Bulls & Brew

oh yeah, I have a blog don't I!!

2011-01-05T15:49:00.000-08:00

Well, to those still reading my little blog, thanks. I have not been updating it too much. Running my own alcohol establishment has both been rewarding, and trying. I have learned loads being on the other side of the bar.
Today, something I just brought in has made my blogging fingers start to itch again. We now carry the Upright Fatale Four, and Billy the Mountain. For me, Upright is possibly the best brewery in the state, and I always get excited when something new comes out from them. I confess, I have not tried this year's Billy, or the F. Four, but I trust that they are interesting.
One beer that I have tried is the new Widmer Brothers KGB Russian Imperial Stout. Long a Gasthouse staple, it finally made it into the bottle this year. I know Widmer has gained a lot of detractors over the years, but I still love the big brewing beast. Sure, the fact that I got married there has something to do with it, but I can still be impartial, I swear. For instance, I thought the Brrr was boring, and the Bourbon version was expensive, and boring. Then came the KGB. It's easy to judge a beer by it's 9.3% cover for sure, but it still needs substance behind the ABV. The KGB has substance, in spades. Baking chocolate nose, with an impressive color. Watching the gentle head dissipate was hypnotic. It was chewy, like a heavy stout should be. A hint of coffee, and slightly chocolate finish, neither being too bitter. Is was the winter warmer I was waiting for, but never found this year. Sure, a well made, heavy dark beer is what we have come to expect from a winter beer, but so many fall so short.
For some, maybe a lot, Widmer has lost it's edge, and creativity. It's large size gets lost in a town that cares more about garage breweries, than breweries with a gasthouse. But in my little, humble opinion, they knocked it out of the park this time with the KGB.
By the way, isn't it great that we name beers after past national security agencies from other countries? What if a German brewery makes a FBI Amber?? Or a brewery in Canada making a MI5 cream ale? An American brewery producing the world's best ANSS Stout? ...Just saying...

At least you don't drink out of the other end...

2010-07-22T18:01:00.000-07:00

Kinda makes you wanna laugh, then puke, then move to Scotland...

from "Morning Advertiser" .com

BrewDog launches strongest beer — in a squirrel

The maverick brewery has brought out The End of History, a 55% ABV beer priced at £500 for a 330ml bottle.

The brewer says the beer’s high alcohol content “can cure the binge drinking culture, not fuel it”, and that the beer should be served in a small glass to be enjoyed like a fine whiskey.

The blond Belgian ale is served from bottles made with stuffed animals dressed in eccentric outfits. BrewDog says this “intentionally eye-brow raising statement” aims to “lift the veil on the mass market beer industry”.

The company says The End of History is the last high abv beer it is going to brew. “It’s the end point of our research into how far we can push the boundaries of extreme brewing, the end of beer”.

Only 12 bottles have been produced, using seven dead stoats, four squirrels and one hare. The packaging was created by a talented taxidermist, according to BrewDog, and all the animals used were road kill.

The brewer has been fighting a running battle with drinks industry watchdog Portman Group and health lobbyists over the strength and packaging of its beers.

Last year, Brewdog launched a 41% abv quadruple IPA called Sink the Bismarck!, priced at £40 for a 330ml bottle.

Brooklyn Park Pub

2010-07-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

I admit to walking or driving right past this place several times. For no apparent reason really. I suppose I always had the "I'll try it next time" mentality towards it. Well, since Bushwhacker is in the Brooklyn neighborhood, we decided to check out our unknown neighbor.
Opening the windowless door, you can not know what to expect. A room of regulars glaring at you for adding an unwelcome beam of sunlight in?? Twenty different baseball games on a wall orgy of flat screens? Or my favorite, a room with more lottery machines than patrons, and golf on the tele.
Alas, none of these were the case as we braved the door, and became the first guests of the day. Soccer was on, and Fort George was on tap. A bigger surprise was the two dart boards on the north wall, above a well stocked book shelf with board games, trivia books, and Playboys.
The one thing they have, that frankly I have never seen before is a very..descriptive beer menu. They list their drafts as "Malty, hoppy, light," etc. Brilliant. I can imagine the bartender answering those questions a thousand times, and finally saying "Piss on it, I'm going write it up, and let everyone have a read on their own."
The big bonus that I liked that I mentioned before was the Fort George on tap, and not the typical (though still hard to find) Vortex IPA. They had the Nut Red, which of course was listed under "Malty."
Yes, for throwing a few games, this spot in the Brooklyn neighborhood is pretty cool. Beer, darts, and Playboys. Hello flashback to Jeff's basement in 1996.

going strong.but slow

2010-07-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have found that staring at the floor does not fill the cracks any faster, or make the magic goop we are using dry any faster. Still working on the cidery floor. Today, officially ordered my tanks.
We do have all of the paper work done, we are waiting for one piece of the puzzle before we send it all in.
All in all, for only signing the lease shy of a week ago, things are going well.

why no blogging?

2010-06-28T12:25:00.001-07:00

I have been crazy busy. Why? I am trying to give this town a much deserved cidery. I have finally found a worthy space, and am now in the finishing stages of the Mt. Everest tall stack of paperwork needed to put my dream together. Hopefully, we can be open by September 1st, with our own product being available by Thanksgiving.
The name of the cidery is Bushwhacker Cider. It will be a cidery, cider themed bottle shop, and, hopefully, a mecca to play darts in. We will have cider on draft, and not just our own.
Cider is awesome, plain and simple.
So, tell me your thoughts, please.

Hell of a party!!

2010-05-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

Last night was a great night at Beer Mongers, but then again, aren't they all. The event was Sean's B-Day, the "8 year anniversary of his 30th". The boys at Beer Mongers know how to bring in a crowd. The shoulder to shoulder mass was treated to live music, Hammy's pizza (the best in the city), and free beer samples. The crowning event though had to be the drinking from the yard. I won a groovy old school beer mongers T-Shirt, though I was hoping to snag the grand prize which was a three liter bottle of Duvel. Oh well, maybe next yard day.
I have tons of pics here.

Cheese Bar

2010-05-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

There is a new reason to head up to upper Belmont, Cheese Bar. Cheese Bar..mmm..unless someone creates a peanut bar I can not imagine a better premise for a pub. The selection of cheese is staggering, and thankfully dished out by people that know far more than myself about cheese. The staff all seem to know the perfect pairing to go with whatever you enjoy there, or have at home. The tap selections are small but seem well thought out. During my last visit, I enjoyed a Wandering Aengus Pear Cider, while Erin had a Hale's Supergoose. Both paired brilliantly with the daily Euro cheese board, which during our visit features three Italian selections. They also have sandwiches, and other nibbles.
The only bummer is I wish they would write somewhere what the daily cheeses are. They do tell you when they serve it, but they are such foreign names to me, I'd like to have something written down.
That's a small bummer. With outside seating to enjoy the weather, and a nice array of gourmet gifts items, Cheese Bar is ..well..it is pretty fucking awesome.

Sabbatical

2010-05-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have been taking a short break from blogging. Just, really, haven't felt like it. I have needed to step back, and think. Something recently has renewed my fingers to the keyboard. I had one of my best friends from Illinois come in and spend a couple days with me. Much like spending the fourth of July with small children, seeing Portland, and Oregon through a set of new eyes is truly a worthwhile experience. He comes from a far off world where the only Oregon beer is Widmer Hef, and asking for an IPA gets you not a beer, but a confused look.
Showing him around, from brewery to brewery, was a lot of fun. From the mighty Widmer, to the basement of Upright.
I was getting bored, depressed, and could not get in touch with why I had originally moved here many years ago. The stress of a job you hate, and other problems in life seem a little more trivial once you realize you could have a job you hate....in..say..Oklahoma.

Ok...this may be bad..

2010-04-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-07T19:08:00.001-07:00

Weinhard

2010-04-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

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?

Upright's Four Play release..and my 100th post

2010-03-29T18:17:00.001-07:00

Last night was the very generous media party at Upright. The occasion was created to release Upright’s newest seasonal, Four Play. I am sure you can read many reviews of it on any PDX blog. It was super tasty, and another feather in Alex’s cap. But, the beer I want to talk about is one that is going to be rare and gone fast, their Anniversary Apricot Ale.
As a general rule I do not like fruit beers. Most I have had have the complexity of a fart and the flavor to match. Pyramid’s Apricot Ale, to me , is an ale made solely to encourage one to stop drinking or possibly commit suicide. That being said, Upright’s Apricot Ale is something that is hard to put into words. As I was taking notes last night, the word I came up with was “sincere.” The taste was..sincere. Fruity, not artificial, bold but not pretentious. Sincere.
Upright’s Apricot Ale was aged in Gin Barrels. Barrel aged beer can go horribly wrong, or even worse, horribly boring. This went neither. [note: what we had was not aged in Gin barrels, but a future release of this brew will be, the Four Play however was aged in Pinot barrels] This 6% beer was intensely cloudy and had an amazing nose of natural apricot. I tasted not apricot flavor, but apricot. Of course, this was all balanced out with the house yeast, picked to suit the taste buds of the brewer.
It is one of the best beers that will never touch a bottle, and one that you would be remiss not to scurry off to try. It is so good, in fact, it makes me forgive Upright for the truly..umm... unique Eucalyptus beer.
After an exciting year in operation, Upright continues to produce beer that is made with skill, passion, and honesty. We should all count ourselves lucky to be able to watch with thirsty eyes Upright’s next experiment gone...perfect.
For more pics, please visit my Flickr page.
Also, do not forget, April 9th is Upright's one year anniversary party. Yes, there will be a lot of people there, but join the crowd.

Slinghost Lounge & The Trap

2010-03-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

It was time to explore an area outside of my usual two block radius last night. I was hoping to play some darts at a few new spots, The Trap and Slingshot Lounge.
The Trap is a funny looking building at 52nd and Foster. While the front part advertises family friendly dining, the back holds what is the epitome of a neighborhood bar. At about 4:30, the place was nearly packed with customers that may very well have been there long enough to enjoy the advertised breakfast special. We had everyone beat by at least a decade or so, but they couldn't have been friendlier. If you don't mind a modest tap selection (PBR, Bud, Coors Light) and a bar maid that serves you only between smoke breaks, it's not a bad spot to catch funny car racing or waste an afternoon playing video lottery. The Trap is also known as a major dart playing location. The walls are completely covered with plaques and trophies from decades of play. The problem? They only have soft tip, pay machines. They do have an ATM for the currency disabled, like myself, but it was at the opposite end of the bar, and after two stiff gin and tonics, I wasn't making the trip.
Down the road on 55th is the Slingshot Lounge. Overlooked and easy to drive by, it deserves a stop. Now, I went to play darts since their My Space page listed it as a game. Alas, no darts. The board was taken out, but may be returning according to the bartender. We instead entertained ourselves with pool and air hockey. If you have never treated yourself to drunken Air Hockey, your missing out on one of the true joys in life. The walls are lined with really cool artwork, and the lack of TV is a welcome change from other bars.
The tap list was pretty good, we each had Ninkasi Spring Reign. The also have Lindeman's on tap, and Oly.
Slingshot has been open for three years, but only had a proper kitchen for six months. It may be a young kitchen, but the food coming out is really amazing. We tried the deep fried cauliflower, calamari, and Fava Bean hummus. It was all good, and it is all made in house. It was all but empty when we were there, which is a shame. I hope they do well enough to stay open, it's a pretty cool spot, even if it is on Foster.

random find

2010-03-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

So, I did not go to any of the SE pub crawl events last night. Truth be told, I drove home past Bar Avignon and the crowd outside scared me. I decided to go to the much more low key Clinton St. Pub. I am glad that it was obviously a success, but large groups of people are not my thing.
I do not really have much to write about, but I did see something on a walk downtown today that caught my eye. In a for lease building on Hawthorne, was what seemed to be a full pallet of Sterling beer. Every heard of Sterling? I sure as hell haven't. It was a brewery that started in the 1800's in Louisville, KY. I could retype the whole history for you, or I could just suggest you check this out. Or this.
How this building on Hawthorne has a pallet of this beer is beyond me. Anyone out there have any input on this?

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

Does anyone really give a shit? In the town I grew up in, there was no micro brews, and every bar was a liquor license away from being the quality of a buddy's basement. Twice a year, the... umm, ok I'll call it a town, had two reasons to gather and drink. One was an unbelievably lame Oktoberfest, complete with Coors Light and Warsteiner for choices. The other was St. Patrick's Day. In hog country Illinois that meant the yearly tradition of green beer, and corned beef and cabbage. Let me tell you, green food coloring added to Keystone Light is something that only the most cross eyed of rednecks looks forward to year after year.
Now, here in Beervana, do we really need a holiday, that 90% of people have no idea what it means, in order to drink. It's fun to turn focus to Irish beer, sure. But does wearing green and acting like an asshole go hand in hand? Apparently yes. I hate holidays that are celebrated by the masses for the wrong reason, and celebrated by people that have no clue why we are celebrating it. In Illinois, we got off every year for Casimir Pulaski day. Think any of us kids gave a shit why? No, that was an extra day to sneak into our parents barn and smoke swisher sweets and drink the stolen can of Old Milwaukee from the old man.
I guess the point of my rant is, do we really need an excuse to drink? No, we don't. I drink for the taste, local offerings, and also in hopes that I will get so bombed that I will forget that I work for Shit Inc. with Satan as CEO. So, if you must get extra drunk tonight, take a moment to think about good ol' St. Patrick. I myself will get normal drunk, because that's how Patrick would have liked it, right?

Seattle Trip

2010-03-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

About a week or so ago, we headed up to Seattle to catch a live show from the Trailer Park Boys. Before that though, we had a great time checking out a few watering holes, and playing some darts. The Owl and Thistle was our first stop. I found this place thanks to the Emerald City Dart Association’s website. They have three dart boards in the back room, which we were lucky enough to have entirely to ourselves. The beer selection is limited to what you may expect at an Irish themed bar, but the food was outstanding. Who knew you could beer batter Brie. The bar is hidden enough so that the typical crowds of tourists probably won’t find it.
We did stop at Pike Brewing, but this being my second trip, I enjoyed it much less. For me, it is just too busy, both in people and in atmosphere. The take the Applebee’s route in decorating, covering every square inch in some kind of memorabilia. Located right in Pike Market, it does attract every stray thirsty tourist. I prefer to grab a 22 at my favorite bottle shop back here in P-town.
Our last stop before the show was recommended to us by the most excellent bartender at Clinton St Pub, Wade. Shorty’s is not just a bar, it is an experience. Located north of the hubbub, it had a really great beer selection, full bar, and more creepy pics of clown’s than really should be allowed by law. It felt like Portland in Seattle. It is the location of several pinball tournaments, and rightly so. The entire back room is all dark, save the warming glow of the pinball lights. The front room has several classic games, including half pinball, half video Baby Pac Man. Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped the first two places, and spent a lot more time at Shorty’s.
Trailer Park Boys were funny as hell, and I encourage everyone to see their new movie, Countdown to Liquor Day. Also, a trip every now and then to Seattle is worth while, though, I must say, I think we here won the best city to drink in award in my eyes.

Unexpected Surprise

2010-02-22T13:55:00.001-08:00

My day off, I was looking for something different to try as I fixed our sink. I did not want anything too complex, heavy, or truthfully that interesting. Just something cold, non-skunky, and alcoholic. My hunting was helped by the fact that I had snuck into Beer Mongers before they got their beer shipment. That being said, their selection was self admitted by Craig, one of the owners, slim. Well, that forced me to search out for something new. My eyes were caught by a bottle, a bottle that did not fit within my usually rules for beer. One of my biggest rules is thou shall not drink beer from a green bottle. In my experience, the true mark of ghetto goodness. This bottle was different, a brew with a long tradition, and one that I honestly have never tried. Enter Lowenbrau.
A staple at Oktoberfest since 1810, Lowenbrau can trace it's beginnings all the way back to 1383. Unfortunately, it got brewed by Miller from the mid 70's until about 2002. This period of time, roughly my entire life, gave the beer a bit of a tarnished image. I assumed it tasted like shit, even though I had never once tried it. Until today.
Now it is once again being brewed in Munich. And it is really good, really good. I did not notice any skunkiness as described by other online forums, only a clean tasting, cheap beer. Cheap in price only (at Beer Mongers anyway). I thought the nose was very nice, and I poured it into a glass to let it open up a bit. The taste was fresh, clean, crisp, and made me bummed that I only bought one.
The bad news? The distributor that services beer mongers has said that they do not plan on carrying it anymore. I would encourage everyone looking for something truly different, to go grab a six pack of Lowenbrau. Even if you have tried it years ago, give it another try. Come on, it's been made since 1383, that is 627 years of trial and error leading to what is one hell of a beer today.

