The Oast with the Most, Babe

Me, Day Two

It's a time-honored tradition in my family to pack up the young'ns and spend a week cramped into a dated cottage with one working bathroom and as much of the extended family as possible. The cottage is on Lake Erie but it's in Port Colborne*, Canada. So, we basically vacationed on the other side of the very lake we live on states side. If the woman next door came over to show off her boob job I would not have flinched. That said, it wasn't all bad. There were countless adults around to babysit my kids and that left us some free time to find the craft brewers of Ontario. Yes, they exist.

Tucked away, just outside Niagara On the Lake shops, amongst the various wineries you might stumble upon Niagara Oast House Brewers. Located on Niagara Stone Road, the big red barn-looking brewery is so out of place nobody would blame you for driving by and assuming it's not a real brewery - because that's pretty much what we did. However, you would be blamed for not turning around and making a visit - which is also what we did.

The Brews

The Oast House has been around for approximately 18 months. The brews offer familiar styles with a unique twist. These are definitely not your typical American craft brews that are heavy on the hops. When there, you should get the sample tray of each style. They don't have an extensive lineup so they tray is not going to overwhelm you but the flavor profile is more complex than you might expect. The Biere de Garde and the Saison are part of the Farmhouse Ale Collection and both are a treat. The Barnhouse Country Ale is their most popular brew and for good reason. Oast House also offers some great memorabilia...'70s trucker hats, baseball shirts, and winter caps to name just a few. According to the staff, the upper level of the building is under construction to host events in the near future. Speaking of the staff, they couldn't be friendlier (like every other Canadian, to be sure). They spend as much time as you like but don't push you on sales. More than one person helped and/or offered to help during our visit. Also, there is a ping pong table. In summary, the all around experience has us planning a long weekend to Niagara On the Lake to get some more of the still young craft experience in Ontario.

For whatever it's worth, we left with a bomber of each brew offered and a baseball shirt. The plan was to share the brews with other craft beer enthusiasts in hopes of encouraging them to make a trip but instead we greedily drank it all.....and feel zero guilt. We still have the shirt.

Angels smiling upon the brewery.

*It's worth noting that Port Colborne is part of the Welland Canal, a key part of the St. Lawrence Seaway that effectively killed the Erie Canal and the economy of Buffalo, NY.

Running into an Old Friend: Sierra Nevada

Rye is the worst. Nobody worth his salt ever has a sandwich made of rye bread. When you go to a fancy restaurant and they offer a selection of breads which one is always left on the table? Rye. Sure, Martin van der Griten will tell you it's "a hardy grain, more tolerant of frost and drought than is wheat. It is the most winter hardy of all cereals." Nobody eats rye cereal, do they? Rye is used to make animal feed, flour, and...beer.

Tonight, I'm sipping on a Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA. There's a parallel between rye and Sierra Nevada. Craft beer snobs, of which I am one, are always looking for something new. Preferably something small, niche, hard to find. Same thing with rye. I don't have scientific data to back me up but it's safe to assume it's not the first choice of most bakers.

The point is that I'm regularly scouting grocery stores, beverage stores, craft beer stores, along with pubs and restaurants looking for something  new. Virtually every one of which offers Sierra Nevada. It's easy to forget they are craft brewers. It's also easy to forget they make damn fine beer. Prior to this evening, I can't say when I last had a Sierra Nevada. In the early days they were one of my favorites. The same can be said for brewers like Dogfish Head and even Troegs. Shame on me for letting so much time pass.

So, here's to you Sierra Nevada and all the other craft beer trail blazers who get unnecessary shit from beer snobs (aka idiots) like me. Now, off to renew some old friendships.


C'mon, you were thinking it.

Collaboration: What is it Good For?

I've been thinking a lot about the word collaboration lately. It's certainly part of my daily lexicon along with synergy, streamline, low-hanging fruit, and best practices. If you've ever been confused by TPS reports you know what I'm talking about. The word "collaboration" is more than simple cubicle jargon. It has a very powerful impact (because I don't understand affect/effect) both positive and negative. Collaboration is a conundrum.

Americans in Paris, written by Charles Glass, is a look at Americans living in Paris under Nazi Occupation. It must have been a terrible time to be anywhere in Europe unless you were German. Paris is the City of Light and Americans living there prior to the occupation enjoyed a cultured life with great writers, great music, and legal booze. Some of the main characters in this book prove the "Greatest Generation" theorem. Others, not so much. The subplot is the plight of French civilians who were generally divided into three groups - those in the resistance movement, collaborators, and everybody else. It didn't get terribly awful for Americans until after Pearl Harbor and our subsequent entry into the Allied effort. It was a little more complicated for the French who did not enjoy the same immunity as their American friends. As I read this book, I find myself wondering where I would have fallen on that continuum whether American or French.  I like to think that I would serve the resistance efforts but I would probably have been part of the vast majority just struggling to survive (the weather, the occupation, the horror). I take some comfort in knowing I would not have been a collaborator. Collaborators worked with the Nazi occupiers. Some did so shamelessly others more covertly. Collaboration -1  

I took this picture!

