(Or Where I Feel Comfortable Taking My Sometimes Cranky Weimaraner)

By Frank James

One of life’s quandraries for dog-owning beer lovers is what to do with your pooch when you want to go out to have a cold one. For Portlanders, the answer is pretty simple: take Fido with you. Here in dog-friendly Portland, the real question becomes a matter of where to take Fido.

Obviously, you never want to go someplace where you have to drink bad beer. And if it’s a hot, sunny day, the numero uno factor is whether the place has sufficient shade, cause roasting like a lizard in the desert is a no-go from the very start. (No need for further tanning here.) Location is always another factor that comes into play in one fashion or another.

And as important as any issue is whether your pooch actually likes the place, as nothing will ruin a pleasant pint like an anxious, unhappy dog. Now, if you own your typically easy-going, no-drama Lab, just about any place that will allow you to park your pooch under the table is okay. But if you have a dog who can be just a little finicky, you have to be a bit more selective. So, as I go through my decision making process, Binx, who can be more than a little finicky, gets a heavily-weighted vote.

Binx, a 6 year old, rescued Weimaraner, pretty much runs my life. Or at least he seems to think so. He’s a great dog, but he definitely has a very well-defined sense of his likes and dislikes and he’s pretty upfront about expressing his opinion about those issues. He lives to chase the chattering squirrels who tease him in our back yard and at the parks where he patrols like a manic, furry pinball, bouncing from tree to tree as he glares up at his tormentors. But he thinks chasing inanimate objects like sticks and balls and Frisbees is about the dumbest thing any self-respecting Weimaraner could ever do. He loves ice-cold, fresh water -preferably filtered by Brita – but will literally turn his nose up if he’s presented with old, tepid water that came from a tap, no matter how thirsty or hot he may be. He loves little dogs, but is extraordinarily wary of Great Danes, especially if there is more than one around at a particular time. A true Oregonian, he hates the hot sun and will literally run to find shelter in the coolest shade around, where he’ll plant himself until he’s forced to move. Binx also has certain favorites when it comes to the Portland area’s craft beer establishments. How do I know? Am I merely attributing anthropomorphic traits to a mute, four-legged creature who wouldn’t know one bar from another?

Possibly, but as any dog owner knows, it’s pretty easy to figure out whether your dog likes something or someone or a particular location. Their posture, their ease – or discomfort – and whether they are happy or displeased about being in a particular place becomes pretty apparent, pretty quickly. In fact, if a dog owner can’t tell whether their dog likes a certain place, they aren’t paying attention. All you have to do is watch them closely and you’ll get all the information you need. What are the spots that rank as Binx’s favorite spots, ones that I also enjoy? What are the craft beer establishments with outdoor seating that Binx feels most comfortable? And why?

This isn’t a “best craft beer establishment to take your dog to…” listing. No, it’s much more subjective, as it is simply a list of the places I like to go to because I know that my dog is most comfortable at those places. There are specific reasons, and I’ll note those reasons, but the establishments I’ll describe are simply the places Binx really likes and I’ll let you know why he likes the particular establishment. He’s a funny dog. He’s very friendly, but he also hates to be bothered by other dogs who can’t take a hint when he tries to nicely tell them to bug off. He’ll tolerate a certain amount of guff from another dog, but then he will lose patience. Binx usually has a very friendly, goofy, silly posture – he’s never started a fight or incident in the three and a half years I’ve owned him – but if another dog refuses to simply leave him alone, he will get this look that reminds me of Robert DeNiro’s Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, when Travis says : “You talking to me? You talking to me?” And that is usually enough to motivate a too-curious dog to move along. But obviously, I prefer frequenting places where that type of mini-drama is unlikely to unfold, where Binx can just chill, scavenge leftovers from our meals and get a cool drink of water.

Now, the human in this equation does get a vote. These places are on the list because they all serve good beer, either their own or via a series of taps that are consistently of good quality. But ultimately, if Binx likes the place, it’s cool with me.

