Chattering-Magpie-blog
It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas.
Holiday ales is dangerous territory. These winter warmers tend to be heavier on the malt and much higher in alcohol. Caution is advised. Beers for sipping and enjoying slowly, not chugging.
That said, here’s the beers I and my cohorts sampled over two days.
12/05/09
Hair of the Dog
Portland OR
Jim 2009
Strong Blend
9% alcohol
Sweet but not cloying, with a rich velvety mouth-feel. The flavors play in the middle of the palate. A hint of hops in a lingering aftertaste. With a high alcohol content, best savored in small doses. Karen says, “It tastes like Christmas.”
Golden Valley Brewery
McMinnville OR
Tannen Bomb
Winter Warmer
6.1% alcohol
35 IBUs
Aging in oak barrels give it a hint of Oregon’s famous Pinot Noir. Smooth and gentle, not too sweet or too heavy. A nice accompaniment to a good meal.
Bear Republic Brewing Co
Cloverdale CA
The Grizz Barrel-Aged with Blackberries
Aromatic and tart, something different for winter. The taste of blackberries dominates all other flavors. Try it instead of port after dinner.
Vertigo Brewing
Hillsboro OR
Arctic Blast
Vanilla Porter
5.7% alcohol
25 IBUs
Like cookies with your beer? This porter combines two great flavors in one. Like crumbling vanilla wafers into Porter. Additional coffee and chocolate flavors make this a nice dessert beer.
Bear Republic Brewing Co
Cloverdale CA
Imperial Stout
Baba Yaga
11.4% alcohol
110 IBUs
Will put hair on your chest. Thick mouth-feel, creamy with espresso overtones. You can taste the high alcohol content, so watch out. The aftertaste takes a gentle hold on the sides of the tongue, keeping a firm grip.
Collaborator
Portland OR
Sled Crasher
Winter Warmer
6.8% alcohol
42 IBUs
Hoppier than most winter brews, but with a decent dose of malt for warmth. A refreshing, palate cleansing alternative to many over-malted winter beers. Overall a good balance, especially for the hop-obsessed Northwest palate.
Widmer Brothers Brewing
Portland OR
Cherry Oak Doppel Bock
Doppel Bock
9% alcohol
35 IBUs
Fruity with specific hints of cherrywood in the aftertaste. Well-balanced, flavorful, all-around good dubbel. A reliable winter beer.
Laht Neppur Brewing
Waitsburg WA
Winkle Warmer
Spiced Holiday Ale
8% alcohol
46 IBUs
The spice must flow. But perhaps not so much. This winter ale is rather heavy on the cloves. A bit of hops give it balance, but it’s still a specialty beer. You have to really like the taste of cloves and other spices usually found in pumpkin pie.
Not sure which brewer
Stout, maybe
Some beer that E found and he can’t remember where. Thick and sweet, with heavy chocolate and espresso overtones. Black as night, sweet as sin. To be savored slowly, in front of a roaring fire on a blustery night. A classic stout, whoever makes it.
12/06/09
Upright Brewing
Portland OR
Holy Herb
Farmhouse Winter Ale
6.9% alcohol
18 IBUs
A strong initial hit of mint fades out to a generally medicinal aftertaste. No wonder, given this ale is brewed with hyssop. I’ve never heard of it either. An acquired taste that is a refreshing alternative to the typically heavy sweet ales of winter.
Fort George Brewery
Astoria OR
North III Tripel
Belgian Style Tripel
8.8% alcohol
50 IBUs
Very foamy, thick, black, and bitter. Lays heavily on the breadth of the tongue.
New Belgium Brewing Co
Fort Collins CO
Trip II
Belgian style
Spicy and sweet with flavors of cardomon and orange. Lingers at the upper back of the palate. Slight bitterness clings to the sides of the tongue.
Ninkasi Brewing Co
Eugene OR
Unconventionale
Imperial Stout
10% alcohol
70 IBUs
Black and foamy as espresso, hints of flowery herbs. Thick and sweet with an aftertaste that drops off quickly to a long gradual finish. With a high alcohol content, best savored slowly.
