BAR PILOT

OBF: Day One

The crowd is growing and the taps are flowing

Posted by: John Chandler on Jul 28, 2011 at 02:00PM 4 Comments

And… the ceremonial first keg is tapped at the Oregon Brewers Festival!

Let the games begin.

The 24th edition of the Oregon Brewers Festival is off and running. I’ve just returned from a beer blogger event hosted by OBF volunteer and brew brainiac Noel Blake, where 15 specially selected beers were poured for the benefit of a very thirsty local media. If I can somehow decipher my childish scrawl I’ll share the highlights and lowlights.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: Black & Red
Dogfish owner Sam Calagione is considered royalty among the brewing cognoscenti—and with good reason. The little brewery from Milton, Delaware is always pushing the “bigger, better, bolder” envelope and this year’s entry in the OBF is no exception. The Black & Red weighs in at a formidable 10.3 percent alcohol and tastes like it should be served in a sherry glass. Chocolate, mint, and raspberry notes dominate while the low carbonation gives it a soupy, syrupy mouthfeel. It’s a monster. Handle with care.

Ninkasi Brewing Company: Helles Belles
A very uncharacteristic Ninkasi, in that the hops stay in the back seat and the malt is front and center. The first note I wrote about this one was “cornbread?” For a lager, Helles Belles is remarkably full-bodied and rich.

Full Sail Brewing’s resident genius John Harris at OBF.

Upright Brewing Company: Offen Weisse
I’ve never met an Upright brew that I didn’t like, and their record is still good. This German wheat beer has a rounded, fruity taste that’s dry as a bone. This would be a fantastic session beer. In fact, please invite me to that session.

Burnside Brewing: Gratzer
Based on an old Polish style it’s a smoked wheat pale ale that really smokes! To achieve that perfect campfire flavor, the brewers smoked 600 pounds of white wheat over an apple wood fire, that also adds a crisp nuttiness to the mix. Recommended.

Columbia River Brewing: Nyctophobia IPA: It’s official. We are to refer to these beers as Cascade Dark Ales, and not Dark IPA. ’Nuff said. I like to call these “candy bar” beers, due to their chewy, chocolate flavor profile. Nyctophobia (fear of the dark) also has plenty of hop heft. Reminded me of an easy drinking porter.

Hopfinium comes from the Collaborator Project, a team effort from the Oregon Brew Crew and Widmer Brothers Brewing.

Lagunitas Brewing: Little Sumpin’ Wild
If you like your beers on the aggressive side, then you’ll go ape for LSW. The combo of wheat, Belgian yeast and heavy hops make this a pretty belligerent brew, but in this case conflict leads to something glorious. I’d like another, please.

Boneyard Beer: Girl Beer
Could be that my palate was pulverized by this point, but I found this fruit beer from a new Bend brewery to be rather weak tea. Subtle to the point of nonexistence.

I’ll be hitting the festival again tomorrow, as will various members of the Bar Pilot “street team,” so we’ll keep you posted. Chandler out.

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Tags: Ninkasi Brewing, Upright Brewing, Oregon Craft Beer Month, Oregon Brewers Festival

2011 Brew Fest Statistics

OBF numbers for the mathlete

Posted by: John Chandler on Jul 27, 2011 at 10:00AM 1 Comments

Many thanks to the statistically inclined mind of Beervana blogger Jeff Alworth for the following breakdown on this year’s Oregon Brewers Festival, which starts tomorrow. The numbers in parenthesis are figures from last year. And if you want to know all about the festival’s beer lineup, it’s right here. For the record, I am a fan of 21st Amendment Brewing’s Watermelon Wheat Ale.

