Stone Vertical Epic Out Now! 08.08.08

Date: Fri, Aug 8, 2008

Stone Brewing Company's Vertical Epic Ales are a series of beers that began in 2002. They are specifically designed to be aged until December 12, 2012, provided you can wait that long. Collectors have paid upwards of $400 a bottle to complete their sets. With each release, "vertical" tastings along the way, show how a beer ages in the cellaring process.


Each recipe is unique to the year it is released, and each one is released one year, one month, and one day from the previous edition. So last year's was released on 07-07-07, and this year's is unveiled on 08-08-08, and so on until December of 2012 (unless another month is added to our calendar).

An email today from By The Bottle in America's Vancouver claimed they have some on hand right now!

The 08 Epic is a Strong Golden Belgian-style ale highly hopped with American hops. Here is a detailed description from Stone's Head Brewer, Mitch Steele:
http://www.stonebrew.com/epic/080808/notes/initial.html

For more info on the Vertical Epic Series, click here: http://www.stonebrew.com/epic/index.php


Back label of Stone's Vertical Epic 08.08.08

...and check out Stone's head brewer Greg Koch's vBlog HERE!

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The Green Dragon expands, opening huge beer garden

Date: Thu, Aug 7, 2008

(Portland, OR) The Green Dragon Bistro & Brewpub is expanding. Owner Ed Schwartz has leased the building & lot adjacent to the Green Dragon. The lot will become a beer garden with 9 picnic tables for outdoor seating. The landscaping will consist of bamboo and planters to help conceal the busy street.

There will be an additional wifi router for the outdoor area so patrons can get some work done or just surf the net while enjoying a beer. There will also be electrical outlets outside so customers can keep their laptops powered up.

The expanded space will be open to the public and will be available to rent for private parties or events. Future plans for the space include a covered canopy with decorative lighting as well as heaters.

Weather permitting, future meet the brewer events will be held in the new outdoor area.

In addition to expanding into the lot, the Green Dragon will also be taking over the Q Hut. A large Green Dragon logo will be painted on the outside and the space inside will be renovated. A coffee roaster will reside in the Q HUT offering fresh roasted artisan coffee.

More changes to come in the next few weeks.

For information: www.pdxgreendragon.com

Contact: kefinteractive@gmaildotcom

Phone: 503-869-7408

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Lagunita's Tasting @ Belmont Station this Wednesday

Date: Tue, Aug 5, 2008

Wednesday August 6th 6-8PM @ Belmont Station. LAGUNITAS TASTING. In case you live under a rock or haven't had the latest greatest beers from them, Lagunita's has an extensive variety of delicious brews from their brewery in Petaluma, California: IPA, Pale Ale, Pils, Sirius, Maximus Imperial IPA, Imperial Stout & Censored Ale (aka the Kronik) & the newest in their Frank Zappa series: We're Only In It For the Money Tripel. Lagunitas six packs on sale. Bonus: Hop Stoopid on draught in the Biercafe.

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The Bite of Oregon

Date: Tue, Aug 5, 2008

Here's the info on The Bite of Oregon going on this weekend at Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Home of the OBF) from Brian and the Brewers Guild:

FRI Aug 8, 2008 11am-11pm
SAT Aug 9, 2008 11am-11pm
SUN Aug 10, 2008 10am-8pm

http://www.biteoforegon.com"

New this year for Craft Beer Lovers!

