Belmont Station Beers Worth A Try

Here's a few beers from Belmont Station that I recently tried that might be worth your time and money to check out:

HaandBryggeriet Haandbakk: Forget all the double A's in the name (unless your Aaron). This wonderful Norwegian sour ale aged in oak barrels is a Nordic exposure to the Flemish. Pouring a deep chestnut-brown body with an attractive tan head, the Haandbakk possesses a welcoming cherry tartness coupled by a musky, tannin-laden nose. This is not a beer for the weekend warrior. This beer is complex and sophisticated. Okay, it's really purposefully infected with the Wild Yeast that you've grown to love in beers like Panil Barriquée, Rodenbach Classic Red, and even the Deschutes Dissident. Give this one a whirl. If you are a fan of the style, you shan't be disappointed. RIYL: Deschutes Dissident, Panil Barriquee, Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red

HaandBryggeriet Doppel Dram: Double IPA all the way. And all the way from Norway, this feisty beer has traveled quite well. Upon first whiff, a sense that this beer is dutifully hopped. Northwest flowery hops and English Goldings/Fuggles give this brew a striking citrus nose. Lemon, orange, grapefruit esters jump out of the bottle and entice the hop zealot. The flavor, however, tells another tale. A deep, chalky malt underpinning give the palate a tenacious shift in opinion. Molasses, toffee grit indicative of the 9% ABV in this spicy brew. The alcohol is carefully masked and the flavor intricacies unfold a new interpretation upon each sip. Enjoy with a friend who appreciates bold and unique hopped beers. RIYL: Southern Tier Unearthly, Nørrebro North Bridge Extreme, Three Floyds Dreadknaught

Hacker-Pschorr Dunkel Weiss: This dark wheaten lager from is from Munich, German and a brewery that has been around 99 years longer than the Reinheitsgebot purity law of 1516. Pouring a mild brown body with a fluffy off-white head, this beer is quite easy drinking considering how rich it is. Robust malty caramel flavors pair with a citrus hops bite, while the wheat and yeast play creates a creamy phenolic presence. Try it on tap at Belmont while you still can. It's quite delicious. RIYL: Erdinger Dunkel Weiss, Michelob Dunkel Weiss, Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse

Heater-Allen Bobtoberfest: This McMinnville (Oregon) Marzen is the perfect treat for the cool harvest season. With a bright caramel/dark orange body and a small wispy white, swirling head, this brew screams "Autumn!" A sweet malty nose preludes a back of the tongue bittering bite. Lots of snappy Munich/Viennas pair with Two-row malt to deliver a familiar yet authentic West Coast style. "In memory of Bob Allen Brother, teacher, brewer, and Friend." Bob has got to be smiling about this beer! RIYL: Snoqualmie Harvest Moon Fest Beer, Paulaner Oktoberfestbier, Baron Oktoberfest

Firestone Walker Pale 31: Recently this pale ale medaled at the Great American Beer Festival along with a grip of other Firestone beers. The key to this brewery is they know how to meld English and West Coast styles to create super drinkable ales. Their specialty is perhaps the pale ale. Alongside a more English-tasting counterpart in the DBA (Double Barrel Ale), the Pale 31 is a light, bubbly sessionable brew. At 4.8% ABV, 31 is generously hopped with Cascades to give it a spicy, floral, and mildly piny nose. Sharp on the tongue up front before creamily making its way down the gullet, this brew finishes with a faint bready maltness and a lingering full-on NW hops bitterness. RIYL: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Marin Mt Tam Pale Ale, Moylan's Tipperary Pale Ale, Anchor Liberty Ale

Cascade Kriek Ale: Another GABF medal winner, Cascade Brewing (known to many as the Raccoon Lodge on the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway) won a bronze in its inaugural year of entry into the acclaimed festival. A barrel-aged sour ale flavored with cherries, the Kriek pours a murky, carbonic amber with tones of brown and purple beneath a spotty beige thin head. Spicy fruitiness and tingling effervescence combine with a pronounced tartness. Spry, spritzy, and crisp, there is a hint of yogurt-like creaminess from the Lactobacilus yeast having its way in this party beer. Available in 750 ML bottles. RIYL: Cantillion Kriek, Oud Beersel Kriek, Boon Kriek


