest!
Silverton’s Septoberfest–a tradition since 2010–will take place Friday through Sunday, September 17-19 on the grounds of the Seven Brides Brewing Tap Room. The outdoor festival will showcase the best of local restaurants, breweries, wineries and entertainment for the entire family. Proceeds to benefit SACA (Silverton Area Community Aid), Silverton Volunteer Fire Association and the Silver Fox Foundation Scholarship Fund.
“The Silverton area has so much to offer out-of-town visitors,” says Jeff DeSantis, one of the founders of Seven Brides Brewing, “from the Oregon Gardens, with more than 20 specialty gardens, including pet and children’s gardens, to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Gordon House, Silver Falls State Park–the largest in all of Oregon featuring 10 different waterfalls. Experience downtown Silverton as it bustles with galleries, antique stores and specialty shops as well as a variety of great restaurants. Septoberfest will give visitors–and local residents–a real taste of Silverton.”
WHAT: Septoberfest–a tradition since 2010
Food • Fun • Music • Beer & Wine
WHERE: Seven Brides Brewing Tap Room
990 N. First Street, Silverton
WHEN: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
September 17-19, 2010
One of Portland’s best craft beer pubs, Roscoe’s, is hosting a special event for August showcasing a stellar line-up of Imperial India Pale Ales. This “Imperial IPA Summit” kicks off on Friday August 27th at 5PM and will feature ten noteworthy vigorously hopped brews . According to Roscoe’s co-owner Jeremy Lewis, some of the breweries that will be represented include: Russian River (Pliny the Elder), Oakshire (Perfect Storm), Hopworks (Ace of Spades), Anderson Valley, Bear Republic (Racer X), Pike, Dogfish Head, Terminal Gravity, and more. Lewis says “As always flights of 5 ounce tasters will be available. We will also be supplementing the line-up with some less-potent fun and unique offerings. We should be rolling out the new Laurelwood Kolsch which won’t be done brewing until a couple of days before the event.”
Roscoe’s is located in the Montavilla Neighborhood at 8105 SE Stark Street Portland, Oregon. For more information call (503) 255-0049.
Hopworks Urban Brewery will present a new beer at BikeToBeerFest this Saturday, August 28. Named Piledriver, it’s a Belgian ale, aged in barrels with lots and lots of cherries. It’s a truly unique treat. The beer pours reddish-brown with a bright, near-white, frothy head. Aesthetically, it’s a very pleasing beer, as it looks very appetizing just sitting there in a teardrop glass. A tart cherry aroma explodes when you take that first sniff; it almost overwhelms. Interestingly, there’s almost no bourbon scent at first impression. However, when that first taste hits your tongue, the bourbon is right up front. It’s not harsh or overbearing, but you know it’s there. Very quickly, though, the tart cherry flavor begins to round off and smooth out the bourbon. That tart sweetness, together with a hint of the bourbon, is the distinct impression of the beer, initially.
But, even though the bourbon flavor is very much forward as you first sip the beer, it recedes very quickly, as the beer stays in your mouth and then as the beer warms in the glass. With each sip, the bourbon is less pronounced, while the tart sweetness of the cherries, along with the astringency and slight bitterness of the tannins, become the more prominent flavors. Eventually, the bourbon almost hides in the background, while the blend of different, competing flavors – the bourbon, the tart cherries and the tannins – works in concert to give a very complex and pleasant taste.
A very nice beer that I’m looking forward to seeing on tap at the fest.
The facts on the beer:
17.7 plato, 18 IBU, 8.5 ABV (higher alcohol from fermentation of cherries and alcohol from bourbon barrels)
Aged for 18 months in 4 different barrels:
- Heaven Hill Bourbon
- Maryhill Sauvignon with 60# of sour cherries from Fruithill in Yamhill
Brewery Invites you to Meet the Brewer and the Beer and Support Local Charity
As the hot summer winds down and the days get shorter, dreams of cold mountain air, skiing and snowboarding start to swirl in our heads. That can mean only one thing: it’s time to start praying for powder. To celebrate the upcoming wintry season, Full Sail will release a new beer in their Brewer’s Share line up that is sure to entice the snow gods to bless the season with plenty of powdery snow. Brewed by Full Sail Brewer Adam Bulson, “Adam’s Malty Bomb” is pray for powder porter that’s sure to make our mountain snowy white all season long.
