Green Dragon co-founder Lolo Lancaster

Lots of action going on in the local beer bottling scene. In case you haven’t noticed, Hopworks Urban Brewery has been selling select bombers (that’s 22-ouncers for those of who haven’t heard) of their IPA, Seven Grain Stout, DOA, and Crosstown Pale Ale. The brightly colored orange, yellow, and red bottles are hard to miss on the shelves of select craft beer dispensaries. On Monday night, Hopwork brewers were on hand at Belmont Station for a meet the brewer event to kickoff these snazzy/gaudy new eye catchers. Brewers Christian Ettinger and Ben Love served up tastes of their bottled beauts on draft as well as their Bourbon Barrel Aged Noggin’ Floggin’ Barleywine and a Cask Conditioned IPA.

Mike Weksler of Green Bottling sent us some pictures of the latest mobile bottling project at Bend’s Silver Moon Brewing. Green Dragon co-founder and masterbrewer Lolo Lancaster was on hand alongside the Moon’s head brewer Tyler Reichert to bottle up more of their Hop KNOB IPA in addition to a seasonal High Plains Heffe. Look for the crisp Bavarian-style wheat beer in stores this week.

Green Bottling is also pleased to be the bottlers who put Bend Brewing’s Elk Lake IPA. Here’s what a press release from Bend says:

For the first time ever, lovers of Bend Brewing Co.’s Elk Lake IPA can take 22 ounce bottles of the extremely popular ale home.
The inaugural run of IPA in bottles will sell for only $5 per bottle and will be available only at the Bend Brewing Co. brewpub beginning May 28. First come, first served! Don’t miss the opportunity to send a bottle back home for Father’s Day, stash it in your cooler for a summer camping trip, or stockpile for the long winter to follow.
Elk Lake IPA is a true Northwest-style IPA. Its exceptional aroma is reminiscent of citrus and pine balanced with a distinct underlying bitterness. Specifications: IBUs 64 and ABV 6.15%.

Full Sail LTD 03 is released ifrom the Hood.  Hood River, that is. The season lager series will feature what the company says the Pilsner-style beer is “pale golden in color, features a spicy floral hop aroma, a malty medium body, and a smooth thirst-quenching finish.”  A press release from Full Sail’s Sandra Evens adds:

LTD 03 registers “Pale” on the “Malt-O-Meter” that is featured on the six packs. Beer aficionados, or the aspiring ones, will enjoy the bottom of the six-pack that features an easy-to-read chart of “Today’s Recipe,” including Sterling hops, 2 row pale malt, plato (14 degrees), I.B.U. (35), alcohol by volume (5.6) and any special ingredients. LTD 03 will be available in six-packs and draught and will be available June through September.

LTD 03 has just been bottled and will be out on shelves throughout the Pacific Northwest this month.

The weather outside is delightful and the Deschutes has just put their Twilight Ale to bottles for summer sessioning. The straw-colored light ale (5.0% ABV) with a nicely lil punch of hops aroma from the addition of whole flower Cascade, Amarillo and Tettnangs (35 I.B.U.) hit shelves on Memorial Day.

Deschutes brewer John Abraham has many beers and of this one he says, “The malts of Twilight Ale are at once offset and complemented by citrus and floral aromas that come from the whole flower hops. The overall result is a crisp, effervescent, highly drinkable ale. I consider it the perfect hot weather quencher.”

Suggested food pairings: The brewery team recommends pairing Twilight with picnic classics such as barbecued ribs, and salads with lemon and dill.

Have a new beer coming out and want us to try it?  Send a bottle, six pack, or case (this is preferred) to us today!

