3rd Annual St. Johns Winter Beer Festival at Plew's Brews

Yesterday, we stopped by Plew’s Brews for their 3^rd Annual St. Johns Winter Beer Festival. We arrived around 1pm and found the place to be fairly mellow. Almost all of the tables and couches were occupied by folks sipping on beer samples, enjoying conversation and just taking in a relaxing Sunday. We did the same for a few hours with our friends Steve and Jeff.

Trevor, of Thurston Beer Events and many other things beer was manning the glass and ticket counter. He gave us some guidance on which beers to try and even came by to let us know when they changed out a keg. This is why we love Trevor! We were fortunate enough to try some uncommon brews, meaning not easy to find on tap. The ones that struck a chord with my taste buds were:

Fort George:  Balzac Barleywine
Ninkasi:         2011 Imperial Stout
Stone:           Stone Farking Wheaton WOOt Stout

Everything we sampled was decent though. No complaints here. We heart winter beer! Sunday was the perfect time to go too. There were no lines and a majority of the beers on the list were still active. The only complaint I have is that I wish I could have made it down for more of the festival. A big thank you goes out to Plew’s and Crew for making this event one of our favorites every Holiday season.

Santa's List (click to enlarge)

You'll find 2-legged and 4-legged friends at Plew's

Little Drummer Boy gives the
St. Johns Winter Beer Festival
5 stars!

There is a storm "brewing" in Cascade Locks

Brenda and Tandra at the grand opening of
Thunder Island Brewing

Guest bloggers Mark and Brenda, headed to Cascade Locks to sample new craft brews and report from the beer front lines:

After hiking in the Gorge on this beautiful fall day with our friend, Tandra, and our dog, Raymond, the whole crew found ourselves hungry and thirsty. We headed to Cascade Locks to enjoy some burgers and homemade veggie burgers at the Waterfront Cafe. The fries were crispy and the pear and apple salad was fresh and delicious. Then, it was on to the event that we had been waiting weeks, dare we say months, to attend: the opening of Thunder Island Brewing.

Mainbrew In Hillsboro To Have Taproom

I found out some great news today from Mainbrew Owner, Kevin when dropping off an order of Eyeluvbeer goodies. The sign on the outside of their building says it all!

That’s right Hillsboro, Mainbrew is expanding. Kevin stated that they're taking over the adjacent space and will have 40 taps flowing. This will be a major upgrade from their current system which only has a handful of taps. The new taproom will also feature a food menu and Kevin said the plan is to offer food that pairs well with different beer styles. The space is tentatively scheduled to open sometime in October. For all the latest developments I would stay in touch with their Facebook and/or Twitter page.

Migrating Towards A Cure

I’m always one for backing a good cause, but this weekend finds me out of town. What does this mean? It means you can still attend and show your support. Migration Brewing will be hosting their second annual ‘Migrating Towards A Cure’ event this Saturday, June 29^th. The beneficiary for his year’s affair, CHAP (Children’s Healing Art Project).

Below, please find the particulars from Migration's press release:

Saturday June 29^th 2013 12PM to close will mark Migration’s 2nd annual Migrating Towards A Cure. This annual event is an effort to assist local families and organizations that are working towards curing and working with those who have been diagnosed with severe illnesses and disabilities.

12 Days Changed Me, I Hope

It has been 12 days since I've had a beer¹. If you know me, you’re probably saying “yeah, right.” It’s true. I ended up participating in my first ever cleanse, which of course did not allow alcohol. It was a real challenge for the first 2-3 days, but after that my mind and body adjusted. For ages, I would typically consume 3-5 beers/night during the week; more on the weekends. It was habit. I wasn't getting inebriated, but it would probably be fair to say I had, or potentially still have a problem. Fortunately, the 12 day cleanse I did through Nourish Northwest with Olivia Martino provided me with a new perspective. Over the past 2 weeks I have noticed a definite increase in my energy level and I have had far less ups-and-downs throughout the day. I’m not blaming my love, beer, for bringing me down before, but it was certainly a contributor. Prior to the cleanse I ate pretty well, but I’m sure eating cleaner and cutting out caffeine played a role in giving me some of that get-up-and-go.

