Beer Northwest

Beer West is coming!

2010-10-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Beer West is coming January 2011!

After three fantastic years as Beer Northwest, we are changing our name to Beer West and taking the plunge into California. You can expect more of the same great coverage we've been bringing you for three years, only there will be more of it. Beer West will debut with the Winter 2011 issue, out in January. The new Beer West website will go in January with even more features, enhanced content, updated blog (I realize we've been neglecting this one lately as we've been expanding), chat forums, and more. We can’t wait!

Welcome "O'Dark:30," the new Spring Seasonal from Oakshire Brewing

2010-03-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

Oakshire Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon released their newest Seasonal Beer, O’Dark:30, a Cascadian Dark Ale, Friday, March 5th. O'Dark:30 is a style that has, until recently, been called "Black IPA" for both it’s color and hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. However, the movement has taken hold, and is now called Cascadian Dark Ale.

“The challenge with designing a beer like this is balance,” explains Brewmaster Matt Van Wyk. “The challenge is creating a black color with only a hint of roast and chocolate flavors while still letting the Pacific Northwest hops shine through. We think we’ve come up with something that all beer fans will enjoy.”

And what of the unique name? “O'Dark:30 is that time of morning that is so early and so dark that the actual time is irrelevant," according to Jeff Althouse, Founder of Oakshire brewing, “It's a unique and fun name that honors the many brewers, including ours, who often wake up early to start the brew day."

O’Dark:30 (6.3%abv, 70 IBUs) will be available throughout Oregon in both draft and 22 oz bottles. Brewmaster Matt Van Wyk will be in Portland on Friday, March 12th at 5PM at The Eastburn and Monday, March 15th at Belmont Station to debut O’Dark:30, which will also be featured at the Spring Beer and Wine Festival on April 1st and 2nd in Portland.

Oregon Brews and BBQs to benefit Habitat for Humanity

2010-03-11T17:30:00.001-08:00

Oregon Brews and BBQs, an event celebrating Northwest breweries, food and music, will be held June 18-19 at the Granary District, 845 NE 5th Street in McMinnville. The event will benefit Habitat for Humanity and locally related Habitat projects.

The event will kick off Friday, June 18, from 3-10 p.m. and continue Saturday, June 19, from noon-10 p.m. Admission is $5 for those 13 and older and $1 per taste token. For more information, call 503-472-9637 or go to www.oregonbrewsandbbqs.com.

ExBEERience!

2010-03-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

The 4th annual ExBEERience will be held THIS SATURDAY, March 13, 2010 at Redhook Brewing Company in Woodinville from noon to 4 PM. The event, sponsored by the Cascade Brewers Guild home brewing club, will feature commercial brewers, home brew samples, food, and the recognition of award winners from both the 2010 Cascade Brewers Cup home brewing competition and the annual awards from the Washington Homebrewers Association. Brewers scheduled to pour at the event are Alaskan Brewing, Baron/3 Skulls, Big Al, Black Raven, Firestone Walker, Fremont Brewing, Georgetown, Issaquah Brewhouse, Kona, Lazy Boy, Odin, Powerhouse, Redhook, Trade Route and Widmer. Proceeds benefit Childhaven, a non-profit to benefit abused and neglected children.

Entry is $20 in advance, $25 at the door and includes entry, lunch and 9 beer tokens. Additional tokens available to purchase on site; ATM available. Advance tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/98927.

Beer Classes from Oregon Beer Odyssey

2010-03-11T15:48:00.001-08:00

Oregon Beer Odyssey will be offering beer appreciation classes in Portland!

From the Press Release:
"Beginning March 20, 2010, Oregon Beer Odyssey (OBO) will offer classes, tastings, and events designed to promote beer appreciation and education. Classes will be held at sites around Portland, including notable bottle shops such as The Hop and Vine, the Wine and Spirit Archive, Saraveza, Bailey’s Taproom and The Beer Mongers.

In March and April, class topics will include Oregon Beer Odyssey’s signature, introductory class Tasting and Talking About Beer, and one entitled Great Beers of the Northwest. Future classes will include style-specific workshops and overview courses on the great beers of Belgium, Germany, England, Scandinavia, and Italy. Oregon Beer Odyssey's full class schedule is available on its website and on Facebook.

According to founder and co-owner Ben Edmunds, “we hope to teach people to be able to talk about the flavors they discover in beer and to introduce people to beers and styles of beer that they otherwise might not know. Our classes are targeted at everyone from the beer knowledgeable to beer novices.”

Starting in April, Oregon Beer Odyssey’s will be headquartered at the corner of SE 12th and Division, in the same building as The Beer Mongers and across the street from soon-to-open beer bar Apex."

Brewpublic Presents Portland's first ever Meet-the-Brewers Pub Crawl!

2010-03-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

This will be an outstanding event! Come out and support the brewers, and Brewpublic!

From the Press Release:
"Brewpublic is pleased to announce The Division Street BREWPUBLICRAWL, the first Meet-the-Brewers pub crawl in Portland, Oregon. This event is happening on March 20, 2010 (Saturday); we're kicking the thing off at Victory Pub (SE 37th and Division) at Noon. They've agreed to open early this day just for this event."

Eight brewers will be showcasing their Cascadian-brewed beers at 4 pub stops:
12pm: Victory Bar with Hopworks Urban Brewery and Double Mountain Brewery
1:30PM: New Old Lompoc Hedge House with Lompoc
3:00PM: Bar Avignon with Full Sail and Fort George
4:30PM: The BeerMongers with Walking Man, Barley Browns, and Beer Valley

For more details, check out the BREWPUBLIC events page: http://brewpublic.com/events

Calling all Homebrewers!

2010-03-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Enter the Sasquatch Brew Festival Homebrew Competition!

The national competition is made possible with the sponsorship of NW Legends, and the generosity and hard work of the Cascade Brewers Society. It is also sanctioned by the BJCP, recognizing the most outstanding home-brewed beers produced by amateur brewers.

Entries must be received by Eugene City Brewery by May 1.
Please Ship to: 844 Olive St. Eugene Oregon 97401.

Judging will take place on May 8, 2010 in Eugene, Oregon.

Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each of the following categories and their sub-categories. The "Best of Show" prize is tuition and lodging for HopUnion’s Hop School (the winner will be responsible for transportation and incidental expenses).

Category 8: English Pale Ale
Category 10: American Ale
Category 14: IPA
Category 18: Belgian Strong Ale
Category 19: Strong Ale
As well as the “Glen tribute Beer”
The idea of the “Glen Tribute Beer” is to brew a beer that Glen might have brewed and most certainly would have enjoyed.

For more information, winners list for 2009 and entry forms, visit www.sasquatchbrewfest.org

Corvallis Welcomes Flat Tail Brewing

2010-02-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

Tonya and Iain Duncan, owners of three successful and diverse restaurants in Corvallis, have partnered with Laura Bryngelson and Mark Martin, owners of Calapooia Brewing Co. in Albany to create Flat Tail Brewing, scheduled to open in late February, 2010.

For almost two decades, Oregon Trail Brewery was the sole brewery in Corvallis. In 2006, Block 15 Brewing opened their doors. Now with two breweries in such close proximity, can Corvallis support another brewpub? "Oh yeah. It's unbelievable that a PAC 10 town of over 50,000 residents only has two breweries!" said Martin, Brewmaster for Calapooia Brewing Co. "There are towns with half our population, with no college, that support three or four microbreweries, so it should be no problem for Corvallis."

Nick and Kristen Arzner, owners of Block 15, agree: "The addition of another craft beer establishment will strengthen Corvallis' already great beer reputation, and encourage folks to frequent our beautiful downtown and travel from afar." When asked if he was worried that a new brewpub would compete with Block 15, Arzner answered, "Craft beer is all about diversity and selection. Flat Tail will bring their own style of brewing to Corvallis, which will complement what we are brewing here at Block 15 and the Brewer's at Oregon Trail. Can you imagine, within our downtown you will be able to drink over 20 different styles of local craft beer? That's the way every town should be."

"We have a great relationship with Nick and Kristen and with Dave Wills of Oregon Trail," commented Bryngelson, President of Calapooia Brewing Co. "We buy hops from Dave, and we bought some of Block 15's furniture when they were cleaning out old furniture from Headline. We answered some of their questions about the industry when they opened, and they have offered to return the favor when we start dealing with the City. Plus, we plan to feature beers from both breweries as guest taps." Cloud Davidson, owner of Cloud 9 and The Downward Dog on 1st St, sums it up: "It's great to see a negative void from the former Fox n Firkin spot filled by a positive, local, family-owned business. Flat Tail Brewing is a wonderful addition to our vibrant waterfront!"

With three restaurants downtown, Iain and Tonya Duncan already have a full plate. "Le Bistro, Aqua, and Terzo have successfully contributed to a diverse culinary offering for Corvallis. With Flat Tail, however, we wanted a place that will cater to the University students, staff, alumni, and Beaver fans. It's crazy that there aren't any Beaver-themed pubs in this town!" said Tonya Duncan. Iain added, "With our established experience in fine dining, Calapooia's knowledge of brewing, and support from OSU's coaches, we're confident that Flat Tail will be good for Corvallis."

Flat Tail Brewing is scheduled to open in February 2010. The brewery will begin production on site in April 2010. In the meantime, Calapooia Brewing Co. will contract brew six or seven styles of beer for Flat Tail. The beer selection will be rounded out by guest beers such as local favorites Block 15 and Oregon Trail, and other craft brews from around Oregon and the Northwest. The owners plan to host a Grand Opening in May, once the brewery is ready for operation.

Standing Stone Brewing Co. Hosts Regional Kickoff of "Women Enjoying Beer"

2010-02-01T23:03:00.000-08:00

Standing Stone Brewing Co (101 Oak St, Ashland) will host the regional kickoff gathering of "Women Enjoying Beer" on Thursday, February 11 from 7-9 pm. This event is for women only, and focuses on helping females learn more about the many different aspects of beer, while have fun doing. "Women Enjoying Beer" will be held on a regular basis, providing participants with a chance to try new beers and deepen their knowledge and appreciation in a relaxed, social setting.

This unique concept is the brainchild of Ginger Johnson, a beer enthusiast, industry specialist and consultant who organizes events and helps breweries develop and serve their female consumer base on a national level.

Johnson will lead a tasting of 4 beers, facilitate a discussion about qualities and flavors, describe the beer making process and the factors that contribute to a beer's overall taste experience, and answer questions. The gathering is designed to be an informal, fun opportunity to meet other women interested in exploring the world of beer. The event costs $10 per person.

Interested attendees can call Ginger at 515-450-7757 to sign up, or get more information.

Crispin Cider Company Acquires Fox Barrel Cider Company

2010-02-01T21:47:00.000-08:00

Crispin Cider Company announced the acquisition of California based Fox Barrel Cider Company in an all-stock transaction, terms of which are not disclosed.

The acquisition includes all assets, including the cidery located in Colfax, California, and liabilities. “The Crispin Cider Company is now very well placed in terms of scale. . .to compete at the highest levels within the global cider market. With the manufacturing & R&D capability located in our cidery in Colfax we can now accelerate our expansion plans across the US and beyond,” said Joe Heron CEO Crispin Cider Company.

“Sonicsgate” selected to screen at BAM Fest

2010-02-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

“Sonicsgate: Requiem For A Team,” the critically acclaimed documentary chronicling the true story of the Seattle SuperSonics’ tragic demise, has been selected for the Beer And Movie Fest (BAM) in Portland, Oregon. “Sonicsgate” will screen at the Bagdad Theater & Pub (3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd.) on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 7:15 P.M.

BAM is a two-week, four-venue, 50-film screening festival in Portland from Feb. 10 – 26
showcasing the best Northwest brews alongside some of the best films of our time. Buy tickets,
check showtimes and view additional information at www.bamfestpdx.com.

“Sonicsgate” director Jason Reid said he expects a packed house at BAM, as the Northwest
community unites to celebrate the Sonics’ rich history and learn why the team ultimately left town.

“Even though they were our I-5 rivals, TrailBlazers fans have been among the most supportive
people in our fight for the Sonics,” Reid said. “All those battles between Seattle and Portland
going back so many years – from Walton and Sikma to Drexler and Payton – it’s a cultural
centerpiece that was stolen from the Northwest, and we have to get it back.”

“Sonicsgate” was released free to the public online at www.sonicsgate.org, collecting
more than 70,000 views since its October 12 release amidst several sold-out theatrical
screenings in Seattle. Sports Illustrated named it the “Most Persuasive Grassroots Flick
of 2009” in its Year In Sports Media issue (Dec. 2009).

More than just a sports movie, the two-hour investigative documentary dissects the
modern business of professional sports, exposing how a perfect storm of corporate greed
and political impotence ripped a beloved 41-year institution out of Seattle, leaving die-
hard fans toiling helplessly in their fight to keep the Sonics.

Due to its independent production and online release, “Sonicsgate” is currently in
contention for eleven categories at the upcoming Webby Awards. Visit
www.sonicsgate.org/webby to watch the exclusive Webby Trailer.

Jason Reid will be in Portland on Feb. 9-10 as the Blazers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder
(formerly the Seattle SuperSonics). Reid is available to schedule television and radio interviews
during that time as well as Feb. 19-20 before the BAM screening. Contact Jason at info@sonicsgate.org

Laurelwood's "Hops For Haiti" Fundraiser

2010-01-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

“Hops for Haiti," a benefit for earthquake relief in Haiti, will be taking place this Friday, January 22nd from open to close at all 3 Laurelwood locations.

$0.50 of every PINT poured and $1 of every GROWLER sold or refilled will be donated to Mercy Corps to help aid in the relief efforts in Haiti.

Please tell everyone you can about this event, you can feel free to donate any money of your own on Friday evening as well.

Hoppy Beerthday, 99 Bottles!

2010-01-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

99 Bottles specialty beer store will celebrate its third year of business with a “Beerthday Bash” while serving beer and cake on Wednesday, January 20th.

99 Bottles has been celebrating with beer and cake every year since their grand opening in 2007. Previous years featured vanilla cake with caramel filling paired with hazelnut and chocolate beers, and chocolate cake with cream cheese filling paired with coffee beer. This year’s cake will be a rich carrot cake with pecans and cream cheese filling, created by Corina Bakery of Tacoma. Paired with the cake will be a Belgian-style witbier that has a slightly tart palate, a chocolaty-coffee porter that’s locally brewed in Snoqualmie, and an intensely citrusy India pale ale.

The event allows Tiffany Adamowski, co-owner of 99 Bottles to feature two favorite foods—beer and baked goods. Adamowski says, “While bars focus on pairing beer with pretzels, we use the store’s anniversary as an opportunity to pair beer with everyday baked goods, such as cake.”

Adamowski has also been known to hold “beer and donut” breakfast tastings for 99 Bottles customers and sponsor “Dish’n Beer” events that focus on pairing beer with foods that are easy to make at home or pairings with take-out foods from local establishments.

Ages 21 and over are invited to attend. Come to 99 Bottles in Federal Way on Wednesday, January 20th to try the three beers and have a slice of cake for $1. The event runs from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m.

Zwickelmania Returns!

2010-01-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

Breweries across the state of Oregon will host open houses and special tastings on Saturday, February 13, from 11:00a.m. to 4:00p.m., as part of the Oregon Brewers Guild’s 2nd annual Zwickelmania Oregon Brewery Tour.

The Presidents' Day weekend event offers visitors a chance to tour dozens of Oregon breweries, meet the brewers and sample their favorite beers.

"Last year we had more than 10,000 visitors from across the state participate in Zwickelmania," says Oregon Brewers Guild Executive Director, Brian Butenschoen. "This year we have extended the hours to make the experience more enjoyable and allow participants to experience more breweries."

Zwickelmania takes its name from the zwickel, or sample valve which is mounted on the outside of fermentation or conditioning tanks and allows brewers to take samples for quality assurance and control. Zwickelmania offers a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes, taste beers where they're produced, and meet the brewers who craft them.

Admission to all Zwickelmania events is free, with some breweries offering complimentary sample tastings, food pairings and other activities. Additionally, the Oregon Brewers Guild will provide buses in Portland and Eugene to help shuttle visitors among multiple breweries throughout the city. Close-toed shoes will be required for any visitors entering brewing facilities. For a complete list of Oregon breweries participating in Zwicklemania and sample itineraries, please visit here.

Green Dragon Brew #9: Build-a-Dragon

2010-01-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Brew #9 is ready and will be tapped on TODAY, January 6th at 5:00pm at the Green Dragon, 928 SE 9th Ave., Portland.

Build-a-Dragon is an American Pale Ale that was brewed by Shane Watterson of the Oregon Brew Crew as the culmination of the Oregon Brew Crew’s Build-a-Beer Project.

Build-a-Beer was a year-long project that taught Oregon Brew Crew members recipe design, ingredient-by-ingredient. Build-a-Dragon Pale Ale was brewed using ingredients that were hand-selected by Build-a-Beer students.

Build-a-Dragon is brewed with 6 ingredients: Golden Promise Pale and C-40 Malts; Amarillo and Centennial Hops; Scottish Ale Yeast and Water. Specifications are 50 IBU, 6º Lovibond and 15.4º Plato.

A portion of the proceeds from Build-a-Dragon will be donated to the Oregon Brew Crew.

Mt. Angel Wurstfest

2010-01-06T12:02:00.000-08:00

Dust off your lederhosen, starch up your Bavarian Dirndl and join the happy folk of Mount Angel for a fun-filled weekend of celebration in honor of the Wurst.