Meet the Brewer night - Ft. George

2010-02-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

Last night it was a packed house at Green Dragon. It was only second time I had been since the Rogue takeover. We were not there to play darts or pinball of course, since they ripped them out, we were there to see Chris from Ft. George brewery and have some tasty Murky Pearl. The whole crowd was definitely George friendly. Everyone listened intently as Chris talked about his brewery, and the romantic origins of his Coffee Girl Stout. After his speech Chris roamed the room, patiently talking to everyone wanting time with him, including this half drunk idiot. I appreciated talking with him, and will constantly promote Ft. George to anyone that will listen.

Zwickelmania

2010-02-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

After a shift at my shit job, we only had time to visit one brewery during yesterday’s Zwickelmania. I love the idea of the one day festival, I only wish it could have gone on a little longer, for my own selfish reasons of course. So, we had to pick the closest brewery, and one I had not toured before, Hopworks.
The crowd was great, and everyone working there was super friendly, and eager to answer every question thrown at them. I didn’t learn any great truths, or anything shocking or amazing, but it is always nice to see the inner workings of any brewery. The highlight was tasting a new Bock straight from the tank, “For those about to Bock.” Also being highlighted was HUB’s Cascadian Dark Ale, a black IPA that was very good.
I am bummed we didn’t get to see more breweries, but there is always next year I guess. Just remember, everyday can be Zwickelmania here in P-town. Most breweries have scheduled tours, and others are usually always willing to give one with some notice.
By the way, in case you did not know, as I did not, a “zwickel” is a sanitary sampling valve.

The Murky Pearl

2010-02-11T16:50:00.000-08:00

February is stout month at Ft. George. Instead of just promoting their own fine brews, they also have some hand selected offerings from Oskar Blues, North Coast Brewing, and Deschutes. For a measly $12, you can enjoy a taster tray with a Bourbon Barrel Cavatica Stout, aged in Wild Turkey Barrels; Coffee Girl Stout, the regular Cavatica Stout; a cherry flavored stout that goes by Bada Bing Stout, and their take on an oyster stout with Murky Pearl. Outside the George offerings are Deschutes Abyss, North Coast's Old Rasputin, and Oskar Blues Ten Fidy.
The beer I want to focus on for this post is the 7.8% Murky Pearl. I will admit, before I heard that Upright and Ft. George were making oyster stout, I was totally unaware of the style. I am sure like anyone else unfamiliar with it, it sounds..well..disgusting.
Long ago, oyster shells were used as a fining agent in beer. Oysters were also, and still are, considered to go very well with beer. Well, some adventurous brewer obviously put the two together, and mollusk flavored beer was invented. One has to wonder, was there ever a crab beer? Clam beer? History is full of failed beer experiments I am sure. But as we all know even bad beer will get you drunk, so is it ever really a failure?
Back to the Murky Pearl.
In the words of Ft. George..”we ran the wort through 3 buckets of Willapa Bay Oysters. We let the oysters sit in the wort until they started to pop open infusing the beer with the briny oyster juice.” Of course, I have to wonder what those oysters tasted like after being infused.
The beer, for the uninitiated, does not taste like oysters. The only hint of this fusion is a slightly, pleasant salt aftertaste. The body is slightly sweet, a little oaky, with hints of licorice and cherry. It is heavy, full, and complex. It was my favorite out of the eight we tried. It eclipsed my former selection of stellar stout from the boys on Duane street, Coffee Girl. Last years was monumental, and worth the drive to Astoria. This years, unfortunately, had a over powering coffee taste making it bitter, and difficult to enjoy.
So, oyster stout..what the hell. We have smoked beers, chili beers, mango beers, and seaweed beer. If it’s good, and not deadly, why not? It tasted great, and I am eager to try Uprights Oyster Stout.
Kudos to Ft. George.
For more info on oyster stouts, and especially Upright's Release, check out this link to the New School.

Deadlift Imperial IPA

2010-02-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

Deadlift is a beer for hop lovers. Hard core hop lovers. The nose..is hoppy; the body..is hoppy. Not that it is a bad beer, but there really isn't much else going on with it than what you could also get from eating hop pellets. Interestingly enough, it doesn't come off as too bitter, or at it's 8.6% too strong. Erin and I split a 12oz bottle, and honestly do not think I could have wanted much more. It comes close to the beer that turned me off from IPA's for a very long time. For me, after the interest of the Cherry Dopplebock, and the release of Drifter, a boring overly hopped IPA seems like a lackluster step backward for Widmer. Maybe my tastes have changed since the days I craved C-Note and other etreme IPA's, but I find most imperial IPA's to be kind of boring, and more of a science expereiment than an enjoyable, drinkable brew.

The brew pub that never was..but says it is...but isn't

2010-02-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

Have you ever have noticed an odd sign on highway 26 near North Plains? Listed on the food sign, along with Mc Donald’s, is a advertisement for Rogue Brew Pub. What!?! Well, I did not think Rogue had an outpost in North Plains, but I had to see. The font, and style of the sign is identical to that of a Rogue pub. Well, standing outside the establishment there it said, Rogue Pub. After entering it was still a tad unclear what the situation was. The place is covered with Rogue posters, and the menu has not only 4 or 5 Rogue’s on tap, they also sell Rogue 22’s.
First off, this brew pub does not brew at all. Or ever has. I am fairly sure the place does not have any association with Rogue, but it is a crazy coincidence. Does any one know about this place, and why it is like this?
If you see the sign, pass on by. Unless that is..you have a craving for triangle shaped fish, and one hell of a mystery.

Pelican Pub and Brewery

2010-01-28T18:25:00.000-08:00

I am sure many of you have seen a Pelican 22oz at your favourite bottle shop, or tried it on tap at some point. Until last Sunday however, I had never actually been to the brewery and pub, located in Pacific City. So we decided to pack up, leave rainy Portland, and got to rainy Pacific City instead.
Pacific City is one of those little coast towns that you swear you have been through before, but you might not have been. South of Tillamook, you have to drive a ways off of 101 to get to it. Once your there, coming from the North, Pelican Pub is the first thing you see as you enter town. Immediately you realize that Pelican Pub may have the best view of any brew pub in all of Oregon.
The place was hopping last Sunday, we grabbed one of the few last remaining tables. As you first walk in you walk through the gift shop, selling everything form t-shirts and hoodies to little surfboard key chains. Ashamed of hawking anything that can fit a logo they are not.
We decided to grab the tasting tray for the low price of $6. It included all of the regular brews, plus their seasonal offerings of Bridal Ale, Anglers Amber, and Paddlers Pale Ale. Using a scale from one to ten, I can rank the beers:
Kiwanda Cream Ale - 3
MacPelicans Scottish - 4
India Pelican Ale - 3 (had some hard, overwhelming citrus flavors)
Doryman’s Dark - 5 (nice and smoky)
Tsunami Stout - 3 (weak body, watery, odd aftertaste)
Bridal Ale - 6 (smooth, low carbonation, and slightly sweet)
Paddlers Pale Ale - 4 (IPA-ish, bitter, watery finish)
Anglers Amber - 5 (clean, easy drinking, nicely balanced)

So, my favourite was the Bridal Ale. Though not a Belgian, it is claimed to be inspired by the country ales of France, and a Belgian lover would find something of interest here. It was sweet, but not malty sweet, more fruity. It was smooth at 6.5%, and could get you into trouble fast. On the mouth feel, I picked up notes of malt, banana, and possibly berries way back there. This was the best by far.
The food we had was very good, and I like that they try to use fish caught by the local Dory fleet when they can. The meals are in the 15-20 dollar range, but well worth it.
Overall, except for the food, I was let down. I guess I may just be off, since they obviously have won a lot of awards, a fact you are hammered over the head with when your there. And good for them. They have won the large brewpub of the year award at the World Beer Cup, and have taken gold in Australia for their India Pelican Ale. I didn’t have any beer that I had to spit out or anything, but nothing, aside from the Bridal, stood out as anything great. I wouldn’t go there just to go there again, but who knows, if your in the area, you have a long drive to anything else, and hell, the view is good.

Morrison Hotel

2010-01-26T17:33:00.001-08:00

It’s always nice to find a surprise. I have passed Morrison Hotel Bar numerous times zooming down the one way Morrison St. on my way to down town. It always looked a little corny to me to be honest. I mean, as a Doors fan, to name a bar that and to make the logo look like that seemed like an amazing display of copy cat-ism. I was wrong. I hate when I am wrong.
The bar does not have many taps, four or five, but they boat an impressive collection of bottle choices that number well over 100. Everything form Strongbow cider, to the limited release of Widmer Brothers Cherry Oak Doppelbock. Why this place is not known as a bigger hot spot escapes me. The food is also fantastic. We had a house made veggie pizza that come out piping hot and tasty.
They even have a proper, steel tip dart board. Located in no ones way, and complete with a handy shelf for your drinks and food. As I was admiring this, my wife skunked me two out of three games. That hurt. My wounds were softened only by the pints of Alaskan White I was enjoying.
We can not wait to go back, and turn Morrison Hotel into a sexy dart playing Ménage à trois with nearby neighbor’s Root’s and Lucky Lab.

The Holy Trinity

2010-01-20T17:09:00.001-08:00

For my money, Oregon is blessed to be the holy ground of three great breweries, breweries that stand high on a hill to be praised and respected. Is every beer they make perfect? No. Is every beer they make good? No. Is every beer they make unique, special, and make with a gifted creative vision? Yes.
Now to say this is cause for battle, I am sure. Oregon has a few breweries to choose from in case you haven't heard. So many in fact, I think a lot get lost in mediocracy. Then we have our mega-micro brews. They release consistently drinkable and enjoyable beer. We know what to expect from them, and we are pleased by their seasonal releases that show a little boost of interest from season to season.
The Holy Trinity is Ft. George Brewery in Astoria, Upright Brewing in Portland, and Double Mountain in Hood River. The beers flowing from these sacred tanks, for me, stand apart. The best beers I have had in the past few years come from all three of these. They make amazing beer, and they have made some, well, less good beers too. But even Gordon Ramsay dropped a steak here and there.
Upright’s Billy the Mountain is a big, brave, bold brew that causes instant silence, then contemplation, and finally an overwhelming thirst for more. But the Kiwi Cask Four, however, was hard to finish. But you have to respect the attempt.
Ft. George’s Illuminator may be the finest beer I have ever had. It was an accident that went right, and last year’s release causes me to count the minutes until the 2010 version. The beer they make with rhubarb?? Not so good.
The cause for this post, my recent trip to Double Mountain. A pint or four after a hike in the Gorge. A great mezza platter and darts. A beer that poured as sexy as a naked super model holding a pint in one hand, and a piece of smoked Coho in the other.
The Imperial Chaos, an amazing stout that pours with a cappuccino colored full head, and has a slight oak and coffee nose. The body is heavy, smooth, and every taste should be lovingly enjoyed. You can taste coffee, oak, the candi sugar used, and the subtle use of Summit, Challenger, and Warrior hops. I can think of no better 9.5% ABV beer to wrap up a day of January hiking.
So that is the good, now the bad. New to the brew list is a short offering of Jumping Jack Flash hard cider. Without going on some long rant of it’s faults, I will say it is cool they tried, but a great cider it is not.
Another bummer, the most excellent Devil’s Kriek seems to have lost something. It was a delight when it came out, as anyone that waited in line at Belmont Station’s sour fest can attest to. There is only about a month's supply left, and it has lost the charm it had. The cherry flavor has morphed into raspberry, and the sourness is all but gone. It still looks beautiful, but the taste is gone.
I have never gone to any of these three breweries without boyish anticipation, and I have never left without complete satisfaction and an experience that, well, causes me to write on my little blog.

Highland Ambush

2010-01-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

A big brew has rolled out of Bridgeport. Aged 33% in Bourbon barrels, Highland Ambush is a tasty scotch ale available now in 22oz bottles. I found mine at a surprisingly well stocked Fred Meyer.
The nose was strong, giving up a sweet, malty and molasses odor. It poured dark and brown, with little head. The taste is what really pushed this Scotch ale past other offerings I have had. It was malty with a brown sugar and molasses flavor, which was to be expected both form the style and the nose. But there was clearly more going on. I, or maybe my imagination, tasted some grassy and hay notes in a pleasant Belgian style way. The feel was strong, crisp and had some intense bursts of flavor. All of this carried through the after taste, and made for a very satisfying experience.
The beer is 6.8% ABV, and available at better stocked Fred Meyers, and also at Belmont Station.

Lone Oak Public House & eventually brewery

2010-01-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

Situation: You find yourself stuck in Beaverton. Either you are there returning some present from a friend at one of the hundreds of strip malls, or you died and you have, for your sins, been sent to hell. For what ever reason a place to find a decent, non McMenamins, place to hang out has up to now been hard to find. Enter Loan Oak Public House, and coming soon, brewery.
It is a bit hidden on the back side of the Cedar Hills shopping center, just behind Powell’s books, and within sight of Century Theaters. Perfectly situated in the vortex of consumerism, Lone Oak has just recently celebrated its sixth week of operation. As of now they have an impressive bottle list, as well as a well selected three tap lineup that rotates often. During my visit the taps were Widmer Sled Crasher, Ninkasi, and the 10 Barrel Apocalypse IPA. The beer was served in a nice, frosty cold mug. Charming as that was, it was not a true pint. Lone Oak also has a full bar, and a 3-6pm happy hour.
In March, they plan on starting up a small scale brewery on premises. Right now they are still looking for equipment, and going through the fun filled licensing process. I could not get much info on the styles, but they do have a passion for quality Oregon brews, so hopefully the product will be good.
Yet another brewery coming into town. It is getting harder and harder to keep track. I hope this one takes off, giving the west ‘burbs a place to enjoy some local made brew.

Upright Bottle Release

2010-01-11T08:24:00.000-08:00

Well, I do not know what Alex and the boys thought, but I would say that the bottle release party yesterday was a complete success. Upright was filled to the walls with people thirsty for the release of their Gose, and Billy the Mountain. We had an amazing time, and I was more than happy to spend a half an hour in line to get a bottle of Gose and Billy and a glass of each. I will talk about those of course, but there was also some hidden gems yesterday, one of which was my personal fav of the day.
The Gose was pale in colour, but not in taste. It is a little spicy, light, and has a gorgeous Belgian flavor. The night before I had a Damnation from Russian River at Horse Brass. The Gose reminded me of it, but exceeded it in complexity and taste.
Billy the Mountain. What a beer. It spent five months in Pinot Barrels, four months in the bottle, and tastes of it. They refer to it as an "English-style Old Ale." I will not disagree with that, but I will add to it. It was lightly sour, sweet, and had a wonderful delicate nose. Billy was one of the best Upright beers I have had, and possibly in the top ten for Portland brews in general. I am going to let the bottle I bought sit for awhile, as it will be interesting to see see how it evolves. According to the Upright Blog, "The finished beer is ready but will surely continue to evolve for some time to come as the brettanomyces continues to transform the existing aromas and flavors."
Ok, the big ones covered. But, as is my nature, I prefer the more unknown and hidden. My favorite of the day was the Congo Pale Ale. Described to me as a Belgian IPA, it did not fail. Alex had three "experimental" beers off to the side of the main taps. I hope this beer comes out of the experimental stage to the bottled stage at some point. It was light, crisp, and had a underlying hoppiness that was embraced and enhanced by the Belgian flavors. Combining the Belgian flavor and the IPA bite is like some kind of dream world where beer cans would be made from potato chips. I know, it's crazy, but I spend my days thinking of these things.
Cheers to the boys at Upright. I had a great time, and was happy to see so many people supporting a fine brewery.

Beer fest request

2010-01-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

There are two upcoming beer fests that I am thinking of going to, and I was wondering if anyone had been before. The Belgianfest in Seattle, and the Strange Brewfest up in Port Townsend. Obviously, I would like to go to both, but my money tree in back has but a few leaves left. I like the sound of the Belgianfest. It is located in a very cool part of Seattle called Georgetown. This southern section of Seattle also hosts Full Throttle Bottle, Georgetown Brewing, and the old Rainier Brewery. Add all of that to a Belgianfest, well, I would be as happy as a dog with two dicks.
Now, the Port Townsend trip sounds good too. I can not find any line up of breweries, or styles, so I would be in for some surprises. That trip would also give me a chance to check out Water Street Brewing and Port Townsend Brewing. Although a bit further, it may prove to be very interesting.
So, has anyone been to either one, or both?