Stone Brewing Visit

I finally made it to one of the brewery mother ships, Stone Brewing. Over the years I've heard tons of wonderful things about their facility and grounds. While I didn't participate in a brewery tour, I did experience, the experience. Stone is big and beautiful. Okay, so the outside of the building is unassuming; very corporate-office-like. This appears to be the norm in California. It must have something to do with their zoning regulations. We also didn't see a sign indicating that we had in fact arrived at Stone. It was Saturday, so the giant ‘Xerox’ looking building with all the cars in the parking lot, plus the beacon on our Google Maps phone app indicated that we had landed.

Once inside, it was a different world. You began experiencing the transition right after leaving the parking area. A beautiful corridor made up of stone walls and vegetation guided you to the main entrance. We passed over the threshold and into a large foyer area. From there you could see a great deal; the gift shop, the brew area, the bar/restaurant and a portion of the outside grounds. A gift shop is basically a gift shop, but the rest of the place was beautiful. The materials used in the interior construction gave the brewery a very earthy feel. It brought to mind the works of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Green Flash Brewing Quickie!

We're down in San Diego on a 4 day stay mini-vacation. It’s my first extended visit to the area. Of course, we're going to squeeze in a few beer places. Yesterday we did just that. We stopped at Green Flash Brewing to see what they had to offer. Since I'm on vacation, I’m going to cheat and use pictures instead of a bunch text to convey the experience. My words would probably just bore you anyway, right. Besides, everyone loves pictures! Enjoy!

Green Flash HQ in business park setting.

The Oregon Zoo's Annual 'Zoo Brew' is Cancelled

We received some unfortunate news a few months back that The Oregon Zoo’s annual ‘Zoo Brew’ event is no longer. June 1, 2013 would've marked the seventh year for the event that I associated with the gateway to Portland’s summer. Here’s an excerpt from Beth Smith, Event Manager at the Zoo:

“Unfortunately, while support was strong for this beloved community event, upcoming construction impacts across the campus and reduced financial return for the Foundation resulted in this tough business decision.
We determined that as much as we love to host this event, we could more effectively work towards our goal of providing financial support to the zoo’s animal welfare, education and conservation programs by channeling it into other fundraising efforts.”

Regardless, please continue to show your support for this 125 year old, remarkable organization. Here are the many ways that you can get involved: http://www.oregonzoo.org/get-involved

Backwoods Brewing 'Meet the Brewer'

Last Thursday evening we headed out to the Backwoods. The Backwoods Brewing Company ‘Meet the Brewer’ event at Concordia Ale House. Backwoods Brewing laid down its roots in July 2012 in the once timber town of Carson, Washington. Their branding reflects just that. With beer names such as 'Log Yard IPA' and pizzas like 'Lumber Jack', Backwoods pays homage to the town’s beginnings in the late 1800s when sawmills were built using the waters of Carson Creek. At Concordia we caught up with Matt Weber and Tom Waters, Assistant Brewers at Backwoods Brewing. They asked us how we liked their beers. Of the (3) on tap, a Pale, IPA and Amber, we answered with “we thought they were all great!” Backwoods' beer has that wonderful, unfiltered look and flavor, and according to their website the local water plays an important role. We agree!