Oktoberfest and the Mount Angel Chamber of Commerce are teaming up again this year for the last blast of winter. Wurstfest, a celebration of the mighty German (wurst) sausage, takes place in the Oktoberfest Community Building, 500 S Wilco Hwy, on Friday, February 12, from 5:00 p.m. ‘till 11:00 p.m. Saturday, February 13, from noon ‘til 11:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 14, from noon ‘til 6:00 p.m. This is the weekend before Ash Wednesday and the start of the austere, Holy Season of Lent. Included in the $10.00 adult admission fee is a half liter, Spaten souvenir Bavarian glass beer mug, easily worth the price of admission. Four thousand mugs are available on a first come first serve basis. Sunday, February 14 is Saint Valentine’s Day and we will have a special gift for the ladies – a $10.00 gift card to one of Mount Angel’s great restaurants, the Glockenspiel, Bavarian Haus or the Mt. Angel Sausage Company. Children accompanied by an adult are admitted free until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and all-day on Sunday.

Area sausage makers present for sale the best of their wurst – bratwurst, bockwurst, frickadelwurst, famous Oktoberfest sausage and many other variations garnished with sauerkraut, grilled onions and the Benedictine Sisters award winning Monastery Mustards. On tap are world famous Spaten Biers from Munich – Premium Helles, Optimator, Helles Bock, Pilsner, Franziskaner Hefeweizen, along with the ever popular Bud Light. There will be a wide array of regional wines, non-alcoholic drinks and potions. For a cold winter day, try a steaming cup of Bavarian Glühwein (hot mulled wine). Select cheeses, sausage pizza, baked goods, Extreme Chocolates, roasted nuts along with hot dogs and chicken nuggets for the kids round out the food offerings.

Non-stop music at Wurstfest features Oktoberfest favorites – Mount Angel’s own Z Musikmakers, the Greg Meier Bavarian Quartet, Jägermeister Volksmusik and others.

Those traveling some distance to the festival can take advantage of the Oregon Garden Resort Wurstfest Special Package – one nights lodging and two VIP tickets to Wurstfest for $99.00. (Thursday thru Saturday arrivals) Enjoy a wonderful stay at Oregon’s premier garden resort and the last blast of winter at Wurstfest. Call 503-874-2500 for details and reservations.

For more Wurstfest information, call 503-845-9440 or visit www.oktoberfest.org.

Stone Opening a Brewery in the EU...?

2010-01-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Stone to open a Brewery in Europe? from stonebrew on Vimeo.

February Stout Month at Fort George

2010-01-05T14:26:00.000-08:00

February 1st marks the beginning of Stout Month at the Fort George Brewery in Astoria, OR. At least 8 stouts will be featured this year, including Badda Bing, a flanders-style sour cherry stout; The Murky Pearl, brewed with Willapa Bay oysters; Bourbon Barrel-aged Cavatica Stout; Spank Stout, brewed with 3 varieties of hot pepper; and the ever-popular Coffee Girl Stout, made with espresso. Several guest stouts will also be on tap, including The Abyss from Deschutes Brewery. A flight of all the stouts is available for a blind tasting, and commemorative Stout Month t-shirts will be for sale.

The annual "Stout & Oysters" Brewer's Dinner will take place on February 10th, featuring 5 courses of mouth-watering oysters paired with selected stouts. Tickets for the Brewer's Dinner are $55, or $100 for two.

The Fort George Brewery is located at 1493 Duane St. in Astoria, OR. Visit the website, or call (503) 325-PINT for more information.

New Belgium's Solar Array Goes Live

2010-01-05T13:49:00.000-08:00

New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale, announced today that the largest privately owned solar array in Colorado has gone live.

The 200 kW system will produce 16 percent of New Belgium’s peak electrical load and 3 percent of their total electrical energy use. The array is part of the brewer’s commitment to Fort Collins’ FortZED initiative, a public/private partnership that aims to create the world’s largest “active zero energy district” through Smart Grid and renewable energy technology.

Boulder-based Namaste Solar was contracted for the integration, which began in late August. The New Belgium packaging hall now holds 870 panels, and engineers estimate it can power the bottle line for up to eight hours on a sunny day.

New Belgium, along with several other Fort Collins entities—such as the City of Fort Collins, Colorado State University, Spirae, Inc., Brendle Group, Advanced Energy, and Woodward—responded to a request from the Department of Energy to demonstrate peak load reduction. The partners were one of nine groups nationwide to receive such a grant.

“We feel very fortunate to participate in this ambitious local effort. By leveraging the contributions from our partners and the Department of Energy along with our own investments, we’ll reduce our peak electrical load by over two-thirds,” said New Belgium Sustainability Director Jennifer Orgolini.

New Belgium became the country’s first brewery to subscribe to 100 percent wind powered electricity in 1998 and can produce up to 15 percent of its electrical needs by capturing methane from its process water treatment plant to fire a co-generation engine which produces heat and electricity on-site.

Sheep Eater Scotch Ale Released From Grand Teton

2010-01-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

Grand Teton Brewing Company will be releasing the Sheep Eater Scotch Ale on January 9th, the final release in their 2009 “Cellar Reserve” series of specialty beers. The 2009 Cellar Reserve beers were dedicated to, and brewed in strict adherence with, the Reinheitsgebot, the 1516 Bavarian beer purity law. Each beer is brewed to highlight one of the four true beer ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water.

Sheep Eater Scotch Ale was brewed to showcase the role of malt in the flavor of beer.

The Scotch Ale was brewed with black roasted barley and peat-smoked malt. It was gently hopped, fermented cool and aged cold for weeks, and is copper-brown in color with some sweet maltiness.

The Sheep Eater Scotch Ale will be available at select locations in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Oregon, Montana, Washington, New York, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas and Missouri.

"The Ritual Project" Brought Stella Artois to Life Above the Streets of NYC

2010-01-05T13:19:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the rich tradition of the Belgian Pouring Ritual, Stella Artois commissioned a group of New York City painters from Sky High Murals to bring the pouring ritual to life high above the streets of New York, calling it The Ritual Project.

Step by step over 21 days, the painters hand-painted a 20 x 50 foot stop-frame animation on a building side in SoHo (at the corner of Crosby and Broome). A viewing area was set up at the location, where passersby could view the painters’ work close-up through vintage viewfinders and also receive free Stella Artois Chalices.

The entire project, from time-lapse film footage to photos to interviews with the painters, is being brought to life as a short documentary. Follow the project at http://theritualproject.com

First Annual Belgianfest

2009-12-28T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Washington Beer Commission is presenting a brand spankin new beer festival, "Belgianfest," showcasing a wide variety of Belgian style beers on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, at Georgetown Studios' Engine Room, located in South Seattle.

There will be more than twenty Washington breweries on hand serving many classic Belgian brews, as well as some very unique adaptations. The event will showcase beer styles including Tripels, Dubbles, Saisons, Wits, Abbeys and Lambics. All of the beers will be brewed using Belgian yeast. In all, more than 50 Belgian style beers will be on tap.

2010 Belgianfest will host two sessions on the 23rd, noon to 4pm and 6pm to 10pm. Admission is $30 in advance and $35 at the door, and includes a tasting glass and ten 4oz tastes. Separate tickets are required and space is limited, with only 400 tickets available for each session. Get your tickets here. This is a 21+ only event.

In addition to the festival, The WBC has partnered with the Corson Building to present a Belgian beer dinner scheduled for the week leading up to the festival. The Corson Building is a renowned restaurant located in the Georgetown neighborhood known for its innovative cuisine using fresh local ingredients. Stay tuned for further event details.

Belgian beer expert, Stu Stewart of “Belgian Beer Me!” will also be attending Belgiannfest. Track him down and ask any and all questions Belgium-and-or-beer-related. “Belgian Beer Me!” offers Belgian beer appreciation classes in Seattle and organizes Belgian beer tours every year.

“Give a Pint, Get a Pint” Blood Drive

2009-12-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

Stone Brewing Co. is hosting a two-day blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank on December 22nd and 23rd. The blood drive will take place from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on both days, and donors will be rewarded with a Stone Brewing Co. pint glass and Arrogant Bastard Ale Brownies, baked locally by Amore Cheesecake Company.

88 donors have signed-up so far to participate in the blood drive, which is nearly three times the average for San Diego Blood Bank events. 70 appointments were filled within 9 days, leading the Blood Bank to add 18 more slots and increase their staffing on both days. They will now be able to accommodate a new donor every 5 minutes!

According to the Blood Bank, the holiday season is both the most difficult time of year to find blood donors and when supplies of blood are most needed, making the record turn-out at Stone all the more significant.

The call to action was sent to Stone's 16,000 Facebook fans and 10,000 Twitter followers about the blood drive. Following the message, appointments filled rapidly.

Since donors are specifically advised not to drink alcohol after their appointments, Stone is excited that so many of its fans are willing to come out and support an important cause, even if they have to abstain from drinking afterwards.

Black Raven Brewing Co. New Beer Release

2009-12-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

Black Raven released yesterday the second beer in their holiday barrel aged series. Bourbon Barrel Aged Possum Claus is a Tamerlane Brown Porter that has been aged in a bourbon barrel with toasted pecans and Sorachi Ace whole leaf hops. They only produced three kegs of this beer, so they will not be filling growlers or kegs; stop by the Raven's Nest Taproom at Black Raven Brewing Co. to taste.

Holiday Ale Festival Re-Cap

2009-12-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Over 18,000 people attended this year's 14th annual Holiday Ale Festival, which took place Dec. 2 through Dec. 6 at the Pioneer Courthouse Square. This year featured more than 60 winter craft beers during its five-day run, all of which were either created for the event, or were rare or vintage beers not readily available in the state.

The festival's opening day - a Wednesday - exceeded expectations, with more than 2,500 in attendance. According to festival manager Preston Weesner, "Wednesday is the new 'must attend' day. We credit the increase to the eight rare beers we tapped that were only available on that particular day."

The sky bar, introduced last year to alleviate crowds in the main tent, was again popular with festival-goers who climbed a maze of scaffolding to arrive at the venue. Two fundraisers for the Children's Cancer Association were deemed a success - the Crater Lake Soda Garden, which offered complimentary root beer for designated drivers and accepted tips for donation, and a coat and bag check that ran at capacity much of the time. The monies raised by both projects were matched by the festival, bringing in more than $2,500 for the charity.

The Belgian Beer and Brunch, an auxiliary event held on the Sunday of the festival, sold out, with more than 120 people sampling prestigious beers and noshing on pastries, meats and cheeses.

The People's Choice winner, determined by the beer that sold the most kegs, was the Holiday Ale Festival/Hair of the Dog's commemorative Jim '09, a blended beer that featured Hair of the Dog's Doggie Claws, Adam, Fred from the Wood and Blue Dot, along with an English brown ale, a German bock and an American strong ale, plus a bit of Cantillon St. Lamvinus, Scaldis Noel, Corsendonk Christmas Ale and Orval.

Deschutes Brewing's Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror and Rock Bottom Brewing's Blitzen came in second and third. Other buzz beers of the festival included Cascade Brewing's Sang Noir (my personal favorite) and New Belgium Brewing's Lips of Faith series (the Lychee was awesome!); both breweries are well-regarded for their sour beers, and their offerings introduced many attendees to the current sour beer/wild ale movement.

Black Raven Brewing Co. New Beer Release

2009-12-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

The Bourbon Barrel Aged La Petite Mort is the latest seasonal release from Black Raven Brewing. A rare bird indeed, there are only three kegs in existence. This is BR's sold out summer seasonal "La Petite Mort - Belgian Strong Abbey Brown" that has been aged for five months in a bourbon barrel.

The beer was previewed at the Washington Winter Beer Festival and walked away with first place in the People's Choice awards.

ABV: 8.8%

Due to the rare and limited quantity, BR will not be filling growlers. Available only at the Raven's Nest Taproom at Black Raven Brewing Company, you best get there and get some before it's gone!

Naked City Taphouse Opens Brewery

2009-12-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

After 13 months of hard labor, Naked City Taphouse finally gives birth to a beautiful baby brewery!

Naked City was fueled from a mutual love of beer by the owners who both have a long history of brewing. Don and Donald can’t imagine a better job than serving beer, talking about beer, and tasting beer day after day. They are very grateful to the community for their overwhelming support through the process of building the new establishment and allowing them to follow their dreams. Naked City offers a setting where the experienced beer enthusiast as well as craft beer novice can relax and enjoy a great beer.

Naked City Brewery & Taphouse
8564 Greenwood Ave. N
Seattle, WA 98103

Naked City Beers:
Yankee Drifter: A light ale brewed with pilsner and honey malts and German Tettnanger hops. A refreshing change of pace for this time of year!

Hoptari 664: A fresh-hop harvest ale brewed with Pale, Rye, Wheat and Light Munich malts, flaked oats and Amarillo bittering hops. 50lbs of experimental wet hops were added to the hop back. Thanks to Chris Miller from Snipes for sharing the fresh hops straight from Yakima!

The Big Lebrewski: A White Russian Imperial Stout aged on Kahlua-soaked oak. This beer is already being well-received at festivals. As it continues to age, it is getting better and better and better!

Bing: An English Style Old Ale made with Lyle’s Black Treacle Syrup and then “dry-hopped” with Washington cherries, cinnamon, star anise and cloves. Definitely enough to keep you toasty warm during the cold days of December!

COMING SOON… Hoptrocity: An Imperial Rye IPA brewed with Pale, Rye, Munich, Wheat, Crystal malts and Black Barley and Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo Hops.

Sierra Nevada Celebrates Craft Beer Pioneers

2009-12-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is marking 2010 with a year-long celebration of the trailblazing brewers who helped transform America into the world’s most exciting brewing nation.

This coming year is the 30th anniversary for Sierra Nevada, and they're teaming up with the founders of the movement to benefit select charities and beer drinkers across the country.

March of 2010 will see the first of four beers in a series of collaborative projects with America’s craft-brewing pioneers: Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing; Jack McAuliffe, founder of New Albion Brewery; and authors, homebrewers, and beer advocates Fred Eckhardt, and Charlie Papazian. Together, this group is credited as ‘the men who launched a thousand breweries;’ and without them, our current day craft-beer-renaissance might never have happened.

“We wanted to pay tribute to the original pioneers who helped me and hundreds of others get started,” says Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman. “Few people in the craft-brewing world have accomplished more than these guys, and we thought it might be fun to get the original crew together and make something special.”

The project will begin where craft brewing started—Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco. Maytag bought the historic brewery in 1965, and his vision for American beer changed everything. This month, these pioneers gathered at Anchor to catch up, reminisce about craft beer’s beginnings, and share their vision for the project.

The beers will be released periodically throughout the year, starting with the first release in March, and continuing until Sierra Nevada’s 30th Anniversary on November 15. These limited-release 750ml cage-and-cork bottles will be available at select retailers and beer-centric bars.

And these beers will be much more than a tribute - proceeds from the project will go to benefit select charities chosen by the four pioneers.

A lot has changed in the generation since Grossman first met these brewing pioneers. When Sierra Nevada first opened its doors, there were less than 50 breweries in the United States. Today, there are more than 1,500 craft breweries in operation, and American brewers lead the world in variety of styles, innovation, experimentation, and quality.

Follow this collaboration of pioneering brewers at www.sierra30.com.

Beermongers "Holiday Bottle Snatch" TOMORROW

2009-12-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

HOLIDAY BOTTLE SNATCH

The Beermongers
SE 12th and Division Portland, OR
4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Come to The Beermongers and stock-up for the holidays. For every dollar you spend between 4-9pm tomorrow, Forest Products Solutions will match it in a contribution to the Oregon Food Bank—up to $600.
Contribute to Oregon’s hunger-relief agencies, support a new small business, and enjoy some holiday beers!

Portland Brewers Gose Tasting Event

2009-12-14T13:16:00.000-08:00

What is "gose," you might be wondering? Gose beer is a characteristically sour beer due to the presence of lactobacillus bacteria. Traditionally brewed Goses often fall within the 4-5% ABV range and give off a strong citrus and herbal zest, and a saltiness initially derived from the hard water where it originated in Germany.

On Monday, December 21st, join Brewpublic and Victory Bar as they present the Portland Brewers Gose Tasting.

Come try four different Gose beers brewed locally in Portland, including one-off seasonals that have never been on tap together before.

This special Gose tasting will include three of Cascade's seasonal interpretations: the Lipschmacker Summer Gose, the Autumn Gose and the new Winter Holiday Gose. Also on tap will be Upright Brewing's Gose.

Where: Victory Bar on 3652 SE Division St.
When: Monday, December 21st, 2009, 6 PM - 9 PM

Alex Ganum and Gerritt Ill of Upright Brewing and Ron Gansberg and Curtis Bain of Cascade Brewing will be in attendance. Enjoy Victory Bar's handmade pretzels and mustard, and get to be one of the first to experience the Pacific Northwest's Gose revival beers.

Bridgeport Brewing Releases Highland Ambush

2009-12-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is launching its newest beer in the Big Brew Series, Highland Ambush, on December 17. This brandy snifter beer lends itself to fireside chats with its heavy body and malt driven palate. In keeping with the Scottish appetite for whiskey, this brew was aged partially in fresh bourbon barrels from the distillery at Makers Mark.

First brewed in the 80s as a special beer for the BrewPub at BridgePort, Highland Ambush is making its triumphant return more than 20 years later. Stuart MacLean Ramsay, then pub manager, conceptualized the brew to pay homage to his Scottish heritage. This year’s Highland Ambush takes inspiration from the original ale using NW pale ale malt along with a Scottish crystal and roast malt. The hopping rate of Highland Ambush has been toned down to help highlight the complementing vanilla from the American oak bourbon barrels and caramel-toffee malt nuances. Reddish-Brown in color, Highland Ambush will warm the coldest of toes and noses this holiday season.

BridgePort’s Highland Ambush Scotch Ale Stats:
IBU’s: 40 ABV: 6.8% Color: Reddish-Brown
Ingredients: Pale and Carmel Malts. UK Golding Hops.
Description: This beer will have a rich malt taste complementing vanilla flavors from the American oak barrels along with a bitterness attributed to the UK Golding hops.