BridgePort Hop Harvest Ale: The 2008 BridgePort wet hop beer is quite amazing. Steeped with a generous dose of whole cone Centennials, this is one fresh hop beer to rival all others. According to BridgePort brewmaster Karl Ockert, the base recipe for this beer is an amped-up rendition of the original 1980's Blue Heron Amber. Dark copper-chestnut hues and a lavish creamy off-white head present a peppery hops nose and a chewy, mildly caramel malt spine. Waves of hops approach the palate and start the taster off with a bitter tongue lashing before unfurling a flowery bouquet. Quite complex for a hoppy beer, the Hop Harvest also possesses a distinct earthiness and sugary acidic bite. The 7% ABV brew finishes with an awareness of biscuity grains and lingering nuttiness as well as an obvious piquant resinous spice. This beer is also quite affordable at under $5 for a 22-ounce bottle. If you get the chance, make sure to try it on cask at the brewpub as well. RIYL: Roots Hoppipotimus, Hopworks Fest of Fury, Ninkasi Believer Red, Double Mountain Killer Green

Weekend Round-Up

Let me start by apologizing for the spotty content updates lately, it's hard to spend time sitting sitting in front of the computer when the last glorious days of Oregon summer are upon us. That said, here's your daily dose of new beers, local events, and maybe some random thoughts...

New Beers:

Coney Island - Freaktoberfest: If I had to describe this beer in one word it would be weird. Or maybe red. <--- That's actually a pretty close match. On first sight most folks would assume this is some sort of fruit beer with a frothy pink head, but there's no mention of fruit on the label. Served blind it comes across as a slightly roasty oktoberfest brew; malty and delicious with just enough hops to keep the sugar in check. Did I mention it was bright freaking red? It's been taking some heat from the ratebeerians for the use of food coloring and the supposed ABV of "6.66%", but trust me, the shock value alone when you pour this for your friends is worth the five bucks.

Elysian - Night Owl: The best pumpkin beer in the northwest is back. Ordinarily I'd give this one a high grade based on past experience, but this appears to be the first Elysian brew to come rolling out of New Belgium's facility, and I'll have to see how well the recipe scaled up to NBB's considerably larger system. I have faith that the people who put out La Folie won't dissapoint, but I expect some differences at least. More to come...

Lagunitas - Cappuccino Stout: Mmm...coffee and beer. The cap stout is a real winner in Lagunitas' seasonal bomber rotation. It's smooth, and just a little bit sweet, but there's a good dose of roasted coffee bitterness snuggled in the malty blanket.


Events and stuff:


Hop Harvest Release Party 9.12.08: Tonight marks the official release for Bridgeport's Hop Harvest fresh hop ale. Oddly enough, I can't find ANY information on Bridgeport's website, but my trusty assistant Neil informs me that it runs from 5-8, and that they're supposedly featuring a firkin of last years' Hop Harvest. The thought of all the precious lupulin trapped in a keg for a whole year makes me shudder, but I'm still going to have a pint.


SNOB Gathering @ Hopworks 9.13.08:

From Brian Butenschoen of the Oregon Brewer's Guild:

Open to new, renewing and current SNOB's and their significant others. Brewery tour @ 2:30. Raffle to be held during event. Special price on pints - let's you keep a special Oregon Brewers Guild pint glass. Hopworks Urban Brewery 2944 SE Powell 1-4p 503-232-HOPS

Ayinger Glass Night in the Biercafe 9.17.08: Join us on Wednesday from 5 until close as we kick off the Oktoberfest season. We'll be tapping a fresh and delicious keg of Ayinger Oktoberfest, and every pint purchased includes a complimentary glass. There's a chance that someone from Merchant du Vin (the importer) will be on hand to answer questions, but the boss is out of town so I can't confirm that.


Collaborator Release Party 9.17.08: Also next Wednesday, Concordia Ale House is hosting the next Collaborator release from 6-8pm. Go and be one of the first to try Double River Doppelweizen, Jeffry Fisher and Laurie Yadon's ode to Schneider Aventinus, courtesy of Ike Manchester at the Widmer Brothers Rose Quarter Brewery.


Oktoberfest Tasting in the Biercafe 9.18.08: Join us on Thursday from 5-8pm as we sample a wide range of Oktoberfest brews from home and abroad. We'll have several O'fest beers on tap in the cafe as well as free samples of as many bottled versions as we can scrounge up. Confirmed draughts at this point include Ayinger, Warsteiner, and Heater Allen, and there's a slim chance that Double Mountain's entriy will be ready in time.

Dogtoberfest @ The Lucky Lab 9.20.08: Bring your dirty dogs to the Lucky Lab between 11 and 5 and we promise to send them home squeaky clean! If you look closely, you may see a local celebrity doing the dirty work! In the meantime, kick back and enjoy lunch, a live band and a refreshing beverage. All proceeds benefit Dove Lewis.