Years since inception: 24
Total beers: 86 (81)
Total breweries: 86 (81)
States represented: 14 (16)
Percent Oregon: 53% (43%)
Percent California: 19% (22%
Percent Washington: 10% (9%)
All Others: 17% (26%)

Ale to Lager ratio: 8 to 1 (9 to 1)
Total styles (by broad category): 34 (27)
IPAs: 17%, 15 total (20%, 16 total)
Belgian styles: 16% (12%)
German/Czech styles: 17% (14%)

Well-represented niche* styles:

• Pilsner: 4 (5)
• Cascadian Dark Ale: 4 (NA)
• Porter: 6 (NA)
• Munich Helles: 2 (0)
• Kolsch: 3 (2)

Beers using wheat: 19-ish%** (23%)
Beers using spices/adjuncts: 19% (15%)
Fruit beers: 10% (15%)

ABV of smallest beer (Riverport Blond Movement): 4.3% (4.0%)
ABV of largest beer (Dogfish Head Black and Red Imperial Stout): 10.3% (9.5%)
Beers below 5.5%: 34 (NA)
Beers above 7%: 27 (NA)
Fewest IBUs in Fest (Gilgamesh Mint Kolsch): 0 (0)
Most IBUs at the Fest (Lucky Lab Summit IPA): 103 (111)
Beers between 0 and 40 IBUs: 51 (NA)
Minimum years in a row 21st Amendment has brought Watermelon Wheat: 10

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Tags: Oregon Craft Beer Month, Oregon Brewers Festival

New Bars in Town

Whether it’s umbrella drinks or an underground vibe you’ll find a stool.

Posted by: Max Gelber on Jul 26, 2011 at 11:00AM 6 Comments

So many new bars, so little time. In order to properly guide you to your next watering hole we sent out the “street team” (i.e., intern Max Gelber) to gather some intelligence on a quintet of new Portland joints. And that was the last we saw of him. Seriously, if anyone knows of Max’s whereabouts, please clean him up and stuff him in a cab. Sigh. Good help is so hard to find.

The minds behind Dig A Pony (736 SE Grand Ave.) are trying their best to make a name for themselves by sticking with classic themes, and a “classy but not classist” motto. Taking over the space that formerly housed Niki’s Diner on the corner of SE Grand and Morrison, the dingy old carpets were soon jettisoned and the hardwood floor was restored to its original glory. The food will focus on classic American comfort stylings with a regional bent and will shift seasonally, due to the owners heavy focus on sourcing their food locally as much as possible. Prices will range between $5-$10. The local sourcing mind set is also present in the beverages, with local beers on taps rotating both seasonally and with the changing preferences of the customers. House-infused liquors will be a big focus, with the possibilities of extras like house-made bitters to come. Drinks will float under the $8 price tag, with drafts at about $4.

Nestled in the quiet Sellwood ’hood is the newly opened Portland U-Brew (6237 SE Milwaukie Ave). One part home brew store, one part watering hole, and one part training ground for beginning brewers, P.U.B is the brainchild of Jason Webb, who got his start at the now-defunct Saxer Brewing as a brewer and cellar man, and amateur home brewer Aaron Gillham. Housed in a two-story building, the second floor contains a fully fortified beer and wine supply store and a NW/British influenced bar with eight rotating beers on tap and a wide bottle selection of beers and ciders. The first floor houses a brewing area with six 20 gallon kettles that P.U.B will use to brew their own specialties, as well as renting out to locals to come in and use for their own concoctions. Webb and Gillham also will host beginner brewing classes every Saturday ($35, 10 percent off for couples), teaching everything about the science of beer to the brewing process itself. And after a 2 to 3 week fermentation process, students will be able to keg or bottle their new frothy inventions on site.

Once the home for one of Portland’s rare off-track-betting establishments, the Rialto Poolroom transformed its basement space into the Jack London Bar (529 SW 4th Ave). Out with the old betting parlor, in with a dimly lit space that gives off the vibe of a subterranean Portland dive (except much cleaner and with functional toilets). If you’re itching to find a new place to dust off your dancing shoes, the space includes a healthy amount of open hardwood space just screaming to be danced all over, paired with at long list of dance nights and revolving DJs (including DJ Gregarious on Fridays) with an emphasis on vintage vinyl. If that’s not your bag, the bar has some comfy looking couches and lounge chairs generously sprinkled around the space. Comedy showcases every first Thursday are also on the docket. Tuesdays will feature presentations by historian Doug Kenck-Crispin, the man behind the website Kick-Ass Oregon History (orhistory.com). And mustachioed man-about-town Sean McDonald (a.k.a., Seantos) will be in the house on last Thursday for Seantos Showdown, which he describes as “a little bit variety, a little bit talk, and a whole lot of awesome.”

