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The Brewery – Lagunitas
The Beer – Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale
The Details
“This sad holiday season we didn’t have the brewing capacity to make our favorite seasonal brew, the widely feard BrownShugga’ Ale. So this substitute beer is a ‘Cereal Medley’ of Barley, Rye, Wheat, and Oats…. Full of complexishness from the 4 grains, and weighing in at 7.6% abv, Then joyously dry-hopped for that big aroma and resinous hop flavor.”
The latest Vertical Epic from Stone Brewing is next for review…..
All you need to know about the latest Epic
11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale, the penultimate installment of its legendary series. Begun on February 2nd, 2002 (02.02.02), these bottle-conditioned ales have all been Belgian-influenced, but they share little else in common, with each year’s release revealing its own twist and turn in the plotline.
Each beer is unveiled one year, one month and one day from the previous year’s edition, with all of them designed to be aged until sometime after 12.12.12, at which point they can all be enjoyed during an epic “vertical” tasting. This year’s recipe starts with a base beer akin to a Belgian amber, and is tweaked with the addition of mild but flavorful Anaheim chilies from New Mexico’s Hatch Valley and cracked cinnamon sticks.
“Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale is NOT your typical chili beer!” explains Brewmaster Mitch Steele. “The famous mild green chilies from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico add layers of delicious flavor with a very mild heat component. And the cinnamon doesn’t dominate the beer’s flavor by any means, instead adding a subtly complex spice note that blends amazingly well with the Hatch chilies and the banana esters present from the yeast.”
The Brewery – Elysian
The Beer – Bifrost
The Details
“Pours golden with orange highlights. Smells alluringly sweet like caramel apples with a little spice and orange zest. Taste is bold and balanced with a good amount of citrus and earthy hop bitters to offset the malt character. Finishes dry with a bit of fruit.”
When I get a press release that says “Beachwood BBQ & Brewing to Release….”, my ears perk up and I fire up WordPress because Julian does awesome work. So without further ado….
“Well craft beer fans… you asked for it and it’s finally here.
Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Tovarish Imperial Espresso Stout will be
released on Wednesday, November 30th at the brewpub in Long Beach.
One of Brewmaster Julian’s most highly coveted beers, Tovarish is a
bold Russian imperial stout brewed with a base of British Maris Otter
barley and heaping amounts of roasted barley and specialty malts. It’s
finished with a touch of blackstrap molasses along with espresso
brewed with the finest Arabian Mocha-Java coffee from our friends at
Peet’s. Tovarish is remarkably rich and complex. Savor the layers of
roast and dark fruits with every sip.
A lucky few might remember back to Julian’s homebrew days when he
brewed this incredible stout as a guest at Pizza Port Solana Beach.
It’s the same great recipe, but this time it’s been carefully crafted
on Julian’s 10 BBL system here at Beachwood in downtown Long Beach.
Starting at 6pm on 11/30 you’ll be able to grab your first pour at our
Tovarish Release Party. NOTE: Growler fills will be available ONLY AT
THIS EVENT. We’ll also have special menu items and Julian will be on
hand to talk about his brews. Tovarish Imperial Espresso Stout will be
available on draught only. 11.2% ABV
Cheers!”
The Brewery – Silver City
The Beer – Winter Bock
The Details
“The weather outside may be frightful, so stay indoors & drink beer! Winter Bock’s blend of five different German and domestic malts lend a deep, rich color and mild roast character to this classic winter lager.
Just as old world brewers aged their beer in snow-covered cellars, SilverCity stores Winter Bock for five weeks at near freezing temperatures. Cold conditioning makes Winter Bock the smoothest, most flavorful way we know to celebrate the winter season.”
The Brewery – Goose Island
The Beer – King Henry
The Details
“Aged in bourbon barrels, King Henry is a burgundy hued English-style barleywine with aromas of vanilla, oak, and dark fruit. Caramel and toffee flavors blend together with bold notes of bourbon delivered in a smooth body followed by a malty finish. No matter the occasion, King Henry promises a regal drinking experience.”
The Brewery – Fort George of Oregon
The Beer – North V
The Details
“This year we took another Holiday Icon, The Fruitcake, and designed our Winter Seasonal in its’ honor.
A mash of barley, oats, wheat, rye, rich caramel and honey malts are mildly spiced with Cascade and Saaz hops, fermented with Fort George House Yeast then allowed to condition on hand-splintered, rum inspired oak. A Glase Fruit concoction that includes cherries, pineapple, orange and lemon peel is dissolved into the finished beer to add the final touches.
While designed and bottled to age, we are sure this version of the Fruitcake will not be passed down for generations, but opened and imbibed at many a cheerful gathering. 7.5% abv. IBU’s Hard To Tell”
The Brewery – Burnside
The Beer – Permafrost
The Details
“This is Burnside Brewing Co.’s first winter elixir. It’s a big strong ale brewed with 7 different malts and copious amounts of Columbia and Amarillo hops pillowed in the middle to give this warming brew a chewy complex malt body and a unique fruity juicy hoppiness throughout. You wont want to sip this dangerously strong and tasty beer like you should but pound it . 8.3% abv 77.4 IBU”
Coming up next from Paso Robles and Firestone-Walker is a slew of beers, but I want to tease a 2012 beer from the Proprietors Reserve Series, Wookey Jack.
A – The name is great.
B – “an Unfiltered Black Rye IPA weighing in at 8.3% ABV.”
I know that I am breaking my own cardinal rule about skipping over major holidays but one week from today the latest Holiday Ale Festival will take place in Pioneer Square in Portland. This is the place to be to sample rare and one-off beers that celebrate the cold time of year.
But don’t take my word for it, read this…..
“The popular event will feature four-dozen big, bold ales designed to fend off the cold chill of a long winter night. From IPAs, Belgians and barleywines to winter warmers, porters and stouts, these beers are crafted specifically for the event or are hard-to-fine vintages, helping secure the event’s reputation as one of the nation’s preeminent winter beer festivals.
What makes this festival standout from other similar events is the beer selection; the festival works with every brewery involved to make sure they can send a beer that has either been made specifically for the event, or is a rare or vintage beer that isn’t commonly tapped in the state. According to festival manager Preston Weesner, “It’s about the fans. This is a once-a-year event and these beer lovers are here to support their favorite brewery. When they get up to the taps and find something special, it further solidifies their support of Oregon craft brews and strengthens our reputation in the beer world as THE place to drink beer.”
For more information, visit their website or call 503-252-9899.