Lift a Pint For MJ!

Just brief reminder that today is the International Toast To Michael Jackson. We're running a silent auction of donated beer and "beer gear", tapping a special cask of Double Mountain Hop Lava, and to top it all off we just received one of the first kegs of Hopworks IPA, fresh off their new system.

All the proceeds from the silent auction, as well as the sale of Hopworks IPA and Double Mountain Hop Lava, will be donated to the National Parkinson's Foundation.

Join us at 6 for the official toast, and if you can't be with us please consider making a donation to the Parkinson's Foundation in Mr. Jackson's honor.

Thanks!

New Arrivals For Friday, Sept. 28, 2007

It's always a pleasant surprise when a batch of AleSmith IPA comes in, and this load was no exception. In addition to the IPA we also received a few cases of Anvil ESB and their latest Anniversary release, Dead By Dawn. A couple of tasty winter beers (can you call them "winter" when they're released in September?) from Great Divide and Dick's Brewing round out the collection for the day.


AleSmith - Decadence (Dead By Dawn): Alesmith's Decadence Anniversary Ale was originally brewed in 2005 to celebrate our first decade in business. The brewers at Alesmith had such a great time concocting Decadence that they decided to make it an annual event, and brew a new style each year to commemorate our Anniversary. The second release in the Decadence series, Dead by Dawn, was inspired by our own seasonal specialty ale, Evil Dead Red. What if we made it bigger, bolder and even more evil? The result is Decadence 2006 Dead by Dawn, a devilicious auburn-colored ale with a complex sweet caramel maltiness balanced by the just the right amount of hop bitterness. Dead by Dawn showcases an enticing hop flavor and intense hop aroma that rounds out this rich, full-bodied ale. Join our Anniversary Celebration with Decadence. You'll soon discover why Alesmith is known around the world as the place to find Legendary Craftsmanship.

AleSmith - IPA: AleSmith IPA used to be known as "Irie Pirate Ale." However, some nasty patent attorneys think the name is too similar to another brand, so we had to "cease and desist." It's a darn shame, but it beats an obnoxious legal battle, in both expenses and Excedrin. Don't worry though, we won't change the beer (which is a MUCH better IPA than that "other" brand). It was conceived as an American-style IPA to satisfy the yearnings of the most die-hard hopheads. Its high alcohol content may catch you unawares if you're not careful, but it's hard to resist once you've tasted it. Appearance: Deep golden to light amber color, and a nice beige head, with good retention when properly served. Flavor: Starts off with strong citrusy, resiny flavors, balanced by a nice malty sweetness, then fades to a dry finish with a lingering hoppiness and a faint hint of plums and black cherries. Aroma: Strong piney-citrusy character, with vanilla in the background. Mouthfeel (body/texture): Smooth, medium-bodied. Feels warm in the mouth from the alcohol.

AleSmith - Anvil ESB: Bright copper color, sparkling clarity, and good foam retention when properly served. Appealing Brussels lace. Deep toasty/caramelly malt balanced by spicy/fruity hop flavors accented by fruit esters resulting from fermentation with a championship yeast strain. The aroma is subtle and reflects the flavor with malt, hop and fruit (ester)/fermentation characteristics. Smooth, medium-bodied. Easy drinking with no harsh or astringent sensations.

Great Divide - Hibernation: Hibernation Ale is Colorado's original strong ale -- it has been Great Divide's winter seasonal each year since 1995. Hibernation's massive flavors are so intense that it requires over three months of aging each year. This lengthy aging process gives Hibernation its revered malty richness, complex hop profile and hearty warming character, which is perfect right out of the bottle or cellared for longer periods of time.

Dick's Brewing - Double Diamond: Northwest style winter seasonal bold enough to get you through the weather. We fill the mash tun to the top with lots of Northwest premium 2-row malted barley, plenty of rich Munich malt, a full bag of sweet caramel malt, lots of crisp malted white wheat, and a touch of highly roasted black barley. This kind of big beer requires several healthy additions of hops with real character for backbone and finish. We don’t call it Double Diamond for nothing.


