When Three Creeks Brewery opened in July 2008, they didn’t know what kind of response they would get from the locals.  But they knew what kind of beer they would get.  The Sisters, Oregon establishment sits in the heart of the Eastern Cascades about twenty miles from Bend and is surrounded by scenic mountains and ponderosa pine forests.  Head brewer Dave “Flem” Fleming left his brewing post at Portland’s Lucky Lab for the quiet life of Sisters where he rivals even the best brewers down the road in Bend.  The modest brewer claims the brewery is “just trying to fit our niche here, and convert some of the cowboys from Coors light to Knotty Blonde.”  The blonde is a light colored beer with honey malt and “a kiss of hops” and is a popular selection at Three Creeks.  With five other mainstay beers on the menu, the brewery offers delicious hand crafted dishes made with Three Sisters ales by lead chef Aron Ferarra.  A halibut fish and chips battered in tempura made with the Blonde Ale, A beer cheese soup, and a dessert brownie Sunday with caramelized wort of the brewery’s Oatmeal Porter are among many of the favorites.  The classy roadhouse cuisine also features its own barbecue sauce employing the8 Second IBA, a black India Pale Ale.  Here’s a look at some of the beers currently offered at Three Creeks:

Knotty Blonde:  A Sassy, Light colored beer with a unique flavor combination of Honey Malt and a “Kiss” of Hops.

OG=1.039  FG=1.008  ABV=4.0%  IBU=18

Oskar Blues: A canned beer pioneer

The first thought that leaps into many folks’ minds when they hear the phrases “canned beer” or “beer in a can” is the proverbial old swill that Pa used to drink after a hard day of work.  Perhaps quite fitting for this Pa character to be sittin’ in his favorite arm chair in a wifebeater watching the boob tube, or out on the porch counting cars.  These days the perception of Pa and his metal-clad accessory is changing thanks to breweries like Oskar Blues Brewing Company of Lyons, Colorado, who started hand-canning their flavorsome microbrews in 2002 and haven’t looked back since.  With full-bodied craft offering such as Dale’s Pale Ale, Old Chub Scottish Ale, and Gordon, a double red IPA, the microbrewer was the first of its kind to can its product. From those days of two-at-a-time hand-canning, OB first thought the idea of putting a “bold, hoppy pale ale” in a can to be humorous and claim it made them “laugh for weeks.”  This pale ale named after main man Dale Katechis changed a lot of misconceptions about canned brews.  Says Katechis: “We discovered that the belief that cans impart flavor to beer is a myth. The modern-day aluminum can and its lid are lined with a water-based coating, so the beer and the can never touch.”  The use of cans on quality brews serve other advantages over bottled brews.  “Cans, we discovered, are actually good for beer. Cans keep beer especially fresh by fully protecting it from light and oxygen. Our cans also hold extremely low amounts of dissolved oxygen, so our beer stays especially fresh for longer. Cans are also easier to recycle and less fuel-consuming to ship.”  Today, the Oskar Blues is still hand-canning their delicious beer, but with a more advanced mechanism that allows for five cans at once to be filled and sealed.

Recently discovered living inside the belly of a species of Lebanese weevil covered in the resins of ancient Burmese amber trees, is a tiny colony of bacteria and yeast that has lain dormant for as many as 45 million years. According to Eric Bland of Discovery News.  About ten years ago Raul Cano, now a scientist at the California Polytechnic State University, drilled a tiny hole into the amber and extracted more than 2,000 different kinds of microscopic creatures.

Upon activating the ancient yeast, Cano now has brewed barrels beer including pale ale and German weizenbier under the name Fossil Fuels Brewing Company.  Gimmicky?  Perhaps.  Innovative and interesting?  Definitely.  That is supposing, also, that you don’t mind ingesting beer brewed from yeast within the belly of a weevil-a beetle from the Curculionoidea superfamily. Usually less than 0.25 inches in length, these small critters are herbavorous with peculiarly shaped head giving them the name “snout beetles.”  Many are considered pest due to their love for chowing at crops, laying eggs there and the young munching their way out.  Many have a taste for wheat, which makes their guts a sort of beer yeast breeding factory.

“You can always buy brewing yeast, and your product will be based on the brewmaster’s recipes,” said Cano. “Our yeast has a double angle: We have yeast no one else has and our own beer recipes.”

My dear friend Jay recently moved to Hangzhou, China, a sub-province city and the capital of Zhejiang province of China.  Located 112 miles southwest of Shanghai (the distance from Portland to Eugene, Oregon), Hangzhou and its surrounding region is home to about 6.5 million people with about 4 million living in the metropolitan area.

As one of the most livable and prosperous cities in China for a better part of the last 1,000 years, Hangzhou is also reknowned for its beautiful natural scenery, with the West Lake as perhaps the most well-known attraction.

Knowing my passion for beer and enjoying a proper pint himself, after settling in for a few weeks, Jay gave me a report on some of the beer available to him in the city where he was working as an English instructor.

