The Abyss is Here!

We received our allocation of Deschutes Abyss this morning, and it's ready for sale. Due to the overwhelming volume of calls and emails we've received regarding the beer we'll need to enforce a limit of 3 bottles per person (per day) for at least the duration of the weekend. This should allow us to provide at least 120 people with an opportunity to dive into the Abyss.

Here's what the brewery has to say about the beer:

The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover it’s rich, comples profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.

On a related note, we still have a few cases of the two previous Reserve Series Beers available - Mirror Mirror and Black Butte XXI. If you're buying The Abyss as a gift for someone you might want to consider picking up one of each of these as well to make a deliciously decadent gift set for the beer lover(s) in your life.


ACK!!!! The delivery was rolling in as I wrote this, and unfortunately there were some casualties. When beer geeks talk about "drain pours" this isn't quite what they mean. :(

Recent Arrivals and Returning Favorites

The weather is beautiful and the new beers keep flowing in. We've gotten a couple of incredible sour beer in over the last couple days which are perfect warm weather sippers. A handful of summer seasonals are also in stock so check the list below for the full run down of new brew.

The cafe draught list is also tipping towards the easy drinking side of things as the weather heats up. A couple of highlights on today's list include Heater Allen Isarweizen, Deschutes Red Chair IPA, and New Belgium La Folie. Never fear though, we've still got a wide range of styles, including a couple heavy hitters like Stone Imperial Russian Stout and Hopworks Bourbon-aged Noggin Floggin Barleywine for those who are gluttons for punishment.


New American Craft Beers:

• Leinenkugels - Classic Amber: A 100 percent malted lager, “Leinie’s Classic” features Leinenkugel’s own unique blend of two-row and six-row malts and four varieties of hops. A blend of Pale, Caramel, and Munich malts offer a complex flavor, with four different hops (Cluster, Cascade, Mt. Hood, and Hallertau) to balance the malts.
  
• Cascade Lakes - Paulina Lake Pilsner: Sweet, bready malt character meets crisp noble hops in this classic style. Toss a couple of bombers in the cooler and take some fishing.
  
• New Belgium - La Folie: Say what you will about Fat Tire, La Folie proves that New Belgium can brew, blend, and barrel age with the best of them. Former Rodenbach brewmaster Peter Bouckaert and crew keep watch over a multidude of foeders (huge oak barrels) filled with several vintages of La Folie. When the time comes to bottle they blend various batches together to create a harmonious, complex whole that's sure to put a pucker on your face. We only received a few cases, so please try and limit yourself to 3 bottles.
  
• New Belgium - Biere de Mars: The other new arrival from NBB this week is their delicious Biere de Mars, a New World take on the classic spring beers from the French/Belgian border region. New Belgium's version includes lemon verbena and "unidentified flying yeasts" to create a earthy, citrusy, brew with "crusty bread" malt character and a dry finish.
  
• Fish Tale - Organic Blonde: Fish's summer release is an easy drinking blonde ale brewed with a touch of rye for a delicate spiciness and just enough hops to give it a crisp, very refreshing finish.
  
• Sierra Nevada - Southern Hemisphere Harvest: This twist on the "fresh hop" craze features fresh hops from New Zealand that are dried, flown from NZ to Chico, and thrown into the kettle in less than a week. It's a major undertaking to be sure, but the reward is an off-season fresh hop beer bursting with grassy and floral hop aromas. Look for the fat 24oz bottle with the bright blue label.
  
• Elysian - Avatar Jasmine IPA: This delectable northwest IPA has a healthy dose of dried jasmine flowers to give it a unique floral nose and dry finish.
  
• Flying Dog - Canis Major 8 Pack: This great little package includes four of Flying Dog's big beers - Gonzo Imperial Porter, Double Dog Double Pale, Horn Dog Barleywine, and Kerberos Tripel - in 7oz nip bottles. They're perfect for when you want some strong, flavorful brew but don't want to commit to a 22oz bottle of something that's 10% or higher. Which begs the question, why do so many breweries put their monstrous beers in big bottles?
  