* The Oregon Brewed Craft Beer Garden featuring Organic Craft Beers
* Choose from a wide selection of Craft Beers from across the state
* Bite of Oregon Exclusive! Rogue Brewery's Debut Release of Double Dead Guy Ale
* Pelican Brewery’s Doryman's Dark Ale and Kiwanda Cream Ale exclusively at The Bite

Deschutes Brewery - Bend
Green Lakes Organic Amber Ale ABV 5.2%, IBUs 45
Inversion IPA OG 1.069, IBUs 75, Alcohol By Volume 6.8%

Golden Valley Brewpub & Restaurant - McMinnville
Organic Chehalem Mountain IPA Alcohol 6.1%, 55 IBU
Red Hills Pils - ABV 5.2%, IBU 42

Hopworks Urban Brewery - Portland
Hub Organic Lager 5.1% ABV 11.5° Plato OG 32 IBU
Crosstown Pale Ale - Organic 5.3% ABV 12.5° Plato 45 IBU

Laurelwood Brewing, Portland • Website »
Organic Free Range Red - 6.1 ABV. 14 º Plato O.G. 2.5 º Plato T.G. 60 IBU
Organic Tree Hugger Porter - 5.6 ABV. 13.5 º Plato O.G. 3.0 º Plato T.G. 30 IBU.

Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City
Kiwanda Cream Ale - 12.5 degrees Plato, Alcohol: 5.1% by volume, Bitterness: 25 IBU, Color: 5 lovibond
Doryman's Dark Ale - 14 degrees Plato, Alcohol: 5.8% by volume, Bitterness: 42 IBU, Color: 33 lovibond

Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub, Portland
Zomer Wit - 4.8 % ABV 12 IBU
Blond Bock

Rogue Ales, Newport
Double Dead Guy Ale - 20º PLATO, 60 IBU, 78 AA, 25º Lovibond
Brutal Bitter - 15 degrees Plato, IBU 59, Apparent Attenuation 76, Lovibond 14.2

Roots Organic Brewing Co., Portland
Island Red - . IBU 62.5 ABV 5.6%
Woody IPA - IBU 73.3 ABV 6.0%

Standing Stone Brewing Co., Ashland • Website »
German Hefeweisen
India Pale Ale

Terminal Gravity Brewing, Enterprise
Belgian style Tripel.
Extra Special Golden

Admission and Special Promotions 2008
Regular Admission:
Adults–$7.00 at the gate • Children–12 and under FREE
General admission fee covers entrance and entertainment but does not included food and beverage. Same day reentry allowed with approved hand stamp.

Special Admission Promotions:
There are several great ways to enjoy the Bite and save this year!
TGIF – All Adults $5 before 5pm. Good on Friday only.
Sunday - All adults $5 after 5pm. Come celebrate with us on the last evening of the festival!

Attn: Providence Bridge Pedal Participants – There is No Gate Admission charge to enter the Bite on Sunday, August 10th from 10am to 2pm. A donation of $3.00 to Special Olympics Oregon is suggested. Please show your Bridge Pedal bib or bracelet at the gates for entry.

Bite Super Saver 3-Day Pass – Adults only $12. Come enjoy the Bite of Oregon all three days for one low price! Purchase your Bite Super Saver 3-Day Pass online now - Limited Quantities!

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A Fantastic Four Days

Date: Mon, Jul 28, 2008

By Angelo M. De Ieso II

2008's Oregon Brewers Festival was the best yet with more beer and more attendees than ever before. The state's rich culture of craft beer was highlighted by more than 70 breweries offering their tasty selections to a boisterously jolly quaffing crowd.


The crowds on a Thursday afternoon at the OBF are big, but nothing compared to those on Friday and Saturday.

I always enjoy getting down to the festival early to ensure short lines and that the beers I really want to sample are still available. One thing I've learned from years past is that by Friday and Saturday, the festivities are in full swing and Tom McCall Park can feel a bit more like a moshpit with seemingly endless lines. Another time that I like to visit the festival is early Sunday afternoon. At this time I hoped to try the remainder of the beers undiscovered by my palate in hopes that many of them will still be available.


People from all continents visit Portland for the Oregon Brewers Festival during the last weekend in July each year.