Geoff enjoys a weekend snifter of Curieux

The weekend has finally passed.  Okay, it’s Tuesday, and you extended it a little longer than planned perhaps.  It was a great weekend.  Lots of merriment while enjoying the remaining nice days of summer blend into the briskness of autumn.  Here in the Pacific Northwest it is still quite warm during the day and perfect beer drinking and beer brewing weather.  Here’s a look at some of the beers that I was fortunate enough to quaff over the extended weekend.  All of these I recommend you experience if you haven’t already.  And if you have, why not go back for another round to refresh your palate.

Snoqualmie Falls Harvest Moon Ale: This beer is described as “a smooth, Oktoberfest-inspired festbier.” Using Munich, Two-row, and light Crystal malts, this robust, flavorful beer could possibly be one of the best fall beers I have ever tasted (no joke!) A marzen amber-dark copper-orange body besets a thick beige head.  A nose of nutty, spicy flavorsome delight makes this 5.3% ABV beer unbelievably delicious.  Finishing off with a bite of German noble hops and waves of chewy grains.  Try it today.

My beer brewing friend Shane Walz and I compiled this list of ways to determine if you are a beer SNOB/geek.

You might be a beer snob if:

Cerveza says:

1. You’ve paid as much or more to ship beer as you have for the beer itself.
2. You take pictures of your beer.
3. You’ve actually returned beers.
4. You choose an eatery based upon taplist.
5. When you hear the name “Michael Jackson”, your first thought isn’t about a pop star.
6. Your vacations are planned around beer spots.  (This could mean you’ve never been to places like Alabama or Mississippi)
7. You become agitated if forced to utilize what you consider to be “improper glassware.”
8. You wear craft brew t-shirts to rock concerts.
9. You could spout off five beers with “dog” in the name in less than thirty seconds.
10. Your guests’ itinerary revolves around “must have” beers.
11. You call bars in advance to find out what they have on tap.
12. You’d pour out a beer just to try a different one.
13. A typical conversation for you and your friends involves the terms “IBU”, “ABV”, and “GABF.”
14. You consider telling a brewer how his/her beer could be better.
15. You possess a hops or malts tattoo.
16. “The Reinheitsgebot” are fightin’ words.
17. Every meal involves a pairing.
18. You’d consider spending time around someone you do not particularly care for in order to try a beer you consider hard to find.
19. You attempt to justify a night night out as “research” or “field work.”
20. You know how to spell Brettanomyces, Lactobaccilus, and Saccharomycetales.
21. You’ve paid more than $1 per ounce for beer.
22. Your favorite party accessory is a mixed-six.
23. You check the Dow Jones or market report for hops trading stock.
24. You whiff your beer before most quaffs.
25. The last word alphabetically in your common vernacular is “zymurgy.”
26. You’ve sought out fungus beers.
27. You care more about the barrel empty.
28. You have beer holidays marked on your calendar.
29. You know the exact dates of beer festivals 4-6 months in advance.
30. You look forward to the change of seasons due to new beer releases.
31. You have a favorite distributor.

That’s it for now.  Happy sampling!

Brewer Ben Flerchinger gets hoppy at the Lucky Lab Mutt Hop picking.

The Lucky Labrador is the kind of place where beer lovers and friends alike congregate in a true public house atmosphere.  Boldly hoppy beers adorn the vast selection.  With three locations each with unique wide-open gathering halls, the Lab is perhaps the of friendliest down home pubs in Portland.  On September 17, 2008, a group of Lab Lovers along with staff joined in an annual ritual of picking hops for the autumn Mutt Hop Brew.  I showed up at the Hawthorne location about 1:45PM to find brewer Ben Flerchinger and about ten others picking away.  They had been picking several varietals of vine ripened hops since noon in the back beer garden.  With warm and muggy air, the crop was at its peek.   Hops growing out back of the Lab and from the NW Quimby location were being harvested right before my eyes.  The smell was wonderful, and the mood was that of community and friendship.  Not only were the hops from the Lucky Lab being used, but Lab Lovers were bringing in their own supplies in attempts to make 2008’s harvest the biggest yet. According to Flerchinger, 2007’s Mutt Hop event yielded 73 pounds of sticky lupulin-laden fruit.

Those folks at Fort George Brewing in Astoria, Oregon have done it again.  Another world class beer.  This time it’s the Bad Juju Imperial IPA.  Rich, decadent floral hoppiness with a hardy malt spine to match, the Bad Juju is a kick in the teeth with hops.  There is also word that the brewery at the mouth of the Columbia River is adding a grain silo to help with demand.  Also, owner-brewers Chris Nemlowill and Jack Harris just harvested hops and are soon to release their 2008 fresh hop ale.  If these hoppy delights aren’t zany enough for your liking, try their Coffee Girl Stout with enough java in it to make your hair stand up, the smooth Oatmeal Pale Ale, or the funky Pie Beer, made with strawberries and rhubarb.  Aye aye aye!