So happy

2010-01-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

I'm as happy as a 32 year old with a kegerator..oh wait..that's because I now AM the proud new owner of a Kegerator. It is empty now, but I am staring at it with a loving glaze that frankly creeps out my wife a little. I can not wait to get it going. I just had to share this.

Two beers of note

2010-01-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

Two beers I have had recently have really grabbed my attention. Ft. George's North III Triple, and Captured by Porches' Invasive Species IPA are brews that are so good, they make you stop, take note, and be very thankful we all live where we do. To Dylan and Chris, thank you!
I had the Triple at Bar Avignon, a stone's throw from my apartment. Bar Avignon may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I will say, they have a fantastic, although small, tap list. I will admit, I was there during our little snow storm, and didn't have my trusty notebook with me, so I can't make specific notes. But...it was one of the finest beers I have ever had. This Tripple, god dammit, was so amazing. I do not know where else in town it is, but I would suggest you run over here and try it. It was dark, strong, and one of the best Triples I have ever had.
Captured by Porches finally has room to grow since fleeing the miniscule brewery they had at Clinton St. Brewing and moving the operation to St. Helens. This beer is by no means new, but it is new to a bottle. Now, not only is this beer a beautiful IPA, the bottle they selected is bold, and sets them apart. It is a flip top bottle, adorned with a striking label, and contains 25.4 oz of some of the most unique IPA you will ever have. It does not blow your head off with a field's worth of hops. It pours with a nice head, and has little nose, but makes it up with a dark, intense red/brown color. The taste is what makes it truly special. It has a bouquet of floral hops, and has very low bitterness. It is slightly, and I mean slightly, sweet. Invasive Species does not taste like most NW IPA's. No. It tastes better. It tastes different. It is not some crazy IBU pushing science experiment. Dylan actually considered taste, mouth feel, and pleasure.
What does this cost you ask?? It must be 8 or 9 bucks. Fancy bottle, 6.9% ABV, 100% Vegan, etc.
No.
At Beer Mongers, when it isn't sold out, the cost is a mere $3.80 plus a $1 deposit. You bring the bottle back, you get your dollar back. It is worth every penny, and the best beer you may ever have for under $4.

Upright Release

2009-12-29T13:28:00.000-08:00

If you haven't checked the Upright Brewing blog in awhile you may have missed an upcoming event. On January 10th, they will have a beer release party. Dissect that for just a second. Beer release. Party. Why wouldn't you go? A job you say? Believe me, even your boss is going to call in sick for this. The two beers are Billy the Mountain, and a Gose. I will turn over all other info to their blog, and hopefully I will see you there. In the great words of the Simpson's, "If you miss this, you'd better be dead...or in jail...and if you're in jail, break out!"

San Juan Brewing - Friday Harbor, WA

2009-12-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

San Juan Brewing is a brewery not many will ever go to, or have a chance to try their beer. Besides the $50 ferry ride (car plus one passenger), San Juan Brewing only serves from their brew pub located in Friday Harbor. We happened to go during my trip up north, and decided to spend one night in Friday Harbor.
If first impressions are anything, I should have jumped into the water and swam back to the mainland. The brewery area, easy to see for anyone walking by, was either where they made the beer, or a scale model of what would happen to a brewery after a bomb attack. It was disgusting beyond belief, and I find it hard to make good beer from a dirty brewery. I do not know if it was in the middle of a renovation, but it appeared to have not been cleaned or used in a very long time.

We enter.
What I did like, and wish more brew pubs would learn from, is their beer menu. It included the brew date, batch number, ABV, IBU’s, and original gravity. Great. And, it stayed at the table and was not whisked away by an over caffeinated waitress. Unfortunately a few of their beers were unavailable. My guess? Rat stuck in hose.
I started with the Oktoberfest Lager. It was very grape-fruity on the mouth, and finished with a mix of lemon ice tea and dishwater. It was thin, and lightly carbonated. It was anti any other Oktoberfest I have ever had. I know it is a broad category, but this was like a bad IPA with an identity crisis.
The other beer we did not care for was the Starboard Porter. Clever name aside, the porter was puny, and tasted of cheap chocolate. The nose gave nothing, and at 4.2%, it was something that couldn't even keep a fire warm on a winter’s day.
We have only up to go from here.
A beer that was truly pleasant was their Raging Man Ale. It was their big winter ale. It had a complex taste that hinted at brown sugar, cherry, and a bit of grapefruit. It was not thin, was 6.6%, and something I could easily of had more of. If more of their beer had the quality of this one, it would be an amazing little brewery.
SJB is located very close to the ferry terminal, and other great restaurants. They also have a full bar, and offer a few of their beers for take home in 22oz bottles. The waitress we had was very pleasant, helpful, and I have no complaints about her at all.
All in all, if you find yourself in Friday Harbor, what the hell, stop by and see what you think. I was just hoping the beer would match the amazing views and natural beauty of the island. It didn't. But hey, that is some stiff competition that would be hard to beat.

Merry X-Mas

2009-12-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone. Hopefully everyone has something good to drink, and enjoys the sunny day. Beer Mongers is open until 9PM today, so if you need to make a run, that's the place to go.

Chuckanut Brewery

2009-12-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

Chuckanut Brewery marks the return of a Kemper making brew to the state of Washington. Will Kemper has returned, not to Poulsbo, the original home of the Thomas Kemper brewery, but to Bellingham. During Will’s time away he has traveled throughout Europe, and been a brewing consultant across the US. Now, his 10-barrel house is thriving, and giving northern Washington some very tasty beer.
Currently they do not bottle but do have growlers for sale, and of course fill whatever you bring. During my time up in Mt. Vernon I drove the 20 or so miles north and had a good time.
My visit was on a Tuesday night, which meant I was treated to the special of $1.50 Kolsch’s. The beer was very light, crisp, and when served in the 250ml glasses resembling test tubes, looked almost like a urine sample. That is the appearance anyway, the taste was nice, mellow, and delivered a sweet finish. At only 5%, you could easily put a few of these away.
The second beer up was a style I had never heard up before, it was a Marzen. But, from what I can understand, it is really another name for an Oktoberfest. They describe it as a mahogany lager, which makes sense once you drink it. It has a very toasty taste, grassy and bitter are other notes I wrote down. It is also pretty malty, but after saying all of that, it was also light, and easy to drink. A very good beer, and one of the best Oktoberfests I have had.
Chuckanut brews 18 different styles, from Dortmunder to Vienna. They use very selective choices in their malts and hops, including organic hops from New Zealand, and organic malts from Canada.
The food seems to get as much attention as the beer. I didn’t have much, but what I did have, the roasted yam fries, were awesome. During the summer I am sure the place really rocks with their awesome waterfront patio.
Definitely worth a stop, and it’s proximity to Boundary Bay make for a interesting night.

Train Wreck Bar & Grill - Burlington, WA

2009-12-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

A little north of Mt. Vernon lies the town of Burlington. It is easy to zoom right by, but a few blocks east of I-5 is a cool little spot, that goes by the name of the Train Wreck Bar & Grill, to grab a beer and a bite. I have to thank the good folks at Red Barn Cider for the recommendation.
I haven’t ever seen a bar that looks more like “The Brick” from Northern Exposure than the actual Brick in Roslyn, WA. The exposed brick walls are covered with randomly covered with intriguing, and some times haunting, images of logging, railroads, and a man being hung on a bridge. The long and narrow room is illuminated from above by wagon wheel chandeliers.
The menu seems as eclectic and the clientele, which included die hard regulars, and curious travelers such as myself. Fried edamame joins forces with fried cheese curds to round out the starters. The crab shooter I chose as an appetizer was amazing, and the main course of Irish style fish & chips made for a mighty meal.
For my brew, I had two pints of Boundary Bay’s Cabin Fever, which is their winter seasonal. The beer poured quite dark with a small head. I detected little nose. The taste was a mix of malt and chocolate, and the body was very full and it left a nice crisp caramel aftertaste. According to the Boundary Bay website, “This big beer is deceptively strong, yet tastes very smooth thanks to extra long cold conditioning.”
I really liked it, and wish I could find it closer to home.

The Porterhouse - Mt. Vernon, WA

2009-12-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

The Porterhouse is Mt. Vernon’s tap room. It is a great place to sample brews not available in our Portland market. The 20 taps and one cask has interesting offerings from Scuttlebutt, Boundary Bay, Georgetown, Hale’s, Anacortes, and Lazy Boy brewing. You would probably be hard pressed to find such a great selection of harder to find Washington beers outside of the Seattle area. Inside, the room is very warm and inviting, thanks to the dark green and wood walls and the central fire place. The Porterhouse is also the only bar in Mt. Vernon that I have managed to find not one, but two steel tip dartboards.
The beer I would like to chat about is Anacortes Brewing’s seasonal release, Noel. If you have thumbed through my past blogs, you may have noticed I am not usually not an Anacortes fan. During my last two visits there, I was unimpressed with the beer, service, and food. That being said, I was blown away by the Noel. At 7.0%, it nicely warms you up during a chilly December night. The beer had a complex nose of caramel, oak, and whiskey. The color was a strawberry red, and was poured with a nice head. It had a wonderful, spicy mouth feel. It also had notes of wheat, malt, and caramel. It is a pity that those who do not travel that far north may never try this beer.

update

2009-12-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone from chilly northern Washington. Since posting last, I have been to Skagit Brewing, Chuckanut Brewing, Boundry Bay Brewing, and I am heading off today for San Juan Brewing. It's good to be alive. Though sparse, the beer scene up here is impressive, and what I have had so far has been excellent. Some highlights in the bottle have been Scuttlebutt's 10° Below and Elysian's Bifrost Ale. Sorry for the lack of links or descriptions, I'll come back to it. For now though, I have to run off to catch a ferry to San Juan Island. Stay warm!!

Off to Washington

2009-12-06T09:11:00.000-08:00

I am going up to northern Washington for a week. Besides taking part in an advanced cider making course, I'll also be checking out Skagit River Brewery again, and also going to San Juan Brewing for the very first time.
Before leaving, I'd like to put in another post in my winter beer series. This beer was suggested to me by the staff at Beer Mongers. I never would have taken notice to it otherwise, who knew good beer came from Missouri. So without further nonsense, here it is...
Boulevard Nut Cracker Ale. The beer pours with a very nice, dark caramel color. I know it sounds crazy, but the beer had for me a very distinct, piny nose, also with hints of lemon. Not unpleasant, but, kind of nice. Although they make no mention of any spruce tips used, it has a close kinship to the Alaskan winter seasonal. The spiciness, according to the website, is due to the use of Chinook Hops. It is a little spicy, and doesn’t have an overwhelming sweetness to it. What’s weird is it doesn’t fit my aforementioned qualities. The ABV is relatively low at 5.9%, and it doesn’t have a super heavy malty body. But, the taste is so....unusual..in a tasty way. The spiciness tastes festive. The beer is like a holiday session ale, light enough to put back a few, but interesting enough to make the seasonal release one to look forward to.

Winter Beers 2 - Winterbraun and Old Jubilation

2009-12-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

First up, Lost Coast’s Winterbraun. I am Lost Coast fan, and enjoyed many 12 packs of Great White throughout the summer. But what can they do for my winter needs? A lot. The beer is a very nice brown color, and I can instantly pick up the smell of malt. It is brewed with a mixture of pale, caramel, and chocolate malts. Saaz hops simply balance it out, and add no noticeable bitterness, except on the very finish. The beer is not super sweet, and is a lot like a Brown. At 6.5%, this does fill this blogger’s rule of higher winter ABVs, especially when compared to Great White’s 5.0. In fact, except for a tie with their Raspberry Brown, rates it as the brewery’s beer with the highest ABV. A very pleasant beer at a good price. But, the question is, is it a great winter warmer? It is malty, it is heavier than a summer ale, and the alcohol content is higher. Mmmmm, I’m not so sure. It just doesn't have the full, heavy body I was looking for in my quest.

Avery’s Old Jubilation is their winter seasonal. This is the first year I have tried it. It pours very dark, with a very nice nose of cherry and malt. The first taste is an interesting blend of Two-row barley, special roast, black, chocolate, and victory malts. There is no bitterness, even on the finish. At 30 IBUs, it is definitely heavier on the malty than hoppy side. The hops used are bullion hops, which do give it a noticeable currant flavor. The bullion hop is one I have not come across before, and has an interesting story of it’s own.
The beer’s 8% ABV surely fill the needed for a strong brew for the winter. Check. The body leads itself to sipping, not guzzling.
The complexity of the beer is amazing. Every time I grab my glass for another drink, I notice more and more flavors emerging. Brown sugar, caramel, slight citrus notes. The website suggest hints of hazelnuts, toffee, and mocha.
Like the Winterbraun, this is an excellent value beer. Let’s face it, there are some epic beers out there, but we do not always have, or want to spend the money for them.

In this pairing, Old Jubilation is a sure win.

Winter Beers

2009-12-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

It’s getting cold. Do we reach for and enjoy the same beer during this time of year? No, probably not. We look forward to heavier beers, beers we refer to as winter warmer’s. But is there anything we can definitely point to as hard core rules while describing this style? Sort of is a good answer. I think of maltier beers, beers with more body and higher alcohol than their summer counter parts. I think it is clear the difference between a Widmer Brothers Drifter and a Deschutes Jubeale. Or, a Saison DuPont and a Scaldis Noël. Beer Advocate describes a winter warmer as having “Big malt presence, both in flavor and body. The color ranges from brownish reds to nearly pitch black. Hop bitterness is generally low, leveled and balanced, but hop character can be pronounced. Alcohol warmth is not uncommon.” Sounds good.
Use of spices, herbs, or, in Upright Brewing’s case, trees, all can go into a rich, fully flavored winter brew. The “rule” gets broken though, such as my recent experiences. Fish Tale’s Winterfish, for example, proudly exclaims to be “the hoppiest winter ale we know of!” At 70 IBUs, they may be right. But is super hoppy what we want as the temperatures plummet? Aren’t we looking for something a wee different, after the previous beer push of fresh hop ales? So I am doing a bit of in house and out of house tasting. I will break it up into different posts, and not one long one.
For my in house tastes, I will have the aforementioned Winterfish, Deschutes Jubeale 2008 & 2009, Anchor Brewing’s Christmas Ale, Pyramid’s Snow Cap, Avery’s Old Jubilation, Boulevard’s Nut Cracker, Lost Coast’s Winterbraun, and some overseas love in the form of Scaldis Noël. Out of house will consist of Upright Brewing’s winter offering of Holy Herb, and Widmer’s Brrrr at Beer Mongers.
Until then...

Old Market Pub

2009-11-30T08:05:00.000-08:00

Located just east of Multnomah Village sits Old Market Pub. The other outpost of this two pub chain is The Broadway Brill & Brewery. We visited Old Market the other day after a quick hike up to Council Crest. First impression..sports bar. Which is fine. I counted eight TV’s, all playing different football games. Ok, I can deal with it, as long as I follow my new rule of never sitting under one.
The first two beers we ordered were their Pinocle Pale, and Rat Dog ESB. The Pinocle Pale, according to their lackluster beer menu, is “an excellent crisp rendition of this classic style!” It came with a very slight head, and with an amber color. It was indeed crisp, hoppy, and too bitter for me. The bitterness lingered long after the beer was gone. It was drinkable, but I do not know if it was “an excellent” rendition of the style.
The ESB was a better choice. It had the exact same color as the pale. It had some nice malt taste, with hints of brown sugar. Unfortunately, like the Pale, was suffering from an overpowering bitterness that was not balanced enough by the malt, for myself.
My last beer was recommended by the waitress, the Mr. Toad’s Wild Red Ale. This apparently was their “first great beer!” It was very dark, Stout dark. It was the best of the three we had, and was like drinking a light Stout. It was not very malty, not very hoppy, and had a very weak body. In short, it was kind of....blah. But, the best of the three.
Overall, the beer was ok, but if you are in the area, try to make it a little further to Raccoon Lodge.
So, all of that being said, I have some other observations. First off, it is primarily, I would say, a family friendly sports bar. They do have a pretty big menu, with lots of different options, and even a separate vegetarian menu. The food we had was pretty good. In the back room, they have four shuffle board tables, four pool tables, and a really interesting looking Gilligan’s Island pinball game. Each shuffle board table had a nicely laminated sheet with instructions and rules for the game, which is great. I wish they applied the same well thought out design and execution to the beer menu.
Old Market Pub makes me angry, like other brew pubs do. The beer seems to take a distant back seat. After asking for the beer menu, I was given a little 4x5 wrinkled piece of paper, with some horrible notes on the beer. Most of the info listed brags about awards they won in the last century, instead of little things like ABV%, IBU, and hops used etc. This is info beer geeks love, and thrive on. Why take more pride in your shuffleboard rules than your beer menu, you're a brewery! After ordering our first beers, our main menu with the beers listed was taken away, leaving me with no list to go off of until I asked for it. Does this frustrate anyone else??
The bar is covered in Corona crap too, from dirty Corona bottle salt and pepper shakers, Corona coasters, and Corona banners running the entire length of the room. Corona? Do they have stock in the bar? Also, it wasn’t even listed on the beer menu as an option, do they even carry it? Aaugh! They are a brew pub in Portland, meaning they make their own beer, and I assume take pride in it, why clutter your brew pub with Corona stuff. Was the distributor trying to clean out the trunk of his car? Have you ever seen a Budweiser poster at Double Mountain? A Busch coaster at Upright Brewing? Fuck no. Whew....calm down...calm down..
So, I don’t know, maybe I am super critical. Maybe they just want to make some beer, and watch some football. Nothing wrong with that.

