Each year since Brewpublic began in 2008, we’ve taken special pleasure in rounding up the best-of-the-year lists. Most often you’ve witnessed these year-end inventories in the form of top 5′s. And, to not let down, we’ve rounded up this year’s superlatives in a multi-part series we will bring you throughout the rest of the year.

For 2012, much like we did last year, asking craft beer experts, industry workers, enthusiasts, and friends to conjure up their fondest beer memories of 2012 as well as sharing what they eagerly anticipate for the future in the coming year. We’ve also asked these folks to attest to top trends witnessed in the craft beer scene over the past year as well as some favorite events of 2012.

While we realize that such lists are next to impossible to formulate with any real certainty, the process of thinking back on all of the remarkable brews tested and tasted is a fun and nostalgic process. We will not hold these reputable individuals to their beer choices with absoluteness, because we realize, as mentioned in the past, that choosing just one beer, or even only five for that matter, as a favorite, can be as constrictive and limiting as choosing a favorite song, work of art, or even friend. Variety is the spice of life, just as hops is readily that of Northwest craft brews. So, without further adieu, let’s hear what the people have to say. Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer history, Beer personalities, Oregon beer, places to drink beer

The Great American Beer Festival has concluded for 2012 and the Pacific Northwest won its share of awards.

Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 84 beer categories covering 134 different beer styles (encompassing subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S. Winners were chosen from 4,338 competition entries from 666 breweries, hailing from 48 states, Washington, D.C. and Guam.

Matching its largest field of entries to date, this year’s GABF competition saw its biggest panel of judges ever, with 185 beer experts from 11 countries participating, with assistance from 120 competition volunteers.

Of these many categories, entries and winners, Oregon brewers accounted for 24 medals, including four from Baker City’s Barley Brown’s Brewpub, who also took home an impressive silver medal in the American IPA category that led all categories with 203 entries. In their first year entering beers into the competition, Burnside Brewing of Portland took home a gold medal for their delicious Sweet Heat in the fruit beers category. Also, a first year entrant, Harvest Brewing, also of Portland took home a bronze medal for their gluten-free Pale Ale. Other multiple medal winners at this year’s GABF from Oregon included Laurelwood, Pelican, 10 Barrel, and Full Sail. Also of note, Commons Brewery and Logsdon Farmhouse Ales won silver and gold respectively in the American Brett category.

Here’s a look at all the Oregon winners from the 2012 GABF: Read More…

Posted under beer events, Oregon beer

Portland and the Pacific Northwest’s premier craft beer bottleshop, Belmont Station is raising a glass to 15 years of setting the standard for craft brew in Beervana. “It’s been five years since we opened the Biercafe” says proprietor Carl Singmaster, adding “Thanks to you we’re still here so we’ll be breaking out some vintage bottles to sell.”  Singmaster informs us that the Station is going deep into the coffers and pulling out vintages of Read More…

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

The weekend before last we found ourselves in Oregon’s largest town east of the Cascades. Here in Bend, we discovered a breadth of exceptional breweries. And, for a city with the same population as Asheville, North Carolina, which has been dubbed “Beer City USA”, Bend has more breweries. In the coming months, at least a handful of new breweries will emerge in Bend pushing it up to around 15 within the city.

In our last post about our most recent excursions in Bend, we mentioned the new on the scene GoodLife Brewing Co., which has been breaking ground into their 22,ooo square foot warehouse with some promising flavors, as well as the bursting at the seems Deschutes Brewery, which is at the top of Oregon’s players when it comes to artisan beer production. Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, beer reviews, brewpubs, Oregon beer, places to drink beer

Belmont Station is a place that feels like an never ending craft beer festival. Every night of the week there’s something going on in the Bier Cafe and the bottleshop. More than 1400 bottles of beer and nearly twenty rotating draught selections to choose from. Perhaps the most badass of all of their events is BIGGER, BADDER, BLACKER! This week long celebration of, as the title indicates, bold and behemoth dark brews, hosts some of the most coveted pitchy pours in the world.

