New Brew for Friday March 31, 2006

Just one new beer today, and a couple tasty things going on sale for the weekend:

Avery "The Maharaja" Imperial IPA - I seem to remember enjoying this one quite a bit last time it was out, but until I have a fresh sample I'll leave you with the official description:

Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat, - "great" and rajan - "king". Much like its namesake, this imperial IPA is regal, intense and mighty. With hops and malts as his servants, he rules both with a heavy hand. The Maharaja flaunts his authority over a deranged amount of hops: tangy, vibrant and pungent along with an insane amount of malted barley - fashioning a dark amber hue and exquisite malt essence.

| Avery Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate |

ON SALE THIS WEEK!

Spire Mtn. Apple Cider - Regularly $8.50/6pk - On Sale for $6.00/6pk *YOU SAVE $2.50*

Melbourn Bros. Cherry - Regularly $6.30/btl - On Sale for $4.20/btl *YOU SAVE $2.10*


Here's a quick re-cap of some things that came in earlier this week:

Deschutes Inversion IPA - It's bursting with piney/citrusy northwest hops with a smooth caramel maltiness to help it glide across the tongue. Compared to the "traditionally- styled " Quailspring, Inversion seems much closer to what IPA fans are looking for lately.

| Deschutes Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate |

Lagunitas Olde Gnarlywine "Twenty Aught Six" - Not the most complex beer I've had lately, but it's tasty,and it's a good value for the "budget-conscious" barleywine fans. A little too sweet for my taste (my favorite BW is the intensely hoppy Doggie Claws), but not to the point of being sticky or cloying, and it does have a fairly bitter finish to help counter-balance the sugar.

| Lagunitas Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate |

Sierra Nevada Summerfest - Haven't had a chance to try this yet, check these links out for information and reviews:

| Sierra Nevada Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate |

AleSmith Speedway Stout - Amazingly enough we still have a couple bottles left. Come and get them while you can.

| AleSmith Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate |

Butte Creek Spring Ale - Nice light ale with an interesting "herb/flower" flavor that I can't put my finger on, but it's not from the hops. If I had to guess I'd say lavender or something along those lines. Quite refreshing and reminiscent of the season for which it was named.

| Butte Creek Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate (not listed yet) |

Bison Barleywine - Pours a medium-dark copper with no head to speak of and greets you with spicy malt aromas. I had this after sampling a couple other strong beers the same night, so my descriptive powers (and taste buds) were pretty much shot, but I enjoyed it none the less. It's also reasonably priced for a barleywine at only $4.20 per 22oz bottle.

| Bison Homepage | Ratebeer | BeerAdvocate (not listed yet) |

Big Brewers gone wild!

It seems kind of deceptive, at least to me, to invent a fake micro-brewery (Green Valley Brewing Co) to promote a new beer and "hide" the fact that it's from the largest brewer in the world, but that's just what Anheuser-Busch has done with their new "Wild Hop Lager". Don't get me wrong, I'll actually try the beer before slamming it, but that's not the issue here.

I could be mistaken, but it seems like most people who care about and buy organics are the type of people who like to support local businesses and eschew purchasing from giant multi-nationals whenever possible. I'd be willing to bet that the marketing people at A-B realized the same thing and the only way to "sell" this beer is to disguise the fact that it's one of their products.

This quote from Patrick McGualey, V.P. for Product Development at the St. Louis headquarters, caught my eye:

"People who might buy Wild Hop and Stone Mill are 'more affluent, highly educated, more high-end shoppers' who buy organic. I'm not describing a Bud Light drinker," he says. "I'm describing a new customer."

It makes me wonder how that "highly-educated new customer" will feel after buying what they think is a genuine microbrew (especially with a bucolic name like Green Valley) only to find out they were duped into buying an A-B product.

Anyway, if anyone has seen this in stores please drop me a line so I can try it. I could order it, but I don't want to get stuck with a case just so I can try one.

For more info check out wildhoplager.com NOTE: The site was down a little while ago, you may have to check back later...

Beer saves lives!

This amusing little story just drifted across my screen and I had to pass it along. I'll wait here while you read it...

Behold the restorative powers of beer!


Back? Good. We have a couple different varieties of Adnam's in-stock in case anyone out there has a sick cow or other animal in need of a yeast treatment.