Coming Soon:

• BridgePort - Hop Harvest Ale: Next week
• Sierra Nevada - Harvest Ale: Next week
• Deschutes - Jubel Ale: Next week
• Rogue - Newport 125th Anniversary Commemorative Brew: Next Week
• Rogue - Hop Heaven: Next Week (First time in Bottles!)
• Deschutes - Lone Rock Organic Amber: Coming soon.
• Full Sail - Wassail: Week of 10/15
• BridgePort - Ebenezer: Week of 10/15

Don't forget, the National Toast To Michael Jackson is Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007. Join us for special beers on tap, a silent auction/raffle of "beer gear", and a short lecture/discussion on Parkinson's Disease hosted by Dr. John Nutt from OHSU. The offical toast will take place at 6pm, and we'll have a small PA system for those who wish to share stories or memories about Mr. Jackson. All the proceeds from the special tap and auction will be donated to the National Parkinson's Foundation.

See you on Sunday!

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know...

...about hops, and a few things you probably don't care about.

My post last week regarding impending price increases in hops led to a rather interesting discussion on BeerAdvocate.com about the implications for homebrewers and beer lovers in general. One of the respondents posted a link to a 45 page .pdf entitled:

Hops: An Economic Assessment of the Feasibility
of Providing Multiple-Peril Crop Insurance

With an exciting title like that it could only come from the U.S. government. It was prepared by the Economic Research Service, a division of the USDA, for the Office of Risk Management at the Consolidated Farm Service Agency. Mmmmm, Bureaucratic...

This report was initially published in 1995, so the production figures are a bit out of date, but there's still a ton of valuable information in this report including a comprehensive breakdown of maturation time, yield, and alpha acid percentage for the majority of the commercially available strains. That breakdown is followed by a brief history of each of the major cultivars, where they're currently being grown, and maladies that affect each particular strain. Neat stuff, and very educational from a homebrewer/amateur hop farmer perspective.

It also goes on to explain many of the potential weather catastrophes, insect problems, and other insurance-related issues that can befall the farmers. A lot of it is painfully dry if you're not a botanist or uber beer geek, but I found this section on marketing (page 23) to be interesting.

Hop marketing is characterized by several unique features. First, specific quantities at specific prices are contracted for as many as 5 or more years in advance of harvest. At the beginning of October 1994, for example, just 2 percent of the 1994 crop, 9 percent of the 1995 crop, 37 percent of the 1996 crop, 49 percent of the 1997 crop, 57 percent of the 1998 crop, and 77 percent of the 1999 crop remained unsold (Hop Growers of America). Second, spot-market prices are highly variable, plummeting sharply during market gluts and spiking abruptly when there is a shortage. This is caused by the reluctance of brewers to change the hop content in their beer recipes. Hops impart taste, and brewers want to maintain the consistent taste and character of their specific brands. Third, and related to the second, hops are not substitutable as far as brewers are concerned. Further, there are no significant alternative uses for hops except for beer production. Fourth, hops represents a very small portion of the finished product for which they are used. One pound of hops reportedly flavors over 1,500 12-ounce bottles of beer. Consequently, changes in hop prices have a minuscule effect on the cost of producing beer.

What does all of that mean? If I'm reading it right it means this whole "sky is falling" hysteria about hop prices tripling and breweries going out of business is being blown way out of proportion. I'm sure there will be a handful of smaller breweries that will be forced to raise prices because they weren't able to sign a contract before prices rose, or their growth will be temporarily limited by a lack of ingredients, but on the whole it appears as though people are making a mountain out of a molehill. Other breweries may be forced to alter their recipes in order to compensate for a lack of a particular strain, but it seems like there are enough hop varieties out there (with enough overlap in flavor and aroma) that they should be able to come close to the desired flavor/aroma profile through substitution and/or recipe adjustment. They're already forced to adjust recipes to account for seasonal variability in alpha acid percent, and craft beer-lovers seem pretty open to recipes being tweaked, as long as the end result is tasty.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Maybe I just want to interject a voice of reason, or perhaps play devil's advocate, and demonstrate that this year's shortage isn't the death knell for Imperial IPA's and other hoppy delights. And if I'm wrong, one possible upshot is that more brewers will respond to the recent interest in "The Session Beer" and begin creating flavorful beers under 5% that are a bit easier on the palate then some of the tongue-scrapers we've become accustomed to.

If anyone reads the report and comes to a different conclusion than me, please post it. I'll admit that I'm not a farmer, insurance adjuster, or hop broker, but the way this report reads I'm led to believe things won't be as bad as some folks are imagining. I really hope I'm right, because a life without hops is a life barely worth living.