This week, President Obama and the First Lady welcomed Great Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife. I had the honor of being one of more than 7,000 on the White House grounds to welcome the very same folks that 200 years ago tried to burn the place down. Both the President and the Prime Minister noted the irony and made a few corny jokes before reminding us of the the great collaboration between Great Britain and the United States over the last 199 years. They used words like "alliance" and "partnership" but I prefer collaboration because none of this happens if you're not working together. The obvious example of collaboration here is World War II, given the theme established in the above paragraph. Other examples include military efforts on the Korean Peninsula and the current fight against terrorism. Military collaboration is an easy one. I was struck by Prime Minister Cameron's comments on financial investments - for example, the Gates Foundation working with NGOs in Great Britain or that Great Britain investments in the United states amount to more than 100 times more than China. Collaboration +1

Of course, the best possible positive use of the word is associated with beer. Collaboration Not Litigation is born from the good use of "collaboration". Seems that way back when Avery Brewing Company and Russian River Brewing both had a Salvation Ale. Rather than get into a beer pong match over naming rights the brewers combined the best of both and it's as good as advertised. We're enjoying Batch #6 bottled in the first month of this year. The taste is big, malty, and tangy-sweet. It's a bit sticky and lingers in your mouth for a spell. The beer is copper in color and leaves sexy lacing all the way down your glass (that's right, sexy). And, it comes in a bomber. I love bombers. Collaboration +1

As an American I believe in rugged individualism, pulling up the boot straps, and lonely cowboys riding off into the sunset. As a human, I believe in collaboration (by at least a 2-1 margin). Nobody gets anywhere without help from somebody else.  Sometimes working with others just helps you get through the day and sometimes it results in a really great beer.

This one too!

New Glarus inside the Beltway

I have a friend, let's say Anonymous, who does a fair amount of travel in Wisconsin. I've been there once; for about 24 hours during a baseball road trip. It was one of those rare, great road trips everybody in life takes in or around the college years (rare because in a lifetime most of us can only do it once until after retirement). The point being that we didn't really have time to sample the local fare and, frankly, my beer palette wasn't up to snuff. While at the game we drank the obligatory MGD with a hot dog and went about our merry way. I'm not sure when, or even if, I will ever get back there. This makes my source invaluable. Actually, it makes my source a dealer. She turned me on to New Glarus Brewing and now I have where else to turn. Well played.

The variety pack you see below showed up at my desk last week turning an otherwise average Thursday into a mini-Christmas. Seven different New Glarus brews including that fine ale sitting in the mini-bomber. The challenge will be drinking the beer. My last score included less variety but multiples allowing me to sample one and save one. That last batch included Road Slush and Moon Man so I can enjoy those guilt free. The remaining five are going to be selectively sampled - if at all. I'm fairly certain the ale is going into the collection for the rarest of occasions.

Look at that mini-bomber, front and center 

Gheorghe: The Blog: Apology Accepted

Last week, our friends at Gheorghe: The Blog sent apologies for trying a hand at craft beer reviews. There is no need for such an apology any more than we would need to apologize for writing on sports, offering a music review, penning run-on sentences, or posting whatever OCD material the teej posts. Sadly, Squirrel (are we on a nickname basis?) was quite artful and now I'm jonesing for a Cocoa Mole - despite the fact that he bragged on us about his vegan, steel cut oat diet and running half marathons in record time. Note: completing any marathon-type race warrants the phrase "record time".

We're sensitive to the G:TB content and so bring you a brief review of Fordham's Doppelbock Lager. The first thing you might note about this beer is that it is brewed in Delaware and is not a Dogfish Head. Seriously, who knew Delaware had other breweries? According to the Brewer's Association there are approximately one dozen breweries and/or brewpubs in the First State. Don't worry, we assumed they only had banks and credit card companies too.

The Dobblebock is a deep brown lager with a short head. The beer tastes sweet with a strong caramel note. It lingers in the mouth, which is fine because the aftertaste is not overpowering. The medium bodied brew is nicely carbonated and tips the scales at 8 percent ABV. The sweet taste and higher ABV makes us think you could pound the four pack and pay dearly in the morning. Of course, that never stopped us before.

In all seriousness, it's quite easy to enjoy Fordham's Doppelbock. We recommend you enjoy this beer while perusing G:TB and FOG:GB. If that's not enough there's always tumblr porn.

