If you’re not one of the lucky lads or lasses who will be in attendance for the country’s biggest and baddest beer fests, aka Great American Beer Fest (aka GABF), fret not. The 29th installation of the GABF September 16-18 might offer over 2,200 beers to try which is more than you’ll likely find at any other single festival, but after all, who can drink 2,200 beers in three days (We’re imagining a few friends contemplating it).

This month, do what so many people around the country are doing, take a staycation. Yes, it’s that catch word you’ve likely heard promoted from advocates of living local, but it certainly is good for the economy, and in these rougher economic times, it might be just what you need to enjoy the fruits of the Pacific Northwest, in our humble opinion, one of the greatest places to live on the planet.

Here’s a look at some events coming up in September that you might consider attending if you love Oregon craft beer Read More…

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer to do list, brewpubs, places to drink beer

Meet Pike Brewmaster Drew Cluley at this special evening at The BeerMongers. Sample bottles of Pike Brewing’s Pale, Naughty Nellie, Kilt Lifter, Pike IPA, Dry Wit, Auld Acquaintance, XXXXX Stout and Monks Uncle Belgian-style Tripel. . Also, a special keg of Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale will be pouring

Posted under beer events, events, places to drink beer

Migration Brewing co-founder Colin Rath says “We are planning on releasing two new beers, at this event BBQ’ing, hopefully a whole pig which is fed by our spent grain by a local farmer here in town, as well as live music and a DJ closing the party in the later hours.”

Posted under Beer & Music, Oregon beer, beer and food, beer events, beer releases, brewpubs, events, places to drink beer

Just when you thought the craft beer life would calm down, in just a blink of an eye, Oregon Craft Beer Month has slipped into harvest season. With less than a month left of summer, 2010 has been a mildly comfortable season for most folks in the Willamette Valley, the nation’s second largest hop growing area specific to the greater Cascadian region where approximately 30% of the world’s hop supply comes from. Washington State’s Yakima Valley to the north accounts for around 75% of the nation’s hop rations. The Willamette Valley boasts 15%. Before the turn of the 20th Century, the Willamette held a stronghold on hop production, but modern agricultural practices, especially irrigation techniques have aided in Yakima’s rise.

Still, there is no where like Portland, Oregon, which is unique in its close proximity to bountiful hopyards. Where Seattlites find themselves more than two hours from the vast humulus lupulus orchards of Yakima Valley, Portland aka Beervana rests less than an hour from places like Mt. Angel, Woodburn, and Hopmere. The latter destination is the home of Sodbuster Farms, run by Doug Weathers and his skilled crew. Full Sail Brewing generously organized a tour of the farm for roughly forty lucky people from the craft beer industry including many pub owners, bartenders, and media. The trip was replete with provisions of Full Sail’s Session, Black Session, IPA, and Pale Ale.

The tour started in the hopyard where we were able to witness firsthand the felling of the mighty hop bines that grew up substrates almost twenty feet to the summer sunshine. Weathers reported that 2010′s harvest was  not on par with last year’s bountiful yield due to a late start to summer and cooler weather. Still, the dank fields of Magnum hops we watched being harvested were plump and resinous. According to Weathers, these cones possessed about 18% alpha acidity, which is on the high end for most hops.

After spending about an hour frolicking like bemused children through the enchanted columns of seemingly infinite hops (according to Weathers the farm grows on about 500 acres of land) while truck after truck zipped away with loads of sticky green, our group headed up the road to the processing plant. Here the individual clumped bines were attached to a conveyor and suspended from the ceiling above, then shucked of their fruits before multiple custom-made belt, ramp, and screen filterings honed the lush cones down to their desired form. After this, the cones where brought to a heated kilning loft above the farm to dry and eliminate risk of mildew and other undesirables. The scent in this warm loft was pure heaven for those who enjoy the olfactory of ripe resinous hops. The same could be said of the vast refrigeration unit that housed the kilned hops bailed into 200 pound quantities. From about ten feet to the massive cooler door, the whiff of air was unfathomably luring.

