There has always been something about strawberries that seem to encapsulate the spirit of the spring and summer months. Strawberry lemonade, strawberry rhubarb pie, strawberry jam, and best of all, freshly picked plump ripe strawberries. Strawberries are hybrid fruits that are cultivated worldwide to produce, in my opinion, one of the most delicious treats of all time. The garden strawberry that we know so well and enjoy so readily this time of year is the result of breeding two species the wild plant, one from Eastern North America and one from Chile, and first introduced in France in the 18th Century. The result is a fruit that is not a true botanical berry such as grapes, blueberries, and blackberries, but rather an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that some of the fruit’s flesh is derived not from the ovary but from some adjacent tissue exterior to the carpel or gynoecium. Once referred to as “false fruits,” other examples of accessory fruits include figs, mulberries, and other pomes such as apples and pears.

In addition to being best enjoyed freshly picked, strawberries are prepared into a number of tasty treats such as creams, pies, cereal bars, and smoothies. In Greece, one particularly favorite use of strawberries, is to sprinkle them with sugar before dipping them in Metaxa, a type of brandy. This is a popular dessert there. Beer lovers may notice that the fruit i\has become more and more popular as a flavor component in malted barley brewed beverages. Though it has been pointed out that some hop varietals impart flavor characteristics likened to strawberries, there are in fact actual brews that use the scrumptious fruit to add their own deliciousness. Here’s a look at some you might find: Read More…

Posted under beer and food, beer releases, beer reviews

The last weekend of June marked the return of one of Oregon’s best brew festivals, the North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF). Held at Overlook Park off North Interstate Avenue in Portland, the eleventh NAOBF’s grounds are arguably the best venue for an outdoor beer festival anywhere. And, despite some early humidity and the expected occasional rainfall that comes with late June in Oregon, the fest again came out a winner.

It was apparent that Oregon craft beer festival organizer and media coordinator Chris Crabb was a big force behind the success of this year’s NAOBF. Crabb also is a key component behind both the Holiday Ale Festival and the mother of all Northwest beer shindigs, the Oregon Brewers Festival. Working long days in preparation and during the fest, Crabb saw to it that all the ducks were in a row for this, the only organic festival of its kind (at least to our knowledge). She was at the fest at 4 a.m. on Thursday to coordinate television interviews with brewers and representatives. At 11 a.m. a media tasting that provided samplings of some of the festival’s highlights began. Here, Lisa “The Beer Goddess” Morrison directed a group of us through about a dozen recommended picks that would be featured to the public when the gates opened at noon. Here’s a look at some of the brews showcased for the 2012 NAOBF: Read More…

Posted under beer events, beer reviews, California Beer, craft cider, Oregon beer, places to drink beer, Washington Beer, weekend in review

The North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF) returns to Overlook Park in Portland, Oregon to continue celebrating the contributions of organic brewers and a commitment to more sustainable living. This year’s fest marks the 8th annual NAOBF and will once again feature craft beer and artisan ciders from around the world. “This should be a great fest this year – we’ve increased to three trailers, so lines won’t be a problem” says event coordinator Chris Crabb, adding: “Styles run the gamut from Belgian Whites to Cascadian Darks.”

NAOBF will feature a full lineup of  live local music, organic food (including ice cream and coffee!), sustainability-oriented vendors and non-profits, a soda garden with complimentary Crater Lake Root Beer for minors and designated drivers, and a children’s area with face painting and activities. The NAOBF is a family friendly event, and minors are welcome with parents.

More details:

Event hours are Noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission into the event is free. The purchase of a $6 reusable, compostable cornstarch glass is required for tasting beer, as are tokens, which sell for $1 apiece. A full glass of beer or cider costs four tokens and a four-ounce taste costs one token; select beers cost double tokens. Patrons receive a $1 discount toward the tasting glass with a validated MAX ticket, a ticket from the onsite Hopworks bike corral – last year, nearly 2,000 attendees parked their bikes at the festival – or three cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank (limit one discount per person). The NAOBF benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and the Oregon Food Bank.

Lineup of Beers and Ciders To Pour at 2012 NAOBF: Read More…

Posted under Beer & Music, beer and food, beer events, beer news, California Beer, craft cider, Oregon beer, Washington Beer

As summer approaches more beer labels pass approval for the craft beer drinking seasons to come. As usual, Craft Brew Alliance has a number of exciting new beers on the horizon such as their next Rotator IPA Series release known as IPL (India Pale Lager), a hoppy lager. We notice some new label designs from Speakeasy, Ninkasi, and Henry Weinhard’s. Also it looks as though Pyramid is gearing up for some more interesting new releases like their Smooth & Sweet Oatmeal Stout and Chai Wheat both coming out in bottles.

Here’s a look at more than 65 new craft beer labels that you might find around the Pacific Northwest in the not so distant future: Read More…

Posted under Beer & Art, beer news, California Beer, Oregon beer, Washington Beer

There are a lot more new beers making their way down the pipeline here in the Pacific Northwest. Deschutes Conflux No. 1 Release, a collaboration with  Hair of the Dog called “Collage” is soon to be released in bottles. This 11% ABV beer is a malt beverage aged in distilled spirit and wine oak barrels and has been highly anticipated for more than a year. The label refers to this blend of several sought after brews as an “artistic expression.”

Widmer Brothers continues to wear their collective creative cap and lead the way with more experimental India Pale Ales. Next up, X-443. They’ve also got an oyster stout dubbed “Cloyster”, an 8%ABV draught only selection. The brewhouse continues to impress not only with imagination but with execution. Look for their Rotator Shaddock IPA (brewed with grapefruit), Hibiscus Gose, Raspberry Imperial Stout, and Old Embalmer ’12 Barleywine Ale (featuring Bravo hops) from their Alchemy Project.

Looks like Hopworks Urban Brewery will be kegging up a new series of single hop IPAs known as the IPX India Pale Ale series. Further in the hoppy realm, Pike is not only releasing draught of a new 4.9% Hop Session Ale, their gearing up for their 25th Anniversary with a special bottle release of their Space Needle Golden Anniversary 2012 Vintage IPA, a 6.5% ABV 58 IBU brew with an array of Yakima Valley Hops. Elysian Brewing also  of Seattle is gearing up to release the next brew from their Read More…

Posted under beer news, beer releases, Oregon beer, Washington Beer

Next week, the North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF) returns for a seventh year, and again will be hosted at one of Portland’s finest outdoor venues, Overlook Park. The June 24-26 festival looks to serve up 50 different beers and ciders from across the continent.

Posted under beer events