The Real "Old Dusseldorf in A Long Neck"

Thomas Magnum, the protagonist in what is arguably one of the coolest television shows based in Hawaii, is convinced that Robin Masters and Johnathan Q. Higgins III are one in the same. For our loyal readers who are too young to remember, Magnum, PI is about a private investigator working for an anonymous rich guy in exchange for free room and board - and apparently unlimited use of the coolest Ferrari ever produced. His island clients are always extremely attractive women and his friends are so cool that one owns a helicopter. If all of that is not enough, his refrigerator is always stocked with beer - Old Dusseldorf, to be specific.

This leads us to a theory. Robin Masters is to Higgins what Old Dusseldorf is to Maui Brewing Company. In  the last episode Higgins admits (and then maybe recants) that he is the famed and anonymous Robin. To which we argue that Old Dusseldorf is really just a cover for Maui Brewing Company. MBC wasn't around in the '80s. Then again, Magnum met Robin Masters more than once and heard his voice a couple of times each season.

Admit it - we just blew your mind.

It took long enough but MBC found its way inside the beltway and we've been soaking it all in. MBC comes in cans rather than the preferred long neck but we won't let that take away from the overall experience. In no particular order here's a snapshot of our mini-line up from best to worst (psst - the worst is pretty damn good).

Is this the real Robin Masters?

Coconut Porter. This beer is one of our all time favorite porters and it comes with the price tag to back it up. Chocolate and a hint of coconut in both taste. Aroma is the opposite. $13 and change for a four pack makes it something to cherish but it is worth it.

Bikini Blond Lager. If Budweiser was made by a craft brewer this would be the result. It's crisp, refreshing but with better flavor than Bud. We have a couple left but this is a summer brew. The heat and humidity returns to the DMV in early April so we'll keep these with our preferred stock until spring.

Big Swell IPA. Strong finish to our line of Maui Brewing Company. An IPA that holds it's own against any other out there. It's not in the 90 Minute IPA realm but neither is the price. We have several in stock but expect them to be gone before Sunday expires.

Is this the real Old Dusseldorf?

Ride a Pack of Dogs

Coffee has its roast monkey and artisanal brewing has its gypsy. The concept behind Stillwater Artisanal Ales is actually quite cool. Two guys in Baltimore decide to start brewing together but a conventional brewery, even a small one, requires a lot of start up capital. Rather than go through the mind melt these guys rent available brew space where ever they can to get crazy with their brews. Get a little more on them from this nice little piece in the WCP.

Stillwater's Farmhouse Ale comes in a beautifully labeled bomber. This beer is like good, old fashioned, in your face rock n' roll. You can take it at face value and really enjoy it but your better off listening to it over and over to really understand the groove. On its face, Farmhouse is a very good beer. Pay attention to the details and it only gets better. 

You can smell the wheat right off, which is a strong indicator of the performance of this beer.  By and large you know what you're getting. It's crisp, light, and savory. The subtle undertones are there if you care to pay attention. We mentioned the wheat aroma but there's a hint of musty, white grapes too. It almost smells old, which is awesome. The flavor is fruity but earthy. It's in the saison family but is not really a normal saison - the spice pallette is not quite there, which is fine. The best thing about this bomber is that we have another one in the basement.

These guys always have Stillwater Ales in their tour rider.

Sixpoint None the Richer

It was just over a year ago that we introduced you to Brooklyn's Sixpoint Craft Ales. Our seven loyal followers might recall the Sixpoint response to when they'll be schilling their wares in the DC area. We'll save you the click. "Well, we can't promise anything soon...Once we can take care of our folks here [NYC], then we'll maybe consider DC."

Good News! The folks in NYC are well fed and Sixpoint is available in the DMV. We know this because we're sitting at home sipping on a Righteous Ale that was purchased by our TA at the local Whole Foods. If you prefer first-person verification then rest easy knowing we conquered Bengali Tiger this past week at RFD.

Rye bread is awful but rye ale is good. It perplexes our tiny little brains that this grain, with it's multitude of health benefits, can make bread inedible and at the same time be a key ingredient in some brews. The guys at Sixpoint have a unique respect for the heartiness of rye - so much so that they threw it in an ale and declared it a righteous brew. Any good beer is more than the sum of its ingredients and that theorem holds true for Righteous Ale.

The Righteous Ale pours hazy with a copper color. The head maintains the copper hue and goes away in short order. This brew starts spicy and finishes sweet with maybe a hint of caramel. The carbonation  is a little more than moderate but is by no means overpowering. It's medium bodied with a dry finish leaving you thirsty for a second can. 

