This weekend, I began by playing poker with the fine fellows on Bellevue street, Ian and Joe, as well as a Mike, another Micah and a Tim. Things went up and down as poker is want to do, and the drink of choice for me was Basil Haydens Kentucky Bourbon. Quite delicious, and a wonderful drink for a long sippin evening. It didn't hamper my winnings either as I walked away with double what I put in. Sorry guys, you'll get me next time (wink).

Also this weekend, had a couple of pints of New Belgium Brewing Company's Porch Swing Single Ale. This is one of my favorite (okay so I always say that, but wait for it...) SEASONAL ALES. Hah, a new category of beers to call my favorites. Anyway, it has an interestingly esthery taste that comes from the belgian yeasts used. Very smooth, not too hoppy, with a good edge of the fruity esthers that are a hallmark of Belgian ales. Get it while it's good though, it's part of the New Belgium's special release line and is only in stores for 4 months (not sure how long it's been out already, so buy some).

For those of you that went to one Oktoberfest or another, let me know how things went, and what you tried. We'll try to get it up. (No pun intended)

I just heard about this...

For the second time, the Elysian Brewing Company and Public House has won the Great American Beer Festival award for best large brew pub and brewer. Congratulations go to Dick Cantwell on such a fine job. Several beers from the Elysian have also won honors in their categories. For awards click here.

Tasting notes from the annual celebration of all things German and/or autumnal that was the 2003 Fremont Oktoberfest, which I carefully transcribed (read: hastily scribbled) in the margins of my festival program.  I attended with my wife, Nicole, and her friend Sarah, as well as Sarah’s significant somebody Tim.  Tim is a good person to know and attend beer tastings with, seeing as how in addition to being a swell fella, he works for a major distributor of the aqua vitae in our humble state and has a real appreciation of finely crafted brews and the breadth of experience to back it up.

 

After careful perusal of the very handy program, I made my selections.  Having experienced probably 75% of the offerings, my choices were easier in many cases, but there were enough beers I hadn’t experienced that I made the difficult choice not to say hello to some old, beloved friends like North Coast’s Old Rasputin (a good pal since 1996) and focus on the beers I hadn’t yet tried.  First to fall was Manny’s Pale Ale, from the Georgetown Brewing Company.  Manny’s is relatively new on the local brew scene, being the latest offering from a few of the same folks that brought us Mac and Jack’s African Amber.  I had heard great things about this beer for the last couple of months, and felt it was time to introduce myself.  Rarely has a beer (or much else, for that matter) lived up to the hype, but Manny’s did so in spades.  The crisp flavors of the hops were obviously the centerpiece of this unfiltered beer, full-bodied with a fresh aftertaste that was mellow in spite of itself.

 

Next up was Bert Grant’s Fresh Hop Ale (Fall or Oktoberfest Harvest Ale).  Bert Grant has rarely disappointed me with an offering, though the Mandarin Hefeweizen (also available at Oktoberfest) had underwhelmed me previously.  The good folks at Grants offered up slices of orange to cleanse the palate, which produced mixed results…the first sip of the Fresh Hop Ale was almost sour, due to the relative sweetness of the orange, and prepared myself for the worst.  However, after continued sipping, I found the ale to be a refreshing, easy drinking beer.  The hop flavors were again pronounced, due to, as the description in the program bragged, “fresh-picked Cascade Hops are rushed to the brewery 20 minutes after they are picked and plunged into the brew kettle.”  The difference this caused in the body of the beer was obvious after a few sips – this ale tasted fresher, and I visualized rows of hops on the vine, rather than the truckloads of drying hops seen traveling down the roads of this state.

 

Next was the unfortunately under-flavored O’Brien’s Harvest Ale from Hale’s Ales.  The beer was full-bodied enough, but the taste was relatively bland and uninspiring.  However, it did not fall flat on its face like the next offering from Deschutes, a Summer Seasonal Limited Test Release with no other name at this time.  I hope it stays that way, as both Tim and I found it had much to be desired.  It was crafted to appeal on “sizzling summer days in the Oregon High Desert,” though I think water would be better suited than this beer, a disappointingly light, spicy ale whose clear, golden color that should have warned me off.  On the bright side, it did cleanse the palate.

