Thursday, July 30, 2009

Local Celebrity Attempting a BBQ First

“Godfather of the beer-butt chicken” Rick Browne, host of Public TV’s BBQ America, will be attempting a first: barbequing an EMU using the beer-can method at the 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival being held August 1st and 2nd in Portland’s Historic Pearl District. Rick will be prepping the EMU and inserting the beer can for festival goers at 11am on Saturday. The EMU will be ready for sampling around 4pm, that same day.

An EMU is quite possibly the largest bird that this method of barbequing will be attempted on. It will require a bigger barbeque, longer cooking time and of course a bigger can of beer. Now available in 5L cans (1.32 gallons or 169 ounces), Rogue Ales’ Yellow Snow IPA is the perfect beer for the job. The Guinness Book of World Records has been notified...The verdict is still out.

About Rick Browne:
Rick Browne lives in Vancouver, WA, and he’s a writer, photographer, pitmaster, restaurant critic, consultant, and a Doctor of Barbecue, holding an honorary Ph.B (Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy) bestowed upon him by the prestigious Kansas City Barbeque Society for his expertise and commitment to barbecue. He has appeared on Fox & Friends, the TODAY show, Live with Regis & Kelly and CNN, and has been featured in People Magazine and USA Today. For more information on Rick or BBQ America visit www.barbequeamerica.com.

About the Event:
The 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival to benefit the Oregon Zoo will be held August 1st-2nd at the epicenter of Portland’s historic Northwest and Pearl Districts. Festival goers can cool off with a selection of 40+ microbrews from Oregon craft breweries like Rogue, Laurelwood, Amnesia, Eugene City Brewery, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Lompoc, Three Creeks Brewery, Full Sail, Bear Republic and Old Lompoc and more. Barbeque will be available from local restaurants like Cousin Kenny, Slabtown, Famous Dave’s, Nepoe 42, My Brothers, Rib City, T-ROYS, “Da Fat Boyz”, Blow’n Smoke, Rogue “Revolution”, Retro Thyme, and Rick Browne’s BBQ America.

Bones and Brew is a family-friendly event with plenty of activities for all ages. Volunteers from the Oregon Zoo will be hosting educational crafts, buckets of chalk will be available for hopscoth and sidewalk drawings, and kids will get a kick out of face-painters, musical acts, and a designated kid zone.

And don’t forget the four-legged members of your family. Dogs are also welcome at Bones and Brew and can sample gourmet BBQ dog treats, play with other pups in a recreational dog area, and shop local dog vendors. Also for some good clean fun, a dog wash station will be sudsing up and hosing down canines for charity.

Last year, Bones and Brew raised $10,000 for the Oregon Zoo’s new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. All admission donations go to the Oregon Zoo.

The entrance to Bones and Brew is on NW 14th & Flanders. Hours are Satuday, August 1st from 11am-9pm, and Sunday, August 2nd from 11am-7pm. A $3 donation is requested at the door. For more information visit www.rogue.com.

BridgePort Brewing Company Toasts 25 Years of Brewing in the Pacific Northwest


BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is celebrating 25 years of brewing and selling beer to thirsty Portlanders.

The Oregon specialty beer movement began in 1983 when recent UC Davis Brewing Sciences graduate, Karl Ockert, interviewed with vintners Richard and Nancy Ponzi on a side project to start a small high quality, low volume brewery. The three original innovators decided to house the brewery in a three-story, century old refurbished rope factory in Portland’s industrial Northwest neighborhood, now known as the Pearl District, where the brewery still operates today.

After the first year of experimenting, Karl finally landed on a malty and semi-sweet Scottish Ale called BridgePort Ale. Wanting to share their creation with the city, BridgePort held a party on November 7, 1984 to celebrate the opening of the first microbrewery in Portland, and one of the first in the nation. BridgePort operated as a two-man crew for the first year with ideas and recipes shared between Karl and his assistant Matt Sage, who together have worked at BridgePort for the last 25 years.

“We had the whole town in attendance, from then mayor, Bud Clark to a small start up cable news station,“ says Ockert jokingly, “I think their name was CNN? Cable was brand new back then and a craft brewery selling this new type of beer was national news.”

Since the beginning, BridgePort has been heralded by outlets including The New York Times, The World Beer Guide, LA Daily News and The Association of Brewers. In 2000, BridgePort won the gold medal and the Champion Ale Trophy at the Brewing Industry International Awards, making it the first American Brewery to win in the 200-year history of the awards.

