Deschutes Base Camp in LA

Woody and the Deschutes crew will be rolling into LA with a few stops including….

Tuesday, April 12th
Beer Tasting at Verdugo Bar (5-9pm)
“Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, and brewer Veronica Vega will be on site for this special Jubel 2010 tasting.”
Wednesday, April 13th
Specialty Beer Tasting at Surly Goat (5-9pm)
“Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, and brewer Veronica Vega will be on site for this special Jubel 2010 & Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror tasting.”

Concordia Cup

Old News to those in Portland, but I thought I would share this information from a great beer destination in Portland. (If you haven’t been during one of their blind tasting competitions then you have missed out)

Concordia Cup Results

“Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub – Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8 Wins Concordia Cup
Cam O’Connor Head Brewer at Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub has won this event three times in a row, winning the “Oregon Only” Imperial IPA Concordia Cup for three straight years, 2008, 2009, and 2010. He will captain the OREGON BEER BRAWL IV team at Concordia Ale House yet another time coming 02/2011.”

After 579 taster trays Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8 won by 6 votes over Hopworks Ace of Spades.

Blind Imperial IPA Tasting Results
1. Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub Hop Henge Experimental Batch #8
2. Hopworks Urban Brewery Ace of Spades
3. Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. Deadlift
4. Rogue Ales’s I2PA
5. Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom Molten Lava
6. Caldera Brewing Hopportunity Knocks
6. Ninkasi Brewing Co. Tricerahops

I have “only” had the Deadlift, Hopportunity Knocks and Tricerahops. Not bad for a LA based beer boy!
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Oregon Craft Beer Month – Bend Ale Trail

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Eastern Oregon is a great area for beer and The Bend Ale Trail, a partnership between the Visit Bend program and eight of the region’s top craft breweries: 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend Brewing Company, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co, Deschutes Brewery, McMenamins Old St. Francis School, Silver Moon Brewing, Boneyard Beer and Three Creeks Brewing Co. The website has many fun and helpful features for beer travelers and locals alike, including:

Trail Map and Passport Program: The Bend Discovery Map will serve as the starting point of the Bend Ale Trail. Part navigational tool to each of the breweries, and part “Bend Ale Trail Passport” that visitors can have stamped at each of the breweries verifying their visit. Completed passports can be redeemed at the Visit Bend Welcome Center for a commemorative Silipint® a folding silicone pint glass for beer drinkers on the go. Beer geeks who also visit Three Creeks Brewery in Sisters, will receive an additional prize.

An app for that: In collaboration with Sidestreet Maps, Visit Bend is creating an iPhone and Android Phone compatible interpretive guide that provides an insider’s look at Bend’s beer culture. The Bend Ale Trail iBend Tour download will be available at no cost.

On the interwebs: The Bend Ale Trail website will serve as a portal for all things related to Bend’s beer culture. This site will include links and listings to all area businesses and resources related to Bend’s beer culture, and will include detailed information about the Bend Ale Trail. The website also offers a downloadable Bend Ale Trail Passport and a printable map. Up to date information and inside scoops can be found by following @BendAleTrail.

Guided Tours: For visitors who are looking for a guided tour of the Bend Ale Trail, The GETIT Shuttle will be offering guided tours using bicycle pedicabs, or for larger groups the GETIT Shuttle bus. For reservations with GETIT by Green Energy Transport, call (541) 610-6103.

Special Offers: Many of the Central Oregon breweries are offering a variety of special deals and discounts for those who mention The Bend Ale Trail when ordering.

Hop in the Dark

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Deschutes Brewery’s newest Bond Street Series release:
Hop in the Dark is a Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA) made with a combination of Cascade, Amarillo, Citra and Centennial hops and generous roasted NW malts to create a jet black India Pale Ale hybrid.

Stone Brewing now and in the future

So I endured the horrible traffic from Los Angeles to Escondido to hear Wil Wheaton talk and to try some sour beers. The outdoor bar is just perfect on a hot day. By 6pm it was nice and cool, and the drive was forgotten.

First up was Craftsman El Prieto. It was dark red and not to much head on it. You could smell sour from a mile away. The tartness doesn’t push you away though. When you drink it you get the sour first then fruit flavors mingle in later.

Second was Deschutes St. Lucy Belgian Artisan Ale. This was golden and fizzy. You could see the bubbles. This was more sour than the El Prieto with a bit more kick to it. This could have used some more fruit taste to balance.

Last was the Stone 13th Anniversary. Almost cola colored. Had a nice foamy head that dissipated quickly. Very floral hops. Bold and assertive IPA. But what do you expect from Stone? My favorite of the night.

Also, on August 22nd, the fine folks from Stone will be throwing a birthday bash and Invitational Beer Festival. $35.00 will get you in if you buy now. Those tickets will fly away quickly.

Deschutes XXI

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This is something to buy now and wait for that first cold day of Fall to crack open. Chocolate and coffee are added to this years version.
Happy 21st Deschutes!!

Beers I had in Portland

Fort George – Vortex IPA – on a scale of 1-10, 6

Deschutes – Red Chair IPA – 6

Laurelwood – Hop Monkey – another 6

(Oregon IPA’s are getting less hoppy or my tastebuds expect more hops now)

Caldera – Pilsner – 7 1/2

Amnesia – Pale Ale – 5

Fort George – Spruce Ale – 6

Deschutes – Ocho Negro – 8

Deschutes – Armory XPA – 7