New Imports:

• Schneider - Hopfen-Weisse: This collaboration between Brooklyn Brewing and Schneider is a hopped-up take on the classic Schneider Weisse. Smooth and creamy bodied with a defined herbal, grassy hop character, this is one easy drinking summer brew.
  
• Belhaven - Scottish Stout: (commercial description) This deluxe stout is brewed for a full roasted chocolate flavour with a hop character that complements a blend of three different malts. Drink, savour, and enjoy!
  
• Whistler - Classic Pale Ale: Visitors to Whistler/Blackcomb (or Vancouver, BC in general) will surely recognize the distinctive labels. I haven't had a chance to try either of the Whistler brews yet, but you can click the links and see what other folks think.
  
• Whistler - Black Tusk: (commercial description) Obsidian black with a creamy, tan coloured head. Aroma: Subtle, malty aroma Palate: A dark, bold English-style mild ale. Expect a mild bitterness with notes of chocolate and a roasted coffee finish. Finish: Delightfully subtle with a refreshing, lingering finish.
  

Returning Favorites:

Russian River - Consecration: We got another small load of this incredible strong sour ale yesterday. I don't recall which batch we received last time, but for those who are keeping track this is batch 002X3. We've also got a fair amount of Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig IPA in stock at the moment.

That's all for now. Don't forget to drink plenty of water while you're out enjoying the sun. It's going to be really toasty this weekend, and your body will need all the hydration it can get.

New Arrivals and Event Notices

There's been a slow, steady trickle of new beers over the last few days, and a couple of exciting special releases, so I figured it was time for a new beer round-up. We've also added a couple fun events to the calendar; details on those follow the list of new beers.

New American Craft Brews:

• Deschutes Mirror Mirror Barleywine - Arguably one of Deschutes' first (and some would say best) forays into "extreme beer", the first batch of Mirror Mirror was released back in the spring of 2006. Clocking it at 11.5%abv (up from 10% last time) and aged in a variety of barrels, it has been an elusive, sought-after beast ever since it first hit the market, causing almost hyperbolic raves on the local BeerAdvocate and Ratebeer forums. Supplies are limited, so we've instituted a 6 bottle per person limit through Saturday. If there's any left on Sunday it'll be fair game. They state on their website that it will be "best after April 2010", so try and save a bottle or two and see how it evolves...
  
• Deschutes Red Chair IPA - The newest release in the 22oz Bond St. series is big on hop flavor and aroma, but low on the bitterness. It's perfect for those times when you want to satiate a hop craving without totally blowing out your palate for the rest of the day.
  
• Widmer 84/09 Double Alt - This imperialized version of the Brothers' original brew is big, bold, and yet still refined. They didn't make much, and it won't last long, so grab it while you can.
  
• Lagunitas 2009 Correction Ale - A pale hoppy beer from Lagunitas? Who'da thunk? Seriously though, this is a great little (big) beer. Pale, clean, and with a nice fruity hop note. Call it Hop Stoopid Light, call it a tweaked version of Kill Ugly Radio, but whatever you do, don't call it an Imperial IPA.
  
• Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - This is Leinie's take on the beer/lemonade concoction known as a radler or shandy. In Germany this blend is especially favored by bikers (radler is German for Bicyclist) and other outdoor enthusiasts because if it's light refreshing character and lower alcohol content. The Leinenkugel's version is a 4.2% lightly filtered hefeweizen flavored with lemonade and "natural flavors." While not a true 50/50 blend of beer and lemonade it hits the mark pretty well and will make a nice light yard work beer.
  
• Boulder Sweaty Betty - Boulder summer offering is a pleasant, unfiltered wheat beer with a slight citrusy character and a smooth finish.
  
• Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat - This was one of Lost Coast's offerings at the 2009 Spring Beer and Wine Fest, so some of you may have had it on tap. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but ratebeerian GodOfThunder describes it thusly, "The aroma is light and full of sweet tangerine fruitiness. The flavors are the same. Thin mouthfeel, light, refreshing, fruity and actually comforting. Reminds me of a tangerine mimosa. I like this a lot, and I am surprised. This would be great for a day at the beach. Nothing bad about it." Sounds good to me...
• Bison Single IPA (Willamette) - I can truly appreciate what Bison is trying to do with this series from an educational standpoint, but this is probably my least favorite of the single hop series thus far. Willamette hops have a very grassy, earthy, herbal aroma which usually works pretty well in understated British-style IPAs, but in this case I think the excessively grassy character is poorly suited to the Werst Coast-style base beer they've created. That said, I would still recommend that anyone with a passing interest in brewing try a bottle of this, if only to gain insight into the nuances of this classic American hop variety.
  
• Widmer Hefeweizen 5 Liter Minikegs - The same classic hefe that started the "American Wheat Beer" trend, now in a 5 liter "minikeg" that's perfect for barbeques, beach parties, or a long day of home brewing in the sunshine...
  

New Imports:

• Kostritzer Schwarzbier - This classic Schwarzbier dropped off of the distribution lists for a couple of years, but it's beack and just as delicious as always. If you've never ahd a Schwarz, this is a great into to the style. It's also a fun beer to hand someone when they give you the old "I don't drink those dark beers because they're too heavy" screed. Light on the palate, with just a hint of hops and roasty malt.
• Guinness 250th Anniversary - Speaking of schwarzbiers, Guinness has unveiled a new beer to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the lease on their flagship brewery in St. James Gate. It's supposedly a "stout", but it's actually more of a brown ale/schwarzbier hybrid with a transparent brown hue and only the slightest hints of roasty malt character.
  
• Saison 1900 - This is a pretty nice little saison. A little "bubblegummy" yeast character sets it apart from some of the others in the style, but it's pretty light and easy drinking. At roughly 5%abv it's a bit easier on the liver than some of the stronger saisons as well.
  
• Three Horses Lager - Canned beer from Madagascar. Again, it's probably a typical tropical yellow beer, but how often do you see beer from Madagascar?
  
• Saigon Lager - I haven't had this one yet, but I assume it's a typical hot weather lager. It does add one more country to the list, and we've already had a few customers snatch some up to fit their Vietnamese dinner plans.
• Rialto Lager -Tropical lager from El Salvador. It's got a cool looking silk-screened bottle with Incan ruins on it, but there's not much going on inside.
• Sam Smiths Organic Fruit Ales - We received three new "organic hand-crafted fruit ales" from the venerable British brewer today: Strawberry, Raspberry, and Cherry. I haven't had a chance to try any of them yet, but Sam Smiths is known for high quality brew, and I wouldn't expect them to put these out unless they were solid.
  

Events and Stuff:

Monday May 4th 6-9pm: Trade Route Tasting/Meet The Brewer: Join Chris Castillo as he offers samples of Dragon King Lager, Mango Wiezen, Ginger Pale Ale, Panden Brown Ale, and the Brand new Infidel Kaffir Lime IPA. Choice Trade Route Draft in the Biercafe.

Wednesday May 13th 6-9pm: Barley Browns Tasting/Meet the Brewer. If you've ever been out to Baker City you know how great their beer is. Brewer Shawn Kelso will bring us some very special drafts for this big night in the Biercafe: WFOIPA, Tank Slapper Double IPA, 18 Month Aged Double Whiskey Malt Ale, and Armstrong Double Golden. Barley Browns beer on special in the Biercafe all day.


Off Site Events:

May 1 and 2: Portland Cheers to Belgian Beers at the West Side Lucky Lab. Full beer list and details are available at the Oregon Brewers Guild site.

Saturday May 9th 2-6pm: Fredfest 2009 takes place at the Hair of the Dog brewery. Join 250 of Portland's beer community in celebrating Fred Eckhardt's birthday. Details and tickets available at the Fred Fest site.

That's all for now. Have a safe and happy weekend!

Recent Arrivals and Random Notes

We haven't had enough new arrivals on any given day to justify a full post, but I think we've received enough in the last 10 days to make it worth your time reading.