Now 25 years older, and a bit wiser, BridgePort is producing more than 45 thousand barrels of beer per year, distributing to 18 states across the Western United States and serving food to patrons at two separate locations in Portland, Oregon.

“Back then people thought you were insane if you wanted to start a brewery that didn’t take up four city blocks,” comments Matt Sage. “We didn’t know if we would be around for three months or 30 years and I’m happy to say we are closer to the 30 year mark.”

BridgePort Brewing Company Holds 25th Anniversary Block Party
On August 15th from 4 – 10 p.m., Bridgeport Brewing Company will close down NW 13th in the Pearl District to celebrate. The brewery’s 25th anniversary bash will feature live music along with BridgePort beer and food.

One dollar from every beer sold at BridgePort’s 25th anniversary party will go directly to The Portland Audubon Society. BridgePort Brewing Company and the Audubon Society of Portland have been teaming up to bring great beer with a purpose to Portland for more than 20 years. The two businesses first partnered in 1987 to produce BridgePort's Blue Heron Pale Ale as a special release specifically for the Audubon Society as they were petitioning with the state to name The Great Blue Heron Portland’s official city bird. Over the years BridgePort Brewing Company has donated the use of the Brewpub many times to allow the Audubon Society to kick off new initiatives and celebrate environmental victories.


What:
BridgePort will close down NW 13th to make way for live music and entertainment from:
· BodyVox - One of Portland's most innovative performing arts companies will perform for guests to start off the event.
· Black Lodge - Come and catch Brewmaster Karl Ockert and the other members of this six-man bluegrass band, including Cascade Brewing Company’s Brewmaster, Ron Gansburg.
· The Brothers Jam - Blending rootsy rock and deep rhythmic grooves, The Brothers Jam, who have been playing together since they were teenagers in Portland, take their audience on an entertaining sonic journey every time they hit the stage.
· Intervision - Fresh off their victory for Best R&B song at the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards, Portland, Oregon’s own Intervision shows no signs of slowing down. Hailed as a modern-day Steely Dan, this young sextet continues to craft sophisticated pop music that is equally soothing, intelligent, and danceable.
· Live Bird Demonstration and Membership Drive – Throughout the event the Audubon Society of Portland will have live educational birds on hand to interact with guests while encouraging non-members to join.

When: Saturday, August 15th, 2009. 4 - 10 p.m. Performances and music start at 5 p.m.

Where: BridgePort Brewpub + Bakery in the Pearl
1313 NW Marshall Street
Portland, OR 97209

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pyramid Launches New Juggernaut Red Ale


Pyramid Breweries introduces Juggernaut Red Ale™, a ruby red fall seasonal beer sure to please many palates and accompany the season’s most ambitious autumn adventures.

New to Pyramid’s line-up, Juggernaut is an American Red ale brimming with delectable caramel malts, delicious hops and an unquenchable spirit. Five different malts produce a rich red color and balanced malt body highlighted by subtle caramel notes. The perfect amount of Simcoe and Cascade hops compliments the full malt character to create a luscious hop nose and finish.

“Better beer drinkers continue to seek out new brew experiences with great seasonal offerings, as recognized by the seasonal craft beers representing the largest craft style,” said Mike Brown, the Commissioner of Inspiration and Aspiration for Pyramid Breweries. “With its complex yet extremely drinkable profile, Juggernaut delivers a winning autumn-inspired brew and the perfect pairing for the season’s tailgating, trailblazing and other fall festivities.”

Juggernaut joins a strong industry-leading seasonal portfolio for Pyramid Breweries including Curve Ball Blonde Ale® (Summer), Snow Cap Ale® (Winter) and a new spring beer launching in February 2010.

Juggernaut will be available August through September on draft and in 12 and 22 oz. bottles, 6-packs, and 12-packs. The new fall brew will also be one of four offerings within Pyramid’s new Fall Variety 12-pack – sitting alongside of Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen, Audacious Apricot Ale™, and ThunderHead IPA®. Juggernaut and the Fall Variety Pack will be available where Pyramid’s other award winning beers can be found.

Juggernaut Quick Facts:
Available: August – September
Malts: 2 Row, Carared, C-120, Carafa II, and Roasted Barley
Hops: Simcoe and Cascade
IBU: 45
ABV: 5.6%

Monday, July 27, 2009

First Annual Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew Festival Rolls Into Bend, Oregon


Lay It Out Events is proud to present the First Annual Little Woody Barrel Aged Brew Festival. This event promises to be one of Bend’s tastiest events, featuring hand crafted, wood aged beer as well as one specialty brew from all of Central Oregon’s seven breweries.