If you missed the kickoff last night, you missed the initial “Descent into Darkness”, including rockstar brewer Shawn Kelso of Barley Brown’s (soon to be with 10 Barrel Brewing) unleashing two muscular brutes – BB’s Anniversary Ale simply known as “13″ and his 2010 Great American Beer Festival gold medal winning Turmoil CDA. In addition the Station was gracing the people with these two highly sought after dark ales, they also unveiled a Mikkeller Tequila Barrel-aged Black Hole alongside a Peated Whisky Barrel-aged Black Hole. Still not sated? How about some Laurelwood Moose & Squirrel Imperial Stout, New Belgium Clutch (sour Belgian style stout), or Deschutes Black Butte XXI (yes, from 2009). But don’t fret, for this, my friends, is just the tip of the big black iceberg. Read More…

Posted under beer events, Beer personalities, beer releases, Oregon beer, vintage beers

Since Brewpublic broke the news about Shawn Kelso leaving Barley Brown’s Brewpub in Baker City, OR to assume a brewery post with 10 Barrel Brewing, more information came to light from 10 Barrel. Here’s the official and un-official statements from the Bend-based brewery:

Official Statement

Headline:        Internationally Recognized brewer, Shawn Kelso, Joins 10 Barrel Brewing

Subhead:         All Star Brewer to head Boise Brewhouse and Join Product Development

Team with Tonya Cornett and Jimmy Seifrit at 10 Barrel

10 Barrel Brewing Company is proud to announce another world class addition to our brewing team in Shawn Kelso, former Brewmaster of Barley Brown’s Brewing.  Shawn is one of the highest decorated single brewers in the country, winning 50 national medals over the last seven years.  He will be the Brewmaster of 10 Barrel’s second brewpub, opening this summer in Boise, ID.  Shawn will also play an integral role in all product development for the overall company, working hand-in-hand with Tonya Cornett on our 10 Barrel experimental system in Bend.

“What I am most excited about is having the opportunity to work with such world-class talent in Jimmy and Tonya. Joining 10 Barrel is a Read More…

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

The Oregon craft beer world witnessed another brewer shakeup this week as Barley Brown’s head brewer Shawn Kelso announced that he will step down from his post at the Baker City, OR Brewpub to assume a position with the rapidly growing 10 Barrel Brewing Co. of Bend, OR.

Kelso, an accomplished brewer with multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup – perhaps most notable was his 2010 gold medal at GABF for Barley Brown’s Turmoil CDA- will help with 10 Barrels expansion efforts into Boise, ID.

After 11 years at Barley Brown’s, Kelso, a native of Baker City, says the move to Boise, about 120 miles east, is a “better opportunity for me and my family.” 10 Barrel looks to open a new facility in Idaho with a bottling line. Further, the veteran brewer will be doing some commuting to Bend to aid in brand development. “I will also have a presence in Bend.” he says.  Other notable brewers at 10 Barrel include brewmaster Jimmy Seifrit, formerly of Deschutes Brewery, and Tonya Cornett of Bend Brewing. “It’s a cool opportunity to be a part of a team who is very accomplished in the industry.”  

Barley Brown’s owner Tyler Brown made this public statement on Facebook yesterday:

As many of you have heard, Shawn Kelso is leaving Barley Brown’s to take a brewing job at larger brewery. We wish him the the best of luck in his new adventure.

Kelso looks to begin his post with 10 Barrel Brewing in March of this year. We wish him the best in his endeavors. More on this story to come soon.

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

Day two in Denver brought the opening day of the Great American Beer Festival and the first of four sessions occurring throughout the extended weekend. After getting our media credentials and before heading into the fest at 5:00PM, we settled in across from the Colorado Convention Center at Row 14 (on 14th Avenue) where we enjoyed the tapping of a handful of fresh hopped seasonals. Unique fresh hop favorites of the day included Crabtree Chunkin Pumpkin and Breckenridge Palisade Peach Wheat. Other tasty fresh hop brews pouring were from jockeyboxes such as the grubbin’ Steamworks Colorado Proud Pale. Left over from an earlier event were the beers of Bull & Bush like their Hop Carl session IPA and Captain Midnight Black Saison.

As soon as 5:00PM came, we Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer history, Beer personalities, beer releases, beer reviews, Oregon beer, places to drink beer

No rest for the wicked… or for Oregon craft beer lovers for that matter. As we are gearing up for the mother of all craft beer events here in the Pacific Northwest, aka Oregon Brewers Fest, we can look back over the weekend and again amaze ourselves at how many great beer events we’ve run up against. Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer news, Beer personalities, beer releases, beer reviews, Oregon beer, places to drink beer, weekend in review

Here’s a look at all the Oregon winners at the 2011 North American Beer Awards in Idaho Falls, Idaho: Read More…

Posted under beer awards, beer news