Speaking of cans, Sixpoint has joined the movement (actually, since they're new to DC we don't know if they ever used bottles). Righteous Ale comes in four packs but they're 16 ounce cans. If that ain't righteous nothing is. There is something cool, in a Dukes of Hazzard Lynyrd Skynyrd kind of way, about drinking from the larger can. It makes the beer taste better but if Righteous Ale came in a 12 ounce can we would still recommend it. So, you go back to surfing the interwebs and we'll head to the fridge for another round.

Don't Call it A Comeback

You might not have noticed but this blog has been stagnant for quite awhile now. If you're going to pick up the baton again you have to have a post that is, well, EPIC. That's why we're bringing you, for the first time ever, a review of not one but three EPIC beers.

The Epic Brewing Company (EBC) was founded in 2008 in Salt Lake City, Utah. A veritable hotbed of brewing, Salt Lake City is also known for great skiing and eclectic religions. Surely the guys at EBC came up with the name without knowing that the word "epic" would go from obscure to trendy to so overused that even Charlie Sheen stopped using it. The trilogy of Epic has a "strong belief in doing everything 'all out'" so don't let pop culture ruin this experience for you.

We sampled from the Exponential Series and we highly recommend you do the same. This series is available in limited quantities and is geared towards the "accomplished consumer" but we tried it anyway. The Classic and Elevated series' may be excellent as well but this blog post is not about being classic or even elevated. It's about being EPIC.

Imperial Red Ale (#6). The IRA is a double red ale with a hoppy aroma and a bitter hoppy finish. In short, it's really good. In between the hops you find a dry caramel, malty taste. It trends sweet and is light on carbonation. It pours amber with a creamy head.

Smoked and Oaked Belgian Strong Ale (#4). This one is all Belgian and almost no smoke but if you like Belgians this will suit you just fine. There is a nice sweetness that comes out from the smoked cherry wood malts but we didn't get much from the cask aging. For our palette, it seems cask aging results in overpowering whiskey flavor or no substantial benefit though we acknowledge a lack of sophistication in this arena (and most others). While the IRA was our favorite the Smoked and Oaked is good as well...and it's kinda fun to say smoked and oaked.

Sour-Apple Saison (#6). If there is one beer that rightfully has "Epic" on the label it's the SAS. The sour apple will kick you in the face if you're not paying attention (we were not paying attention). You know that feeling you get in the back of your jaw when you suck on a lemon? That's what SAS does to you. The Saison style is not one of our favorites but that doesn't mean we can't try them now and again. The combination of sour apple and Saison style was a bit too much for us but if we find it again we're willing to take another run at it.

Ommegang Bangin'

Talk about feeling like you're not worthy to purchase, let alone drink, a beer.  Brewery Ommegang surely is one intimidating brewery.  Their logo is medievil.  Their brew names (Hennepin, 3 Philosophers, Rare Vos) are imposing.  Go ahead, Google image the brewery and prove us wrong.

So, while we've seen Ommegang on the shelf for years the best we could muster was to turn our head low and divert our eyes from the king - well, we assume they're the king because they're always on the top shelf.

The trusty assistant, out on assignment, finally broke the spell and picked up Hennepin for our palette.  Note we pictured it with a red flower to give it an air of comeuppance.  Overall, we like it.  If we didn't - off with our heads.  Hennepin is a Belgian-style saison.  According to Ommegang you "[p]our slowly so as to not disturb the yeast sediment, but with enough vigor to create a luxurious head and realease the rustic bouquet."  Actually, you have little choice but to pour slowly because the head explodes and takes up much of your pint.  If you're not thirsty when you start pouring you will be when you're done.

That said, it is well worth the wait.  Ommegang is right about the "rustic bouquet" upon pouring.  It's a yeasty almost mealy beer.  You could almost call it a bread but the spice is right, which strikes a solid balance with the yeast.  By no means heavy, it's crisp and almost refreshing (even if those words are over-used in the beer world).  It's body is hazy yellow.  Eventually, the head thins out to almost nothing.  That might mean something but not to us.  We find it rather complex - maybe due to our lack of saison experience - but it's smooth and easy to drink with a spicy aftertaste.

Bonus Points: Hennepin is named for Father Hennepin, the Belgian missionary who discovered Niagara Falls.  There is no truth to the rumor that Father Hennepin went over the falls in an old beer barrel.

Frogger Never Had it so Good

We've mentioned before our affinity for purchasing a brew simply based on labeling (read a great post by Beer in Baltimore on the art of beer labels).  Hoppin' Frog was not one of these impulse buys.  In this case we were browsing the "aisles" at D'vines looking for something different.  A frog holding a beer is certainly different.  No telling what happens when you kiss the frog.  Anyway, this is one Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout.