Palo Santo Marron

2009-11-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

The Palo Santo Marron, from the ever experimental folks at Dogfish Head, is a 12% ABV brew that pours out like motor oil....a very tasty motor oil. One you get past the likeness to Pennzoil, you notice the beer pours with a gorgeous, creamy head. In the darkness lies a beer aged in wooden tanks made from Paraguayan Palo Santo, which translates to "holy wood", trees. The nose does little to let you in for what you have in store, you mouth is about ready to thank you. The taste is caramel, with hints of cherry: vanilla, with hints of chocolate. It tastes so smooth, you wonder where the 12% is, but after a bottle, you soon find out. The label lists it as a Brown Ale, but Porter or Stout drinkers would find a friend here as well.
The wood lends so much to this beer. The tanks used are "At 10,000 gallons, the largest wooden brewing vessel built in America since before Prohibition." Usually I am dubious about beer aged in wood. I think sometimes it adds a lot, but sometimes it adds too much. This beer's wood addition is so subtle, like Getz playing softly in the background. But, as Corcovado sweetly fills the room, you can hardly imagine the room without it.
I bought this fine beer at Beer Mongers for $3.50 a bottle, though I would, after trying it, gladly paid more.

I'm Sorry...

2009-11-25T20:28:00.001-08:00

but this has nothing to do with beer or darts, but it makes me smile....

Fire Mountain Brew House

2009-11-24T16:27:00.000-08:00

Hidden on the bottom shelf at John's Market, I found a new beer, from a new brewery, Fire Mountain Brew House. Located in Carlton, FMBH has two brews to choose from, an "Oregon Pale Ale", and a "Steam Fired Stout." According to FMBH, the pale is "The best of both worlds. This crisp, balanced ale combines the fruity yeast profile of an English ESB with the light body and citrusy hop character of it's American counterpart." It is a good beer, but in my opinion, not so much a pale. In fact, I would say it is one of the better ESB's I have had. It has a fruity, citrus nose, and a dark brown color. The first taste I got was sweet malt, with a very citrus, almost orange , finish. At 5.5% it is quite drinkable, and has a very low 35 IBU. On the label they claim to be brewed "old school," and maybe they are. I drink this and think of some truly fantastic English ESBs. I would like to see this on tap somewhere soon, to really see a nice full flavor profile on it, as I always think something gets lost in the bottling.
All in all, a good beer. I think this upstart shows great promise, and I look forward to trying more of their brew. They mention that they are also at Saraveza and Hop and Vine.

One Horse Tavern

2009-11-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

The One Horse Tavern in Gaston used to serve up some home made microbrew, good food, and provide some small town friendly service. Well, two out of three isn't bad. Coming back from Wandering Aengus yesterday, I made a plan to stop at the One Horse Tavern to try out some of their brew, but, alas, they brew no more. The bartender that has only been there three weeks did not know when or why they stopped, but after checking around the web, it seems as though they were brewing as recently as June 2009. Currently, they have four taps, and a moderate bottle menu. The menu looked interesting, although, not a place for vegetarians...at all. But, according to the bartender/waiter/cook, the food is all homemade, and excellent.
So, if you are in the area, and eat some dead cow, stop on by, but do not make plans to go there to try their beer.

Review: La Mâitresse du Moíne

2009-11-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Midnight Sun Brewing is a brewery that I, until now, was not very familiar with. Most people probably can not name more than one Alaskan brewery, which I hope changes. I got myself a 220z bottle of La Mâitresse du Moíne last night at Beer Mongers, and was completely blown away. It is a Belgian-style dark ale that comes in at 9% ABV. It pours quite dark, with a nice creamy head. The nose has hints of caramel, sweet malt, and brown sugar. In the mouth, it's caramel notes become stronger, and has that "oh so lovely" Belgian yeast taste. It has a very strong taste, but light body.
Even my Belgian beer hating wife was loving this beer..too much in fact...next time I will buy her her own.
The Mongers also have CoHoHo, a seasonal Imperial IPA from Midnight Sun, and they are trying to get the Arctic Devil Barley Wine. Belmont Station has the Maitresse, Obliteration, Panty Peeler, and Sockeye Red.

And the winner is.....

2009-11-18T18:26:00.000-08:00

..for the award of most useless use of shop space in Portland goes to "Stout, Microbrew, Wine and Market." The new..ok..I'll call it a bottle shop..located at 2033 SE Hawthorne, opened with the fanfare of an ant's fart, and rightly so. Stout, Microbrew, Wine and Market (yes, that's the name) is to bottle shops what MC Donald's is to fine dining. Walking in reveals a selection only second to 7-11, after it's been robbed and hit by a bomb. 80% of the beers are from Pyramid, 10 from Misc, and the rest is PBR. 6 packs of macro brews, hanging out warm against the wall, will run you 7.99, while the special of the day, Pyramid 12 packs, will set you back 8.99. It might be the only place in town to still get spring seasonals. Nothing is really priced, and you need the shop owner, with his phone glued to his ear, to let you know what things cost. Though after being there, I learned it is either 7.99, or 8.99. The soda to beer ratio was roughly 3 to 1, and the back room was full with assorted crackers, ramen noodles, and other crap I saw for a split second before bolting out the door.
Ignore the British flag on the sign too, since I saw not a single brew from the UK.
Oh yeah, they have wine too. Save yourself the 200% markup and go to Plaid Pantry.
If you have the desire to stop and check it out, pull over, place your hand in your glove compartment, and slam it repeatedly until you pass out from the pain. You will thank me later.

Mash Tun

2009-11-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

If ever there was a time I cursed myself for not having a growler or set of darts in my car, it was today. I had first gone to Mash Tun years ago, on a blind date. Memories of the girl, and the beer, had fizzled away. But trying to come up with a place to grab a pint and bite in North Portland today, Mash Tun came to mind. Back then I was single, and swore Full Sail was the greatest beer ever/ Things have since changed.
It is easy to drive right by Mash Tun. Located on a side street off of Alberta, a small sandwich board is all you have to guide you as you concentrate more on avoiding hitting stoned hippies or lost tourists.
The small-ish brewery is off to your right as you enter, and the dart board is on your left. The dining area can seem a little cramped if the outdoor patio is not open, but one man’s small is another man’s cozy.
Besides their own brews, the full bar also has a nice selection of guest taps from Ninkasi, Double Mountain, and Walking Man. The dining area also has a free pool table, along with three (three too many for me) flat screen TVs playing whatever game is going on.
When we were there, they had four of their own on tap, an Imperial IPA, the “Cream O’ Wheat,” “Alberta Pale,” and the “Kilgore Stout." We tried it all, except for the Imperial IPA. The Alberta Pale, in short, was excellent. It was a nice golden color, a little cloudy, and poured with a very small head. It wasn’t very hoppy, and the hops that were used gave the beer a pleasant floral flavor, and very little bitterness. It had hints of orange, and finished nicely.
The Kilgore Stout was quite dark, but light tasting. It was slightly sweet, and had strong flavors of chocolate. Erin described it as “roasty.”
Lastly, I had the Cream O’ Wheat. I am usually not a great admirer of wheat beers,but this was a dilly of a beer. It was light , and a good session beer I think. No real strong flavors came out, it was instead balanced well, and a joy to drink without endless dissection.
A lesson I learned today was one should never sit under a TV. Most of the eyes in the pub were squarely focused on said TV, which in turn felt like every eye was focused on us. But it’s ok, I am working on these issues in therapy.
Also, our waitress, Kimberly, at that moment, was indeed the hardest working waitress in Portland. She was not only the only waitress, but seemingly the bartender, and busboy. She may have been the cook too, but I am not sure. During all of this, with a full room, she remained calm, friendly, and a fountain of info on Mash Tun’s brews.
Other notes, my usual bitch, not enough info about the beers. I would like to see a menu, that actually stays at the table, describing all of the beers, including ABV’s, IBU’s, and any other pertinent information. And also...ummm..well, that’s it. The food was great, the beer was very good, and the entire waitstaff (Kimberly) was awesome.
Make a trip up to Alberta for Mash Tun. It is well worth the trip.

New Breweries

2009-11-11T16:00:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't heard, Stumptown is going to be guest to even more microbrews int he next coming months. Between Beervana and It's Pub Night doing great jobs reporting this, I'd like to simply link to this list on Beer Around Town. Enjoy, and keep your peepers peeled.

Monday night at Beer Mongers

2009-11-10T16:44:00.000-08:00

Where else can you hear Robert Plant belt out Black Dog on a huge flat screen while trying quality micro brews? I had a great time at Beer Mongers last night. They recently added four more taps, bringing the grand total up to five. On tap last night was Ninkasi Sleigh'r, Firestone's Union Jack, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Bear Republic's Racer 5, and Monkey Face Porter.
Besides the Led, Firestone was doing a tasting, showing off their Union Jack (way better on tap), Nectar IPA, Hemp Ale, and their "seasonal" robust porter. The only beer I really liked was the porter. The Union Jack, as mentioned, was far better on tap, and I found it flat from the bottle. The Nectar IPA was hop heavy for me, and the Hemp Ale fell into the Hemp beer status of being gimmicky.
Aside from that, last night was great. The guys that run the place are true beer lovers, and it's a privilege to get into a conversation with one of them. Check this place out if you haven't already. The prices are awesome, and the beer they have all rate as very interesting choices, and you will find something you haven't seen before.

Cash pricing at Belmont Station

2009-11-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

As a member of Belmont Station's email list, I was recently informed of their new pricing setup.
From their email:
"Effective this Monday, November 2, the biggest discounts will go to CASH customers. Just as at the gas pump you now see two prices on all the beer, cider, mead, sake, and wine at Belmont Station. The CASH price is about 4% lower than the credit/debit price."
Hmmm, what to think of this? My first observation is that, to my knowledge, no other retail store,including bottle shops, does this. As a devotee to plastic currency, I know I am less likely to shop there now, knowing that someone in front of me, with the same product, will be paying less with cash.
Also, if I bring a certain amount of money, cash, and happen to see something new or interesting, I can not grab it if it eceeds the amount of cash I brought. I have to walk around thinking about how much I am spending, instead of grabbing a pint next door, and wandering around filling my six pack at will. Now yes, they will have an ATM there...
"We are also installing an ATM for your convenience, although we recommend you make sure you know if your bank will charge you extra to use what they call a "foreign" ATM. Tip: some credit unions and small banks do not charge these fees, that is the kind of ATM card I have."

As far as I know, the keeping the money local argument goes flying through the window when you are paying an ATM fee, and any money you are saving by using cash gets sucked back into that fee.
It could be I am being whiny about this. You may say, "just man up and bring cash", and "you can avoid a fee by going to your bank."
True.
I do not like the idea of being in the same store, buying the same items, and paying different prices. Whether or not it is the cash price at Belmont, gas at the station, or whoever has that fucking Safeway card. Though not overly scientific, I did find a poll online regarding this issue regarding gas stations. Out of 26,335 votes, 29% of the votes said they would rather go elsewhere for gas to either protest the practice, or find a better price. Considering 40% of those polled didn't have stations that split prices, that is a staggering number.
But, I still like Belmont. And I don't think they are doing this to frustrate people on purpose, or or for any other reason but to save money for customers, and make more for themselves. That being said, I think I'll grab a pint at Belmont, and buy a beer at Beer Mongers. I guess it is the stuborn mule in me, but I don't like being punished for whatever payment option I choose.

Forest Finds

2009-10-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Had a great time last week at one of my favorite places to find cool trash out in the Gorge. This particular site is over in Washington, and besides the pictured Lucky Lager, I found lots of old Blitz cans, and a new find..Rheinlander. Now, as far as I can piece together from random websites, Rheinlander, which I had never heard of before, was brewed up in Seattle at Sick's Rainier Brewing, brewer of Rainier, and eventually Heidelburg. Specifically, Rheinlander was brewed at their Century Brewery.
All, from what I have heard, were pretty bad beers, but really, for me, paint the picture of a long gone Northwest. These old breweries were staples, and had been around forever.
Lucky Lager had actually at one time had a brewery in Vancouver, WA. After all others had closed, Lucky was being made up at the Olympia Tumwater Brewery. Now, Olympia and Rainier are brewed under contract in California. Seems kind of wrong, but at least the names are still alive. Lucky is made by Labatt's now, and quite popular in southern BC. Rheinlander is long gone, though a brewery in Wisconsin makes a beer called Rhinelander, note the difference in spelling, and confusion.

Oskar Blues

2009-10-24T14:19:00.001-07:00

Quick note here. I am sure a lot of you have had some awesome product made by the great folks at Oskar Blues. But, did you know, that the plastic rings that hold the six packs together are photo degradable??? How cool is that!?! In other words, left out in sunlight, they will actually totally disappear. Another reason to pick up some at Belmont or Beer Mongers (that allows you to buy single cans) today!!

Salmon Creek Brewery

2009-10-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

The other day we made it to Salmon Creek Brew Pub up in Vancouver, right next door to By the bottle. I had never been there before, but really it was the only place in the Couve I could think of to take my parents out to eat. Plus, the opportunity to scratch another brew pub of my list sounded good too. In theory.
Only two beers were ordered, by myself and my wife. I got the promising sounding Brother Larry's Belgian, while Erin went for the Scottish Ale. Short story, both were a disaster. The Belgian was a nice color, and even had a pleasant, though subtle, nose. The hint of any kind of Belgian flavor lasted seconds, and disappeared leaving the oh so pleasant taste of water. It was weak beyond belief. The Scottish was exactly the same, my cat is more Scottish than that beer was. My mom's ice tea even looked about 50-50 water and tea.
It was bad beer folks. Maybe it always isn't, I don't know. I would always be happy to give it another go to see. Or at least, I would have been.....
When we got the bill the real entertainment started. We were shocked that four lunches, two beers, and two double shots of Jim Beam ended up being over $90. Ok, that's fine, we were shocked, but I guess $11 for a double shot of Beam adds up, but something else didn't. Apparently, my beer was more expensive than Erin's, and not available on the happy hour menu. Would have been nice to know that. We asked, and the very nice waitress asked someone, who turned out to be the owner, Ana Pratt. She laughed, and said "Of course it's more expensive, everything comes from Belgium to make it. " Maybe a Belgium brewer should have come in the box.
Ok, well, we mumbled and went to signing the check. Then she comes over, and explains, again, that it all comes from Belgian, and that it is not on the happy hour menu. The problem we had, was, there is no notation of any of that on the beer menu. She then, in front of the lovely waitress, says it was the waitress's fault for not letting us know. The fight was on. My wife, irritated that she would call out the waitress for her mistake, told her bluntly that the beer wasn't very good. She then told us it has won several awards . You know, this was the same problem I had with Ken at Fearless. If someone doesn't like your beer, don't start shouting who does like it, and bringing out your ribbons and shit. Say something like, "you know, I am sorry you didn't like it, would you like to try something else", or something along those lines. Both Ana and Ken got angry we didn't like it, and treated us like idiots because they have award winning beer. That somehow their scary great brewing skills were lost on the likes of us. Awards do not pay the bills, and that award was for a single batch. I know what we had that day would not win 2nd place at a 2 beer competition.
So, my humble, simple advice is to avoid this place at all costs. Ana would rather argue that her beer is good, than actually listen to what her customers are saying. But hell, it's just my opinion.
I know lots of places where I can get better beer, and friendlier service.