 

At this point in the afternoon, Tim and I walked past the Big Sky Brewing Company booth, where we were surprised to see new aluminum bottles on display from the folks at Big Sky.  Apparently these will soon be gracing the shelves of all of the stores in our region as part of a permanent change-over from Big Sky in an attempt to stand out in a crowded microbrew field.  The bottles were gorgeous, and make quite a bit of sense – environmentally friendly, easier to chill, and hold a half an ounce more beer than glass bottles of the same size and weight.  A very clever ploy backed up by a decent beer, tasted many times in the past.  I moved on to other beers, but Tim pronounced the Powder Hound Ale as a solid offering.

 

The beer I moved on to was another adequate contribution to the Oktoberfest Ale field, Redhook’s Hoptoberfest.  A well-developed beer with a brilliant amber color, not as robust as one might have hoped, but a leaving pleasantly understated smoky aftertaste likely caused by the specialty malts used:  Crystal and Bamberg Smoked, according to the description.  Plus, it’s certified Kosher, which never hurts.

 

A change of pace was in order, and Scuttlebutt’s Weizenbock was beckoning.  I’ve enjoyed this beer on numerous occasions, and was pleased once more.  It boasts 8% abv but doesn’t taste like it, not at all overpowering but spicy and smooth with an agreeable aftertaste that reminded me of nutmeg.

 

Sadly, the pleasantly spicy nature of the previous beer set me up for a disappointment.  A guilty pleasure for me appears this time each year on the shelves of local QFCs and Cost Plus World Markets in the form of Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale, a wonderful ale full of all the spice and body of Mom’s Pumpkin Pie.  Pacific Rim Brewing Company was offering their Pumpkin Patch Ale, an amber mashed with pumpkin and spices, and the Weizenbock put me in the mood for something of this nature.  However, this insipid contribution to Pumpkin Ales was woefully watered down and underflavored.  It appears that I may have been spoiled by Buffalo Bill’s, and I look forward to many more years of being spoiled in the same manner, but not by Pacific Rim.

 

Disheartened by the my last selection, I trudged over to the Far West Ireland Brewing Company recalling an earlier recommendation by Tim, who had enjoyed their Smoke Fest lager.  I was overjoyed to find his advice proven wise by this smoked marzen.  Upon first sip, I declared it “best of fest” and set to enjoying it to the fullest.  The head held up better than any other offering, and the deep, dark, amber color was mirrored by a truly full body of malty sweetness whose aftertaste gracefully disappeared after a few lovely moments in the mouth.  The smoky taste paired excellently with the food choices made by my wife and I at the time, a blackened salmon salad and a fine polish sausage.  A fantastic beer.

 

Murphy’s Law being what it is, I was let down by my next selection, Baron Brewing’s Munich Lager.  Other attendees compared the taste and smell to “hamster poo”, though I think it would perhaps be more accurate to say it was reminiscent of alfafa.  Very little malt flavor was in the beer at all and I drank it rather quickly, rather than attempt to find any good in it.  Determined to give Baron another chance, I tried their other offering, an Oktoberfest beer.  Significantly better than the Munich Lager, this beer had all the sweet smoothness that one would look for in an Oktoberfest beer.  A clean, complex-flavored brew with a rich, malty aftertaste.

 

Running low on time and tasting tokens, Bear Creek Brewing out of Redmond seemed to offer the best value for the end of the festival.  They graced the merry crowds with two beers, the Double Jack imperial IPA, and the Groot Baren Belgian Tripel, both weighing in with a hefty 11% abv.  The Groot Baren was my second to last selection and attracted me primarily with its name, which rolls off the tongue quite amusingly after a few ounces of this mighty beer.  The first sip to hit the tongue was almost cloyingly sweet, but further investigation revealed a full body with cognac-like undertones.  Appearing like an unfiltered apple cider, it was nonetheless a very potent concoction indeed, and was praised by myself and the ladies alike.