Concluding the detailed tour by Mr. Weathers, our crew was treated to a barbecue under two large outdoor tents in front of Sodbuster Farms. As a special treat, our group was presented with to two quarter barrels of hoppy Full Sail beers including the Brewers Reserve Spotless IPA, and the champion of the day, Read More…

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

Tuesday, August 31, New Old Lompoc will be having a Meet the Brewers event at Oaks Bottom Public House at 1621 SE Bybee from 5 to 8 PM.  Join (from left) Zach, Dave (aka Chowdah), Jerry, Bryan & Sam as they release Bourbon Barrel Aged Dagda.  Sure, it’s a wee bit early to release our St. Patrick’s Day seasonal, but it’s so darn good we can’t wait!  Brewed in February ’09 and aged in Bourbon barrels for a year and a half, this Pan-Gaelic Red Ale has a malty body with caramel flavors and a touch of smoke with a tart finish (7.5% ABV).

Lompoc will also be pouring ’07 Fresh Hop Harvest Man Red, which was brewed in Sept. ’07 with 100 pounds of Crystal fresh hops.  It is malty and full bodied with a deep, rich red color (7.8% ABV).  And try our Barrel Fermented C-Note – we took our number one selling beer and fermented it in a vintage white English oak barrel (6.9% ABV).  As with all of our Meet the Brewer events, there will be free appetizers, so come on down and say hi to the gang!

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

One of Portland’s best craft beer pubs, Roscoe’s, is hosting a special event for August showcasing a stellar line-up of Imperial India Pale Ales. This “Imperial IPA Summit” kicks off on Friday August 27th at 5PM and will feature ten noteworthy vigorously hopped brews . According to Roscoe’s co-owner Jeremy Lewis, some of the breweries that will be represented include: Russian River (Pliny the Elder), Oakshire (Perfect Storm), Hopworks (Ace of Spades), Anderson Valley, Bear Republic (Racer X), Pike, Dogfish Head, Terminal Gravity, and more. Lewis says “As always flights of 5 ounce tasters will be available. We will also be supplementing the line-up with some less-potent fun and unique offerings. We should be rolling out the new Laurelwood Kolsch which won’t be done brewing until a couple of days before the event.”

Roscoe’s is located in the Montavilla Neighborhood at 8105 SE Stark Street Portland, Oregon. For more information call (503) 255-0049.

Posted under beer events, places to drink beer

Brewery Invites you to Meet the Brewer and the Beer and Support Local Charity

As the hot summer winds down and the days get shorter, dreams of cold mountain air, skiing and snowboarding start to swirl in our heads. That can mean only one thing: it’s time to start praying for powder. To celebrate the upcoming wintry season, Full Sail will release a new beer in their Brewer’s Share line up that is sure to entice the snow gods to bless the season with plenty of powdery snow. Brewed by Full Sail Brewer Adam Bulson, “Adam’s Malty Bomb” is pray for powder porter that’s sure to make our mountain snowy white all season long.

Porters are Adam’s favorite beer after a day on the snow, and he thought releasing his own version preseason would be a good omen for a great winter. Adam’s Malty Bomb is a robust porter with a big body and lots of dark, caramel/toffee flavor, yet it won’t weigh you down like heavy snow. It’s hopped with just enough hops to balance out the malts, and finishes smooth with no sharp edges. Bomb’s away! (ABV 5.3% IBU 41)

Full Sail has scheduled two “Meet the Brewer and the Beer” events to showcase this new beer. The first Meet Brewer and the Beer event will be at Full Sail at Riverplace in Portland, Tuesday, September, 7th, from 5:00 – 6:30PM. The second is at the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, on Thursday, September 9th from 5:00 to 6:30PM. Join the Full Sail crew to celebrate the upcoming season, toast a pint of this new brew with Adam.

With Adam’s brew comes a new feature of the Brewer’s Share series—each brewer will pick a local charity of his or her choice to receive a portion of the proceeds from the sales of their beer. Adam chose Hood River Adopt-a-Dog – Hukari Animal Shelter, so every keg of Adam’s Malty Bomb benefits local animals in need.

