After three days of 90+ degree heat, Beervana is ready to cool down. Here’s a few suggestions as to beers that you might find pleasantly refreshing during the dog days of summer.
Kona Wailua Wheat: Grab a little slice of Hawaii by the base of a waterfall with a rainbow overhead. Or, just imagine that you are there with this passionfruit-infused 5.4% ABV quencher. 100 percent seedless passion fruit purée – not extract or concentrate-is used to produce this distinctly fruity sessionable wheat ale. Since 2003, through special agreement with the Craft Brewers Alliance, Wailua has been brewed in Portland, Oregon and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as still at its original spot on Hawaii’s Big Island. You may not be in Hawaii, but during the summer months, you sure can drink like it.
Newcastle Summer Ale: You might be unaware that Newcastle has any other beer than its quintessential Nut Brown Ale. However, we recently enjoyed a bottle of this proper English golden ale. In an attractive baby blue bottle , this summer brew poured an orange-tinted straw hue with chubby white head. Well carbonated with hints of honey and some bready malts similar to the Nut Brown. A piquant lemony earthy zest resonated with some subtle English hops character. This beer fresh is as good as any summer session. A dry, prickly finish carried waves of the bready zest that quelled our need for summer quenching.
Boneyard Bone-a-Fide Pale: A resinously floral and boldly hopped American style pale ale, these new cats from the Bend brew scene are killing it out the gates with some of the best beers we’ve had from a start up brewery (the Girl Beer, a cherry wheat ale is also a great summer pick!). Citrus, pine, resinous without any cloyingness, the Bone-a-Fide Pale Ale is brewer Tony Lawrence’s idea to produce a low ABV (around 5% ABV) with a big aroma hop appeal. Somewhere between Three Floyds Gumball Head and Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA, this is a summer surprise . Be on of the first in Portland to try Boneyard’s beers at The BeerMongers July 10, Belmont Station July 24, and The Hop & Vine July 31 (the latter two events will have the Boneyard brew crew in house).
Walking Man Flip-Flop Pilsner: We can’t say enough good things about Walking Man. From the biggest darkest, boldest, boozy brews to light and refreshing brews like this year-round straw colored 4.5% ABV brew, these guys do it right. Brewed with imported German malt and spiced with copious amounts of Noble hops, the name says it all. Whether you’re kicking it on the Columbia Gorge, by the Pacific Ocean, or just enjoying a shady spot in the Valley, Flip-Flop is an immaculate American brewer’s interpretation of a lovely traditional Bavarian brew.
Pelican Heiferweizen: Pelican can brew no wrong. This invigorating witbier is a Tillamook County classic. Yellow in color and a little hazy in appearance because it is unfiltered, this wheat brew has a snappy but mellow flavor, and a a smooth, dry finish. Heiferweizen is fermented with Belgian-type yeast and lightly spiced with orange peel, coriander and cardamom for a light, delicious fruity-spicy character. Using organic 2-row malt, wheat malt,flaked barley, flaked wheat with dual purpose Sterling hops, this you might want to grab a 22-ounce bottle today. Also check out Pelican’s Surfer’s Summer Ale.
Vertigo Cyclone Cream Ale: This beer was our go-to brew last summer when the mercury was reading 100. Go to the brewery in Hillsboro, Oregon and get a keg or a growler fill of this or the Apricot version. Cyclone features Pale and Crystal malts that carry this light 4.6% ABV brew, and is spices with Mt. Hood and Saaz hops, knocks back easily, and pairs great with most barbecued grub.
Laurelwood Altenberg Smoked Lager: Don’t be afraid of the rauchbier. This Laurelwood specialty would make our day if it would be a perennial release. A subtle and quenching Pilsner brewed with German beechwood smoked malt-not a campfire or liquid smoke in a bottle. Soft sweet upfront with delicate smoke and a dry, grassily hopped finish. That’s it, we’re going to find this one right now…
Got any picks for a nice summer ale or lager, feel free to let us know!
Not too long ago, while walking through Southeast Portland, we noticed some folks working at a soon to be storefront that we’d heard was the future home of Coalition Brewing. After briefly chatting with these friendly folks, we learned that this long anticipated brewpub was actually about to begin production of their beers.
