Tag: Oregon

Posted on

Let’s Pour Brewery # 2 – Pelican Pub & Brewery

IMG_7356

For Christmas, I received gift codes to the Let’s Pour craft beer website so that I could buy to my hearts content or the max amount that I was given (whichever came first) and this month I am focusing my brewery spotlight on three breweries that I plan to spend my money on.

Second up is Pacific City’s, Pelican Pub and Brewery.  I haven’t had any of their beers in a long, long while and I guess a part of me was waiting to visit their awesome location literally right on the sand looking out onto the Pacific.

Obviously, I don’t see many of their beers down here in Los Angeles but if I did have access I would get the following:

Nestucca ESB – “Copper-hued and medium-bodied, Nestucca ESB features an English-inspired herbal, floral, and grassy aroma balanced with a toasted bread and toffee-like malt flavor. A subtle fruitiness merges with biscuit-like flavors and a clean, hoppy finish to make this beer both refreshing and full of character. Dry hopped for a delightful fresh hop aroma!”

Kiwanda Cream Ale – “Inspired by one of America’s traditional 19th century beer styles, Kiwanda Cream Ale is pale gold with a fruity, floral hop aroma. A sweet malty flavor and a smooth snappy finish round out this tasty, refreshing brew! “

Posted on

Holiday Beer Review – Sleigh’r from Ninkasi

IMG_6861

Ninkasi was kind enough to make my holiday a little more joyous by sending me their holiday seasonal, Sleigh’r.  Very true to their rock n roll roots.  Hence another seasonal Maiden the Shade.  This dark brown Alt, a style you don’t normally get is very smooth.  The 7.2 is well hidden.  I catch a little bit of weisse action plus some mild chocolate notes.  A slight hop note gives this a more American tinge than German in a good way.  Great name and a great label and a holiday beer that I look forward to trying every year.

Posted on

Video Review – Double Cross from Crux Fermentation Project

When in Portland recently, I picked up my first (well designed) bottles from Crux Fermentation in Bend, Oregon.  Here, is my review of the Double Cross, a strong Belgian dark….

Here is the description from the Crux website, “Crux’s interpretation of a Strong Dark Belgian Ale is a blend of Belgium malts, Belgium dark candi sugar, Oregon Sterling hops and Yakima Delta hops for flavors that are deceptively sweet and innocent.”

Posted on

The Goddess of Beer comes to SoCal

ninkasi-logo

Ninkasi Brewing has been showing up in Los Angeles with their Tricerahops Double IPA.  I first spotted them at the Blue Palms 5th Anniversary party and then on tap lists for the Food GPS Beer Blast.   The craft brewery based in Eugene (Home of lightning yellow football uniforms) signed agreements with independent wholesalers here as well as Orange County and and San Diego County. Flagship and limited release offerings are on the way in 22 oz. bottles and kegs.

 

Posted on

De Garde Brewing

de garde
Tillamook is known for the cheese but now it also has a cool sounding brewery too. Trevor Rogers is behind De Garde Brewing and according to no less of an expert than Belmont Station of Portland, he is “utilizing yeasts he cultured from the local environment and an assortment of fun barrels to produce an array of unique beers with complex flavors.”

Here is a partial list of the unique offerings:
Chenin Blanc Regards (Double India wild ale with wine grapes)
Tempranillo Desay (wild Saison with wine grapes)
Italian Plum Desay (wild Saison, hasn’t been poured yet)
Cherry Desay
Cranberry Bu Weisse

Posted on

The Growler Guys

We all know that southern California and Los Angeles in particular is a car intensive culture.  We measure time and not miles.  We speak fluent highway numbers.  And yet, for a autopia, we have no place that combines filling stations that do both gas and beer.

That is why I fervently hope that the Growler Guys head to LA.  Where are they now?  Bend, Oregon.

thegrowlerguys_1351962245_600

Do you want Chimay Tripel while you fill your Camry?  Good Life Sweet as Pacific Hybrid Beer while you top off your Prius?  Or maybe something from Deschutes?

And if that is not enough, read on and be amazed as I was….”When you pull your vehicle up to the pump, an extremely friendly looking person in an old fashioned, white gas attendant’s uniform (hat included) comes running up to your window. All of the attendants are very polite when taking your fueling preferences; they always ask if you would like your tank topped off. While you wait for your tank to be filled, they clean your windshield and actually get every speck of debris off.”

Almost makes you want to move to Bend.

Posted on

Smith Rock Brewing

from the Smith Rock website
from the Smith Rock website

When I check out a brewery that is new to me and see this posted on their Facebook page, “Since putting our own beers on Jan 2, we have sold out of oyr firts IPA, our first Pale, and our working on our first Black Ale!! Come check it out next Tuesday, before it’s all gone too!” It makes me smile. I love to see that the beers are finding homes.

And even with Redmond, Oregon having 3 other breweries in town (Cascade Lakes, Phat Matt’s, and Shade Tree Oregon), Smith Rock seems to be doing well for a nano start up.

This is a prime example of a town being aware of craft beer and supporting the locals.