After a week or so of preparation, I've mapped out some of the beers that I anticipate as being the "buzz beers." Usually there is one that shines about the rest, but there is usually at least a handful that I anticipate will be gone by Saturday and may not be available to me again for some time. Talking to some folks in the media tent on Thursday, I get clued in to a must-try beer, the Old Market Brewing Pub & Brewery's "Hopcask" Triple Tripel Organic. This beer describes itself as an "overly-hopped" Belgian Tripel and includes a few of my favorite hop varietals, Simcoes, Amarillos, and Centennials. I've enjoyed Old Market's brews in the past, but honestly never thought they might be thee buzz beer at this prestigious event. With a rich orange-amber body and a wispy white head, this Triple Tripel is just as big as the hype surrounding it. Funky armpit hopped nose with slight bubblegum and candy esters, this beer is undeniably delicious. I could have spend an hour with a couple full mugs of this beer, but I had a lot of "work" to do. I had to be sure this was the one.

After reading through the handsome festival program that read like a craft beer lover's bible, I decided that I would aim for something light on the tongue that was hard to find here in Portland. The Wild River Harbor Lights Kolsch from Grants Pass seemed fitting, and was available at the first table which made the decision even easier. A bright, glowing fruity beer with a sharp yeasty carbonic clove bite, this beer was very satisfying.


The Deschutes Brewing keg trailer was one of many attractions at this year's OBF

Previously in the media tent, I had sampled a few beers that, if not considered the festivals buzz beer, would certainly stand out as some of the more unique offerings. One particular stand out brew was the Roots Organic Brewing Calypso Ale. Brewed with 70% organic red wheat and gently hopped with the German Hallertau hop, the character that set this hybrid apart from the rest was a distinct smoky hot pepper profile. Light in body and low in alcohol, the Calypso was far from overwhelming considering its daring recipe. Employing Oregon-grown apricot and scotch bonnet peppers, the Calypso had a mild bite and as my friend put it, tasted like chips and salsa.


Volunteers are a huge part of the festival's success

One of my all-time favorite brewery's, Bells Brewery, from Comstock, Michigan offered their dark and roasty porter. With a creamy, beige head and a big nutty, chocolaty character, this porter was a great example of why the oldest craft brewery east of the Mississippi is a perennial buzz beer candidate.

Not being a coffee drinker, I was still interested in approaching the Surley Brewing Company's Coffee Bender Brown Ale. Surley is one of those breweries that is unavailable for distribution in Oregon and I had read a lot of praising reviews about it in publications such as Celebrator and Beer Advocate magazine. Overwhelmingly coffee, this beer was an explosion of espresso flavor, yet with a thinner body than your typical coffee brew (often a stout or porter). If you like beer with your coffee, this is definitely the beer for you. It still wasn't my choice for a buzz beer at this festival, unless of course, you count the caffeine jitters that would have certainly ensued had I partook in a full mug.


Craft beer lovers congregate under one of the large tents at Tom McCall Waterfront Park

It seems every beer crowd has a league of IPAs that duel to out-hop one another. I was certain that the Russian River Pliny the Elder Imperial IPA was its usual amazingly delicious self. But it had made previous appearances here and I wanted to see what other hop monsters, if any might give Pliny a run for its money. I had previously enjoyed Lagunita's Hop Stoopid, the Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale, and BridgePort Brewing's latest, greatest, the Hop Czar, so I took a gander at the beer that boasted the highest IBU level at this year's festival (113), McMenamins Hillsdale Brewery & Public House's Madman Jack's Insane Pale Ale. I was to assume this beer was as big of a mouth-full as the name itself. Pouring a hazed amber-orange body, the nose of this supposedly off-the-charts brew was surprisingly subdued. Winner of the 2008 McMenamins Battle of the Belt competition, the Madman was perhaps a little nutty, but lacked the extremeness that might hoist it to the apex as this year's OBF winner.


An eclectic array of live music adds to the ambiance of the bustling festival

Making my way down the line of keg trailers, I was compelled to partake in a few of my favorite breweries at the festival. Ashland, Oregon's Caldera Ginger Ale seemed promising considering how delightful their two canned offerings, the IPA and the pale consistently prove to be. For me, a lot of ginger spice goes a long way, and while I have enjoyed some of the genre's offerings like the Hitachino Ginger and the Laughing Buddha Ginger Pale Ale, I have known myself well enough to realize that I am not a ginger beer person. Well, I thought so until I had what Caldera was serving up. A very mild gingerbread and hops nose with a gentle biscuity spine, this sessionable spiced brew was an instant classic. I would certainly return for a full mug of this beer before the weekend was over.

