Coming Soon: Ninkasi Bottles!

I just received confirmation from our sales guy that Ninkasi bottles will be available for delivery on Tuesday. The starting lineup will be their Total Domination IPA, Believer Red Ale, and Tricerahops Double IPA. We've been getting requests for these beer ssince shorty after they opened, and it'll be nice to offer them in something other than a 15.5 gallon keg.

In other Ninkasi news, we're hosting Jamie Floyd (and maybe his partner Nikos Ridge) for a bottle release and "Meet the Brewer" event in our BierCafe on Monday, March 10, from 6 - 9 pm. We usually offer some sort of sale on bottles featured in the tastings, so if you haven't sampled them yet I'd encourage you to stop by, ask Jamie some questions, sample the beers, and then take some home for later.

Mmm...Tricerahops...

Oregon Trail Bourbon Porter

The Oregon Trail Bourbon Porter was just delivered. I'll try one tonight and post an update tomorrow, but in the meantime you can check out the reviews for previous batches on ratebeer.com.

I tried to post an image, but Blogger is acting weird. Oh well...

How Much?

Alright loyal readers, here's a great chance to make your opinion known. Based on our web traffic I know that there's only 1-2 comments per 100 readers, but I'm hoping that some of the lurkers will give me some feedback on this one. We've been given a chance to pre-order some cases of the Ola Dubh series from the Harviestoun brewery in Scotland. Essentially, it's an 8% imperial porter aged in Highland Park casks. For the first run, they've aged the beer in 12yr, 16yr, and 30yr Highlannd Park Single Malt barrels. If the project is well received they'll continue the series with 40 year and 60 year barrels.

My question to you is this: How much should we get? Outside the reviews, the only information I have is that the bottles are 11.2oz and will apparently cost $10-11 for the 12yr, $11-12 for the 16yr, and $16-18 for the 30yr (Don't quote me on that, prices subject to change, blah,blah blah). I would assume that the more we order the lower the aggregate shipping cost will be, and I'm not sure we'll be able to get more than one order, so I was hoping I could use this post to gauge interest in this series.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm intrigued enough that I'm going to order at least a couple cases of each no matter what, but I want to make sure we get enough for everyone who'd like to try it. Considering the recent frenzy around barrel-aged beers like Abyss and Top Sail, I figured I'd do what I can to keep people informed.

Pearl Specialty

You may have heard the news a few months ago regarding a liquor store in the Pearl District. Without going into to too much detail, the owners of Specialty Pearl managed to convince the OLCC that due to the high cost of rent in the neighborhood they should be granted a variance to allow them to sell beer and wine in addition to hard liquor. Their logic was that a "stand alone" liquor store wouldn't be profitable, and the OLCC concurred. The permits were approved, the place is open, and as far as I know it's now the first (and only) place in Oregon where you can pick up liquor, beer, and wine in the same location.

Need some incentive to check the place out? Here's a few stats:

• 300+ varieties of Wine
• 150+ varieties of Vodka
• 100+ Single Malts (no more driving to the Lake Oswego liquor store!!!)
• 100+ varieties of Tequila
• 50+ varieties of specialty beer
• 15+ varieties of Sake

That's just the tip of the iceberg. They've also got artisan chocolates and cheeses, a fine selection of cigars, assorted finishing salts, and much, much more. As one final bit of motivation I offer you this: They received one case of Abyss, and it's going on the shelf right now. One case. Twelve bottles. Get there quickly.

Other vital details:

~Hours: 11am to 10pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on Sunday
~Address: 900 NW Lovejoy
~Did I mention the Abyss?

When you stop in, please let them know Chris from Belmont Station tipped you off.

Oak-Aged Stella Artois?!?

Um, What?

“It will drive the frequency of purchase by ensuring more occasions can be met by premium lager and will also drive shopper interest and penetration by encouraging more consumers from other categories to buy into it," he said.

Ugh. That's some of the best (and worst) marketing-speak I've read in a long time. It doesn't entice me to purchase any, but I'm curious as to which "occasions" can be met by premium lager...

I suppose I should withhold judgment until I actually have a chance to try some, but I take this as a sign that the whole "oak aging" thing has gone way too far.

The Best Local Site You've Never Heard Of

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned Portlandbeer.org before, and it's been listed in the blog roll for months, but since they just finished overhauling the site I thought I'd take a moment and point out this great resource.