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Posted under Oregon beer, brewpubs, places to drink beer

I know what you might be thinking. How can there be only five? Well, believe me, there’s a lot more. But for the sake of brevity in a state of seemingly endless craft beer options, five seems like a nice round number. Besides, I am really confident that you will be pleased with these five. Of course, there will always be the people who say “I don’t like hops” or “I don’t like sours.” Well, than, this list might not be for you and your more narrowed palate. However, if you’re like me and love all craft beer, these five, I am confident, you will find are nothing short of spectacular.

The Reinheitsgebot, for those unfamiliar, is a Bavarian purity order dating back to 1516 that decrees that only three ingredients be allowed in beer: water, malt, and hops (back then they were unaware that yeast, a microorganism, was in fact present). You will notice that most beers still being produced in Germany and throughout modern day Bavaria follow this regiment. I can obviously see some upside to such a movement, however, in the spirit of fun and innovation, I tend to side with the Belgians, who love to get jiggy with a beer. Fruit, spice, and other adjunct ingredients can really liven up a brew, and on top of this, as a food item, why should beer be singled out and forever simplified? Don’t get me wrong, a clean Marzen or Pils with the straight ahead recipes of yore can be just a much rewarding as a zany spice/fruit beer. But loosening the laws of Reinheitsgebot, to me, just simply allows for more exploration and innovation, which, I suppose I often find myself having an inclination towards.

This list does not consist of all Oregon beers, either. It is simply a list of five beers that have been or are available in the Oregon market that you should be enjoying. If you are a brewer or brewery employee reading this and realize that your brewery doesn’t have a beer on this list, please relax. You surely make good beer, and, after all, there are literally thousands of delicious beers out there. I am simply offering up a microcosm of malty yumminess that I feel you must try. It is now your goal to taste the following beers:

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Posted under beer reviews

Here’s a look at some events happening around Beervana on Tuesday July 20, 2010 that you might consider. That is, if you have it in you…

Cascade Meet the Brewer – Join imagineer and brewmaster Ron Gansberg, Curtis Bain, and Cascade Brewing‘s talented staff to experience first hand a bit of sour magic as well as some hoppiness. The BeerMongers, in a series of meet the brewers going on this month will be tapping a keg of Cascades Summer Gose, a light, mildly tart beer perfect for summer and accented with a bit of salt and coriander spice. We’ve tried it and think it’s the best rendition of this year they’ve made yet. Also pouring will be Cascade’s generously hopped Summer Solstice IPA brewed especially for Oregon Craft Beer Month and the great summer weather. 5-8PM.

The BeerMongers is located at 1125 SE Division Street in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 234-6012.

Over the Edge – Belmont Station kicks off their week-long alternative to the Oregon Brewers Fest…or, as we like to think of it, a supplement. “Over the Edge” is a celebration of Oregon breweries that will not be in attendance at the OBF (Strange, that there are any not attending). It is recommended that you follow the bier cafe’s Twitter to get up to the minute tappings like Bend Brewing’s Eclipse Black IPA, Calapooia Devil’s Hole, Hop Valley Alphadelic IPA, Gilgamesh Chocolate Mint Stout, Boneyard Bone-a-Fide Pale, and Barley Brown’s cask conditioned WFO IPA. Special brewer tastings will be going on throughout the week and weekend. Find out more at www.belmont-station.com. Event kicks off at 3PM.

Belmont Station is located at 4500 SE Stark Street in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 232-8538.

Alameda Open House – Visit the Alameda Brewhouse and brewer Carston Haney for some special vintage samples from the brewery’s cellars, as well as cask pours of house favorites. Alameda will also be offering brewery tours throughout the day. Check ‘em out 4-8PM.

Alameda Brewhouse is located at 4765 NE Fremont Street in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 460-9025.

Lucky Lab Meet the Brewer – Stop by Lucky Labrador Beer Hall‘s Northwest Quimby location and meet brewers Ben Flerchinger and Casey Lyons and see why this brewpub is one of Portland’s most beloved. The brewers will be tapping special beers made especially for Oregon Craft Beer Month and will have some house favorites like Super Dog and Triple Threat IPA in house as well. Don’ t miss out on this opportunity! 4-9PM.

Lucky Lab‘s Quimby pub is located at 1945 NW Quimby Street in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 517-4352.