The Little Woody will be the place to be September 12th. Festival goers will enjoy live music, great food, a wood carving exhibition and beer tastings throughout the day and into the night.

The mission of The Little Woody is to celebrate one of Central Oregon’s cultural hallmarks - the great brews created right here in Central Oregon's backyard - and to provide a fun environment for people to enjoy all of those brews in one place.

In the old days, brewers served beer that was aged in oak casks, now brewers are rolling back the barrels for flavoring beer. The Little Woody Festival will shine the light on this ancient brewing technique, as adapted by American craft brewers, by featuring beers aged in wine barrels, whisky barrels and oak barrels, all of which uniquely flavor and intensify the beer.

The Little Woody will take place in downtown Bend on the lawn of the Deschutes Historical Society located on the corner of Wall Street and Idaho.

Featured wood aged brews will be created and served by the following breweries:
Deschutes Brewery
Cascade Lakes Brewing
Bend Brewing Company
Silver Moon Brewing
Ten Barrel Brewing
McMenamins
Three Creeks Brewing Co.

Event hours are Saturday, September 12th from 12pm-10pm.
Admission to the event is just $6 and includes a commemorative glass.
A tasting package is available for $15 and includes a commemorative glass and tasting tickets.
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit the Deschutes Historical Society.

And seriously, how AWESOME is that logo?!?

Friday, July 24, 2009

Sierra Nevada Introduces Exclusive Estate-Made Beer

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is honored to announce the release of Estate Ale—one of the world’s only estate-made beers brewed with 100% all-natural, locally-grown hops and barley, which are produced at the brewery in Chico, California. Inspired by the renowned winemaking region of its Napa and Sonoma neighbors, Sierra Nevada is the first brewery to develop its own terroir. This beer is brewed with ingredients that reflect the flavors of the environment and the seasonal rhythms of nature.

The wine industry is fond of speaking about the individual flavor characteristics that it takes from its environment. This terroir is present in all growing things that are tended with passion and care. The environment that builds flavor is more than simply the soil or the climate: it is also the passion and commitment of the grower. Sierra Nevada’s location near the convergence of the mighty Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges—and its roots in the heart of California’s fertile Central Valley—offer an environment unique in the world. This volcanic backdrop and productive earth each lend character to the water, hops, barley, and yeast.

Chico Estate Ale is the product of years of tending the soil, building an environment around the brewery, and even more years of planning. It began in 2003, with the planting of the first experimental hop yard in the field adjacent to the brewery. Over the years the field grew, and the hops along with it. The quality improved: the rhythm of planting, tending, and harvesting was established. In 2008, the brewery released Chico Estate Harvest Ale for the first time, utilizing the fresh-green flavors of these homegrown hops. The brewery was so pleased with the result that it decided to take it further than anyone else and produce a 100% estate-made beer.

That fall, the brewery made the decision to expand the hop field and plant a test plot of barley on-site. The goal to make an estate beer seemed far-fetched. Countless times, the brewery heard that growing malting barley in the hot, dry Chico climate was impossible. Despite the objections, 26 acres of two-row barley went into the soil in January of 2009. By May, the waist-high green barley was waving in the Northern California wind, and by June, a healthy harvest was a foregone conclusion. The brewery never intended to release a 100% estate-made beer in 2009, but as in all things, Mother Nature dictates and we react. The brewery found itself with thousands of pounds of the finest malting barley and acres of the world’s freshest wet hops: Estate Ale was born.

Sierra Nevada’s estate-made beer is a decades-long dream finally seeing reality. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. prides itself on environmental stewardship and responsible brewing practices. This “Hop Harmony” philosophy is part of a larger movement toward creating a natural and sustainable brewery. Efforts include recycling and composting, water treatment, bio-fuel production, and water conservation. In 2009, a recently completed solar array (one of the largest private installations in the country) combined with four fuel cell generators to produce between 80 and 90 percent of the brewery’s total energy needs on-site.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting Brings Together America’s Top Craft Brewers to Fight Prostate Cancer

All About Beer Magazine, in cooperation with BeerAdvocate.com, will present a premier tasting of rare and exotic beers on Sept. 25th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Wynkoop Brewery in Denver to benefit the Pints for Prostates campaign.