Posted under Oregon beer, beer news, beer releases

Hi Angelo,
Marc Martin here(…)I am president of The Plato Republic Homebrewers of S.W.Washington plus a feature article writer for Brew Your Own Magazine. I am also one of the Green Dragon Founders. For that reason I felt compelled to send an e-mail to Jack Joyce and his son Brett. I didn’t really expect a reply but was pleasantly surprised by the fast and cordial response.
In my e-mail I related some of the information regarding the birth of the Dragon that they may not have been aware of. Specifically, I discussed how there was very little advertising or marketing that took place during the first few months but the place was often jammed by the end of the first quarter of business. I told them how this could be largely traced to the independent “marketing” efforts of the Founders. Those of us who had faith enough in Jim Parker and the concept to pony up money to achieve the needed capital.
Many of us flooded Myspace, Facebook, Blogspots, and e-mailed 100s of friends and family to promote the Dragon. When we were in the place, which was often, we would help novice patrons choose beers and routinely gave up stools at the bar so others could sit together. In effect we became a 20 person marketing team.
The day after I sent the e-mail (Monday) with my cell number I received an e-mail reply from Brett thanking me for the information and saying that he would give me a call. That call came today and we talked for several minutes. So, first I must say that the Joyce’s are definately interested in feedback from the Founders and loyal patrons. It is their intent to retain as much of the original concept and “flavor” of the Dragon as possible. A lot of us were pulling for Lolo to be able to put something together but if that couldn’t work we certainly could have done much worse. The Joyce’s hearts are in the right place and we will not end up with a made over glass and chrome monolith like Bridgeport.
Obviously, one of my major concerns was “what is going to happen to the Founders club”?  I related how beneficial it would be to have the Founders as continuing Green Dragon “ambassadors”. This seemed to make good business sense to him and he is planning to send all of us Founders an e-mail in the next couple of weeks. I had suggested that he schedule a meeting with the Founders and he feels that this would be a good idea also. It appears that the Founders club will remain intact.
So, bottom line – I know that some changes will have to be made. For any business to be successful it must be structured, well managed and customer focused but I don’t think the changes will be radical and should make the Dragon even stronger.

Stay tuned for more info. and Long Live The Dragon !!!

Marc Martin (Founder)

Posted under Beer personalities

One Nation Under Rogue.

Rogue:

The papers have been signed.  Rogue has purchased what was the Green Dragon pub and bistro.  Lorren “LoLo” Lancaster says “Ed offered me a fair shake and when we went in to talk to the Rogue guys, he caved.” Lancaster, a minority owner in the original Green Dragon undertaking says of majority owner Ed Schwartz: “He never truly cared about this business.  This culture we built here, he didn’t build it.”   Lancaster says that Schwartz told him “‘If you put liens against your house I accept your conditions.’ He got nervous about a bunch of stuff.”  Lancaster said that Brett Joyce of Rogue disallowed the idea of more time to work out a deal with others to keep the Green Dragon a non-corporate enterprise.  Lancaster says Joyce kept with “If it goes two more days this offer doesn’t stand (conditions).  They had (Schwartz) him over a barrel.”  According to Lancaster, Schwartz “said one thing and did another.  (Saying stuttering) ‘this is my only way out’”  So what now?  Lancaster feels disappointed, but not deflated.   After papers were signed before him, Lancaster told friends and employees back at the Green Dragon.  “In fear of there jobs, they were really bummed out” says Lancaster.  ” I have been fighting as hard as I can.  This is our house.   We built it.”  He also says that prominent people approached him with offers to save it .  “If they really have it, we are going to open our own place and (utilize) all the artwork available.”

What appears to distress Lancaster and other Green Dragon loyalists is that Schwartz and Rogue tried to “make it seamless like no one knew, but we blew it up.”

So what now?

“I don’t know” admits Lancaster.  “A good friend of mine who will be GM is gonna make it the same.  You have dough and longevity.  They only wanted it all.”

As for Schwartz, Lancaster says “He’s gonna get a big bag and go to his cabin and watch a bunch of movies and chill out.”

“Something like 30 people employed by this place.   Rogue offered people to move to places like Eugene…made them offers they have to refuse.  Many of these people have families and can’t just move to places like Newport and San Francisco. They’re not seventeen years old.”

What about Lancaster and his brewing?  He says “This isn’t the end of me making beer.  Right now I’m just having a beer and gettin a hundred phone calls.  We’re going to open another place.  Our declaration of war is going to the (Portland) Mercury and possibly the Willamette Week and the Oregonian.  We’re gonna build another place.  I am totally focused.  I didn’t get to where I am by worrying.”