New Brewer Joins Chuckanut Brewery

2009-12-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen in Bellingham, WA has hired Seattle-ite, Kevin Davey, as the newest Chuckanut brewer under the leadership of brewmaster, Will Kemper. Kevin has studied brewing science at Chicago's Siebel Institute and at Germany's Doemen's Institute (specializing in German style beers) in Munich, and has been a full time homebrewer, beer lover, and plumber.

Kemper is excited to have Kevin join his brew team and looks forward to utilizing his plumbing knowledge as the brewery prepares to expand for the first time since opening in 2008. Kevin has brewed in Seattle with Big Al Brewing and considers brewing with Chuckanut his "dream job."

Chuckanut Brewery is happy to have Kevin join their brew team. He will be introduced at their next Brewer's Night, Wednesday, December 9th at 7:30pm

Hosted in the bar area of the "Kitchen", the brewers will highlight 3 Chuckanut Brewery beers, discussing the process of brewing and the key ingredients of each unique beer. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers after the discussion of beers. Customers will receive a ticket for a door prize with purchase of highlighted beer. No Cover Charge. 21 years of age required.

Stella Artois Launches Global Campaign

2009-12-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Stella Artois, the best-selling Belgian beer in the world, is launching a global campaign asking adult consumers to help the Atlantic Rainforest, one of the most endangered habitats in the world.

“Send a Card, Save a Tree” encourages adults around the globe to visit www.stellaartois.com and send a specially created, 3D augmented reality digital holiday card. In return for every free card that is e-mailed, Stella Artois will secure the future of a rainforest tree located in the threatened Atlantic Rainforest, until the target of one million eCards sent and one million trees saved is reached.

“Stella Artois was originally brewed as a premium beer for the holiday season,” said Ricardo Marques, global marketing manager, Stella Artois. “This time of year is about giving and we encourage beer lovers to share good wishes with each other for a great cause.”

Stella Artois is partnering with World Land Trust, a leading global environmental organization, to purchase and protect more than 1,500 hectares of rainforest. The Atlantic Rainforest is a top priority for conservationists worldwide and 93 percent of the land has already been lost.

The one million trees Stella Artois aims to save are located in Argentina’s Misiones Province in a vital land bridge connecting two national parks in neighboring Brazil and Paraguay. Wildlife in the area includes jaguar, puma, ocelot, lowland tapir, giant otter, more than 500 species of birds and thousands of plant species.

Progress of the campaign will be tracked via a sustainably sourced tree that will light up in stages marking 100,000 trees saved, until the target figure of one million eCards is achieved. The tree comes from a forest accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures the forest the tree is being sourced from is not under threat. Additionally, for every tree cut down, three more are planted. The tree is at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, London and will be available to view remotely via a webcam at www.stellaartois.com.

Band Frontman Launches New Beer

2009-12-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

Michael "Whip" Wilton, legendary guitar player and founder of the multi-platinum and Grammy nominated band, Queensryche, is launching a new beer, "Whip Ale" at a local event this December.

Whip Ale is a locally brewed pale ale; Michael researched the ingredients, put the recipe together himself, and it's being brewed by award-winning Lazy Boy Brewery in Everett, Washington.

Whip Ale will be available to the public for the first time on Friday, December 11th at Valhalla in Kirkland, WA. Michael will be in attendance at the event, where five of the top bands in the Northwest will be playing:

- Kevin Hoffmann (of Outshined, Rattlesnake Suitcase)
- Dirty Hollywood (the NW's ultimate Motley Crue experience)
- Midnight Idols
- Hairmageddon (80s rock tribute)
- Guns of Nevada

The event is 21+ only, starts at 7:30pm, and is free!

Valhalla: 8544 122nd Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98304

Whip Ale will be available for sale in 2010.

Sierra Nevada Introduces Glissade Golden Bock

2009-12-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has announced the release of Glissade Golden Bock as its newest seasonal beer. Glissade celebrates the slow slide of winter into spring with a full-bodied beer that is delicately balanced, yet bold enough to brace against the last cold nights in the foothills of the Sierras. Glissade will be available in 6-packs, 12-packs, 24-ounce bottles, and on draft starting in January, 2010.

“We have been making versions of bock beers for our local fans for years, and with every release we get people clamoring for us to make it more widely available. Spring for us is the season for bocks, so we finally decided to do it,” said brewery founder Ken Grossman. “Glissade is something new for us—and something different from the other bock beers out there. We’re using the best German malts we can find, together with interesting and flavorful European hops.”

This zealous consumer demand inspired the brewery to make a change to its seasonal lineup. Glissade will be replacing the brewery’s ESB (Early Spring Beer) and will add an interesting new dimension to the popular seasonal offerings.

Glissade Golden Bock is the brewery’s take on the traditional pale bocks of Germany. The beer is remarkably mellow, with layers of subtle malt flavors and a more restrained sweetness than many of its continental cousins. Glissade emphasizes layers of malt, with flavors reminiscent of freshly-baked bread and toasted nuts held in perfect balance by a touch of spicy and floral European hops. This delicate balance helps the beer slide across the palate and welcomes another sip.

2010 marks the 30th anniversary for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Glissade is the first step into this auspicious year, which promises to be filled with events, celebrations, and specialty beer releases.

American Homebrewers Association Launches New Website

2009-11-30T14:15:00.000-08:00

The American Homebrewers Association, established in 1978, is proud to introduce the launch of their all-new, completely interactive, educational website devoted to the hobby of homebrewing: HomebrewersAssociation.org.

Features of the new website include:
AHA Forum: An online discussion group for all topics homebrewing-related. Within the first few days of the website launch, more than 6,000 participants had registered and more than 3,500 posts were listed.

Homebrewopedia: A wiki-based resource, allowing homebrewers from around the world to share their recipes and brewing knowledge. Medal winning recipes from past National Homebrew Competitions can also be found here, allowing others to learn from the best.

Pimp my System: The AHA is proud to give homebrewers the opportunity to show off their elaborate and creative brewing systems. Homebrewers are encouraged to post entries in the Homebrewers Bio area on the AHA Forum, where systems are selected to be featured each month.

Brewer of the Week: Homebrewers have great stories to tell, and the AHA is proud to share them with the community. Brewers can post a bio about themselves in the Homebrewers Bio area on the AHA forum, and several will be chosen each month to feature.

Club Profiles & Resources: These pages contain articles geared towards helping homebrew clubs with events and management as well as a section on homebrew Club Profiles. Clubs can post a description and photographs to share and several will be featured each month.

Deschutes Brewery Chef's Challenge

2009-11-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

Join Deschutes Brewery for an Iron Chef-style beer pairing competition featuring seven chefs from Portland’s top restaurants, competing to prepare the best dish and beer pairing. A panel of five celebrity judges will decide which combination is the tastiest and most artfully prepared, and a People’s Choice Award will also be given. This is a fundraiser for Morrison Child and Family Services.

Competing Chefs to include:

Kurt Spak - Alba Osteria
Pascal Chureau - Fenouil
Cathy Whims - Nostrana
Adam Berger - Ten 01 and Tabla Mediterranean Bistro
Paul Bachand - Farm to Fork
Jeff Usinowicz & Jill Ramseier - Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub

WHEN: December 14th, 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Deschutes Brewery, Portland Oregon

PRICE: $75 per ticket, seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased here.

Laughing Planet Cafe and Fearless Brewing Raise Money for Endangered Chimps

2009-11-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Raise a Glass. Save a Chimp.

It’s as easy as sipping a pint of Fearless Brewing Company’s limited edition Baati Brown Ale at any Laughing Planet Café in Portland and Eugene during the month of December. Brewed exclusively for the chimpanzee benefit, Baati Brown Ale is named for one of the chimps housed at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center in West Africa. Laughing Planet Café will donate 100% of net proceeds from sales of Baati Brown Ale. When the beer is purchased in a pint beer glass, custom designed with a chimp logo, Laughing Planet will discount the beer price. Pint glasses, t-shirts, calendars and ceramic mugs with Baati’s image will also be available for purchase throughout December at all locations.

A champion for orphaned and abused chimpanzees and a former Beaverton veterinarian, Dr. Sheri Speede will make a rare U.S. appearance at Laughing Planet Café on December 16th to share stories of her work at the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, which she founded in 1999. As a benefit for her center, and for In Defense of Animals-Africa, Speede will show what is happening to the chimp population in Africa, which has decreased 75% in the past 30 years, and how she risked her own life to rescue more than 66 chimps. The event is free and open to the public at Laughing Planet Café, 4110 SE Woodstock Blvd. beginning at 5 p.m. Come meet Dr. Speede and stay for dinner, followed by a slide show at 7 p.m. Laughing Planet will donate 20% of food sales to the Rescue Center the night of the event, along with the proceeds from custom designed chimp merchandise available throughout December.

“If I wasn’t peddling sustainable burritos in Oregon, I would join Sheri in Africa to help her save more chimps,” said Richard Satnick, founder and Chief Burrito Officer at Laughing Planet Café. “As a graduate student in anthropology, I lived with these amazing animals and studied their behavior and communication. Sheri’s a remarkable warrior for these animals and I am proud that Laughing Planet and the community can come together to help protect our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.”

Chimps Smile for the Camera
In partnership with In Defense of Animals – Africa, which Sheri Speede founded, Laughing Planet Café produced a 2010 calendar illustrated with black and white close-up photographs of a dozen chimps rescued by Dr. Speede and her team. The calendar is available for purchase throughout December at each Laughing Planet Café with all proceeds going directly to the Rescue Center.

Meet The Brewer!

2009-11-16T00:07:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday November 17th Green Dragon presents Meet the Brewer with Oakshire Brewing.

Featured beer are:
* Ill-Tempered Gnome – Winter Ale
* Overcast: Espresso Stout
* Watershed: India Pale Ale

Dark Dragon: the Green Dragon Barley Wine

2009-11-16T00:04:00.000-08:00

As promised, the highly-anticipated third release in the series of Green Dragon brews will take place Wednesday, November 18th at 5:00pm.

Dark Dragon is an American Barley Wine which was brewed on the Green Dragon’s 1 barrel, nano-brew system.

Dark Dragon is brewed with 15 ingredients: Maris Otter, Golden Promise, Pale, Munich, Carastan, Caravienne, Crystal 60, Chocolate and Special B Malts; Amarillo, Magnum and Cascade Hops; Roasted Barley, Corn Sugar and American Ale Yeast. Dark Dragon is simply described as robust, well-balanced and dangerous. Specifications are 86 IBU, 24º Lovibond, and 18.9º Plato. Dark Dragon is dedicated to the Green Dragon Founders Club.

Like its two predecessors, there are only 2 quarter barrel kegs of Dark Dragon which amounts to a scarce 140 pours. Tickets for a 12oz glass at the premiere pour are being sold now and are available at the Green Dragon. They are limited to one per person.

A portion of the proceeds from Dark Dragon will be donated to the Oregon Brew Crew.

Dark Dragon Barley Wine will be poured from one of the “Back 30” taps located behind the new bar on the cooler wall. These taps are home to Green Dragon brews, beers from Oregon nano breweries, Meet the Brewer beers and seasonal themed beers like Winter Ales.

Additional Green Dragon beers are being brewed by Oregon Brew Crew members Josh Blender, John Heasley, Scott MacDonald and Patrick Miller. The styles are: Irish Red Ale, Russian Imperial Stout, Chocolate Stout and a Porter. Mark your calendars now because the next premier pour will take place Wednesday November 25th at 5:00pm.

The Northwest Loses Another Beer Legend

2009-11-11T15:01:00.000-08:00

I discovered more sad news today when I called Derek Wilmot of Dick's Brewing to send him our condolences for the loss of Dick Young.

Brian Sollenberger of Diamond Knot Brewing passed away on October 31st. Though my contact with Brian was limited to funny quips in email conversations, it saddens me greatly to know that we've lost yet another member of our brewing community.

Our hearts and thoughts are with the Dick's Brewing and Diamond Knot families.

The Second Annual Big Chill

2009-11-11T12:31:00.000-08:00

Put on your bowling shoes and stocking caps for the 2009 “Big Chill" at Grand Central Restaurant and Bowling Lounge, taking place this Friday, November 13th.

This second-annual event, a celebration for the upcoming snow season, will kick off at 9 pm and keep patrons toasty all night long with cold Brrr, the winter seasonal ale from Widmer Brothers Brewing.

The night will include music from 94/7 FM and Grand Central's new DJ, Clint Kuper, as well as a fashion show on the bowling lanes with the best in winter gear from U.S. Outdoor Store, including looks from Airblaster, Bond, Bonfire, Burton, DC, Holden, Oakley, Volcom, 686, and more.

The event will also feature custom snowboard design entries from the 94/7 Snowboard Design Competition and one lucky designer will leave with a customized Revolution snowboard, a 2009/2010 Season Pass to Mt. Hood Meadows, and a $50 gift certificate to U.S. Outdoor Store.

Snow-junkies can also get their pictures taken at the Big Chill photo booth or warm up with a sample of cold Brrr, after it makes its way down the Brrr ice luge.

The evening will be filled with plenty of Widmer Brothers Brrr and tons of prizes! Admission to the Big Chill is free. A 2009 commemorative mug is also free when purchasing a Brrr Seasonal Ale for $3.50, while supplies last.

Grand Central Restaurant and Bowling Lounge is located at 839 SE Morrison Ave., Portland, OR 97214.

The Green Dragon Releases "Gouden Draak"

2009-11-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

The Oregon Brew Crew is ready to unveil Gouden Draak, the second beer in the series of Green Dragon brews. The tapping will take place this Wednesday, November 11th at 5:00pm!

Gouden Draak or “Golden Dragon” is a Belgian Golden Ale and the second beer brewed on the Green Dragon’s 1 barrel, nano-brew system.

Gouden Draak is brewed with 6 ingredients: 2 Row Pilsner and Caravienne Malts; Styrian Golding Hops, Orange Peel, Invert Sugar and Belgian Ale Yeast. Gouden Draak, while uncharacteristically dark for the style, has excellent Belgian attributes from the yeast with a hint of orange and a relatively dry finish. Specifications are 32 IBU, 7º Lovibond, and 16.8º Plato. Gouden Draak is dedicated to Oregon Homebrewers.

Like the Finally! IPA, there are only 2 quarter barrel kegs of Gouden Draak which amounts to a scarce 140 pours. Tickets for a 12oz glass at the premier pour are being sold now and are available at the Green Dragon. They are limited to one per person.

All proceeds from Gouden Draak will be donated to the Oregon Brew Crew.

Green Dragon Gouden Draak will be poured from one of the “Back 30” located behind the new bar on the cooler wall at the Green Dragon. These taps are home to Green Dragon brews, beers from Oregon nano breweries, 'Meet the Brewer' beers and seasonal themed beers like Wet Hop and Winter Ales.

Additional Green Dragon beers are being brewed by Oregon Brew Crew members Josh Blender, John Heasley, Scott MacDonald and Patrick Miller. The styles are: American Dark-Strong Ale, Irish Red Ale and Russian Imperial Stout. Mark your calendars now because the next premier pour will take place Wednesday, November 18th at 5:00pm.

Lompoc says, "La'chaim!"

2009-11-09T14:34:00.000-08:00

Every year, Lompoc Brewing releases more than a half-dozen Christmas beers around the first of December. This year, the brewers are excited to brew a beer in honor of Hanukkah as well.

Dubbed "Eight Malty Nights," the Chocolate Rye beer will be brewed tomorrow, November 10th. Rabbi Bradley Greenstein from the Congregation Neveh Shalom will be present to bless the mash and deliver a toast.

The beer will be released on the first day of Hanukkah, Dec. 11.

Silver City Brewery Helps Feed Kitsap Families in Need

2009-11-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

From November 2nd through Thanksgiving eve (November 25th), Silver City will act as a collection point for Central Kitsap Food Bank donations. Silver City will issue a Free Dessert card to the person or family donating each bag of non-perishable food items brought through their doors.

Central Kitsap food bank’s mission is “To help those in need.” The Central Kitsap Food Bank began as a church pantry in Tracyton, WA in 1989, moving to its current location next to Central Kitsap High School in Silverdale in 1992. They are a local, independent food bank and partner with seven local food banks and several hot meal programs to maximize the generous donations from the community.

In 2008, CK Food Bank served 463,790 pounds of food to 20,207 individuals in 6,143 households. In 2007, the food bank became the contact agency for a federal food program called Commodities Supplemental Food Program; as such, they served and/or delivered 30+ pounds of additional food to 275-300 low-income seniors and children each month.

Please join Silver City in supporting this worthy Food Bank and bring your donations in for a FREE Dessert. During this time of year CK Food Bank would appreciate the following NON PERISHABLE items:

Stuffing Mix
Canned Yams and Sweet Potatoes
Gravy (canned or packets)
Instant Potatoes
Chicken or Turkey Broth
Cranberry Sauce
Monetary Donations

For info about the food bank please go to: http://www.ckfoodbank.org/

For a more info about Silver City Brewery please go to: www.silvercitybrewery.com

Firestone Walker Releases “13”

2009-11-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Firestone Walker Brewing Company announced the release of their much anticipated anniversary beer, “13.” This annual release will go on sale for the first time at noon on November, 14th at the Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles and the Firestone Walker Taproom Restaurant in Buellton.

Firestone’s anniversary series, a unique blend of barrel aged beers, has become quite a phenomenon each year as beer fans from all over the U.S. seek out this special limited release. In years past releases have sold out at the brewery in just a few weeks and these beers have garnered a hefty price tag in the market.

“These unique barrel aged beers have really changed the public’s perception of beer,” says Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “The care and time that went into this blend is more akin to wine than beer,” he added.

