Quite the intriguing label from Full Sail for the sixth version of LTD. A light chocolate beer? Hopefully my Trader Joes will carry this like the other LTD brews.
the Beer Allowance – June
Last month, I spent my $20 on THIS.
And this month, I spent $3 over on Fort George cans. A nice variety pack that includes the 1811 lager, the Vortex IPA and the new OPA – Oatmeal Pale ale. Courtesy of the free shipping deal over on Let’s Pour that I posted about earlier this month.
Holiday Beer review – Sleigh’r
The first Holiday beer to be reviewed this month is from Eugene, Oregon and Ninkasi.
from the label: “A delicious northwest seasonal brewed with winter in mind. A dark double alt, malty, nourishing and delicious, it’s sure to keep the winter at bay, and yes, Sleigh’r does rock!”
Christmas Beer of the Day – Bonaparte’s Retreat
The Brewery – Laurelwood
The Beer – Bonaparte’s Retreat
The details:
A Franco-Corsican version of the traditional Laurelwood holiday release of Vinter Varmer with chestnuts.
Oregon Beer Review # 3 – Super Dog from Lucky Labrador
Our final Oregon beer is from the growing Lucky Labrador Brewery, the beer is Super Dog…..
Oregon Beer Review # 2 – Vortex IPA from Fort George Brewing
Our second Oregon craft beer review is a can of Vortex IPA from Fort George Brewery in Astoria, Oregon….
Oregon Beer Review # 1 – Pure Wit from Upright Brewing
Beer # 1 of the September reviews is Pure Wit from Upright Brewing….
Beer Bloggers Conference – Wrap Up
It has now been a few days since I got back from Portland and the Beer Bloggers conference. I lingered for an extra day and a half to sample some more beer. As if I hadn’t in the previous three days!
I got to make my premiere visit to Burnside Brewing and try the Sweet Heat Apricot/Scotch Bonnet pepper beer. Snuck in a couple small sized beers at Bailey’s Taproom as well as Hooligan Brown from Laurelwood at the airport.
But now onto the better worded version of events last weekend. The initial day was probably the best. Fred Eckhardt is great. I can only hope A) to be his age and B) still be excited about craft beer and ready to re-tell stories that he has probably memorized by now. Then to follow that with a trip to an actual hop farm that was in the process of harvesting was great. Walking off the bus to that aroma was amazing. Brewery tours have their own special magic but this was double that. Watching the hops roast. Grabbing a few and smelling the aromas. I wanted to take a bucket full home or one of the big 200 pound bales.
The Night of Many Bottles was fun and not as frenzied as last year when I was trying to knock out some of the 50 States that I needed for last year’s challenge. I paced myself better and stopped earlier so the next day wasn’t a blur. Highlights included, the 1994 Rogue Old Crustacean barley wine, Double Mountain Dark Blood Kriek and Hedgreow Bitter from Pretty Things Ales.
Days 2 and 3 went by so fast. The content was fun with plenty of golden nuggets of information that I will hopefully put to use. The Speed Beer Dating featured my new favorite beer, Gin aged Double Wit from Breakside Brewery. Then close upon the heels of that revelation came the debut of the 2011 Jubel from Deschutes. The Bridgeport dinner was excellent even though the beers are not to my taste. I keep trying them but they just do not wow me.
The speakers this year were much more about engaging outside of your computer. Though I could appreciate some of the tech talk from last year, a representative from Raise Your Pints talking about beer laws and how he and his organization are changing them is so much more interesting to me.
The two down points for me were the movie, The Love of Beer which just didn’t flow for me and seemed to veer off course as to why women are important to craft beer. I loved see the women featured and there were some great scenes but I would have liked to seen a more grain to glass approach where women at all stages of the process would talk about what they personally bring to the job.
Secondly, I had hoped to see a bigger turnout considering what a great beer town Portland is. How does a blogger pass that up? This is a bargain conference. And I certainly got my money’s worth. But I wish more people will hop on the bandwagon next year. Seriously, if you are a blogger that didn’t go. Talk to me and tell me why.
The photos are coming soon!
Logsdon Farmhouse Ales
Dave Logsdon started with Full Sail then moved to Wyeast Labs. So he knows beer from multiple angles and now he has a farmhouse line of beers under his own name.
Logsdon is entering the Belgian, farm-style ales category. He plans to release two beers this spring — a Seizoen and a Seizoen Bretta.
I love this quote that I saw in one of the articles about the new brewery, “We’re probably the only brewery in the United States that’s a farmhouse making farmhouse ales,” The beer will be made on a family farm with organic hops.
Plus, it has been set-up as a co-op. So maybe more beers from different brewers will come of this incubator of sorts.
Logsdon Farmhouse beers will pop up at New Seasons and Whole Foods as well as local restaurants in Hood River and Portland and maybe beyond later.
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.”