One last random note: We have roughly 3 cases of Deschutes Dissident in stock. The 2 bottle per person limit will remain in effect through the weekend, but if we have any left on Monday it'll be open season.

I think that's about it for today. I'm going to head down to Bridgeport and try some fresh hopped love, and then the Pilsner Room for some of John Harris' ridiculously good Lupulin Ale.

Cheers!

Hop Harvest Release @ BridgePort featuring Musical Brewmaster

Here it is straight from BridgePort:


"BRIDGEPORT BREWING COMPANY RELEASEs its 2008 HOP harvest ale on September 12
The Brew that Launched BridgePort’s 22-Ounce Big Brew Series is Back, Taste the New Brew and Celebrate Hop Harvest with BridgePort on Sept. 12


PORTLAND, Ore. – August 28, 2008 – BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is releasing its 2008 Hop Harvest Ale. This year’s brew is a triple hopped imperial style ale made from fresh cone Centennial hops. Hop Harvest Ale was the first brew in BridgePort’s 22-ounce Big Brew series that launched a year ago. To date the BridgePort Big Brew series includes the 12th edition of the barley wine style ale, Old Knucklehead, it’s first berry fruit infused ale, Stumptown Tart, and an Imperial IPA, Hop Czar.


BridgePort’s Hop Harvest Celebration September 12 features live music by BridgePort’s brewmaster, Karl Ockert, and band.

Join BridgePort on Friday, September 12 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the BridgePort brewpub + bakery in the Pearl at 1313 NW Marshall St. Taste this year’s Hop Harvest Ale and listen to live music from the BridgePort Reunion Band, a bluegrass and acoustic folk band featuring BridgePort’s very own brewmaster, Karl Ockert, on the ukulele. BridgePort will also tap a 2007 vintage Hop Harvest Ale keg for guests to sample. BridgePort’s Hop Harvest Celebration is free and open to the public.


About Hop Harvest and BridgePort’s Hop Harvest 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.




This year’s Hop Harvest Ale is an imperial style, amped up version of BridgePort’s Blue Heron. BridgePort mashed in their brew at 6 a.m. then drove to B & C Hop Farms in Woodburn, Ore. to pick up 250 pounds of fresh cone Centennial Hops. Within two hours the fresh hops were added to the hot brew on its way to the fermenter. The fresh cones steep in the beer giving it a complete charge of fresh hop flavor.



With 2,500 cases produced, this year’s limited edition Hop Harvest Ale can be found on tap at BridgePort brewpub + bakery, BridgePort Ale House and will be sold at retail grocery stores throughout Oregon and Washington while supplies last.



BridgePort’s Hop Harvest Ale Stats:

IBU’s: 70

ABV: 7.0%

Color: Reddish

Ingredients: Pale, Chocolate and Carmel Malts. Oregon Cluster Hops for bitterness and freshly harvested Centennial Hops for flavor and aroma.

Description: This triple hopped ale is a bottle conditioned Imperial Style Ale. The fresh green Centennial Hops add floral overtones reminiscent of citrus fruits. Pleasingly strong fresh hop aroma, with good malt tones.



About BridgePort Brewing Company

As Oregon's oldest craft brewery, BridgePort is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year. The brewery has reached this milestone by evolving from a microbrewery to a regional leader in the craft brewing market, while remaining faithful to its commitment to producing high-quality, innovative craft ales. The BridgePort family of ales includes IPA, ESB, Black Strap Stout, Ropewalk Amber Ale, Blue Heron Pale Ale, Old Knucklehead and seasonal beers, Beertown Brown, Haymaker Extra Pale Ale and Ebenezer Ale. BridgePort Brewery is located at 1313 N.W. Marshall St. For more information, call 503-241-7179 or visit www.bridgeportbrew.com."


The big dogs at BridgePort Brewing, Jeff Edgerton (with hop masher tool) and Karl Ockert jack in the fresh Centennial whole cone hops.


BridgePort's new fresh hop beer will be different than in years past but promises to be just as tasty.

All pictures (except beer label image) by Angelo M. De Ieso II

New Arrivals and Event Notices

It's always a pleasant surprise when something arrives when we're told to expect it, so I was pretty darn pleased when the Laurelwood Green Elephant and Bridgeport's Stumptown Tart both rolled off the trucks this morning. Throw in a couple of new lagers and you've got a nice list of stuff to drink this weekend.

New Beers!

Laurelwood - Green Elephant: Mmmm....Green Elephant. Big, crisp, and chock full of citrusy, floral goodness. This is my second favorite IPA from the 'Wood, right behind the delicious Workhorse. As I mentioned yesterday, they only bottled a couple hundred cases, so snag some while you can.