MacTarnahan’s Firkin Tapping – The brew team at MacTarnahan’s lead by head brewer Vasilios Gletsos celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month with this month’s second tapping of a special dry-hopped Mac’s Amber from a cask barrel served to you right at the pub at Mac’s Taproom. If you haven’t experienced this rendition of the perennial gold medaling brew, now’s your chance. Bungs fly at 5pm.

MacTarnahan’s Taproom is located at 2730 NW 31st Avenue in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 228-5269.

Fred Eckhardt’s 19th Annual Beer & Cheese Tasting – Fred Eckhardt, author of “The Essentials of Beer Style,” says that the combination of wine and cheese leads to a “train wreck in the mouth.” Once again,Mr. Eckhardt will make his case that beer is the superior pairing with cheese at the 19th Annual Beer & Cheese tasting event at the Rogue Public House and Distillery in Portland’s Pearl District. During the event, Eckhardt will lead participants through a decadent multi-course tasting featuring predominantly Oregon hand-crafted beers and cheeses. Starts at 6PM.

Rogue Public House and Distillery is located at 1339 NW Flanders Street in Portland, Oregon. For more information, call (503) 222-5910.

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

Meet the brewers from the world renowned Cascade Brewing and experience the tart, spicy, salty and refreshing Summer Gose and the weighty and aromatically hopped Summer Solstice IPA.  6-8PM

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

By Matthew DiTullo, foreward by Angelo De Ieso II

Beer and music. Life essentials. Sure pairing food and beer (especially cheese, chocolate, and dishes prepared with beer as an ingredient), is an obvious match made in heaven for many craft beer lovers. But what about two facets of life that together captivate our imagination and relate a form social expressionism unlike anything else. Beer and music. Seems each serves to enhance the aesthetic of its counterpart. In a new series, Brewpublicans divulge some of their favorite pairings that encompass not only our sense of taste, touch, smell, and sight, but that of sound. Beer aficionado Fred Eckhardt has long reminded us to “listen to our beer.” Still, as far as qualifiers in the beer evaluatory realm is concerned, sound of beer is not yet a universally scrutinized component. We are not in any capacity to disagree with one of the greatest beer minds of Beervana, just simply here to suggest a bit of  refuge for that fifth and often over-looked (or is it over-heard?) sense. Music even further transcends the physical sense of hearing in a manner that involves components of pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture. Like beer, music is an art form open to elucidation, opinion, and  so often characterized by governing regional social norms. This is why we are letting people who share our passion for both designs write of some of their favorite music and beer pairings. In our first volume of Beer & Music, we welcome back jazz and craft beer enthusiast Matthew DiTullo. Matthew’s blog This Shape of Jazz pertains to the writer’s passion for different jazz albums, primarily those of the 1960s in the avant-garde genre. Matthew also touches on titles pertaining to bop, hard-bop, soul jazz and post bop as he find these to be equally as important. Growing up in New York has evidently shaped his passions as well.  -ADI

Don Cherry, Where is Brooklyn? / Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Where is Brooklyn?  Well, Brooklyn Brewery pumps out some of the best brews in the Northeast and their Black Chocolate Stout is fitting for this adventurous album by Don Cherry on Blue Note Records.  Recorded in 1966, we hear a piano-less quartet that’s similar to Ornette Coleman’s classic Quartet earlier in the decade but oh how different it is.  Pharoah Sanders’ more haunting, spiritual tone completely contrasts the melodic blues and boogie aesthetic of Coleman’s.   It’s a jarring album of collective improvisation and connectivity.  With Brooklyn’s Black Chocolate Stout we’re offered a robust, sweet, chocolaty brew.  Enjoy it slowly along Cherry’s slurring and vivacious cornet playing.  Black Chocolate Stout is thick yet has a smooth texture on the palate much like Ed Blackwell (drums) and Henry Grimes (bass) as they back up the two horn players.

Dave Holland, Conference of the Birds / Captain Lawrence Flaming Fury

I absolutely love this album and I love this beer.  Flaming Fury is a highly sought after peach sour bottled by Captain Lawrence of Pleasantville, NY.  In this barrel-aged brew you get a lot of contrast of the earthy, peachy, plump flavors with the tart palate assaulting with sour yeast notes.  The contrast is welcomed and fantastic.  That’s why I chose to match it with this recording.  With the likes of Sam Rivers (reeds, flute), Anthony Braxton (reeds, flute), and Barry Altschul (drums, percussion) joining Holland (bass), individual styling pulls in every sporadic direction, but they always seem to coalesce together to form a sublime happening.