And just as summer has finally chosen to grace our city with its presence, two bars (one newly inspired, the other an old friend returning home) are keeping the rum flowing with tiki-inspired concoctions. The folks in charge of Beaker & Flask recently soft-opened their new sister bar Rum Club (720 SE Sandy; rumclubpdx.com) to the public, while the Tiki behemoth Trader Vics (1203 NW Glisan; tradervicspdx.com) will reopen to the Portland faithful August 1 with an overflowing menu of over 80 tiki drinks. Even if we only have a few months to drink cocktails with tiny umbrellas without feeling too ridiculous, we’ll take it.

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Tags: Beer, Rum, Trader Vic's, New Bar

Pre-Fest Functions

Let’s warm up for Oregon Brewers Festival this weekend!

Posted by: John Chandler on Jul 22, 2011 at 02:00PM 4 Comments

You call that drinking?

Look, I know it’s hard and sometimes you just want to throw in the towel, but real competitors who want to become champions maintain their training regimens. While some misguided individuals cling to horse-and-buggy theories about reducing their beer intake—or even drying out completely—in the days leading up to the Oregon Brewers Festival, I’d just like to make myself perfectly clear: It’s Oregon Craft Beer Month, and as such requires redoubled efforts. Please don’t make me question your commitment.

For beer believers looking to sharpen their sipping skills, there are a trio of opportunities to do so coming up—starting tonight!

Farmhouse Brews at The BeerMongers

Looking for something a wee bit different? Skate on down to The BeerMongers bottle shop on SE Division for some ale expertise from the Old Country. Alex Ganum from Upright Brewing, David Logsdon and Charles Porter from Hood River Logsdon’s Organic Farmhouse Ales, and Michael Wright from Beetje Brewery will be on hand to pour some singular suds. Ganum’s offering, the Alphaphylactic Hop, is described as an “imperial IPA hybrid,” while Beetje’s Urban Farmhouse Ale and Logsdon’s Seizoen and Seizoen Bretta are throwbacks to small-batch brewing traditions that originated in Belgium and France in the 18th century when farm owners figured out that keeping their workers hydrated with rough, unfiltered beer was a proper way to ensure loyalty and diligence. I tried this line of reasoning with my own boss, but was immediately threatened with disciplinary action.

LOLA: A Celebration of Women in Beer at Saraveza

LOLA stands for Ladies of Lagers and Ales, a determined group of women brewers from some of the best breweries in the state. Bend Brewing’s Tonya Cornett is probably the most visible member of this fledgling organization, but lady brewers from Oakshire, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Natian, Full Sail, and Heater Allen also will be present with some of their handpicked beers that should dispel any lingering vestige of sexism that may still linger in this particular chapter of the Old Boy’s network.

Ben Fest at Grain and Gristle

I was unaware that “Ben” was such a mundane moniker in the brewing community! Apparently there are “Bens” working at Widmer Brothers, Breakside, Occidental, Lucky Lab, and Hopworks. Starting at 5 PM on Monday, Benophiles can sample beers from more than a half-dozen breweries that wisely chose to employ guys named Ben. Hey, I’ve accepted flimsier excuses than that for a beer throwdown.

UPDATE!

Portland Monthly’s Picnic for Forest Park

I neglected an event for Sunday! How could I be so stupid? Portland Monthly is having a picnic for Forest Park this Sunday. Of course you’re invited!

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Craft Beers, Upright Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Lucky Lab, Oregon Craft Beer Month

Happy Hour: Hit the Brix

Whimsical touches FTW!