Many of you have been asking for the Laughing Buddha Beers, and it appears as though the brewery has been listening. We recently received our first shipment of beer from the Asian-inspired brewery, all of which are well-crafted and fairly unique. The initial line up contains 5 brews that run the gamut from light and crisp to dark and full-bodied:

• Purple Yam Porter - This is probably my favorite of the bunch. There's a hint of hint of candied yam flavor, but the thing that sticks with you is the subtle vanilla notes that linger on the palate after each sip. All the folks that keep asking for beers with vanilla in them owe it to themselves to give the Purple Yam a try.
  
• Ginger Pale Ale - A light-bodied, spicy pale ale with a ton of ginger zing. This beer is the perfect counterpoint to spicy dishes, or anything with wasabi in it.
  
• Mango Weizen - The whole "American wheat beer with fruit" thing has almost become a cliche; it seems like every brewpub has some mediocre example on hand to appeal to the non-beer drinking crowd. Thankfully, the LB Mango Weizen is a heck of a lot better than the insipid versions you so often find. The mango character is noticeable without being overwhelming, and the underlying beer is solidly constructed. If they brought this to the OBF I could see it giving 21st Amendment's Watermelon Wheat a run for the money.
  
• Dragon King Lager - This Asian-style lager is brewed with Saaz hops and crystal malts (no mention of rice) for that "Premium Lager" flavor. Added bonus: It's a heck of a lot fresher than the actual Asian stuff
• Pandan Brown Ale - To the best my knowledge I've never had anything with Pandan leaves in it before, so I wasn't not sure what to look for in terms of flavor, but I'll go out on a limb and assume it was the slightly sweet/nutty character. Combined with the slightly roasty malt character it makes for a wonderfully drinkable brown ale.
  

Other Recent Arrivals:

• Full Sail - Slipknot Imperial IPA
• Alaskan Brewing - Barleywine
• Nogne O - Dark Horizon (2nd Edition)
• Oskar Blues - Dale's Pale Ale
• Oskar Blues - Old Chub
• Oskar Blues - Gordon
• Cascade Brewing - Apricot

Coming (Very) Soon:

• Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Barleywine
• Sierra Nevada - Torpedo Extra IPA
• Cascade Lakes - IPA

Last but not least, Fuller's London Pride, Porter, ESB, and Vintage Ale are back after a long absence!

Upcoming Events:

Imperial Stout Week in the Biercafe!

Each afternoon we'll tap a new limited edition Imperial Stout (or two). (many of the descriptions that follow are based on commercial descriptions from the brewery).


MONDAY JAN 26:
STRUISSE BLACK ALBERT - Brewed and crafted in Belgium with 100% Belgian ingredients. Aroma of bitter-sweet chocolate, fresh torrified coffee beans, barley, candy sugar, complex fruits, and floral hops. The after-taste is well balanced and shows a panorama of extreme sensations like chocolate and coffee bitters, a plum cake richness that covers the palate, and a crisp impression of hop bitters that brings elegance and freshness into this massive brew. 13% ABV Rated 100 on Rate Beer!

LAURELWOOD MOOSE & SQUIRREL - Dark as night, thick and rich. Big roast and coffee flavors dominate this beer. 8% ABV 55 IBUs O.G. 20º Plato

TUESDAY JAN 27:
ELLEZELLOISE HERCULE STOUT - Belgian Stout lagered for ten days in German oak casks. Very malty, but dry, with a hint of sweetness in the finish, and balanced hopping. It has a very distinctive and intoxicating spicy aroma of fresh spruce. This unique house character probably derives from the strains of yeast used by the brewery – and possibly from the fermentation in oak. Named for legendary detective Hercule Poirot. 9%ABV. Rated 98 on Rate Beer.

LAUGHING DOG DOGFATHER - 7 different malts and 4 hops give this big stout a complex flavor profile. Over 11 months in the making with a portion barrel aged. 11% ABV 71 IBU. Rated 98 on Rate Beer

WEDNESDAY JAN 28:
DESCHUTES ABYSS - You already know all about this beer. You just want more. 11%ABV.