Porters are Adam’s favorite beer after a day on the snow, and he thought releasing his own version preseason would be a good omen for a great winter. Adam’s Malty Bomb is a robust porter with a big body and lots of dark, caramel/toffee flavor, yet it won’t weigh you down like heavy snow. It’s hopped with just enough hops to balance out the malts, and finishes smooth with no sharp edges. Bomb’s away! (ABV 5.3% IBU 41)
Full Sail has scheduled two “Meet the Brewer and the Beer” events to showcase this new beer. The first Meet Brewer and the Beer event will be at Full Sail at Riverplace in Portland, Tuesday, September, 7th, from 5:00 – 6:30PM. The second is at the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, on Thursday, September 9th from 5:00 to 6:30PM. Join the Full Sail crew to celebrate the upcoming season, toast a pint of this new brew with Adam.
With Adam’s brew comes a new feature of the Brewer’s Share series—each brewer will pick a local charity of his or her choice to receive a portion of the proceeds from the sales of their beer. Adam chose Hood River Adopt-a-Dog – Hukari Animal Shelter, so every keg of Adam’s Malty Bomb benefits local animals in need.
The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting their own single batch recipe and a portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity of their choosing. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. Full Sail will also offer Adam’s Malty Bomb at the Hood River Hopsfest on October 2nd. The next Brewer’s Share will be collaboration beer crafted by Full Sail’s Pub crew, and is expected in mid-November.
Attending a beer fest should be about the joy of discovery. Of course, you can simply gravitate to the usual suspects, the familiar beers you know and love, the ones you’re certain will quench your thirst in a most pleasant fashion. Or you can revel in what beer fests should actually be about: discovering new and interesting beers and tastes and breweries.
Last year’s Green Dragon NanoFest was one of those occasions when I was lucky enough to enjoy the latter kind of experience. It was one of those weird little accidents, as I just happened to be driving through the area, saw the beer tents, the crowds and decided to stop by and see what all the commotion was about. As is usually the case, I ran into a friend, we chatted and she encouraged me to sample her fest favorite: an imperial IPA by some little brewery called Block 15. She knows her beer, and her tastes generally line up with mine, so I went off in search of this supposedly tasty brew. I was out of luck. The beer had been so popular, according to the owner/brewer who was manning his own taps, that they’d ran out the first day. He added however, that they did have a nice rye beer, their Superfly Rye.
As I began to walk away, to search for a more appetizing alternative, Nick Arzner shifted into full sales mode and began extolling the beer’s virtues in such reverent and scrumptious tones that I stopped dead in my tracks. What the heck, I thought, even though I generally don’t like rye beers, experimenting with styles you may not like is what beer fests are all about. He poured a sample, I tried it, and drinking that beer was a true revelation. That typical dry rye spiciness was smoothed out with a hint of caramel sweetness that balanced it very nicely. To my utter shock, I ended up having another couple of samples and then a full cup. From that point forward I began to check for his beers in places like Belmont Station and Bailey’s Taproom, establishments that carried Block 15 beers. A day trip down to the Corvallis brewpub followed and I was hooked. Block 15 beers gained a prominent spot on that exclusive list: it was one of those beers I’d drive a few miles just to find a pint of it on tap.
I don’t think I’m alone in that regard. Even though the Corvallis brewpub has only been open since the spring of 2008, they’ve already established a niche as nice little brewery that consistently pours very tasty, and often unique, high quality beers. If one of their beers is on tap at one of the local bottle shops, taprooms or pubs, they don’t seem to stick around very long. Someone else, besides me, seems to be drinking a lot of their beer… and they’re doing it pretty quickly also. Block 15 received a nice bit of recognition this spring when they won Read More…
Portlanders’ love for a good brunch is equal to their love of craft beer. The Rose City has a nearly limitless selection of brunch restaurants, with nearly every neighborhood sporting their own hip spots. My fiancée and I usually hit up Nob Hill’s Stepping Stone Cafe, The Pearl’s Byways Cafe, and Belmont’s Pine State Biscuits (which can also be found on Alberta) when we’re in the brunch mood. But for the past couple of weekends we’ve found ourselves enjoying the incredible brunch offerings at The Hop & Vine.