Fred Anderson, Staying in the Game / Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

I wanted to talk about Anderson and honor him since his passing on June 24 at the age of 81.  I have chosen Goose Island Bourbon County Stout because both the brewery and Anderson come from the Chicago scene.  And Bourbon County Stout is one of the best beers I’ve ever had from Chicago.  It’s lush, boozy and vibrantly sweet with notes of vanilla, oak, and cocoa while supporting roasted, burnt-like malts.  Not unlike Staying in the Game, it dances around your mind forcing you to give every bit of detail and attention to the experience.  Recorded less than two years ago, this album proves that beauty comes with age.  So throw a few bottles of BCS in the cellar and enjoy years from now along with this session date.

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, At the Jazz Corner of the World Vol. 1 & 2 / Cascade Apricot Ale

Just as the mid 20th century New York Jazz scene was the Jazz corner of the world, present day Portland could be considered the beer corner of the world.  This pair of volumes was probably obtained within my first dozen Jazz vinyl LPs collected.  It’s a hip, hard bop sound, resonating from the legendary Birdland on the West 52nd Street scene.  Likewise no other brewery in Portland does more than Ron Gansberg’s elaborate sours from Cascade Brewing.  With numerous awards and recognitions from brews like Apricot Ale, Bourbonic Plague, and Vlad the Impaler, I’m proud to share city limits with this brewery.

Flatt & Scruggs, Foggy Mountain Banjo / Bluegrass American Pale Ale

I hope I wasn’t expected to do all Jazz albums.  My second love to Jazz music is Bluegrass.  I’ve even been known to pick a few notes on the ol’ five string. This 1961 Columbia recording is responsible for many of the skills I’ve learned.  The classic unmistakable licks of Earl Scruggs backed by Lester Flatt and the Foggy Mountain Boys has hard driving chops we’ve known to love in Bluegrass.  What else is there to pair than the appropriately titled Bluegrass Brewing American Pale Ale.  The two great all-American genres would be Jazz and Bluegrass and you can’t have either of them without America.  Both rooted in the blues they take advantage of the African influenced down beat so it’s natural for me to harmonize with both genres.  Now back to the beer — the American Pale Ale is a balanced, forwardly hopped brew that’s delicious and thirst quenching for chugging along while having string band practice on the front porch.

More to come…

Posted under Beer & Music, beer reviews

Raccoon Lodge

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

In Beervana, the weekend weather may have not felt like a lead-up to summer, but as far as the beer was concerned, we really couldn’t have ask for any better. Though today, Monday the 21st, marks the actual first day of summer, and the longest day of the year, Saturday June 19 marked the day for Cascade Brewing’s Summer Solstice Celebration at the Raccoon Lodge. This family friendly event was a multifaceted affair, featuring all four of the brewery’s revival brews, and was wittily dubbed “The Four Goses of the Apuckerlypse.” On the serene Douglas-fir laden beer garden, the barbecue crackled and many a tasty beer was poured including a special cask of Cascade’s floral Summit and Chinook-hopped Summer Solstice IPA and the latest version of The Vine, a special blend of their Triple, Blonde Quad, and Golden ales that have been re-fermented with the fresh pressed juice of white wine grapes. Spending more than six months of lactic fermentation and aging in small oak barrels, this beer, as some might remember was a hit at this year’s Fred Fest at Hair of the Dog Brewing.

After ordering up a flight of the Four Goses, we joined Brewmaster Ron Gansberg and Curtis Bain for an always welcomed trip into the brewhouse, where we experiences some more specialty treats. These included a new Brettanomyces brew with cherries known as Beckomyces Asscracky, a young incarnation of the latest Vlad the Imp Aler (rumored to soon be making its way into bottles), and perhaps the highlight of the Cascade tasting experience, a special on-hand barrel blend of a forthcoming The Bourbonic Plague, featuring three different barrel-aged dark ales consisting of dark fruits, and Bourbocide, a mind-tingling oaky delight.