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Longmont CO
Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Pilsner
5.3% alcohol
35 IBUs
When you need a break from heavy winter brews, this fizzy little pilsner is just the ticket. Very refreshing but with sufficient gravitas for the season.
Deschutes Brewery
Bend OR
Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror
Barley Wine
10.7% alcohol
51 IBUs
Breathe in the heady aroma of grain, then a sip of sweetness. Tastes of oak and bourbon.
Redhook Ale Brewery
Woodinville WA
Roggenhammer
Imperial IPA
8.1% alcohol
57 IBUs
Big headed and hoppy, flowery, but a bit sweet. A suitable IPA for winter.
Stone Brewing Co
Escondido CA
Bourbon Barrel Arrogant Bastard Ale
American Strong Ale
7.2% alcohol
Strong, yes, with a mystery flavor. Slightly bitter with almost medicinal overtones. Plenty foamy. A slight hint of spice or minerals.
Cascade Brewing
Portland OR
Drie Zwarte Pieten “Sang Noir”
Sour Red Ale
10.2% alcohol
5 IBUs
Tart, tangy, with a high alcohol content; drinks as much as a wine as a beer. Fruity with a bare hint of sweetness.
Anchor Brewing Co
San Francisco CA
Old Foghorn
Barleywine
9% alcohol
Maltiness gives it a rounded mouth-feel. The sweetness of the malt subsides in the most gradual manner, leaving a barely perceptible bitterness on the palate. For the most part, the flavor circulates at the back of the palate.
Comment [1]
Kung-Fu-Diary
The evil mind of a black belt.
I was sitting in a coffee shop with my good friend and training partner, Carol, when Jason, a black belt, sits down to join us. After chatting a little, Jason looked straight at me and said, “This is your black belt test.”
More ...What?
Comment [1]
Magpie-Knits
Meryl's Ski Sweater
This is my sister-in-law’s Christmas present. For 2008.
Meryl’s mother had a blue ski sweater that Meryl inherited. She loved it, but alas, it was lost some where along the way.
All I had to go on was a poor-quality scan of a 28 year-old photo.
More ...
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Chaos theory of beer.
A serious beer aficionado would approach an event such as the Oregon Brewers’ Fest with a plan, perhaps focusing on beers of a particular style, or following a path from malt to hop.
Whatever plan I originally had went by the wayside as soon as we started on Saturday. My plan turned into what’s nearby and has an interesting name.
No beer in particular stood out this year, overall the field was a good representation of the craft. At least it wasn’t as crowded as last year.
I promise I did not drink a full 4oz of each beer tasted. I had some help from E and our friends Gene and Gary.
7/25/09
Terminal Gravity Brewing
Enterprise OR
Festivale
British strong ale
8.3% alcohol
73 IBUs
First impression: it tastes brown, whatever that means. Pretty high IBUs for a winter beer. Nice body, a goodly amount of hops to avoid overly sweet maltiness typical of winter beers. Pleasantly bitter aftertaste.
Track Town Ales
Eugene OR
200 meter
IPA
7.5% alcohol
90 IBUs
If you want a break from overly hopped IPAs but don’t want to give up that hoppy taste, this is the ale for you. Rich golden color, plenty of hops without being overwhelming. Particularly refreshing.
Caldera Brewing
Ashland OR
Hibiscus Ginger Beer
Specialty
4.9% alcohol
Very fizzy, refreshing, and dry. Flavors are present but subtle. It doesn’t drink like beer, almost like a dry rose champagne. Ginger hits underneath the sides of the tongue.
Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka CA
Great White
Witbier
4.8% alcohol
11 IBUs
A very refreshing wit, not as strong on the orange and cardomon as other wits I’ve had. But plenty of fizz and balance. A good summer beer.