For over a year, the Portland craft beer community has been purporting that Coalition, initially slated to be named Hobo Brewing, would soon be opening. Like so many start-up brewhouses, Coalition experienced a number of hurdles and red tape that slowed their progress including a lawsuit over the name Hobo and logistical setbacks. Finally, the taproom at SE Ankeny between 27th and 28th Avenues is so close to opening, you can literally smell it. Well, actually, that would be the brewing facility across the street where co-founder Elan Walsky and head brewer Bruce MacPhee, formerly of Deschutes Brewing, have already began brewing three house brews.
Coalition Brewing is the brainchild of Walsky and his partner Kiley Hoyt. Both students of Siebel Institute of Technology and members of the Oregon Brew Crew, and with a breadth of homebrewing experience, aligned their passion for brewing while Walsky was working at F.H. Steinbart Company’s brewing supply and Hoyt was seeking out a pilot system for what was to be Hobo Brewing. Last week, we had the opportunity to visit with Walsky and MacPhee amidst the brewing of their first batch of Coalition Pale Ale. The beautiful brewhouse was recently fabricated by J.V. Northwest and other folks recommended by Upright Brewing’s Alex Ganum. In fact, the set-up and aesthetic of Coalition’s 1,440 square-foot, 15-barrel facility is much the same as at that of Upright.
Here’s our interview with the Elan Walsky and Bruce MacPhee.
How long has Coalition been in the works?
Elan Walsky: We formulated the idea about 14 or 15 months ago. About a year ago we got into our pub location right across the way. At the time, we thought we were going to have the brewery there, up on the second floor, but it ended up not working so we went through lots of draft plans. First, we thought we’d have a three-barrel (brew system) back there. Then we thought we’d have to go with a Tuff Shed out back. Then, luckily in the nick of time, this place opened up. We did a complete build-out. There was a call center in here before.
When was the brewery installed?
EW: Three weeks ago. But we had to do start-up and plumb all the glycol in. We just brewed for the first time yesterday (May 19), and actually nailed our numbers and everything.
What was your first beer brewed?
EW: It’s a pale ale. We’re shooting for a traditional take on the style…a little bit heading away from the huge hop bombs and the really really huge big beers. More beers with a balance. We’re going to have really good beers.
We first met you at F.H. Steinbart’s brewing supply shop. What got you into craft beer initially?
EW: Before Steinbarts, I was working selling insurance, and that was a terrible nightmare. So, I basically started brewing as a hobby to stay sane. I just got way way into it. One day, I was at Steinbart’s getting ingredients, and I overheard Jeremy (Morton-Maxon) and John (De Benedetti) talking about needing help. So, I went up and told them I was the guy they were looking for and somehow got the job. I obviously learned a lot there. And I took some classes through Siebel (Institute of Technology). Kiley (Hoyt) was also a Siebel’s student. She came into Steinbart’s to look for her pilot system and had already started the LLC for Hobo Brewing. That’s how we met. It was a funny coincidence, because we got to talking and I told her it was my long-term goal to open a brewery. She was like “Cool. What do you want to call it?” And I said “I want to call it Hobo Brewing.” She was like “Shut the fuck up. I just started a brewery called Hobo Brewing.” Anyway, we got to working together and just started brew-out. We meant to be a production facility originally, but then we stumbled across this location, and we really didn’t want to pass it up. We’re the first tennants.
How did you get Bruce (MacPhee) brewing here for you?
EW: We got recommended by a mutual friend. He’s friends with some fellows who work down at Widmer and they were friends with a kid who was helping us out. They recommended Bruce, we met, then there it was.
Bruce, you used to work at Deschutes Brewing in Bend. How did you end up at this small start-up brewery?
Bruce MacPhee: More or less, I was looking for a way out. I was trying to get into the Deschutes Pub’s downtown (Portland) location. I was their assistant there for a year. They knew I wanted to get out. I was seeing a girl over here that I was getting ready to marry. We were kind of beating around the bush and I didn’t want to deal with it any more. So, I was looking to leave and find something. I wasn’t sure if I was going to brew any more. Of course, I wanted to. I couldn’t big boy brew any more. I wanted to see the beer, feel the beer, not hit a “start” button and watch the beer being made. It just so happened, like (Elan) said, through friends of friends, word got out; I was on graveyard (shift) at the time, and Kiley, Elan, and I started passing emails back and forth. The 150-barrel brew system (at Deschutes) was all automated. Once you hit “start”, you’re just sitting around making sure valves open. The email chain started, we met, and it worked out great. (Elan and Kiley) had a great idea. I’m not super familiar with the Portland area, especially (the East) side. More of my time here has been spent on the business side (West Side). I was jumping for joy. It’s a small brewer’s dream to get away from a non-touch system and get fully back in it.
