The past weekend could have been one of the best beer weekends to date. But to be perfectly honest the memory is a tad jogged. Down at the Holiday Ale Fest in Pioneer Square, it was amazing how many friends and brewquaintences you can run into, and even better, it’s great to meet new people and get their perspective on beer and life (which to us is pretty much synonymous). Laymen and brewers clicked their plastic HAF mugs amidst intermittent roars that rumbled through like “the wave” at a baseball game. As always, it is essential for the craft beer enthusiast to get down under the tents early. In fact, our weekend really started on Wednesday, as the organizers of the HAF did a nice job of preparing for the swarms of festivalgoers by adding this extra day.

Whenever there’s a cool festival in town, the fixture beer outfits around the city step up their game as well offering a great line-up of seasons. Between our few sessions at the Ale Fest, we made a few essential stops to the Horse Brass pub to pull back from the mayhem that would inevitable ensue down at Pioneer Courthouse Square. On Friday we also happened over to New Old Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant SideBar to meet with event staff coordinator Amy Casanova. She and the other nice folks at Lompoc helped Brewpublic raise nearly $800 for start-up community radio station KZME during our Cocoa Hop. We are grateful for Amy and Lompoc’s contribution in this noble cause, and also to all the brewers and chocolaters who gave of themselves, their time, and their products.

While at the 5th Quadrant we witnessed the brewers and Green Bottling put the yummy seasonal C-Son’s Greetings into 22-ounce bombers. We were also reminded of Lompoc’s upcoming 8 Malty Nights event coming up on the 11th to kick off Chanukah.

Further north, we found ourselves over the border in Vancouver, Washington to pick up some essentials at By the Bottle and check out the collaboration brewing of Salmon Creek Brewpub‘s owner/brewer Larry Pratt with Seattle brewstar Tom Munoz. Munoz, a former brewer with Silver City teamed up with Pratt to put together a one-of-a-kind pale ale that should be ready to drink at Salmon Creek in a few weeks. See you there!

Later on Friday, we had a blast over at Belmont Station for a meet the brewer night with Bear Republic head brewer Peter Kruger. The Healdsburg, California brewer, we found out, has roots in Oregon brewing. Kruger was one of the early brewers at Full Sail in Hood River. Former Full Sail brewer Charlie Devereux of Double Mountain was on hand to say hello to his old friend and greet him with a growler of DM’s delicious Fa La La La La winter ale.Bear Republic’s delicious array of specialty and mainstay brews were the highlight of the night, and at the front and center was a Clobberskull wine barrel aged strong ale brewed with 10% split peas. Apparently the beer has a great history, and is of a recipe revitalized in Randy Mosher‘s pioneering book Radical Brewing.

While at Belmont Station, we also meet with Michael Branes of Migration Brewing, one of Portland’s newest breweries. Branes, who worked for some time at Mountain Peoples Distribution, was join by fellow Mountain People’s Oregon sales manager Tim Ensign, who was pouring samples Bear Republic brews as well.

Saturday, as blogged about earlier found us back under the hearkening tents at 11AM stat for twitterworthy special tappings of select Bear Republic beers like the Trebuchet, a Belgian trippel aged in 100-year-old cognac barrels and two special fruited “The Grizz” super brown ale–one with nectarines and another with blackberries–to accompany the might Old Baba Yaga that was kickin’ ass since Wednesday. The boozier than all ungodly sin Trebuchet was the first thing to hit my stomach on this fair day. A brewer friend said it was too much “nail polish” for him, but to me, I rendered it my breakfast of champions. Several other wonderful beer rounded out my HAF weekend. I have to admit this was the best one yet. In fact, despite others’ gripes, I honestly didn’t experience on dud in the lot.

After escaping the mob scene that was Pioneer Courthouse Square, we trudged off some of the liver burn by hoofing a few miles home to Southeast. We were not extinguished yet. There was still Green Bottling‘s holiday party at the cozy Horse Brass. Here, several local brewers raised a tall one to the great year and to Jack and Mike‘s successful year of bottling up some of Oregon’s finest like Lompoc, Full Sail, and Laurelwood. After just a few more lighter beers to rehydrate (Full Sail and Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ales), this one was in the bag.

Sunday was relatively mellow, save for a few brews shared with fellow blogger D.A. of Beer Around Town. All said and done, I think I may just hybernate until the ’10 Barley Wine and Big Beer Fest.

Posted under beer events

Just got word from Mike Weksler of Green Bottling that he is bottling up 20 bbls of 10 Barrel Brewing’s GABF bronze medal winning Sinistor Black Ale.

Here is a commerical description of the beer:
We craft our S1NIST0R BLACK ALE using a special German dehusked black malt that is free of astringency, giving the beer a rich black color without the traditional dark beer characteristics. You will notice subtle hints of chocolate with an easy drinking balance on the back end. In the glass the dark color may look intimidating to some, but don’t let this beer fool you. Our unique combination of malts creates a very light body and smooth finish.