Brynildson again enlisted the help of Paso Robles area wine makers to assist in the blending of several barrel-aged beers into the final product. Barley wines, imperial stouts and an imperial brown are just a few of the beers making up the final blend. Many of the component beers have spent over 2 years aging in a combination of retired bourbon, rye, and wine barrels. This process contributes unique and one-of-a kind flavors not typically found in beer.

The anniversary release will be available to select accounts in limited quantities throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington and Oregon later in November. Only 1,000 cases of this vintage beer were made and Firestone Walker co-founder David Walker doesn’t expect it to last long.

“Our anniversary beers have become somewhat of a phenomenon. Each year beer fans make the pilgrimage to the brewery to get this limited release and before we know it, it’s gone,” said co-founder David Walker.

Oakshire Brewing to Release Winter Seasonal

2009-10-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

Oakshire Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon has released their newest seasonal beer, Ill-Tempered Gnome, throughout the state of Oregon on draft and in 22 ounce bottles. This winter seasonal is a complex brown ale with an underlying American hop punch. At 6.8% abv, the Gnome provides bitter, roasty, chocolate, pine resin, citrus, dark fruit, coffee and sweet flavors all in one glass.

“Ill-Tempered Gnome is a wonderful winter warmer. We used 6 specialty malts and 5 different American hops to craft this big, yet very approachable Northwest-style brown,” explains Brewmaster, Matt Van Wyk.

According to Jeff Althouse, Co-Founder of Oakshire brewing, “We are very excited to release a third beer in bottles. Bottles of Watershed IPA and the award-winning Overcast Espresso Stout have been very well received and we are pleased to introduce Oregon to a third member of the Oakshire family.”

Ill-Tempered Gnome will be available in Oregon throughout the winter months. The Oakshire team will be on hand at The Beer Stein on Wednesday, November 4th from 6-8pm to give patrons a sample of the new beer. You will also find the crew in Portland on November 12th for their Beer Belly dinner at Eastburn, and November 17th at The Green Dragon for their "Meet the Brewer" event.

Dick Young of Dick's Brewery Dies at 56 years old.

2009-10-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to meet with Dick a number of months back at their newly expanded brewery in Centralia, Washington. He was a great guy with a hilarious sense of humor, and he'll be missed dearly.

Please visit The Chronicle website to read more.

The ART of Beer - Artwork Contest for Cellar Reserve Beer Labels 2010

2009-10-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Grand Teton Brewing Company and the Teton Arts Council invite all artists to participate in "The Art of Beer," an artwork contest for inspiring labels and promotion of Grand Teton Brewing Company’s 2010 Cellar Reserve beers.

In past years, the employees of Grand Teton Brewing Company have collaborated on label design. This year, however, the brewery decided to call upon artists for inspiration and insight. Artists are requested to submit artwork that depicts “Life in the Tetons” to the Teton Arts Council by October 23rd, 2009. Up to four submitted artworks may be selected and incorporated into the label designs of the Cellar Reserve beers. The winning artwork will be selected for its creativity, originality, artistic quality, and reflection of the theme.

“All of us at Grand Teton Brewing are thrilled to work with artists who create artwork that evokes the natural beauty of this area which we all love and cherish. We are looking forward to seeing the creative ways that the artists represent Life in the Tetons,” said Rob Mullin, Brewmaster and C.O.O. of Grand Teton Brewing Company.

The 2010 Cellar Reserve beers will be released approximately one specialty beer during each quarter of the year. These specialty beers have large format labels on a 1-Liter (33 oz) bottle with a ceramic flip-top lid and a “neck hanger” card.

For the winning artists, an artist bio will be featured on a card, approximately the size of a business card hung around the neck of the bottle. The winning artists may expect wide promotion since these specialty beers are distributed in at least 14 states around the United States with production sizes ranging from 6,000 to 15,000 bottles of each specialty beer. The winning artists will also be promoted on the Teton Arts Council website including a link to the artists’ website. Artists may also be featured on the Grand Teton Brewing Company website and other commercial promotion materials.

Although past label designs were primarily computer generated, this artwork contest is open to artists of all mediums. The judges expect to see a wide range of entries such as paintings, sketches, photographs, computer-enhanced photographs, and yes, computer-generated images. Grand Teton Brewing Company decided too that the winning artwork would inspire the names of the specialty beers. So the artists are truly being given a chance to show their creative interpretations.

“We think this is a great opportunity for artists to showcase their work in a unique format,” said Christine Leusch, Executive Director of Teton Arts Council, “It gives artists an opportunity to have their work seen by a broader audience and in a different format.”

The contest is open to any artist who is a member of the Teton Arts Council. There are no additional contest fees. Each artist may submit up to four (4) pieces to the contest.
Check www.tetonartscouncil.com for contest rules and membership. Deadline for contest submission October 23, 2009. Winners will be announced at an Awards Ceremony November 7, 2009

For more information contact the Teton Arts Council at 208-354-4278.

Oskar Blues Brings 43 Taps Of Beer Soaked Southern Culture To Longmont, CO

2009-10-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Oskar Blues’ new down-home beer joint celebrates beer culture with 43 craft taps, Southern-inspired BBQ & soul-saving live music. “This is an authentic craft beer bar right down to the keg based fountains” says owner Dale Katechis. An in-house smoker, named “the Midnight Toker,” stoked with local apple wood turns out slow smoked North Carolina style BBQ pork, spare ribs, beer-can chicken, salmon and turkey. Home Made Liquids & Solids is scheduled to open Monday, October 12th.

Oskar Blues has worked with Eco Cycle (www.ecocycle.org), a local environmental company, to create a zero-waste kitchen that will feature gluten free & vegetarian inspired dishes served next to Oskar Blues favorites such as the “Silo Burger.”

Jason Rogers, a veteran of the Colorado culinary scene, will oversee all kitchen efforts at Oskar Blues Home Made Liquids & Solids. Rogers most recently was executive chef at the JW Marriott at Cherry Creek hotel in Denver, and before that was culinary director at Jill’s Restaurant in the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder. He also has worked in Aspen and on the East Coast and was twice invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s Beard House in New York City. “I’m fired up to work with Oskar Blues to create a menu that’s on par with our craft beer, which has challenged the public perception of what to expect out of a canned beer.” adds Rogers.

In April of 1997 Dale Katechis opened Oskar Blues Cajun Grill in the small Rocky Mountain foothills town of Lyons, CO. Known for its southern hospitality & blues music, the funky restaurant quickly added quality craft beer to the equation in 1999. In 2002, Dale looked to regionally distributing his craft beer as a way to keep the Oskar Blues name in the public eye during the slower winter months of the now fully functioning brew-pub. He was approached by Cask Brewing Systems (www.cask.com) about an affordable canning line for craft brewers. “We thought the idea of our bold, hoppy pale ale squeezed into a little can was hilarious. It made us laugh for weeks.” adds Katechis. Seven years later a genre bending regional craft brewery has come to life and now supplies boundary busting canned beer to 25 states. Bringing the marketing strategy full circle, Oskar Blues is now opening a beer bar to offer their community and fans of the Longmont brewery’s 3-dimensional canned beers a place to hang their hats & celebrate beer culture, right in the heart of Colorado beer country.

Hood River Hops Fest Tomorrow!

2009-10-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

--Killer Beers, Food, Art, Music in the Heart of the Gorge
--Final Beer List Includes 33 Flavors of Fresh Hop Goodness
--More Tents!

Fall is here, which means it's time for some hoppy harvest beer! Fresh Hop beer, to be sure! The 6th Annual Hood River Hops Fest will feature a cornucopia of more than 50 delicious brews from 28 Northwest breweries, including 33 Fresh Hop beers. In addition to the flowing suds, Hops Fest features live music all day, local food and art vendors, and a Kids Zone to keep the young ones happy. It's a great downtown party with fun and frolic for everyone.

For those who don't know, Fresh Hop beer is made during the short window of hop harvest every year, with straight-from-the-vine hops. Instead of the usual process of immediately drying and sending baled hop cones to cold storage, the fragile fresh hops are taken straight to the brewery and, in most cases, tossed into a brew that very same day. Fresh hops possess a whole range of aromatics, flavors and resinous textures that are often changed during drying. Northwest brewers have made harvest time their own Fresh Hop Extravaganza, and Hops Fest is the first place to check out all the special brews.

And new this year: More Tents! They've doubled the tent order for this year's Hops Fest. Come rain or shine, they'll have you covered.

The 6th Annual Hood River Hops Fest runs from Noon to 9pm this Saturday, October 3rd in the Downtown Lot (enter at 5th & Cascade) in Hood River, Oregon. Free admission; $5 mug purchase required for sampling; $1 tokens for 4-ounce samples. Minors welcome until 6pm when accompanied by an adult.For more info, visit www.hopsfest.com.

The Beer List:

Fresh Hop Beers:
Amnesia "Fresh Hoppalata"
Astoria "Hoptimus 2.0" Imperial IPA
Big Horse " Vernon the Rabbit Slayer" Imperial IPA
Big Horse "The Strange" Hemp Ale
Bridgeport "Hop Harvest Ale"
Cascade Lakes "Fresh Hop Pale Ale"
Deschutes "Fresh Hop Mirror Pond" Pale Ale
Deschutes "Hop Trip" Pale Ale
Double Mountain "Killer Green" Fresh Hop IPA
Double Mountain "Fresh Vienna "
Ft George "Cohoperative Ale"
Full Sail "Lupulin Ale" ( Crystal )
Full Sail "Lupulin Ale" (Cascade)
Hopworks "Sodbuster" Pale Ale
Laurelwood "Hop Bale" Pale Ale
Laurelwood "Organic Goodness" Pale Ale
Lucky Lab "The Mutt" Ale
Lucky Lab "Das Moot" Pilsner
MacTarnahan's "Fresh Hop MacTarnahans" Ale
New Old Lompoc "Harvest Man" Red Ale
New Old Lompoc "Fresh Hop Crystal Wheat"
Ninkasi "Nugg E. Fresh Wet Hop Ale"
Oakshire "Fresh Hop Harvest Ale"
Pelican "Elemental Ale"
Rock Bottom "Hoodwinked Integrity-Style Ale"
Rock Bottom "Octoberfist"
Roots "Hoppopotamus"
Rogue "Chatoe Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale"
Sierra Nevada "Harvest Ale"
Three Creeks "Santiam Harvest" Farmhouse Ale
Upright "Fresh Hop of Bel Air" Saison-style Ale
Walking Man "Fresh Hop IPA"
Widmer "Hopturnal Emission"

Other Beers:
Amnesia “Copacetic” IPA
Astoria “Bitter Bitch” Double IPA
Bridgeport “Hop Czar” Imperial IPA
Cascade Lakes "Kolsch"
Elliott Glacier “Gnarl Ridge Double Dry-hopped IPA”
Elliott Glacier “Belgian Espresso Stout”
Everybody's “IPA”
Everybody's “Common Ale”
Ft George “Divinity”
Full Sail “Nate's Ubergehopft Fest Bier”
Hopworks “7 Grain Survival Stout”
Lazy Boy "Big Trouble" Imperial IPA
Lazy Boy "Red Head" Imperial Red
MacTarnahan's “Humbug'r Winter Ale’
Oakshire “Overcast Espresso Stout”
Pelican “Doryman's Dark” Ale
Three Creeks “Desperado Imperial IPA”
Upright “Four”
Walking Man “Hoptoberfest”
Widmer “w'10” Black IPA

Live Music Schedule:
Noon - 2pm : traditional German "Oompah" band!
2:30 - 4pm : blues legend Norman "The Boogie Cat" Sylvester
4:30 - 6:30pm : Geno Michaels and Soul City
7pm - Close: local rockers Speedqueen Underground

Hood River Hops Fest is a benefit for the Downtown Business Council of the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors include Amerititle; Andrew’s Pizza; Bob Stone AutoCenter; CH2MHill; The City of Hood River; Columbia River Insurance; Crazy Pepper Cantina; Double Mountain Brewery; Full Sail Brewing; Gorge Networks; Hood River Bagels; Hood River Hotel; Hood River County Commission on Children & Families; Hood River Supply; Mt. Hood Meadows; Oregon Bounty; Oregon Brewers Guild; and Your Rental and Party Center.

Also be sure to check out the next two stops on the Fresh Hop Tastival series, sponsored by Oregon Bounty and the Oregon Brewers Guild:

Sat Oct 10: Oaks Park. Portland, noon-9pm
Sat Oct 17: Downtown Eugene noon-9pm

For more info on these events, visit www.oregonbeer.org/fhbt09.

Celebrate October With Microbrews and Brats at the Palace Ballroom

2009-10-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

On Friday, October 30 from 5- 8 p.m., Tom Douglas Restaurants’ Palace Ballroom will be transformed into Oktoberfest heaven for this Beer and Brats event. The brainchild of Warren Peterson, Tom Douglas Restaurants’ newly appointed “beer czar” and roving chef, Beer and Brats showcases some of his favorite West Coast microbrews, and bratwurst from Seattle’s top sausage purveyors.

Guests will have the opportunity to taste German-inspired microbrews and meet the brewers from Big Al Brewing (White Center), Baron Brewing (South Park), Maritime Pacific Brewing (Ballard), Elysian Brewing Company (Capitol Hill), Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (Chico, Calif.) and Deschutes Brewery (Deschutes, Ore.).
A selection of bratwurst will be provided by Isernio’s Sausage (Beacon Hill), Cascioppo Brothers Meats (Ballard), Bavarian Meats and Uli’s Famous Sausage (Pike Place Market), Da Pino (Ravenna). The bratwurst offerings will also include handcrafted sausages by Tom Douglas Restaurants chefs—“beer czar” Warren Peterson, Palace Kitchen’s Brian Walczyk, and Dahlia Lounge’s Brock Johnson.

Tickets are $34 per person, including tax, and must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, please contact Christy at (206) 448-2001 or christinal@tomdouglas.com.

For more information about Tom Douglas Restaurants, please visit here and follow Tom Douglas Restaurants on Twitter @TDRcreampuff.

Pike Celebrates 20 Years of Brewing Craft beer

2009-10-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

By the time Rose Ann and Charles opened their own brewery, they had the experience of working with some of the World's greatest breweries including Samuel Smith, Ayinger, Orval, Pinkus, Lindemans, and Traquair House, which together, represented over 2,000 years of brewing experience.

The Finkels identified the potential for a world class brewery in Seattle that was capable of brewing beer equal to, or even exceeding, the standards of the World's classics. The first keg of Pike beer, Pike Pale Ale, was tapped by Ayinger owner and head brewer, Braü Franz Inselkammer. Franz, the president of the Bavarian Brewing Association, proclaimed the English style beer to be as "balanced, malty, and delicious; like fresh bread, ideal for the harvest season." Over the ensuing 20 years, first in the original brewery on Western Avenue, and now in a beautiful multi-level, gravity flow, steam heated brewery and brew pub, Pike has introduced what many describe as classic ales, including Pike XXXXX Extra Stout; 1989, Pike IPA in 1990 (Roger Protz's choice of one of the 300 beers to try before you die); Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine, 1991 and soon to be included in the revised edition of the same book; in 1992, Pike Kilt Lifter (N.W. Brewing News Reader's Choice, Best Scotch Ale, 2006, 2007 and 2008); Cerveza Rosanna (named for Rose Ann Finkel) and Auld Aquaintence, in 1993; Pike Weisse in 1998; Naughty Nellie Golden in 1999; Pike Tandem Double in 2006; Monk's Uncle Tripel in 2007; Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout, 2008; and now, as a special treat, just for our 20th birthday, Pike Tripel Kriek, a tripel that was fermented with Brettanomyces yeast, along with the addition of 60 pounds of local organic Bing cherries per cask that were added at the peak of Washington State cherry season in June 2009. Since then, the cuveé has been aging in Washington State Cabernet wine casks. XXX Kriek will be available on draft at the pub and at Brouwers Sour Beer Festival during Seattle Beer Week 2010.

In addition to their standard lineup (plus Tripel Kriek), Pike will also be releasing its other oak aged beer, Pike Entire 2009, in time for their anniversary. Entire is a blend of Pike XXXXX Extra Stout and a Pike imperial stout (high gravity) aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for 7 months.

Join the Pike family to celebrate their 20th birthday on October 17th at 5p.m.

He'Brew Beer Turns 13!

2009-10-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

America's smallest, biggest and most award-winning Jewish (and now Sideshow Freak) Beer Company, Shmaltz Brewing celebrates its 13th year of delicious beer and delicious shtick with the special release of JEWBELATION BAR MITZVAH: their 13th Chosen Beer in 13 years of Shmaltz. Brewed with 13 malts, 13 hops and soaring to 13% alc, Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah will be nationally available in 22 oz. bottles and a very limited amount of draft for select bars beginning October 1, 2009.

This winter, HE'BREW will pit Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah along with other Chosen Beers against national holiday beer luminaries in their annual challenge "Chanukah vs. Christmas: The Battle Royale of Beers" in NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, Connecticut, Baltimore and additional cities t.b.a.. Designed by Shmaltz's Art Director Matt Polacheck, Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah's artwork incorporates consumer submitted Bar/Bat Mitzvah photos culled from Shmaltz's recent national photo contest.

Oktoberfest in Downtown Medford

2009-10-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Live music and the best in German beers will make downtown Medford come alive this Saturday, October 3rd during the 1st Annual Southern Oregon Oktoberfest from Noon to 6 PM at 410 East Main Street.

The event celebrates German beers, and local Oktoberfest style seasonals. Over 20 beers will be available for sampling including beers from Ayinger, Erdinger, Paulaner, Widmer, Walkabout, and more. Minors accompanied by adults are welcome to the event.

“Because hundreds of people enjoyed our BeerFest this past June we decided to have another downtown event to celebrate Fall,” explains Chris Dennett of Bear Creek Beers. “This a great opportunity to sample some fabulous beers, save money, and have fun.”