Taste Test

2009-10-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

So, I have making my way through some beers that I normally wouldn't buy, in an attempt to tune in on what my father would go for. Last night, I decided to do a blind taste test, made possible my the fine folks at Beer Mongers, that allow you to buy single cans. The beers: Coors, Tecate, Alaskan Amber, PBR, Dales Pale Ale, and Big Sky Brewing's Trout Slayer. I tried to get mild tasting, lighter beers, with a few twists thrown in. Another way to go, I guess, would have been to get Busch, Bud, and some Natural Light thrown in, but my poor fridge can only hold so much shitty beer. A side note, I plan on doing a blind taste of PBR, Hamm's, Olympia, and Rainier at some point.
So, the color I thought would be a dead give away for the Alaskan and Dales. They were darker, and the Alaskan would be more red. I was feeling confident. But, I was only able to pick out the PBR and Dales. We also found out that dad's favorite beer wasn't his beloved Coors, but PBR, even when tasted side by side.
Then, with six half glasses, the fun started. We got the idea to start mixing. The Coors and PBR got mixed, and mellowed out the PBR's fizzy-ness, while making the Coors a little more interesting. Not bad. Next, we mixed the Alaskan Amber and the Dales. Wow, now, if you want to tste something different, that is the way to go. It was pretty good. The Tecate and Trout Slayer got mixed last, and in this case, last was definitely least. Horrible. Though, to be fair, the only thing one could do to improve the taste of Tecate would be to drop a bomb on the brewery.
My personal taste was the Dales was easily the best, and the Tecate was the worst. Though, maybe it wasn't even fair to compare all of these together, but, we did, and it was fun.

Big Horse Brewing

2009-10-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hood River has three breweries, Full Sail, Double Mountain, and Big Horse. Big Horse you say??? Yep, atop a hill, with an army of stairs to ward off the weak, it does exist. Why hasn't this brewery received the accolades that Double Mountain and Full Sail have?? Hmmm, I think I may know why.
My parents are still here. We did the whole fruit loop thing, and arrived in Hood River too early to enjoy the genius of the brewers at Double Mountain. Full Sail was out of the question because, well, I do not like the taproom anymore. So we went to Big Horse for a pint and some grub. The adventure into the unknown started only after my parent's, in their 70's, trekked up the stairs.
First impression, the service sucked. Althought the two waitresses seemed friednly enough, this observation was only determoned by how I saw them treat the other customers. It would be awhle before we were aknowledged at the please wait to be seated room. It not only would have been nice to be talked to, but even offered a pint as we were waiting for a seat. After being sat, the service improved.
Second impression, the pricing of beer was a little too complex. Archimedes himself would scratch his head deciphering it. First off, I hate places that charge for a sample of beer. I think a microbrew, especially one with a zillion stairs, should reward patrons with a 40z sample of their choosing. Charging a dollar for a 40z sample seems trivial. Then, they have sliding scale taster tray pricing. 4 4oz samples will run you 5$ (though a pint only costs you $4), and 5 samples go up to 6, 6 for 7, etc. Then, you have to add .50 for a pint of beer that is 7% ABV- 8% ABV, and $1 to a beer that is 8% +. Christ, after going through all of this, anyone would need a drink.
First up, I had the Lonely Mt. Blacksmith Beer. At 6.5%, I slid just under the 7% penalty charge. It was described was a Swarzbier, a black lager. It came with a nice, creamy head, and very dense, dark black color. On the nose I picked up hints of anise, and malt. The taste combined malt, anise, and a smokey flavor. Not too shabby.
My dad had the Easy Blonde. At 5%, I hoped the light beer would be the closest thing to his beloved Coors I could find. It poured without a head, and was a very clear, straw colored brew. The taste was a spicy, almost citrus flavor, and evidently was good enough to warrant a second pint.
The Strange was my last pint. It's made with raw hulled hemp seeds, which, as far as I can tell, looks better on the menu than it ended up tasting in the beer. Adding hemp to a beer seems gimmicky to me. It was made using Palisade hops, and came in at 6% ABV. It tasted like a really bitter, poorly made IPA.
If you are dying to cross off every brewery in Oregon on your list, it may be worth a visit. If not, skip it, and try to get to Hood River late enough to enjoy Double Mountain. Or, you know, go to Full Sail if you haven't been. I only detest it because I saw what it used to be, and loathe the changes they have made. I swear my final words will be "free...oyster..crackers."

parents trip

2009-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

My posting may be sporadic over the next few weeks, as my parents are visiting for the month. My father's visit signals the arrival of a Coors stocked fridge. Over the past 8 years or so, I would always strive to offer some of the NW's finest micros, trying to impress him of my knowledge of breweries, fine beers, and bold tastes. I realized during one visit to a micro brew that my efforts were maybe a bit optimistic, as he asked the bartender what they made that tasted like Coors. Ok, time to throw in the towel.
Coors isn't a bad beer by any means. I find it to be a little tasteless, but of course, I am used to Belgian Sours, bitter IPAs, and black hole dark stouts. But the important thing to me is that my dad likes it, and it is a beer that we can drink together. I would feel like the biggest snobby asshole if I was sniffing a bottle conditioned, 6 dollar a bottle Belgian, as he was happily putting away a can of Coors.
So, for awhile, it's Coors. I even tried a bit to introduce some milder beers, Full Sail's Session, HUB Lager, but to no avail. Interestingly enough, we did find one beer he drank, and even liked. After a trip to Double Mountain a few days ago, we may have found a beer that rivals Coors, their bourbon barrel aged Terrible Two.

a great place to pick up some Coors.

Palette cleansing

2009-09-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting for a bit, because I really haven't been trying a lot of different brew lately. Once in awhile, I need to stop drinking a lot of beer. I need to step back, and let my palette get refreshed, and approach it again with maybe a better, more enlightened palette.
What I do is go to my back up booze, gin. I love gin. Gin, to me, is the holy grail of liquors. Now everytime I go to my favourite bar, I get a shot of Gin with a back of Hamm's. Not only do I enjoy the Gin, and let's be honest: the effects, but I actually apreciate the Hamm's a little, and find it not as disgusting as I once did.
So, what I would recommend to anyone that is a beer nerd, snob, or connoisseur, is to step back for a bit, and refresh your mouth. I have a few ideas, and would be interested to hear more.

Switch styles: Are you the one that orders IPA every time you go out? Get a mix and match IPA sixer every time you go to a bottle shop? For the love of god, there are other styles!! Try not having a single IPA for a bit (more than a day). Order a Pale the next time, or get ready for the cold weather by ordering Stouts more often. You may not like, or down right hate the first exploration into a new style, but not only will you approach IPA differently when you start back up, you may even find more beer that you like. Belgians, Bocks, Lagers, they are all out there.

Switch Boozes: The world is full of other ways to get lit and forget about your troubles, or cause new ones. My other vice is Gin, but it's not for everyone. Go visit a local distillery, and get free samples of other styles before investing money in a bottle. Most liquor stores have tastings sponsored by distilleries, and you can go in and try a few for free. Now, liquor is more expensive, but you can get those little bottles pretty cheap. One tip though, never go bottom shelf unless your mixing. You will thank me the next morning.
Cider is another overlooked beverage. For my money, Belmont Station has the best selection in town. Cider is not as popular here as it is in the UK, and the cider here is different. Some made here are bad imitations, often made from concentrate, and added color and flavorings. But good cider can be found, Aspall is a good Brit way to start. Wandering Aengus makes good dry, fairly traditional UK cider, while Blue Mountain is more sweet, and suited to most Americans. Another tip, Hornsby's is not cider, it's apple flavored crap. Look at it this way: Hornsby's=Busch light, Spire = Coors, Wandering Aengus = Bridgeport, Aspal = Hair of the Dog.
Wine is a good way to go too. Avoid the valley, and hit the Gorge to beat the crowds, and save on tasting fees.

Stop Drinking: Yeah, I know, I'm not doing it either. But, if you can this is probably a good way to refresh your palette. I can not speak from experience though. But, if I was to do it, I would try drinking a lot of fruit juices, and eating foods that contain flavors found it certain styles of beer. Then, when I went back an hour later to drinking, I could better taste the flavors that are listed in the tasting notes, instead of simply saying I do to look smart. Try eating a grapefruit, then drink IPA, eat some chocolate with coffee, then have a stout, etc.

I will drink beer again soon enough, trust me. But for now, it's Gin and Hamm's at my absolute favorite bar of all time. I know when I do, after my adventures through Juniper Berries and Minnesota funk, I will look at that first Vortex IPA or Fred a little different.

Wild River Brewing

2009-09-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

On a recent business trip to Medford, I had a chance to check out Wild River Brewing. Wild River Brewing has three other locations in Southern Oregon: Grants Pass, Brookings, and Cave Junction. Wild River bottles their beer in 12oz bottles, that are only available at their locations. And after talking with a staff member, they are not on tap anywhere else either.
Wild Rivers pride and joy, besides the beer, is a wood fire oven offering up pizzas and calzones. They also have a decent selection of pastas and sandwiches. If like me, your from out of town and want something besides Marie Callendars, Shari’s, or Applebees, Wild River’s food is a welcome find.
I had the taster tray, which had seven of their current offerings: a Kolsch, Bohemian Pilsener, Honey Wheat, IPA, ESB, Nut Brown, and an Imperial Stout. The ABVs ranged from 3.4 for the Nut Brown, to 7.9 for the Double Eagle Imperial Stout.
Without going through them all, I will mention my two favs, and my two “not so favs.” The two that stood out were the Kolsch and the Pilsener. The Harbor Lights Kolsch was clear and golden. It was a little sweet, and balanced by the spalter and hersbrucker hops. The Pilsener was my favorite, and I ended up leaving with a six pack of it. It is dry hopped, which helps build the nose, and gives it a bit of a spicy mouth feel. It is matured on Czech lager yeast, and uses 100% Saaz hops.
The two that didn’t quite give me a smile were the Stout, and the Nut Brown.
The Stout showed promise. It poured dark, with a creamy head, and had a nice nose. But, the body was weak, and it tasted watery and a bit like a stout flavored soda. If this was sent to Catherine II, an 18th century Russian-British war would have been the outcome.
The Nut Brown tasted of burnt stale nuts, and chocolate. Yummy. It was the only taster that I couldn’t even finish. Imagine pouring almond extract into an ESB, and you could match the flavor. The other downer is the almost non-existent amount of alcohol. At 3.4%, you feel as though your having a history lesson, taking you back to the days of near beer.
It’s handy to know of Wild River. If you ever find yourself in a town where they are, they are worth a try. I wouldn’t plan any trip around them, but I would give them another go if they ever found tap space in Portland.

Oktoberfest weekend

2009-09-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a busy weekend. There were a few events going on, and I decided to skip the big one at Widmer Brothers, and instead make an effort to try as many Oktoberfest style beers as I could. Interesting the differences, and similarities.
So, a quick run down. We had the Oktoberfest at New Old Lompoc's Hedge House, one at Fanno Creek Brewpub, Deschute's offering at their Pearl pub, and Bayern's at Higgins.
First up was Lompoc. Their Oktoberfest was 5%, and was described as a pale lager. The pale lager had a vivid, red hue. It was poured with little head. It smelt malty and sweet. The taste was very light, mild hops to add a bit of a floral flavor to it, and was sweet from the malts. It was clean, crisp, and a nice way to start the day.
The one thing I noted, at least for the Oktoberfest beers I tried, one shouldn't look forward to big bold flavors. Those seeking the next 100 IBU beer, or a beer with an ABV of over 8 will be dissapointed. They are traditiionly in the 4-7% range, and lean more to the malty side, than hoppy.
Moving on, (I also had a Belgian style at each place, that I will write about in a separate post) our next stop the Fanno Creek Brewpub in Tigard. They were having an Oktoberfest of their own that didn't quite pack 'em in like Widmer does. But that's ok, they had a great accordion player that, in addition to German classics, added in the theme from Indiana Jones, and even the music from Chalmun's Cantina (any Star Wars nerds out there?). Their Oktoberfest beer was higher than most others, at 6.3%. It poured with a nice head, and was golden in color. It had a citrus nose, with a little funk. This is when I would like to say, again, I wish a brewery would provide tasting notes for their beers. This beer had none, as I find strange since the Oktoberfest beer at their Oktoberfest is kind of important. That being said, it was balanced, approaching boring. I have had a lot of Fanno Creek brews that I really liked, but this one I didn't. It was ok, but dull.
The next day, we started out at Deschute's in the Pearl. I love Deschute's brews, but do not really like the Pearl outpost. The staff is very nice, the food is good, but I hate the room. Except for the bar area, the place feels like a Golden Corral. I feel like I should be walking up to the buffet grabbing some salad, jello, french fries, and crab legs. I don't even know if I can put my finger on it, but that's how it makes me feel. Their Portland brewed, 5.3% Oktoberfest was served in a honest pint, and pretty good. It was a light amber color, and the nose had notes of grain, and some tropical fruit. It tasted fine, and was balanced, but really tasted like an amber. It was made with German Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich malts, but I could not detect much of a malty taste.
Lastly was Bayern's at Higgins. Much different than the others. Very dark, and malty. It is 6% ABV, and brewed with hops from Bavaria, and Czech Republic. It was an interesting beer, and better than some of the other Bayern beers I have had.
Overall, it was interesting compare all of these. None of them for me really stood out, but all were worth a try. What I am excited about is to write about the Belgian style ales I tried. Some were amazing, and one was horrible.

9-12 beer-vents

2009-09-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day for beer drinkers. There is a plethora of events going on. Widmer Brothers, and Fanno Creek are both having Oktoberfest celebrations. Also tonight, the Portland Art Museum is hosting an event featuring Laurelwood, Lompoc, and Lucky Lab. I do not know much about the details for that one, and PAM doesn't list it anywhere I could find on their site. (update: it is actually on the 19th, the date was listed wrong on SNOBs site.)
Also, if you feel like going out of town, there is a Septembeerfest going on down in Corvallis. It sounds pretty cool, and features a pretty good lineup of brews. I am not up to the drive, as I am going to Medford in a few days, and tend to limit my I-5 travels to a bare minimum. If you go, make sure to check out Calapooia in Albany, they have 4 or 5 dart boards, and take darts pretty seriously there.
Enjoy.

New bottle shop alert!!

2009-09-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

The Beer Mongers just opened up a bit ago, as alerted to me by It's Pub Night. I can't add much to his review, only to say I checked it out yesterday, and I thought it was very cool. It is not as big or well stocked as Belmont Station, but it does have some interesting choices, and some great prices. I spent $3.85 on a Hair of the Dog, which if memory serves, is a pretty good price. They said they do plan on adding more beer, as well as some mead and cider. Hopefully they will work in some tastings and events, much like my beloved Belmont.
The plus for me is I can walk to Beer Mongers, but to walk to Belmont Station, I would need to hire a Sherpa. Also, for those not in the area, Beer Mongers is right on the 4 Bus Line.

Who knew raccoons played darts?