Bridgeport - Stumptown Tart: Much has already been written about the Tart, so I'll let Angelo, Jeff, and John wax poetic about the brew. All I'd like to add is that I'm amazed how inexpensive it is. At 8%abv and loaded with marionberries, I didn't expect it to hit the shelf at less than $5 per 22oz bottle, but here it is. People keep asking me, "How long will it age?", and even though I'm sure it's got some staying power I'd wager that the good folks at Bridgeport would prefer you drink it fresh and soak up all the marionberry goodness.

Mt Shasta - Lemurian Lager: Given the recent trouble that Mt. Shasta has been having with the TTB, I just shook my head and grinned when their new Lemurian Lager came in this morning. Printed in 80pt block font on the front of the label is the word WEED, and on the back side there's a curious little story about the mythical creatures that inhabit the wilds of Mt. Shasta. Cap it all off with an enthusiastic recommendation to "Celebrate Weed!" and you begin to see why they've run afoul of our ever-protective government. In any case, the beer is brand-spanking new, so there's not much info to pass on until we have a chance to try one. Show the TTB what you think of their decision and go "Try LEGAL Weed!"

Lakefront - Cherry Lager: Light and smooth, the Lakefront Cherry Lager is loaded with essence of Door County Cherries for a nice tart balance. If it ever warms up around here, this will make a nice afternoon sipper while you sit on the porch. If current trends continue it'll make a nice beer to sip while you sit on the couch and wonder why your PGE bill is so high...

Event Notices:

Hair of the Dog Earth Day Sale: Twice a year Alan Sprints opens up his brewery to the public for a dock sale, and the Earth Day sale is always popular. He'll have a fresh batch of Blue Dot IPA, a couple hundred cases of Fred From the Wood, and probably an assortment of other vintage offerings (Doggie Claws, Rose Cassis?) as well. The official start time is 10am, but get there early or you'll be standing in line for a while. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m, Saturday April 26th at the brewery, 4509 S.E. 23rd Ave

Concordia Alehouse Beer Brawl: I'm going to pass this one off to Mr. Foyston again because he's already given a more in-depth description than I could have. Taste the best that Oregon and Washington have to offer, and vote on your favorites. Starts 11:30 a.m. Friday, runs through Sunday at the Concordia Ale House: 3276 NE Killingsworth St.; $10 per taster tray, $20 with a cool commemorative t-shirt.

New Arrivals For Tuesday April 22, 2008

This is perhaps the slowest time of year for new beers. Other than a trickle of summer seasonals from the bigger craft brewers, there's not much of interest being released. In the meantime I've been exploring the wonderful world of sake. Look for our selection (now hovering around 25 hand-selected varieties) to expand as we continue our never-ending quest to bring you the finest libations we can.

New Beers:

Malheur Brut Reserve - This strong golden ale undergoes "methode champenoise" to produce a high level of carbonation and a dense head of tiny bubbles. Aromas of citrus fruit, light floral notes, and nutty malt lead into a cleanly malty, effervescent body before coalescing in a long, dry finish.

Lagunitas Lucky 13 - Brewed to celebrate their 13th anniversary, the Lucky 13 is is hoppy, red, and delicious. C'mon, it's Lagunitas, what more do you need to know?

HeBrew Rejewvenator - HeBrew has declared this "The Year of the Fig", and to celebrate the occasion they've released the Rejewvenator, and dark malty brew loaded with fig juice.

Alaskan Summer - Alaskan Summer Ale balances a softly malted palate with the clean freshness of Hallertauer hops. In the tradition of the style, neither overpowers the other. Both hops and malt come together to refresh and renew the palate. The straw-gold color and easy drinkability are an enjoyable way to celebrate summer.


New Sakes:

Zen Tokubetsu Junmai - As the name implies, Zen is balanced. Clean and smooth with notes of peaches and rice milk. Just dry enough to encourage you to take another sip or two.

Itami Onigoroshi - This is about as dry as sake gets. Subtle fruit and floral notes linger on the palate for several minutes after each sip.

Yuri Masamune - This off-dry sake starts with aromas of alcohol and flowers. The fruity, off-dry flavors blend into a woodsy, earthy finish. Great value for the price.

Momokawa Sake Sampler - This is a great way to introduce yourself (or your friends) to the wonderful world of sake. One bottle each of Momokawa Silver (off-dry junmai), Momokawa Diamond (dry junmai), Momokawa Pearl (genshu nigori), and Moonstone Plum (fruit-infused sake) are included in the set. Grab some sashimi and expand your horizons with Japan's ancient beverage.