Fifty Fifty Brewing Co
Truckee CA
Manifesto
Pale ale
5.5% alcohol
35 IBUs
Reddish in color, appropriate to the name. E likes it. I’m indifferent. Reminds E of a London- style ale, using, as it does, a London ale yeast. A decent all-around beer.
Double Mountain Brewery
Hood River OR
India Red Ale
Red ale
6.5% alcohol
65 IBUs
Another nice all-around beer. E is not impressed. Hoppier than you usually get with red ale. Perhaps a bit on the sweet side but not overly so.
New Holland Brewing Co
Santa Rosa CA
Golden Cap
Belgian
6.6% alcohol
Typical Belgian-style flavoring, well-balanced, but not so sweet as Belgian beers can often be. A nice light touch on the malt. Sour finish, refreshing.
Three Creeks Brewing Co
Sisters OR
Stonefly Rye
Specialty
4.6% alcohol
28 IBUs
Another refreshing summer beer, with some body and flavor and balance.
Boulder Beer Co
Boulder CO
Flashback Anniversary Ale
Brown ale
6.8% alcohol
65 IBUs
Good body, almost meaty, with a rich flavor. Nice malt and enough hops for balance. More of a autumn quaff than a summer libation.
Widmer Bros. Brewing Co
Portland OR
KGB
Stout
9% alcohol
70 IBUs
Inky black and rich with overtones of chocolate and espresso. There’s a little something else in aftertaste that I can’t quite put my finger on. Keeps it from being overly cloying.
Port Townsend Brewing Co
Port Townsend WA
Hop Digiddy IPA
IPA
5.6% alcohol
70 IBUs
Ah, the flowery aroma of hops. Milder than a lot of IPAs, with a more rounded flavor profile. A little sweet for an IPA.
Elysian Brewing Co
Seattle WA
Loser Pale Ale
Strong Ale
7% alcohol
54 IBUs
Pretty mild for a strong ale, so-called. In fact, it’s pretty malty after the initial hit of hops. Sweet, cloying malt flavor lingers on the side of the tongue long after each sip. Perhaps more appropriate for winter. Or maybe it’s just not to my taste.
Oregon Trail Brewery
Corvallis OR
Oregon Trail Wit
Witbier
4.5% alcohols
28 IBUs
Bright and refreshing, as a good wit should be. Classic Belgian flavorings of orange and cardomon are subtle. Goes down easy on a summer’s day.
Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen
Bellingham WA
Dortmunder
Lager
5.5% alcohol
25 IBUs
A classic lager, familiar to the American palette, but with more flavor. An easy beer to to drink.
7/26/09
Bridgeport Brewing Co
Portland OR
Stumptown Tart
Belgian
7.5% alcohol
17 IBUs
Red cherries give this unusual version of a Belgian-style beer its rosy color. The flavor is distinctly bright and dry, definitely sour. An aftertaste of cherries predominates. A refreshing summer brew, but not one to drink in quantity.
Alaskan Brewing Co
Juneau AK
Alaskan White Ale
Wheat
5.3% alcohol
15 IBUs
The aroma is promising, but doesn’t deliver. It’s plenty fizzy, but the flavor profile is flat. Not a lot of interest here, not even much of aftertaste. A little too subtle for even a white beer.
Bear Republic Brewing
Cloverdale CA
Crazy Ivan
Hybrid
7% alcohol
50 IBUs
Flavorful and strong. Hops and malt went head to head in a cage match and the hops won, but just barely. The grudge match continues on the palate long after the last sip. Not a chugging beer.
Pike Brewing
Seattle WA
Monk’s Uncle
Belgian
9% alcohol
32 IBUs
Surprisingly moderate for a beer with such a high alcohol content. Typically sweet with classic Belgian spicing, easier to drink when chilled. But at 9% ABV, drinker be warned!
Ninkasi Brewing Co
Eugene OR
Radiant Summer Ale
Light/Pale
6% alcohol
40 IBUs
The name is deceptive: I expected this beer to be both lighter in color and flavor than it is. Can definitely taste the alcohol. The hops come on stronger than 40 IBU would suggest. Nonetheless, a well-balanced, complex beer, drinkable well into autumn.