2009-09-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Well, apparently they do, at least at the Raccoon Lodge, home of Cascade Brewing. We went there yesterday, just to try their beer, but, was pleasantly surprised by the fact they have a dart board downstairs.
First off, the dart board is in such a great location. Against the back wall, out of everyone's way, and player's get a perfect view of the brewery through the glass. Hell, you have to walk through the brewery to get to the bathroom. The board appears to be very new, or, maybe it just hasn't seen a lot of action.
What goes best with darts? Well, beer of course. And luckily, Cascade Brewing makes some really good beer. And what goes better with darts and beer? A great bartender, and boy did we have that with Davey. He was super friendly, helpful, and offered us a sample of anything we wanted, and insisted we try the Razberry Wheat. He also let us in on the fact that Saturday and Sunday are all day happy hours.
So, we started with the Razberry Wheat sample, then I had a 12oz pour of the Mouton Rouge, Erin had the Celtic Copper Ale, and then we split a taste of the Mt. Hood Honey Moon Pale, and I ended with a pint of the Blond Bock.
First up, the Razberry Wheat. At 4.5% ABV, and 18IBU, this is a pretty light beer. The raspberry flavors dominate in a way that one may not even think it was a beer. More like a spritzer, and raspberry soda. It was crisp and refreshing, but I personally would find it hard to have a whole pint of it. I would say it was more interesting than good.
Then, I ordered the Mouton Rogue, a "NW style sour red." It was so nice to see a local brewery make a sour of such complexity and interest (though don't get me wrong, I know there are several that do). It reminded me of the Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour. It wasn't quite as puckering as New Belgium's La Folie. I noted a nice cherry nose, a beautiful red color, and a very quick, sour taste. Although the tasting notes mention it is a blend of barrels with up to 16 months of lactic fermentation and aging, I tasted no oak-ness. A bold sour, and at 7.5%, one that will sneak up on you, making it perfect to blame as your wife beats you at darts.
The sample of the Mt. Hood Honey Moon Pale was up next for us, and it was a beer that didn't really impress me all that much. Not that it wasn't good, it wasn't in the league of the sour. Call me crazy, but to me, it tasted like a Kolsch. A style of beer I am not floored by, unless it is the tasty Hale's Kolsch. They bill it as a pale, with 70lbs of honey for every 10 barrels. It's 5%ABV, and 34IBU. I detected no honey notes, but maybe a full pint may have been in order. Sometimes, for me, it is hard to get a full feel of a beer from a sample. I am sure the style Nazis will disagree with me, but I tasted Kolsch. It even reminded me of Double Mountain's Kolsch, the only beer of theirs I am not a fan of. But, I am sure others love it.
My last pint was the Blond Bock. It has a gold color, 6.2% ABV, 40 IBU, and is made with Saaz Hops, which gives it a spicy finish, with a slight peppery mouth-feel. It is light tasting, and a nice malt/hop balance. It's a beer that you could drink, drink, and drink. It was like an excellant session beer. Was it super interesting? No. But it tasted very good, and I could put quite a few away I think. I wonder if they would let me crash on their pool table?
Erin's Celtic Copper Ale had an amazing nose, smokey, maybe even a little leathery. They say it appeals to Amber drinkers, but I think Red drinkers, or even Scotch Ale drinkers would find this beer to their liking. I only got one taste of it, so I can't write much, though I did like it.

So, the pros:
Dartboard
The beer is very good
They also have a full bar
All day happy hour Saturday and Sunday
Honest pints
Awesome staff

The few cons:
Sports bar - it has four flat screens downstairs, all playing something different, I know they are popular, but I have something about TVs in pubs. That's really just a me thing.
Not very veggie friendly
Too far away from me

But wait....
Davey told us about something great, something fantastic, something...dare I say..monumental!! Coming around, or after the new year, they are going to open an east side establishment, close to 8th and Belmont that will be named the Barrel House. So, that will be cool. I hope that location also has a dartboard.
By the way, the do make some beers that they do not serve on tap, and those are available at...you guessed it..Belmont Station.

Enviro-rant

2009-09-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

This topic has been rolling around in my head for awhile. It concerns something I see all too much when we go hiking. Trash. Nothing ruins a long day of hiking to some remote piece of beauty, than seeing a Busch light can nestled in the ferns. So, I am advocating something here, and hopefully it will take off. Also, I am going to tell you a secret I have, and hope it spreads.
First, some math. Erin and I hiked Wind Mountain in Washington the other week. Great hike. Then, we did some geocaching. The geocache was surrounded by tons of disgusting garbage, most of which I wouldn't touch unless I was wearing a bio hazard suit. It made me sad. Well, what we decided to do was pick up, at the very least, the recyclable cans and bottles, and take them back to town, cashing in on the deposit. It isn't much, but it's something. We ended up with a pound or so, a mix of about 10 or 12 bottles and cans. From which, we will get around .50. Ok, not much, granted. But, it's a pound of trash that isn't in the wild now. Plus, we get a free game of two-player Ms. Pac Man at Clinton St. Pub.
So, what if...what if..25 couples go hiking on an average day. Obviously, a lot more do, but let's say 25 couples. They each pick up a pound of trash. Now let's say, those same couples go hiking twice a month, and each time they pick up a pound of recyclables, that's 50 pounds out of the forests. That turns into 600 Pounds a year. 600 pounds less of junk, junk that will never rot, out of our pristine forests, lakes, creeks, watersheds, and mountains. The things that make the Pacific Northwest what it is. Now, I am no math genius, but the way I figure it, that 600 pounds, turns into about 600 two player Ms. Pac Mans. All for one couple, taking 2 pounds of recyclables, a month, from where it doesn't belong.
Now, my secret. I have found some cool trash (pictured above). All through the Columbia River Gorge, I have found dump sites, filled with our forefathers garbage. I have started a large, classic beer can collection from only what I have found along some popular, and not so popular, trails in the Gorge. I will be happy to share the locations with anybody, if they promise to take what they want..and a little extra. Oregon State Parks has said they do not plan on cleaning it up, as it may be "historic trash." Bull shit, it's a bunch of cool Rainier, Heidelberg, and Olympia cans from the 50's.
I guess, all I am trying to say, is if your out, try to pick up a little something. Just think, once you do, no one will ever see that piece of trash there ever again. Sure, you may go back a month later, and see more trash, but someones got to start somewhere. And I propose, that beer lovers, are Oregon lovers, or are Washington lovers. Like us, you may like to hike, then hit up a micro brew . Well, try picking up after other people, people who are so careless, thoughtless, and do not care about anyone or anything but themselves. By doing so, you show your love for this area. And, who knows, you may even find something cool along the way.
That's it, my hippie rant is over. I promise not to do it again.

Pranqster

2009-09-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

The trouble with developing a love of Belgian Ales, is the price. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's worth a few extra bucks to get some really good, expertly crafted, Belgian Ale. But, well, it's a love that can get spendy, fast. So, maybe going to Belgian "styled" ales is a way to go once in awhile. I'm not a snob (actually I am a S.N.O.B), I'll try an American Belgian style ale. So off to the best bottle shop ever, Belmont Station, I went. Mainly to grab some free tastings of Hale's, but also to get something..different. Enter...Pranqster, a Belgian style golden ale, from the good folks at North Coast Brewing. You know them, you love them, they make Old Rasputin, and Red Seal, one of the best ESB's that isn't a ESB, around. I just finished my 120z, and at $2.49, a hell of a bargain. It's fairly strong, at 7.6%. It poured with a slight head, that fizzed away quickly. The nose had typical Belgian notes, but not as strong as, say , a Saison Dupont or anyting. Think...mmm...think Duvel. The taste wasn't too funky, but had enough funk to entertain the die hard Belgian lovers. It was crisp, fun to drink, and had an aftertaste that lingered, making me want another. Ok, not my best description of a beer, but, they all can't be winners. This is a good beer, at a good price, and deserves a try. Plus, if you go to Belmont Station to get it, you can see their cool new tap handle wall.

Everybody's Brewing - finally

2009-08-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

On our third try, we finally got to sample some of the White Salmon based brewery's brews. The first time, they didn't have any of their own on tap, the second time, they were closed due to a neighboring fire. But now, they are open, with three of their own on tap, and nine guest taps. So after a nice hike up Wind Mountain yesterday, we went for a much needed beer. First up, I had the X-tra Pale (pictured), and Erin had the ESB (pictured). At this point, I should say, I do not feel I should say whether or not I liked this ESB, or any ESB. I can say what I thought, but really,I don't like ESB's. Erin liked it a lot, but I didn't, too sweet for my taste. It did have a nice, red colour, and very little head. It has a malty taste, with some bitter notes from the hops. Now, Erin liked it, said it was nicely balanced, and the waiter said it was his favorite beer. I didn't like it, but that says nothing really. Now, my X-Tra pale, which the waiter told me is 5.3%, was really good. Again, little head, nice cloudy yellow color, had some faint citrus notes on the nose, had a hoppy, sweet taste, with a gentle aftertaste, all leading to a very tasty brew. Iwill say, I wondered if the waiter messed up and gave me the IPA, it was a hoppy Pale, but then, I had the IPA, and I knew it WAS the IPA. At 6.8%, it is their biggest brew. The flavor was very floral, and not as bitter as other IPAs. But, it was very good. Sometimes, I think with some extreme IPAs, when the IBUs are pushed, the balance goes askew, making a "hey look what we did" brew, instead of a beer anyone would want to drink on a regular basis. This was a great beer, with an explosive mouth feel. I could swear I even got a little pepper on the aftertaste, with some spicy notes. Very good IPA.
So, to wrap it up, the beer was very good. The view from the deck is amazing, and any bar with a kayak strapped to the wall is a winner for me. We had the nachos for a snack, and have had the chips and mango salsa in the past, both pretty good. The guest tap list is also nice:
Laurelwood Organic Red, Scuttlebutt Porter, Double Mountain Kolsch, Deschutes Green Lakes, Stone IPA, Walking Man Red, Rogue Brutal Bitter, Hamms, and Pine Martin Pale.
So, I have a few complaints, though few, and small. After the drive home, I put my finger on what I didn't like about Everybody's Brewing. It doesn't feel like a brewery, it feels like a family restaurant, that happens to have some killer beer. I would have a beer list, or a beer menu, describing the beer, and listing the details that beer geeks like. When I asked about the ABV, the waiter didn't know any of them, and had to search for the info. Which is fine, and the guy was super nice, but, it's a micro brew. At least write them on the chalkboard. Also, the deck with the great view of Hood I mentioned earlier, is totally at mercy with the sun. I wish they would put out some umbrellas for the tables out there. Two small issues.
Make it a stop on a Hood River, Stevenson, White Salmon pub crawl. Drive from Portland just to go?? Hmmm, probably not, but...maybe. Maybe, go and decide for yourself.

Triple Nickel

2009-08-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Finally, a post about darts. Really, we have been in a rut when it comes to playing darts. We usually end up at Lucky Lab, Roots, or when the eyes want more than the wallet has to offer, resort to the $11 half rack of Lost Coast at Plaid Pantry and stay in playing on our home board that hangs on our sadly punished wall. But last night was different, we decided to venture out to Triple Nickel. It was my first visit to this Belmont dive, known for strong drinks, organic cruelty-free tater tots, pool, and hosting dar t league play. I had read on Bar Fly various reviews, some making it sound like paradise, others making it sound like hell on earth. Some reviewers talked about rude bartenders, dirty people, and disgusting food. But, I found none of that last night. Of course, I am not saying those may not be there, but for us, the experience was good.
It is a sports bar, well sort of. They have a number of flat screens, all playing whatever game of pointy ball may be on. Which, worked well for us, because we had our pick of any of the four dart boards. The dart area is awesome. The ceiling panels ooze nicotine from decades of patrons, the walls are stained in chalk from the score boards, and you are faced with a mind boggling number of plaques and trophies from dart tournaments of years past. All of this, mixed with a damn strong Gin & Tonic, with Queensryche playing on the jukebox, well, that is the Triple Nickel.
Now, the tap list does hold the required PBR, Henry's, and Deschutes offerings. But, there was a couple of interesting taps, Hale's Cream Ale from Seattle, and Trumer Pils from Austria (well, Berkeley, CA).
Yes, I liked the place. Except for one huge problem I had....Erin beat me the first match, and we called the second a draw so we could make our movie (Up, really good by the way).

Bill's Tavern - Cannon Beach, OR

2009-08-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

Bill's doesn't make it to Portland all that often, or, at all as far as I know. They have two locations in Cannon Beach. One downtown in the tourist-centric area, and one a little farther out, the Warren House. Usually, when we are in Cannon Beach, we head for the Warren House. It is less populated with casual wander-bys, has an outside beer garden, and pool table. But, for this trip, after a successful Saddle Mountain summit, we choose the downtown outpost.
They have seven of their own beers on tap, as well as three guest taps.
First up, I had the Duckdive Pale Ale, while Erin opted for the Ragsdale Porter.
The pale had a nice head, a very cloudy hazy body, and was a darkish tan/yellow. There was little nose, but that lead to a low carbonated, nicely balanced brew. It had a full, pleasing mouth feel, and really, in my view, was closer to an IPA than a pale. It is made with Amarillo hops, and weighs in at 4.8%ABV. I really liked it, and wish it would show up in town once in awhile.
The Ragsdale Porter was too bitter for me, personally. For a porter, I found it a little weak, both in flavor and appearance. It finished flat, and left little aftertaste. Erin liked it however, and was happy to find a lighter porter for the summer months.
Next up was the 2x4 Stout, and at 7.9%, the biggest brew Bil's offered. The nose had notes of roasting coffee and caramel. The mouthfeel had malt, smoke, and caramel, with no coffee notes like some other stouts have. They use a mix of Ahtanum, Chinook, and Summit hops.
The last beer I tried was the Asa's Premium Blonde. A 4.6%ABV beer that was light, saison golden, and had a small, though thick head. The nose had a very strong, hopyy and orange aroma. It was crisp, and refreshing.
Bill's isn't a destination brewery by any means, but handy to know about if your in Cannon Beach. The food was good too. We split an order of Halibut fish and chips, and really hogged it down. Why isn't it a destination brewery? Well, everything is good, but not "drive an hour great." Call me an alcoholic (go ahead, my wife does everyday), but I like my beers in the 5.5 plus range, and a little more full bodied. But, for what they were, I thought everything we had was done well, and when I am in Cannon Beach again, I would go back.

Blitz Ladd Inaugural Brewers Challenge

2009-08-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first brewers challenge at Blitz Ladd. Though not too far away, I usually avoid Blitz because I am not a fan of sports bars. But, that being said, we had a pretty good time last night, and enjoyed some great live music from The Insomniacs. The theme for last night's challenge was IPA. The tasting tray was $5 a head, and you got to sample 12 different IPAs. The list was:

Fearless IPA - 5%ABV
Fish Tail IPA - 6.7% ABV
Union Jack IPA from Firestone Walker - 7.5% ABV
Eclipse IPA from Bend Brewing Co. - 7.6% ABV
El Torrero IPA from Alameda Brewhouse - 7.1% ABV
Old Salt IPA from Cascade Brewing - 5.8% ABV
Inversion IPA from Deschutes - 6.8% ABV
Grandson of Spot IPA from Full Sail - 6.0% ABV
Apocalypse IPA from 10 Barrel Brewing Co. - 6.5% ABV
Total Domination IPA from Ninkasi Brewing - 6.7% ABV
Grifter IPA from Mac Tarnahan's - 6.2% ABV
Hop Stoopid IPA from Lagunitas - 7.7% ABV

The Grifter IPA won the judge's choice award, while the Hop Stoopid won the people's choice award. Our two favorites were the Union Jack, and the Old Salt. Our least favorites were the Fearless, and the Eclipse.
I hope they make this first time challenge a yearly event, it was fun. According to the taster sheet, they are having a Winter Brewers Challenge. Stout?? Hmmm, I hope so. I will be sure to check it out.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian

2009-08-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

A nice little sale of note is going on, as I write this at least, at Belmont Station. For just $2.49, you can pick up a bottle of Doppelbock from "the world's oldest brewery. " Weihenstephan Korbinian, besides being a good beer, is a good pickup if, like me, you like to collect labels. As with a lot of German beers, the design on the label is really interesting, colorful, and makes whatever is inside seem very prestigious. Is it the best Doppelbock I have ever had in my entire life? No, but it isn't the worst either. Is it the best I have ever had for $2.49? You bet your ass it is. At 7.4% ABV, you won't make it through too many I would think. It was quite dark, not too sweet, and nicely balanced. I am not a food pairing genius or anything, but I would suspect that this beer goes better with food, than just drank alone. But, again, at $2,49, you can afford to be experimental.

Klamath Basin Brewing at the Lab

2009-08-19T17:08:00.001-07:00

Quick note, a fantastic beer from Klamath Basin Brewing is available at the Hawthorne Lucky Lab. The beer is called 8 Second Ale. It is made using Hersbrucker hops, which gives the beer a light hop flavor, great for these horrid 100 degree days. I thought I might have even detected a little bit of Rye on the mouth feel and aftertaste, which was nice as Lucky Lab currently doesn't offer the Quality Rye, a beer that deserves a seperate mention on it's own.
So, I do not know if other Lucky Labs have it, but stop by the Hawthorne post, grab an 8 Second, then scurry back to the dart boards for an affordable, boozy way to say fuck you to the triple digit temps.