The inaugural Denver Rare Beer Tasting is taking place in the Mile High City during the annual Great American Beer Festival when thousands of beer fans will be in the city. The event will feature a select group of more than 20 of America’s top craft brewers each pouring a legendary beer. These very special, rare and exotic beers will be presented by the brewers who created them to an extremely limited audience.

“We wanted to create a unique event that would give beer fans a one-of-a-kind experience where they can sample some of America’s best beers in a relaxed environment and get the chance to meet some of the biggest names in the beer industry,” said Daniel Bradford, publisher of All About Beer Magazine, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “The Denver Rare Beer Tasting is a chance to enjoy great beer and support a great cause: prostate cancer awareness.”

Money raised by the event goes to support the Pints for Prostates campaign, created in 2008 by Rick Lyke, a drinks journalist and prostate cancer survivor. The campaign uses the universal language of beer to reach men with an important message about the need for regular prostate health screenings. All funds generated by Pints for Prostates benefit the Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a 501(c)3 charity that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer and their families. Us TOO was founded in 1990 and has a network of more than 300 local chapter support groups that help men dealing with the disease.

“This event will be the talk of Denver during this year’s Great American Beer Festival. We have a collection of America’s best brewers serving some of their most sought after beers, all to raise awareness and help fight prostate cancer. It’s great to have All About Beer Magazine and BeerAdvocate.com back the cause,” said Lyke. “Each week 4,000 men in this country hear the words ‘you have prostate cancer.’ The goal of Pints for Prostates is to get men to take charge of their health. This disease, if detected early and treated, is nearly 100 percent survivable.”

A preliminary partial list of participating brewers includes Alaskan, Allagash, Avery, Boston Beer, Bison, Dogfish Head, Foothills, Harpoon, Jolly Pumpkin, Matt, New Belgium, New Glarus, Pizza Port, Rogue, Stone, Stoudt, Victory and Wynkoop. Each will bring a special beer to the tasting.

The event will be held at the Wynkoop Brewery at 1634 18th St. in Lower Denver. Only 450 tickets will be available for the event. Admission, which includes unlimited beer samples, hors d’oeuvres, a commemorative tasting glass and the chance to meet some of America's top brewers, is $55 in advance and $65 at the door. Tickets can be purchased through Etix at www.allaboutbeer.com/pints and at the Wynkoop Brewery. For information call 800-977-BEER or visit www.ustoo.org/pints.

So far in 2009, Pints for Prostates has already held events each in California, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington. In the coming months the group has confirmed participation in the following events:

July 23rd-26th: Oregon Brewers Festival, Tom McCall Park, Portland, Ore.
July 24th: Rogue Distillery & Public House, 1339 NW Flanders, Portland, Ore.
Sept. 17th: The Pub at Polaris Fashion Place, Columbus, Ohio
Sept. 24th-26th: Great American Beer Festival, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Colo.
Sept. 25th: Denver Rare Beer Tasting, Wynkoop Brewery, Denver, Colo.
Oct 2nd: World Beer Festival, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham, N.C.

Additional events are being booked and information will be listed shortly at www.ustoo.org/pints. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (www.twitter.com/Pints4Prostates).

“The growth of Pints for Prostates has been encouraging to watch,” said Thomas Kirk, President and CEO of Us TOO International, which is based in Downers Grove, Ill. “Our mission and program goal is to educate and empower men and their family members so men and their loved ones can take an active role in their health care. With Pints for Prostates we are able to reach a whole new group of men with a critical health message. The more men we reach, the more lives will be saved.”

American Craft Beers at the Great British Beer Festival

The Brewers Association's Export Development Program is planning to participate in the Great British Beer Festival for the second consecutive year. The UK is a market of interest to many Export Development Program members and this is a great opportunity to promote U.S. craft beer in the UK.

Event: Great British Beer Festival
Date: August 4-8, 2009
Location: Earls Court, London

Brewers Association Receptions
The Brewers Association will be displaying an assortment of U.S. craft beers in the "USA and Rest of World" section of the show. This area will be "branded" with U.S. craft beer promotional materials, Brewers Association posters and other materials. It will provide excellent exposure for American craft beers in general and, in particular, for brands already in the UK. "The Great British Beer Festival is an excellent venue to promote U.S. craft beers in the UK and northern Europe," states Bob Pease, Brewers Association Vice President, "our Export Development Program members find great value in this event, which is why we are back for a second year."