Laurelwood Fresh Hop Coming Tomorrow

From the Laurelwood Brewsletter:

Fresh Hop Extra Pale Ale

This year, we traveled to Mt. Angel and visited with Annen Bros. Hop Farms. The farm was in the midst of harvesting Willamettes hops. That morning. we brought back over 70 pounds of freshly-dried and wet hops. Upon arriving at the brewery we began the brew that is Fresh Hop Extra Pale Ale. Fresh hops were added every 15 minutes in the kettle for the entire 90 minute boil. An additional 25 pounds were used in the hop back. This beer is our celebration of the year's hop harvest. Cheers!

5.4% ABV

??? IBUs

OG 13º Plato

Yummy!

New Arrivals For Friday Sept. 21, 2007

We received a couple tasty fall seasonals today, and a few things from Baron Brewing in Washington are now available in Oregon.

First up, the seasonals:

Avery Kaiser: Billed as an "Imperial Oktoberfest", Avery's popular fall offering weighs in at 9.3% abv. One 22oz bottle of this delicious nectar should be more than enough to get you dancing in your leiderhozen. This is also a great candidate for aging, so grab a couple and forget about them until Portland gets gets hit with the annual January ice storm.

Elysian Night Owl: This is one of the tastiest pumpkin beers available, mainly because they don't overdo it on the spices. Elysian even schedules a tasting around the release of this beer involving the ceremonial tapping of a giant pumpkin full of Night Owl. Their website is a bit out of date so I couldn't find any info, but I'll see if I can dig something up. EDIT: I found something on meetup.com regarding the the Great Pumpkin Festival, but I still can't find anything from Elysian so I'd advise calling the brewery to confirm before making the trek up there.


Now it's time for the new guys: Please note - I haven't tried any of these yet, so all you get for today are the commercial descriptions.

Baron Schwarzbier: The Schwarzbier is a classic German black beer. The color is black with tinges of ruby and brown. The flavor is full and crisp. The Schwarzbier starts with a slight roast flavor upfront followed by a faint chocolate body with a very crisp clean lagered finish. A very full yet drinkable lager. Now that I think about it, I had some of this at the International Beer Festival, but it was pouring way too cold to appreciate.

Baron Pilsner: The Baron Pils is a traditional Northern German Style Pilsner. It has a fantastic malty aroma with a slight spice from the hops. The head is brilliant white and floats on the clean pale lager. The sparkling mouthfeel gives way to a soft malt sweetness that is followed by a long dry super crisp finish. The balanced clean finish taunts the mouth to take another drink.

Baron Oktoberfest: The Baron Oktoberfest is a traditional German Style Oktoberfest / Marzen. The beer has a deep copper / amber color with a sweet rich but light malt flavor. The finish is crisp and easy, leaving the mouth desiring for more. We age the Oktoberfest for a full 3 months to guarantee a fantastically smooth beer.

For more info on Baron's beers, or the brewery, please visit Baronbeer.com

New Arrivals for September 18, 2007

Hale's - O'Brien's Harvest Ale: Harvest Ale is crisp and refreshing, made with fresh (wet) Central
Washington hops, harvested in early autumn. Rich & robust, O'Brien's Harvest is a much anticipated Northwest classic!

Allgauer - Oktoberfest: The official description simply states, "A pleasantly soft beer, makes everyday a holiday." I guess that's all you need to know!



I don't have time to list them all right now, but I also wanted to mention our small, but carefully chosen collection of premium Saké. We're just as committed to bringing you the best in Japan's national beverage as we are with beer, so the selection will be growing slowly as we personally taste test the candidates. In addition to Oregon's own Momokawa and Moonstone line we've got a handful of the best "value priced" options from Japan.

This Pub Crawls to You

From the Oregon Brewers' Guild:

DESCHUTES BREWERY CRAFTS A NEW TAKE ON THE PUB CRAWL

What:
With much to celebrate -including the April, 2008 opening of the Portland pub and The Abyss being named the world’s best stout in the new issue of Men’s Journal- Deschutes Brewery is rolling out the barrel and introducing a new traveling pub to share their signature pub culture with the rest of the Pacific Northwest. The custom-made truck-sized wooden barrel was created by renowned Hollywood designer Eddie Paul and will be stopping in Portland before heading north to Seattle as part of its new Neighborhood Hops Traveling Beer Festival.

When:
Tuesday, September 18th, 6:00 p.m.

Where:
The future home of the Portland Deschutes Brew Pub. The corner of Davis and 11th, Portland

Dave Wilson, Director of Sales And Marketing for Deschutes Brewery will be on hand to discuss the barrel concept and fundraising initiatives. The new signature wooden barrel will be parking at the future home of the Portland Deschutes Brew Pub where it will be christened with a bottle of beer before making its maiden journey to Seattle.
Deschutes Brewery t-shirts, leather coasters and other giveaways will be handed out to attendees.