Adnam's SSB (Suffolk Strong Bitter) - Clear copper body with medium-size creamy head. Aroma is light sweet malt with some earthy, floral notes. Kind of like an autumn morning in the woods, with the damp leaves on the ground. The taste follows the aroma with medium sweet maltiness,some pungent earthiness and a slight grassy twang.

Adnam's Broadside - Pours a deep amber/brown. The mouthfeel is deeply chewy and sweet on the tongue with a touch of dryness and a light grassy hop finish. Some describe finding hints of toffee, sweet cherries, roses, brown sugar and even blueberries.

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo:
This statement has not be evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Brewers Yeast is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:
http://u.tv/
Food and Drug Administration

New Brew for March 28, 2006

Alesmith Speedway Stout - A couple people noticed the post yesterday and already snagged their bottles, but there are still a few left. If you want a bottle held for pick up I'd suggest calling us; I doubt it'll last more than a day or two.

Lagunitas Gnarlywine - We ended up getting eight cases of this very reasonably priced barleywine. This won't sell out as fast as the Speedway, but it's pretty popular so don't wait too long to stop in.

Deschutes Inversion IPA - I still haven't had a chance to drink one, but expect a review tomorrow. Early reports seem to indicate that it's very similar to the Hop Henge released a couple months ago, albeit in a slightly "toned-down" fashion.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest - I'm guessing this is the same as last year's recipe, but until I get a chance to try one here's the official line:

Commercial Description:
Summerfest is a delightfully refreshing example of a traditional style lager beer. While lighter in body than our ales, Summerfest displays significant hop aroma and a tangy hop bite. The long lagering period adds a smoothness that makes this beer a great summertime treat.

Bittering Hops: Perle & Saaz
Beginning Gravity: 11.8 Plato
Finishing Hops: Saaz
Ending Gravity: 2.7 Plato
Malts: Two-row Pale, Dextrin Malt, Munich
Yeast: Lager Yeast (bottom fermenting)

I could rant about "summer" beers coming out a week after the beginning of spring (or winter beers coming in October), but I suppose if they want to push the season that's their decision. It's tough to think about drinking summer beers when it's still rainy and in the 50's in PDX, but I suppose it's "summery" down in California by now. Either way, if you're in the mood for a summer seasonal this is your first opportunity.

2006 Sasquatch Homebrewing Competition

From the TastyBrew website:

NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES FOR 2006 SASQUATCH HOMEBREWING COMPETITION

Together with the Cascade Brewers Society, the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation is pleased to announce the inaugural Sasquatch Homebrewing Competition. The competition is sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program.

Judging will take place in the days preceding the Sasquatch Brew Fest on June 3, 2006 in Eugene, Oregon. Prizes will be awarded at the Sasquatch Brew Fest to the top three finishers in the following BJCP style categories:

* English Pale Ale: Best Bitter, ESB

* American Ale: American Pale Ale, American Amber

* IPA: American IPA, Imperial IPA

* Strong Ale: Old Ale, American Barleywine

We are excited to offer a truly incredible “best of show” prize as well. The winner will have the opportunity to brew his/her recipe at a professional brewery!

For style guidelines, visit the BJCP website at http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.html. The competition is open to homebrewers in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. For entry instructions and additional information, visit the www.sasquatchbrewfest.org/homebrew and download the PDF file. Please note that the website is currently being updated. The homebrew page and entry form will be on the website in early April.

While sponsored by the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, the Sasquatch Homebrewing Competition is made possible through the generosity and hard work of the Cascade Brewers Society who is organizing and producing the event. The Bier Stein Bottleshop and Pub in Eugene has graciously offered to cellar your entries. Rogue Ales Eugene City Brewery is hosting the judging venue.

Like many professional brewers, Glen started as a homebrewer. In Eugene, he was a dedicated member of the Cascade Brewers Society. Glen always remained close to his roots as an avid supporter of homebrewers by sharing ideas, recipes, and techniques. The Sasquatch Homebrewing Competition is a tribute to the huge impact that the homebrewing community had on Glen’s life and continues to have on the craft brewing movement.

The Glen Hay Falconer Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the craft brewing industry by providing professional and homebrewers opportunities to further their knowledge and expertise. The Foundation sponsors a number of events to help underwrite its brewing education program and donations to local charities. For more information on the Foundation, visit www.sasquatchbrewfest.org.

