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 personalities, Oregon beer, beer events, beer releases, vintage beers

We turn the taps to thick, dark, extreme brews for one cold week. Expect limited beers from Barley Brown’s, Great Divide, Deschutes, Full Sail, Fort George, He’brew, Emelisse, Brewdog, Evil Twin, Mikkeller, Block 15 and… isn’t that enough blackness already? Watch the next email for more specifics.

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

We turn the taps to thick, dark, extreme brews for one cold week. Expect limited beers from Barley Brown’s, Great Divide, Deschutes, Full Sail, Fort George, He’brew, Emelisse, Brewdog, Evil Twin, Mikkeller, Block 15 and… isn’t that enough blackness already? Watch the next email for more specifics.

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

By D.J. Paul

On Monday December 12, 2011,  Belmont Station welcomed David Walker, co-founder of  Firestone Walker Brewing Company into their Beircafé for a casual meet and greet. Belmont Station proprietor Carl Singmaster dug deep into his cellar, offering up a three-year vertical of Firestone Walker’s Anniversary Series. Being poured that evening were Anniversary XIII, XIV and this year’s XV. This was a very rare opportunity to sample the past three variations of Firestone’s yearly-anticipated Anniversary Ale. While sampling my flight David Walker worked the Beircafé like no other. He took the time to introduce himself and to answer questions at each table and person sitting at the bar.

A little after 7 p.m. David stood up near the front window of the Beircafé to address the crowd that had gathered. He spoke a bit about Firestone Walker’s history and stated some interesting facts about their beer and brewery. One particularly fascinating fact learned is that 85% of Firestone’s sales occur within a 100-mile radius of their brewery in Paso Robles, CA. We also learned that their Abacus Barleywine from their Reserve Series would be renamed this year to §ucaba. Yes, Abacus spelled backwards with a section sign, §, being used in replace of the S. This is a result from a winery, ZD Wines, which produces a Cabernet Sauvignon with the same name. To avoid legal action Firestone Walker changed the name of their barley wine.

After David completed his roaming of the room we went next door to Belmont Station’s Bottle Shop to ask him a few questions about his brewery that is now 15 years old. Here’s the interview: Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, vintage beers

On Wednesday, December 14, 2011, Breakside Brewery will release bottled versions of two barrel-aged beers. Bourbon Barrel Aztec is an oak-aged version of Aztec Ale, the brewery’s popular strong ale made with chocolate and chiles. This is the second release of Bourbon Barrel Aztec, and the first round of bottles sold very quickly last summer. According to the brewers, this latest version has developed rich oak and coconut flavors, shows a lot of bourbon in the nose, and has a mellow, though present, heat. Soursop Wheat is a blend of several different Belgian wheat beers that were aged in soured Old Tom Gin barrels and then aged on soursop, a Southeast Asian fruit that is both sweet and savory. This beer has lots of juniper and herb character on the nose, a big sourness up front, and a rounded, fruity finish. For those unfamiliar with soursop, the brewery will provide samples of the fruit during the release party.

Both beers will be Read More…

Posted under Oregon beer, beer events, beer releases, brewpubs, places to drink beer, vintage beers

Eugene, Oregon village brewer, Ninkasi has announced that they will be unveiling more than a handful of seasonal brews this winter. Sure you might be familiar with the ever popular and mighty scrumptious Sleigh’r Dark Double Alt, but, look out, there is much more to get stoked about from these cats. Check out six new releases from them: Read More…

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

Celebrate both Christmas and Hanukah this year at the Green Dragon. We’ll be having a Hanukah Hoedown Throwdown with Shmaltz Brewing pitting 5 of their Hanukah beers against 5 Christmas beers by Lompoc Brewing. This event is on Saturday, December 17^th and is all day. Doors open at 11 AM.

Shmaltz Brewing                                            Lompoc Brewing

Jewbelation 15                                                  8 Malty Nights

Genesis 15:15                           Vs. 2010 Franc’ly Brewdolph

Hop Manna                                                       Cherry Christmas

Vertical Jewbelation                                           Old Tavern Rat Barley Wine

Geektoberfest                                                    Bourbon Barrel Aged C-sons Greetings

Join us at 5:00 PM to meet the Lompoc team Bryan Keilty, Dave Fleming, Irena Bierzynski, Zach Beckwith and Shmaltz’s Zak Davis as they talk about their unique brews. To get even more into the competitive spirit, there will also be an Extreme Dreidel Tournament that runs throughout the day. Bring your best game and celebrate the holidays with us.

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

Join the Pelican brewers on December 22^nd from 6-8 p.m. to taste some of the most rare and unique ales from the Pelican cellar. See how these wonderful beers have aged in the bottle over the years. Appetizers will be served as well. The cost is $40 per person and reservations are required. Please call the Pelican at 503?965?7007 for more information or to reserve your spot

Posted under Oregon beer, beer events, brewpubs, events, places to drink beer, vintage beers

Celebrate the release of Hopworks Noggin Floggin Barleywine at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, December 6 at Hopworks Urban Brewery on SE Powell and Hopworks BikeBar on North Williams.

In addition to releasing this year’s brew, we’ll be pouring a 3 beer sampler flight featuring 2009 Noggin Floggin and barrel-aged 2010 Noggin Floggin.

Hopworks’ new head brewer, Tom Bleigh, will be on-hand at the Powell Blvd. brewpub, so come on by and say hello to our newest brewer.

Hopworks Urban Brewery is located at 2944 SE Powell and Hopworks BikeBar is at 3947 N. Williams

About Noggin Floggin Barleywine: This winter warmer features a luscious fruity, caramel aroma with resinous hops and a malted toffee flavor followed by a warming finish. Drink a few of these and you’ll be saying “gunter glieben glauchen globen.”

ABV: 11%      IBU: 70      OG Plato: 24

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

The five day extravaganza that is Holiday Ale Fest (HAF), you know, the biggest winter beer fest on the West Coast, is upon us. Beginning at 2PM on Wednesday November 30, 2011 and lasting throughout the weekend, this beer lover’s occupation of Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse square once again will bring merriment to the space beneath several heated tents.

Each day at HAF brings to light new select vintage and one-of-a-kind brews not to be missed. As a whole, the selection is quite daunting, with mostly above 7% ABV one-offs as the focus. Curator Preston Weesner, who also works as general manager at Cascade Brewing’s Barrel House, a boutique pub mongering some of the region’s most touted sours, has been calculatingly stowing away special kegs while encouraging breweries to formulate new and insightful styles. This year’s lineup is no exception to the ever awe-inspiring score of brews HAF has continued to build upon. Here’s ten beers that we greatly look forward to tasting, and if you are as fanatical about beer as we are, you might just want to seek out as well: Read More…

Posted under Oregon beer, beer events, beer releases, places to drink beer, vintage beers