During the week of Great British Beer Festival, the Brewers Association will also be hosting a series of receptions for importers, distributors, retailers and media where beers from Brewers Association Export Development Program member breweries will be exclusively showcased.

The following Brewers Association Export Development Program members are participating in the Great British Beer Festival by sending beers:

Alaskan Brewing Co
Anderson Valley Brewing Co
Ballast Point Brewing Co
Big Sky Brewing Co
Boulevard Brewing Co
Caldera Brewing Co
Coronado Brewing Co
Deschutes Brewery
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Firestone Walker Brewing Co
Flying Dog Brewery
FX Matt Brewing Co
Great Divide Brewing Co
Lagunitas Brewing Co
Left Hand Brewing Co
Odell Brewing Co
Rogue Ales Brewery
Shipyard Brewing Co
Steamworks Brewing Co
Stone Brewing Co
Terrapin Brewing Co
Uinita Brewing Co
Victory Brewing Co
Wandering Aengus Ciderworks

In addition to sending their beers, the following Brewers Association Export Development Program members will be working the booth at the Great British Beer Festival promoting all U.S. craft beers:

Ron Lindenbusch, Lagunitas Brewing Co
Doug Odell, Odell Brewing Co
Greg Koch, Stone Brewing Co
Mitch Steele, Stone Brewing Co
Bill Covaleski, Victory Brewing Co

The Brewers Association's Export Development Program began in 2004 with a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program. Since its inception, objectives for the Export Development Program have remained unchanged. These include the following:

-Educate international trade and media about the quality and diversity of products offered by the U.S. craft beer industry and about the U.S. craft beer culture.
-Inform member breweries about opportunities for their products in key international target markets.
-Complement the industry's own efforts to increase international distribution of U.S. craft beer.

To date, the Export Development Program has been able to promote its members' beer in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, China, Japan, the Philippines and Australia.

"Movies in the Pearl" Opens at Bridgeport Brewing Co. on July 29th

BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon's oldest craft brewery, is teaming up with Asa Flats + Lofts to present “Movies In The Pearl”, featuring shorts from local area filmmakers commissioned by the Northwest Film Center. Movie trivia will be held from 7:30-8:30 p.m. followed by a collection of short films from approximately 9 – 10 p.m. every Wednesday night from July 29th to August 26th. The events will take place between Marshall and Northrup on NW 13th Avenue just outside of BridgePort Brewpub + Bakery in the Pearl.

Free and open to the public, movies are shown in an urban outdoor theater setting where guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs, as seating is limited. BridgePort Brewpub will offer guests an assortment of freshly baked pizza by the slice as well as a selection of signature BridgePort Brews. A portion of all beverage sales on movie nights will go to benefit the NW Film Center and its mission to encourage the study, appreciation, and utilization of the moving image arts.

Movies in the Pearl Films
The programs, curated by the Northwest Film Center, include highlights of 35 Northwest Film & Video Festivals—going back to early short films of Gus Van Sant, Jim Blashfield, Will Vinton, Joan Gratz, Todd Korgan, Mitchell Rose, and John Callahan along with more recent work from Andy Blubaugh, Nick Peterson, Vanessa Renwick, Henry Selick, Christopher Tenzis, Brian Libby, Chris Lael Larson, Claudi Morgado Escanilla, Clancy Dennehy, Tomas Soderburg, Calvin Lee Reeder, Chel White, Mike Wellins, and Rob Tyler.

For more information on BridgePort Brewing Company including a complete list of films please visit: www.bridgeportbrew.com/events.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Local Celebrity to make community debut at Bones and Brew

BBQ Celebrity Rick Browne, host of Public TV’s BBQ America, will be participating in the 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival being held August 1st and 2nd in Portland’s Historic Pearl District. BBQ America will have a booth at Bones and Brew, and Rick will be providing demonstrations each day for attendees, including how to make BBQ Ice Cream. With a special trick up his BBQ sleeve, Rick will be attempting a BBQ first, a demonstration so unique that he’s applied to be included in the Guiness Book of World Records.

Rick Browne lives in Vancouver, WA, and is a writer, photographer, pitmaster, restaurant critic, consultant, and a Doctor of Barbecue, holding an honorary Ph.B (Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy) bestowed upon him by the prestigious Kansas City Barbeque Society for his expertise and commitment to barbecue. He has appeared on Fox & Friends, the TODAY show, Live with Regis & Kelly and CNN, and has been featured in People Magazine and USA Today. For more information on Rick or BBQ America visit www.barbequeamerica.com.