Uber Tavern is a must visit beer hot spot when in Seatown.  In a quaint, clean, and chic space on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle, Uber possesses a killer motif, making use of its small space.  Adorned with cool breweriana from around the globe, Uber’s beer selection is well considered.  Around 17 taps and hundreds of bottles displayed in clear glass coolers behing the counter, there is always something new and exciting to sink your teeth into here.  The big personality of Uber’s is wonderful and even better considering Duck Island Ale House, another of Seattle’s best beer spots is a hop, skip, and jump away down Aurora.

On my last visit to Uber, our bartender, Laura was uber-knowledgeable about the offerings and friendly to boot.  Speaking of boot, Uber serves up Das Boots of Spaten to thirsty customers.  I opted for a few other beers that were new to my palate.

Silver City Deluxe Malt Liquor: This beer was revived from Prohibition-era Kitsap County, Washington.  It pours a light clear straw-golden body with a gripping thin white head.  Crisp, creamy, and bready in the nose that is indicative of the flavor.  Greatly refreshing mouthfeel with a smooth nutty, biscuit finish.  Sessionable.

Hops fresh off the vine @ Annen Brothers farm in Mt. Angel, Oregon

Once again it’s that time of year…Hops are in full bloom! I took a day trip out to Annen Brothers farms in Mt. Angel, Oregon to check out the harvesting and processing of fresh hops.  In the heart of God’s country where hop growing conditions are ideal, I got to witness first hand how the yielding of ten aroma varietals made their way from the fields to your yummy beer.  Proprietor John Annen is a fourth generation farmer with a rich family history of hop growing dating back to 1896 when his great grandfather, a German settler came to the area.  “They all came with a few hops in their back pocket” says Annen.  “They came when the (Benedictan) monks started the abbey.”  The monastry that he speaks of is visible from the road outside Annen Bros. farm. “The story I heard” continues Annen, “is they came from Germany and stopped in Wisconsin for some reason, but the Catholic settlers moved on to this area (Mt. Angel) to start their own little community.  In those days everybody has hops…or at least a few.”  Back then, all hops were picked by hand, a grueling and time consuming labor.  After the World War II, one of the first stationary picking machine was invented by a man named Don Auer, to reduce time and energy required to harvest the crops.  “We got our first in 1952″ says Annen. “During the 50’s, (Annen Brothers) did a lot of custom picking because everybody had a few acres (of hops). They would pick around the clock. Back then, the farm was run by my grandfather, my father and his brothers, hence the name.  We used a wood-fired hop drier.  There was a few down markets in the 50’s before my time.”  John Annen was born in 1957 and remembers the decline in hop growing during this time.  “It got to be that the guys who had hop pickers stayed on, while the rest kind of gave it up.” explains Annen. The land where Annen Brothers farm sits today is the original 80 acres of land from when the farm started.  Today, according to Annen, there is 270 trellised acres of hop farm land, and he projects that to increase by fifteen acres in 2009.  In 1964, the current hop house was built.  Before that, Annen Brothers operated out of a leased house just down the road.  In 1963, that house’s wood-fired drier caught fire and the house was lost. “There’s been updates and modification as we go along” says Annen.  “But here we are today. The original picker we bought in 1952 ran until 1991.” That is when the current line was installed and according to Annen “uses about half as man people and picks about twice as fast.”

John Annen is a fourth generation hop farmer. His ancestors were German settlers who started the farm in 1896.

Jeff DeSantis, an independent brewer who recently started his own brewery just down the road in Silverton, was in the same boat as many smaller brewers–he was having difficulty sourcing hops for his Seven Brides Brewery.  “From Jeff’s house you can see my house” says Annen. “It seemed insane that a brewer who lived so close to the hop farm couldn’t get hops.”  In fact, DeSantis, like other brewers, for a while was forced to go out of state to get his supply. The two formally met when DeSantis put an ad in the local paper to sell a cooler.  Annen needed such a cooler for hop samples.  “Jeff told me about the difficulty for small Oregon breweries to source hops” Annen explains.  “I said, ‘Well, let’s see what we can do.”  That is when Hops 2 You was born.  Currently Hops 2 You supplies more than 16 Oregon brewer’s including Caldera, Laurelwood, Calapooia, Amnesia, and start-ups like Upright Brewing. DeSantis, who plans on a long term relationship with brewers claims “Hop availability is more of a concern than prices.  If we don’t have hops, we can’t make beer, if we can’t make beer, we can’t pay our employees, if we can’t pay our employees, they don’t have jobs. It’s pretty basic economics.” Hops 2 You makes use of surplus contracted hops that would normally go to larger breweries and help the Oregon brewers get what they need. Annen Brothers and Hops 2 U grow ten different aromatic varietals including Pearl, Hallertau, Fuggle, Mt. Rainer, Liberty, Newport, Tetnanger, Santiam, and Magnum.