The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting their own single batch recipe and a portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity of their choosing. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. Full Sail will also offer Adam’s Malty Bomb at the Hood River Hopsfest on October 2nd. The next Brewer’s Share will be collaboration beer crafted by Full Sail’s Pub crew, and is expected in mid-November.

Posted under Oregon beer, beer news, beer releases, brewpubs

By Frank James

Attending a beer fest should be about the joy of discovery. Of course, you can simply gravitate to the usual suspects, the familiar beers you know and love, the ones you’re certain will  quench your thirst in a most pleasant fashion.  Or you can revel  in  what beer fests should  actually be about: discovering new and interesting beers and tastes and breweries.
Last year’s Green Dragon NanoFest was one of those occasions when I was lucky enough to enjoy the latter kind of experience.  It was one of those weird little accidents, as I just happened to be driving through the area, saw the beer tents, the crowds and decided to stop by and see what all the commotion was about.  As is usually the case, I ran into a friend, we chatted and she encouraged me to sample her fest favorite: an imperial IPA by some little brewery called Block 15.  She knows her beer, and her tastes generally line up with mine, so I went off in search of this supposedly tasty brew.  I was out of luck. The beer had been so popular, according to the owner/brewer who was manning his own taps, that they’d ran out the first day.  He added however, that they did have a nice rye beer, their Superfly Rye.

As I began to walk away, to search for a more appetizing alternative, Nick Arzner shifted into full sales mode and began extolling the beer’s virtues in such reverent and scrumptious tones that I stopped dead in my tracks.  What the heck, I thought,  even though I generally don’t like rye beers, experimenting with styles you may not like is what beer fests are all about. He poured a sample, I tried it, and drinking that beer was a true revelation.  That typical dry rye spiciness was smoothed out with a hint of caramel sweetness that balanced it very nicely. To my utter shock, I ended up having another couple of samples and then a full cup. From that point forward I began to check  for his beers in places like Belmont Station and Bailey’s Taproom, establishments that carried Block 15 beers.  A day trip down to the Corvallis brewpub followed and I was hooked.  Block 15 beers gained a prominent spot on that exclusive list:  it was one of those  beers I’d drive a few miles just to find a pint of it on tap.

I don’t think I’m alone in that regard.  Even though the Corvallis brewpub has only been open since the spring of 2008, they’ve already established a niche as nice little brewery that consistently pours very tasty, and often unique, high quality beers. If one of their beers is on tap at one of the local bottle shops, taprooms or pubs, they don’t seem to stick around very long. Someone else, besides me, seems to be drinking a lot of their beer… and they’re doing it pretty quickly also.  Block 15 received a nice bit of recognition this spring when they won Read More…

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, brewpubs, places to drink beer

By Matthew DiTullo

Portlanders’ love for a good brunch is equal to their love of craft beer.  The Rose City has a nearly limitless selection of brunch restaurants, with nearly every neighborhood sporting their own hip spots. My fiancée and I usually hit up Nob Hill’s Stepping Stone Cafe, The Pearl’s Byways Cafe, and Belmont’s Pine State Biscuits (which can also be found on Alberta) when we’re in the brunch mood.  But for the past couple of weekends we’ve found ourselves enjoying the incredible brunch offerings at The Hop & Vine.

Establishment owner Yetta Vorobik’s passion for quality food, great beer, wine, and cocktails is certainly evident.  The Hop & Vine has quickly become well respected by beer geeks as a go-to destination for bottles, tap handles, and intimate beer events.  Now boasting a successful brunch menu, patrons are offered options of small and large plates, egg sandwiches, java drinks featuring coffee from a local roaster, and a solid cocktail menu.

On our most recent visit, we started with a plate of zucchini bread.  Two pieces of moist bread, house made rhubarb jam and butter arrived as our first palate pleaser.  I enjoyed the bread with a beer cocktail called the Dutch Devil. This was one tasty beverage consisting of Duvel, Bols Dutch Gin, and Angostura, a bitters compiled of tropical herbs and spices.  It was smooth drinking, with a yeasty, citrus-fruitiness from the Duvel blending with the gin’s pine-like qualities.  The carbonation added a perfect texture to the dry nuances of the gin.

