Belmont Station Beer Forum: Freshop Beer Tastival 2006

Belmont Station Beer Forum
by Angelo De Ieso II

October 14, 2006
@ Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland, Oregon

Hopheads gathered for one of the most zestful and bitter sweet events of the fall. More than twenty worthy beers prepared during the much anticipated harvest season. Here’s a look at what this taster thought of some of these fine brews:

Oregon Trail’s Hop Doctor—A citrus and powerfully hopped bright ale. Very qualpable with a dry biting taste and distinct finish.

Mia & Pia’s Over The Top Hops—With a sweet nose and mildly saccharine taste featuring fruity notes, this beer featured a complex mouthfeel and finished extremely smooth.

Karlsson’s Virgin Sister—Robust taste, roasty nose, with a hardy German malt presence.

Golden Valley Brewing’s Golden Pale—Uber mild nose and clement hop flavor. Not very memorable for a fresh hopped beer, but very fit for drinking.

Calapooia’s Fresh Hop Rye—Formerly known as Oregon Trader Brewing, this Albany, Oregon brewery put forth a truly authentic freshly hopped beer. Crisp and bitter nugget hops flavor. An all around luxurious production.

Rogue’s Hop Heaven—Very floral rose scent and flavor. This beer tastes like Portland’s Washington Park, stinging your taste buds with delectable Centennial hops.

Deschutes’ Hop Trip—This much awaited Bond Street Series brew rendered a distinct aroma and taste. Very well balanced and quite palatable.

Pelican’s Elemental Ale—With puissant Sterling hops this “dirty” and “dank” beer bidded a peerlessly herbal nose and piquancy. Gifting a sprucey, piny savor and numbing bitter residuals.

Full Sail’s Lupulin Ale—Lupulin are the glandular hairs of a hops bud known for its meditative and sedative properties, and this brew provides just that with a emblematic and very drinkable Cascadian hoppiness with a supremely bitter finish.

Laurelwood’s Fresh Hop Kolsch—A summery and frangible feel with a tastebud anesthetic dynamic and hoprageous finish.

Ninkasi’s Liberty Ale—Not a very hoppy tasting fresh hopped beer, but very smooth and well balanced. Comes across more like an exemplary pale ale.

Bridgeport’s Hop Harvest Ale—Word is, the impression of this freshly hopped brew varies from one pour to the next. The take here was a remarkably dissimilar taste with an astute and sophisticated Centennial hops texture.