Down the line even further was another brewery I have grown to like tremendously. The regular availability of Chicago's Goose Island beers has disappeared from the area to many people's dismay. Something to do with Widmer and Anheuser-In-Bev-Alliance dealings I've heard, which is, in my opinion, a crying shame. Goose Island's Matilda, a Belgian-styled Reserve Series beer proved easily to be one of my favorite beers at the entire festival! An orange hazy body imparted a well-balanced Brettanomyces yeastiness that projected a lavish, creamy, candy body. Mildly spiced with a perfect hop floralness, this beer was worthy of a four-token topper.

So many other beers graced my palate over the course of the afternoon, it was a sort of sensory overload and almost too much of a great thing. Almost. Other standouts included the Standing Stone Almond Brown Ale (another fabulous brewery from Ashland, Oregon) and New Holland Brewing Company's Dragon's Milk Barrel Aged Strong Ale (Holland, Michigan) yet there was one beer that separated itself as the perfect balance of ingredients and was suited perfectly for a Northwest crowd of beer lovers amidst a warm summer's weekend.

Boundary Bay Brewing Company's Dry Hopped Crystal Pale Ale. This beer from Bellingham, Washington was made specially for the OBF and fully and completely hit the spot. An American pale ale with a light amber body and a crisp, biscuity, bitter grassy, earthy, floral complexity was off the hook! The server spoke to me as handed him my first token, "This is one people are coming back for seconds for."


A busy shift for this gentleman serving up the Boundary Bay Dry Hopped Crystal Pale Ale

"Better fill that one" I said as I handed him three more tokens. After all, everything I've ever had from Boundary Bay has been superb. The Crystal was long gone before I returned on Sunday at opening time. Several other wonderful beers were poured and enjoyed. To be honest, and I know this might be hard to believe, I don't think there was a bad beer at this year's OBF. Some I enjoyed more than others, but it was evident that the brewers and staff put their best foot forward to ensure a spectacular beer festival. Great food, music, and vendors illustrated the amount of preparation and work that went into it all. Watching the eclectic crowd of people peruse the ground was a treat in and of itself. T-shirts with witty and outrageous slogans unraveling the multiplicity of beer culture that coalesced for this amazing event. People from all around the globe coming together for a sip of Brewtopia. Just another shining example of why it is so great to live in here Beervana.

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BridgePort's Big Beer Series Rolls on with Hop Czar IIPA

Date: Tue, Jul 22, 2008

BridgePort Brewing Company has (finally) released an imperial IPA as a part of their new "Big Beer Series."

By Angelo De Ieso II



Say hello to the Hop Czar, a light amber-orange bodied hop bomb with an inviting, blanketing white head. Brewed with three different malts and four hop varieties, the Hop Czar has a deep malt background with an
enthusiastic citrus and floral notes paired with uber hop bitterness.

8.0% ABV OG 17.9 IBU 100

The Hop Czar is available in 22 ounce bottles at select retail outlets and also on draught at BridgePort's BrewPub.

I talked to BridgePort's Jeff Edgerton, who was instrumental in producing the big brew. Edgerton said, "We'd been talking about it for a while. We thought it would be best if we not wait before hops are incredibly expensive." Edgerton is a ten-year veteran with BridgePort, and started brewing at the now defunct Blitz-Weinhard Brewery in 1989.

According to Edgerton, the Hop Czar is based on the brewery's flagship IPA, but with more grain, producing more alcohol, and employing almost three times as much hops. "We brewed 115 barrels in total" said Edgerton. "In these we used over 300 pounds of hops." The brew was bittered with Nugget hops in the kettle and made use of two hop jacks for additions of Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial.