Establishment owner Yetta Vorobik’s passion for quality food, great beer, wine, and cocktails is certainly evident. The Hop & Vine has quickly become well respected by beer geeks as a go-to destination for bottles, tap handles, and intimate beer events. Now boasting a successful brunch menu, patrons are offered options of small and large plates, egg sandwiches, java drinks featuring coffee from a local roaster, and a solid cocktail menu.
On our most recent visit, we started with a plate of zucchini bread. Two pieces of moist bread, house made rhubarb jam and butter arrived as our first palate pleaser. I enjoyed the bread with a beer cocktail called the Dutch Devil. This was one tasty beverage consisting of Duvel, Bols Dutch Gin, and Angostura, a bitters compiled of tropical herbs and spices. It was smooth drinking, with a yeasty, citrus-fruitiness from the Duvel blending with the gin’s pine-like qualities. The carbonation added a perfect texture to the dry nuances of the gin.
For my main dish I ordered up some cornmeal cakes. This is the ideal dish for those who can’t decide between a sweet or savory brunch, which is a predicament I always find myself in. The cornmeal cakes came with a rich, thick maple syrup. The cakes offered a texture reminiscent of cornbread and were accompanied by two eggs, two thick strips of pepper-flecked bacon, and a side of collard greens. The bacon was tender and juicy, and the egg yolks were a mesh between hard and soft, perfect for dipping the bacon in. A glass of Rodenbach Grand Cru was the ideal palate cleanser between each bite.
My fiancée made a great choice with the Crumpet. A poached egg served on top of bacon and a crumpet, topped with a leek white butter sauce. The Crumpet was of a great consistency: moist and not overly dry. The egg was cooked to perfection and slightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Greens with fresh radishes and a light vinaigrette finished the dish making it a perfectly sized and satisfying meal.
Considering the quality and freshness of all this food, my wallet was left just as happy as my taste buds. The cornmeal cakes fell in at a reasonable $8, and the Crumpet was not far behind at $7. This delectable yet inexpensive brunch allowed me to grab some bottles to go for enjoyment later in the day.
The Hop & Vine is undoubtedly one of North Portland’s best bars. It’s no wonder why it has received such high praise in the two years it’s been open. Weekend brunches just add another layer of commitment to serving exceptional food and libations to their patrons.
Become a fan of The Hop and Vine on Facebook & Twitter to find out about events and special deals! Brunch is served from 10:00am to 2:00pm both Saturdays and Sundays. The Hop & Vine is located at 1914 N. Killingsworth Street in Portland, Oregon.
put our tents and it stressed us a little, but when we showed up, there were plenty of places, so much that we could have a table for twelve. Except the glasses and the t-shirts printed for the event, nothing gave us the feeling that a beer event would take part here. Instead of a legion of beer geeks, families with kids and grand parents were in the place. It was miles away of my first thoughts. Nevertheless avoiding long queues, and being served promptly always a pleasure. The tap menu was a real Belgian Beervana. A majority of beers I’ve never tasted before and some I’ve never even heard of. This sort of experience pleased our group. I give big thumbs up to De Struise Black Albert, an imperial stout brewed specifically for the pub, a great mix of vanilla, coffee and black chocolate flooded through 13 % of alcohol. Simply excellent. Another great extreme brew was the Mocha Bomb, also from De Struise. Another explosion of coffee, chocolate and bourbon barrel. Again, I discovered a brewery that creates products that brings your tastebuds to another level. Thanks De Struise.
![For The Love Of Beer](http://brewpublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/For-the-Love-of-Beer-Trailer-Release1.jpg")