B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout is quality. It pours thick like molasses and creates a thick dark brown head.  Like any good Imperial stout the body is dark as night.  Like others we've tried, including the oak barreled stouts, the aroma kind of kicks you in the teeth (note: Hoppin' Frog offers a barrel-aged version).  What sets BORIS apart from other imperial stouts is flavor.  Yes, it has the requisite deep roast, full bodied flavor but BORIS has a greater balance of hops than any stout we've tried.  It's thick in  your mouth and goes down very smooth but doesn't fill you up - which is how we were able to pound the entire pint plus bottle.  By the way, it's 9.4 percent ABV so pound at your own risk.  It doesn't crush you, as Hoppin' Frog would have you believe, but BORIS reminds you that it could crush you but it chooses not to. 

This is the first Hoppin' Frog we've seen inside the beltway and they clearly focus on the brew and not the label art.  And that's OK.  If nothing else, this brew should serve as a reminder not to judge a beer by it's label.  While we search for the next great swill to drink we're going to dig up our Atari 2600 and fire up the Frogger.

Summer Time and the Drinkin's Easy

Let's be honest in this post.  We purchased Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale strictly because of our shameless affinity for pinup girls.  This is not the first time we've come across Lagunitas but it is the first time we've come across it in our local grocer's beer aisle.  Which, by the way, has been painfully boring of late.  So, in the end it was part curiosity, part physical attraction, part falling for the new girl in school, and part thirst.

It's been a painfully brutal summer here.  The kind that makes you want to skip the month of August.  We've been surviving the heat wave with equal parts bitching & moaning and Dale's Pale Ale.  You know how it goes - too much of a good thing.  Sumpin' Sumpin' is going to get us through what will surely be the roughest part of this already intolerable summer.  And really, isn't it fun to say "A little sumpin' sumpin'"?  Go ahead, try it.

Sumpin' Sumpin' is a clear, golden, wheat ale that just looks crisp in the glass (how Bud looks in their commercials and how you wish it looked in real life).  As you can see, the head is white and fluffy like a soft pillow.  The aroma is flowery, hoppy.  Sumpin' Sumpin' tastes fresh and as crisp as you expected during the pour.  It's good on the hops but there's not an overpowering bitterness.  We would call it a bittersweet symphony of smoooth summer drink.  It's not overly complex in flavor, which actually makes it the perfect summer ale. 

 

It does have a somewhat dry finish but we think the folks at Lagunitas did that to leave us always thirsting for another.  It worked but be careful - you could finish off a six pack while sitting on the porch before you realize this brew carries a punch.  It's 7.3 percent ABV will take you for a ride if your not careful.

If you don't believe us check out the Lagunitas virtual taste.  We intentionally placed the it at the end because it shames our rubbish.

Rage Against the Beer

What kind of a maroon puts up two posts on the same day?  The same kind that can go a week without posting anything of substance (or anything at all for that matter). 

So, if you follow us on the Twitter you know that we kicked off the evening with the "super dry" Asahi at Sala Thai in Petworth.  That's right, Petworth is the new U Street corridor, bitches.  Asahi is dry but otherwise the Thai version of Budweiser - and that's not necessarily a put down.  It's not necessarily a compliment either.

With friends in tow we decided to get a little crazy, harken back to our college days and see if we could track down some crazy women with the big American breasts.  Turns out they were waiting patiently for us at the local Yes! Market.  What we found was Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian-style IPA. 

Who would combine a Belgian with an IPA?  The weirdos at Flying Dog, that's who.  You can pretend that these guys are crazy because it's trendy but their hero is Hunter S. Thompson and this Crazy Bitch has been around for 20 years.  And if you're honest with yourself it's part of why you love the Flying Dog.  (The other part is because you're on your fourth Bitch of the night - how often can you say that and not get in trouble?)

In our estimation this Bitch is more Belgian than IPA.  That's perfectly acceptable, unless of course you were expecting more IPA than Belgian.  However, if you're a Crazy Bitch who likes it doggie style then this brew is for you.  There really is no other good reason to drink a beer that is more than proud of it's heritage.  In fact, Steadman says you should "[w]allow in its golden glow in a glass beneath a white foaming head...it's pure Gonzo!!"

When poured this beer has the sweet innocent look of blonde hair and blue eyes.  You know, the girl next door type who eats a man's heart - and that's only the appetizer.  The head is thick and foamy but settles well.  There is surely an aroma but we've had several samples this evening so the olfactory senses are appropriately dulled. 