About the Event:
The 15th Annual Bones and Brew Festival to benefit the Oregon Zoo will be held August 1st-2nd at the epicenter of Portland’s historic Northwest and Pearl Districts. Festival goers can cool off with a selection of 40+ microbrews from Oregon craft breweries like Rogue, Laurelwood, Amnesia, Eugene City Brewery, Lucky Lab, Hopworks, Ninkasi, Lompoc, and more. Barbeque will be available from local restaurants like Cousin Kenny, Slabtown, Famous Dave’s, Nepoe 42, My Brothers, Rib City, T-ROYS, “Da Fat Boyz”, Blow’n Smoke, Rogue “Revolution”, Retro Thyme, and Rick Browne’s BBQ America.

Bones and Brew is a family-friendly event with plenty of activities for all ages. Volunteers from the Oregon Zoo will be hosting educational crafts, buckets of chalk will be available for hopscoth and sidewalk drawings, and kids will get a kick out of face-painters, musical acts, and a specially designated kid zone.

And don’t forget the four-legged members of your family. Dogs are also welcome at Bones and Brew and can sample gourmet BBQ dog treats, play with other pups in a recreational dog area, and shop local dog vendors. Or for some good clean fun, a dog wash station will be sudsing up and hosing down canines for charity.

Last year, Bones and Brew raised $10,000 for the Oregon Zoo’s new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. All admission donations go to the Oregon Zoo.

The entrance to Bones and Brew is on NW 14th & Flanders. Hours are Satuday, August 1st from 11am-9pm, and Sunday, August 2nd from 11am-7pm. A $3 donation is requested at the door. For more information visit www.rogue.com.

OBF Beer Previews

Written by Gary Corbin

10 Barrel Brewing Co
Bend, OR
www.10barrel.com
Summer Ale / Golden
This is an easy-drinking Golden Ale, made with a blend of Cascade and Sterling hops. Bend's soft water keeps the flavor smooth and the hop bite low. English-style yeast adds a nutty flavor.

21st Amendment Brewery
San Francisco, CA
www.21st-Amendment.com
Hell or High Watermelon / Wheat/Fruit Beer
One of the most popular beers at the OBF for several years, this wheat beer is flavored with real watermelon during its secondary fermentation, giving the beer a subtle aroma and a dry, tart flavor. Low hopping levels let the unique taste of wheat and watermelon shine through. Draft Magazine recently named this beer its top summer fruit beer!

Alameda Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.alamedabrewhouse.com
El Torero / American IPA
El Torero is a Northwest IPA made from all organic grain. It is bursting with hops from the big floral aroma to the deep, lingering bitterness. Balancing out the hops is a malt bill with generous amounts of Crystal, Munich, and wheat malts, plus an alcohol content just over 7%. This is an organic beer with big flavors that combine in a complex, satisfying brew.

Alaskan Brewing Co
Juneau, AK
www.alaskanbeer.com
Alaskan White Ale / White Wheat Ale
Light and delicate but complex, this beer's soft, slightly sweet base is accented with a unique spice aroma of coriander and the crisp, citrus finish of orange peel. Made in the style of a Belgian Witbier, unfiltered suspended proteins create its cloudy appearance.

Amnesia Brewing
Portland, OR
GoldyHops / English Session
Golden Promise malt from England gives this session beer a true British character. Belgian Castle Pils malt and Wisconsin Carapils round out this international beer's malt profile. A Northwest hop (Cascades) bitters the brew, then it's back to England for East Kent Goldings in the finish and to dry hop. Moderate alcohol means this is one beer you can return to.

Anderson Valley Brewing Co
Boonville, CA
www.avbc.com
Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema / Cream Ale
This copper colored ale bids you welcome to the Summer Solstice. It's smooth, malty, and lightly sweet, with a delicate hint of spice for a drinkable,
extra velvety flavor. The character is lighter in body than its cousin, Winter Solstice. This silky, creamy dream is an ideal warm weather beer.

Astoria Brewing Co
Astoria, OR
www.wetdogcafe.com
Bitter Bitch / Imperial IPA
Gobs of Centennial, Amarillo, Summit and Cascade hops find precious little interference from pale and light caramel malts in their path to your palate. A clean American ale yeast and an extra dose of hops in the barrel earned this beer the People's Choice Award at the Spring Beer and Wine Festival three years running.