After the blending madness commenced, some bottles were enjoyed. We opened a cellared bottle of Ithaca Brewing’s Excelsior! Le Bleu, a blend of 8 different wine barrels of aged sour beers from 2007, 2008 and 2009 each spiked with 50 pounds of fresh, hand-crushed New York blueberries, then inoculated with Drie Fonteinen Brett yeast and conditioned with champagne yeast. This beer that was a gift from our dear friends Joshua and Buck who currently reside in Upstate New York was quite effervescent a crisp, mildly tart, and poured a pretty garnet hue with a long standing white head.

Curtis dug into the cellar and pulled out a treat of his own. From his native state of Utah, he managed to get his hands on a 750ml bottle of Squatters Fifth Element. Brewed December 2007 and laid down to age in oak barrels January 2008. This highly regarded brew poured a straw yellow color with a large toppling white head. It’s commercial description indicates “It has light peach/fruit notes and a beautiful golden hue. High carbonation created during bottle conditioning gives it a champagne like texture on the pallet. It finishes slightly tart and cleansing.” That pretty much sums it up. One of the most refreshing Saisons to pass our palates in some time.

To complete a bottle trilogy, Cascade brewer John Berry, the architect of Cascade’s aforementioned Summer Solstice IPA, went into the coffers and extricated an unmarked champagne bottle filled with last year’s Vlad the Impaler. Named one of Draft Magazine’s top 25 beers of 2009, Vlad also took home a silver medal at last fall’s Great American Beer Festival in the wood and barrel aged beers category (In case you missed the news, the gold medal in this delineation went to none other than the Bourbonic Plague!). Being one of the first souls to experience a side-by-side of the two Vlads was a distinct pleasure.

Wood aged Pale Quadruppel. Imagine a blend of Scaldis and Cantillon Pure Kriek. Forget it, there is nothing like it (yet). Vlad is shocking to your sour beer senses and taste buds, which do not understand that such a balanced delicate sour beer can be so drinkable and appeal to so many people while being extreme. But don’t forget, it will still open a can of 10.2% whoop-ass on your ass after all the pomp & circumstance of what an amazing beer it is subsides.

After all the mayhem amidst the cooperage, the late spring sun made a cameo and Gansberg’s bluegrass-folk band, Black Lodge, hit the stage and knocked out some toe tapping tunes that included a slice of Americana and some beloved rock and folk covers.

Despite the slow start to the warm season, at least this year, the festivities at the Raccoon Lodge didn’t include rain. Last year’s June 22 Solstice celebration saw folks run for cover and pack under the tent when large drops plopped down.  Warmer, shorter days are on their way….

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

Saturday, according to Seattle Beer Week‘s event schedule, seemed to be one of the biggest days of the who shebang. However, we had one last day to sop up the fun. This was Sunday. After this day, SBW would be on hiatus until next year. But let’s be perfectly clear, there’s always some craft beer-related fun to be had in the Emerald City. What a town! With places like Beveridge, Bottleworks, Malt and Vine, three Elysians, Stumbling Monk, Latona Pub, Uber Tavern, The Dray, Duck Island, etc etc etc, there really is no excuse for missing out on great beer in this wonderful city.

So, after coming to our second and final hoorah in town, and after being equipped with a wholesome and filling breakfast, we set out on our adventure. This day was the day of SBW’s “Last Call,” a finale to this eleven day celebration of great beer and the folks who love it. Last Call was to be held at the Hale’s Brewpub, where the kick-off ceremonies ignited things ten days prior. We had purchased our tickets in advance to ensure we’d not miss out on what was billed to be the best of the best. However, upon checking with some Seattle beer geeks we knew, it appeared that many were already burned out and their livers were demanding a break. Good thing we’d been living in Portland and were ready to put up a daily fight against the evil liver. We were a bit surprised to find that the organizers were still pushing tickets for the event. Why wasn’t such a supposedly cool event sold out?

It wasn’t until we had arrived in Seattle that we’d discovered that Last Call was running from noon until 5pm. I guess we needed to be on our toes and get quaffin’ early. There were still other spots in town we were set on visiting, so we needed a little warm up.