Clear Cut Pale Ale, Red Bluff Amber Ale and Log Yard IPA

Assistant Brewers, Tom Waters and Matt Weber

From what we could tell it appeared the entire Waters Family and company

Hoppity Hops: 4k and 9k Fun Run + Walk

This is a shout out to all my fellow beer runners. On Saturday, March 30^th Good Sport Promotion brings us the Hoppity Hops 4k and 9k fun run + walk. This well supported event is capped at 5,000 participants therefore register early. Once you hop aboard, you’ll be treated to all of this (and more):

• Fresh coffee and doughnuts from Franz Bakery in the morning
• Yummy treats on the course
• Fun bunny ears for everyone
• Entry into the Spring Beer & Wine Fest*
• Commemorative Spring Beer & Wine Fest mug*
• 4 tokens to fill the mug (or 4 sample pours)*
• Clearly marked, safe course
• A huge team of friendly, support volunteers to help out on course and at the start/finish
• *Spring Beer & Wine package may be exchanged for a free event t-shirt

Costumes are encouraged, so let your creativity shine!

Friday Fun: How Far Will Home Brewing Take You?

Have you ever wondered where home brewing could take you?  Brewer's Friend created this impressive infographic illustrating just how far you could go!  Happy Friday!

Click Graphic to Enlarge

Note:  All spelling and grammatical errors are intentional.

Natian Meet The Brewer & Tasting at Belmont Station

Believe it or not, I was in Southeast again last night for a ‘Meet The Brewer & Tasting’ event at the place I wish I lived next door to, Belmont Station. Ian McGuinness, Owner and Brewmaster at Natian Brewery was on hand pouring cans of Old Grogham IIPA, Undun Blonde, and CuDA Cascadian Dark Ale to a constant flow of folks wanting a taste. For a solid 3 hours Ian answered questions about his beer; something you can tell he enjoys doing. Meanwhile, in Belmont’s Biercafé I enjoyed Natian’s draft selections, Lumberjane Imperial Stout and Elephante India Red Ale. I’ve tried most of Natian’s standard brew, but tonight I was treated to a new-ish release, the Elephante IRA. I will say, IRAs haven’t caught on with my taste buds, but they did enjoy the 8.45350568 ounces of Elephante. It was dry, hoppy, not real sweet, and had a pleasant bitterness brought on by the use of Zythos Hops. If you’re a fan of this style of beer I think you’d be pleased. After the IRA I went on to Natian’s Lumberjane; an imperial stout that ranks up there with the best. It has incredible sex appeal. You’ll want to gaze at it for a few minutes in the glass before you wet your tongue with its smooth, smoky, coffee roast flavor. I’ve had Lumberjane before, but I forgot how much I enjoyed it. Lumberjane made my Monday. Of course, it was also a pleasure to catch-up with the Natian crew, see my friends and fellow band mates, Ross and Teresa, and speak with Carl, who introduced me to former, long-term Full Sail Brewmaster, John Harris.

Photo Gallery 

(Taken with my Hasselblad H4D-200MS)

Temple 

Ian in action 

Natian's Elephante India Red Ale 

David and Ian of Natian, Nameless Gent, and
Belmont's CBO, Carl Singmaster 

Always a great draft selection at
Belmont Station

Note:  All spelling and grammatical errors are intentional.

Giganitc Brewing - Finally!

Finally! We made it! Saturday evening we conquered the impossible. We crossed East Burnside and entered SE. Destination --- Gigantic Brewing. For some reason NE Portland never wants us to leave. Yet, miracles occasionally occur, like the one on ice in 1980 when the U.S. defeated The Soviets at the Winter Olympics. In our delusional minds, we felt we beat the odds and went on to take the gold.

After days of driving (7.3 miles, 19 minutes according to Google Maps) we arrived at Gigantic’s industrial, pre-fab building, which brought to mind Amnesia Brewing’s N. Mississippi location. However, Gigantic’s location is actually in an area zoned Industrial. There are indeed benefits associated with this: parking was a breeze, the tasting room wasn't crowded, finding a seat was easy, and grabbing a pint was painless. The only drawback - lack of food. We would've stayed longer if Gigantic offered something to eat, or if we could’ve brought some food in from a non-existent, neighboring restaurant. In Gigantic’s defense, I did read the following on their website under FAQs:

Inn Beervana: Portland's Beer Guesthouse

Twitter may actually have a purpose in life. The other day I came across a tweet from Brian Yaeger, beer writer extraordinaire. Seriously, this guy has quite the writing track record according to his 'New School' bio. The man has a Master’s in Professional Writing with a thesis on beer, is the author of ‘Red, White, and Blue: An American Beer Odyssey’ and is actively working on a guidebook to Oregon breweries.

