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Yes, I thought that the movie The Witch was great and that the goat portraying Black Peter should have won an award but what caught my eye about this Wayfinder Beer release is not the sinister connotations that abound, but rather that the style is sparkling lager. Hope a bit makes it way to L.A.from Portland.
Each time I come to Portland, I buy a four pack + as well as visit a few brewery taprooms. Each time, I try to plan the right amount so I am not leaving beers in my mom’s ‘fridge or having too many un-visited breweries.
And this year, I did good. And I really enjoyed the two new places that I visited.
First was Duality Brewing off Sandy Boulevard. Tucked away and sharing space with a food pop-up and coffee shop was a revelation. Based on two beers at least. Soft Side was a wheat beer with Bergamot and Satsuma. I posted on Instagram that I could drink buckets of it and it is true and I do not say that often, at all. Alpine Timeshare was a bourbon barrel-aged Saison filtered on pine needles and blended with cider! Crazy and it worked.
Second was Foreland Brewing’s Beer Study on Belmont. When I visited, there was a tap share with Kings & Daughters Brewing. The tap list was eclectic and fun. Zwickel, smoke and bitter. Super helpful service and half pours in literally a homey environment. Plus all sorts of outdoor seating. Atmosphere to spare and the two collaboration beers I had were spot on.
L.A. is lucky to get Wayfinder Beer shipments sent from the Rose City. That is my transition to this love letter of a beer to Portland, Three of Roses which is a “An unapologetic rustic lager with subtle botanical notes of juniper berries and
lime.”
In a divided country it is good to see a little civic pride smack dab on your beer label.
Right back to Portland and Wayfinder because I heard a whisper of a winter warmer…
“This pale lager will warm your dreary winter night with notes of slightly sweet malt, fruit & warm spices. Conditioned to have light notes of Garyana ( Oregon White Oak) from Westward Whiskey.”
I am not a spooky season guy but Wayfinder Beers Decocted Pumpkin Strong Ale aged on Westward Whiskey barrels could make me change my mind. L.A. gets a fair supply of their beer, so maybe I will see Corpo Seco on shelves. Plus Frank looks good on the can.
Some great Oregon breweries have been sneaking into the L.A. beer market of late. I have seen a bit of Wayfinder Beer and Heater Allen and lately pFriem Family Brewers too.
So instead of a single review or a duo, it is time for a trilogy of Oregon beers in one post. Three different styles but only one best of show….
Wayfinder Beer Russian Circles Black Pilsner – if you closed your eyes and drank this, at first, you would certainly know it was a pilsner but you would probably then lean towards either German or Czech styled. There is a bit of roast, Malliard reaction in the aroma and taste but overall this is a really nice, hearty pilsner.
Heater Allen Pink Boots Brew – the famous McMinnville lager brewery utilized the 2023 Pink Boots hop blend for this pale ale. Quite a melange of hop notes here. Getting pine and some citrus and even a touch of strawberry as well. A bit slick on the tongue as well.
pFriem Sparkling IPA – pours a dark orange. Initial taste is a bit of marmalade paired with pear as well. Was expecting more bubbles due to the name but there is a swirl of flavors. The label name checks seven fruits including sugar covered strawberry which is quite specific. Just a crazy four dimensional IPA.
My Winner – Due to the complexity, I select the pFriem but this was a close contest for sure.
Two Oregon titans are combining on a new project that will land in my college town of McMinnville.
Lisa Allen, head brewer at Heater Allen known for fantastic pilsners, and Kevin Davey, who as brewmaster at Wayfinder— led the Cold IPA trend are combining forces.
The Heater Allen brewery in McMinnville, Oregon, will also launch a new venture and line of beers at the facility to be called Gold Dot.
If you are looking for the next hot beer style, it may be born at this new brewery partnership. And Gold Dot is now on the Oregon list the next time I visit.
Don’t tell me the beer style but tell me that it is a collaboration between Wayfinder and Heater Allen, and I would point to the glass and say pour. Even me, not a rauchbier fan, would want to try it.
Last time that Wayfinder dropped some of their fine beer in L.A., I had their Relapse Cold IPA. And now I can explain what that means to them, it is a hybrid India Pale Lager / Malt Liquor. And now they have teamed with the fan favorite Great Notion on a variant of that variant, named Cold Kush. A hazy with Citra and Strata hops primarily with Galaxy and Cashmere backing up. This beer also has rice and flaked wheat too. And since L.A. also gets Great Notion on occasion, maybe this beer will show up on shelves.