Cost is $10 per person and includes three tasting tokens, a commemorative pint glass, and live accordion music. German food will also be available. The Southern Oregon Oktoberfest is being sponsored by KBOY of Radio Medford and Bear Creek Beers.

Alpenfest

2009-10-01T12:39:00.001-07:00

Table Rock Brewpub and Grill Presents Boise’s Official Oktoberfest on October 10th, 9:30am to 7:00pm. Come Rain or Come Shine!

Ann Morrison Park Boise, ID • Free Admission

Pancake Breakfast from 9:30am to 11:00am

Live Music, Great Food, Beer and Games!

To Benefit The Boise Nordic Foundation.

From the Team That Brought You Boise BeerFest!

October Music Schedule for Doyle's Public House

2009-10-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

Visit www.doylespublichouse.com for details.

Grand Teton Brewing to Get Energy From Yeast

2009-10-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Grand Teton Brewing Company was notified September 30th by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it was awarded a grant to turn its brewing yeast into energy. New equipment to be installed at the brewery will harness the energy created during fermentation to heat water for brewing.

During busy summer months, Grand Teton Brewing Company's yeast generates an average of 129,000 BTUs per hour through the fermentation process. This Rural Energy Assistance Program (REAP) grant will allow Grand Teton to recover much of that energy to heat water used for brewing and cleaning. This should save the brewery the equivalent of 2,550 gallons of diesel fuel per year at current production rates.

"The best thing about an energy recovery project like this is that it will grow with us," said Brewmaster and C.O.O. Rob Mullin. "The more we brew, the more oil we'll save. This is just phase one. After monitoring the efficiency of this project, we'll look at solar panels to provide additional heat for our brewing water."

Benefit for Brian Redman Tomorrow

2009-10-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Brian Redman, a bartender at Doyle's Public House in Tacoma, WA, passed away. Doyle's is holding a memorial/benefit for him tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd. The big tent is being rolled out and over 12 bands will be playing tribute to Brian. They are asking for a $5 donation at the door. There will be a Taco Truck in the parking lot for late night eats. So many members of the Tacoma community have stepped forward with generous donations to make this event possible.

Doyle's is establishing an endowment for music with Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. They are asking for either cash donations directly to this fund or items to be used for the raffle on the day of the event. After funeral expenses are covered all donations will go towards the endowment. All items & checks may be dropped off at Doyle's.

Checks may also be mailed to: The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, 950 Pacific Avenue - Suite 1220 - Tacoma, WA 98402

Oakshire Brewing Wins Medal at GABF

2009-10-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Oakshire Brewing Company recently claimed a silver medal at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival Competition.

“It’s a great thrill to be recognized for our hard work. And to win with one of our year-round beers is equally exciting as we can continue bringing this high quality local beer to our many Overcast fans.” says Matt Van Wyk, brewmaster at Oakshire.

This silver medal is the first national award for Oakshire Brewing and the first in Eugene since 2003 when local Bier Stein owner Chip Hardy brought home a gold while at West Brothers Brewery. This medal is Van Wyk’s 10th at GABF and fifth straight year medaling. Previously he brewed for Flossmoor Station Brewing Company in Flossmoor, Illinois.

Oakshire was recognized in the coffee beer-style category for Overcast Espresso Stout a dark ale crafted with locally roasted and cold pressed organic espresso beans. Oakshire is a 2,000 barrel microbrewery located in Eugene, OR that specializes in brewing quality hand crafted ales in small batches and distributes throughout the state of Oregon.

Chuckanut 2009 Small Brewpub of the Year

2009-10-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Chuckanut Brewery claimed the title as America’s Best Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year 2009, winning four medals: two gold and two silver at the 28th Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colo.

Chuckanut Brewery is the first brewery in the history of the Great American Beer Festival competition to win a Small Brewpub of the Year award with all Lager Style Beers.

Chuckanut Dunkel - Gold medal in the European Style Dunkel Category

Chuckanut Vienna Lager - Gold medal in the Vienna Style Lager Category

Chuckanut German Pilsner - Silver medal in the German-Style Pilsner Category

Chuckanut Schwarzbier - Silver medal in the German Style Schwarzbier Category

The Great American Beer Festival is the largest and most prestigious competition for American craft beers. This year’s competition featured 3,308 beers from 495 breweries. A panel of 132 professional judges from 10 countries, worked over a three-day period during the week of the festival, to award brewers prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 78 beer categories, establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S.

These awards are among the most coveted in the beer industry and heralded by the winning brewers. Brewmaster Will Kemper and Head Brewer Josh Pfriem specialize in making quality driven, consistent, well-crafted traditional German lagers and English ales.

2009 GABF Results

2009-09-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Competition continued its record setting ways, crushing last year's entries by 16%. GABF remains the largest commercial beer competition in the world with 3,308 entries.

Colorado and California typically dominate the competition each year for the most medals won by each state, with Colorado breweries and brewpubs coming out ahead for 2009.

The top five medal winning states were: CO (45), CA (39), OR (22), WA (13), PA (12).

The GABF competition attracted 132 international beer judges from ten countries. Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 78 beer categories, establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S.

2009 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards:
Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO; Dr. David Ryder

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Crosby & Baker Ltd.
Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD; Robert Malone

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
Dry Dock Brewing Company, Aurora, CO; Dry Dock Brewing Team

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA; Pizza Port Brew Guys

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA; Will Kemper

The most competitive category was American Style India Pale Ale with 134 entries. The gold medal went to Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA for Union Jack for the second straight year. The second most hotly contested category was Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer with 110 entries (up from 79 in 2008). The gold medal went to Arcadia Brewing Co., Battle Creek, MI for Cereal Killer Barleywine.

Great American Beer Festival 2009 Statistics:
457 breweries in the festival hall
2,100 beers served at the festival
49,000 attendees (includes brewers, volunteers and ticket holders)
3,000 volunteers
495 breweries in the competition
3,308 beers judged in the competition
78 categories judged + Pro-Am category
132 judges from ten countries
Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 42
Category with highest number of entries: 134, American Style India Pale Ale

Brewpublic Turns 1 Year Old

2009-09-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Brewpublic's 1 Year Anniversary with a special event at one of Portland's best craft beer bars, Saraveza (1004 N. Killingsworth, PDX, OR).

Join them Friday, October 9th for a stellar line-up of world class beer.

What will be pouring:
*Lagunita's Fresh Hopped Mystery Brew (Lagunita's Brewing, Petaluma, California)
*Caldera Ginger Pale Ale (Caldera Brewing/Ashland, Oregon)
*Hitachino Nest XH Shocyu Sake Barrel-aged Strong Ale (Kiuchi Brewery/Naka, Ibaraki, Japan)
*Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Ale (Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, California)
*Urthel Hop-It Belgian IPA (De Leyerth Brouwerijen, Ruiselede, Belgium
*Lucky Labrador Pavlov Port Barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout (Lucky Lab, Portland, Oregon)
*Schneider Hopfen-Weisse Weizenbock (Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH, Kelheim, Germany w/Brooklyn Brewing, Brooklyn, New York)
*Upright Turkey on Rye Chili Brew (Upright Brewing, Portland, Oregon)
...and more!

There will also be giveaways, cake, and a special video art installation by artist, Matthew DiTullo.

Cascade Brewing takes Gold and Silver medals at 2009 GABF

2009-09-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Cascade Brewing continued its winning ways at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition, taking home the top two medals in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category: a gold medal for Bourbonic Plague and a silver for Vlad the Imp Aler. A total of 45 beers were entered in the class.

GABF award winners were announced Saturday in Denver, Colorado.

Brewmaster Ron Gansberg, production brewer Curtis Bain and brewery owner Art Larrance were all in attendance for the announcement, and were thrilled with the outcome.

"It's accreditation and acknowledgment of what we're doing across the broad field of our industry at this moment," explained Gansberg, who has developed a reputation for pioneering the Northwest Sour Beer Style. "Assessing these beers is a very serious endeavor for the judging panel and it's completely altruistic. There's no agenda: it's about tasting beers and selecting the best."

Added Gansberg, "The brewing industry is vibrant and always changing, but at that moment, when they were judged, our beers were considered the finest in their field."

The gold-medal winning Bourbonic Plague is a Belgian Spiced Double Porter aged for more than six months in bourbon barrels filled with dates. A wild-yeast blended beer, Vlad the Imp Aler is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale derived from a blend of oak barrel-aged 23- and 25-degree Plato sour blonde quadruppel, sour bourbon barrel tripel and sour strong spiced blonde.

The GABF medal wins in the sour category reinforce Cascade Brewing's mission to create full-bodied, sophisticated barrel-aged Northwest sour beers. Beer lovers in Portland have long recognized Cascade Brewing as a brewery to watch as it creates masterful sour beers through yeast and barrel-aging under the direction of Gansberg.

This marked the second year Cascade Brewing has entered the GABF; in 2008, it took home a Bronze medal for its Cascade Kriek, a Flanders Style Red Ale re-fermented with a sweet blend of fresh whole northwest cherries.

GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world with 3,308 entries. This year's competition attracted 132 international beer judges from 10 countries. Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 78 beer categories, establishing the best examples of each style in the US.

Cascade Brewing was in stellar company, joining 21 other Oregon craft breweries with its medal wins!

Sampson Joins the ECB Team

2009-09-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

President David Stark of Eugene City Brewery has formally appointed Nate Sampson to the brewer position in his cabinet. After spending the last 22 years studying and working in the field of microbiology, Nate realized his true passion in this world; brewing. Nate started home brewing in 1992 and became the President of the Cascade Brewers Society in Eugene. The society meets once a month in the Tiki room at the Eugene City Brewery and now Nate has become the brewer of his home brewing stomping grounds. In his previous life Nate was a sponsored amateur skateboarder and a semi-professional pilot. Nate’s best friend in the entire world is his 10 year old daughter, Rhiannon.

The Eugene City Brewery’s award winning ales include 200 Meter Ale, Honey Orange Wheat, and Triple Jump.

200 Meter Ale
2009 World Beer Championships — Silver
2009 New Zealand International Beer Awards — Bronze
2009 Australian International Beer Awards — Bronze

Honey Orange Wheat
2008 World Beer Championships — Silver
2008 Australian International Beer Awards — Bronze
2008 U.S. Beer Tasting Championships — Pacific N.W. Champ

Triple Jump
2009 World Beer Championship — Gold
2008 U.S. Beer Tasting Championships — Pacific N.W. Champ
2008 New Zealand International Beer Awards — Best in Class; Silver
2008 North American Beer Awards — Silver

Meet the Brewer!

2009-09-28T14:12:00.001-07:00

Join the kids from Block 15 tomorrow at the Green Dragon (928 SE 9th, PDX) and get your beer on!

SeaPort Offers a Direct Flight to Yakima for Fresh Hop Fest

2009-09-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

For one weekend only, SeaPort Airlines will be transporting “Hop Heads” direct to Yakima for the 7th Annual Fresh Hop Ale Festival.

On October 3rd, SeaPort Airlines will offer a direct flight from their private PDX terminal to Yakima, WA making the Fresh Hop Ale Festival more accessible to the Portland Metro area. SeaPort Air will deliver festival-goers on Saturday, October 3rd from PDX at 2:30pm direct to Yakima and bring them back to Portland on Sunday, October 4th at 11:30am. The cost is $298 roundtrip, subject to a $3.60 Federal Segment Fee.

“I’ve attended this festival and look forward to it every year,” says Kent Craford, President of SeaPort Airlines. “The only thing better than attending the Fresh Hop Ale Festival is avoiding the drive home!” Nothing celebrates the superior taste of craft beer better – and the fact that Yakima produces 77% of the US hop crop – than the 7th Annual Fresh Hop Ale Festival.

For a brew to be considered a “fresh hop ale” for the festival competition, it must be produced with hops that were picked no more than 24 hours prior to brewing. Brewers then bring their freshly brewed kegs of beer to the fest, where an expert panel of judges, selects first, second, and third place Fresh Hop Ales. Festival-goers also vote, with their taste buds, and a “Most Pours Award” crowns the crowd favorite.

Come to the source: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 6pm-11pm (21 and over only, ID required) at the Millennium Arts Plaza downtown Yakima. Tickets are $30 in advance, or $35 at the gate. Hilton Garden Inn room packages are available by calling 509.454.1111. All festival proceeds benefit the Allied Arts of Yakima Valley (est. 1962) – a nonprofit organization dedicated to the coordination and promotion of arts events and programs in the valley.

1st Annual Beer Can Derby

2009-09-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Greenwood Pub Association presents the 1st Annual Beer Can Derby to benefit Northwest Harvest. Join the fun on Saturday, October 3rd at Naked City Brewery & Taphouse in the Greenwood Neighborhood (8564 Greenwood Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98103)

To enter the race: Entry fee is one can of food. Contestants design and construct race cars, which must contain at least one recognizably whole and uncrushed beer can. Please pre-register with Rachaal Steele (rachaal@nakedcitybrewing.com, 206.838.6299) to insure entry.

For Full Tournament Rules visit: here

Sponsored by New Belgium Brewing and Oskar Blues Brewing

The Greenwood Pub Association (GPA) is proud to announce the 1st Annual Beer Can Derby to benefit Northwest Harvest and to celebrate Great Beer in north Seattle. All profits go directly to Northwest Harvest.

GPA was founded to celebrate and promote great food, craft beer, and community involvement in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood.

Beer Northwest Pairing Dinner

2009-09-18T11:14:00.001-07:00

TASTE may be known for its “all northwest” wine program with awards from the Washington Wine Commission, but they also support the local microbrew community.

This fall they'll be celebrating this relationship with a Northwest beer dinner on October 21st in collaboration with Beer Northwest Magazine.

Featuring signature brews from Pike, Dick’s and Elysian Brewing Companies, the menu will include TASTE’s signature “flight and bites” (3 bites perfectly paired with 3 tastes of beer) to start, followed by two entrees and a sweet to finish; a steal at only $60 per person plus tax and gratuity.

Details:
Beer Dinner | featuring Pike Pub and Brewery, Dick’s and Elysian Brewing Companies
Oct. 21, 6 p.m. reception; 6:30 p.m. dinner
$60 per person
Space is extremely limited. Call 206-903-5291 or email here to reserve.

Menu: flight & bites
Pizzette | lemongrass salumi, coconut crème, basil
Dick’s Bavarian Style Hefeweizen

Sweet corn grits | caramelized onions, peanut butter, fried sage
Pike Monk’s Uncle Tripel Ale

Fried calzone | italian sausage, provolone, tomato-fennel ketchup
Elysian Loser Pale Ale

Seared scallop | sweet, sour & spicy pickle
Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA

Brown butter gnocchi | house-foraged chanterelles, cream
Dick’s Silk Lady Belgian Style Golden Ale

Warm chocolate doughnettes | stout panna-cotta cappuccino
Pike Entire Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

Lompoc Brewing Hosts End of Summer Brewers BBQ

2009-09-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

Tickets are on sale now for Lompoc Brewing's End of Summer Brewer's BBQ, a laid-back brewers dinner featuring a five-course menu served family style and paired with select barrel aged Lompoc beers. The event will take place Oct. 3 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Sidebar, Lompoc's new tasting room located at 3901A N. Williams, as well as inside the brewery. Lompoc's staff of brewers will be onsite to mix and mingle. Tickets are limited in number and cost $50.

The menu begins with pineapple and lime glazed tuna and black tiger prawn skewers paired with Summer Sunset Saison. The dry and earthy Belgian style saison is brewed with imported Pilsner malt. Its explosive citrus aroma comes from a late addition of fresh grapefruit rinds along with whole black peppercorns and candied ginger for a hint of spice (5.8% ABV, 15 IBU).

The second course of grilled vegetable caponata is coupled with Smoked Gold, a twist on the brewery's popular Fool's Gold that includes the addition of beechwood smoked malt for a subtle note of wood smoke (4.6% ABV, 16 IBU).

Course three features Cape Town lamb with a spicy sweet mint sauce, served with Barrel Fermented C-Note. Lompoc's best selling beer is 100% fermented in a vintage white English oak barrel for pine and caramel flavors with a touch of oak at the finish (6.9% ABV, 100 IBU).

The fourth course of Memphis style baby back ribs is paired with Bourbon Barrel Aged LSD, a deep mahogany strong ale crafted with seven specialty malts and aged in Bourbon barrels for three months, then cellared for an additional 10 (6.9% ABV, 58 IBU).

The final course is smoked stuffed pears with a Monster Mash caramel sauce, paired with Lompoc's Halloween seasonal, Monster Mash. An imperial porter, Monster Mash is a dark ale with strong chocolate and roast flavors and a touch of red fruit (8% ABV, 50 IBU).

Tickets must be purchased in advance by Sept. 30. Click the button below to buy now, or call 503.288.3996 for more info.

Call for Volunteers!

2009-09-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Green Dragon is looking for volunteers to help out with the First Annual Mini Beer Fest at THIS WEEKEND.

If you have some time you would like to donate, and you are OLCC certified (with license) give Grant a shout at: 503.551.8505

In addition to being a part of this brand new event, you will be thanked for your time with Rogue and Green Dragon products.

Kitsap County's Top Chefs Show Off Sept. 15th

2009-08-31T01:03:00.001-07:00

While local culinary artists show off their considerable talents at a sumptuous harvest feast on Sept. 15, its guests will be also served up some local music and fun during the Peninsula Local Food Chef Showoff, an evening filled with food, presentations, displays, and resources on how to connect young farmers, and every day residents with our fast-disappearing farmland.

Keynote speakers include:
Nash Huber of Nash's Organics in Sequim. Huber, the American Farmland Trust's 2008 "Farmer of the Year" is a nationwide leader of and advocate for the preservation of farmland.