Combining brews is a dangerous game.  It either works or it doesn't - there is rarely a middle ground.  Today was a rather mild mid-Atlantic summer day so perhaps that impacted our view of Crazy Bitch but we're sold.  We are fans of Belgians and we're fans of IPAs so it's not a stretch to imagine this being a good beer for our pallette.  Anyway, this is as technical as we get tonight so no fancy words like "aroma", "pithy", or "full bodied" but for this beer it wouldn't work.  Raging Bitch is chaotic.  So is this post.  If you don't like it you can suck it.



The official video is for wussies.

They're Back!

The brew kettles are up and running once again at Flying Bison Brewing Company (FBBC).  First reported on their Twitter page, FBBC started brewing yesterday.  According to Twitter and Facebook, our favorite drink Aviator Red is just a few weeks away.  We're hoping they have it out in time for the 4th of July holiday as we'll be in the neighborhood.

More good news reported by the Buffalo News today: "All of the paperwork is signed and filed, and the sale of Flying Bison Brewing Co. to the Utica-based maker of Saranac beer is all but official, awaiting Matt’s licensing approval in Buffalo."  This will allow FBBC to increase capacity to almost 7,000 barrels.  Just like the early days FBBC will only be available in draft in the short-term but bottling is coming back.  So, we will not be bringing any back inside the beltway when we return but we'll scout out the restaurants of WNY while we are there.

To Ryan, Paul, and Colin we give you a virtual high-5!

Going Rogue in Portland

Our Midwest Correspondents are back - this time with a review of the wonderful offerings of the Pacific Northwest; arguably the best part of the country for microbrew geeks.  Sarah Palin has nothing on today's post.  Oh, and you cannot see Russia from this blog.

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Portland, Oregon has more breweries than any other city in the world, so what better place to spend Memorial Day weekend.  Following is a brief rundown in order of the breweries and pubs we hit in a 2 1/2 days - so many more we wanted to try but our livers said otherwise.

Deschutes Most breweries are all about the hops in Oregon but Deschutes has a large and diverse selection of beer.  One of my favorite beers of the weekend was also my first - Bee Gone Saison, a fruity and just-malty-enough farmhouse ale.  We also really dug Miss Spelt Hefeweizen with its aroma of bubble gum and banana.
 
Rogue The original mecca for beer geeks does not disappoint.  You enter a messy storefront area stacked with cases of bomber bottles.  As it was Friday afternoon, there was a steady line of patrons lining up to buy beer for the weekend.  At the bar, there were over 15 Rogue beers on tap.  I tried a tasting of Mom's Hefeweizen (a bit too pithy), Tracktown Honey Orange Wheat, Issaquah White Frog, and John John Juniper (both Tracktown and Issaquah are breweries owned by Rogue in the area.)  Expected John John to taste like a Christmas tree but it was quite refreshing with just a hint of pine.  White Frog, on the other hand, tasted like a cup o' Christmas with its heavy nutmeg flavor - a bit jolting for the summer.  This location also brews award-winning gin but we decided not to risk adding spirits to our intense drinking schedule.

Henry's Tavern  Although not a brewery, Henry's is a haven for beer lovers with over 50 craft brews on tap.  I fell in love with Vertigo Brewing Apricot Cream Ale.  From the subtle fruity scent to the smooth yet hoppy apricot flavor, this was a winner.

On Saturday we drove down to Corvallis so the husband could see the quaint little Beavers football stadium.  We then drove up through Willamette wine country as I do love a glass of Pinot almost (but not quite) as much as a beer.  What was cool about visiting the small wineries was that many of the wine guys also love or brew beer - when they saw the husband's Rogue t-shirt,  we received helpful (and varied) suggestions on what breweries to check out in Portland.

Golden Valley Brewery Before we hit the wineries, we stopped at this brewpub in McMinninville.  In addition to brewing beer, the owners also have a farm and provide the meat for the pub.  We had an amazing pork sandwich accompanied by a tasting of their 9 brews on tap with Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout standing out.
 
Heater Allen We found Heater Allen in an industrial row of what looked like storage units that were only open for the Memorial Day festivities.  We picked up 4 big bottles to drink that evening while we watched the Blackhawks.  The beer wasn't as interesting as the game except for the Isarweizen.

Hopworks Urban Brewery  After the big win, we hit this recommended organic brewpub for dinner and another beer to celebrate.  The entire facility is green, down to the recycled bicycle lighting and excellent, local ingredients pizza we had for dinner, accompanied by a malty Velvet ESB.

Lompoc  Woke up Sunday morning and hit the divey New Old Lompoc bar and brewery.  Amidst the smells from the previous evening, had a refreshing Heaven's Helles and tasty guest brew Caldera Ginger Pale Ale.

