It can be hard to keep up with all of the interesting tidbits on NPR. So when I find beer stories, I feel it’s my duty to pass them on to you…
Click HERE for the story
…I am on the fence on whether I would like Chateau Jihau. No matter how changed it is for modern tastes.
Oregon Craft Beer Month – Produce Row
The Produce Row Cafe has a long history on Portland’s eastside. Now another chapter has been started with new owners and a remodel for the interior and the beer list.
It is one of the beer bars that is beer bar historical along with the undisputed leader, The Horse Brass.
Goose Island Fleur
Don’t this sound interesting. I have never seen a beer with kombucha before this Goose Island creation. Personally, I can’t drink it but some swear by it. This could be sour by a different road though so I am cautiously optimistic.
“A Belgian style pale ale blended with hibiscus and kombucha tea, Fleur is a beautiful, rose-colored ale with an aroma of strawberries and hibiscus flowers. Her flavor balance starts with a hint of sweet, ripe berry and finishes tart.”
Here are the specs:
Style: Belgian Style Pale Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 7.0%
International Bitterness Units: 32
Color: Rose
Hops: Super Styrian, Styrian Golding, Saaz
Malt: 2-Row, Caramel, Sugar
Taco Mac
Being a Left Coaster some great beer establishments fly under the radar. One of these is a great place that is on my long, long list of beer bars to visit, Taco Mac.
They have locations in Georgia and Tennessee (including Philips Arena) and a LARGE draft selection. And even though it is Wings based, the menu looks good. So if your plans take you near Atlanta check it out.
Equinox Brewing
More beer for Colorado. A great craft beer state. This one adds to the impressive Fort Collins roster, Equinox Brewing.
from Equinox website:
Our standard draft list features six rotating taps. These beers cover a wide range of styles, from light to dark, strong to mild. Our tap selection also features two beers served from beer engines and a weekly firkin tapping. These beers are naturally conditioned (carbonated) in the cask and dispensed through a manual pump (beer engine) or through gravity dispensing (firkin). Check out what’s on tap.
Draft Beers
Sunrise Golden Ale
Sunrise Golden Ale is our lightest beer, but don’t let that fool you. The malt is clean, light and crisp, with a slight sweetness. The aroma captures the distinct graininess of pilsner malt. Cascade and Mt. Hood hops balance the sweetness, contributing a slight citrus / spicy character. In the finish, the hops give way to a light maltiness. Overall, refreshing and clean, yet somewhat complex.
Cumulus Wit
A traditional, Belgian style white beer. Crisp, light and ghostly white, this is a refreshing beer. Additions of coraiander and bitter orange peel produce a clean, light and spicy brew.
Eclipse Brown
The term “brown ale” is very broad and can refer to any number of beers ranging a wide variety of colors and flavors. Dating back to the 1600’s, the term brown ale was used to describe anything from a mild ale to Brown ales from northern England tend to be strong and malty, often nutty, while those from southern England are usually darker, sweeter and lower in alcohol. North American brown ales are usually drier than their English counterparts, with a slight citrus accent and an aroma, bitterness, and medium body due to American hop varieties.
Orbit ESB
The aroma is distinctly hoppy, citrusy and earthy. The assertive hop profile quickly gives way to a rich maltiness. The finish is dry and clean with a distinct toffee roastiness, but balanced by a light sweetness.
Zenith IPA
Zenith IPA is all about balance. Hops dominate the aroma with a musty / citrus character. The flavor is also very hoppy, but, a clean malt profile balances the hops and contributes to the overall complexity. Light malt sweetness counters an aggressive bitterness. The lasting impression should be a dance of malt and hops that lingers on the tongue.
Sunset Stout
Sunset Stout has a roasty flavor, with a light smokiness, from dark, roasted barley. The aroma is light, with hints of coffee and cocoa. The roasted barley contributes a light acidity to the flavor, balancing a bittersweet chocolate finish. Flaked barley adds a creaminess to the mouth feel, while keeping the body medium.
Java Jonas!
Jonas Porter conditioned with French Roast coffee from the Bean Cycle. Dark roast malts and dark roast coffee…mmmm.
Oregon Craft Beer Month – University beer
Do you know of a university with a namesake beer? Now you do. It’s Portland State.
PSU IPA is less bitter than most India pale ales with hints of chocolate and coffee.
“Rogue Ales founder Jack Joyce said the university agreed to let him brew the Portland State brand to honor the university’s commitment to sustainable practices that are part of his company’s culture.”
Review – Camino (Un)Real
If you thought that Saison du Buff was an odd beer, well, amble over to this figgy brew…
Pucker Up!