What other styles of beer are you planning on making?
BM: We’ll do a bitter tomorrow and a red. Then our tanks will be full and we’ll turn those out. Then we’ll refill it and do a stout, maple porter, a cream ale, and an IPA. We’re pretty much everywhere. During crunch time, we’re not going to have the option to throw a lager out there. Of course, we want one. Opening during summer, it’s hard to hold back a tank for two months while we wait.
When are people going to have the first opportunity to taste your beers?
EW: We actually just decided last night-you might be breaking this, other than our Facebook page-we’re going to open on the 23rd (of June).
That’s my birthday!
BM: Happy birthday!
EW: We’ll buy you a pint sir.
Sound good. Awesome.
What kind of food options can people expect from your taproom.
EW: We made a decision not to put in a fryer. So it’s not going to be super traditional pub food. It’s pretty simple pub food in general, but we wanted to show that it doesn’t have to be burgers and fries to pair well with beer. With that in mind, we’ll focus on having a nice big panini menu and a bunch of little items like corn fritters with an arugula pesto, these things called meat muffins. (Meat muffins) are basically little meat loafs shaped in miniature muffin form and they’re on top of a plate of pancakes drizzled with a stout gravy. We’re trying to make a lot of things from our beer and from our wort. Our friend Lucas (J. Daniels) is a very talented and creative cook. It’s going to be simple but done in a nice way. I don’t think we’ll have anything above $9 on our menu.
Coalator Program
Being members of the Oregon Brew Crew makes Walsky and Hoyt quite appreciative in homebrewing. In fact, the two are working with homebrewers to develop small batch beers into commercial available realities.
EW: We’re having homebrewers come into the brewery with us. If they have a recipe they want to brew, we’ll brew that with them. If not, we’ll go through a recipe design with them. We’ll brew these beers on our pilot system and actually throw those on tap at the pub. So, it will be a quickly rotating homebrewers’ tap. Once we get enough of those out, we’ll have our patrons vote for which one they want to see as a regular rotator, and have that guy back to blow it up on the big system here.
Looks like you folks have it together here.
EW: We’re close. It’s been a long time coming.
You must have been quite anxious to get thing off the ground.
EW: Oh man! We were originally shooting to be open last October, then were like, “okay, January…okay, March…okay May.” Now we’re set on June 23.
Coalition Brewing is located at 2728 SE Ankeny in Portland, Oregon. We anticipate their grand opening scheduled for June 23, 2010.
Okay, here’s our second straight post with no pictures. This is to make up for having two consecutive posts with no words. Prost!
It’s been hotter than a cactus out there in the Pacific Northwest this week and the forecast says it is just gonna keep getting warmer. It’s very important to drink plenty of water, and in between those savory hydration sessions, you might want to consider enjoying these top choices for beer quenchers:
Vertigo Brewing Cream Ale: After the first 100 Degree day, we had to snag a 1/6 barrel of this deliciously poundable prize. Creamy with just the right snap of hops twang, those who add fruit to their brew will be good with an orange slice accompanying this delightfully light brew from Hillsboro’s finest craft brewery.
Anderson Valley Pale Ale: Also known as the Poleeko Gold Pale, this gem pours a pale yellow-copper color with a nice frothy white head. Fruity, slightly caramelly nose with a hint of malt. Nice rounded finish on the bready malty side. Good session brew. And, to make things even better, it’s now available in a can!
Allagash White: The pride and joy of the other Portland. Maine’s finest brewery presents a delicious spicy, crispy Belgian-styled witbier. Now available in 12 ounce bottles, a pricy but worthy four-pack is all you need this time of year. Pouring a cloudy straw golden color with tints of slight copper, the big bustling white head and yeasty yet balanced nose proves light sweet and tart mouth feel. Not as boldly spiced as other authentic Belgian wits, and that is why we love it when we’re in heat.
Dogfish Head Peche Festina: This varying Berliner-Weiss-esque brew pours a pale yellow body with minimal fizzy white head. Nose of tart sweet peaches and reminiscent of sour peach candies. The puckering ability of this brew has not always been as pronounced as recent batches. Great effervescent mouth feel, taste, and finish. Wonderfully crafted one-of-a-kind beer. Sometimes a little bite in something light is all you need.
