The flow of new beers dropped off for a while, and it seemed as though everyone was simply trying to survive Craft Beer Month. Or, maybe everybody was simply planning ahead and saving tank space for the cornucopia of fresh hop beers and other fall/winter seasonals we all love so much.
Thankfully that's changed in the last few days, and between new releases from local Oregon breweries, popular recurring seasonals, and new imports we've got a solid list of new arrivals.
New American Craft Beers:- Oakshire Brewing - Overcast Espresso Stout: An oatmeal stout infused with cold-brewed espresso. Mmmmm...breakfast beer.
- Oakshire Brewing - Watershed IPA: A big, bold, west coast-style IPA with a solid malt backbone.
- Beer Valley - Gone Fishin' Mild Ale: A 4% English-style mild ale for less than $4 per 22oz bottle? If it's any good you'll probably see it on the employee picks board next to Jimmy's name.
- Mactarnahan's - Lip Stinger Farmhouse Ale: (commercial description) An effervescent and rustic farmhouse ale. This limited release ale is fermented with cracked peppercorn to introduce a spicy nose and warming mouth feel that will deliver a flavor sensation that is endlessly interesting. Enjoy the heat….and no pouting!!
- Blue Frog - DIPA 3: Blue Frog reformulated their double IPA to make it more hop-forward and slightly less malty. They also lowered the price, so it's a double win.
- Widmer - OKTO: Even though it's an ale rather than a lager, Widmer's popular fall seasonal is a malty, amber-hued refresher that captures the spirit of the classic German festival beers.
- The Bruery - Papier: a 14.5% monster of a beer brewed in honor of their first anniversary. Partly aged in bourbon barrels, it blurs the lines between Belgian Quad, American Barleywine, and English Old Ale. It's tasting great now, and it should age well for several years if properly cellared.
New Imports: - Scaldis - Refermentee (75th Anniversary Ale): I haven't had a chance to dip into one of these yet, so here's a great Ratebeer. com review from BeastieFan2k: "It pours with a medium thick head. It is a dark and murky thick orange color. Aroma is full of ripe fruits (and slightly overripe fruits for that matter as well), only lightly alcoholic, which is surprising. Basically a nice meld of fruit, alcohol, and lots of Belgian yeastiness. Taste chugs right along. There is a nice orange aspect in the flavor as well. Nice thick mouthfeel that plays perfectly with the structure of the beer. Usually Scaldis can be unpredictable with the high alcohol content becoming undrinkable (think Scaldis Prestige) but I thought this brew pulled it off well."
- Dupont - Biere de Miel: A refreshingly light, dry saison with subtle honey flavor. Deceptively easy drinking for 8% abv.
New Ciders:- Ace Cider - Apple and Honey Cider: A smooth, fairly dark cider created by blending a small amount of honey into the fermenting cider. Fans of the Spire Dark and Dry should give this one a shot.
That's it for the new stuff this week. Be sure to join us next week as we host a Mad River tasting on Monday (6-8pm) and an Oakshire Bottle Release/Meet the Brewer event on Tuesday (also 6-8pm). In addition to free samplesd of the bottled products w'e'll have several special kegs flowing in the Biercafé. Check the
events page for more info on these and other upcoming tastings.
Labels: Ace Cider, Beer Valley, Blue Frog, Etienne DuPont, Mactarnahan's, oakshire, Scaldis, The Bruery, Widmer