It starts off properly, with a clean layout and easy navigation. A well thought out design helps to make sense of what could otherwise be information overload, and off to the right is a continually updated list of daily beer specials:

Thursday's Beer Specials
Upcoming Specials:	Start:	End:
Alameda Brewing Company	3:00pm	6:00pm	HH
Laurelwood Brewery	3:00pm	6:00pm	HH
Raccoon Lodge	3:00pm	6:00pm	HH
Rock Bottom Brewery	3:00pm	6:00pm	HH
Laurelwood Brewery	9:00pm	12:00pm	HH
Raccoon Lodge	9:00pm	12:00pm	HH
Raccoon Lodge	9:00pm	12:00pm	HH

Pretty handy reference, especially given the rising cost of pints. (Note: HH stands for Happy Hour)

But that's just the front page, and there's a ton of useful info crammed into every corner of the site. Clicking on the BEER tab brings you to a comprehensive list of locally produced beers, with great little write-ups that pop up when you "hover over" the beer name. Similarly, you can click on BREWERIES to discover more about a particular place, or EVENTS to keep abreast of all the local festivities, or the PHOTOS page to whet your virtual whistle. After you've drooled all over your keyboard and decided to go out for a pint, consult the TOOLS page for some suggested pub crawls throughout the Portland area.

But wait, there's more! There's also a blog (of course), where Matt and Brett have been posting highly entertaining brewer interviews, in-depth beer reviews, and more. Check out this recent post about the opening of Hopworks; insightful writing, local color, plus some great photos of Christian and his new space. The ongoing series called "Ten Questions" is a humorous read as well. Take this excerpt from Van Havig's interview for example:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only choose one pound of either hops, water, barley, or yeast, which would it be, and why?

I'd take the barley, basically since you didn't mention if it was malted, so I'll assume it isn't. I could then plant it, grow more, and eventually start a plantation – have you seen the price of barley these days?

Still not convinced? Well, how about if they include a locally-focused forum in the package? Done and done. At this point the forums are sparsely populated and under-utilized, but if even a handful of people read this and join I'll consider my mission accomplished...

As one final enticement for all the wannabe beer writers out there; they're looking for volunteers to help cover beer festivals, write beer reviews, or pretty much anything beer-related. It doesn't pay well, but you get the glory of having your post read by thousands of people. Scroll down to the bottom of their main page for more info on the volunteer positions available.

Rumor has it they'll be having a couple of special things happening (like gift certificate giveaways) in the coming weeks, so now would be a good time to check them out and join the community.

Fancy Yourself As A Brewer? (Part 2)

This just in from Lisa Morrison (via the Oregon Brew Crew listserv):

Wet Dog Cafe/Astoria Brewing Co. is looking for a new head brewer. Or they would also entertain having someone fill in as a contract brewer until they find the right person. Contact Steve Allen, owner, at steve@allenpcas.com for more information.

Once again, please remember your friendly, local blogger if you get the job :)

Fancy Yourself As A Brewer?

This just in from Craigslist (via the Oregon Brew Crew listserv):

Brewpub approximately 50 miles from Portland needs a brewer. Must be willing to relocate if neccessary. Hours and compensation depending on experience. Hospitality experience is helpful.

Here's the link.

If you end up getting this job because you read about it here please let me know and I'll gladly accept a pint as a finder's fee ;)

Anderson Valley Double IPA

In honor of their 20th anniversary, Anderson Valley is releasing 22oz bottles of Imperial IPA. Weighing in at 8.7% ABV, and chock full of hoppy goodness, it's a great tribute to one of northern California's best breweries.

The beer should be in stock by the time you read this, but my sales rep was kind enough to drop off a sample bottle yesterday, so for once I can tell you all about it before it's even here. I should have taken a picture or two, but in lieu of any visual evidence you'll just have to use your imagination.

The beer pours a beautiful burnished copper supporting a creamy white head. The aroma practically jumped out of the glass and smacked me in the face with spicy, piney hops notes and a little alcoholic heat. There's definitely some sweet caramel and bready malt character in there somewhere, but this beast is all about the hops. More piney and citrus flavors coat the back of your tongue and a powerfully bitter mix of alpha acids and alcohol will leave your throat tingling with excitement after each sip.

In light of all the recent news regarding hops shortages, I'm starting to view each new Imperial IPA as potentially "the last of it's kind", at least in the near future. Not to say that breweries are going to simply stop making them, but many have scaled back the release of ultra hoppy beers in order to spread out their supply of hops and facilitate the production of the pale ales, ambers, and other "mainline" beers that keep the lights on. With that in mind, grab a couple of these (and maybe some of the fresh Hopsickle we just received), and have yourself a lupulin overdose while you still can.

Bahl Hornin!

