Ok...this may be bad..

No other headline could possibly stop a beer lover in his tracks than, "7-11 to start making it's own beer."
Truth is always stranger than fiction. What's next, a Coors Slurpee??

Read the story here..

Hop in the Dark....carefully

During one of these hit and miss lovely spring days, we took a long walk to down town, and stopped by Deschutes in the Pearl. With all of the recent media surrounding the new CDA style, we decided to do a side by side tasting of their Hop in the Dark CDA, and the Bourbon Barrel Hop in the Dark
The Hop in the Dark, at 6.7ABV,was a very nice beer. It was crisp, and fitting in the style with a ying and yang balance of malt and hops. For my money, it may be one the of best offerings of this emerging style I have tried. It really tasted like it’s own self, meaning, not simply a Black IPA.
Unfortunately I cant say the same for the Bourbon Barrel version. At 7.5%, it is served in a goblet, which is fine since any more would probably be damn hard to finish. The initial taste is sharp cherry, no doubt from the barrel aging. It then transforms into an overwhelming bourbon taste, with a Jim Beam type finish. I personally do not think this is a style that lends well to barrel aging.
A trip to the family friendly Deschutes is always a fun time, a loud time, but a funtime none the less. The food is always good, and we all know what to expect from the consistent quality of most Deschutes brews. Be warned, if you are thinking of trying the Bourbon Barrel, ask for a sample first.

Fearless Scottish Ale

Calling the Fearless Scotch Ale, now available in a can, the worst tasting beer would not be fair. That statement would imply that it had a taste at all. While they have been successful at jumping on the band wagon of putting craft micro-brew into a can, they missed the part about having beer of quality go into aluminum. The 2.50 16oz will lose any taste test against a .90 PBR (Beer Mongers price), and get spanked by the cheaper Oskar Blues Scottish Ale. For $10 a FOUR pack, this ale, coming from the self proclaimed “grand exalted” brewer, should be more than good, it should be great. Sadly, like most other Fearless offerings, it is...blah.
Blah isn’t bad necessarily. If your buddy starts home brewing, and his first ale tastes like this, you should be happy. If your buddy asks you to pay 2.50 a pint for it, you should laugh, then punch him in the face, and then tell him to keep his day job. Unfortunately, the brewer at Fearless never had such a friend.
Even for Fearless this beer is lackluster, a poor representation of the style, and hardly worth the gas money to go get it, never mind the $10 four pack price tag once your there.

As a side, I “enjoyed” this beer at Beer Mongers on their beautiful new bar.

part two

Weinhard

I found this cool video on you tube, and had to share it. Apparently, it is the video they used to show people before taking the tour of the old Weinhard Brewery on Burnside. Enjoy. This is part one...

No fest for me

Ugh, the thought of fest season pains me. Sure, the beer is awesome and it is fun to talk with brewers and beer fans, but... No, I will not go. The lines, the crowds, the..the everything. I would love to go and report back to readers of this here blog about said fests, I would. Unfortunately my idea of a crowd is myself, my wife, and the bartender.
I just got back from Beer Mongers, I loved it. I could talk to Sean, maybe even talk with fellow customers, not feel rushed, shoved, or annoyed. I could go to the bathroom without a line in front and behind me. I know festivals are important and support the industry while showcasing new brews. I just can't do it.
My mind transports back to the first fresh hop festival at Hopworks. The beer was great, but the crowd was insane. For me it sucked the fun right out of the event. Yes, I know, I am mental. My perfect fest would be the beer, brewers, and...well...me (ok, my wife too). But that is me.
So new reviews or updates from the SB&WF. Nope.
Anyone else feeling along these lines, or am I a crazy bugger?