"One thing about hop flavor" Edgerton continued, "It is volatile. So the beer is unfiltered. It sat in tanks for three weeks to let it chill."

The response to the Big Beer series has been great according to the brewer. "It is always fun doing this kind of thing like with the Hop Harvest Fresh Hop Ale" said Edgerton. "I stuffed my Four-runner with fresh hops for that one. That's my favorite one. We will be making that one again as our next Big Beer in September."

Edgerton also clued me in on another Big Beer that the brewery has on it's back burner : a wine barrel-aged imperial porter. "We killed our original porter for a while" said Edgerton. "Karl (Ockert) and I worked to make a better porter. The recipe was completely reworked to make it black and dark and roasty." The forthcoming porter will be much bolder and aged in surplus pinot noir and bourbon barrels acquired for the latest Old Knucklehead and Stumptown Tart.

More to come...

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A Joint Adventure; New Belgium and Elysian Share Breweries

Date: Fri, Jul 18, 2008

A Joint Adventure; New Belgium and Elysian Share Breweries

New Belgium Brewing, of Fort Collins, Colo., and Elysian Brewing Company, of Seattle, announced Friday that they were entering a partnership in which both breweries would serve as a second home of sorts to the other's brewers in a new model within the craft brewing industry.

The two breweries called the new partnership an "artisanal collaboration," saying it will allow their brewing teams to use each other's brewhouses while remaining independently owned enterprises.

"By coming together, New Belgium and Elysian have the ability to increase efficiency, encourage creative experimentation, and take a bold collaborative step into the future of American craft brewing," the breweries' representatives said in a news release Friday.

According to the news release, the collaboration will provide Elysian the opportunity to make bigger batches at the New Belgium brewhouse, and will assist the Seattle brewery in its distribution endeavors as it reaches out to new U.S. markets. Elysian recently entered the New York market, for example.

New Belgium representatives said that brewing in smaller batches at Elysian will allow them to expand their experimental beer innovations, such as their Lips of Faith series, while getting closer to their
customers in the "fertile Pacific Northwest brewing scene."

"With mutual love of interesting beer as the primary driver, this alliance doesn't appear to fall into any typical business stratagem,"
the breweries said in the news release. "As the craft brewing scene evolves, adventures such as this may soon become commonplace as groups of brewers utilize each others' strengths to bring world-class beers to an expanding audience while staying true to the spirit and origins of the craft brewing movement."

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Full Sail and Double Mountain release new summer brews

Date: Thu, Jul 10, 2008

Two of Hood River's favorite breweries introduce tasty new summer beers in Portland.

Wednesday marked the release of Double Mountain's first ever summer seasonal, a pilsner. The kick-off took place at Henry's 12th Street Tavern in Portland, Oregon, where giveaways and good times where enjoyed.




Ezra Johnson-Greenough of Belmont Station enjoys a pint with Double Mountain owner-brewer Charlie Devereux @ Henry's Tavern.

"Our first summer seasonal, Double Mountain Pils is a true lager, featuring a Czech yeast strain and six to eight weeks of aging. The malt bill is predominately Gambrinus Organic Pilsner malt, with a dash of imported German Vienna malt. The hops are 100% Sterlings, grown locally in the Yakima Valley.

Stylistically speaking, Double Mountain Pils will combine the upfront hoppy attack of a distinctive German-style pils with the slightly richer malt body often found in the Czech beers. Our Pils will be calibrated to the Northwest palate (translation = more hops!) and, as with all Double Mountain beers, will be served unfiltered."

Full Sail, similarly has released a summer brew on Tuesday, July 8th @ their Pilsner Room on Portland's southwest waterfront. The beer is a hazy, full-bodied summer weizen beer brewed in their Brewers Share series. The Brewers Share series is in celebration of Full Sail's 21st birthday. Cheers to beers!