Posted under beer events, brewpubs

I just received a call from Lorren “LoLo” Lancanster, who is still as I type these words, a one-third owner of the Green Dragon Pub and Bistro.  In protest to majority owner Ed Schwartz’s intent to sell the business to Rogue, Lancaster has responded to Rogue’s Declaration of Independence with the following Declaration of War:

Declaration of War

We the minority owners of The Green Dragon, the little people, the Founders Club, the loyal patrons who love the Dragon so, openly declare war on the oppressive forces of the Rogue Nation. We make this Declaration in response to Rogue’s direct attack upon the Dragon.

For those who do not know, Rogue is seeking to execute a hostile take over of the Dragon. This takeover is against the wishes of the masses. Our pockets may not be deep, but our hearts are, and our numbers many.

I implore you to visit Rogue’s website and read their creed, their declaration of independence and what they believe in. Their creed makes many claims about the beliefs and values of the Nation. If you read the creed you will see that the Nation’s actions are in direct violation of their creed. Due to the Nation’s direct violation of their creed we request that all members of the Nation, who believe in what Rogue allegedly stands for, to stand with us in our new revolution. We encourage you to act in some sort of symbolic protest. Perhaps all members of the Nation who are against the Treasonous acts of their leaders, mail or deliver their Nation ID’s back to Rogue. Ghandi was at the forefront of non-violence protest, the art of Satyagraha—the résistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience. Join us!

Rogue claims to be a small revolution. They aspire to be a successful organization “without being big.” Rogue claims they will “stand up to the big guy trying to bully his way into whatever business or territory he wants.” They claim Rogue will be “David.” In Rogue’s “Fundamental Agreement” they make many claims such as: “they will be honest on the battlefield, and most important “cut out the BS.”

The Nation further believes as stated in their “Declaration of Independence” that the members of their nation “are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these Freedom of Expression, Absence of Bull Shit, Variety, and the pursuit of Beer with Taste. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituting among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the Consumers: that when any Form of Government becomes destructive to taste, Expression, Quality, or Fun, it is the right of the Consumers to alter or to abolish it and to institute a new Government.” Further, they declare that all members of their Nation shall “of Right ought to be Free and Independent.” Well Rogue, we the Consumers, we the family of Green Dragon, wish to abolish you from our nation.

The leaders of the Nation need to take a long look in the mirror. There they will find a bunch of hypocrites. They are a large multi-national corporation, seeking to take down the little guy. I am certain this backdoor sneak attack, an undercover theft of the Dragon, is not “honesty on the battlefield.” The Dragon’s alleged crime: trying to build a place for the neighborhood, a place where friends and family can drink good beer and food at reasonable prices. We the family of the Dragon truly represent David and we will take down the Goliath known as Rogue. If they truly believe the claims they make on their website, they will lay their arms down and leave the battlefield. If you, the leaders of the Nation surrender now, we many revolutionaries will take no further action, you will be allowed to return to your homes. However, you will get no spoils of war from us.

Just like the founding fathers based at the Original Green Dragon, who formed a revolution to crush the British, we also will spill Rogue’s Tea. The Founding Fathers of the United States wrote in their Declaration of Independence: “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal stationed to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the cause which impel them to separation.” (July 4, 1776). We, the many of the Dragon, are equally stationed, our opinions dictate and require that you remain separate. Two separate nations free to do what they desire.

This aggression will not stand….man (“The Dude”)

“Let us cry havoc and release the [dragons] of war.” (William Shakespeare and his dogs)

Signed—

The Many. The Proud. The family of the Dragon.

According to Lancaster, the war declaration was passed around the Dragon last night and “signed by many faithful Green Dragon patrons.” Lancaster added that, in the presence of Rogue’s prospective new management, a Green Dragon “faithful” displayed and burned a Rogue Nation card.  “The support of the Green Dragon community has been amazing” said Lancaster.  “We are not going down without a fight.”  Further, there appears to be a growing interest in making the Green Dragon a co-op brewpub.  More to come as things unravel.