Lompoc Brewing Co
Portland OR
Flower of the Gods
IPA
6.9% alcohol
52 IBUs
Lives up to its name with a good initial hit of flowery hops. The effect is ruined, however, by a lingering maltiness that grows in the mouth after the initial swallow. Tastes more like a Belgian than an IPA.
Sprecher Brewing Co
Glendale WI
Mai Bock
Bock
6% alcohol
24 IBUs
A nice break from strongly flavored beers. With more hop flavor than your typical lager, this would be good served chilled on a hot day.
Beer Valley Brewing Co
Ontario OR
Leafer Madness
Imperial Pale Ale
9% alcohol
100 IBUs
The initial taste is not at all too bitter for such high IBUs. But just wait a moment for the hops to build up on the top of the tongue. Flowery aroma and flavor make this a very nice beer. Just watch out for the high alcohol content.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Don't panic, drink organic.
With seventy-five beers, certified organic, and compostable cups, the North American Organic Beer Fest is a beer hippie’s paradise. Lotsa bikes parked outside make this a real Portland event.
I only tasted nine beers but that was plenty for me.
Roots Organic
Portland OR
Gruit Kölsch
Kölsch
5.5% alcohol
0 IBUs?
Beer without hops, an older beer than modern beers. Yes, there was beer before hops. Fruity, citrus overtones. Slightly cloudy. Very refreshing, though the aroma is a little offputting if you’re used to hopped beers.
Santa Cruz Mountain
Santa Cruz CA
People’s Porter
Porter
5.5% alcohol
41 IBUs
Looks like coffee. Smells like coffee. Tastes like coffee. Not too sweet, not too heavy.
Fort George
Astoria OR
Quick Wit
Belgian Wit
5.5% alcohol
<3 IBUs
A Belgian Wit with a Finnish accent. The citrus flavor is lemon instead of the traditional orange, making it taste like a Finnish fermented lemonade called sima. Slightly skunky aroma.
Fort George
Astoria OR
Spruce Ale
Ale
Subtle spicing and spruce tips combine to produce a nicely carbonated beer with no one taste dominating. Very similar to a wit.
Captured by Porches
St Helens OR
Invasive Species IPA
IPA
6.3% alcohol
72 IBUs
Cloudy amber in color, fruity aroma. Not as hoppy as we’d like in an IPA. Rather malty, even kind of spicy in fact.
Eel River Brewing
Fortuna CA
IPA
IPA
7.2% alcohol
72 IBUs
A perfectly reasonable and balanced IPA but not outstanding. Flavor profile is very even, does not stay long on the palate.
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins CO
Mothership Wit
Belgian Wit
4.8% alcohol
15 IBUs
A classic Belgian wit: flavors of orange and coriander and plenty of carbonation make this a perfect summer refreshment.
Nelson Brewing
Nelson BC
Paddywhack IPA
IPA
5.2% alcohol
34 IBUs
Not very hoppy for an IPA. Something a little off on first tasting, maybe too much malt. Then the hoppiness seems to increase as the flavor lingers on the palate. Oddly this beer tastes better after you’ve swallowed.
Laurelwood Brewery
Portland OR
Green Elephant IPA
IPA
One whiff and you’re transported to fields of hops. It just smells green. This is an IPA. Flowery with a bite and a tad of malt to keep it from being overly bitter. Glad I saved this till the end.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Spring Beer & Wine & Cheese & other crap.
This spring event started out with just beer. Then they added wine. Now cheese. And whole lot of other crap. I like to keep my beer tasting and wine tasting separate, but not everyone is so picky.
I was relatively restrained, limiting myself to only a few beers. I have things to do tomorrow.
This is my first beer review posting since getting the iPhone, which makes no difference to anyone but me.
Cascades Lakes Brewing Co
Redmond OR
Blonde Bombshell
Blonde ale
4% alcohol
26 IBUs
Fizzy, sunshine yellow, citrus overtones with a subtle finish. Refreshing without being insipid.
Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka CA
Tangerine Wheat
Wheat ale
5% alcohol
No question why they call it Tangerine. Very fizzy, a little sweet but not overwhelmingly so, the flavor drops off rather quickly.
10 Barrel Brewing Co
Bend OR
Summer Ale
Golden ale
4.7% alcohol
26 IBUs
Color of light honey, a touch of carbonation and a light hoppy flavor. As promised by the name, perfect for summer.
Silver Moon
Bend OR
Panty Dropper Ale
IPA
5.9% alcohol
64 IBUs
Flavorful and flowery, not overwhelming. Drops off quickly to a lingering finish on the sides of the tongue. Hoppy flavor without being excessively bitter.
Big Sky Brewing Co
Missoula MT
Moose Drool
Brown ale
4.3% alcohol
The first time I had Moose Drool was bottled and it was true to its name. On tap, a much better experience: malty and rich, a tad dry. Too sweet for me to drink in quantity, but alright in small doses.
Mad River Brewing Co
Humboldt County CA
Steelhead Double IPA
Double IPA
8.6% alcohol
95 IBUs
High IBUs but not bitter at all. Good balanced flavor with a long finish. Very tasty.
Sierra Nevada
Chico CA
Pale Ale
Pale ale
5% alcohol
33 IBUs
Tasty, amber colored, more flavorful than your run-of-the-mill pale ale. Closer to an amber, really. A rich rounded, mouth-filling flavor.
Chimay
Bavaria Germany
Aventinus
Eisbock
12% alcohol
An aroma of wine and the alcohol content to match. A chocolaty mouth feel, this double bock is made like an eiswein. Just wow. Made in an authentic Trappist monastery they say.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Oh noes, the Twitter is down!
E thinks Twitter is an evil addiction. He may be right. It’s down right now, not even throwing the Fail Whale, and I’m going into withdrawal.
On the other hand, one of our corporate lawyers brought in her two newly acquired Yorkshire terrier puppies. Utterly adorable. Almost as nice as cats.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Vegan baked goods ain't half bad.
It’s good to learn something new every day. Today I learned, done right, vegan baked goods are downright tasty. What’s more, they don’t weigh you down and make you feel slightly sick when you over indulge.
At least, that’s what I’m told. I didn’t eat a dozen cookies or an entire loaf by myself, but I did sample some banana bread (moist, not greasy) and oatmeal cookies at a bake sale.
The trick is to replace eggs with flax seed. That’s right, flax seed. I never would have guessed. Apparently, when crushed and mixed with water, flax seed whips up like egg whites. It adds appropriate body and moisture to the baked goods. Plus, there are good substitutes for butter.
Who knew? Vegans, that’s who.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
This is only a test. If this had been an actual blog post ...
I’m trying out posting directly to my blog from the iPhone. Touch screen one finger typing is still awkward for me. I can touch type with fair speed on a full size keyboard and I’ve gotten pretty good at Grafittis 1 & 2 on the Palm OS over the years. I’m told it will take practice. We just got the iPhones Friday evening. Auto-correction is saving my butt.
Chattering-Magpie-blog
Cocktails and basketball.
We were hanging out the other night at our favorite bar, when the bartender mentioned he had been asked to invent some cocktails in honor of the NCAA.
As it happened, the martini I had just had him mix for me would fit right in that theme: Belvedere vodka with a splash of Clear Creek Distillery Eau de Vie of Douglas Fir and a twist of lime. I christened it The Tall Fir. The first NCAA basketball champions were the team from University of Oregon, nicknamed the Tall Firs.
We brainstormed a few more possible cocktails:
- NCAA: *N*ocello, *C*offee, *A*maretto and *A*bsolut Vanil
- Sweet Sixteen: something sweet and pink with a powdered sugar rim
- Bracket Busters: regional cocktails to honor each geographic region of the NCAA
• Older »