 

A final trip to the good folks at Beer Creek introduced me to their Double Jack.  The nearly overpowering hoppy taste served to enliven the complex malts before slipping into a strong but pleasantly short-lived aftertaste.  Another mighty draft, not for the faint of heart.  Beer Creek surprised me with their beers this year; I had been unimpressed by previous exposure to their work, but was quite pleased this year.

 

Overall the day was a rousing success.  As per usual (for the fourth consecutive year) I was so focused on the beer and friends around me that I missed the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving exhibition (no great loss from the hack-job jack o' lanterns I saw as the end result a while later).  Far West Ireland’s Smoke Fest impressed the most, and I hope to find someplace close that offers it on tap soon.  I also was delighted by Bear Creek’s brews, and look forward to visiting their place in Redmond to further investigate their work.  For now, however, I’m off to seek a six-pack of Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale to put away for the first frosty fall evening.

Saturday night a few pals, my wife and I found cause to celebrate. One Joe Tynan had gotten a job (about damn time). For our celebration I decided it was about damn time we went to the Taphouse. I had been there once before and had recommended it to several people as THE PLACE to try beer. Some of those people are now regulars and I had only been once. Shame on me.

[So before we went, I was reading an article on Realbeer.com about an ad in Southwest airlines spirit magazine that listed the ten top places to drink beer in the US, on the list was THE TAPHOUSE in Bellevue WA.]

So off we trekked to drink in a few of the 160 beers they have on tap. Having chosen my tastes carefully I was a little disconcerted when two of my four choices were seasonal and not available. Oh, well, always have back up. I and two of my compatriots took copious notes on the beers we tasted for publishing here, but unfortunately I don't have them here. Look for them later.

Suffice it to say that I was impressed with the selection and the fact (appreciated by beer snobs everywhere) that you can get your beer in the glassware appropriate to the style. We also all signed up for their beer club cards (a free service) that keep track of all the different beers you have tasted while at the Taproom. They claim that the more beers you taste (ie, the more you spend) the more likely you are to be invited to special events and brewers dinners etc. We all decided to give it a shot.

Also discovered today, a great site for the beer drinker seeking more beer knowledge. Michael Jackson the beer hunter has a website published by realbeer.com that is composed of several articles by the consumate beer afficianado as he travels around the world tasting beers. Worth a look or two.

Notes from tasting at the Taphouse coming soon as well as Joe's notes from beers in England and John's notes from the Freemont Oktoberfest in Seattle.

The Philosopher's Drinking Song
(Curtesy of Monty Python)

Immanuel Kant was a real pissant
     who was very rarely stable.
Heidegger, Heidegger was a boozy beggar
     who could think you under the table.
David Hume could out consume
     Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel,
And Wittgenstein was a beery swine
     who was just as sloshed as Schlegel.

There's nothing Nietzshe couldn't teach ya
     'bout the raisin' of the wrist.
Socrates himself was permanently pissed.

John Stuart Mill, of his own free will,
     after half a pind of shandy was particularly ill.
Plato, they say, could stick it away,
     'alf a crate of whiskey every day!
Aristotle, Aristotle was a bugger for the bottle,
     and Hobbes was fond of his Dram.
And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart:
     "I drink, therefore I am."

Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's pissed.