McMenamins Rams Head  Down the street, hit one of the numerous McMenamins locations in the city.  Had their delicious and beautifully-colored raspberry ale, Ruby.  Usually I am not a fan of this fruit in beer because of its cloying sweetness, but Ruby is tart and yummy.

Migration  After lunch we hit the newest microbrewery in city, just opened a week earlier, with only one beer on tap so far - MPA (along with a nicely edited guest brew list).  They have a great patio so the place will be rocking during the summer.

Lucky Labrador  This is my favorite brewery in Portland, not because of the beer but because of the laid back vibe.  They have a great dog-friendly patio in back and you can throw peanut shells on the floor inside.  The beer is a bit too heavy and hoppy but we made do with the Hellraiser ESB and Black Lab Nitro Stout.

Green Dragon  This is an amazing place to try Northwest craft brews that you don't see in the Midwest or Eastcoast.  They have a front 20 and a back 30 of only the most interesting beers on tap.  By the time we hit Green Dragon, we could only try one, our last beer of the trip.

We ended our stay with an amazing dinner at Le Pigeon and some wine.  I could also go on about the farm-to-table mantra of so many restaurants in Portland but that is for a different blog.
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Saints We are Not

When you purchase a beer named for a saint there's a fairly good chance it's a quality brew.  Perhaps the brewers take it more seriously when religion is brought into the mix (bad pun intended) or perhaps its the fear of eternal damnation.  We have it on a tip that there's no beer in hell.

Today's beer is named for the 750th Anniversary of the Augustinian priory in Clare - the original home of the Nethergate Brewery.  So, it's not named for a saint but a priory is "a house of men or women under religious vows headed by a prior or prioress" so we're close enough.

Nethergate is located in Stour Valley, UK.  When a brew comes from across the pond we assume it's from a brewery established long before these United States.  Nethergate, however, was established in the 1980s.  That's right, Nethergate was born in the same generation that brought us Flock of Seagulls.  To be fair, the '80s also brought us Spinal Tap.

Augustinian is "bottle conditioned" and pours a dirty gold color with a creamy white head.  The aroma is fruity and citrus and be warned because it may lead to disappointment upon your first sip.  Take a couple of swigs to really appreciate what the beer has to offer.  By the mid-pint mark you'll be ready to open a second bottle.

Overall, the taste is malty followed by slight hoppy bitterness.  There is a strong but not overpowering carbonation that kind of lingers on the pallette.  This ale finishes clean, dry.

Augustinian Ale is a good summer beer, which is fitting because it's 90 degrees and humid in this house and not much different outside.  The bottle is just over a pint and our trusty assistant tracked this down at the local Whole Foods. 

Bait and Switch at Chicago Craft Beer Week

It's always a treat to have somebody do your work for you.  Delegate people.

Thanks to our good friends on Michigan Ave in Chicago - Dumbarton's Official Midwest Correspondents.

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Another week in Chicago, another craft beer event.  After tasting as many new tappings as possible during the fantastic Craft Brewers Conference  in April, the much smaller and lamer Chicago Craft Beer Week  has hit town.  Half of the events take place in the far suburbs which certainly doesn't qualify as "Chicago" and driving an hour just to drink beer is not the best idea (except when you're in San Diego.)


We hit a new brewpub in trendy Wicker Park, Moonshine, which promised a special release for this event - Hymie Weiss.  We love a weiss beer and were looking forward to the festivities and perhaps one of us (the non-married one) meeting a beer-loving man.  Upon arrival at the bar, which is decorated in a cheesy southern-trash theme, the staff knew nothing of the event and no weiss was on tap.  We made the best of it with a lovely amber-colored and malty Longshanks Scotch Style Ale and a similar - just heavier and maltier - Morning Wood Dark Mild.   We then tried their generic Piston Broke Special Pale Ale and after 3 pints and an unfortunate impression of beer week, we decided to head home to watch the Blackhawks rule once again away from home ice.  


Breweries are popping up in Chicago faster than you can drink a 16% Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout and not all are great but we are getting a good buzz checking them out.  We apologize for no accompanying photos as the new Blackberry takes even worse pictures than the old one.  Thank you to the Dumbarton Brewmaster for allowing a Midwest Report from Heidi and Kristen!
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Ahhh, the Squishy Middle

Sometimes the squishy middle kicks the most ass and we have just the example.  We bummed around Stone Brewing waiting for the witching hour (ok, 4:00 pm), when Lost Abbey is open to the public for tastings.  Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey is what you expect from a solid micro-brew company.  It's kinda working class, kinda grungy, and from the moment you walk through the door you know you're not cool enough to hang out there.  I mean, you sit on kegs covered with some dextor-maltose-something-or-other-fake-sugar, for crying out loud.