VICTORY STORM KING - With a huge, Pacific Northwest hop aroma & character upfront, Storm King subsides into massive, roast malt complexity. Rich, substantial & complex. 9%ABV


Last Minute Cascade Lakes Tasting and Release Party:

Be the first to taste & buy this fine IPA from Cascade Lakes Brewing in Redmond, OR. Owning Partner Rick Orazetti will be on hand to offer samples of the IPA & Monkey Face Porter and give you the lowdown on the brews. Plus Skookum Creek Strong Ale on draught!

That's all for now, but if you catch this post in the next hour we're having an Alaskan Brewing tasting until 8pm. We'll be pouring samples of their full bottle line-up as well as serving 2007 and 2008 Smoked Porter, Barleywine, and White Ale on draught in the Biercafe.

Today is a Good Day

Shhh...Keep This On The Down Low...

Rumors have been swirling for a few days now about a second wave of Abyss arriving in Portland this week, and I can confirm that there are a couple hundred more cases dropping tomorrow and Friday. As far as I know, every place that received some of the first wave should get another small allotment, and a few places that got screwed the first time will be getting a some as well.




We won't be getting anywhere near the amount we received on the first batch, so in order to spread the joy a bit we're going to limit people to 3 bottles per person (per day) for at least the first week.






As if that wasn't enough to motivate you to stop in on Friday, we should also be receiving Full Sail Bourbon-aged Top Sail, Stone Old Guardian Barleywine, and maybe (it's a slim chance) some Oregon Trail Bourbon Porter. Even if the Oregon Trail Porter doesn't show up that still leaves you with 3 world class beers arriving on the same day!

Throw in a few other things we've got in stock like Great Divide Oak-Aged Yeti, Orkney Dark Island Reserve, Beer Valley Black Flag Stout, or Rogue Russian Imperial Stout, and you've got the makings of one heck of a beer tasting. Just a thought...

Just be sure to take it easy on Friday night. Trying to drink all three (maybe 4) of these 10%+ monsters in one sitting is a recipe for disaster, or at least a nasty hangover.

Finally...The Wait Is Over

Alright ravenous beer lovers of Portland, the Deschutes Abyss is finally here. I can't even tell you how many calls and emails I've received in the last two weeks, but I know the demand is going to be ridiculous, so if you haven't already scooped some up elsewhere I'd suggest stopping by ASAP.

I would be very, very surprised if our allotment lasts through the weekend, so don't say I didn't warn you. As previously mentioned, there is a one case limit in effect in order to spread the beer out to as many people as possible. Due to the incredible response, we're unable to take any reservations or holds; first come, first served.

Now that that's out of the way, we can begin speculating and hyping their newest project, the Dissident, which they're describing as a sour red ale "in the Rodenbach style". Personally, I'm probably more excited for that than I was for the Abyss. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoy big imperial stouts, but I absolutely love a good sour ale.

Are you listening Deschutes? I'm not in the habit of making demands, but now that the Abyss has raised the bar (and your profile), we all have big expectations for this brew.



EDIT 5pm: The giant stack in the above picture is gone, and we have sold out of our entire allotment of Abyss. Rumor has it that Whole Foods on W. Burnside still has about 20 cases, but I doubt that will last long.

New Arrivals For Friday 12.28.07

I hope everyone had a good holiday, I know I did. As far as the store is concerned, we're still running in high gear in anticipation of a busy New Years Weekend. We still have 40+ kegs in stock that aren't spoken for, so give us a call if you need to grab something at the last minute. At this point we may not have the exact brand you're looking for, but we should be able to find something you'll enjoy drinking. Give us a call at 503.232.8538 and we'll let you know what's still available.

Chateau Napoleon Brut: This California "Champagne" is perfect for New Years Eve toasts. It's reasonably priced at under 10 dollars a bottle, it's pleasantly dry and effervescent, and did I mention it's under 10 dollars a bottle. I figure anyone who loves wine the way we love beer has probably already got something special for NYE, but if you need some inexpensive bubbly I highly recommend a bottle or two of this.