The Stone Brewing Sour Festival starts tomorrow!
Here is the description of the event (in typical Stone language):
“The human palate is capable of detecting four basic flavors, but during a typical beer tasting only two of those (well, three if you count the pretzels) are experienced: bitter, sweet, and salty. Well, here at Stone, we feel it’s high time to include the fourth flavor domain, SOUR, in the equation. “Dr.” Bill Sysak is busily hunting down the best sour beers the world has to offer in order to bring you one of the biggest gatherings ever held featuring these special brews.”
And here are some of the draft options. (It is quite a list)
Alvinne Kerasus Lost Abbey Isabelle Proximus
Avery Altar Boy Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale
Avery Bad Sally Lost Abbey Veritas ’02
Avery Brabant Moonlight #16 Blonde Sour Beer
Avery De Vogelbekdieren Moonlight #28 Sour Ale
Avery Voltron New Belgium Bottleworks 10th
Anniversary Wild Ale
Avery Anniversary Ale-16 New Belgium Eric’s Ale 2007
Ballast Point Hout Series Dark Cherry New Belgium La Folie
Ballast Point Hout Series Gueuze New Belgium Le Terroir
Ballast Point Sour Wench Blackberry Ale New Belgium Love Barrel #3
Boon Oude Lambic New Belgium Spicy Folie
Boulevard Saison-Brett New Belgium Tart Lychee
The Bruery Cuvee Jeune New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek
The Bruery Hottenroth Berliner Weisse Ommegang Rouge
The Bruery White Zin Russian River Consecration
Craftsman El Prieto Dark Sour Ale Russian River Sanctification
Craftsman Honesty Ale Russian River Supplication
Deschutes Green Monster Russian River Temptation
Deschutes Little Buddha St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition
Deschutes Saison de la Bond Telegraph Reserve Wheat
Deschutes St. Lucy’s Artisan Ale Valley Chilie Wonka Sour
Dogfish Head Festina Peche Valley Decadence Grand Cru 2009
Drake’s George Brett Triple Valley DysFunktion-Ale Part Deux
Drake’s It’s Fity Valley Olallieberry Sour
Green Flash Grand Mantis-Merlot
Barrel Aged Grand Cru Van Honsebrouk Bacchus
Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme 2009 Verhaeghe Duchesse de Bourgogne
Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze Verhaeghe Echte Kreikenbier
Oregon Craft Beer Month – 7 Brides Brewing
If you venture outside of Portland, you will find a great brewery in almost every Oregon City. McMinnville has Heater-Allen. Pacific City has Pelican. Enterprise has Terminal Gravity. Well Silverton has 7 Brides Brewing.
Lauren’s Pale Ale (LPA)
NW pale ale made with generous amounts of hops
and enough crystal malt for a great balance.
Good upfront hop aroma with a great hop taste that lingers.
5.5% alcohol ibu’s 50
Emily’s Ember
Very well balanced red ale with deep amber color,
a caramel aroma and just enough hops
to let you know they are there.
4.5% alcohol ibu’s 35
Oatmeal Ellie
This coffee-like beer will finish with the smooth taste of oatmeal.
The strong oatmeal flavor should remind you of your breakfast bowl of oatmeal.
Tastes much lighter that it looks, but has a complex flavor with a dry smooth finish.
4.5% alcohol ibu’s 30
Maggie’s Marzen
Traditional octoberfest marzen
with soft malt flavor, creamy texture,
and a dark orange color and a smooth crisp finish.
5.5% alcohol ibu’s 30
Weezin-ator
This dopplebock is dominated by its strong,
deep toasty flavors that have a full-bodied finish
and a lingering sweetness from the complex mix of malts
and just the right amount of hops to balance.
This “big” beer has complex undertones and a smooth warming finish.
7.9% alcohol ibu’s 30
Lil’s Pils
This traditional bohemian pilsner is light, crisp,
and has a wonderful floral hop bouquet
that balances the complex malty taste
of the all German barley.
4.5% alcohol ibu’s 30
Here is their
Limbo from Eagle Rock Brewing
2 great pieces of news from Eagle Rock
From the press release, “After all the waiting, we FINALLY have our Growlers! Hooray!
Also we will be releasing our newest seasonal beer. Limbo is a Citra-Hopped Saison, bursting with tropical fruit character, and perfect for this hot summer weather. This beer also marks another collaboration project with a local homebrewer, this time fellow mug-club member, beer writer, homebrewing author, and Saison expert Drew Beechum. Congrats to Drew, and thanks!”