Posted by: John Chandler on Jul 18, 2011 at 12:00PM 9 Comments

We’re listening to you, dear reader! According to our own readership studies—not to mention deluge of blog commentary—happy hour is a subject that you’re pretty serious about, to which I can attribute the fact that times are hard, we’re working like the Dickens (Charles), and when the whistle blows our need for a drink, comforting snacks, and a little healthy venting has never been greater. With no shortage of food and drink writers in town, there are a number of trusted folks from whom you can solicit an opinion on associated topics ranging from food sourcing to Oregon Craft Beer to bang for your buck. And make no mistake, we’re a competitive bunch!

Somewhere in all this happy hour hullabaloo, the notion of “fun” often gets overlooked. True, it’s not as if we adults are craving some kind of Chuck E. Cheese-Pachinko Palace sensory experience—far from it. But after-work eating and drinking isn’t a matter of life and death, unless you’re deployed in Afghanistan. Newish Pearl bistro and bar Brix Tavern seemingly has a handle on the situation. Thanks to a few whimsical touches to its menu, the long-suffering cubicle drone can smile and relax a bit. Despite its tony address, it’s pretty apparent that Brix (happy hour 3–6 and 9:30-12:30 daily) doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The Summer Sun.

For one thing, the menu features over 30 beers—by the can. While canned beer no longer bears the stigma of ill-bred yahoo, one doesn’t usually associate the Pearl District with the sounds of freshly pulled tabs. There is a serviceable selection of taps (Ninkasi, Widmer, North Coast, Lompoc), but the urge to pop a top at Brix is a tough one to ignore. Feel like living dangerously? Order the Beer in a Brown Bag ($3). It’s bartender’s choice and in exchange for a mere three bones you’ll get a tall boy—of something. On my last visit it was Rolling Rock, but I saw a fellow at the next table over slugging down a Kokanee.

Happy hour cocktails run a cheap, cheap, cheap $4, which is a sweet deal in anyone’s book. I ordered a Summer Sun, a Jolly Rancher-esque refresher with Hendrick’s Gin, muddled cucumber, green apple syrup, and fresh lime served in a little Mason jar. The coexistence of cucumber and sour apple is a little testy at first, but as the ice melts the two truculent flavors kiss and make up in agreeable fashion. Other choices include the Huckleberry Gimlet, the Backyard Margarita (tequila + seasonal berries), and the Brix Julip (Jack Daniels, muddled mint and cucumber, honey simple syrup, lime).

At some point hunger needs to be addressed and the Brix happy hour men has the bases adequately covered. The turkey, mashed potato and cranberry sliders ($4.95 for 2) was a welcome change of pace but be advised to order a dash of mustard for some needed bite. Similarly, the chicken tacos ($6.95), though well portioned, could have used some zesting up (which is why I carry a bottle of Tapatio with me everywhere I go). The calamari, fennel, and rock shrimp platter ($7.95) was a smashing success; the sea creatures were cooked through perfectly and deftly breaded with a delicate touch. The addition of fried fennel brings a fleeting suggestion of anise and onion to the bountiful fish fiesta.

The Hot Pocket.

Your eyes will definitely stray to a notice for the “Daily Hot Pocket” ($2.95), and you’ll be glad they did. Happily, we’re not talking about the cardboard-flavored microwave monstrosity, but rather a rotating delicacy, somewhere between a pot pie and a calzone, made with fresh house pizza dough, mozzarella, and sausage, dressed in basil and baked to crunch-chewy perfection.

Brix is a very large space with at least three different seating arrangements, and tables that are thoughtfully spaced so as to allow the art of conversation to flourish. The decor is that of an upscale pub with exposed brick and a colorful chalkboard extolling the day’s specials. And unlike other venues that really pump up the industrial trappings, Brix actually looks like a former warehouse that’s been tastefully appointed—rather than a mad exhibition of ductwork meant to symbolize “Man’s Inhumanity to Man” or something.

So calm yourself, harried wage slave, and contemplate the end of another workday with a bag of beer and a Hot Pocket. Repeat as necessary and be of good cheer when the bill arrives. It will be less than you expected.