Opinions

2009-08-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Everyone has one. The old saying goes they are like assholes, we've all got one, and they all stink. Sometimes opinions can make you friends, and other times they can make you enemies. Opinions about beer are no different. One man's Duvel is another man's Keystone Ice. If you are in Alabama and order a Duvel in some backwoods bar, your liable to never be seen or heard from again. Likewise, if you order a Bud Light at a micro-brew in Estacada, you will be laughed at "until the idiot who asks this question finally leaves quietly in disgrace".
I think opinions about beer are so interesting. We have our beer experts, our connoisseurs, the opinions that we read in magazines that we hold in high regard. We have our blogs, for those of us that have "way too much time. Instead of creating something. They tear things down, which has always been way easier." And then we have the no blog writing, non beer expert, consumer, that actually likes to drink the beer he/she likes, and tell friends about it.
In my opinion, the most respected of the beer gods, all the way down to the simplest of the Estacada folks "who are so damn jealous" "they can't see straight. They are pissed that someone is able to accomplish anything in this town," have a right to think what they want. We all are amazing experts when it comes to our own palette. It's true. I am the world's leading expert on the palette of Jeff (this Jeff anyway, there are a lot of us).
I blog about it. What I think.
I have a full time job, goals, plans for a side business, have fought and won a battle with cancer, a loving wife, great friends, and count myself lucky to live in the greatest town in the greatest state in the country. I do not have way too much time, I have spare time. Spare time that I like to drink beer, appreciate beer, and talk about beer. If I go somewhere and love it (like the awesome Ft. George) I climb to the tops of buildings , screaming out "Go, Go, Go!!" If, however, I go somewhere else, and do not like it, I enjoy writing abut that as well.
But, who am I . Just a guy. My last name isn't Eckhardt, or Armstrong, or Alworth, all of whom I enjoy reading. I take their opinions very seriously, and respect each of them. I would also respect an opinion from some guy with a last name of Jones, Smith, or Doe.
What gives me a right to my opinion? The hard earned money in my pocket that goes out, and supports the local micro-brews. That's right, my consumerism gives me the right to drink, eat, be merry, and climb on my soap box and bitch and moan to my heart's content.
Some people, however, think certain soap boxes are made out of gold. Unfortunately, in reality, they are ALL made out of popsicle sticks. And not the good popsicle sticks, the cheap crappy ones.
Why Jeff, why do you rant on, why aren't you writing about how great the new tasting room is at Upright Brewing (it is), or how awesome it is that Bar Avignon has Ft. George on a permanent tap (Vortex IPA, mmmm).
Why???? Why????
Apparently, because I have way too much time on my hands, have no desire to create anything, and am surrounded my cross-eyed, jealous, pissed off friends.

*sigh*

Or maybe because every time I drink a micro-brew, I can taste Oregon. And all I want, is for Oregon to taste very, very good.

Cheers.

italicized quotes courtesy of Ken Johnson, whose beers I am not a fan of.

Fearless Brewing - Part Zwei

2009-08-16T16:09:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been emailing back and forth with Fearless brewer and owner Ken Johnson. He read my honest, blunt, and not very kind review of his beer and bar from a few months ago. He has been very nice in his emails, and assured me if I was to come out, he would sit with me and go over every beer and talk with me about them. He also has noted that respected Portland beer writer, Fred Eckhardt, called his IPA monumental, despite the fact I can not find it on tap anywhere in the Portland metropolitan area.
So, denying Ken's kind request to host me, I decided to try to find somewhere where he is on tap in Portland. Well, one of the few I could find was Hungry Tiger Too, a place I knew the location of well, being directly across the street from FH Stienbart. So, this Sunday, my wife and I went to see if my taste buds were off, or if Ken's has slipped.
The beer in question was Fearless's Scottish Ale. Fearless describes this beer as such : "from beer novice to beer geek, everyone loves this beer." Bold. Sadly, much like surburban menus that promise the best fish and chips in Oregon, the beer fails. Everyone does not like this beer. I did not, my wife did not, the bartender did not, and from what we were told, cutsomers did not much like it either.
The color on the beer was fantastic, a dark amber, with almost an orange tinge to it. However, much like Micahel Jackson, the beer had no real nose. The beer starts with a slight hint of flavor, that dissapears quickly, leaving, like most other Fearless beers, an almost detergent aftertaste. My wife treid it, and noted it was malty, and bitter, though I described it more like colored, fizzy, alcolohic water.
I told Ken that anything I say about his beer is my opinion, and nothing personal, though he thinks I have some personal feeling either towards him, or his establishment. I don't. Ken, from what little I have seen, or from what little I have spoken to him, seems like a nice guy, that is happy doing what he does. I just do not like his beer, plain and simple. I hope it gets better, and I wish him and his brewery nothing negative. I just think the beer lacks flavor, substince, and any interest at all.
So Ken, if you read this, know I truly have nothing against you. I just do not like the beer you are currently making.
As if I had any doubt, after this, we went to Upright Brewing's new tasting room and enjoyed their amazing beer. A world apart. Not just in stlye, but in complexity, execution, and passion.

Double Mountain trip

2009-08-13T20:16:00.001-07:00

As if anyone with any common sense needed an excuse to go to Hood River for no other reason other than visitng Double Mountain, I have yet another. Thy name is Oaked Idle Hands. If Ft. George's Illuminator is sex in a glass, than Oaked Idle Hands is the pleasing, comforting smoke afterwords. It is a Scotch ale, aged in oak barrels. It is brewed with Gambrinus Organic Pilsner and Dark Munich malts, imported crystal malts, and roasted barley. It uses Brewer's Gold and Newport Hops. It is 8% ABV. It is...spectacular. At $6 for 12oz, it is a steal. Calling this one of my favourite Double Mountain brews is saying a lot. I haven't found one I don't like yet (though the current batch of Kolsch, unfortunately, seems a bit off). I have a bad feeling that it will never see the bright lights of the rose city, so I urge, beg, insist that you drive, bike, or crawl to Hood River to get it, before it is gone. Double Mountain, I feel at least , is not the same brewery that we saw when it first split from the Full Sail (full sail sucks) macro machine. It is becoming polished (try the Pilsner), experimental (Oak Aged Scoth Ale), and otherworldly (Kriek, Kriek, Kriek). With Ft. George and Double Mountain, I feel like Brad Pitt, with Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie tugging at either arm. But, lucky for me, I get to choose both.

MacTarnahan's Lip Stinger

2009-08-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

MacTarnahan's is not known for extreme beer, interesting beer, or, in my opinion, even good beer. I mean, it's ok, drinkable, but nothing to write home, or a blog about. Until now. I got a 22 of Lip Stinger from the always awesome Belmont Station the other night, and man, was it good. It is a farmhouse style ale brewed with peppercorns. The taste, and interest, was far beyond the 4.8% ABV that the label suggests. It is funky enough to stand proudly in line with other farmhouse style ales, even (gasp) the most excellent Upright Brewing. For a brewery that usually has the excitement of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Lip Stinger is a welcome surprise, and one that I hope to drink much, much more of.

Double Dead Guy

2009-08-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Usually I am not a big Rogue fan. I don't know why, but nothing I had really excited me, and the bottles always beg for a few extra bucks than I usually have. Some of the wilder ends of the Rogue experimentation leave me reaching for my water glass rather quickly. I go to the Rogue pubs though, whenever I am near one, and leave with the same "why did I go there" results. I spent too much on the food, and too much on the beer. Well, my friends, that may have changed during my last visit to the Rogue in Astoria. I got the Double Dead Guy, with an order of Dead Guy Marinated Mussels. The mussels were good, though I prefer the Spruce Gin Shrimp Cocktail. But, the Double Dead Guy, although I have had it before, was excellent. I could get a hint of orange on the nose, and maybe even a little apricot. The taste was fantastic, a little citrus-y, and much like a regular Dead Guy on steroids. They do bottle it, and Belmont Station has it, but if you get it on draft, I would highly recommend it.

Ft. George trip

2009-08-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we took our friends from Illinois to the mecca of coastal brewing, Ft. George. We were lucky enough not only to chat with Chris, but catch the musical stylings of the Musky Buskers.The two piece from Portland sounded great. Ft. George had a BBQ going on outside, with brats (not veggie brats though) and the awesome Illuminator Doppelbock on tap. It is barrel aged using barrels from the Heaven Hills distillery, and tasted a lot like a Belgian Sour to me, which Chris, owner/brewer, agreed with. He credits that to the barrels he used.I of course, took a growler home with me. Which leads me to the next excellent point, the amazing new growlers they have. They are like nothing I have seen before, and have cool flip tops. The other beer of note we tried was the Spank Stout, made with a spicy mix of Jalapeno, Habanero, Pasilla, and Anaheim peppers brewed right into it. I usually despise chili and spicy beers, but this one not only was really good, the subtle spiciness made me want to drink more, and more, and..well, I don't remember much after that.
Ft. George is growing by leaps and bounds, installing a breath taking new outside tank, and inching ever closer to canning their Vortex IPA.
The food, as always, was great, and getting to talk to the two brewers of Ft. George was an honor, and a pleasure.
It is a bit of a drive, but well worth it. Ft. George is my favourite Oregon brewery, with Double Mountain at a close second. Amazing beer.

Everybody's Brewing..except them

2009-08-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

Well, just got back from a berry picking, geocache getting, and Walking Man drinking day of fun. Sadly, when we tried to go to Everybody's Brewing in White Salmon, after being promised last time some home brewed beer in the following weeks, the sign on the door said closed until further notice. So, I am posting this, hopefully stopping others from the journey, since the website says nothing of it. I'll write about Walking Man soon, as well as finish up my Walla Walla series. Until then, beat the heat, and enjoy something cold and alcoholic. Cheers.

Walla Walla Trip #1 - Mill Creek Brewing

2009-07-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

We just got back from a little trip to Walla Walla. The first question I got when I told people we were going was, "Why?" Well, after coming back, I can tell you why. About 140 Wineries, 3 Breweries, and one Cidery.
There are two breweries in Walla Walla, and a third one really close. The first one I want to talk about is Mill Creek Brewing.
Located right in downtown Walla Walla, this one definitely wins for convenience. We went there twice, as it is also one of the few places open relatively late. They only had three of their four beers available, so we will have to grab the other during a later visit.
We tried their Walla Walla Wheat, IPA, and a beer named Brew 22.
The wheat is served with a lemon, but isn't' quite as light as most Hefs. It was an ok beer, good for a hot day, drinkable, but wasn't my favourite.
Their IPA had a real nice, dense, amber color. It had a strong hop flavour, that disappeared quickly, and had the requisite floral notes. The menu says this is for the advanced beer drinker, but I am pretty sure a novice could handle it ok.
The Brew 22 was actually pretty good. We had heard that is wasn't, and that a previous recipe was far superior. Maybe so, but I really liked this beer. The menu says this has just a hint of attitude, which sounds more like a tag-line for a Scion than a beer. It had a dark amber color, a distant spiciness, and, again, was nice for a summer night. Not real heavy, but the most interesting of the beer we had there.
So, food wise, free peanuts that you can throw on the floor was an instant hit with me. The fish and chips, sadly, were not. But hey, I was dumb enough to order fish and chips in Walla Walla, so I got what I deserved.
The decor is sports bar , meets nick knack grandmother, meets beer advertising freebies gone wild.
But, I kinda liked the place. I am a simple man, easily won over by free peanuts.

Washingotn Series #4 - Pike Brewing

2009-07-22T16:00:00.000-07:00

The last stop on our holiday last month was a visit to Pike Place Market. Erin had never been before, and it is always a thrill for me to play tour guide. One thing I had never done before was to check out Pike Brewing, located right in the market. Pike brew is relatively easy to find here in town, but a trip here is a must. The space they have is huge, and includes a beer museum. We had a pizza, which was very good, as was all of the beer we tried. The one that stood out, and that Belmont Station has now in a 22oz, is the Monk's Uncle. At 9% ABV, this is a beer that will slap you upside the head with goodness. It is an Abbey Style beer, brewed with Belgian Yeast and candy sugar. The website says it is avaliable only in the spring, so I would run and grab some before it is gone. For any fan of Belgian beer, this is a great, local, must try.
Really I have nothing bad to say about the place. You have to go into it with some knowledge though. It is downtown Seattle, so you will, unless your more patient than me, need to pay for garage parking. If you pick the wrong day, or the wrong time, driving around Pike Place Market area can make you wish you had stayed home, shoving pieces of broken glass up your nose, listening to the Jonas Brothers, and drinking Budweiser. Ok, I may have gone too far, forget the Budweiser.
But, if you can handle the traffic, and the comotion of a Seattle icon, check it out, the beer and food is top notch, as is the staff.

Washington Series #3 - LaConner Brewing

2009-07-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

When we found LaConner Brewing, we weren't even looking for it. We were simply exploring the cutesy, yet gastronomically gifted little tourist town of LaConner, WA. Then, like a lightning bolt from heaven, I saw the word brewery out of the corner of my eye, and the rest of that night is hazy history. Well, almost.
Not to spoil the end, but this experience was one of the best I have ever had at a brewery. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and even, after spying my camera on the table, offered to take a picture of us together. I have my favourite places, Ft. George, Double Mountain, and Belmont Station. They are my favourites because I leave with a smile, and eagerly anticipate my next visit. I spend hours at my shitty job, thinking about past times, and can not wait to return. LaConner is now in that league. The beer, and food, was awesome. Between us both, we tried the Vienna Style Lager, the ESB, and the Brown. I shall work backwards.
I don't like Browns, or should I say, I don't usually like Browns. The Brown here is listed as a "English-style Nut Brown ale." A overly simplistic description for quite a complex beer. It was light brown in color, had a very nice, heavy body, a very pleasant aftertaste, and had a subtle chocolate mouth feel. My only regret about this beer was that I didn't have my trusty travel growler ready to take some home.
The Lager and the ESB were both excellent. Each, showing far more interest than I am used to in each of their styles. You think lager, and if your like me, you think boring. A few stand out of course, Heater Allen comes to mind, and now, so does LaConner. Erin enjoyed her ESB, and noted hints of orange, and was nicely balanced with 6% ABV. As with other offerings, it uses imported hops and malts.
The food was great, we shared the Wood Fired Chipotle Cream Clams. The dominate kitchen focal point is a beautiful, wood fired brick oven. You can taste it in the clams, between the spice and heat of the chipotle sauce. That, combined with the beer, make it quite an experience.
It is a bit off the beaten path, which is usually where you discover hidden gems anyway. It isn't easy to find info about, and it has no dart board. But, it is absolutely worth a trip, and, yes, I would call it a destination brewery. The rest of the town is interesting, and has other good places to eat, but anyone even in the remote area of LaConner, and doesn't stop here, is paying themselves a huge disservice.

Holy line around the block batman

2009-07-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just got back form the first night of the Puckerfest at Belmont Station. Wow, I have personally never been there when the line, literally, went out the door, and around the side of the building. The occasion was a release of two Double Mountain sours, which I didn't get to try, because it wasn't relased until 6pm. But, if you can make it, there is a great slection of other Belgian styles, and sours. The one that made me the happiest was the BJs Enfant Terrible, which has been cellared since BJs stopped brewing in Portland. The ABV is listed as unknown, but, I would guess it to be around 6.5-8. Go and check it out, grab a glass, stand in line, and enjoy this celebration of beer that isn't IPA. It's ok, the mighty Oregon gods will forgive you.

Washington Trip #2.5 - Scuttlebutt

2009-07-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to make a quick note about a beer I found up there, that I really enjoyed having at my campground. Initially, of course, the name and label intrigued me, but after tasting it, I absolutely loved this beer. It is impossible to find in Oregon, due to some wonky distribution laws, but a quick trip to By the Bottle in Vancouver, WA will reap rewards for you and your beer loving friends. Scuttlebutt is some great beer, and a good excuse to check out the tiny By the Bottle, a cool place in it's own right.

Washington Series 2 - Skagit Brewing

2009-07-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

Skagit Brewing in Mt. Vernon is located right n the "downtown" area, close to the train station, and spitting distance from I-5. Skagit makes the eye catching labeled Sculler's IPA , which most here have no doubt seen, decorated with a pirate logo, which the whole tavern seems to latch onto. I liked the Sculler's, and the Dutch Girl Lager I tried. Neither were anything groundbreaking, but they were both well made, nicely balanced beers, ranking better than some, and worse than others I have had in there respective categories.
The real reason I went here, was to try some local cider from Red Barn Cider on tap. That was a nice treat, and really is a well made cider. Clear, pleasant aroma, not too sweet, not too dry, and actually uses real cider apples for some welcomed tannins, missing from so many cheap, macro cideries.
So, the food was good, edible, non diarrhea causing. But, really there to make sure your 5th Sculler's doesn't leave you passed out on the train tracks. I thought it was a bit pricey, but, I am also a big cheap ass.
A destination brewery it is not, but if your in the area, Skagit is definitely worth a visit.