Ballast Point Brewing
San Diego, CA
www.ballastpoint.com
Big Eye IPA / American IPA
Hops, hops, hops. Hops are added into this beer at every opportunity: first-wort, boiling, finishing, and dry-hopping, a mix of Simcoe, Amarillo, Centennial and Galena. This San-Diego style IPA won a Bronze at the 2002 World Beer Cup.

Bayern Brewing
Missoula, MT
www.bayernbrewery.com
Dragon Breath Dark Heff / Dark Hefeweizen
Dragon’s Breath Dark Heff is mild in taste, unfiltered, and 5.6 % alcohol by volume. It is moderately hopped with Bavaria’s preeminent Hallertauer Perle hops and is cold-fermented, eliminating any harsh aftertaste. Dragon Breath Dark Heff received the Silver Medal at the North American Brewers Association 2008 Beer Awards.

Bear Republic Brewing Co
Cloverdale, CA
www.bearrepublic.com
Crazy Ivan / Specialty Beer
This copper-colored beer is a blend of Bear Republic's Racer 5 and Red Rocket. Fermented with a Belgian yeast strain, Crazy Ivan has a spicy clove aroma. The American hop bitterness and aroma balance the Belgian character. It is named for the crazy left turn the brewers took while devising, brewing and trying to name the beer.

Beer Valley Brewing Co
Ontario, OR
www.beervalleybrewing.com
Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale / Double IPA
Bunches of hops on top of a simple grain bill of two-row and Munich malts push this Imperial IPA over the stratosphere for hop flavor and bitterness. There's enough residual sweetness and malt flavor to balance, although with the high alcohol, you may not notice - or care.

Bison Brewing Co
Berkeley, CA
www.bisonbrew.com
Organic Chocolate Stout / Foreign Style Stout
This richly-textured, roasty dry stout gets a boost of bitterness and charisma from the addition of cocoa powder in the mash, lending the flavor - but not the sweetness - of chocolate. Bison blends five unique organic malts along with Magnum, Cascade and Perle hops to create a stout that has won multiple awards, including the Silver at the Great American Beer Festival.

Blue Frog Grog & Grill
Fairfield, CA
www.bigbluefrog.com
Blonde Frog Ale / Pale Ale
This blonde won't break your heart, and that color's not from peroxide. Canadian 2-Row and Cara-Helles malts and some flaked oats give this beer its malty character and, of course, great body. The judges seem to agree, as they gave this beer first place honors in the 2007 West Coast Brew Fest for the Pale Ale category.

Boulder Beer Co
Boulder, CO
www.boulderbeer.com
Flashback Anniversary Ale / India Brown Ale
Five - yes, five - hop additions, from first-wort to whirlpool, put the "India" in this Brown Ale. Brown, Honey and Biscuit malts combine with a fruity American ale yeast to yield a complex flavor and deep brown color. Brewed for the festival to celebrate Boulder's 30th anniversary, it's the ninth in the brewery's Looking Glass series of specialty beers.

Boulevard Brewing Co
Kansas City, MO
www.boulevard.com
Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale / Farmhouse Ale
A simple beer from a technical standpoint, what makes this unique is the blend of a Belgian yeast and citrusy Amarillo hops on a grain bed of pale malt, malted and unmalted wheat and corn flakes. Yes, corn flakes. And with that milky white head, you could call it breakfast. Named for the famously "recalcitrant" fermentation tank in which it came to life.

Boundary Bay Brewery
Bellingham, WA
www.bbaybrewery.com
Amarillo Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale / Pale Ale
Made especially for the OBF, this beer makes exclusive use of Amarillo hops in four additions, including two dry-hoppings. A simple grain bill of premium 2-Row and Munich malts provide the perfect body to balance the medium alpha (bitter) hop with a strong citrus flavor and aroma.

BridgePort Brewery
Portland, OR
www.bridgeportbrew.com
Stumptown Tart / Cherry Wheat
If you're looking for a break from all the hops, this might be the place to start. A full ton of Oregon sour cherries added after primary fermentation imparts a fresh cherry flavor and a naturally tart finish. The Belgian Trappist yeast produces classic fruit and spice esters. The beer is then aged in French oak wine casks for six months. Complex? Ja, mein herr!

Caldera Brewing Co
Ashland, OR
www.calderabrewing.com
Hibiscus Ginger Beer / Ginger Beer
Hibiscus flowers and ginger give this unique beer a zesty, spicy flavor. Belgian candi sugar boost the fermentables provided by 2-Row and Carafoam malts. Ginger and hibiscus are boiled with the wort, along with a small amount of Willamette hops. The beer is "dry-flowered" with hibiscus. It was brewed special for the OBF, so get it before it's gone.