For my main dish I ordered up some cornmeal cakes.  This is the ideal dish for those who can’t decide between a sweet or savory brunch, which is a predicament I always find myself in.  The cornmeal cakes came with a rich, thick maple syrup. The cakes offered a texture reminiscent of cornbread and were accompanied by two eggs, two thick strips of pepper-flecked bacon, and a side of collard greens.  The bacon was tender and juicy, and the egg yolks were a mesh between hard and soft, perfect for dipping the bacon in.  A glass of Rodenbach Grand Cru was the ideal palate cleanser between each bite.

My fiancée made a great choice with the Crumpet.  A poached egg served on top of bacon and a crumpet, topped with a leek white butter sauce.  The Crumpet was of a great consistency: moist and not overly dry. The egg was cooked to perfection and slightly seasoned with salt and pepper.  Greens with fresh radishes and a light vinaigrette finished the dish making it a perfectly sized and satisfying meal.

Considering the quality and freshness of all this food, my wallet was left just as happy as my taste buds.  The cornmeal cakes fell in at a reasonable $8, and the Crumpet was not far behind at $7.  This delectable yet inexpensive brunch allowed me to grab some bottles to go for enjoyment later in the day.

The Hop & Vine is undoubtedly one of North Portland’s best bars.  It’s no wonder why it has received such high praise in the two years it’s been open.  Weekend brunches just add another layer of commitment to serving exceptional food and libations to their patrons.

Become a fan of The Hop and Vine on Facebook & Twitter to find out about events and special deals!  Brunch is served from 10:00am to 2:00pm both Saturdays and Sundays. The Hop & Vine is located at 1914 N. Killingsworth Street in Portland, Oregon.

Posted under beer and food, places to drink beer

With nearly 50 breweries and seemingly countless pubs within the city limits, seeking out the best of Portland’s craft beer hot spots can be a daunting task. But now, thanks to Pubs of Portland Tours, such an undertaking will be much easier to tackle.

Founded by craft beer experts Marc Martin and Charles Culp, Pubs of Portland Tours will be open for business starting on September 1, 2010. We at Brewpublic can attest to the depth of knowledge that both Martin and Culp bring to their latest endeavor. Martin has a Masters Degree in Education, but more importantly, he is walking beer encyclopedia. Not only will he tackle the intricacies of the brewing process, but he will offer a practical and historical understanding of the brewing environments the tours will cover. Culp is equally as savvy of all things beer and has worked as a professional brewer in his home state of Texas. Both men will undoubtedly do a great job of providing an intimate and fun atmosphere for exploring, learning, and quaff the best that Portland has to offer. Tours are designed for between 2 and 12 guest in most cases, and five hour tours (times and group sizes are flexible) run less than $30.

On a truncated sneak peak of the Pubs of Portland Tours designed for members of the media, we were accompanied by our friend John Foyston of the Oregonian. The tour kicked off at Pioneer Courthouse Square and made its first stop at downtown Portland’s Rock Bottom Brewery where Martin provided an interesting history of the building and the neighborhood. After some delicious seasonal samples that included a wonderful Black Toad IPA and a Cascadian Pilsner, our group hopped on the Max Train where we quickly linked up with the city Street Car and landed at the uber-cool Deschutes Public House & Brewery. At Deschutes, we met with brewer Cam O’Connor and several friendly staff members who provided us with samples of the brewery’s Fresh Squeezed IPA featuring dank Citra hops, the lupulin-loaded Hop Henge Imperial IPA Batch 8, and a new Bourbon-aged Graveyard Stout featuring nine different specialty malts.

Normal tours would have lasted much longer than ours, but we had to depart early. All that is needed to participate in the fun-packed tours will be a Tri-Met public transportation fare and a passion for great beer.

For further information on this affordable, eco-friendly experience by true professionals, check out their website: www.pubsofportlandtours.com or call (512) 917-2464 between 9AM and 6PM Monday through Saturday.

Posted under Beer personalities, Oregon beer, beer history, beer news, places to drink beer