Washington series #1 - Anacortes Brewery

2009-06-30T09:41:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a long, wonderful trip to northern Washington, and Vancouver Island. Three cideries, and four breweries later, I am back in town, and ready to report. Up first, Anacortes Brewery, in Anacortes, WA.
Anacortes Brewery is located right on the little, cutesy main street area in Anacortes. Surrounded by antique and curio stores, it is a nice little place to spend some time waiting for the next ferry to the San Juan Islands. It is not, however, a destination place to swirve off of I-5 and go to.
I had two beers, and their version of fish and chips. I first ordered the Beligian. After ordering it, the waitress asked if I wanted a sample, I told her no, that was ok, she then nearly insisted I tried it first, saying it is pretty sweet. Sweet? So I tried a little sample, thank the beer gods I did. It was very sweet, flat, and unlike any other Belgian I have ever had. I was dissapointed, and then ordered their Vienna beer. It was quite good. It was a dark amber, well balanced, a little bit of a spicy aftertaste, slightly smokey, and even had hints of orange. Good, and nicely cleansed my pallete of the lack-luster fish and chips. When at a stones throw from salt water, I expect fish and chips to be better than the average Portland bar. Sorry.
The bar itself is bright yellow inside, covered with blues and jazz posters, with the middle defined by tons of hanging merchandise, a pet peeve of mine. If you want to pimp out your logo covered wares, make it subtle, not a dominate design factor in your space.
So, long story short, go if you just missed your ferry, and are waiting for the next one, check it out, some of the beer is pretty good. When not to go? If you have a short wait, are speeding down I-5, or are seeking killer seafood.
Next up in my Washington series..Skagit Brewing in Mt. Vernon.

Trip

2009-06-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

So, for about a week, I am going up north to attend a cider making class in Mt. Vernon, WA. So, of course, I won't be able to blog, as I don't have a laptop. But, I will come back with pictures, and stories from what I learn, and find out. I will go to the most excellent Skagit Brewing, which I have enjoyed before, and may make it over to Anacortes to the Rock Fish Grill. Hopefully, a bar or two will have a dart board, and I can get a game in. But, I will be in class everyday, plus fitting in a day trip to Vancouver Island, BC. Wish me luck, and throw a bull for me.

Saraveza

2009-06-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

After a enjoyable game of disc golf up at Pier Park in North Portland, we decided to give Belmont Station's distant cousin, Saraveza, a try. I have been wanting to have a go at it for awhile now, but, damned if I could come up with a proper reason to head up that far north, and leave my beloved SE behind.
I liked Saraveza, except for a few gripes. They did have a nice selection of bottles, but, of course, no where near the selection of Belmont Station. Although, I will say, the snacks were considiberly better, more creative, and more pickled-tastic (a new word I made up after this visit). While we didn't have any of the pasties, we saw a few go out, and they looked amazing.
The taps availiable is small, but the selctions were interesting. I had a Great Divide Belgian IPA, which, tasted exactly like the name implies. Erin had a pint of Black Ale from 10 Barrels Brewing in Bend. Erin liked it a lot, and the beertender described it as a easier to drink Stout for the summer time, and it was.
So, I do have to point out a few things that I was annoyed, ever so slightly, by. They do, obviously sell bottles. But, the bottles have no price anywhere near, or on them. For the price, you have to pick up a seperate, price menu and walk around with it. That is one less hand I could be carrying bottles with. Also, I am a big fan of the honest pint project, although, Saraveza must not be.
I guess I am spoiled by Horse brass and Belmont Station, but now, I am dissapointed in a establishment, especially a bottle shop, that does not serve a proper pint.
The low down, if you are in North Portland, this is a nice little shop, with tasty food, that is worth a visit. If you are anywhere south of 84, head to Belmont Station for your rare, beer nerd tastes.

Horse Brass

2009-06-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

After a successful beer buying trip from Belmont Station, a trip down the street to Horse Brass to play some darts was in order. Of late, I have been changing my drinking preferences. I used to be a die hard, hard drinking, IPA devotee. Well, now, for some unknown reason, I have switched to Belgian style ales. The flavors, and complexity I have found, has really been amazing. I can close my eyes, and taste the centuries of honing this style in every bottle. So, if you , too, are a IPA fan, try a Belgian, then try two, you will discover a whole new range of taste.
Of course, I rant this long to delay the news, I barely won our first game, and got slaughtered on our second. I had a Helles Lager from Caldera that softened the blow, followed by a Duvel. Erin was on fire, and I was throwing like a blind man.
So, I have an open question, dart board etiquette, I am claiming ignorance. Is it proper to play one game, then sit down, or can you play as long as you see fit, until interrupted? Or, if you want the board, what is a polite way of getting it if others are playing? While in the middle of our second game, someone came up, and asked if he could have the board after us, which, was fine, though I was hoping for a 2 out of 3 kind of situation. Is there any rule, as in pool, you put quarters down, or, your darts down? Can you offer to play for control?
If anyone has any insight, let me know.

Tugboat Brewing

2009-05-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

After telling people I was going to check out Tugboat Brewing, the unanimous response was, "where/what is that?". Tugboat may be the only brewery in town that, seemingly, no one has heard of. It is tucked neatly, downtown, on a side street just around the corner from Mary's Strip Club. I wanted to try more of their brews, but, out of the four they had on tap, two were sold out, and the other was a porter, which on a warm night, didn't sound too good. So, by default, I tried their Summer Slam. It was a light, low hop beer, with a distant sweetness, that was nice on a warm night. But, I saw no need to order two, if you catch my drift. I instead decided to move on to their nice guest tap selection, which I thought was odd, being it outnumbered their own brews. I digress. I had a pint (not an honest pint mind you) of Klamath Baisn Brewing's 8 Second Ale. Even with all my trips to Green Dragon, Horse Brass, and Belmont Station, I have never seen this on tap, let alone heard of this brewery. Now this was a good beer. Balanced, light , hoppy, and damn tasty. Apparantly, I may have to return to Tugboat just to get more of this beer. I will not be driving to Klamath Falls anytime soon.
So, this cash only place passes muster as a downtown dive-y place, with what seemed to be a nice little food menu. The beer they make, or should I say, the one I had was drinkable, but nothing to write home about. I was tempted, in part, by their claim to make British style strong ales on their website, maybe next time they will actually have some. The British claim also raised my hopes for a proper dart board, of which there was none.
For those who frequent Bailey's Taproom, this is directly across Ankenny. The people in Bailey's looked like they were having more fun then me, but they also looked like a bunch of beautiful people that make me want to start randomly slashing Range Rover tires. And if your possibly purchasing a pint at Bailey's you pretty pussy, then gander over, you may just see my ugly ass staring back at you with a pint of Klamath, a knife with tire rubber dangling from it, and a smaller bar tab.

Quimby Lucky Lab

2009-05-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

The NW outpost of the Lucky Lab mini-empire reminds me, yet again, why I enjoy Lucky Lab. The Lab loves the big spaces, the beer is always phenomenal, cheap peanuts, and darts. For some reason,I had never ventured to this location before, but made it a stop on the way back from St. John’s one day. Now, this isn’t a place you may happen upon, it is tucked away on the the fringes of the Pearl, and just far enough away from the NW 21st-23rd crowd to make it..fun. For me, and my neighborhood snobbery, it was an oasis of SE, in NW. They have two dart boards, like the Hawthorne Lab, side by side. The outside seating is ample, and the inside has the same last supper-ish communal tables as the SE location.
We didn’t happen to have our darts with us, but we will definitely go back just to play there.

Hood Canal Brewery

2009-05-11T18:59:00.001-07:00

Not many people would make the trip all the way up the Kitsap Peninsula from Portland to try some beer, but, for you, I would do such a thing. I even suffered, for the reading public, through days of salt water kayaking, manly meals of potato chips and peanuts, and an embarrassingly large of amount of Olympia consumption. What did I come away with, besides a soaking wet tent and a two day hangover? Knowledge of some of the best beer I have had here in the Northwest. You probably haven't had it, being that it rarely, if ever, makes it this far south. But the lucky of Northwest Washington get to have this, and you should make the drive to get what they got.
Hood Canal Brewing was started by an ex-teacher, with a dream. Now, the dream had moved from his 800 square foot garage, into a sizably larger industrial building outside the blink-and-you-miss-it town of Kingston. The beer he creates is superb, as you can taste in his tasting room. Supplied with free pretzels and peanuts (take note Full Sail....wankers), you can have pint "tasters", before you leave with a growler, 120z, or 22 0z bottle. Brian and I tried everything they made, even their barleywine, which normally we are not fans of. Even that was good!! I love small breweries, where you can see the brewer/owner/server. You can really feel that they love what they are doing, and they have one of those...what are they called, smiles when they work.
If you ever get a wild hair up your Portland ass for a road trip, make the drive to Kingston, pass Silverdale and the "Olive Garden-esque" Silver City Brewing, and grab a pint or 5 of some quality brew at Hood Canal. No darts, but well worth the trip.

Fearless Brewing

2009-04-28T17:21:00.001-07:00

Fearless Brewing was clearly named after what you have to be to drink, or eat there. I'm sorry, is that harsh?
I went there the other day, simply because it is about the only place in Estacada on a Sunday to grab a pint with a buddy. I was disappointed with the beer, food, menu, service, atmosphere, and, well, that about does it.
The beer.
I started with the Tomahawk Brown, which, at 5.3%, is one of Fearless's biggest beers. The problem with the Brown is that the only thing to wash down the aftertaste of cleaning solution, is another drink of this horrible, pint of hell. It is fizzy, and, god, just bad.
I followed this with a glass (I couldn't handle another pint of anything) of the IPA, which made even Full Sail IPA taste good (Full Sail sucks). I am an IPA freak, and have tasted a lot. I can honestly say this was the worst I have ever had.
Next, I had a glass of the Maibock. You know, it wasn't bad. Slighty sweet, lite, and pleasent. Or maybe I was just happy to wash down the shitty mozzarela sticks.
The food.
Bad. Frozen, boring, over priced, and the menu looks like a 5 year old playing with all the fonts in Word. But, we did get free , housemade potato chips, which was nice. The mozzarela sticks we got were obviously bought from the frozen section of Costco or Safeway. Which, you know, is ok, when I'm at home.
The atmosphere.
Or, the lack there of. They say they have the biggest TV in town, which may be true. But, my friends, a large screen, on mute, playing baseball, when you and your buddy are the only ones in the pub, does not make the beer or food taste any better.
The service.
I don't mind being ID'd, but there are ways to do it without being insulting, or rude. As we were going outside, to enjoy the outside seating, with food on order, the waitress ran after us, insisting we put a credit card down first, in case we decided to leave, and the waitress watched as we signed our recipts, comparing signatures, and watching as we put the tip on the receipt. Am I anal, or does this all add up to bad service??
Also, one last thing, they have two beer pricings. Standard beer pricing, and for an extra .25, premium beer pricing. Please, I have never been to a brewpub where they pull this crap. And , to call anything Fearless makes "premium", is like calling a steaming pile of shit, chocolate cake.
Sorry, but if your in Estacada, you'd be better off drinking from the Clackamas and taking your chances.

Lucky Lab 4-09

2009-04-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

During this cold and drizzly Monday, Erin and I decided to hop over to Lucky Lab for some lunch and a pint or two. The match was a lot of fun, and I narrowly won by 16 points. I am writing this to encourage everyone to go and try the beer that I instantly feel in love with, the Quality Rye. The Quality Rye is a light, golden ale, weighing in at a modest 4.5ABV, but it was delicious. It had a subtle Rye aftertaste, and an almost peppery flavor. And of course, being miser monday, it was a dollar off the normal pint price.
As always, the food was perfect, my tuna melt was fantastic. Erin got the bento, which, I had never had before, and was skepitcal of. I mean, the place has sandwiches, and great beer, but bento???
It was fucking dead on, spicy, and very good. Who knew?
Another fun trip to the Lab.

Double Mountain

2009-04-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

When Double Mountain was created, I doubt they knew how much they would fulfill my void for a Nirvana in Hood River. I used to be a disciple of Full Sail, until they threw some flat screens on the wall, ripped out the outside grill, and , god dammit, took away the free oyster crackers. It only makes sense I would follow the former Full Sail brewers down the street to a little slice of heaven , called Double Mountain.
We were there this past Sunday, after a hike up to Mitchell Point. First, the beer.
Erin had the Black Irish Stout, which, she didn't like too much, but, as I noticed, drank none the less. I was blown away by my two selections. The first was "Terrible Two". Served in a goblet, it weighs in at an impressive 10% ABV. Man, I wish I had my thesaurus nearby, but all I can come up with, is, it is good. Really, good. Aged in Bourbon Barrel good.
My second beer I got as I stumbled to the bar was a Belgian ale named Inglemunster. Again, strong, goblet sized, and really good. This is apparently a sneak peak of their offering at the upcoming Belgian Beer Fest in Portland.
Ok, food. The food at Double Mountain is very good. I like to call it my inland Ft. George. We got a simple Mezze Platter, for 8.95, and it was amazing. So many places try to do a Mezze Platter, and are lazy with it. Double Mountain's really tastes like they put thought into it, spent time on it, and take pride in it.
The darts.
The dart board is in the side room area, where the tanks and barrels are. The door may be closed, so ask if it is ok to go in. The only bummer is that they don't have any kind of scoring board, so bring a paper and pen.
The Irish must have gotten to Erin, she lost both games. Oh well.
Final thoughts, GO TO DOUBLE MOUNTAIN!! The crew is awesome, the beer, man, the beer! Go.

Green Dragon

2009-04-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

I am not one to jump on the "Rogue owns it so it must suck now " band wagon...but... They have since gotten rid of their stage (good thing) and their dart board (bad thing). This used to be a great place to get some quality brew and play some darts. But, I suppose the powers that be have decided that merchandise is more important than a dart board. Boo. According to one of the employees, the area is going to become another bar soon.
If your in the area, skip over to Lucky Lab and throw some darts.
So, as I was stewing, I enjoyed a Ft. George Raspberry Wit, which , honestly, I wasn't sure I would like, but I did. The raspberry flavor was very muted, and the beer was all I needed to temporarily forget about the missing board.

Astoria Trip...part deux

2009-04-07T19:32:00.000-07:00

If I had a son..which I don't...I would sit him down and say to him "Son, your now 14, it's time to learn about beer." Again, I don't have children, so no reason to notify the law.
Recently, I have been re-examining the beers that got our fathers, and grandfathers drunk. Rainier, Olympia, and Heidelburg (R.I.P).
In a society that is flooded with quality micro brews, with styles ranging from farmhouse to Belgian, it is easy to forget what Northwest beer was, and, dare I say, should be.
Maybe the salt air and clear cuts have clouded my thoughts, but I think there is a reason to appreciate our beer history.
If you close your eyes, and pop open a Rainier, you can smell the saw dust off of the misery whip. Sadly, if you twist off a cap of Full Sail Brewmaster's Reserve, you may only be able to smell the wax off of a California transplant's skis.
Side note, I think Full Sail sucks.
But even the best, Organic, fresh hopped, green certified, limited release, and hand numbered brew can't invoke the feel, and true reason we all live in the Pacific NW. Or, at least why I do.
I sat around our fire this past weekend, drinking a shit load of Rainier. I stunk like campfire, could smell the salt air, and, hiding my Sierra Club membership card, kinda wanted to cut down a tree.
And, I loved it.
I still love the variety of craft beer here. And, have given a lot of financial support to prove it.
But.......
Grab a Olympia and a chainsaw...
Pop open a Rainier, and beat up a hippie....
By god, be proud to be a North westerner, and know what it means.
Hint: It doesn't mean you know where the best martini bar in the Pearl is.

Know the history, know the heritage.
Know your history, know your heritage.

And, don't drink an Oly tallboy because it's cool. Drink it, enjoy it, and realize the meaning of it. Sure, it's not made in Tumwater anymore, but, god dammit, it used to be.
Know why the brewery blocks in the Pearl are called the brewery blocks before you go to Henry's to order the newest Imperial IPA, or some assholes version of the latest cocktail.
Embrace where you live, it's ok.