Kate Dean formerly of Mt. Townsend Creamery. Dean, renowned for her fabulous, high quality local artisan cheeses, has become well-known for her efforts in structuring creative ways of connecting young farmers with landowners.

Details:
Peninsula Local Food Chef Showoff
Tuesday, September 15, 4-10 p.m.
President's Hall, Kitsap Fairgrounds,
1200 NW Fairgrounds Road, Bremerton
Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door
Order on line www.LocalFoodChefShowoff.org

Purchase in person at:
Monica's Waterfront Bakery and Cafe, 3472 NW Byron Street, Old Town Silverdale, WA; 360-698-2991

Hi-Lo’s Café, 2720 15th St., Bremerton, 360-373-7833; C.J.’s General Store, 1417 Park Ave, Bremerton, 360-479-2708

Pheasant Fields Farm, 13274 Clear Creek Rd NW , Silverdale, 360-697-6224

CBParkshore, 4235 SE Mile Hill Dr., Port Orchard, 360-871-2332

This event is open to the public and all ages are welcome.

Belgian Beer Me! Last Call for October Tours

2009-08-31T00:55:00.000-07:00

Always wanted to drink your way through Western Europe? Belgian Beer Me! has two trips this October that still have room.

• The Best Damn Farmhouse Ale Tour of Belgium & France, Oct. 12-17, 2009, Six Days, Five Nights --$1495 land only, $325 single supplement.

• The Lonely Monks Trappist Tour of Belgium & the Netherlands, Oct. 17-27, 2009, Ten Days, Nine Nights -- $2695 land only, $325 single supplement.

While both tours have themes, travelers will experience a wide range of Belgian beer styles during the tours.

Deadline to sign up is Sept. 10, 2009. Please visit Belgianbeerme.com for details.

Brewpublic One Year Anniversary

2009-08-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

Brewpublic.com celebrates their one year anniversary with two events featuring one-of-a-kind craft beers, art and giveaways. These two special events were planned with the beer geek in mind.

Brewpublic One Year Anniversary Party
Friday October 9, 2009
Saraveza (1004 N. Killingsworth, PDX)
Brewpublic kicks off a spectacular weekend at Saraveza with a special hand selected one-of-a-kind brew from Lagunita's cellars as well as other unique pours. There will also be a raffle, and giveaways. This special event will also feature a video art installation dedicated to craft beer by Matthew DiTullo.

Brewpublic Killer Beer Fest
Saturday October 10, 2009
Bailey's Taproom (213 SW Broadway, PDX) 4PM-Midnight
On this special night during Portland's Fresh Hop weekend, Brewpublic has curated a line-up of never-tasted-before beers from the Pacific Northwest. Barrel-aged brews, Belgian-style specialties, and other one of a kind and one-off brews from Cascade Brewing, Double Mountain, Fort George, Big Horse, Standing Stone, Block-15, Deschutes, Beer Valley, Lucky Lab, Laurelwood, Lompoc, Amnesia, Pyramid, Seven Brides, Ninkasi, Upright, Vertigo, Oakshire, Hopworks, Rock Bottom, and more. Most of these beers will not be available again; they will be offered in 10 oz and 20 oz imperial pints, as well as sample trays.

Green Dragon Mini Beer Fest Rescheduled

2009-08-28T09:46:00.001-07:00

Due to scheduling conflicts, the dates for the Inaugural Mini Beer Festival have changed from August 29th & 30th to September 19th & 20th.

On Saturday September 19th from 11:00am to 9:00pm and Sunday September 20th from 11:00am to 7:00pm, the city of Portland will close down SE 9th Street between SE Belmont and SE Yamhill for the 1st Annual Mini Beer Fest. The event will feature 30+ independent Oregon-based breweries that brew no-more-than 1,000 barrels per year, providing festival goers with exciting, hardto-find beers.

Each brewer will bring 2 different styles of beer with them to pour during the Mini Beer Fest. Some of the breweries include:

* Alameda Brewing Co. * Calapooia Brewing Co. * Klamath Basin Brewing
* Fort George Brewery * Block 15 Brewery * Fearless Brewing
* Hair of the Dog Brewing * Vertigo Brewing * Three Creeks Brewing
* Fanno Creek Brewing * Upright Brewing * 10 Barrel Brewing
* Old Market Pub * Seven Brides Brewing * Wet Dog Cafe
* Eugene City Brewery

Attendees will be able to take their favorite beers home with them in bottles, growlers and kegs to go. If the beer is not enough to keep cool, tours of the Green Dragon’s 1,040 square foot, glow-in-the-dark cooler will be held hourly. Other activities include:

12:00 to 5:00 - Dog Wash
12:00 to 4:00 - Washers Tournament
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Pinball
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Shuffleboard

Mini Beer Fest is 100% dog-friendly and owners are encouraged to bring their companions
with them. A portion of the proceeds from the Mini Beer Festival will benefit the Portlandbased
Pixie Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing animal adoption in a
nurturing environment and affording access to spay and neuter services for everyone.

With a $10.00 paid admission, each attendee will receive 5 taster tickets. Additional tickets will be sold for $1.00 each.

Top Honors at the 2009 Washington IPA Challenge

2009-08-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, August 22, 16 judges gathered at Beveridge Place Pub, located in Seattle, Washington, for a blind evaluation of 36 IPA and Imperial IPA entries. The Washington IPA Challenge was a chance for some of Washington’s breweries, very few of which distribute beer outside of the Northwest, to compete with select well-regarded IPAs from around the country.

In this inaugural year of the challenge, Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA, from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California, was judged the winning IPA out of 19 entries. Marin White Knuckle Double IPA, from Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur, California, was judged the winning Imperial IPA out of 17 entries. Congratulations to both breweries for winning a competition that was packed with outstanding examples of the styles. For the rest of the field, the saying “Everyone is a winner” truly applied to the IPAs in this competition. As this was a competition with a Washington focus, a big congrats goes out to Big Time Brewing for taking second place in the IPA category with their Scarlet Fire IPA!

Beveridge Place Pub also had 12 Washington IPAs on tap for the occasion for public consumption, and customers voted for their favorites. The tap handles were blank, with only numbers to order samples by so that there was no bias in the customers’ voting. Rock Bottom Hop Bomb IPA, from the Rock Bottom in Bellevue, Washington, tallied the most votes (in a serious landslide) to claim the Customer Favorite award from the Challenge. For the Hop Bomb, this award follows up a Gold medal at GABF in 2008 and a Silver medal at GABF in 2007. Cheers to brewer Brian Young for his continued success!

For more complete results of the Challenge, please visit seattlebeernews.com. This year’s winners will be invited back to defend their crown in 2010.

Wanna be a brewer? Oregon dream job up for grabs

2009-08-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Whether you pride yourself on your home brewing skills (or wish you had some) this may be the chance of a lifetime.

Today, Travel Oregon launched the “Cuisinternship” (pronounced: quiz-een-turn-ship) contest, which will award seven lucky people with the opportunity to shadow a notable Oregon culinary personality in a week-long cuisine-internship. The winner of the Brew Master category will spend their time making craft beer with Jamie Emmerson of Hood River’s Full Sail Brewery.

Entries will be accepted through September 18th at www.traveloregon.com/bounty.

Applicants will need to submit a short video, along with a statement of 140 characters or less saying why you are the best candidate for this dream job opportunity. Go forth and brew!

Reunion '09 pint night at Naked City Taphouse

2009-08-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Naked City Taphouse Tuesday, is hosting a special event tomorrow, August 25th, at 6pm, welcoming Alan Shapiro from SBS Imports and showcasing this year's Reunion - A Beer for Hope (www.reunionbeer.com).

When you purchase a pint of Reunion, you will receive a limited edition Reunion '09 pint glass (while supplies last), and proceeds for the event will benefit The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org).

Naked City Taphouse, 8564 Greenwood Ave N., Seattle, WA 98103

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrel Aged DOA Now on Tap!

2009-08-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Buffalo Trace bourbon barrel aged DOA on tap at Hopworks Urban Brewery in Portland, Oregon! This is the first beer in their limited release, "single barrel" series.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a distillery located in Frankfort, Kentucky producing bourbon since 1870, and stands as the oldest distilling site in the United States. It’s flagship bourbon is Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (introduced in August 1999). The distillery is located on what was once an ancient buffalo crossing on the banks of the Kentucky River in Franklin County. Buffalo Trace Whiskey is a tribute to the American bison that created paths followed by America's early pioneers.

This is the first beer aged in the barrel, and as a result, has much of the same aroma and flavors as the whiskey. Buffalo Trace Whiskey won a gold medal at the 2007 San Francisco Spirits Competition. The taste is pleasantly sweet and contains notes of brown sugar and spice that give way to oak and leather.

9.5% ABV 16 Degress Plato 55 IBU

Visit HUB and grab a pint!

Beer For A Cause

2009-08-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Laurelwood is very excited about their next bottled beer- Prevale IPA- to be released in 22 oz bottles on September 1st throughout Oregon and Western Washington. They're excited not only because their brewers have created a great Northwest-style IPA, but also because the proceeds from each bottle sold will go towards a great cause.

In collaboration with The Oregon Team in Training chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Laurelwood brewers created a benefit beer. They asked anyone with some inspiration and creativity to name the beer and after hundreds of entries Prevale was chosen as the winning name. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for cancer research.

They're planning a release party at their 51st and Sandy location in Portland, OR to kick off the release of this special beer. Watch their blog for more details soon. http://www.laurelwood.typepad.com/

The Wedge: Portland Celebrates Cheese Festival

2009-08-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

Artisan, specialty, and farmstead cheese makers from throughout the Northwest will converge in Portland Saturday October 3, 2009, to celebrate the return of The Wedge: Portland Celebrates Cheese Festival.

The farmer’s market-style event will be hosted by Green Dragon Bistro & Brewpub in Southeast Portland (928 SE 9th Ave.). Event hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SE 9th Avenue will be blocked off between Belmont and Yamhill to provide space for up to 35 cheese makers. The festival highlights the recent strong placements by Northwest cheese makers in the 26th Annual American Cheese Society Competition, held August 7th in Austin, Texas.

More detailed information will be posted shortly at www.dairyfarmersor.com or www.oregoncheeseguild.org.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting Tickets Are Getting Rare

2009-08-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

Organizers of the inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting report that more than 20 of America’s leading craft brewers have committed to pour rare, limited edition and hard to find brews during the Sept. 25th event at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver.

The event, presented by All About Beer Magazine, in cooperation with BeerAdvocate.com, will benefit Pints for Prostates, an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging men to have regular prostate health screenings and PSA tests. Breweries that have accepted invitations to the event include Allagash, Alaskan, Avery, Boston Beer, Bison, Brooklyn, Deschutes, Dogfish Head, Foothills, Founders, Harpoon, Highland, Jolly Pumpkin, Lost Abbey, Michelob, New Belgium, New Glarus, Odell, Rogue, Saranac, Stone, Stoudt, Victory and Wynkoop.

“This is a phenomenal collection of the best craft breweries in America. They have a real passion for great beer and the special beers they are bringing to this event are some of the hardest to find in the world,” said Daniel Bradford, publisher of All About Beer Magazine, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “The Denver Rare Beer Tasting is going to truly live up to its name and support a great cause: prostate cancer awareness.”

Each brewery at the event will be pouring one unique beer, including some vintage aged beers and brews that were made in extremely limited batches as part of special projects. A partial list of beers scheduled for the event includes:

Allagash Fluxus ’09: This saison from Maine is brewed with sweet potatoes and black pepper, weighing in at 8.3 percent alcohol by volume. Jason Perkins will represent the brewery.

Alaskan 1999 Vintage Smoked Porter: The last known draught keg of the 1999 vintage of Alaskan’s much decorated Smoked Porter. This beer will be served alongside a sample of 2008 Alaskan Smoked Porter for comparison.

Brooklyn Wild 1: This beer started off as a batch of the popular bottle-conditioned Brooklyn Local 1 farmhouse ale, then spent nine months in Bourbon barrels and then it was bottle conditioned with Belgian re-fermentation yeast and a strain of Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Only 80 cases were made for consumption by Brooklyn Brewery staff. Garrett Oliver will represent the brewery.

Deschutes Black Butte Porter XX: Brewed in 2008 to celebrate Deschutes’ 20th anniversary, this 11 percent alcohol by volume beer was pulled from the brewmaster’s private library. This beer starts off as a Double Black Butte Porter, has cocoa nibs and Bellatazza Coffee Roasters’ Sumatran and Ethiopian beans added, then it is aged in ex-Bourbon barrels. Brett Porter will represent the brewery.

Dogfish Head 2006 Raison D’Extra: This is a super charged 18 percent alcohol by volume version of the popular Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre. The brewery has not made this brew for the past two years.

Foothills Barrel Aged Total Eclipse Stout: One of only 10 kegs of this beer in the world. This North Carolina brewery took its award winning stout and aged it for three to four months in ex-whiskey barrels that previously held 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon. Jamie Bartholomaus will represent the brewery.

Great Divide 2008 Old Ruffian Barley Wine: A hop-forward barley wine at 90 IBU and aged for a year that weighs in at 10.2 percent alcohol by volume. Taylor Rees will represent the brewery.

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Glacier Harvest ’09 Wet Hop Ale: The 28th edition of Harpoon’s 100 Barrel Series, this deep copper colored beer is made using fresh Glacier hops. Todd Charbonneau will represent the brewery.

Highland Big Butte Smoked Porter: Winner of the Highland Cup homebrewing completion and based on a recipe created by Alex Buerckholtz, this beer is only available for a very limited time in North Carolina. Features smoked German malt and Fuggle hops. John Lyda will represent the brewery.

Lost Abbey Angel’s Share 2009 Brandy Barrel Finished: This 11.5 percent alcohol by volume English-style barleywine has spent more than 15 months in ex-brandy barrels.

Mich Brett: This is an experimental beer from Michelob Brewing so rare that only brewery insiders and a few lucky beer journalists will ever get the chance to taste the brew. Get ready to be surprised. Kristi Saviers will represent the brewery.

New Glarus Golden Ale: This Belgian-style ale is the first of the Wisconsin brewery’s R&D Series and previously was only available at the brewery. The 7 percent alcohol by volume beer is bottle fermented with Brettanomyces yeast. Dan Carey will represent the brewery.

Odell Brett Barrel Crimson Strong Ale: Brewed with Munich malt and Belgian candy sugar, this ale is fermented in stainless steel and then transferred into virgin American oak barrels and pitched with Brettanomyces yeast and aged for three months. Doug Odell will represent the brewery.

Reunion – A Beer of Hope: This Double White Ale was collaboratively designed and brewed by four brewers across the U.S.: Bison Brewing and Pizza Port Brewing in California, Elysian Brewing in Washington and Terrapin Brewing in Georgia. This Belgian-style witbier uses sweet orange peel, coriander, lemongrass and rhubarb root. Sales of the beer support The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research. Daniel Del Grande and George Allen from Bison Brewery represent the brewers.

Rogue John-John Hazelnut Dead Guy: Named for Rogue Brewmaster John Maier and Rogue Master Distiller John Couchot, this brew starts off with Rogue’s famous Dead Guy Ale that is aged in Rogue Hazelnut Rum barrels. Brett Joyce will represent the brewery.

Saranac Imperial IPA: Part of the New York brewery’s limited release High Peaks Series this ale features 10 different hop varieties and 10 different malts.

Stone 2008 Old Guardian Barley Wine Aged in Red Wine Barrels: This 95 IBU barley wine has a massive malt character that is made even more complex thanks to the barrel aging. Greg Koch and Mitch Steele will represent the brewery.

Stoudt 2007 Barrel-Aged Reserve Old Abominable Barleywine: This vintage barleywine from Pennsylvania was aged for 10 months in oak whiskey barrels before being keg conditioned. Carol Stoudt will represent the brewery.

Wynkoop 2008 Barrel Aged Berserker Mead: This 11 percent alcohol by volume mead was made using Colorado wildflower honey and has spent about 20 months in barrels that were formally the home of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. C. Andrew Brown will represent the brewery.

“The craft brewing community has stepped forward with a truly special line up of beers and Pints for Prostates is proud to be a part of this event,” said Lyke. “The Denver Rare Beer Tasting will be the talk of this year’s Great American Beer Festival. Each week 4,000 men in this country hear the words ‘you have prostate cancer.’ The goal of Pints for Prostates is to use the universal language of beer to reach men with information about a disease that, if detected early and treated, is nearly 100 percent survivable.”

The event will be held at the Wynkoop Brewery at 1634 18th St. in Lower Denver. Only 450 tickets are available for the event and more than 85 percent have already been sold.

Admission, which includes unlimited beer samples, hors d’oeuvres, a commemorative tasting glass and the chance to meet some of America's top brewers, is $55 in advance and $65 at the door (if still available). Tickets can be purchased through Etix at www.allaboutbeer.com/pints. For information call 800-977-BEER or visit www.ustoo.org/pints.

Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head to release “Life & Limb” Collaboration

2009-08-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

This fall independent craft brewers Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head will release two collaborative beers. Limb & Life—a draft-only beer—will debut in October; with Life & Limb 24oz bottles and limited draft to follow in November.

The beers—Life & Limb, and Limb & Life—are dedicated to the family of beer drinkers and enthusiasts worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the vibrant craft-brewing community. Over the years, the two brewers—Ken Grossman and Sam Calagione—have become friends in the industry. They quickly realized how many similarities they share. Grossman’s history as a craft-brewing pioneer and his radical approach to brewing are echoed some fifteen years later by Calagione—through his boundary-pushing innovation and tireless promotion for the cause of craft beer.

Both men started out as home brewers obsessed with beer-making. Both share deep values of sustainability and responsibility. Both share the desire to pass their breweries on to the next generation, and both started out small—from humble beginnings—and built vibrant, creative, beer-centered and fiercely independent breweries, despite the long odds.