Many thanks to Dan Schultz and the brewcrew listserv for bringing this to my attention.

AleSmith Speedway Stout

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that we'll be getting some Speedway Stout tomorrow. The bad news is we're only getting one case, so we have to limit people to one bottle at a time. I know it sucks, but one bottle is better than nothing...

This beer really needs no introduction, but for more info check here:

AleSmith.com

Ratebeer.com

Beeradvocate.com

Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine

It's coming soon [perhaps tomorrow], but we're not going to have much. I don't know why, but Lagunitas either didn't brew much this year, or the local demand is increasing. Whatever the cause, it's drastically reduced the amount of Gnarly Wine that'll reach the Portland market. I'm told there is one pallet coming in (roughly 60 cases I think), and no store in the state will receive more than five cases. Given the number of people who call or stop in to ask about it I don't think it will be anywhere near enough supply to satisfy the thirsty masses.

The number one market for Lagunitas has been Portland for many years [yes, we drink more of it than they do in the Bay Area], and we've had our loyalty repaid with ample supplies of their specialty brews until now. Sadly for us, as the folks in Cali finally catch on to the fact that they have some excellent breweries down there I think beers from "hot" companies like AleSmith, Lagunitas, and Stone are going to be harder to get ahold of here in Oregon. I guess the moral of the story is to enjoy your favorite beers today because you'll never know if it'll be available tomorrow.

Alt.Portland -Slightly Beer Related

The low-budget guide to eastside PDX is back after a two year hiatus. Check them out for daily reviews of restaurants, local events, beer, and anything else newsworthy that "vj" wants to talk about. It's quite entertaining and full of things you won't read in "regular" restaurant reviews, like this comment about Fat Albert's:

"This westmoreland haunt is a favorite, and for good reason. Like the name suggests, they don't hold back. So don't be surprised if you have a line ahead of you of Starbucks drinking hipster young families, hipster elderly people, and just hipsters, as well as runners and bicyclists who are rewarding themselves for their virtuousness. It generally isn't too long of a wait because the folks that work there are merciless about moving campers along."

I can't help laughing at the thought of "hipster elderly people" in black pants and shirts with the collar popped.

One good plug deserves another [Thanks VJ!] Alt.Portland, the east side, up close and personal

Sasquatch Legacy Project at the Horse Brass

From the Horse Brass site:

"On behalf of the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, Walking Man Brewing, and Horse Brass Pub, you are invited to the release party for the 2006 "Sasquatch Legacy Project" Imperial Red Ale.

If you want to rub elbows with the "Who's Who" of the local beer scene I'd highly recommend getting yourself to the Brass tonight [from 6pm to ???], and having a couple tasty pints for a good cause.

You can read more about Mr. Falconer and the event at guestontap.com

Oregon Trail Bourbon Porter

I got home from work and decided to crack open one of these. Here's the consensus:

Alex thought: A little bit thin. Kind of unique for a "barrel aged beer" in the sense that it's drinkable and only moderately strong. It's got all the things you like about "big beers", but you can drink more of it. Mouthfeel is unique. Not good, not bad, just unique. Very slick, almost oily, and thin. Very appetizing aroma, all sorts of stuff going on in there.

Carla says, "I'm not in the mood to talk about beer, but I could drink more of this..."

I wanted to mention how nicely blended the bourbon flavor is, even freshly bottled. I've had barrel aged beers in the past that needed at least a few months in a bottle to mellow out a bit. It also has a good lingering finish. I can still taste it after about 10 minutes. I'd be interested to see what it tastes like in 6-9 months. Check them out if you're in Corvallis - Oregon Trail Brewery .

They'll be delivering it to us every two weeks as long as they have supply, so if you like it and want cases to lay down give us a call or shoot me an email.

Now it's on to the Phantome Saison that Alex brought over...Have a good night everyone.

Deschutes' Inversion IPA

The Quail killer is coming. Inversion IPA from Deschutes, their latest year-round offering, is slated to be released tomorrow. "Inversion" refers to the strange mountain phenomenon where it's overcast at ground level and becomes sunny once you climb a few thousand feet and clear the clouds.

Personally, I think it was a long time coming, and I'm excited to try some. After the Hop Trip last fall and the Hop Henge a couple months ago I know the brewers are capable of making tasty hop concoctions. Not that there's anything wrong with the Quail Springs, it just seems a little too tame compared to most of the IPa's and double IPA's that have come out in the last couple years, and I'm sure they're looking to recapture some of the sales they've probably lost to Terminal Gravity, Pelican, and others.