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Base Camp Brewing

Brains meet brawn meet brew

Posted by: Carly Scheick on Jul 13, 2011 at 10:00AM 3 Comments

The Base Camp Brewing crew (from left): marketing manager Joseph Dallas; sales and distribution manager Krister Balme; owner and brewmaster Justin Fay.

There are some new kids on the block at Libation Alley (the inner Southeast ‘hood around SE Oak and Ninth Avenue), and, thank God, they’re bringing beer with them. Justin Fay, a former brewer at Klamath Basin Brewing, will (hopefully) be opening his brainchild Base Camp Brewing Company in November. We realize that this is still a ways off, but when it comes to beer, is it ever too early to mark your calendars?

Fay and his brewing buddies will be filling a much-needed void in the hop-happy Portland beer scene—lagers (woot!). As it stands, their beer line-up will consist of six standards, including an Octoberfest-like lager, and a seasonal. Although he has styles picked out, Fay is more interested in brewing innovative beers with the ingredients available than following cut-and-dry formulas.

Fay started professionally brewing at Klamath Basin Brewing in 2006, where he racked up a variety of awards, including a blue-ribbon-winning amber at the 2008 West Coast Brew Fest, beating out New Belgium’s Fat Tire, which got third.

The men of Base Camp can easily be described as a group of beer geeks. Fay, a Pre-Med turned Fermentation Studies grad from Oregon State University, has more than a palatable appreciation for suds. After spending a summer in the King Estate Winery’s taproom, Fay became fascinated with the science behind brewing and has been wearing his brewer’s goggles ever since. “I loved the atmosphere and the science behind brewing,” says Fay, “There’s a design and hands-on aspect. It’s this idea of building things, building beer.”

However, the Base Camp crew is more than your usual brew brainiacs. This is a staff of hard-core outdoor adventure junkies. For the Base Camp staff, beer and the great outdoors is the Pacific Northwest version of peanut butter and jelly. A big part of their motto is looking to your own backyard for adventure, whether it be the Portland City Marathon, geo-caching in Eastern Oregon, or kayaking the Wilson River (which may or may not entail losing one’s camera, wallet, and car keys). Their current office looks like a search-and-rescue base, with marked out trail maps of Mt. Shasta, a future company trip, hanging on the wall. “You don’t have to drink light beer,” says in-house Marketing Manager Joseph Dallas, “just be active and drink good beer. It seems like a healthier diet.”

A sneak peek at their labeling plan tells a similar story: a sample 12-pack case sports topography charts and bottle labels use images of compass navigation and rock climbing equipment. Floor plans for the taproom include a curved bar with an angular profile (inspired by salt columns) surrounded by walls covered in refurbished barn wood. Slab samples with pieces of broken beer bottles and plans for floor-to-ceiling glass roll-ups give an impression of the outdoors brought inside.

Also unique about Base Camp is that they’re skipping the nano-brewing stage altogether, and starting out with a 20-barrel brewhouse (think the size of Hopworks Urban Brewery), with bottling and kegging operations. Fay and his staff plan to live up to the “go big or go home” mentality. Shopping around also helps. Their equipment comes from the defunct Nicolet Brewery in Florence, Wisconsin. Ten days and four semi trucks later gave them the equipment needed for a full-fledged production brewery.

For this group of fledgling brew barons, there is still a long way to go. Their building, an electrical company warehouse built in 1949, will take quite a bit of work to get up to code with (ironically) electrical and plumbing. A staggering amount of permit fees and feet-high stacks of applications are just a couple of the steps necessary to complete before having wort in the kettle. Fay and his staff are optimistic, though, being a group of “rigorous men” (their words) with steep learning curves.

Needless to say, we’re expecting big things from Base Camp, as is Fay and his staff. Expect to see 22 oz. bottles around Portland in the fall/winter. Fay plans to keep distribution local, but if possible he would brew to the moon and back, where I’m told, it’s easier to carbonate the beer.