Maritime Pacific

Sunday’s beer hunt started off a little frustrating at our first two stops. First off, we were anxious to get a taste of some Maritime Pacific brews (MPB). Corey Blodgett, former Oregon brewer at McMenamins (and one of their best to date), was now brewing here, so we were jazzed to try some of his brews. MPB had moved to a new location not so long ago. From their Ballard brewpub just down the street from Hale’s, MPC was now even closer in a new larger space in Fremont. Upon arriving to their Jolly Roger Taproom, it appeared closed, but there were no hours of operation posted in the window (at least we couldn’t find them). After walking around a bit, I called the number from their website. After a few rings, a woman answered “Hello?” “Is this Maritime Pacific?” I inquired. “Um yeah” she replied almost unsure. “What time are you open today?” I asked. A pause. “Um…11″ she said before cutting in “Wait, it’s already past eleven. Hmmm. Maybe its 12. I don’t know. I don’t normally work here.”  “No problem” I said “Do you fill kegs?” Again a long pause. After several minutes on the phone listening to this confused lady explain why she didn’t know anything about the place, its hours or keg sales (I just wanted to get off the phone), she noted that the bartender had just arrived. At first she said I should talk to him, then she said I should call back because he might not like being bothered upon just walking in. I agreed, but before I could get off the phone, she got him on the phone. “Hello” he said. “Sorry to bother you” I said, “but we’re from out of town for Seattle Beer Week and we’d like to get a keg fill. Do you fill 1/6 barrel kegs? “No. Just Half barrels and quarter barrels. You should go to a smaller brewery for that.” “Ok, thanks” I said. He hung up.  Golly!  It appeared the woman was trying hard to be helpful, but only leading us to more frustration. And the bartender, he was put off to help someone from out of town interested in spending money here. What was up with this place. We always love drinking MPB beers, but now we were considering not coming back. But we wanted to support Corey. Some advice for employees at any establishment: If you are opening, know the hours. If you are not open and don’t want to be bothered, don’t answer the phone. If you do answer the phone and someone is asking for something you do not offer, either kindly ask them to call back or offer alternatives to what they’re inquiring about. I would have spent money here, but instead, did not.

Brouwer’s Sours

After checking out some chocolate samples at Theo’s Chocolates in the old Redhook Brewery of Seattle’s Fremont District, we jumped across the street to one of Seattle’s best beer establishments. Brouwer’s Cafe, owned by the same folks as Bottleworks, offers out of this world beer for the top notch connoisseur (as well as a world of bourbons, but that would only keep us from more beer). On Thursday May 20, Brouwer’s threw a sour party for SBW that showcased 40 sour and tart beers on tap. A mind-boggling lineup of wild ales, that in this day and age, beer geeks really fancy.

When we arrived at Brouwer’s  Cafe, the selection of sours had considerable dwindled from Thursday, but was still amazing. One thing that has kept Brouwer’s from really kicking ass in our opinion, however, is the somewhat sterile atmosphere and the barkeep’s rush to get us to order. When there’s several dozen beers on the menu, a person, especially a beer geek, likes to think it over. Our server asked us three times if we were ready to order. The place was nearly empty and we were in no rush, but felt the barkeep, sort of a beer-know-it-all wanted us to make up our minds and quickly. Finally, after being coaxed a bit, I ordered a glass of 2006 Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek. Served in a 6 ounce glass for $6, this was another issue with Brouwer’s: price gouging. Now, a four year old Belgian Lambic is something you don’t just find anywhere, so I wasn’t going to squabble over the cost of this fine beer I’d likely not try again on draught for some time. However, later perusing the beer menu, we noticed most brews were exorbitantly priced. The cheap stuff was $5 for 12 ounces, and a handful of domestic sours from Cascade Brewing (one of our favorite breweries, mind you), including the Spring and Winter Goses, were each priced at $9 for 12 ounces. We didn’t even bother asking what the bottles from Hair of the Dog in the clear glass cooler were selling for.