Keep an eye out for this, and if you have one before I do post a comment and let everyone know what you think.

- EDIT 2:55pm -

After speaking with our sales rep it seems as though the Inversion won't be available here until early next week. It's supposed to arrive in the distributor's warehouse tomorrow, so there's a chance that some bars with weekend delivery will see kegs of it on Saturday, but no bottles until Monday or Tuesday. Sorry to get your hopes up...

- EDIT 4:15pm Friday March 24, 2006 -

The Horse Brass received a keg this morning. I'm not sure if it'll go on today, but I'll bet it's pouring by Saturday or Sunday.

Moylan's Hopsickle

Rumor has it we'll be getting five cases of this brutally hoppy beer on Friday. I'll let you know more when it arrives, but if anyone wants to reserve some please give us a call here at the shop. If demand is high we may have to limit people to 6 bottles each, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Google Fight!

Ok, I know this is only slightly beer-related but if you haven't checked out googlefight.com you really should pop over and give it a shot. Simply enter 2 search phrases and watch the stick figures battle for supremacy based on the number of results for each phrase. Not surprisingly, "wine" beat out "beer" by a couple hundred million points, likewise with "Budweiser" vs. "Widmer", but this one turned out really, really lopsided:

Microbrew vs. Macrobrew "Hooray!"

I was also shocked by the results of this one:

OBF vs. GABF How did our local gathering manage to whoop the 800lb gorilla of the festival world?

Have fun, and let me know if you come up with any other good fights.

Sorry, one more:

Bottle vs. Can Take a guess which package wins...

Anchor Bock?

Anchor Bock, which has only been available in the San Francisco area until now, "should" be released to us tomorrow. There's only one pallet-load coming in [roughly 60 cases] and it'll probably get shifted out of the distributor's warehouse within the week. The price should be in the range of $34.00 per case, so if anyone wants to pre-order some please give us a call here at the shop and we'll try and get a few extra cases.

Beer Advocate gives it a score of 85 [recommended]
Ratebeer gives it a 90 overall and 95.1 within the style

Stay tuned for more info when we actually get some in the store.

New Beers for 3.17.06

Just when I begin to think the cooler is full we re-arrange and find ways to squeeze in a few more bottles.

From Brouwerij t'IJ in Amsterdam:

-Struis: Billed as a Belgian-style barleywine. It's a beautiful nut-brown with a very hazy, rich head and flowery aroma. Full-bodied with balanced sweetness and fairly aggressive carbonation that tempers the malts quite well. Lots of flowery hop aromas and a nice bitter finish.

-Columbus: This cloudy, golden ale is all over the map when it comes to people's reviews. One person on ratebeer.com said it should come with a "hop-alert" as it was one of the most bitter beers he'd ever had. Meanwhile, others mentioned the sweet, bready maltiness and wonderful fruity esters this beer exhibits. The one thing almost everyone agrees on is that it's a pretty tasty beer.

-Zatte: This is the Brouwerij t'IJ take on the classic tripel. Spicy and sweet with fruity, flowery aromas. They claim it's more drinkable than Westmalle which is a mighty bold statement if you ask me. I'll try a side-by-side sampling tonight and see if they're full of it.

-Natte: Brewed in the style of a classic abbey dubbel with a t'IJ twist. Flavors of vanilla and raisins intertwine with "indian cuisine" spice flavors reminiscent of cumin and white pepper. Tight beige head and soft gentle carbonation combine to form a full, pleasant mouthfeel.


This isn't really new, but the folks at Flying Dog made another batch [vintage '06a] of their Gonzo Imperial Porter to honor Hunter S. Thompson. The first batch was exceedingly popular, I expect this one to be too. Best of all, proceeds from the sale of this beer will go towards the construction of the Gonzo Memorial Fist [a 150 foot stone column with a giant red fist] that will tower above Hunter's Owl Farm Estate for all eternity...