The End Is Important In All Things

Last night I went to the Laurelhurst theater to see Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai with a friend. I've probably seen it a dozen times, but the final scene seems to lodge in my brain and affect my actions for a few days after every viewing. I won't go into the details and spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie (it's amazing), but it centers on a modern day samurai, brilliantly portrayed by Forest Whittaker. At several points during the movie he's shown reading from the Japanese tome Hagakure: The Way of the Samurai. The following quote is the final excerpt from the book to be shown in the movie:

"In the Kamigata area, they have a sort of tiered lunchbox they use for a single day when flower viewing. Upon returning, they throw them away, trampling them underfoot. The end is important in all things."

To bring this back around to beer, I got home after the movie and saw an empty 4 year old bottle of Fantome Printemps that we'd consumed a couple nights earlier. I wasn't sure why the bottle was still sitting on the counter, and not with the rest of it's brethren in the recycle bin, and it struck me that perhaps there was some subconscious attachment to the bottle based on my fond memories of the beer that was preventing me from letting go of something I'd never get to experience again. That final quote was still rolling around in the back of my mind, and I made a conscious decision to "let go" and dispose of it. Was it a monumental, life-changing realization? Certainly not, but it brought to mind other things, both physical and mental, that I should have let go of a long time ago.

Anyways, its something to ponder next time you're looking in your cellar and trying to decide whether or not you should drink that last bottle of something special. Sooner or later you'll have to drink it, and when you do it should be consumed with the joyful realization that all things must end. That, and you've just created an empty spot in the cellar which can now be filled with a new bottle that will have a story and journey all it's own.

As one final beer tie-in, the Laurehurst features several tasty things on tap; last nights' list included Caldera Porter, Lucky Lab's No Pity Pale and ESB, and some "Oregon Classics" like Full Sail Amber and Widmer Hefe. Where else can you get a pint of tasty brew, a bag of popcorn, and admission to one of the greatest movies ever made, all for under $10?

First Annual Firkin Tastival

From the Oregon Brewers Guild:

2008 Firkin Tastival
Presented by Victory and Steve's Cheese
Produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild

Sunday February 24th:
Two Sessions
Noon to 2:30 p.m.
3:30 to 6:00 p.m.

VICTORY
3652 SE Division
Portland, Oregon
503-236-8755

The 1st Annual Firkin Tastival Produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild will be at Victory, 3652 SE Division in two sessions, one from noon to two thirty p.m. and one from three thirty to six p.m. on Sunday, February 24th.

Presented by Victory and Steve's Cheese and Produced by the Oregon Brewers Guild. The Firkin Tastival will feature 9 naturally conditioned, gravity poured beers from Oregon Brewers Guild Members.

• Admission is $25.00
• 21 and over only
• $25 will get you a commemorative glass, 8 drink tickets and two food tickets.
• Limited to 60 people per session - this will sell out fast.

Get your tickets at http://www.oregonbeer.org/FT08.html
Beers will be supplied by from BJ’s, BridgePort, Double Mountain, Full Sail – Riverplace, Hair of the Dog, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Laurelwood, Pelican and Rock Bottom.

That sounds firkin delicious :)

New Arrivals For Tuesday, 2.12.08

It's been a while since we've gotten enough new beers to justify writing one of these, and this is a great collection that runs the gamut from delicate and spicy to huge and bracing. Without further ado...


New Beers From America:

Rogue - Imperial Red: - The latest beer in Rogue's XS Series (in the ceramic bottles) is an imperial red ale. Rogue was kind enough to put me on the guest list for their release party last Thursday, but unfortunately I was feeling under the weather and couldn't make it, so now I'll have to buy a bottle. Knowing Rogue, I'd expect a big caramelly malt backbone supporting a huge hop charge. Stay tuned to more...

Brideport - Barrel-Aged Old Knucklehead: For the twelfth bottling of the venerated Old Knucklehead, Bridgeport decided to take it up a notch and age it for several months in Jack Daniels barrels. Aging in Kentucky whiskey barrels adds some subtle notes of vanilla and wood, with a nice healthy dose of alcohol underneath. With barrel aging rapidly becoming "the thing" for 2008 it was only a matter of time before Bridgeport did something like this, and I'm glad they pulled it off so well. It seems like the sleeping beast has finally woken up...

Bayern Mini Kegs: Bayern is "rolling out the barrel" with their new 5 liter mini-kegs. The first two to arrive are the Dancing Trout Kristallweizen and their crisp, delicious Pilsner. The only drawback to these (and minikegs in general) is that they allow oxygen to enter the unit as you dispense the beer, so you'll lose some carbonation and a little flavor if you try to save them for more than 24 hours after tapping. That being said, these are great for smaller gatherings, camp outs, or any other time when you can consume the 10 pints in one session.

