Barrel aging beer is certainly an emerging trend amongst craft breweries. The depth and complexity of this added dimension is an unquestionably benevolent element that, if properly executed, lends much to any stalwart brew. Full Sail Brewing knows this well.

On Wednesday February 2, 2012, Full Sail unmasked four renditions of their Top Sail Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Porter at McCormick & Schmick’s Riverplace brewpub. This “horizontal” featured three whiskey cask-aged pours of the brew and a final blend of each that married each into one exquisite conclusion. Each spent a full year soaking in and amalgamating the nuances of the bold base beer with the notes provided with each barrel.  Read More…

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

Trellis, a wine county-inspired restaurant that celebrates small scale, artisan products at the height of their seasonality, will host Portland, Ore., based organic brew masters Christian Ettinger, Thomas Bleigh and Jaime Rodriguez of Hopworks Urban Brewery for the second annual brew pairing dinner on Friday, Feb. 24.

Hopworks is Portland’s first Eco-Brewpub offering world-class organic beer. Hopworks incorporates a range of sustainable practices in their operation, and makes every effort to protect the future with a thoughtful alternative.

This will be Hopworks’ second visit to Kirkland. Chef Brian Scheehser has created a delectable five-course dinner featuring Wild Prawns and Bone Marrow Bruschetta, Grilled Quail, Boneless Short Rib and a Hazelnut Flourless Chocolate Cake. Each course will be paired with one of Hopworks’ organic brews, which will remain top secret until the night of the dinner. Some of the featured beers are also included in Chef Scheehser’s recipes.

WHO: All community members, family and friends over the age of 21.

WHAT: Hopworks Urban Brewery Second Annual Beer Pairing Dinner

WHERE: Trellis Restaurant, 220 Kirkland Avenue, Kirkland, Wash.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 24, 2012

5:30 p.m. – Beer reception and passed hors d’oeuvres

6:30 p.m. – Beer pairing dinner

COST: $75 for five-course meal and beer pairings. Tax and gratuity not included.

Seating is limited; please call (425) 284-5900 for reservations to the Hopworks Urban Brewery Second Annual Beer Pairing Dinner. Those who reserve seats at the dinner are eligible for a discounted stay ($119) at the Heathman Hotel on the night of the dinner.

About Trellis

Housed in the luxurious Heathman Hotel (www.heathmankirkland.com) on Seattle’s eastside in Kirkland, Wash., Trellis is a 90-seat restaurant and bar that features wine country-style cuisine under the direction of executive chef Brian Scheehser, who was featured at the famed James Beard House in New York City as part of its Best Hotel Chefs in America series in 2008.  Trellis features a richly appointed environment that is comfortable and warm with food and drink that celebrates small scale, artisan products at the height of their seasonal quality.  Trellis’ rustic, farm-fresh, robust menu characterizes wine country restaurants and evolves with the seasons, always using the best of the current harvest as a foundation for its farm-to-table philosophy. Much of the produce on the menu is grown in Scheehser’s local five-acre garden at the South 47 farm in Woodinville, Wash.  A wine list with more than 200 selections features the best that California, Washington and Oregon vintners have to offer as well as an extensive international collection.  Heated outdoor seating is available.  For additional information, visit www.trellisrestaurant.net.

About Hopworks Urban Brewery

Hopworks Urban Brewery and Hopworks BikeBar are Portland’s first Eco-Brewpubs offering handcrafted organic beers and fresh, local ingredients. The brewpubs are sustainably-built and operated buildings with a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Hopworks is 100 percent renewably powered, “cradle to gate” carbon neutral and features sustainable components including composting, rain barrels, a pervious paver parking lot and hand dryers. The company makes every effort to protect “our” future with a thoughtful alternative.

The 20-barrel brewery produces 8,500 barrels a year and provides its restaurants with ten different HUB organic beers on tap and two cask ales at all times. Hopworks beer is available on draught and in bottles in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. For more information, please visit HopworksBeer.com or follow on Twitter @HopworksBeer.

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

By D.J. Paul

Having just opened their doors over the past couple of weeks, Golden Valley Restaurant & Brewery is bringing in the customers. This being their second location is in Portland’s neighbor to the west, Beaverton. Located directly south of the Sunset Highway between the Cornell Rd. and the Bethany Blvd. exits sure makes it a convenient place to stop in for some beer and food.