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner: Sometimes all you want is a two dimensional brew with a shiny, glowing, golden body. Saazy, hoppy, sweet, grassy, candyish, this beer is another shining example of Left Hands vast production. Second behind only Samuel Adams in domestic craft branding, Left Hand has carved a niche in the market with inventive bold beer. This hybridization of styles may not put the brewery on the map, but it sure as hell goes down well.
Silver City Kellerbier: Think of a Pilsner but with a richer body and more of a hops bite. SIlver City’s Keller, alongside their Pils, is a badass brew with everything you need to go the distance and be proud of your craft beer geekdom. Harboring a clean golden-straw body with a dense white foam head, this beer is defined by a malty biscuit nose and a mildly metallic and earthy hops character.
Upright #5: Upright has a lot of Saisons (sorry, Alex, farmhouses) to choose from, and each is as rewarding and refreshing as the next. Flowing with a hazy, golden orange thick, frothy head, the #5 is the hoppy one in the bunch. Mild esters and yeasty fruits bode this grainy Belgian-styled beer with a new leash on summer. Well balanced and ready to make your summer da bomb!
MacTarnahan’s Lip Stinger: You probably won’t find yourself at MacTarnahans taproom (or maybe you will) but if you have the chance to make your way there, you will not be disappointed by the peppery, light (about 4.5% ABV) summer farmhouse from the Pyramid Brewers who were boring for too long. Now with new brews like the Lip Stinger, you owe it to your palate to quaff this acidic and formidable new quencher. Give this one a try, you might actually like it. We love it.
Samuel Adams Boston Lager: Maybe I am just a sucker for the Red Sox and Patriots and everything reminiscent of my craft beer roots, but it’s probably just that here’s one groundbreaking American lager. Not as stinging and metallic as many Euro-lagers, Sammy’s is a floral and capable bottom-fermented spectacle that bolsters so many of Boston Beer Company’s later developments that it probably lost its clamor to the likes of their other extreme beers in the world of craft beer zealots.
Double Mountain Bohemian Pilsner: What makes a Pilsner different that the rest of the hundred of drab pours out there? DM’s Pils has a flowery piquancy that is a-typical of most boring light lagers. There’s nothing dull here. It’s in the brewery’s signature way. In case you’ve been sleeping, Double Mountain has been making the best beers in Oregon ofr a few years now, and this assuaging brew is diverse enough for all seasons, yet demands your summer palate during these thermogenic times.
These are just a few of our favorite brews for the summer sun. Stay cool and enjoy a great beer!
Years ago I mentioned to several of my Rose City friends that if I ever had my own brewery, I would create beer called the Terry Porter. Porter, a legend in Oregon, played a decade with the Trail Blazers amongst other NBA teams and still holds Portland’s career assist record. Porter led the Blazers to two NBA finals appearances and still holds the Finals single game record for free throws made, 15, without a miss. On December 16, 2008, the Trail Blazers retired Porter’s #30 jersey.
Now, Hopworks of Portland, has taken my idea and run with it. Their new Terry Porter honors the Blazers first trip to the NBA playoffs in six years. After years of ruffians known as the Jail Blazers, the Blazers have evolved into a cohesive line-up of young talent and the Rose Garden is now packed just as this beer is filled with robust chocolaty flavor. According to HUB:
Terry Porter features a roasted, caramel malt aroma assisted by floral and citrus hops. The flavor is all business, medium bodied with roast and chocolate flavors, followed by a distinctive smooth style.
6.0% ABV 14.2 Degees Plato 45 IBU
Hopworks will celebrate their one year anniversary on Tuesday April 14 with a celebratory Cream Ale on Nitro.
We’ve heard rumblings about a new brewery opening up in HIllsboro, Oregon for some time now. And thanks to our boy DA and his Beer Around Town blog, we’ve discovered some deets. According to the brewery’s website, they are brewing in small one-barrel batches. The production only facility currently has their flagship Friar Mike’s IPA on tap at O’Brien’s Pub in Hillsboro and has beers available via dock sales. O’Briens features karaoke on Saturday nights along with a decent assortment of microbrews on tap. The pub is a beer-only establishment and features a gentlemen by the name of Luke Beerwalker behind the bar.
