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...