Okay, enough about Mr. Yaeger. Well, maybe not. Brian’s tweet, which was a re-tweet, turned me on to another facet of his life. He and his wife, Kimberley run a beer-themed B&B. A B&B (Bed & Beer) appropriately named ‘Inn Beervana’. Located in the Hawthorne District of Southeast Portland, the Inn is just minutes from downtown and within walking distance of the famed Horse Brass Pub and Belmont Station, as well as numerous tap houses, restaurants, food cart pods and parks. I haven’t been a guest at the Inn, nor do I know anyone that has, but judging from the details and excellent reviews I would not hesitate to recommend this place. On top of that, they have reasonable rates, allow dogs and donate a portion of each booking to Habitat for Humanity-Portland, All Hands Raised (Portland Schools Foundation), & the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation (creating scholarships for brewers from the PacNW). Oh, and when you check-in, a mixed six-pack of Oregon craft beer will be patiently waiting for you in the fridge. What’s not to love!

Fantastic hand painted hops on the wall
Photo. Credit: Lara Ferroni

Middle Ages Brewing Company

When I set my self-made time machine to the 10^th century I figured I'd end up in The Middle Ages. However, there must have been an internal equipment failure, because instead I found myself 3 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time in Syracuse, NY at Middle Ages Brewing Company. Middle Ages Brewing is the only full production brewery in Syracuse and has been owned and operated locally for 18 years. They are inspired by the British Brewing tradition and their ales are handcrafted using only the finest ingredients including malt imported directly from England.

Storming the Castle

My mom, sis, wife and I arrived at Middle Ages on Christmas Eve five minutes before closing. They welcomed us in and asked what we’d like to try. As busy as they were filling growlers, we were quickly given a number of free samples to taste. Everything we had

Hale’s Ales 30th Anniversary at Concordia Ale House

Last night around 8pm we headed over to Concordia Ale House for Hale’s Ales 30^th Anniversary celebration. Hale’s is the oldest, independently owned craft brewery in the Northwest. Established in 1983 by Mike Hale, the brewery produces approximately 8 standard beers and has several seasonals flowing at various times throughout the year. The story on Hale’s is worth a read. It even features a timeline about Mike and the Brewery from 1965-1998. Click your mouse here for more info: http://halesbrewery.com/about_full.htm

So, my wife has been taking a break from beer this entire month, but when she heard Supergoose was going to be on draft she elected to bend the rules. It’s one of her favorite beers, and I think highly of it also. For Hale’s 30th, Supergoose was being served up special. It was being run through a randall filled with fresh hops. We were looking forward to trying it this way. Unfortunately for us latecomers Concordia only had one more pint left of the randalled beer. I ended up ordering Hale’s Wee Heavy Winter Ale and we shared the last pint of fresh hop Supergoose. By sharing, I mean I managed to get two sips. We both found the

Eyeluvbeer Receives $100,000 Donation!

To my surprise an anonymous donor made a $100,000 donation to Eyeluvbeer. The money order arrived today. I was in shock when I opened the envelope and extremely overwhelmed by the generosity of the person(s) that made the kind contribution. They sent a note along with their donation stating the following:

Dear Eyeluvbeer:

We love your shit! You make some kickass beer t-shirts, stickers and brew bags. Thanks for spreading the beer love!

Cheers,
Anonymous

I’m not certain what I’ll do with all the money, but I know I’ll be buying everyone a round this evening at Bridgetown Beerhouse's 4^th Anniversary Party!