Here’s some other beers available from Vertigo pulled from their website:
Cream Ale: A light refreshing beer. Crisp with a soft, light malt flavor. A great introductory beer for those new to craft micro brews. IBU’s: 15, SRM: 3.8, ABV: 4.6%
Apricot Cream Ale: Vertigo’s refreshing cream ale with a hint of apricot. A favorite at weddings!
IBU’s: 15, SRM: 3.8, ABV: 4.6%
Schwindel Alt: Award winning Northern German Alt bier recipe. Carefully brewed and lagered at colder
temperatures for a smooth, clean taste. IBU’s: 33, SRM: 13.7, ABV: 5.1%
High Altitude Amber Ale: A well-balanced American Amber brewed with copious amounts of Northwest Cascade hops. IBU’s: 39, SRM: 13.0, ABV: 5.4%
Friar Mike’s IPA: Hand crafted IPA recipe with help from the Friar himself. Brewed with generous amounts of
Columbus, Amarillo and Cascade hops. Sure to please hop-heads everywhere. If you see Friar Mike,
be sure to say “Cheers!” IBU’s: 76, SRM: 8.7, ABV: 6.1%
Raspberry Wheat: An incredibly delicious mix of wheat beer and real raspberries. There are nearly 15 lbs of raspberries inevery barrel. Not overly sweet and extremely refreshing. IBU’s: 24, SRM: 5, ABV: 4.8%
Kona Wailua Wheat: Grab a little slice of Hawaii by the base of a waterfall with a rainbow overhead. Or, just imagine that you are there with this passionfruit-infused 5.4% ABV quencher. 100 percent seedless passion fruit purée – not extract or concentrate-is used to produce this distinctly fruity sessionable wheat ale. Since 2003, through special agreement with the Craft Brewers Alliance, Wailua has been brewed in Portland, Oregon and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, as well as still at its original spot on Hawaii’s Big Island. You may not be in Hawaii, but during the summer months, you sure can drink like it.
Newcastle Summer Ale: You might be unaware that Newcastle has any other beer than its quintessential Nut Brown Ale. However, we recently enjoyed a bottle of this proper English golden ale. In an attractive baby blue bottle , this summer brew poured an orange-tinted straw hue with chubby white head. Well carbonated with hints of honey and some bready malts similar to the Nut Brown. A piquant lemony earthy zest resonated with some subtle English hops character. This beer fresh is as good as any summer session. A dry, prickly finish carried waves of the bready zest that quelled our need for summer quenching.
Walking Man Flip-Flop Pilsner: We can’t say enough good things about Walking Man. From the biggest darkest, boldest, boozy brews to light and refreshing brews like this year-round straw colored 4.5% ABV brew, these guys do it right. Brewed with imported German malt and spiced with copious amounts of Noble hops, the name says it all. Whether you’re kicking it on the Columbia Gorge, by the Pacific Ocean, or just enjoying a shady spot in the Valley, Flip-Flop is an immaculate American brewer’s interpretation of a lovely traditional Bavarian brew.
Pelican Heiferweizen: Pelican can brew no wrong. This invigorating witbier is a Tillamook County classic. Yellow in color and a little hazy in appearance because it is unfiltered, this wheat brew has a snappy but mellow flavor, and a a smooth, dry finish. Heiferweizen is fermented with Belgian-type yeast and lightly spiced with orange peel, coriander and cardamom for a light, delicious fruity-spicy character. Using organic 2-row malt, wheat malt,flaked barley, flaked wheat with dual purpose Sterling hops, this you might want to grab a 22-ounce bottle today. Also check out Pelican’s Surfer’s Summer Ale. 
Vertigo Cyclone Cream Ale: This beer was our go-to brew last summer when the mercury was reading 100. Go to the brewery in Hillsboro, Oregon and get a keg or a growler fill of this or the Apricot version. Cyclone features Pale and Crystal malts that carry this light 4.6% ABV brew, and is spices with Mt. Hood and Saaz hops, knocks back easily, and pairs great with most barbecued grub.
Laurelwood Altenberg Smoked Lager: Don’t be afraid of the rauchbier. This Laurelwood specialty would make our day if it would be a perennial release. A subtle and quenching Pilsner brewed with German beechwood smoked malt-not a campfire or liquid smoke in a bottle. Soft sweet upfront with delicate smoke and a dry, grassily hopped finish. That’s it, we’re going to find this one right now…
![For The Love Of Beer](http://brewpublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/For-the-Love-of-Beer-Trailer-Release1.jpg")