Here is a computer generated image (shown above), and here's an actual photo of barrel in construction.


Brian Butenschoen
Executive Director
Oregon Brewers Guild
"Think Oregon, Drink Oregon!"
2000 NE 42nd Ave
PMB 278
Portland OR 97213
www.oregonbeer.org
mailto:orbrewingguild@msn.com
503.288.2739
800-440-2537

I guess I have a reason to venture into the Pearl District tonight. I'm sure the real thing will be a lot sweeter than the artists' rendering, so if I make it down I'll try and snap a couple photos.

Bad News From HopUnion

A bit of troubling news from the folks at HopUnion, via Dave Wells at Freshops:

The hop world is upside down. In the future we see the possibility of brewers shutting down for lack of hops.

• For US hops 2007 is looking like an average crop, but not a bumper crop.
• Slovenia (grower of Styrians) lost at least 1/3 and possibly as much as 1/2 of their crop to a hailstorm.
• The Czech crop is down 25% this year. Estimated alphas on Czech Saaz from the 2007 crop are 2.7 - 2.9.
• The German crop is average at best with earlier aroma hops coming in below normal (such as Hallertau Mittelfruh).
• New Zealand and Australia crops this year (which arrived in the US in June and July) were normal.
• England is almost out of the hop business. Their acreage of 2,400 in 2006 (down from 17,000 in 1976) represents 2 percent of the worldwide acreage.

World acreage:

1986: 215,600

1992: 236,000

2006: 123,000


Ralph’s best guess is that in 1992 the acreage should have been between 160,000 - 170,000 if it was to match world demand/usage at that time. The 1990s’ excess hop crop ended up being processed into pellets and extracts, building up substantial excess inventory. Excess production that was 2, 3 and 5 years old was selling on the
open market and as a result brought prices down. Hop prices had dropped so low in recent years that in many cases they were lower than what it costs to grow them. For example: prices got as low as $1.70/lb. for pellets of Cascade. That is way below what it takes for a hop grower to cover his costs.

High-alpha hops and some aroma hops are going overseas - the high rate of the Euro is a factor. In the spot market for high-alpha hops, growers are not putting a price on them yet. They’re waiting to see how high the prices may go.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s the prices were depressed and growers were starting to throw in the towel, to either switch to other crops, or sell out to real estate developers. The ones who stayed in it and managed to survive without going under are pleased to be in this situation now, which is 180 degrees opposite from where
it was about 10 years ago.

The demand for Cascades is up 30% this year alone. We are 300-400 acres short on Cascade compared to where we need to be. Cascade acreage was 1,003 in 2001, jumped up to 2,120 in 2003 (because one major brewer announced plans to use it, but then reversed course) and total Cascade acreage is now back near the same 2001-year-level, at 1,116 in 2006.

Prices are the highest they’ve ever been - and it’s beyond comprehension. Cascades were priced at $7/lb. three weeks ago and are currently being quoted at or near $10.00/lb. Willamettes went from $5.50 to $7.00/lb. and may also get to $10/lb.

It takes three years to get to full production on a new hop field, however, we don’t have the number of growers needed to put new acres in (the total of US growers is about 45, down from more than 2000 in 1978. About new 2,000 acres are going in this year - almost all of those are high alpha. The Cascade increase in acreage is 0.

"We are, in my opinion, in trouble."

What’s the bottom line? Certain varieties are getting a lot more expensive. A few varieties will run out faster than ever. Brewers have to be willing to try other varieties. Brewmasters, brewery owners, and marketing and sales managers must prepare for the potential need to substitute different hops, to replace varieties
that currently give your beers their "signature" flavor. That’s what we’ll have to get used to, the fact that there may be slight flavor variations over the next several years, as the hop industry works to correct this situation. It’s not going to get better soon, but will be likely just as bad, or worse, for the crops from 2008 and 2009, in other words, for beers brewed from now through 2010.

My "no brainer" prediction of the day: Beer is going to get a lot more expensive next year. Most mid- to large-size breweries have already contracted their purchases for this coming year, so the prices shouldn't jump too quickly, but expect things to rise considerably beginning with the 2008 fesh hop beers.