Posted under Beer personalities

Lorren "Lolo" Lancaster, Green Dragon founder (Morrison)

Brewpublic just spoke with Lorren “Lolo” Lancaster regarding the potential Rogue take over of the Green Dragon Pub and Bistro.  Lancaster, a 1/3 owner of the popular Southeast Portland beer geek hangout is well known and liked by the community of regulars who frequent the Green Dragon.

When I asked Lancaster about the recent news of a potential selling of his beloved bar, he says, “I am great.  I feed off the energy.”  Lancaster says  “I only found out about Ed (Schwartz) and Rogue (planning a deal) ten days ago.  I wondered why (Schwartz) didn’t come to me first.”  Lancaster has retained lawyers to help him keep the Green Dragon’s independent character.  “I got a copy of the agreement Rogue hit Ed with” says Lancaster. “Ed’s going to receive a paper that I intend to purchase within 30 days.”  Currently Lancaster maintains that he is meeting with business investors.  “I expected Ed would have come to me first, but he didn’t” says Lancaster “He said he wanted $225,000 to get out.  That’s way too cheap.   The Dragon made almost half of that in September.  September was our one-year anniversary. No businesses make money in the first year.” Lancaster also claims that the Green Dragon is about two weeks out on permits for the brewhouse to be legally operational. “This is (Schwartz)’s first rodeo. I’ve been in this business for thirteen years” says Lancaster, 39, whose last job was as a brewer with Deschutes in Bend for four years.  Before that, Lancaster spent four-and-a-half years as the lead brewer for Anderson Valley in Boonville, California.  He also brewed briefly with Star Brewing of Portland.  Lancaster served for more than three years as draft technician with F.H. Steinbarts. “I’ve never burned a bridge” says Lancaster, who remains in contact with most of his former employers.

Lorren "Lolo" Lancaster @ Green Dragon

According to Lancaster, the papers for the Green Dragon to change ownership to Rogue could be signed tomorrow.  “I have nothing against Rogue” he says.  “Jack Joyce (founder, CEO) is a business man.   (Rogue) is just seeing a sweet deal.  It is like a classic automobile collector finding a desirable car for sale way under-price.  You can’t blame them for trying to move in on it.”  It appears that Lancaster’s most upset with Green Dragon’s current majority owner, Schwartz.  “All Ed wants is his money.  He doesn’t care about beer stuff” says Lancaster.  “This is my life.  I don’t want to be some guy in an office shuffling papers around.  I want to brew!”

Allegedly, Rogue will began conducting interviews tomorrow at their Flanders Street Pub in NW Portland with current Green Dragon employees.  “Rogue’s Manifesto basically states that they will never bow down to corporate breweries” says Lancaster (referring to Rogue’s Declaration of Independence). “I am going to apply for a dishwasher job and see if I am qualified.”

Lancaster is unclear what Rogue’s main interest is in a purchase of the Green Dragon, other than its obvious popularity amongst craft beer lovers.  Distiller Kieran Sienkiewicz was recently laid off from Integrity Spirits, a company that Schwartz is also a minority owner in, and shares the building with Green Dragon.  Lancaster says Jerome Chicvara is behind the move to let go of Sienkiewicz.  Chicvara, a Full Sail investor, craft beer representative for Maletis Beverage and former CEO of Portland Brewing is a majority investor in Integrity.  “In my opinion” continues Lancaster “Rogue is looking at the distillery and sees it outselling them about ten-to-one.  That could very well be what they are most interested in.”  Sienkiewicz and current Integrity distiller Rich Phillips are both former distillers for Rogue.

Lancaster appears quite optimistic about the future.  “I recently spoke with Rich Wolfe, my mentor” he says.  Wolfe is the head of Siebel Institute of Technology’s economic advisory board. “He gave me a lot of great information.  He’s a good cat, super smart and informed me of my rights.”  Lancaster summates his feelings for the Green Dragon saying “My passion for beer, like others’ creates it own reallity.  Always changing and evolving like society.  Beer is an inherent part of culture.  I wanna brew!”

Posted under Beer personalities, beer tools