Deschutes - Green Lake Organic Ale: I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but here's what it says on the side of the bottle. "The idea for our Green Lakes Ale evolved quite organically. Made with five types of 100% ORGANIC malted barley and balanced with Crystal and Salmon-Safe Sterling hops, this auspicious amber ale is as easy to drink as it is on Mother Earth. So when you drink a Green Lakes Organic Ale, every day becomes Earth Day."

Boulder - Obovoid Empirical Stout: I had a small sample of this, and it this point I'm not quite sure what to make of it. In a way it seems like the brewers were trying to do too many things at once; there's some creamy mouthfeel from the oats, some astringency and "woodiness" from the oak chips, and an almost painfully dry finish. Kind of schizophrenic and confusing, but maybe I'll warm up to it once I've had a chance to enjoy a larger sample and see how it evolves once it's had a chance to breathe. It's gotten pretty positive reviews, so maybe my taste buds are just out of whack today.

I think that's it for today. Remember to party safely on NYE, we'd like to continue having all of you as customers in 2008. On that note, we have a wonderful non-alcoholic sparkler for all the Designated Drivers out there. Spruce Goose Sparkling Pinot Noir Juice tastes great, and makes a perfect alternative to that crappy "cold duck" stuff you'll find at the grocery store.

Last but not least, you may have noticed the widget on the right sidebar counting down to Abyss Day 2008. T-minus 18 days and counting...

Quick Note: Abyss Release Date

I just received word from my Deschutes rep that the "Official Release" date for the new batch of The Abyss will be January 14, 2008, and not in December as previously reported. Not surprisingly, I've been told to expect a price increase as well. No word yet on how much of an increase, but I wouldn't be shocked to see it retailing for closer to $10 per bottle this year. Even at that price it's an amazing value for one of the world's best Imperial Stouts.

In other Deschutes news, the next beer in the Bond St. Series will be the new Green Lakes Organic Amber. Deschutes Founder Gary Fish describes it as "a classic amber ale using caramel and Munich malts for a nice color and six different varieties of hops. The reddish colored brew has a nicely balanced taste with a distinctive but restrained hop profile that includes Salmon-Safe certified Sterling hops."

More on Green Lakes on John Foyston's excellent blog.

In even more exciting news, keep your eyes peeled for Dissident, a Flemish Sour Red/Brown ale, scheduled to be released at some point after The Abyss. People will be freaking out over The Abyss, but I have a feeling Dissident is going to be the one to stock up on. I may be wrong, but I have a strong feeling that the crew in Bend is going to blow people's minds (and palates) with this one.

EDIT: I just received "real" pricing info from the distributor. Pricing is always somewhat variable once it hits the distributors in different states, but based on what I was quoted you can expect the beer to retail for $10-12 per bottle.

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

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.

Now On Tap at the BierCafe

Just a quick heads up to let you know what's on tap...

The Gouden Carolus has blown and was just replaced by a keg of La Chouffe from 2005. This keg has improved dramatically over the flavor of a fresh bottle. Spicy, citrusy, and a little funky; this beer has it all. It's only a 20ltr keg, so don't expect it to be on tap for long.

Midnight Sun IIPA also died last night and has been replaced by Deschutes Hop Henge. Get it while it's fresh and hoppy.

The Pelican Doryman's Dark is also on it's last legs. As soon as someone comes down here and orders the last couple pints it will be replaced by Golden Valley Tannenbomb, one of my personal favorite winter beers. It's dark enough for the porter/stout fans, and hoppy enough that those who are craving some bite won't be dissapointed.

We've still got a little bit of the BJ's Whiskey Barrel Stout as well. If you feel the need for a shot of the hard stuff you'll have to go elsewhere, but the BJ's has a solid whiskey flavor and should go a long way towards slaking your thirst for the brown nectar.

Stay tuned for more event notices and other fun stuff as the cafe gears up...