Jolly Pumkin Bam Noire

The Jolly Pumpkin website says:

Dark, smooth, delicious. Aromas of worn leather and cool autumn nights. Notes of sweet plum and toasted raisin, hints of coffee and cacao. Lingering tart and refreshing finish. Only available for a few short months. Not to be missed.

Like all JP beers, this one is barrel-aged, unfiltered, and probably a bit funky. There's very little middle ground with these guys, you either love them or you hate them. Personally, I love 'em, so expect a rave review soon.

Iron Chef...With Beer!

I didn't receive the press release, so I borrowed this from the Oregonian Beer Blog. Thanks John!

PORTLAND'S TOP CHEFS BREW UP "BEER-LICIOUS" RECIPES
Iron Beer-Chef Challenge Launches Statewide Oregon Bounty Celebration

Imagine you had one craft brew, a dozen ingredients and 30 minutes to create a dish in front of a few hundred people. Oh, and your creation will be scored by a panel of judges who happen to be beer and food experts. Four of the region's top chefs - Pascal Sauton of Carafe, Caprial Pence of Caprial's Bistro, Dale Rasmussen of The Resort at the Mountain, and Jason Stoller-Smith of the Dundee Bistro - will be doing just that as they battle it out for the title of Oregon's best beer chef during the Oregon Bounty Iron Beer-Chef Challenge. Celebrating Oregon's craft brewing industry and its importance in the state's culinary landscape, the challenge kicks off Travel Oregon's annual statewide Oregon Bounty promotion. Each of the four chefs will have access to Oregon ingredients fresh from the farmers' market, one of four Oregon microbrews and only 30 minutes to conceptualize and prepare a dish. The creations will be judged by a panel of local culinary celebrities and craft brewers, including The Oregonian's beer connoisseur John Foyston, beer pairing expert Fred Eckhardt, Andy Carson from KPTV, and Karl Ockert, brewmaster at BridgePort Brewing Company. The public is invited to watch the free event and to sample delectable Oregon products, including pears, cheese
and more.

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 27
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Pioneer Courthouse Square, downtown Portland

WHY: This local kick-off event is part of Oregon Bounty, an annual promotion taking place in October and November, where visitors and locals alike can sample the latest vintages at more than 100 local wineries; take part in harvest festivals; experience artisan products; dine on special offerings at more than 60 restaurants across the state; enjoy one-of-a-kind overnight stays at nearly 100 intimate inns and hotels; and meet the growers, producers, chefs, winemakers and brewmasters who make it all happen. Each of Oregon's seven distinct regions will offer travel packages, specials deals and events exclusively for Oregon Bounty. Hundreds of harvest festivals and fall events await the culinary adventurer, offering everything from grape stomping and cider squeezing to wine tasting and jazz concerts. For a complete list of activities, restaurants, brewery and winery events, lodging packages and more, including how to enter to win an Oregon Bounty getaway for two, go to TravelOregon.com/bounty or call (800) 547-7842.

SNOB Gathering & Brewer's Dinner @ Full Sail

From the Oregon Brewers Guild:

September SNOB Gathering
Saturday, September 15th
Noon to 3pm
Full Sail Brewing's Tasting Room and Pub
At 1:30 there will be a private tour - everyone will get a free pint glass
As usual there will be a raffle.

Tasting Room & Pub
506 Columbia Street
Hood River, OR
541-386-2247
Open Daily @11:30am
Serving Lunch & Dinner

---

Also at the Full Sail Tasting Room
September 27, 2007
Full Sail Brewer's Dinner

Every Thursday Beginning September 27th at the Hood River Tasting Room & Pub

To celebrate 20 years of being fortunate to be doing what we love - brewing beer, we will be hosting a weekly series of Brewer's Dinners right here at our Tasting Room and Pub.

Our first Brewer's Dinner will be on our actual 20th anniversary date, Thursday, September 27, 2007 and will continue every Thursday evening thereafter. The menu will feature four delicious courses and four amazing Full Sail brews including our 20th Anniversary Doppel X. The Brewer's Dinner menu will be served every Thursday from 4:00PM to 8:00PM. (Our regular menu will also be available 11:30 to closing.)

The cost of the dinner including beer is only $20 per person. This is a self-guided format so come as you are anytime between 4:00 & 8:00PM - no reservations are needed. Quantities are limited.

Here is the menu, it looks delicious.

For more information on becoming a SNOB please contact:

Brian Butenschoen
Executive Director
Oregon Brewers Guild
"Think Oregon, Drink Oregon!"
2000 NE 42nd Ave
PMB 278
Portland OR 97213
www.oregonbeer.org
orbrewingguild@msn.com
503.288.2739
800-440-2537

Do you hear that noise? That's your liver saying, "Please, no more!"