Jimmy quaffs a Summer Weizen @ Full Sail's Pilsner Room in Portland

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Laurelwood Infrared Red Ale

Date: Tue, Jul 8, 2008

Following in the foot steps of beer like Bear Republic's Crazy Ivan, Laurelwood Brew Pub presents its Infrared Red Ale, a version of their Free Range Organic Red Ale.


According to the brewery:
Infrared is what our Free Range Red would be like if brewed in Belgium. Brewed with Belgian yeast and malt and a heavy does of European hops, we've shown that molecular absorption spectrometry really can be fun.

6.8% ABV 55 IBUs O.G. 16º Plato

Infrared Ale is now on tap at Laurelwood Public House & Brewery (51st and Sandy).

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Belmont Station presents Meet the Brewer w/ Walking Man

Date: Sun, Jul 6, 2008

MON JULY 7th 6 - 9PM @ Belmont Station. WALKING MAN MEET THE BREWER & BIG BLACK HOMO Release Party! Meet Walking Man Brewers "Walking" Bob and Jacob Leonard as they unleash their latest perambulatory project: A dark malt version of one of our all-time favorites: Homo Erectus. Also on tap from the talented duo: IPA, Old Stumblefoot, & Sasquatch Legacy (yes, all the proceeds from the Legacy go to the Glenn Hay Falconer Foundation).


Belmont Station
4500 SE Stark St.
Portland, OR 97215
503-232-8538

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Fourth of July Six Pack

Date: Fri, Jul 4, 2008

Happy Birthday, America! Today is the day to celebrate 232 years of independence from Britain. What does this mean? Well, really, it usually equates to starting a few fires, the barbecue and some fireworks, while cracking some cold beers and enjoying the prime of summer at the head of a three-day weekend. Sounds great, and it is! So, for the Fourth, I have a few suggestions, in fact six, of beers you might want to grab to celebrate. Belmont Station, Portland's premiere beer store will be open on this day from 10am-7pm, so there's no excuse for not grabbing at least a few of these...

1. Rogue American Amber: A tasty mildly hopped tawny amber ale with a roasted malt flavor and a bitter finish. This crowd pleaser comes in 22-ounce bottles dawning an American Flag; an obvious choice for Independence Day.



2. Bass Pale Ale: Yes, this is an English beer, but that is just the beauty of it. The Bass & Co Brewery was established in 1777 and was one of the first breweries in Burton upon Trent. It might boost your patriotic ego to think the US of A's dismissal of the monarch a year prior is responsible for motivating the Brits to drink more. Either way, it's a tasty, time-tested brew worthy of hot summer quaffing.



3. Butte Creek Revolution XI Imperial IPA: Celebrate the Revolution with one of your own. Over the top and bold, just like the people who made American great, the Rev XI is a chewy, gritty, hop monster that will leave your palate stickier than your fingers after grubbing wings off the grill.



4. Flag Porter: Yeah, this is another English beer, but c'mon, the name says it all. America loves to wave a flag in the face of adversity, and this one is one with conviction. A perfect example of a classic porter with the complexity of an American. Chocolate, coffee, malt, caramel, raisin, and grains with a nice mild bitter tinge. At 5% ABV, you won't end your party too soon with this session porter.



5. Victory Prima Pils: This hoppily spiced pilsner is a one of a kind and just the thing for July afternoons. From the state of Pennsylvania where Thomas Jefferson inked the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Victory can be yours again and again.



6. Chimay Red, White, and Blue: This is three great Belgian Trappist beers in one. The Red aka Première is a dark brown 7% ABV peppery brew. This beer possesses a nutty character much like a few of your pyromaniac pals. The White is an 8% ABV Trippel also known as the Cinq Cents. It is of a light orange hue and a very crisp and bitter. The Blue aka Grande Réserve is the classic Chimay beer with a copper-brown body and a creamy head. It possesses a mildly bitter taste. It's fruity, peppery character is fun and festive like a summer holiday should be. These three beers together may make you a likely candidate for finding a designated driver. Have fun, share with your friends, and be sure to be responsible.



Hoppy Independence Day!

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