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Happy Hour: Oswego Grill

A confluence of comfort and style

Posted by: Chelsea Fitch on Jul 11, 2011 at 10:00AM 2 Comments

Photo: Chelsea Fitch

Growing up around these parts has taught me two crucial survival skills: (1) Never expect (or accept) an average meal and (2) not drinking local is a sin against the Portland brewery gods. If I can get through a happy hour with at least one of these skills, I am often still pleased—and such is the case with Oswego Grill, a posh pit stop south of Portland just off I-5 (3-6 pm & 9 pm-close).

Walking in the door, the old-world, dark wood appointments and obsessively polished bar and tables made my jeans and bright yellow top stick out like a tie-dye T-shirt among the business suits, pearls, and sweater sets, but the staff didn’t think twice about this fashion faux pas and seated us promptly with non-phony smiles. (No walking in and plopping down at any table here, even in the bar.)

At first glance the down-home menu was surprising for such a swanky watering hole. With comfort food options and fresh summery drinks, I was definitely put off guard at this oxymoron, they were calling happy hour. My first stab at the menu was the mac & cheese, and at $2.95, it was a steal. The baked dish had a shocking spicy pepper kick yet maintained a creamy, buttery, thick sauce making it more of a "grown-up mac & cheese” that I instantly devoured despite my tendency to want to hold my fork with my pinky extended high in the air.

Photo: Chelsea Fitch

Pork tenderloin sliders and fries, a sweet deal at $2.95.

My friends went the more seasonal bbq route ordering the Pork Tenderloin Sliders ($2.95, and they come with fries!) and mozzarella wedges ($2.95), which were deftly described by my companions as "a tangy wonderland of summer.” Looking around I saw nothing but joy and gusto on the faces of office drones lustily shoveling down elegantly prepared chicken nachos ($3.95), chicken and cheese quesadillas ($2.95), and fish tacos ($2.95). The menu, a cunning blend of comfort food with a splash of gourmet, definitely fit my “I’m pretending to be a suit and tie but honestly I couldn’t care less” budget.

While the homey food passed my first survival skill, the brew selection fell short. Pints of beer are a $1 off during Happy Hour, but don’t get your hopes up for a wide selection of local tastes. They offer Widmer Hefeweizen and a Ninkasi IPA on rotating tap, but with a hometown handle like Oswego Grill, I would have expected a stronger regional selection.

Where the grill lacks in locals, the cocktails shined forth in the dark, mood-lit bar. The consensus favorites of the afternoon were the Blueberry Drop ($7.50) and the passion fruit mojito ($8), both with made fresh fruit and a judicious layering of lemon. Sadly, the Very Berry Lemonade ($6), a seemingly can’t-miss summer refresher, was sorely lacking in the bright-flavor department. My advice? Stick to the fresh-fruit house-made cocktails for a bracing beverage.

Photo: Chelsea Fitch

The blueberry drop in a chilled glass, $7.50.

Even though I felt like “Annie Get Your Gun” among financial execs and proper ladies, the Oswego Grill is a great happy hour for when you’re in the mood to spoil yourself with comfort food gussied up with stylish accents. I’m in no danger of becoming a regular—the bill can add up fairly quickly and I’d have to pilfer my grandmother’s broach and a cardigan—but it’s a solid and serviceable happy hour nonetheless.

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Tags: Lake Oswego & West Linn, Happy Hour, Cocktails, Cheap Eats

News, News, News

Too much going on for one Bar Pilot!

Posted by: John Chandler on Jul 08, 2011 at 10:00AM 1 Comments

I knew it was going to be one of those days when I bent over to get a drink of water from a Benson Bubbler—only to discover that some miserable wretch had just hurled into it. Talk about a rude awakening. Anyway, on with the news!

ITEM: Drinking Buddy For Life Jen Lane of BarFly fame will be hosting one of her free-floating pop-up Happy Hours today at the Slammer Tavern (500 SE Eighth Ave) from 5-8. That in itself is reason to make an immediate reservation, but the real cherry on the sundae is an appearance by none other than Frank Furter and the Hot Dogs! Mr. Furter is without a doubt the finest troubadour that performs in a hot dog costume in the entire Northwest. So haul your buns over there, you weenie! There will be drink specials and (can this be right?) FREE HOT DOGS!