Their mutual respect, admiration, and none-too-few shared glasses of beer led to the collaborative idea.

“I have gotten to know Ken through our years on The Brewers Association Board and at numerous beer events throughout the country. As a brewer myself, it is inspiring to see a person like Ken drive a beer-centric (as opposed to a biz-centric) brewery so far and so wide while sticking to his original ideals and integrating his family into the company. I have enjoyed talking (and drinking) beer with his children, especially Sierra and Brian who currently work alongside Ken at Sierra Nevada. The iterative process of conceptualizing and brewing this beer with Ken and all the folks at Sierra has been a joy. We have designed this beer to intertwine signature aspects of both of our breweries’ creative approaches—from sustainability to exotic sugars, from bottle conditioning to cellarability. I hope Mariah, our amazing co-workers, and I can keep Dogfish on track with our beer-centric ideals for many years to come. I will know how successful we’ve been at this task if my children, Sammy and Grier, are able to share a bottle of 2009 Life & Limb with Sierra and Brian at a beer dinner or festival 15 years or so from now. I am hopeful that, as they toast each other, they can hold their heads up high knowing our two breweries were among many fine breweries that breathed LIFE into the colorful, diverse, and beautiful LIMBS of the American craft-brewing family tree.” – Sam Calagione, President and Founder, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

“Sam and I have spent many evenings laughing, arguing, and toasting glasses, talking about where we are in the business and where we’re going. As Sierra Nevada approaches our 30th anniversary, it’s inspiring to step back and see how far American craft beer has come. People like Sam and Dogfish help to push the boundaries of beer, and it has been fun working with him and the Dogfish crew. This is our first time working with maple syrup in beer on this kind of scale, and the first time we know of anyone using birch syrup. It has been an interesting and inspiring experience and will hopefully lead to big things. As a beer, Life & Limb has so much meaning for me personally, and for the brewery. As our first collaborative release, we couldn’t have had a better partner. Our families are coming together in this beer, both literally and figuratively by using ingredients from our family “farms”—estate hops and barley from us; maple and birch syrup and exotic sugars from Sam—and by having the Dogfish family come to Chico to brew. As the bottled beer ages and changes over time, it will be great to see our families share this beer over anniversaries of their own.” – Ken Grossman, Founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong beer that defies style characteristics—brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman “farm” at the brewery in Chico. The beer is alive with yeast—a blend of both breweries’ house strains—bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska; it is the first beer we know of ever to use birch syrup in the brew. If stored under good conditions, this rich, full-bodied beer should age well for years. Life & Limb will be available in 24-oz. bottles and limited draft starting this November.

Limb & Life is a companion to the big beer—an acorn off the larger tree. It is a 5% ABV small beer—a low-gravity beer made using the residual sugar as “second runnings” from the first larger brew, fortified with American hops. This is a session beer. Its big brother is a sipper. Limb & Life will be a limited draft-only product, a prelude to the bigger beer, available in select bars and restaurants this October.

GABF Brewery List Released!

2009-08-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) participating brewery list has just been published. Viewing this list will help you see which breweries in your region, state or town are participating.

Items of Note:
*Over 450 breweries are pouring at the festival this year, and over 50 have never attended before.

*There will be 47 states represented, and the festival hall will be organized by regions of the country.

*Check out the new GABF Fact Sheet to see how the festival has continued to grow over our 28 year history.

*The festival sold out in 2007 and 2008 and ticket sales for 2009 are going faster than ever, with the Saturday Afternoon Members-Only session already 90% sold.

*Close to 50,000 people (including ticket holders, brewers, judges, volunteers and more) will attend.

By The Bottle Opener 2009 Disc Golf Challenge - Newbies, beginners wanted, no skills required!

2009-08-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

In By The Bottle's recent support of Leverich Park, and in recognition of their many Disc Golf customers, they are hosting "The First Annual By the Bottle Opener 2009 Disc Golf Challenge." This is a charity event to support the maintenance of Leverich Park.

Sorry disc pros, this isn't a PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) tournament, in fact, beginners, newbies, and all ages are encouraged to come out and learn how to play.

They have an awesome day planned of disc golf with beervana prizes for longest drive, closest to the basket, and the winning foursome. After disc play, there will be lunch and a huge raffle with a guaranteed win for each player included in your green fee. Any additional purchased tickets will also benefit Leverich Park. The awards ceremony will wrap things up.

Even if you don't want to disc golf, you can still plan your own BBQ or picnic! The park is quite beautiful with a woodsy feel in some places, and open play areas in others. If you are golfing, other enjoyable amenities for family members while you're playing the field include playground equipment, a very large covered shelter with two fireplaces, picnic tables, rest rooms, and safe extensive hiking & biking trails.

Vancouver Parks & Recreation did an amazing job renovating this area. What was once a park in question is now a beautiful, flourishing center of activity. The introduction of disc golf to the community also provides the many positive things that also define this up and coming sport: fun, family recreation, fitness, nature, affiliation, and friendship.

Details:
When: Saturday, September 12, 2009
Where: Leverich Park, Vancouver, WA, just north of 39th Street and just east of I-5
Time: 9:30am to approximately 3:00 pm
Green fee: $20.00 includes disc play for 12 holes, one raffle ticket for a guaranteed prize, lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, good times

To sign-up:
Call By The Bottle at 360-696-0012, then stop by with your $20 green fee in cash, check, or money order. Sorry, no debit or credit can be accepted for this charity event. There are only 48 spots available. Paying your green fee is the only thing that secures your spot. Your fee may also be mailed to By the Bottle, PO Box 61926, Vancouver, WA 98666.

Deadline:
Your fee must be at By the Bottle by 9pm, Saturday, September 5th.

Approximate Schedule of Events:
9:30am arrival for those seeking disc instruction, tips, and practice
10:00am-10:30am registration
10:30- 1:30pm, disc play
1:30pm-3pm, lunch, raffles, awards ceremony

Other ways to get involved:
Your time - Volunteers are needed. You will receive a free By the Bottle T-shirt. Volunteers will be required the entire day and will perform various duties from set-up to clean-up, and must be able to walk the entire course.

$25 Hole Sponsorships:
This is a really cool way to get involved that's not terribly expensive. There are 12 holes that are up for grabs. Sponsor one yourself or ask your employer for a donation or another business owner you may know. Call By The Bottle at 360-696-0012.

Lager Night at Green Frog Café & Acoustic Tavern

2009-08-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

Chuckanut Brewery and Anacortes Brewery will feature their beers during a "Lager Night" at the Green Frog Café & Acoustic Tavern (902 N. State St.) in Bellingham, Washington on Wednesday, August 19th starting at 7:30 PM.

Available to try side-by-side in a blind tasting, will be each of the brewery's classic German Lager style beers: Helles, Vienna, and Pilsner. There will also be live music by Kristi Nelson starting at 9:30PM to accompany this fun night of Lager Beer tasting.

For more information on The Green Frog Café & Acoustic Tavern check out the website at: www.acoustictavern.com.

Lhasa, Tibet's First and Only Export Beer, Makes Its U.S. Debut

2009-08-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Lhasa Beer, an all-malt European style lager imported from Tibet, will launch U.S. sales in Texas this August through specialty food retailers and on-premise establishments. It will soon be available at other retail locations across the U.S.

“From the roof of the world to US bars, restaurants and American dining room tables, we will bring American beer aficionados a tasty lager that they can not only enjoy, but also feel really good about buying because they are making a socially responsible purchase to help others less fortunate,” said George Witz, president of Dzambuling Imports, importer and marketer of Lhasa Beer.

Lhasa will donate 10% of its annual profits to non-profit groups supporting education, health care, cultural preservation and other socially responsible initiatives in Tibet, according to Witz.

Lhasa Beer is the only Tibetan beer on the world market and comes straight from its namesake, Lhasa, the capital of Tibet and the land that is the world's highest plateau, referred to as "the roof of the world." It is brewed by the Tibet Lhasa Brewery Company, which is the highest commercial brewery in the world. Lhasa means “place of the gods” in Tibetan, and is revered as a holy place in Tibetan culture.

Lhasa Beer is brewed using only the finest natural ingredients, including Himalayan spring water, barley, Saaz hops and yeast. This export product is specially formulated with 30 percent of the malt content coming from huskless native Tibetan barley. Using this Tibetan barley gives the beer a crisp clean taste without any harsh or astringent flavors that can come from the husk, and supports the Tibetan farmers.

Lhasa Beer has been specially re-formulated for export by renowned master brewer, Alan Kornhauser, who has more than 35 years of brewing experience and is a repeat multiple gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. “Alan is very well known and respected in the industry with a rich and diverse brewing background ranging from large scale production to award winning beers for fine craft breweries. He has worked in both domestic and foreign facilities including overseeing the operations for a number of breweries in Asia,” Witz added.

Lhasa Beer will be available nationwide by the end of the year. It is an easy drinking beer with medium hop bitterness, nicely balanced by the full bodied but not heavy all-malt flavor. Its flavor is highlighted by the renowned floral bouquet of Saaz hops the most elegant and refined of all aroma hops. It comes in a 12- ounce bottle in 6-packs, and 24-bottle cases, with a bright, colorful label.

For more information on Lhasa Beer go to www.lhasabeerusa.com or call 1-877-GO-TIBET.

Enumclaw Oktoberfest

2009-08-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

Beer, brats, bands, and liederhosen – Enumclaw Oktoberfest gears up with all of that plus a whole lot more for the whole family to enjoy. Celebrate the way the Bavarians do at the Enumclaw Expo Center (formerly the King County Fairgrounds) as the City of Enumclaw presents its first Oktoberfest, October 9-10, 2009 from 10AM-10PM both days.

The City of Enumclaw has partnered with the Washington Beer Commission in efforts to bring a taste of the finest brews from around the state. With fifteen breweries bringing over 40 beers to taste – you are sure to find a couple to become your new fall favorites.

Bring the whole family - there is plenty to do for all ages. Kids can decorate a Lebkeuchen Heart, pick a pumpkin and paint it, enjoy free kids crafts of German apple stamping and pinwheel making. Don’t let the fun stop there. Grab a brat and a rootbeer float from the “rootbeer garden for kids.

Whether you are looking for the Edelweiss or the modern polka, Enumclaw Oktoberfest will offer a diverse selection of German music and dancers including the Smilin’ Scandinavians, Enzian Shuhplattler Dancers, Folk Voice, and Alpenfolk. There is sure to be one of your favorites to raise your stein to throughout the day.

Tickets go on sale September 1, 2009. Adult admission $7.00, Children and Seniors $5.00. For more information visit www.enumclawoktoberfest.com or call 360/825-3594.

Upright Brewing Tasting Room Opens

2009-08-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

At long last, you will be able to try all four of Upright's year round beers and their current seasonals, all in one location!

For now the tasting room hours will be Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 5pm.
Check out The Left Bank Project for directions to the brewery. Once you make it to the lobby on the west side of the building, head down to the basement and the fellas of Upright should be very easy to find.

The tasting room is open to all-ages as long as they are accompanied by a guardian.

They're offering $3 12oz glasses and free tasters of everything as well as some snacks.

The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival ’09 October 10 & 11 at Elysian-Capitol Hill

2009-08-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

August may not seem like fall, but it’s the start of pumpkin beer season. Elysian Brewing Co., of Seattle, Washington has announced the dates of its fifth annual Great Pumpkin Beer Festival (October 10 and 11 at its Capitol Hill location), and is releasing both draft and bottles of Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, one of many pumpkin brews to be highlighted at the fest.

The phenomenon of pumpkin beer dates to colonial times, when because of prohibitive taxation on imported (English) malt many other materials were pioneered as ingredients in beer. Fast forward to the 1980s craft brewing movement, when Buffalo Bill’s Brewpub in Hayward, California produced a spiced pumpkin ale, and the pumpkin revival was underway.

Elysian has taken the whole thing several steps further. In addition to the Night Owl, the festival will showcase The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale, Dark o’ the Moon Pumpkin Stout, Hansel and Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner, Jack o’ Bite Barrel-aged Strong Scottish Pumpkin Ale, Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale, Bete N’Owl Dark Belgian-style Pumpkin Ale, and a few others, all from Elysian’s brewers. In addition, 16 guest pumpkin beers will be poured from several Seattle-area brewers as well as special efforts from some of America’s best and most innovative brewers.

The high point of each GPBF is the 4 o’ clock tapping of the Great Pumpkin, a huge gourd filled with pumpkin ale which has been sealed up with wax and allowed to undergo a second fermentation before having a tap hammered home for serving. Patrons line up dozens-deep to enjoy and comment on the year’s effort.

This year, in addition to expanding the festival to run the entire weekend, the folks at Elysian will also take GPBF on the road, with festivals scheduled for the South Philly Tap Room in Philadelphia (October 18) and the Blind Tiger in Greenwich Village, New York City (October 14).

Fearless Sarah Brews Fearless Beer

2009-08-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

By Bennett Johnson, Writing Solutions

In the age of liberation and equality, there are few remaining career paths that are ‘women-less’. Yet the art of brewing beverage from grain, yeast and water (beer) is practiced almost exclusively by men. Even in Beervana, otherwise known as Portland, with more breweries than any other city in the world, less than a handful of brewers are women.

Don’t bother telling that fact to Sarah Billick, who recently signed on as brewer at Fearless Brewing Company in Estacada, Oregon. She thinks she has the perfect job. Sarah, a small town girl descended from pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail, didn’t want to spend her days working at a desk job. Raised in the agricultural and logging community of Paisley, Oregon, Sarah could only see herself in a job that was physically active while providing an outlet for her aptitude in science and math.
“This job offers a lot,” claims Sarah. “It requires mechanical knowledge, math, chemistry, creativity and lots of physical activity. I never get bored.”

Sarah, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science with an option in Fermentation Science from Oregon State University, first became interested in food science while participating in Future For Agriculture (formerly known as Future Farmers of America). Her club took fourth place in the national FFA food science competition, and that experience set the stage for her blossoming interest in all things that ferment.

In college, Sarah originally majored in math, expecting to become an engineer. For fun she joined OSU’s Food Fermentation Club where she and other club members learned to make beer on the college’s two barrel brewing system. “We couldn’t actually ferment the beer to drink on campus,” said Sarah. “So we brought our own personal carboys and filled them with the wort (the liquid produced after grain is steeped in water) and added the yeast at home. It was like home-brewing without the hassle.”
That summer, Sarah started experimenting and creating home-brewed beer on her own. Before long she was hooked and switched her major to Fermentation Science, a degree offered through the OSU Department of Agriculture. Though Sarah is also qualified in wine fermentation, she is a devoted fan of craft beers and prefers working with grain over grapes.

After graduation, Sarah was accepted to the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), which is a program jointly sponsored by the United States and Germany to provide exposure to career opportunities for young professionals from both nations. The program involves language instruction, academic preparation and on-the-job-training for German and American youth between the ages of 18 and 25, and pays nearly all of the costs involved. “It was an awesome opportunity,” said Sarah.

Sarah lived with German families while learning the language and studying brewing theory at Technical University Munich Weihanstephan, a college that is sponsored by the famed Weihanstephan Brewery, the oldest brewery in the world. She then interned at Isarbrau Brewery, just outside of Munich. “They gave me free lunch every day,” said Sarah, “as well as all the beer I could drink and a free keg at the end of the internship. I threw a going away party with the keg.”
After completing the exchange program, Sarah returned to Paisley hoping to find a job brewing near home or in a small town. But no one was hiring. Sarah was not to be deterred, however. She offered to work for free at a small brewery in McMinnville, and the owner accepted. Shortly afterwards she was offered a paying job as a brewer in Klamath Falls.

In March, 2009, Sarah accepted the position of Assistant Brewer at Fearless Brewing Company, working with owner/brewer Ken Johnson. Her skills were quickly evident, and she was advanced to ‘brewer’ status before long.

“Sarah is really a trooper,” said Johnson. “We were worried that she might find the job too taxing, but she said she could do it, and she does. She hauls those grain sacks around like a professional wrestler. We really enjoy having her here.” “Ken still sets the brewing schedule,” said Sarah, “but at this point I am brewing pretty much on my own.”
Johnson agrees. “As time goes on she will be more and more independent, and that gives me a chance to go out and sell beer. We are very pleased that she is with us.” In the last year Fearless Brewing Company’s market has increased west to Spirit Mountain Casino, east to Bend and south to Eugene. The brewery is best known for its signature Fearless Scottish Ale. “We have new accounts coming on board every day,” said Johnson, “and we plan to start canning beer in the spring.”
Sarah, whose long range plan is to own her own brewpub, likes her new job for all of the learning opportunities it offers. “It is not a big corporation with outside people making the decisions,” said Sarah. “Here everything is controlled by only two owners and they run a pretty tight ship. I get to learn both sides at Fearless, the pub and the brewery, and observe close-up how things are done and how decisions are made.”
When asked if she had any words of wisdom for women who want to pursue a career in brewing, Sarah offered this advice: “Get out there and talk to brewers as much as possible. Ask them if you can come in and help with the brewing. Network and immerse yourself in the beer culture. The college and technical background is good experience to have. Also, join the Pink Boots Society (a national organization of women brewers). And it doesn’t hurt to lift a few weights!”

Green Dragon Hosts Inaugural Indie Beer Fest

2009-08-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

On August 29th from 11:00am to 9:00pm, the city of Portland will close down SE 9th Street between SE Belmont and SE Yamhill for the 1st Annual Oregon Indie Beer Fest. The event will feature 30+ small, independent Oregon-based brewers that brew no-more-than 1000 barrels per year, providing festival goers with exciting, hard-to-find beers. To prepare us for this unique gathering, Green Dragon will be tapping some of these independent brews each day of the week (August 24-28) leading up to the festival.