Stone - Old Guardian Barleywine: Stone's annual releases are always hot (some in more ways than one), and the "OG" is no exception. Strong, boozy, hoppy, and oh so warming in the belly, this is the beer to have when you're only having one. Actually, you could split a bottle between two people and still find yourself with rosy cheeks and an improved outlook on life. We've also got the Guardian on tap in the BierCafe right now, so feel free to stop over there first and get a glass to sip on while you shop for more.

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot: I probably should have elaborated a bit on Friday (the post looks kind of snarky now that I re-read it), but if you don't already know and love Bigfoot you're probably living in a cafe somewhere in Afghanistan and not reading this blog anyway. Anyhow, this is one of those rare seasonals that people come asking for long after we've run out, so this year we loaded up on as much as they'd sell us

New Beers From Belgium:

Fantome - Noel: Just in time for Christmas! Seriously though, it's always nice to get soomething from one of the funkiest little breweries in Belgium, and this is no exception. You never know what's going to be inside one of these, but if my memory serves correctly the Noel tends towards the darker, sweeter end of the Fantome spectrum. They probably taste good right now, but true lovers of Fantome will know to hold on to this for at least a few months in order to let the house funk develop.


Drie Fontenien - Beersel Lager: This gorgeous unfiltered lager is apparently bursting with lovely citrusy hop flavors and has just a bit of a tang to the finish. This is a collaborative effort between Armand Debelder and Frank Boon (brewed at the excellent De Proef brewery), and I must say I'm extremely curious to see what two of the best brewers in the lambic world are capable of when they go outside their comfort zone.


De Graal - Blonde: This is the first time anything from this brewery has been imported to Oregon, so none of us have had a chance to try them yet. Once our crack team of beer tasters has had a chance to work through them I'll post our findings, but for now feel free to click on the links and see what the Ratebeer collective has to say about them.

De Graal - Tripel: Spicy, golden, you know the deal.

De Graal - Dubbel: Dark, malty, and probably delicious.

De Graal - Triverius: If anyone knows the origin of the name I'd be happy to hear it. I can't find anything online other than references to this beer, and it seems an unusual choice of name for what is presumably a standard witbier...

De Graal - Speciale: This one falls in the catch-all category of "Belgian Strong Ale" but the ratings seem to indicate that it's more of a brown ale.

De Graal - Gember: On a side note, this is probably the one I'm most curious to try. I'm a big fan of spicy ginger root, as well as Belgian beer, so this will probably be the first one I take home for evaluation.


New Beers From Germany:

Kapuziner - Schwarz-Weizen: A cross between a black lager and a hefeweizen, which I guess makes it a dunkelweizen. I'm envisioning some roasty malt character and an effervescent finish with notes of fruit and spices. Anyone who's been lamenting the recent loss of Weihenstephan Dark and Erdinger Dark in the Oregon market should definitely give this one a try.


New Beers From the Czech Republic:

LEV - Lion Lager: This tasty Bohemian pilsner was one of my favorite lawnmower beers when I started at the store 3+ years ago, and it's nice to see the whole line return after almost 2 years off the market. Perhaps the best thing about this brewery is that the exchange rate still works in our favor and allows us to carry a quality beer like this for under $3 per pint size bottle.

LEV - Black Lion: A classic Eastern European style dark lager. Sweet malts and coffee flavors intermingle on the way to an off-dry, lightly hopped finish. Yummy!

LEV - Lion Pale Double Bock: Nothing complicated about this one, just a good clean lager ramped up in ABV to give you slightly more bang for the buck. Clean, grainy malts and a grassy hop finish precede a nice little warming sensation that will probably hit around mid-bottle.

Fancy Yourself As A Brewery Owner?

This just in from the folks at Off The Rails Brewing (via the Oregon Brewcrew listserv)

Off the Rail Brewing Is for Sale

---

We have lost our partner and he was the soul of the business
We have many options right now and this is one of them to Sell.
We have be in business for over 6 years and it has been blue skies all the way and the growth is getting to much for my wife and I ..

I little bit about us.
Over 57 well established accounts with Over 100 handles.
Many accounts that sell only our beers
Several restaurant chains
8 different beers
Over 400 kegs in circulation
12BBL system complete
We self distribute (the only way to go)
All hops for the year are contracted already and paid for.
New contract already in the works for next year.
1 employee (who does not work hard enough)

Obviously there will be a lot more you would like to know
If interested Just give us a call we are open to any ideas.
Thanks
Daniel and Antionette Bragdon
503-992-8989
Offtherailbrewing@msn.com

Hmmm...no mention of the asking price, so let me see if I can dig up any more info. I have to say, this could be a great opportunity to snag a well-established little brewery, support the existing accounts, and provide plenty of room for more experimentation and growth. More on this story as it develops.

Bigfoot is Here

The headline pretty much sums it up, so come snag some while you can...

Today is a Good Day