ITEM: Next weekend marks the return of Portland’s annual tropical drink wingding Tiki Kon. For those desperately in need of some suave saucing opportunities, this little island-hop can’t be beat. On Thursday July 14, there’s a tiki-inspired fashion show at Tony Starlight’s Supperclub (3728 NE Sandy Blvd) starting at 8 PM. On Friday the 15th, the faithful will gather at Ella Street Social Club (714 SW 20th Place) for a surfin’ safari with righteous rock ensembles Guantanamo Baywatch, Surf Weasels, and Wave Sauce! And the Big Kahuna bash, the Tabu Extravaganza, will put a stopper in the bottle on Saturday the 16th at the Kenton Masonic Lodge (8130 N. Denver Ave). This sophisticated soiree will include exotic foodstuffs, vintage vendors of all sorts, and the musical stylings of Sneaky Tiki and the Lava Lounge Orchestra! Good lord people! What more could you possibly want?

ITEM: Hurray for Oregon Craft Beer Month! The Cans Fest is this Saturday at the Guild Public House from noon till 10 PM. And next weekend boasts the Portland International Beer Fest at the North Park Blocks, which is quickly followed by Puckerfest V, a celebration of sour beers at Belmont Station (12-14 rotating taps daily) that runs from Monday July 18 through Sunday July 24, a lovely preamble to the Oregon Brewers Festival.

ITEM: Speaking of the OBF, the July issue of Portland Monthly includes a dandy little insert called Passport to Beervana, a cool contest that invites local brew fans to patronize at least five brew pubs in order to collect “stamps” for their “passports.” Once your passport is fully stamped, you must drop it off at the Information booth at the Oregon Brewers Festival in order to be eligible for a grand prize drawing that’s truly grand. The winning passport will get round-trip tickets to the Great American Beer Fest in Denver (Sept 29-Oct 1). For you cheapskates that, for one reason or another, are unable to buy a copy of the July issue, you can download your own Passport to Beervana here. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t enter. Drinkers, start your engines!

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Tags: Happy Hour, Beer Festivals, Tiki Bars, Oregon Craft Beer Month, BarFly Magazine

Based On What?

Brews from America’s Best Beer City need love too!

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 30, 2011 at 02:00PM 7 Comments

So according to the latest Travel + Leisure magazine, Portland is America’s Best Beer City. Hey, tell me something I don’t know. Maybe someone should have tipped off the readers of Zymurgy, the official publication of the American Homebrewers Association, who wrote in and voted for its annual list of the 50 Best Beers in America. Included in this list are exactly two beers from Oregon—Deschutes Brewing’s Abyss Imperial Stout, and Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale—and none whatsoever from Portland.

But see, they obviously needed all that room in the Top 50 to extoll the virtues of two beers from Samuel Adams (Wrong!), three from New Belgium, and a whopping five from Dogfish Head (No complaints about Dogfish Head, they totally rock. But five beers?). Really Zymurgy? You couldn’t have squeezed in a little something from Laurelwood, Hopworks, Upright, or Bridgeport? Where’s the love for America’s best beer city?

Come on Portland! Let’s turn up some hometown heat. Send your righteous complaints to info@brewersassociation.org.

In the meantime, we can all come together for Oregon Craft Beer Month (also known as July) at Jeld-Wen Field tomorrow night where the OCBM Kickoff Party will feature some of our top taps. Are you listening readers of Zymurgy?

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Tags: Beer Festivals, Beer Culture, Oregon Craft Beer Month, Travel + Leisure, Zymurgy

It’s Organic, Dude!

Notes from North American Organic Brewers Fest

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 28, 2011 at 10:00AM 2 Comments

It was a balmy Sunday at Overlook Park, and the final-day crowd at the North American Organic Brewers Festival was still a modest one. With the sun baking our brows, drinking buddy Lucy and myself mingled with the multitudes and sought sudsy relief among the taps. Sadly, we were informed some of the samples had been consumed with gusto on the first two days, so we missed out on beers from Laurelwood and new kid on the block, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales.