Hoptoberfest @ Walking Man 9.15.07

The event notices just keep rolling in. I love this time of year...

From Walking Man brewing in Stevenson, WA:

Stevenson, WA - September 15, 2007 - Celebrate Fall in the Gorge at Hoptoberfest!

One of the last chances to party outside as we feel the seasons rolling over. Saturday, September 15th, Stevenson, WA welcomes the seventh annual Hoptoberfest at Walking Man Brewery. Its time to put on your party hat, literally! We want to see the Biggest, Funkiest, Wildest Party Hats you Can dig up!! You won’t want to miss this fun filled celebration of the harvest season with great beer, food, music and games.

From noon till 10pm, Walking Man will be pouring award-winning micro brews all made in-house. There will be food from various vendors and live music all day long!

Come enjoy the sounds of Kalakoa, from 12-3:00 with Island Style Reggae, followed by Tilly Jam, a rockin Hood River band from 4:00- 7:30pm. HillStomp, back by popular demand from Portland, will get your party hat moving with their North Mississippi trance-blues-rock-stomp from 7:30-10 pm.

The whole family is welcome, as kids will enjoy Walking Mans handcrafted rootbeer, ginger ale and cream soda. There will be plenty of games and prizes, including a keg toss for big people and egg toss for little people! Walking Man will have a circus tent set up in case of rain and a good time is sure to be had by all!

Proceeds will benefit “Running with Scissors” a local non-profit promoting environmental, cultural and health education for local youth through outdoor adventure. So bring down your crazy hat, hoola hoops, costumes...whatever floats your boat, for a wild and crazy time while supporting your community! Entry is only $4 with kids under 12 for free. No dogs please.


Walking Man is located at 240 SW 1st Street in st Stevenson, WA. There's no better way to celebrate Hoptober in the Gorge! For more information, call Walking Man at 509-427-5520.

Bridgeport Fresh Hop Tasting/Release 9.26.07

From Bridgeport Brewing in Portland, OR

BRIDGEPORT BREWING CO. LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION 22-OUNCE BREWS WITH 2007 HOP HARVEST ALE

Oregon's Oldest Craft Brewery Pours the Season's First Taste of Hop Harvest Ale
at its Hop Harvest Celebration 7- 9 p.m. Wednesday,September 26th, BridgePort brewpub + bakery in the Pearl at 1313 NW Marshall St. Featuring live music, food from the BridgePort brewpub and bakery, and most importantly a taste of Hop Harvest Ale, BridgePort's Hop Harvest Celebration is free and open to the public.


PORTLAND, Ore. - BridgePort Brewing Company is debuting its limited-edition 22-ounce series with the 2007 Hop Harvest Ale, a triple hopped Imperial Style Ale using wet, green Centennial Hops fresh from the fields. With plans for a number of limited-edition 22-ounce brews each year, Hop Harvest Ale is just the first of a series of new and innovative, big brews from BridgePort. The Brewery will celebrate hop harvest, its new limited-edition 22-ounce brews and share a taste of its 2007 Hop Harvest Ale on Wednesday, September 26th from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the BridgePort brewpub + bakery.

With only 120 barrels of BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale being made, beer enthusiasts and 'hop heads' won't want to procrastinate. Starting September 26th, BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale can be found on tap at BridgePort brewpub + bakery and BridgePort Ale House and in 22-ounce bottles at finer grocery retailers in the Portland area.

About Hop Harvest and BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale
BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale uses fresh green hops right off the vine, yielding incredible, fresh hop aromatics. Starting early in the morning, BridgePort's brewmaster, Karl Ockert, heads to the hop farm 30 miles south of Portland. Hops are cut from the fields, picked from the vines, and before the usual drying step occurs, green, wet hops are put into large 50-pound bags and taken back to the brewery. Upon arrival 300 pounds of green hops are added to a unique Hop Jack Tank that has already been brewing for several hours. As the hops steep, the Pearl District surrounding BridgePort Brewery is filled with intense hop aromas that result in a distinct brew unlike any normally hopped ale.

The harvest for each variety of hops is limited and lasts only two to three days, making BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale even more unique due to its special brewing process and limited availability.