Golden Valley opened their first location in the heart of Oregon’s Wine Country in McMinnville, OR back in 1993. Nineteen years in business is very impressive and makes it one of Oregon’s longest running operating breweries. During this time they have gone through a few brewers but their current brewer, Mark Vickery, has been with them for over the past decade. Prior to joining Golden Valley, Mark spent time learning the ropes at Bridgeport Brewing while studying at PSU. He then went on to Bend, OR to become John Harris’ assistant at the Deschutes Brew Pub. During these ten years at Deschutes, Mark assisted in the development of some of the Deschutes beers that continue to be enjoyed today.

At Golden Valley’s new Read More…

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

How far are brewing style guidelines to be pushed? Brown Porters, Black IPAs, Strong Pale, and now, after a series of tinkering with various recipes, Deschutes Brewery is unleashing their Chainbreaker White IPA in bottles. You may remember their collaborative Conflux 2 release White IPA release done in conjunction with Boulevard Brewing of Kansas City. This beer, though sharing some similar characteristics, is much different. Slated to be released in late March 2012, Chainbreaker is described by the brewery as a “hop-forward, citrus-packed beer with an unmistakably smooth character” with distribution expanded throughout the 19 states where Deschutes send their goods.

“We’re always experimenting with new ingredients and new styles at the brewery,” said Cam O’Connor, brewmaster for Deschutes. “In the case of Chainbreaker our Read More…

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Starting Tuesday January 24 and running through Sunday February 19, 2012, Portland, Oregon’s Rock Bottom Brewery will feature an assortment of their best specialty brews. Brewmaster Charles Hutchins exclaims “Come drink my beer!” adding, “Enjoy these rotating beers and raise a toast to me, the Brewmaster.” Read More…

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

On Thursday January 19, 2012, two of Oregon’s biggest craft breweries held events to celebrate new beer releases.

Ninkasi Brewing of Eugene, in conjunction with Stone Brewing (Escondido, CA) and The Alchemist Pub (Waterbury, VT) debuted the draught premiere of More Brown Than Black IPA at Bridgetown Beerhouse. The beer, as previously mentioned, is a benefit to help Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, beer events, beer news, beer releases, beers on film

On January 20, 2012 Breakside Brewery will have its first Brewer’s Dinner at Aquariva Restaurant (470 SW Hamilton Court). The dinner includes four courses with beer pairings, one of which features Aquariva’s Italian Amber, a beer that the restaurant’s culinary team designed as part of the previously mentioned Chef Collaboration Series. The menu and tickets are available online here or by calling the restaurant directly at (503)802-5850. Barber and Edmunds, as well as owner Scott Lawrence, will be on hand for the event to discuss the beers and enjoy Aquariva’s excellent Italian cuisine.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer and food, beer releases, brewpubs, events, places to drink beer, press releases

Glen Hay Falconer (1961-2002) was a man who did more than he probably imagined for craft beer in the Pacific Northwest. A young Falconer began his professional career began at Steelhead Brewing in Eugene in 1990. The brewer took his passion to the next level by completing the Siebel Concise Course in Brewing Technology four years later. Soon after, Falconer began working in Newport with Rogue’s John Maier, one of the nation’s most recognized brewmasters. In 1996, Falconer assumed the role of head brewer at the now defunct Wild Duck Brewery of Eugene. His untimely death,a decade ago at the age of 40, was a huge loss to the craft beer world. However, it is quite evident how much he is loved, as his spirit lives on through the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to “contribute to the Northwest craft brewing community by providing opportunities for professional and aspiring brewers to further their knowledge and expertise. The Foundation is also committed to honoring Glen’s broader interests by working with the Northwest Legends Foundation to contribute directly to local Eugene-based organizations that represent his ideals and passions.”

Today the Falconer Foundation offers the opportunity of offering two educational scholarships to the World Academy of Brewing at the Siebel Institute and one to the American Brewer’s Guild. It was recently announced that the 2012 scholarships are now being accepted by the foundation. If you are a brewer or aspiring brewer located here in the Pacific Northwest, you are encouraged to apply. Here are the details: Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, beer news