Attendees will have the opportunity to taste 60+ hard-to-find craft beers and meet their makers during the Indie Beer Fest, and will be able to take their favorites home with them in bottles, growlers and kegs to go. And if the beer is not enough to keep cool, tours of the Green Dragon’s 1,040 square foot, glow-in-the-dark cooler will be held hourly. Other activities include:

12:00 to 5:00 - Dog Wash
12:00 to 4:00 - Washers Tournament
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Pinball
11:00 to 9:00 - Free Shuffleboard

Indie Beer Fest is 100% dog-friendly and owners are encouraged to bring their companions with them. A portion of the proceeds from the Indie Beer Festival will benefit the Portland-based Pixie Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing animal adoption in a nurturing environment and affording access to spay and neuter services for everyone.

With a $10.00 paid admission, each attendee will receive 5 taster tickets. Additional tickets will be sold for $1.00 each.

Green Dragon Meet The Brewer Event

2009-08-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Green Dragon presents Meet the Brewer TOMORROW, Tuesday August 4th, featuring Alex Ganum of Upright Brewing from 6:00p – 8:00p on the patio!

Featured Beers:

- Reggae Junkie Gruit: Hop-less beer with herbs and spices

- Five: Hoppy farmhouse ale

- Flora Rustica: Yarrow and calendula saison (according to Alex, most of this beer was bottled so there is very little that was put into kegs!)

Come down, grab a beer, and have a chat with Alex!

Oakshire Brewing to Participate in Collaboration Brewing Project

2009-08-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Collaborative Evil returns...with more breweries and a bit of leeway.

In 2008 three brewers decided to create a beer recipe and then brew it at their respective brewhouses. The beer: a Strong Dark Belgian inspired Ale brewed with honey and spices. Each brew had a unique ingredient distinguishing it from the others. This effort was intended to get the beers to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver so that they could be served at the same time under one roof. Two of the three beers managed to get there and be served to the public, the third, alas, was there but not able to be judged or served at the time of the festival. The founding brewers were Zac Triemert of Lucky Bucket Brewing Co. in La Vista, NE, Matt Van Wyk of Flossmoor Station in Flossmoor, IL and Todd Ashman of FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee, CA.

In 2009 they've brought in six more breweries. The base style for this year is a Belgian inspired Strong Pale. The larger group presented some interesting hurdles and also proved to be what this collaboration is all about.

Each brewer was asked to create a beer based on the style and then make it uniquely their own. One of the things focused on in Collaborative Evil is entering the respective beers in the Great American Beer Festival. Entry guidelines forbid entering the same beer so creating a theme and then allowing each brewer participating in Collaborative Evil to spin-off their own beer is fair game.

The new participants are: Valley Brewing, Stockton, CA. Steve Altimari, Brewmaster, Sacramento Brewing, Sacramento, CA. Peter Hoey, Brewmaster, Fatheads Brewery and Grill, Cleveland, OH, Matt Cole, Brewmaster, Flossmoor Station, Flossmoor, IL, Bryan Shimkos Brewmaster(New Brewmaster), Oakshire Brewing, Eugene, OR Matt Van Wyk Brewmaster, Silver Peak Brewing, Reno, NV Brandon Wright, Brewmaster, Speakeasy Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA. John Gillooly, Brewmaster.

Look for these beers on the festival floor at the 2009 GABF and at the breweries participating. Production breweries may have limited releases check with your favorite for more details...

Flying Dog Hosts 2nd Annual Gonzofest

2009-08-03T13:22:00.001-07:00

Man, I wish (for just a moment) that I lived in Maryland.

Flying Dog Brewery is pleased to announce its 2nd annual GonzoFest taking place on September 12th at the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, MD from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The annual throw down will feature live music and host the Hard Times Chili Cook-Off for the Maryland State Championships. In addition to the four bands playing a wide variety of music and samples from the chili competition, attendees will also be able to enjoy award-winning beers from Flying Dog Brewery. Flying Dog will be hosting a Hunter S. Thompson look–a-like contest. Three winners will be chosen and will receive Gonzo gift baskets, including a signed bottle by label artist Ralph Steadman.

“GonzoFest is a chance for the Mid-Atlantic community to come out and celebrate the life of Hunter S. Thompson, drink locally brewed Flying Dog beer, and listen to live music. It is a true representation of what Flying Dog stands for: purposeful, provocative, irreverence,” explains Stephanie Kerchner, Director of Marketing for Flying Dog. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the United Way of Frederick County to help support local poverty initiatives.

Admission to GonzoFest is $20 in advance or $30 at the door. For more information, visit www.flyingdogales.com or call 301-694-7899.
About Flying Dog Brewery

Flying Dog is largest brewery located in Maryland. Their award-winning “litter of ales” are available in 46 states and 27 countries. Flying Dog Brewery is located at 4607 Wedgewood Blvd., off English Muffin Way and MD Hwy 85 in Frederick, MD. Flying Dog’s core values of “purposeful, provocative, irreverence” flow through the veins of the brewery’s founding owners George Stranahan and Richard McIntyre. George and Richard were friends with “Gonzo Journalist” Hunter S. Thompson, who coined the brand’s tagline “Good People Drink Good Beer,” and also with “Gonzo Artist” Ralph Steadman, who illustrated the brand’s packaging. For more information please log on to www.flyingdogales.com.

OBF Enjoys Increased Sales and Attendance

2009-08-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

The staycation - the current buzzword that refers to families staying home and exploring local activities and attractions - helped boost sales for this year’s Oregon Brewers Festival (OBF). Despite warmer than usual conditions, the 22nd annual event witnessed record attendance with 72,500 people, a nearly seven percent increase over last year’s all time high of 68,000. Beer sales followed suit, showing a three percent increase. The four-day event concluded on July 26 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

“This is our second consecutive year of record setting attendance and sales, and given the economic situation, I think we can successfully state that beer is recession proof!” exclaimed festival director and founder Art Larrance.

Larrance added that organizers had been concerned about weather reports. “Earlier in the week, forecasters predicted 100 degrees for the weekend, so we really dodged a bullet.”

Temperatures still reached into the nineties, and the festival proactively set up an additional 1,000 chairs under the shade of the tree line; added 300 square feet of shaded canopy on the north end; and installed five mister stations throughout the site. Potable water was available in both beer tents, and festival goers were encouraged to bring in water and stay hydrated.

The event kicked off on July 23 with a one-mile parade by brewers and beer lovers through the streets of downtown, led by Portland Mayor Sam Adams and accompanied by the Transcendental Brass Band. Upon arrival at the venue, Mayor Adams swung a wooden mallet to drive a brass tap into the official first keg of the festival, presented by Full Sail Brewing Co.

The OBF served 81 different craft beers from 15 states across the country. The fruit beers were the top sellers, which is consistent with past years. Beer lovers came from every state in the nation, and many countries around the world, to join in the celebration. The festival annually generates an economic impact of close to $2 million for the state.

Minors and designated drivers received access to the Crater Lake Root Beer Garden, which served up complimentary cups of handcrafted root beer. Donations were accepted on behalf of the Community Transitional School. Staff from the Wallowa Valley Together Project provided education on the potential dangers, risks, and unhealthy community norms associated with underage drinking; they were joined by high-school students of Teens Against Drugs & Alcohol, who promoted their “None before 21” campaign.

The Oregon Brewers Festival was founded in 1988 as an opportunity to expose the public to microbrews at a time when the craft brewing industry was just getting off the ground. Today, that industry has succeeded, especially in Oregon, where 73 brewing companies operate 96 brewing facilities. There are 30 breweries operating within the Portland city limits, more than any other city in the world; the Portland metro area boasts 38 breweries, more than any other metro area in the world.

The Oregon Brewers Festival always takes place the last full weekend in July. The 2010 dates are July 22 through 25. For more information, visit www.oregonbrewfest.com.

Local Celebrity Attempting a BBQ First

2009-07-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

“Godfather of the beer-butt chicken” Rick Browne, host of Public TV’s BBQ America, will be attempting a first: barbequing an EMU using the beer-can method at the 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival being held August 1st and 2nd in Portland’s Historic Pearl District. Rick will be prepping the EMU and inserting the beer can for festival goers at 11am on Saturday. The EMU will be ready for sampling around 4pm, that same day.

An EMU is quite possibly the largest bird that this method of barbequing will be attempted on. It will require a bigger barbeque, longer cooking time and of course a bigger can of beer. Now available in 5L cans (1.32 gallons or 169 ounces), Rogue Ales’ Yellow Snow IPA is the perfect beer for the job. The Guinness Book of World Records has been notified...The verdict is still out.

About Rick Browne:
Rick Browne lives in Vancouver, WA, and he’s a writer, photographer, pitmaster, restaurant critic, consultant, and a Doctor of Barbecue, holding an honorary Ph.B (Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy) bestowed upon him by the prestigious Kansas City Barbeque Society for his expertise and commitment to barbecue. He has appeared on Fox & Friends, the TODAY show, Live with Regis & Kelly and CNN, and has been featured in People Magazine and USA Today. For more information on Rick or BBQ America visit www.barbequeamerica.com.

About the Event:
The 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival to benefit the Oregon Zoo will be held August 1st-2nd at the epicenter of Portland’s historic Northwest and Pearl Districts. Festival goers can cool off with a selection of 40+ microbrews from Oregon craft breweries like Rogue, Laurelwood, Amnesia, Eugene City Brewery, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Lompoc, Three Creeks Brewery, Full Sail, Bear Republic and Old Lompoc and more. Barbeque will be available from local restaurants like Cousin Kenny, Slabtown, Famous Dave’s, Nepoe 42, My Brothers, Rib City, T-ROYS, “Da Fat Boyz”, Blow’n Smoke, Rogue “Revolution”, Retro Thyme, and Rick Browne’s BBQ America.

Bones and Brew is a family-friendly event with plenty of activities for all ages. Volunteers from the Oregon Zoo will be hosting educational crafts, buckets of chalk will be available for hopscoth and sidewalk drawings, and kids will get a kick out of face-painters, musical acts, and a designated kid zone.

And don’t forget the four-legged members of your family. Dogs are also welcome at Bones and Brew and can sample gourmet BBQ dog treats, play with other pups in a recreational dog area, and shop local dog vendors. Also for some good clean fun, a dog wash station will be sudsing up and hosing down canines for charity.

Last year, Bones and Brew raised $10,000 for the Oregon Zoo’s new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. All admission donations go to the Oregon Zoo.

The entrance to Bones and Brew is on NW 14th & Flanders. Hours are Satuday, August 1st from 11am-9pm, and Sunday, August 2nd from 11am-7pm. A $3 donation is requested at the door. For more information visit www.rogue.com.

BridgePort Brewing Company Toasts 25 Years of Brewing in the Pacific Northwest

2009-07-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is celebrating 25 years of brewing and selling beer to thirsty Portlanders.

The Oregon specialty beer movement began in 1983 when recent UC Davis Brewing Sciences graduate, Karl Ockert, interviewed with vintners Richard and Nancy Ponzi on a side project to start a small high quality, low volume brewery. The three original innovators decided to house the brewery in a three-story, century old refurbished rope factory in Portland’s industrial Northwest neighborhood, now known as the Pearl District, where the brewery still operates today.

After the first year of experimenting, Karl finally landed on a malty and semi-sweet Scottish Ale called BridgePort Ale. Wanting to share their creation with the city, BridgePort held a party on November 7, 1984 to celebrate the opening of the first microbrewery in Portland, and one of the first in the nation. BridgePort operated as a two-man crew for the first year with ideas and recipes shared between Karl and his assistant Matt Sage, who together have worked at BridgePort for the last 25 years.

“We had the whole town in attendance, from then mayor, Bud Clark to a small start up cable news station,“ says Ockert jokingly, “I think their name was CNN? Cable was brand new back then and a craft brewery selling this new type of beer was national news.”

Since the beginning, BridgePort has been heralded by outlets including The New York Times, The World Beer Guide, LA Daily News and The Association of Brewers. In 2000, BridgePort won the gold medal and the Champion Ale Trophy at the Brewing Industry International Awards, making it the first American Brewery to win in the 200-year history of the awards.

Now 25 years older, and a bit wiser, BridgePort is producing more than 45 thousand barrels of beer per year, distributing to 18 states across the Western United States and serving food to patrons at two separate locations in Portland, Oregon.

“Back then people thought you were insane if you wanted to start a brewery that didn’t take up four city blocks,” comments Matt Sage. “We didn’t know if we would be around for three months or 30 years and I’m happy to say we are closer to the 30 year mark.”

BridgePort Brewing Company Holds 25th Anniversary Block Party
On August 15th from 4 – 10 p.m., Bridgeport Brewing Company will close down NW 13th in the Pearl District to celebrate. The brewery’s 25th anniversary bash will feature live music along with BridgePort beer and food.

One dollar from every beer sold at BridgePort’s 25th anniversary party will go directly to The Portland Audubon Society. BridgePort Brewing Company and the Audubon Society of Portland have been teaming up to bring great beer with a purpose to Portland for more than 20 years. The two businesses first partnered in 1987 to produce BridgePort's Blue Heron Pale Ale as a special release specifically for the Audubon Society as they were petitioning with the state to name The Great Blue Heron Portland’s official city bird. Over the years BridgePort Brewing Company has donated the use of the Brewpub many times to allow the Audubon Society to kick off new initiatives and celebrate environmental victories.

What:
BridgePort will close down NW 13th to make way for live music and entertainment from:
· BodyVox - One of Portland's most innovative performing arts companies will perform for guests to start off the event.
· Black Lodge - Come and catch Brewmaster Karl Ockert and the other members of this six-man bluegrass band, including Cascade Brewing Company’s Brewmaster, Ron Gansburg.
· The Brothers Jam - Blending rootsy rock and deep rhythmic grooves, The Brothers Jam, who have been playing together since they were teenagers in Portland, take their audience on an entertaining sonic journey every time they hit the stage.
· Intervision - Fresh off their victory for Best R&B song at the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards, Portland, Oregon’s own Intervision shows no signs of slowing down. Hailed as a modern-day Steely Dan, this young sextet continues to craft sophisticated pop music that is equally soothing, intelligent, and danceable.
· Live Bird Demonstration and Membership Drive – Throughout the event the Audubon Society of Portland will have live educational birds on hand to interact with guests while encouraging non-members to join.

When: Saturday, August 15th, 2009. 4 - 10 p.m. Performances and music start at 5 p.m.

Where: BridgePort Brewpub + Bakery in the Pearl
1313 NW Marshall Street
Portland, OR 97209

Pyramid Launches New Juggernaut Red Ale

2009-07-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

Pyramid Breweries introduces Juggernaut Red Ale™, a ruby red fall seasonal beer sure to please many palates and accompany the season’s most ambitious autumn adventures.

New to Pyramid’s line-up, Juggernaut is an American Red ale brimming with delectable caramel malts, delicious hops and an unquenchable spirit. Five different malts produce a rich red color and balanced malt body highlighted by subtle caramel notes. The perfect amount of Simcoe and Cascade hops compliments the full malt character to create a luscious hop nose and finish.

“Better beer drinkers continue to seek out new brew experiences with great seasonal offerings, as recognized by the seasonal craft beers representing the largest craft style,” said Mike Brown, the Commissioner of Inspiration and Aspiration for Pyramid Breweries. “With its complex yet extremely drinkable profile, Juggernaut delivers a winning autumn-inspired brew and the perfect pairing for the season’s tailgating, trailblazing and other fall festivities.”

Juggernaut joins a strong industry-leading seasonal portfolio for Pyramid Breweries including Curve Ball Blonde Ale® (Summer), Snow Cap Ale® (Winter) and a new spring beer launching in February 2010.

Juggernaut will be available August through September on draft and in 12 and 22 oz. bottles, 6-packs, and 12-packs. The new fall brew will also be one of four offerings within Pyramid’s new Fall Variety 12-pack – sitting alongside of Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen, Audacious Apricot Ale™, and ThunderHead IPA®. Juggernaut and the Fall Variety Pack will be available where Pyramid’s other award winning beers can be found.

Juggernaut Quick Facts:
Available: August – September
Malts: 2 Row, Carared, C-120, Carafa II, and Roasted Barley
Hops: Simcoe and Cascade
IBU: 45
ABV: 5.6%

First Annual Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew Festival Rolls Into Bend, Oregon

2009-07-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Lay It Out Events is proud to present the First Annual Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew Festival. This event promises to be one of Bend’s tastiest events, featuring hand crafted, wood aged beer as well as one specialty brew from all of Central Oregon’s seven breweries.

The Little Woody will be the place to be September 12th. Festival goers will enjoy live music, great food, a wood carving exhibition and beer tastings throughout the day and into the night.

The mission of The Little Woody is to celebrate one of Central Oregon’s cultural hallmarks - the great brews created right here in Central Oregon's backyard - and to provide a fun environment for people to enjoy all of those brews in one place.

In the old days, brewers served beer that was aged in oak casks, now brewers are rolling back the barrels for flavoring beer. The Little Woody Festival will shine the light on this ancient brewing technique, as adapted by American craft brewers, by featuring beers aged in wine barrels, whisky barrels and oak barrels, all of which uniquely flavor and intensify the beer.

The Little Woody will take place in downtown Bend on the lawn of the Deschutes Historical Society located on the corner of Wall Street and Idaho.

Featured wood aged brews will be created and served by the following breweries:
Deschutes Brewery
Cascade Lakes Brewing
Bend Brewing Company
Silver Moon Brewing
Ten Barrel Brewing
McMenamins
Three Creeks Brewing Co.

Event hours are Saturday, September 12th from 12pm-10pm.
Admission to the event is just $6 and includes a commemorative glass.
A tasting package is available for $15 and includes a commemorative glass and tasting tickets.
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit the Deschutes Historical Society.

And seriously, how AWESOME is that logo?!?