BridgePort's Hop Harvest Ale Stats:
IBU's: 70 ABV: 7.0% Color: Deep Golden
Ingredients: Pate, Wheat and Carmel Malts. Oregon Nugget, UK Golden, Centennial and freshly harvested Centennial Hops.
Description: This triple hopped ale is a bottle conditioned Imperial Style Ale. The fresh green Centennial Hops add floral overtones reminiscent of tropical fruits.

This makes me hoppy, I mean happy!

Deschutes Fresh Hop Tasting 9.25.07

From Deschutes Brewing in Bend, OR

Harvest Moon Ale Tasting
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007

at the Mountain Room
901 SW Simpson Ave.

6:00 to 8:30 pm

Come help us celebrate the release of our two most anticipated seasonal
brews!

BEER LIST:
SEASONALS:
Jubelale & Hop Trip (preseason release)

FRESH HOP ALES:
McMorris Scotch Ale & Lugnut I.P.A. (pub brews)

RESERVE SERIES:
'06 Pinot Jubel & '06 The Abyss (oak aged from the vault)

FOOD:
Enjoy these beers with our Famous BBQ spare Ribs, Home made Mac &
Cheese, Sweet Chili Chicken Wings, Country Potato Wedges and some other
delicious snack platters.

$30.00 per person all inclusive.
Contact Sharon at 385-8606 for reservations.

Fresh hop goodness AND another chance to try the pinot-aged Jubel? Plus the Abyss? This WILL sell out quick, so don't delay!

New Art and Live Music Friday 9.14

Friday the 14th @ 8PM in the BierCafe.

The Belmont Station BierCafe will be hosting a reception party for my newest artwork. Everyone is welcome to come and check out the art and maybe even buy something.

In addition we are expecting to have a keg of the very hard to find Walking Man Jaywalker Russian Imperial Stout!









We'll also be featuring live music from Belmont Station's own Scott Wray:

New Beers for Tuesday Sept. 11th

Another day, another pile of new beer.


Stone 11th Anniversary: Once again, Stone delivers a palate-bending experience with their special release brew. This years' anniversary ale can perhaps best be described as an India Dark Ale. This is a relatively new "style" and the only examples I've had were Phillips' Black Toque and the Rogue Black Brutal, but I like the trend and hope to see more of these in the future.

Stone 11th seeks to bridge the gap between light and dark by loading up with hops and applying a liberal dose of de-husked black malt (to provide color without imparting too much roasty/burnt flavors) and in the end it seems to capture the essence of both without either overpowering the other. Several people on Ratebeer have gone so far as to label it as a "chocolate IPA", and I can understand why. Like all Stone special release beers, there's never supply enough to meet demand, so if you enjoy it be sure to snatch up as much as you can before it's gone.

We also got a few new Belgian beers in today, most of which are either new to me or have been MIA for so long that I can't trust my mental tasting notes. I'll post our thoughts as we consume them, otherwise feel free to check out ratebeer.com or beeradvocate.com for more information.

Vapuer en Folie:

Saison de Pipaix:

Glazen Toren Saison d'Erpe:

Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique:

Glazen Toren Ondenike:

P.S. I haven't forgotten the tasting notes from last week, but I've been fighting allergies for the last few days and I figured I'd wait to drink the new guys until I could fully appreciate them.

New Beer For Friday Sept. 7, 2007

The holiday flood begins...


New Arrivals:

Serafijn Celtic Angel: There's no commercial description, so click the link to read some reviews or wait until I drink one and report back...

Serafijn Donker: This dark brown Serafijn has a spicy herbal character and a soft bitterness. The Achilles brewery has a unique way of achieving an even heating of the wort: using no direct flame or steam, the wort is pumped through a spiral that sits in a tub of hot water!

Serafijn Tripel: There's no commercial description, so click the link to read some reviews or wait until I drink one and report back...

Serafijn Grand Cru: There's no commercial description, so click the link to read some reviews or wait until I drink one and report back...

Hemel Nieuw Ligt Grand Cru: Translated from Dutch, on the painted label: "heavy beer, 12% ABV, for long cellaring. Full, dark, aromatic. Now ready to drink, but around 2008 at its peak. Store cool and dark. Drinkable until eternity." English bottles: Exquisitely brewed by Browerij De Hemel - "Heaven" in Dutch - and gently accented with spices lovingly picked from the Garden of Eden. It is specially brewed to give pleasure for all Eternity. Keep it in your cellar as long as you can. It just gets better as time goes by.