When my partner Margaret went to use the restroom, the server at Brouwer’s continued pushing. I’d already settled in front of my Lou Pepe Kriek. “Do you know what she wants yet?” he asked. Was I the spokesperson for Margaret? Was she incapable of ordering her own beer? Was he really in that much of a hurry to sell the overpriced beer being offered? “I’m sorry. You’ll have to ask her” I responded. When Margaret reappeared, he continued on her until she finally made it clear that she would let him know when she was ready to order. When asking the bartender what she could expect from Avery’s Sui Genesis, he said “It’s tart and sour.” Really? A sour beer is sour? Wow. Thankfully it was a spectacular beer with a deep amber and soft off-white lacing. At over 10% ABV, Sui Genesis according to Avery (and we find this spot on)is “a complex ale, aged and artfully blended from several types of oak barrels, and displays a delightful lactic sourness complimented by hints of brett, oak, and acetic. Intricate yet bold, deeply complex yet surprisingly refreshing, Sui Generis was crafted in the tradition of perennial Tap Room favorites De Vogelbekdieren and Voltron.” The second release in Avery’s Barrel Series, this one was almost worth the $9/glass price tag. Almost.

Don’t get me wrong, Brouwer’s is a wonderful living museum of beer, but another experience of ours there was tainted by a pushy and seemingly arrogant bartender and prices that we’ve come to liken to highway robbery.  Maybe we were wrong about the server. Maybe he wasn’t all that bad. So, I tried to make conversation with him and his correspondences played more like quips. He appeared to have no interest in what we said. Annoyingly he sang loudy along with the Kurt Cobain who blasted on the stereo (We love Nirvana, just not listening to an out of tune bartender croon along with them). When I told him we were going to Last Call at Hale’s, he acted put off that someone would consider going there and not staying to drink $9 glasses of Oregon beer. “Maybe we’ll come back after the other event” I told him. To this he responded “It will probably be too busy here by then.”  …or not.

Overall, we were stoked to try a small glass of four-year-old Lou Pepe Kriek and a snifter of Avery Sui Genesis. However, we’ll likely avoid Brouwer’s in the future. Too bad, because their beer selection is to die for.

To be continued…

Posted under beer reviews, places to drink beer

This year’s Fred Fest was quite interesting to say the least. Not only was it an excuse to drink special beers while supporting a noble charity and celebrating the birthday of an American and Portland beer icon, but it was an opportunity to get a look at Alan Sprint’s new Hair of the Dog Brewing location.

Beneath the Morrison Bridge, not far from the Eastside Waterfront, and nestled into an unsuspecting neighborhood of industry and warehouses,  Hair of the Dog lives on. After joining a queue of craft beer enthusiasts that spanned around the block from the south side entrance, we passed our time in line chatting it up with others who were just as geared up to see what was to come.

Finally to the front of the line and in through the doorway where open garage doors let setting sun shine in, we entered, received our taster cup, food and raffle ticket, and quickly caught wind of this year’s buzz beer. Word was out that a special 2002 Wild Duck Barleywine was drawing quite a line around the corner and toward the back. We raced over to where this beer brewed by the late Glen Hay Falconer was located. Back into another long line.

Apparently the keg was pouring rather foamy, causing the line to take longer than expected. Still, when you hear of a beer like this, you must endure to ensure not missing out on a once in a lifetime tasting. And, happily, the mighty brew was well worth the wait. Picking up the age in an expected and pleasant mild oxidation, the notes of honey, caramel, and surprisingly sharp hops dazzled in this mighty brew that was not even included in the pre-game list of beer to be poured. Before we knew it, this beer was gone, and it made us quite pleased to get in on it.

The two jockey boxes adjacent to the Wild Duck tap were virtually empty of people. It was as if the buzz beer had drawn all attention away from anything within a ten foot radius (sans for the line). This was a perfect opportunity to pony up to the Rogue John John Juniper Pale Ale aged in Spruce Gin barrels. A unique and rather interesting beer, John John was a nice balance of light flowery notes and a subtle woody, almost minty twang. The other tap on this island was Rock Bottom’s Maude Flanders. While a few people really seemed to enjoy this, like we enjoy sours ourselves, the cutting acetic nail polish remover fumes were a little overwhelming four our preference. Still, a rather interesting specimen.

