Portland Cheers To Belgian Beers

Brewpublic's Margaret Lut pours tasters at Portland Cheers To Belgian Beers

PCTBBIf you’re like us, you’re probably fired up about this coming weekend’s Portland Cheers To Belgian Beers (PCTBB). Now in its fifth year, the annual showcase of a specifically selected yeast strain will serve as both an educational and delicious experiment. In addition the proliferation of interest in Belgian-styled ales is becoming more and more evident. The emergence and popularity of area breweries such as Upright, Beetje, Block 15, Cascade, Double Mountain, and Logsdon Farmhouse illustrates our fascination with Belgian social culture as well as its yeast culture. And, nowadays it seems you can find a Belgian offering on tap, at least seasonally, at just about every craft brewhouse in the Pacific Northwest.

Brewer Cole Hackbarth pours brews at PCTBB

The 4 Bens of the Apocalypse at the PCTBB dart throw (Lucky Lab's Ben Flerchinger [left], Hopworks' Ben Love [center bottom], Breakside's Ben Edmunds [center top], and Widmer's Ben Dobler [right])Since its humble beginnings at the now defunct Roots Organic Brewery, PCTBB has grown into a favorite amongst an ocean of yearly Oregon brew festivals. Previous year’s winners, as chosen by festival attendees, decide which yeast strain will be used by all qualified participants. In order to distinguish some parameters regarding beer styles, a dart toss by brewers and their representatives loosely determines general Lovibond/SRM (how dark or light the beer is) and alcohol strength. Hitting a high number on the board means the brewery must produce a higher ABV (alcohol by volume) offering. The opposite is true of a lower number. Hitting a black portion of the board means a higher ABV brew will be produced. Vice versa for landing a red portion. All of this was decided months prior at the world famous Horse Brass pub. In years past, the winning brewery would serve as host for the following year’s PCTBB. However, the winner was Block 15 of Corvallis. Therefor, a neutral Portland location, Metalcraft Fabrication (723 N Tillamook St., Portland, OR), will host the event.

Keg of Block 15 at PCTBB

Here is what will be served at the April 20, 2011 event:

Brewers Beer Color ABV Style/Info
Alameda Brewing Co. “Say What?” Dark 8.2% Belgian-Style Strong Dark
Ambacht Brewing Honey Triple Light 9.0% Belgian-Style Triple
Beetje Brewery Eleanor Light 8.0% Belgian-Style Tripel-sort of
Big Horse Bear’s Choice Dark 7.8% Oak Aged Sour
Block 15 Brewing Co. St. Macarius Dark 5.9% Belgian-Style Dark Chocolate
Burnside Brewing Co. Le Bas et Lumiere Light 4.7% Belgian-Style Table Beer w/oats
Breakside Brewery Brewers Bramble Dark 5.1% Barrel-Aged Cocktail Beer w/Botanicals
Buckman Village Brewing Le Petite Mort Dark 5.0% Dark Saison
Caldera Brewing Vas Deferens Dark 8.1% Made with Orange Bitters + Blood Orange Zest
Coalition Brewing
Dark
Soured with Brett
Columbia River Brewing Co. Silent Monk Dark 8.0% Belgian-Style Dubbel
Deschutes – Bend Pub Mathilda’s Ring Light 6.0%
Deschutes – PDX Pub
Light ?%
Double Mountain Brewery Wooden Nipel Light 9.0% Belgian-Style Tripel aged on oak
Fort George Hellcat Pepper Pale Light 8.6% Belgian-Style pale w/4 types of peppers
Full Sail Brewing Co. Sanctuary Dark 7.6% Belgian-Style Dubbel
Hopworks Urban Brewery Muscles from Brussels Dark 8.1% Belgian-Style Strong Dark
Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen Bretta Dark 8.0% Farmhouse Ale with Brett
Lompoc Brewing – 5Q Living Proof Ale Dark 7.6% Belgian-Style US Colonial Ale
Lompoc Brewing – New Old Lompoc Alpha Blonde Light 6.7% Belgian-Style Golden Ale
Laurelwood Brewing Co. Biere Au Printemps Light 4.7% Saison
Lucky Labrador Brewing – Beer Hall Petit Baiser Light 3.2% Belgian-Style Norse-American Table Beer
Lucky Labrador Brewing – Brewpub Belgian Canine Style Triple Light 7.7% Abbey Style Triple
Max’s Fanno Creek Nit Wit Light 5.2% Belgian-Style Witbier
McMenamins Crystal Le Bruxelles Bombadier Dark 8.4%
McMenamins John Barleycorn Slow and Low Dark 5.0% Oud Bruin
Migration Brewing Charlemagne Dark 5.1%
Oakshire Brewing Mountain Rose Gruit Dark 7.0% Belgian-Style Gruit w/9 botanicals
Old Market Pub & Brewery Trappist Le Blonde Inlenet Light 8.2% Belgian-Style Golden
Philadelphias Flemish Amber Light 4.7% Flemish Barrel Fermented Amber
Rock Bottom Darqhammer Dark 6.9%
Rogue Ales Tripoli Tripel Light 8.8% Belgian-Style Tripel
Silver Moon Andre’ le Geant Light 9.4% Belgian-Style Tripel
Track Town Ales Dubbel Date Dark 5.8% Belgian-Style Dubbel
Upright Brewing Co. Monk and Mingus Light 5.8% Belgian-Style Pale Ale
Widmer Brothers Collaborator Trubbel Dark 8.6% Belgian-Style Strong Dubbel with Coriander
Widmer Brothers Brewing Dubbel Cross Dark 5.5% Belgian-Style Dubbel with Figs+Italian Plum Puree


In addition to all of these unique one-off brews, PCTBB will host a special dinner pairing the night before the event. During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet several brewers throughout the day while brewer disc jockeys provide music for the day. Further, there will be a homebrewing competition in which awards will be given.

For complete details on this weekend’s PCTBB, visit the Oregon Brewers Guild official website here.

Cheers!

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