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." -Hunter S. Thompson

Vintage Goodness

We've dug into our cellars to bring you a special treat. To commemorate the release of Fish Brewing's Leviathan and Poseidon in new 22oz bottles we're releasing several vintage magnums (1.5L) of each. They were resting comfortably in Joy's basement, but they forgot to pay rent so we're evicting them from the cellar. We have 6 of each, and they're all from the highly-regarded fourth [and final] batch. Both beers were aged in cabernet barrels for several months before their initial release in the fall of 2002. With over three years of aging under optimal condition they should be ready to savor now, or you can put them back in storage for a while longer.

These aren't just amazingly good beers, they're also little pieces of history. With the announcement by Fish that there will be no more magnums, these may be some of the last bottles available on the market.

Slainte!

A call for comments

Good morning loyal readers!

We'd like to give you reasons to stop by on a regular basis, so consider this post an invitation to tell us what you want.

Do you want:

-Editorial content on the state of beer/brewing

-Local news and events

-Notification and reviews of new beer

-Incoherent rambling about whatever crosses my mind [you never know]

-Some other content I haven't listed

As much as I like to read my own writing, I'd love some input from the folks this site is here to serve: the beer-loving people of Oregon and Washington. It's easy, just click the little comment button at the bottom of this post and let us know what's brewing in your mind. Best of all, there's no sign-up or registration required to post a comment so you can be completely anonymous.

St Patrick's Day Specials

You don't need to be Irish to get these deals!

Guinness Pub Draught Nitro Cans $1.70/each

Killian's Irish Red $4.70/6pk (I know it's not really Irish)


We've also got a good supply of Harp (for making Black and Tan), Strongbow and Blackthorn (for snakebites), some inexpensive champagne (Black Velvet), plenty of different barleywines (Blacksmiths), and if you want to get really freaky you can buy some Stewart's Ginger Beer and blend it 50/50 with Guinness to get something called a "Top Hat". It was invented in the 30's to honor Fred and Ginger (get it), and it's supposed to be pretty good. If anyone out there has tried it please let me know.

For other crazy ideas on "Guinness mixers" check out these pages:

The Guinness Collector's Club -nice stories and pictures relating the origins of each blend

Drinksmixer.com -Be sure to check the "My Cabinet" section where you can select the liqour and mixers you have at home and it finds/creates drinks for you.

The Guinness FAQt page -Full of more information about Guinness than the average human needs.

This week, instead of saying "Cheers" try this traditional Irish toast

Slainte!

(pronounced SLAWN-cha)

More Black Gold!

Picture copyright 2006 by Ratebeer.com

Hathor must be smiling upon us today. I don't know why (and I'm not going to question our good fortune), but two more cases of Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout were just delivered to the shop. If you missed your chance to grab some a couple weeks ago you've got one more brief oppotunity to snag a bottle or two. This is THE most sought-after beer in Full Sail's portfolio, and one of the fastest-selling beers in the history of our store (15 cases in a little less than 3 days); even if you don't want it for yourself you should grab a couple bottles to give to the beer-lover on your list. Throw it in your basement, and by the time Christmas rolls around again it'll have 10 months of aging under it's cap and should be as close to perfection as your likely to get.


We'd like as many people as possible to have a chance at this so we're limiting everyone to two bottles per person. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial

Copyright 2006 by Ratebeer.com


Jolly Pumpkin's homage to the Trappist dubbels is simply incredible. I'm not suprised, as everything I've had from them so far has been above and beyond the average "Belgian-style" beer made here in the U.S. What really blows my mind is that they can make such tasty beer for such a reasonable price ($9.45/btl) when they could easily follow the example of some other "artisan" breweries and charge $14.95 per bottle for it.

"Fusion" has been hot in the food world for years and now it seems to have infected the minds of brewers as well. The combination of a Belgian sour brown with tropical flavors might not seem like a good idea, but the cacao nibs and cinnamon blend stupendously with the toasted malt and belgian-yeast flavors to create a truly unique beer.

If you let it settle properly, Maracaibo pours a clear, dark mahogany color with a creamy, tight head. A soft, fuzzy cocoa/spice aroma drifts out of the glass. The head manages to contain the majority of the aromas until you take the first sip, at which time notes of citrus and cherries tickle the senses and start you on the journey. A slight alcohol note comes in after a while and kicks up the sweet malt flavor and more fruitiness, which leads to a dry, balanced finish. The cacao nib and orange peel flavors come back strong after the swallow and stick with you, leaving your tastebuds begging for more.

It's really too bad we could only get 12 bottles of this wonderful nectar because I could drink a lot of this. If you're a fan of "sour brown" ales you won't want to let this one pass you by.