Posted under beer news

Though we’ve yet to try any of their brews, Oregon craft brewer newcomer Pale Horse Brewing of Salem has just put some more of their beer in bottles. This time, its the Hopyard Dog IPA. The Hopyard Dog will join the ranks of Pale Horse Stout and Hillybilly Blonde in 22 ounce bombers. Green Bottling’s Mike Weksler says his mobile bottling team filled 150 cases of the India Pale. Weksler says of the Hopyard Dog: “It’s a really nice balanced IPA. Something for everyone.” Cheers!

Green Bottling's Mike Weksler

Pale Horse Brewing is located at 2359 Hyacinth St. NE in Salem, Oregon

Posted under beer news

Brewer Tyler West of Silver Moon

Brewpublican Mike Weksler of Green Bottling, informed us today that their crew is bottling up some beers at Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, Oregon. 300 cases of Amber, Porter, Hefe, and IPA should be on shelves soon. According to Mike, “The Amber is a real standout – flavor and sessionable.”

Weksler says that Green Bottling will be in Eugene tomorrow to bottle up some beers at Oakshire Brewing. He also took time to grace us with this nice little prayer he found in Bend. Prost!

Posted under Oregon beer

Despite mumblings of Roots Organic Brewing perhaps being done for, it would seem that the place is very much alive production-wise. Mike “the Glyde” Weksler of Oregon’s Green Bottling informs us that the Island Red and Roots IPA are being bottled as I type this. “Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes” says Weksler. “We bottled 150 cases of IPA and 150 cases of Red.” Boo yah!

Posted under Oregon beer, beer news

Green Bottling has been bottling up a storm around Portland. Here’s a couple new beers they’ve capped up for your drinking pleasure:

BridgePort Stumptown Tart

This time around, BridgePort’s Stumptown Tart is a blend of wheat ale with 50% aged in wood and 50% ale infused with Oregon Sour Pie cherries.. The seductive second coming was sampled by Brewpublicans at the June 25th release party at the brewpub downtown. The model on the Stumptown Tart label herself, Bernie Dexter, was on hand as free samples were enjoyed.  According to Green Bottling’s Mike Weksler, 55 barrels of this 8.3% ABV brew were bottled. Meet the brewers from BridgePort and sample the Tart this Thursday, July 2nd 6-8PM at Belmont Station. A rare keg of the Tart will be pouring.

Laurelwood Wry Pale Ale

Green Bottling also filled 360 cases worth of 22-ounce bottles of Laurelwood’s Wry Pale Ale this week. Laurelwood brewers, if you are reading this, you should hook us up with some samples so we can review more of your beer. The most recent bottled brews from the big L have been scrumptious and never skimp on the hops. Word has it this beer pours a bright golden hue with a lush white head and owns a fruity, toffee, piny, citrus bite that should be a perfect quencher for warm summer days.

Posted under beer releases

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

Our man Mike Weksler of Oregon’s premier bottling agency, Green Bottling, has just informed us that he and his partner Jack have just bottled up 300 cases of Laurelwood‘s Hop Monkey IPA. You may have already noticed it on shelves around town and pouring at key craft brew dispensaries. According to Laurelwood’s head brewer Chad Kennedy, “Hop Monkey IPA is now available in bottles where good beer is sold throughout Oregon and SW Washington. You can also get Organic Free Range Red and Organic Portland Roast Espresso Stout bottles at our pubs.” The India Pale Ale will become the brewery’s first year-round brand since 2007 and the first since the company opened their latest brewpub on NE 51st and Sandy Boulevard in Portland.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer releases

SOB Woodshed Red

“Jack and I’ve been down in Medford for a few days of bottling. Yesterday and today at Southern Oregon Brewing. We’ve bottles the Gold and Pale, and today we’re bottling the Porter and the Woodshed Red.

The porter is a Baltic style (very good one at that). And the Woodshed Red is a seriously hoppy red.

I highly recommend both the porter and the red. I’ll bring you back some samples.”

-Mike Weksler of Green Bottling

Posted under Oregon beer, beer releases

With the help of Green Bottling, Oregon’s premier mobile bottling outfit, Laurelwood Public House and Brewery has bottled 480 cases of a big, robust organic espresso stout in 22-ounce bottles.

Portland Roast Espresso Stout

Here’s a commercial description of the beer:

Organic Portland Roast Espresso Stout is a collaboration between the Laurelwood brewery and Portland Roasting. The beer features a blend of Ethiopian and Sumatran coffees specially selected by the Head Brewer at Laurelwood. The Organic and farm friendly coffees blend nicely with their smooth and mellow organic stout. The roasted character of the ale is nicely complimented by the coffee flavor and aroma.

Posted under beer releases