Gouden Carolus Noel: For the Christmas and New Year festivities the Gouden Carolus range is now extended to include this seriously heavy strong brown ale. Het Anker are thus rekindling a long lost tradition from the days of yore when they marketed Cardinal Christmas and Anker Christmas. The commercial description doesn't really say much, but I remember it being like a heavenly spiced dessert in a bottle. Take that for what it's worth...

Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner: This is easily the best brew I've ever had from Sam Adams, even better than the much maligned Triple Bock. Clear, golden, and medium bodied with a billowy white head. There's some malt in there somewhere, but this beer is all about the hops. Earthy, spicy Hallertau hops permeate every drop of this beer leave a lasting impression on your tongue. It won't be around for long, so try some while you can!

Six Rivers Bluff Creek Pale Ale: Citrus notes, well balanced, crisp with a hoppy aroma. Honestly, that commercial description leaves a lot to be desired, so I'll post something more thorough in a couple days.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale: A crisp and refreshing wheat beer with delightful aromatics and gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale : Punkin' Ale is a full-bodied, spiced brown ale brewed with baked pumpkins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Dogfish Head Punkin' Ale is named after the annual Punkin' Chunkin Festival held near Lewes, Delaware the weekend after Halloween.



Long Lost Friends:

Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue) 1.5 Ltr Magnums: It's the same Chimay Blue you know and love, but in a larger bottle that's perfect for holiday gatherings or family dinners.

Piraat 1.5 Ltr Magnums: Piraat has been out of stock for so long I'd almost forgotten the wonderful blend of sugar and hops it provides. At 10.5% abv its another great beer for gatherings or a really, really long solo session.



Note: Most of these descriptions came from either the bottle or the brewers' website. I take no responsibility if something doesn't live up to the flowery marketing-speak they use to describe it.

Have a good weekend!

Merchant du Vin Tasting 9.25.07

Jhon Gilroy will be joining us once again to sample more fine beer from the MdV portfolio. Stop on by and sample any or all of these fine beers:

• Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout (England)
• Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen (Germany)
• Westmalle Trappist Dubbel (Belgium)
• Traquair House Ale (Scotland)
• Lindemans Pomme Lambic (Belgium)
• Green's Discovery Amber Ale (Belgium gluten-free)
• Green's Endeavour Dubbel Ale (Belgium, gluten-free)

For more information call us at 503.232.8538. BWe hope you'll join us!

EDIT: someone brought it to my attention that I forgot to list the time. The tasting will be held from 6 - 8 pm on September 25th.

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Tags: beer tasting

National Toast To MJ - Our Contribution

Words can not express the importance of Mr. Jackson to the beer community nor do justice to his passing. I learned so much from his writing, but unlike Jeff Alworth, Lew Bryson, Stan Heironymus, (and many others), I never met the man, so I wanted to avoid any sort of trite "me too" post. I've been thinking all week about what I could say that would do justice to the Bard of Beer, and after reading this post on the Beer Hunter blog I realized I have one advantage that most bloggers don't; managing a beer store and bar full of beverages he would have approved of.

Instead of simply writing something I received permission from the boss to take part in the National Toast to Michael Jackson on September 30, 2007. We hope this will give local beer lovers a chance to congregate and share stories and thoughts on Mr. Jackson while sipping on some world-class beer.

More details will follow, but we have a few things in mind including a raffle of donated beer gear (t-shirts, hats, SNOB memberships, etc...), special draughts, and an extra special cask-conditioned keg of one of our most popular beers. ALL the proceeds from the raffle and draught beer will be donated to the National Parkinson's Foundation in honor of Michael. We will also "pass the hat" for those who wish to donate more than they can drink.

Even if you don't feel like participating in the auction we'd like to encourage everyone to come in on the 30th and share their thoughts and memories. The taps will be flowing all day and the official toast will be held at 6pm in conjunction with other bars across the country.


Thank you Mr. Jackson.

Deschutes Abyss v2.0

It's been almost a year since the first release of Deschutes' amazing imperial stout, and we still get calls almost daily asking if we have any left. Sadly, you'd be hard pressed to find a bottle anywhere other than someone's cellar, but good news is on the horizon.

A little birdie with good connections informed me that the new batch of Abyss will be ready in time for a December '07 release, meaning you've got less than 4 months of waiting before you can lay your anxious little paws on them!

I'm going to make a prediction right now; every beer geek in Oregon (and many from outside the region) will have this baby on their holiday wish list, so be sure to snatch it up quickly or you'll be left out in the cold.

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Tags: Beer, Deschutes, Abyss