Last week I sat down with my father, Mike, and my neighbors Reed and Casey and had a tasting. I even went full on beer snob with tasting schooners and a pitcher of water to wash the glasses between tastes. I also read the history of each ale (provided on a pamphlet with the gift pack) before each taste. After tasting them, we realized a pitcher of water to cleanse our pallets was just as important as water to wash the glasses.
The ales we tasted were Fraoch Heather Ale, Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale, Alba Scots Pine Ale, and Kelpie Seaweed Ale.
I enjoyed the Alba Scots pine ale the best of the four. It had a sweet finish and a beautiful deep golden color. I really enjoyed the resin flavor and light bitterness imparted by the spruce tips and pine. I intend to try to make a similar spruce tip ale myself sometime.
The Fraoch Heather Ale was my next favorite. It had a similar deep golden color, but the flavor was sweeter and contained a hint of the floral taste from the heather. This ale had very little bitterness and contained a very smooth finish.
My next favorite was the Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale. This was the least unique tasting of all 4 beers. It was good, with a dark malty flavor containing dark coffee notes. The fruity flavor of the elderberries didn't come through strongly, but was present in the background. Overall this was a typical robust porter with a hint of something else.
The last Ale, Kelpie Seaweed Ale, was the most unique of the four. The flavor of the dark malts used was almost, but not quite, lost under the seaweed flavor. Good full body and a smooth ale in general, but I would not recommend it as a stand alone repast. I would make sure to couple this ale with food. The brewery recomends seafood in their tasting notes.
I guess that's it for the first tasting, now I have to set forth a list for the next one. Any theme suggestions? I can't decide between tasting all of a brewery's offerings, or several representatives of one style.

Now that I've got this thing rolling a bit, I want to ask anyone out there that is actually reading this a simple question. What are your 3 favorite beers?

Ok, so for some that's not quite the simple question it seems. I mean, come on, who can limit it to three?!? After some real hard thinking (read drinking) on the subject, I believe I have my three. (I told you I was a beer snob.)
Chimay Gran Reserve (Blue)
North Coast Brewing Company's Red Seal Ale
The Elysian Brewing Company's Ambrosias Maibock


Please write what your three favorite are in the comments section. I have to know what's good out there before I try to taste it all.

Oh Shit, I almost forgot Mac & Jacks African Amber Ale. How could I be so careless. Ok, so my four favorite beers. (Note: Mac & Jacks doesn' t have a website, but I put the link to directions to their brewery curtesy of the Washington Brewers Guild.)

This weekend at a friends housewarming party (and a nice apartment it is too Josh) I consider myself priveleged to have tasted one of the finest scotches I will ever taste in my lifetime. My buddy, Joe, just returned from a trip to Scotland, my adopted homeland via marriage to a McDougall. He brought with him many tales of beauty and wonder and a few bottles of the golden tears of the gods. Apparently he had stopped at scotlands smallest distillery called Edradour. There, for the small sum of £40 (close to $67) he got a fifth of scotch straight from one of their casks. It was ten years old, and a little fierce at first at 120 proof, but with some of the best flavor and essence I have ever had.

I know it's not beer, but it comes damn close, I mean, if you skip the addition of hops, make your wert a little stronger, pitch it with some higher ac tolerating yeast, ferment it twice, and THEN let it rest comfortably for ten years; it's practically beer. Too bad it's illegal to distill any alcohol in the United States for non commercial purposes, aka home distilling. I mean, this scotch was so good, I would spend a good many years of my life attempting to recreate the semblence of flavors that graced my tongue.

Last saturday I brewed for the first time since February, I know, it's been a busy summer. We (My hopbonkle Brewing partners John and Steve and I) decided to brew a porter using the recipe we have employed to the toasts of a few parties, but with a twist.
We did a full grain single temperature infusion mash with 11lbs of two row brown, 1.5 lbs of crystal malt and 1 lb of chocolate malt. We had a 90 minute mash and a 90 minute boil with Cascade hop pellets for the bittering hops and willamette hops for the aroma. (I like to use hops from the northwest in keeping with my northwest heritage as a fifth generation Oregonian).
We use a london ale yeast from Wyeast, and here comes the twist, we added some dried sweet orange peel and a cinnamon stick to the end of the boil. We also added 1 lb of brown sugar to the last five minutes of the boil. I find the brown sugar adds to the fermentable sugars, a touch of sweetness to the finish of the beer, and a good mouth feel to the porter.
I hope the cinnamon stick and orange add a good flavor, we haven't tried much flavoring of beers yet. We dubbed this incarnation of our porter the Thanksgiving porter and hope it turns out well.
Add 5 more gallons to the tally...