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After having the pleasure of speaking with Ben Love of Gigantic, I saw this new label pop up for a beer named Craftylicious described in the press release as, ” a limited release collaboration beer brewed by Portland, Oregon’s Widmer Brothers and Gigantic Brewing. It is a unique, bright, partial kettle-soured beer that’s tart, hoppy, citrusy, and perfect for late summer.
You can read more about the cheeky slap referenced in the name over at the great Portland beer blog, BrewPublic.
Mohawk Bend has a guest tap each and every month and this month I was totally geeked out by the choice of Gigantic Brewing of Portland. So of course, I had to be there when brewer Ben Love was in town and to see what goodies were to be tapped for his visit.
I ordered up the flightso that I could check out a couple beers that I had not sampled from their line-up including the Kiwi-Collaboration PDXNZESB and then just sorta hung out with brewer Ben Love at the bar and chatted. Primarily about his very recent trip to New Zealand as part of Beervana collaboration with 8 Wired brewery and then about his short time in LA as well as some talk about hop contracts.
Of the five beers that I sampled, the one that I came back for a full pour was the Pipewrench Gin Barrel IPA. It was so fragrant and the gin added a dimension to the hops that really worked. It was more gin than IPA but very distinctive. The IPL and the ESB tied for 2nd in my mind. They also have keg versions of their core IPA and their Volta Saison. It would be well worth the trip tom Mohawk to sample some great Portland beer.
Not one of my favorite labels from Gigantic Brewing but I do like the quote on the side. Very cool and fits into many points in a person’s life. This stylistic mash-up pours a dark reddish / brown color with a nice off white head to it. Aroma is a little alcohol heavy with a sprinkling of citrus. This is a cheek warmer. Solid herbal and citrus mix of bitterness with a nice malt punch to it. But the bitterness here is the star. Hitting hard at the start and lingering with each sip. I think I may like hoppy amber more than Black IPA’s.
On the non-beer side of the ledger, I have to tout Grantland again. The rambling and funny discussions between Malcolm Gladwell and Bill Simmons are great and thought provoking with many ideas that I wish were implemented in the world of sports.
Our second and final huge, Gigantic review is the Hole in the Head IPA, cause you need another IPA like you need…you get the picture.
Our first huge, Gigantic review is the seldom seen style, Vienna Lager. Maybe because it is hard to do and most lagers are considered verboten. I love ’em though! Here is what I think of Dark Meddle and the crazed squirrel on the label….
Which is great for us consumers because we get a wide variety of beers we get to choose from. All that being the wind up to the latest round of breweries whose beers we have seen recently and will be seeing in the future.
Mystic Brewing from Boston
Gigantic Brewing from Portland
Crooked Stave from Denver
Look for them at fine beer shoppes and introductory tasting events.
Count me as a big fan of Gigantic. I have had the opportunity to visit their tap room and try quite a few of their beers considering I am in Los Angeles and they are in Portland.
End of Reason is according to the website, a “Deep and malty Belgian-style petit quad.” where the second beer is being called a “transporting porter.” Both have the crazy and off kilter comic book-eqsue artwork that graces their labels.
Oh, how I wish I had been videotaped (can you still say “tape”?) uttering these words. This short video is both hysterically funny and spot on correct. I love Gigantic Brewing beers and this makes me love them even more.
Yes, these sentiments come from a Pacific NW perspective but I believe the same could be said for San Diego or Austin or Asheville and sometime soon, Los Angeles.
Flying the week after Thanksgiving is the way to go. Literally, no one was in the TSA line. I just walked right up and was through. That quickly, my trip to Portland had begun.
Each time that I head north, I make a list of places to go. Belmont Station is on it every time. Other points on the map come and go but for this trip, I wanted to make my first visits to two specific places and a long awaited return trip to an old favorite.
After buying way too much at Belmont Station, I headed along with my mom and wife to Upright Brewing. Near the Trailblazer’s Rose Garden. The brewing space is in the basement of a multi-use building. Little to no seating and no bar! The server was standing next to some taps and a chalkboard. You order and you try to find a spot to stand amongst the brewing equipment.
My sampler included Todo Modo, Pearwood Smoked lager, Bad Brains and Seven aged with Brett. Personally the lighter colors were the best. The two dark lagers were fine but could not compete with the flavors of the other two.
Next stop was Widmer. I haven’t visited the Gasthaus in forever. Checking their website before I left, I noticed they had a trio of New Zealand hop offerings. So I ordered that!
The Pacific Gem was the best of the group. But all really showcased the difference in hops from one part of the world. I got citrus, fruit punch and grape notes and pear too. All with a pleasant kick of bitterness.
My other new to me visit (though I have had a few of their beers was Gigantic Brewing. Tucked into (you guessed it) an industrial part of SE Portland is their very pretty space with Portland Timber and label artwork adorning the walls. No Axes of Evil. Though I wanted to try it. I started with Ume Umai…
…a red hued beer with a nice effervescence and a nice push of plum taste. A really great fruit accented beer. I finished with their winter tipple, Old Man Gower which was a pleasant strong ale.
The last stop was spontaneous and I will talk more about Base Camp Brewing in a later post but suffice it to say it was a beautiful tap room and their S’more Stout had a toasted marshmallow!
Beer # 3 from Gigantic is a collaboration with Indiana’s famed Three Floyds. Here is my review of Axes of Evil.
P.S. Beers 4 & 5 came out last month. Black Friday and the Royale….