Oh, and we still have a few bottles left of the J.P. Calabaza Blanca (witbier), Oro de Calabaza (strong golden ale), and La Roja (strong amber ale), all of which are delectable beverages.

We're Live!

I just finished connecting this page to the rest of our site, so we're now officially open for comments. I've been posting on here for a few days now and getting a feel for this whole blogging thing, and now that we've got a handful of posts to read and comment on I thought it was time to open it up to the world. Plus we've got a ton of new beer arriving today that I just had to let everyone know about so I figured today was as good a day as any.

Hmm...I love Tuesday. Why? Because we get...

New Beer!

Today we welcome Spanish Peaks to our collection, starting with the Honey Raspberry and Black Dog Ale.

According to Spanish Peaks, the Honey Raspberry is: "a light bodied amber ale made with wildflower honey and natural raspberry. These ingredients, combined with five domestic and imported malted barleys, Pacific Northwest hops, water and ale yeast, create a unique, fruity ale with a soft palate and a touch of sweetness."

You'll notice lots of opposing reviews of this one if you check the beer geek sites, which I think is sadly common with any fruit beer. I realize some people just don't want fruit in their beer, which is fine, but why they have to go and trash a perfectly respectable brew because of personal taste is a mystery to me. I noticed a couple reviews that even said, "it's okay, but it's not a lambic"...gimme a break. Do you really think they (or anyone else) have the ability produce something resembling a lambic and sell it at retail for $1.50 a bottle? Maybe in Brussels you could get a glass of faro for $1.50, but even then any sort of "real" lambic is going to cost you twice that. Ok, enough ranting. What I'm getting at here is that this is a nice refreshing beer that advertises VERY clearly what's inside. If you like well-crafted "American style" fruit beers this is a great choice, if you don't like fruit beers we've got plenty of traditional flavored beers, like this one:

Spanish Peaks Black Dog Ale is an "English style special amber ale. This ale's full body imparts a distinctive malty, robust palate and fruity bouquet. Brewed from pale malted barley, Munich, crystal, carastan and a touch of chocolate malts, Pacific Northwest hops, water and ale yeast." It seems to stick fairly close to the guidelines of an ESB or English Pale; prominent maltiness with bready, slightly caramelly flavors, and earthy, spicy hop notes floating in the background. I'd suspect a fairly dry, nutty finish as well, but I'll have to try one later and find out.

We've also got the first run of Fish Brewing's incredible Leviathan (barleywine) AND Poseidon (imperial stout) in new 22oz bottles. I lobbied hard for magnums, but honestly I'm just glad to have them back one way or another.

There's more to come, but right now I've got a big stack of beer to deal with so check back this afternoon for the lowdown on some St. Pat's day sales.

New Beers for Friday March 10, 2006

We got a handful of new beers in today, as well as a few things that haven't been seen in Portland for a while.

NEW:

Marin Brewing - Star Brew Triple Wheat Wine (CA)
Marin Brewing - Tripel Dipsea Belgian Style Ale (CA)
Alameda - Beaumont Bock (OR)
Alameda - Klickitat Pale Ale (OR)
Full Sail - Equinox ESB (OR)
Alaskan Brewing - ESB (AK)
Young's - Oatmeal Stout (UK)
Belhaven - Twisted Thistle IPA (UK)

BACK AGAIN:
Cooper's - Dark Ale (AU)
Cooper's - Sparkling Ale (AU)


It's been a busy day so I'll have to post thoughts and opinions later.

Drink better, not more!

Walking Man @ Concordia Alehouse

Bob, the brewer at Walking Man in Stevenson, WA will be appearing at the Concordia Alehouse this evening from 6 til ???.

He's bringing several special kegs from his private collection including several which have never been seen or tasted in Portland before. There will be:

-at least one cask-condidtioned beer
-something that's been aging in a bourbon barrel
-several other beers for a total of 7 on tap

Don't miss this chance to talk to one of the best brewers in the area and try some darn fine beer.

The Czar

The only new arrival today was the "Czar Imperial Stout" from Avery Brewing. This year's offering tips the scales at 11%abv.

Here's what the folks at Avery have to say about it:

"Behold the stunning crimson hues through the inky blackness. Inhale the noble Hallertau hops, spicy and floral. Savor the flavors redolent of English toffee, rich mocha, sweet molasses, candied currants and a hint of anise. We highly recommend cellaring additional bottles, as the Czar will continue to mature and become denser and more complex with age."