Port/Lost Abbey has a wonderful lineup on tap.  Unfortunately, we were allowed to try none of them thanks to the California Department of Health.  Apparently, state government employees in CA work on Friday afternoon (unlike what we are accustomed to inside the beltway).  The DOH dropped by and shut down the draft brews because the brewery does not have a washable ceiling.  The good staff at Port/Lost Abbey don't know what that means either.  On the plus, we were permitted to run wild with the bottled brews - and we celebrated a staff birthday.

A friend recommended The Angel's Share but we took the staff recommendation and settled on Old Viscosity.  We have a natural born affinity for cars - and dark, strong ales - so Old Viscosity was really the only choice.  As advertised, it's dark as motor oil and makes you wish you were drag racing with IHRA.

Special thanks to the California State Government.

I see London, I see France...

The Brews

Happy Birthday to you...

the Ivory Tower

I Left My Wallet in Escondido

So, we stumbled our way to the left coast for the second time in six months and found ourselves plastered face first in an eerily familiar place - San Diego's Gas Lamp Quarter.  Sadly, it seems we're only allowed in San Diego for business purposes but while there we did manage to find some fun in the sprawling surroundings.  In fact, we found so much fun it's too much to put into one post (never fail to seize an opportunity for laziness).

Today we bring you the first and last of our trip - leaving the squishy middle for tomorrow.

Stone Brewing Company
Overall, the building (pictured below) was disappointing.  The atmosphere is best described as corporate and cold.  Sure, we get that "stone" and "cold" go hand in hand but you would expect these arrogant bastards to be aiming more for stone and "cool" or stone and "badass."  Instead, you get stone and corporate.  The food was good.  The beer was better (particularly our Ruination IPA).  Still, you leave the place thinking that the gargoyle motif is little more than a marketing gimmick.

So, while the atmosphere wasn't everything you might expect in a brewery the staff were excellent and friendly.  There was a steady stream of locals coming through to purchase kegs, which is a testament to the quality of beer.  There are a lot of breweries in the San Diego area so this wouldn't be at the top of our list.  However, we'll still drink their beer.

Stone has this weird atrium type thing.  It was like going to the beirgarden - with my mom.

Um, would a sign kill you? Something that maybe indicates a brewery?

San Diego Brewing Company
The San Diego Brewing Company is quaintly located in a strip mall off a major thoroughfare.  You know, the type of locale that says "Oh, right; I need an oil change."  The magic happens on the inside. 

SDCB is a wonderful mix of in-house brews and micro-brews from across the land.  It's the type of place where you order a beer and watch the game.  So, that's what we did.  On one television we're watching Sharks-Red Wings.  On the next television the NFL Network highlights the Buffalo Bills Super Bowl XXV season.  Aside from the last 2 minutes of the Bills highlight reel we were in heaven.

The staff were friendly and more importantly answered endless questions about both the beer and food menus.  The inhouse brews were very good, having sampled the Old Town Nut Brown and Hopnotic.  We followed up with John Henry's 3 Lick Striker Ale - we were warned about its power but we hit the bottle anyway.  We attempted to sober up with a monster burger and fries - apparently a house specialty.

Hey, where is the Jiffy Lube?

 Yup, it's a sippin' beer.

Tomorrow:  the squishy middle.

One Bourbon, One Beer, One Bottle

It's been a particularly trying weekend matching wits with double trouble.  As usual, we lost and remain witless.  The twins are down for the evening and there is literally no hockey being televised inside the beltway (assuming you have DirecTV).  So, we are kicking back and pretending we don't like to watch AFV while nursing a Goose Island 2009 Bourbon County Brand Stout.

Brewed as the 1,000th batch from the original Clybourn brewpub, Bourbon County comes in a 650 ml bottle and pours thick and dark.  The head is dark brown and pours nice but breaks down quickly.  By the time you are a few sips into a pint there are but a few faint bubbles remaining.  The aroma is caramal and chocolate with a bit of bourbon on the back end.

Bourbon County has a prominent chocolate flavor and drinks like a bourbon and a brew all in one bottle - meaning it warms as it goes down but like a good stout it goes down thick and creamy.  Exactly what you're looking for when your ears are still ringing from the screaming and your nerves are shot to hell.  The spicy, hoppy finish lingers on the pallette.  We are not thrilled with the sweet start and spicy finish but it certainly didn't stop us from kicking the bottle.  It's 13 percent ABV so we refuse to be held accountable for grammar and speling.  Note: we are never accountable for anything.

Beer aged in barrels is just the lastest trend in microbrews.  It's a trend we like but more importantly it shows that microbrews continue to be flexible and nimble; pushing the envelope of how to brew good beer.  We're not sure what the next trend is but we will enjoy this one while it lasts.