McMenamins High Gravity Extravaganza Preview Beer Tasting

McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (photo by D.J. Paul)
McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop (photo by D.J. Paul)

On Saturday, January 16th the 3rd Annual High Gravity Extravaganza returns to McMenamins Old St. Francis School in Bend, Oregon. To get a jump on this annual event Portlanders will have an opportunity tonight, Friday, January 8, to sample three of the McMenamins offerings at the newly opened 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop.

From 5:00 to 8:00pm the 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop will be pouring Yule Shoot Your Eye Out!, Midnight Scream Double Black IPA, and Edgefield Extra One Year.

Here are descriptions for each of the beers.

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out!
(McMenamins Concordia Brewery – Portland, OR • Matt Carter, Dave Kosanke)
Hoppy Holidays beer drinkers! Citrus and pine flavors abound in this holiday batch of Double IPA. The golden promise and specialty malts provide a solid base with a festive red color. The 24 pounds of hops help balance the sweetness and give it Christmas tree bouquet. Don’t miss out on this one, for it only comes around once a year.
Malts: Golden Promise, Caramel Vienna 20, Melanoidin, Roast
Hops: Citra, Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook
OG: 1.082 TG: 1.012 ABV: 9.03 IBU: 100+ SRM: 12

Midnight Scream Double Black IPA
(McMenamins Old St. Francis School – Bend, OR • Michael “Curly” White)
Big and bold in concept and flavor, this double black IPA will make your taste buds shout out for more! Deep and roasty aromatics start your journey. From there the mix of fruity and earthy hops meld with the rich malt complexity. A chocolate roast body gives way to a lingering hop bitterness that makes your mouth understand the full flavor that can scream goodness! If you like IPAs and you like the bold flavor of a dark beer, then shout out for a Midnight Scream Double Black IPA and see what your tastebuds have to say!
Malts: Pale, Munich, CaraMunich 40L, Crystal 60L, Chocolate, Blackprinz
Hops: Simcoe, Brewers Gold, Bullion, Cluster, Falconer’s Flight
OG: 1.072 TG: 1.017 ABV: 7.1 IBU: 65 SRM: 32

Edgefield Extra One Year
(McMenamins Edgefield Brewery • Bruce Loux, Nathan Whitney, Will Gaither, Mark Harris)
Four special Hogshead Whiskey barrels were filled with Edgefield Extra 2014 Barleywine last year, and those barrels have sat undisturbed ever since. This beer, already a formidable ale in its own right, has in that time matured into a flavorful, complex behemoth and a true example of classic, barrel-aged English barleywine. This vintage of the Extra offers toffee, caramel, and warming alcohol character that has been rounded and accentuated by notes of raisin, vanilla, and oak from its year of aging.
Malts: Maris Otter, Pale, Munich, C40, Rolled Oats
Hops: Nugget, Ultra, Perle, Golding
OG: 1.100 TG: 1.17 ABV: 10.71 IBU: 52 SRM: 15

McMenamins 23rd Aveune Bottle Shop art by Lyle Hehn
McMenamins 23rd Aveune Bottle Shop art by Lyle Hehn

If you haven’t made your way to the new 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop this is a very nice addition to Northwest Portland. There are 800 bottles and 16 various drafts to select from to drink in an inviting atmosphere.

23rd Avenue Bottle Shop
2290 NW Thurman Street
Portland, OR 97210