I'll drink one this evening and let you know what I think tomorrow.

EDIT: Wednesday 3.8.06 9:00 a.m.

This was an excellent beer to dive into while watching the rain clouds drift by. Rich and full-bodied with a frothy brown head, the Czar is almost as pleasant to gaze at as it is to drink. Aromas of dry cocoa, coffee, and chocolate liqueur dominate, with subtle sweet malt and roasty undertones sliding in underneath. Flavors of toffee, bready malt, and darkly roasted coffee roll smoothly around the mouth preceding an intensely hoppy, almost puckering ending and long finish. Other than an occasional (very slight) rubbing alcohol/phenol aroma the 11% abv is incredibly well hidden. Highly Recommended.

Picture Copyright 2006 by Ratebeer.com

Beer Industry at a Crossroads

There's any interesting article here about the stagnation of the macro-brew market. The CEO of SABMiller, Norman Adami, spoke at the Nightclub & Bar Trade Show in Las Vegas about the "sameness" in advertising, packaging, and flavor that pervaded the industry in the mid-nineties leading to a surge in the wine and spirits market as consumers looked to distinguish themselves and "move up."

I think the most telling part of the article is this little paragraph about halfway down:

-As a result, the growth of wine and spirits is "significantly outpacing the growth of beer," Adami asserted, with the exception of imports and microbrews, which continue to grow at a good clip.-

Not surprising news in Portland, where new microbreweries appear on an almost daily basis, and the "fancy cocktail" revolution is in full swing. But, I think it shows the resistance by the Big Three to even consider microbrew as part of the same market segment, much less as a competitor they have to fight. Adami goes on to say that "The giant has awoken" as it were, but if the recent releases like Pumpkin Jack's Spice Ale and 1855 Celebration Lager are any indication of the direction they're going they stand to lose more market share to the imports and micro's before all's said and done. I hate to say it, but the only way I see for them to regain that lost share is to buy up hot microbrews to add to their portfolio, and anyone who's familiar with the Celis White story should be nervous at the thought.

Drink Better, Not More!

Yamhill Brewing Co.

We just got our first few kegs from Yamhill Brewing a few days ago. For those who haven't heard of this new brewery/pub, they're located on the corner of SE 9th Ave and Yamhill (1 blk S. of Belmont), and they're doing good things. The vast majority of the furnishings and decor are repurposed/salvaged from other restaurants, including nice chrome and glass accents throughout. They have a piano if you feel like providing your fellow guests with entertainment (who knows, you may get tipped), and there's a perfect space for bands to set up in front of a large window that looks in on the kettles. Oh yeah, they have beer too! I'm sure at this early stage the beers will undergo numerous changes from batch to batch, but when I was there a few days ago they had several tasty things on tap:


The Stout: Tasty stout with good roasty coffee notes, it just needs a little more body to really fill it out...

Pale Ale #1 Interesting take on the style with a very earthy flavor. If they added a little sourness it would make a good "belgian style" pale.

The ESB: I'll admit to my bias against most ESB's and just say that it was appropriate and pretty good for the style...

Pale Ale #2 (aka Humulus Maximus): This HEAVILY dry-hopped pale ale is great for those who like the citrusy/floral/piney aspects of the hop, without the attendant bitterness of an IPA. My personal favorite of the bunch. We have 2 corny kegs and a 1/4BBL of this in-stock right now if anyone wants to take some home.

There were others, but I don't have my notes handy, and it was a long night...

Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine

Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine: Tasting notes from Greg Koch, Chairman and CEO of Stone Brewing: Pours a bright, clear, deep orange. A really mild single malt and scotch character in the nose, coupled with sweeter malt notes, defines the initial aroma profile. Bitterness starts off mild (for Old Guardian), but builds as you enjoy successive sips. In my opinion this is the mildest edition of OG we've ever brewed, with all the great OG characteristics, but dare I say friendlier! Just a couple of months from now and I think it will be spot on. OVERALL: This is one of my favorite Stone Special Releases of the year.

Couldn't have said it better myself Mr. Koch!

Note: At 11.26% abv. I don't know if I would call it "friendly", or even approachable, but for those who like big, intense beers this one's a winner.