As great as the beers were, it really was the ambiance created by elated and enthusiastic beer lovers sharing in a passion that the man of the hour, Fred Eckhardt helped to create. Not just in Portland, Oregon, but on the West Coast and throughout the land where good beer is brewed, served and/or adored. Hair of the Dog founder and brewer Alan Sprints and a team of happy-to-serve volunteers did a spectacular job. Considering the mayhem of opening his new brewery and restaurant coupled with the pressure to organize this charity event for folks with high expectation from brew, Sprints did a great job putting the pieces together and churning out one hell of a fun time. Even if the festival didn’t pan out the way anyone had hoped, though it did live up to our expectations, the bottom line was that it was a success in providing 100% of the proceeds to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Other beer highlights from Fred Fest:

After the Wild Duck Barleywine, Cascade’s 2010 The Vine was perhaps the most talked about brew of the night. This Northwest Style Sour Ale is a blend of soured Triple, Blonde Quad and Golden ales that have been refermented with the fresh pressed juice of white wine grapes. The beer spent many months in lactic fermentation and aging in small oak barrels. Firestone Walker’s Parabola was another brew that is always special to taste. The abysmally dark black brew has been a major component of past anniversary blends and is one of our most aggressive offerings from the Paso Robles, California brewery. Featuring bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor, is best enjoyed in moderation and is a perfect beer to pair with those chocolate dessert favorites like Fred’s beerthday cake or his beloved M&M candies. This 13% ABV brew is one of the most intense Russian Imperial Stouts we’ve ever had the pleasure to drink.  Hopworks’ Ben Love mixed some of the Parabola with some Hair of the Dog Cherry Fred From the Wood, for a blend dubbed FireWood (or something like that). One thing we learned on this night, don’t let Hopworks brewers blend beer. HUB’s Organic Radkeller, a mix-up of lemon drink and lager was utterly atrocious. While we’ve enjoyed this radler blend at the brewpub, something about it stewing a keg for a length of time lends to a flavor best described as “grody.” Still, give ‘em points for trying.

Speaking of intensity, Roots’ 2006 Epic Ale might have taken the cake in this category (as well as paired with it pretty decently). Nearly four years of aging later, this big boy employs about 60 pounds smoked malt flavored over cherry wood soaked in glenlivet, cognac and cherry juice that lends wonderful smoked toffee and cherry notes both to the palate and the nose and a warm bitter sweet finish. With over 1,700 pounds of malt and 65 pounds of hops, this beast lives up to its name. The 2006 vintage is weighed in at 13.5% ABV.

Mixed reviews were in for the Oregon Trail SoBoChePo, or Sour Bourbon Cherry Porter, but we simply loved it. Not the kind of beer to consume in large quantities, but certainly nothing we’d want to shy away from, SoBoChePo was a great balance of desirable craft brew complexities that all shined within one glass. Some acetic notes expected for such a boozy brew, but not as cutting as the Maude. The cherry character was nicely balanced, not overly sweet, while the meshing of fruit tartness, creamy tannins, and warm bourbon intermingled spectacularly.

Deschutes Double Black was another beer of interest. Not a particular favorite of the night due to a somewhat overly aggressiveness and some rough off-notes, but bold as all sin, and ready to keep you guessing about what the hell was going on with this mammoth incarnation of Black Butte Porter. Our thought was it was similar to Black Butte XX, but without the taming coffee and cocoa nibs. Still, perhaps another go in the ring with this beer could prove a new opinion. The thing with tastings like this is that there’s so much damn tasty high alcohol brews, that palate fatigue is not uncommon to set in early. Still, being in a fun beer geek atmosphere made us feel right at home and fully contented.

To view more photos from Fred Fest 2010 by Brewpublic, click here.

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

Our casual meet & eats are bringing together Great Food, Great Beer & Great People

The events are hosted on our 4-season patio combined with our special events Annex. Picture a backyard griller, but you don’t have to cook, serve or clean-up, and best of all some super beer guru shows up with “the goods”

This month we are proud to welcome Cascade Brewing from Portland, along with Brewers Ron Gansberg & Curtis Bain

The Dinner begins at 6:30pm, serving food and beer throughout the night.  Cost is $35 per person, including a 4-course dinner and 1 of each beer.

All proceeds are donated to RideOn, Portland’s Safe Ride Program.

Reservations must be paid in advance via PayPal or by stopping in to the EastBurn.

for questions please email Matt Bender matt@theEastBurn.com

or call the EastBurn 503-236-2876

Posted under Oregon beer, events