Once a spectacle of modern nanobrewing, Hillboro, Oregon’s Vertigo Brewing, now operating on a 7-barrel brew system, has announced a deal with General Distributors, Inc that will greatly proliferate their presence throughout Oregon. Vertigo co-founder and brewer Michael Haines informs us:

Vertigo Brewing is pleased to announce a partnership with General Distributing to distribute Vertigo Razz Wheat and a winter seasonal (TBD) in 7 counties here in Oregon. This is an Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, beer news

Eugene, Oregon hosts its 2nd annual Beer Week May 7-13, 2012. Eugene Beer Week is a celebration of craft beer culture in the Willamette Valley.

Venues and Breweries include Ninkasi, Oakshire, Hop Valley, Falling Sky, 16 Tons, The Bier Stein, Izakaya Meiji, Rogue, Cornucopia, Hot Mama’s Wings, the Eugene Hilton, Cascade Brewers Society, Boneyard Beer, Brewpublic, Sasquatch Brew Fest, Deschutes, Hopworks, and others.

Beer week will feature beer tastings, brewer’s dinners, special bottle releases, a home brew competition, and other events celebrating craft beer. Breweries, retailers, bars, restaurants, and beer writers join together helping bring Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer news

This year’s Sasquatch Legacy beer is a Wheat Wine fermenting away at Ninkasi Brewing Co. in Eugene, OR. Ninkasi founding brewmaster Jamie Floyd, who helped brew the beer with the recipients of the 2011 Glen Hay Falconer Scholarship, posted on Facebook: “We took this project over from Walking Man Brewing who asked us to take on this tradition. The proceeds for this beer will go to the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation and maybe a some to the Northwest Legends Foundation that puts on the Sasquatch Beer Festival where the beer will be served first. We are making a Wheat Wine today!!! We picked wheat as this beer is dedicated to Mike West founder of West Brothers Brewing and many other awesome things including starting Chef’s Night Out who passed away last year too young! Friend of Mike are encouraged to say hi. Much Love to the friends and family of Mike!”

2011 Falconer Foundation Scholarship recipients were Jason Carriere of Eugene’s newly opened Falling Sky Brewpub and Dave Pendelton of Dick’s Brewing in Centralia, WA. Read more about these lads here. 2010′s recipient Brett Thomas of Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, OR helped brew the beer as well as others from Ninkasi’s brew staff.

From The Glen Hay Falconer Foundation: Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, beer news

Hopworks Urbans Brewery to release new Belgian-style Abbey Ale

Debuting on draught at Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers on April 21, 2012 this new series of bottle conditioned beers features classic European styles through our own Northwest perspective. The first in this series is an Abbey Ale. The second in the series is a Belgian Pale Ale, launching in July.

Hopworks Organic Belgian-Style Abbey Ale

Made with this year’s PCTBB yeast, Abbey is made with five different organic malts and organic dark brown sugar, resulting in a complex multi-layered aroma.  The flavor is equally rich with a caramel malty sweet, fruity flavor finished with effervescent carbonation and a smooth, warming alcohol finish.

ABV: 6.5%           IBU: 18                  Plato: 20

Bottles available May through June 2012.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer news, beer releases

Well it’s been quite the journey so far and we’re just getting started, but I am happy to formally announce the plans for the official grand opening party for Pints Brewing Co. to be held at the Pints Urban Taproom on Friday April 13th. The taproom will open at noon with burgers and brats on the grill and go all day with live music starting at 7pm.  For the first time we will have all 4 of our core beers(Tavern Ale, RedBrick Rye, Steel Bridge Stout, IPA) on tap plus our spring seasonal, a malty NW red ale, and the Lompoc/Pints collaboration beer, Legalize Wit, Dave and I brewed for Cheers to Belgian Beers.  There will also be specials on growler fills and plenty of other surprises.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer events, beer news, events, places to drink beer

Pyramid Brewing Co. has been working on a new barleywine that will surely come as a delight to craft beer lovers across the country. Currently the beer is just in its trial stages, according to Pyramid’s Portland brewery manager Doug Hodges. “Kim Brusco just did a trial for us in Seattle, and we just got a sample here yesterday” says Hodges. The official beer to be released will be brewed this summer at their Berkeley location and will be featured as a part of their fall variety pack slated to release on August 1, 2012. “There will be a limited amount of draft for the alehouses” Hodges adds, informing us “The trial was pushed along pretty quickly, not given much time to age. We mostly wanted to make sure we could Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, beer news, beer releases, brewpubs

Bothell, Washington’s Foggy Noggin Brewing is releasing their bold Big Chief Imperial Red Ale in 22-ounce bottles. This 8.3% ABV treat American Strong Ale pours a deep, nearly opaque mahogany, almost black hue with an initial thick tan head. Big toasty molasses notes and rich robust flavor define the latest seasonal release from brewer-owner Jim Jamison. Brewed on Read More…

Posted under Washington Beer, beer news, beer releases

Omission Beer introduces the first two beers in its gluten-free craft beer portfolio: Omission Lager and Omission Pale Ale. Announced in late March by Craft Brew Alliance (CB^A), Omission is the first craft beer brand in the United States focused exclusively on brewing great-tasting craft beers with traditional beer ingredients, including malted barley, that are specially crafted to be gluten-free.

Brewed by Widmer Brothers Brewing in Portland, Ore., Omission beers are brewed using a proprietary brewing process to reduce the gluten levels to well below the widely accepted international gluten-free standard of 20 parts per million (ppm) for food and beverages. The international gluten-free standard was set forth by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was created in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Read More…

Posted under Oregon beer, beer news, beer releases, press releases

Brewer will expand production capacity with east coast facility

New Belgium Brewing announced today that Asheville, NC has been selected as the new location for a second brewery. The 400,000-barrel brewery and packaging facility will provide New Belgium with additional capacity allowing the Colorado-based brewer to expand into new areas of distribution. Upon completion in 2015, the facility will initially create 50 new jobs in the Asheville area with more than 100 positions expected at full buildout.

“After several years of searching, we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville,” said Kim Jordan, CEO and co-founder of New Belgium. “From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we’ve been looking for in a location for our second brewery.” Read More…

Posted under beer news, press releases

It is evident that the use of hops in beers has evolved to a point far beyond a function of perseverance. Yes, in the days of old, extra lupulin was administered to beers to withstand the arduous journey from England around the Horn of Africa to colonized regions of India. But today, the utilization of boldly hopped brews has developed into a means of taste-making to achieve a multitude of complex flavors that serve to continually redefine perceptions of our ever expanding palates. Here is a look at 50 dynamic craft beers that make use of the world’s favorite brewer’s spice to accomplish some mouthwatering results. If you come across any of the following commercially available hoppy creations, do yourself a favor and give ‘em a whirl(pool): Read More…

Posted under beer news, beer releases