A small, orderly beer fest is a lovely thing, and NAOBF fit the bill. Lines were short to non-existent, the beer was still fresh and foamy, and the drinking water was free, which is not always the case. Seriously, if you can’t periodically rinse your palate and cup without paying a king’s ransom for a bottle of agua, the beers take on an unwelcome monochromatic quality as the inside of your mouth turns to gummy flannel.

I didn’t get a chance to try everything available (What am I? A machine?) but I did recognize greatness when I tasted it. The Reggae Junkie Gruit from Alex Ganum and Upright Brewing was an epiphany. Here at last, was proof positive that hops are not always a vital brew component. Instead, Ganum cleverly utilized Sichuan peppercorns, hyssop, lemongrass, and orange peels, a battery that delivered oodles of herbal flair. For all that, it still had that balanced and buttery mouth feel that characterizes Upright beers.

The Galactic Imperial Red from Hopworks was another worthy entry, and at 9.5 percent ABV was the biggest-tasting and richest sip I encountered, which necessitated the purchase of an absolutely smashing white cheddar cheeseburger from the Violetta wagon. I missed out on the elephant ears, deep-fried Twinkies, and bacon-fortified Snickers bar, for which I can only blame a stubborn streak of common sense lodged somewhere on my person.

In no particular order, I also gave “thumbs-up” to the Ft George Quick Wit, McMenamins Organic Kerfuffle kolsch, and the Golden Spiced Ale from Ambacht Brewing in Hillsboro. I finished the day by spilling a beer on myself while trying to take a picture. All in all, a highly pleasant afternoon, and I applaud the efforts of brewers that are willing to step up to the environmental plate and create wonderful, tasty beers without hops and grains that have been treated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Good on you!

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Road to Bruin

Stanley Cup winners party hearty

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 23, 2011 at 02:00PM 2 Comments

I’m not much of a hockey fan, but the Boston Bruins made a believer out of me. Yes, yes, they won the Stanley Cup, which caused the populace of Vancouver, British Columbia to freak out, set stuff on fire, and make out in the street. And that’s all well and good.

But the Bruins partied like Led Zeppelin’s road crew after the Game 7 victory, racking up a $156,679.74 bar tab at Foxwoods Nightclub in Mashantucket, Conn. The bottle of Ace of Spades “Midas” champagne ($100,000) was the big-ticket item, not to mention $525 for Jager Bombs, $5400 on Grey Goose, and $180 spent on Red Bull. Oh yeah, and the bill included a $6 Heineken Light. At least someone had the good sense to count calories. An athlete’s body is his livelihood, after all.

Sounds like the real winner was their server who walked away with a $24,869.80 tip. Dude, hockey rules.

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Broooooce!!!

Campbell fans gather at The Lovecraft

Posted by: John Chandler on Jun 22, 2011 at 11:00AM 2 Comments

Happy birthday to actor, author, and Oregon resident Bruce Campbell, a B-movie icon who will forever be associated with his immortal character Ash, the wisecracking, one-handed demon slayer from Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series. But there’s more to this chinny chap than a boom stick and a penchant for timely one-liners; from his portrayal of an aging Elvis in Bubba Ho-Tep to his foray as director-star of his film, My Name Is Bruce (filmed on his own property in Jacksonville), Campbell always delivers the goods, even in otherwise forgettable flicks (see Maniac Cop 2, McHale’s Navy).

If you feel so moved, you can join fellow Campbell fans this evening at The Lovecraft bar to honor the man. Festivities include a character costume contest (be careful with those chainsaws!), charity raffle, movies, and a Best Hawaiian Shirt contest. Campbell is not scheduled to appear, but you never know. Perhaps a cosmic portal will open and he’ll come plummeting to the party.

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Tags: Southeast Portland, H.P. Lovecraft, Bruce Campbell