Not really new, but worth mentioning: The Greene King Abbott Ale and Wexford Cream Ale have finally returned. Many customers lamented the loss of these two pub cans when they disappeared from our shelves a few months ago, but they've finally found their way back into our coolers.

Upcoming releases to watch out for: Stumptown Tart, Bridgeport's first fruit beer, is a Belgian-style ale infused with tons (literally) of Oregon Marionberries. Look for it to hit the shelves late this week. The next 22oz special release from Laurelwood is also due in this Friday, and this is likely to be the fastest-selling one thus far because it's their incredibly delicious Green Elephant IPA. They're only bottling a couple hundred cases, so snag it while you can.

I think that's it for today, but don't forget about our toast to Vasili happening tomorrow night!

BridgePort Brewing Company to Release Its Inaugural Fruit Ale

By Angelo De Ieso II

On April 24, 2008, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, BridgePort will release the Stumptown Tart—a Belgian ale aged in pinot noir barrels and blended with a healthy amount of fresh Oregon marion berries. BridgePort brewmaster Karl Ockert says of the Tart “I’ve never done a beer like this. Period.” The base beer for the Tart was a Belgian golden ale that finished at about 8% ABV. “We split off about a third of that and we went to Carlton Wine Studio and picked up 23 French oak casks.




On April 3rd, with the other two-thirds Ockert and company employed 2,000 pounds of Oregon marion berries and refermented with the fruit. They then blended the two with yeast and sugar for bottle fermentation. The beer was bottled on April 7th. The Stumptown Tart is a bold, extreme beer for which Ockert is realistic. “It’s an expensive beer to produce. We may never do this again.” He also recommends tasting the beer sooner than later. “It should age fairly well, but the fresh fruit character will be lost over time. It’s probably best to enjoy over the summertime and move on.” “We’re bottling up 1,800 cases (of 22-ouncers) and hoping to sell it throughout the summer” says Ockert. “I’m not sure if we’ll need any more or not.”






So what was the inspiration behind this innovative new brew? “I’ve always been impressed with a good friend of mine in New Glarus, Wisconsin named Dan Carey who makes something called the New Glarus Red” explains Ockert. “It’s a really great Belgian cherry red ale with a really delicious little tart, sour finish to it. So I wanted to do something like that. So, I emailed him to ask him how to do that. And he promptly emailed back and said, ‘I’ll tell you about anything else in the brewery, but I won’t tell you how I make New Glarus Belgian reds.’ So I kind of came up with this one on my own.”









BridgePort’s Stumptown Tart ale will be made available following it release party at the BridgePort brewpub and bakery at 1313 NW Marshall St. in Portland, Oregon on April 24, 2008 from 5pm-8pm. Bernie Dexter, the model who appears on the bottle’s label with also be present at the kickoff to sign labels. This is a free event.

Beer List For FredFest 2007

You may recall my previous post about FredFest 2007, and I promised an update when I knew which beers were pouring, so without further ado I present the initial list of beers scheduled to make an appearance during the fest.


1- BridgePort Brewing - Cask Old Knucklehead
2- Deschutes - Coffee infused 20K Imperial Bourbon Porter
3- Full Sail - TBA
4- Hair Of The Dog - Cask Fred
5- Laurelwood - TBA
6- Lucky Lab - Russian Imperial Stout
7- New Old Lompoc - Oak aged LSD
8- Max's Fanno Creek - Belgian Dubbel
9- Pelican Brewing - Gran Cru
10- Racoon Lodge - Sour Wild Blackberry aged in oak
11- Rock Bottom - Ned Flanders Red. ( the original!)
12- Rogue - Dad's Little Helper Malt liquor
13- Roots Organic - Pinot-barrel aged Epic
14- Widmer - Collaborator Continuum Brown

Whoa. Seriously, if that list doesn't get you excited enough to drop $20 I don't know what would. Remember, all the proceeds from the event go to help longtime craft-beer supporter Merle Gilmore, who has been battling leukemia and faces astronomical medical and prescription bills. Gilmore has been an inexhaustible volunteer at beer fests and often assisted Hair of the Dog owner Alan Sprints in bottling and other duties around the brewery.

Cost for the event is $20 in advance or $25 at the door and includes a souvenir glass. To get on the list for advance-purchase tickets, e-mail fredfest@comcast.net.

Go. Buy tickets. Now.

Special Thanks to John Foyston for the great picture of Fred!

EDIT Tuesday, May 8, 2007: Just Announced! Laurelwood is featuring Green Elephant Organic IPA (2006, I believe) and Full Sail will be pouring the 2006 GABF silver-medal winning Black Gold Imperial Stout.