Cascade Brewing at the Raccoon Lodge
Portland, OR
www.raclodge.com
Razberry Wheat / Fruit Beer
Put on your rose-colored beer goggles: this brew really is pretty in pink. Whole raspberries added to a sour mash Berlin-style wheat beer create a berry splash in this extremely refreshing beer. The raspberry is apparent on the nose, while the palate is tart and lemony with a hint of wheat. This is one of the most quenching brews at the festival.

Cascade Lakes Brewing Co
Redmond, OR
www.cascadelakes.com
Blonde Bombshell / Blonde Ale
Brewed to be a light bodied, refreshing ale, Blonde Bombshell combines subtle malt and wheat flavors with a delicate Liberty hop aroma to create a… well, a knock-out with great body, of course. Originally brewed as a seasonal, this beer was so popular it pushed its way into the regular lineup - and earned a Bronze Medal at the 2008 GABF.

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen
Bellingham, WA
www.chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com
Chuckanut Dortmunder Lager / Dortmunder Pilsner
Slightly darker than a Pilsner, Dortmunder is a burnished honey gold, edging toward amber. It steers away from the bold hop bitterness and aroma of Pilsner, preferring a firm maltiness, a full-bodied, slightly sweet palate, and a clean, dry finish.

Collaborator
Portland, OR
www.widmer.com
Saison Christophe / Saison
Designed by homebrewers Bill Schneller and Chris Johnson, Saison Christophe is brewed with malted barley, malted wheat, and unmalted oats. A fairly hefty dose of candi sugar boosts the alcohol, lightens the body and gives it an authentic dryness you won't find in many American-produced Saisons. Orange peel and coriander lend an orange/lemon citrus note, blending with the underlying spice and pepper notes from the Dupont yeast.

Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR
www.deschutesbrewery.com
Miss Spelt / Specialty
Spelt Malt, a sort of "heirloom wheat" once abundant from the Bronze Age to medieval times, is now grown in very limited areas of Europe. It’s favored by organic farmers due to a low demand for fertilizers. Spelt gives beer a nutty flavor, which blends nicely with the big esters and clove nuances produced by the yeast used for fermentation.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton, DE
www.dogfish.com
Festina Peche / Neo-Berliner Weisse
Get this: a neo-Berliner Weisse fermented with honest-to-goodness peaches to a mere 4.5% ABV. Fermented with an ale yeast, Berliner Weisse is also fermented with lactic cultures to produce its acidic or green apple-like character. Pale straw in color, it's delicately hopped and served as an aperitif or summertime quencher.

Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom
Hood River, OR
www.doublemountainbrewery.com
India Red Ale ("IRA") / India Red Ale
The IRA, as it’s known, marries a ruby red color and rich body with the hop flavors of an IPA. A unique ale yeast strain adds a delicious layer of complexity. One of the first beers made by the brewery, this is an enduring favorite brewed with Gambrinus Organic Pilsner malt, imported Crystal malt, and Simcoe and Brewers Gold hops.

Eel River Brewing
Scotia, CA
www.eelriverbrewing.com
Organic Acai Berry Wheat / Fruit Beer
If you need a pick-me-up, try this one. Brazilian acai berries bring energy as well as a unique flavor to this light golden ale. Brewed "behind the Redwood Curtain" from 2-Row and wheat malts and a gentle dose of Pacific Gem hops, four other organic berries round out this light-bodied beer's fruit flavor.

Elysian Brewing Co
Seattle, WA
www.elysianbrewing.com
Loser Pale Ale / Strong Pale Ale
Originally brewed for Sub Pop Records 20th Anniversary, this beer's unique flavor comes from the high-alpha Sorachi Ace hop, a Japanese hybrid grown in small quantities in the Yakima Valley. Pure Cascade mountain runoff water extracts winning flavors from a grain bill of Pale, Munich, Crystal and Cara-hell malts.

Fearless Brewing Co
Estacada, OR
www.fearless1.com
Clackamas Cream Ale / Cream Ale
As part of Fearless' research to create this beer, two local homebrew clubs submitted 26 different examples of the style to inspire the brewer. The result is a very light, crisp, thirst-quenching ale with all the premium aspects of a Northwest craft beer. The secret ingredient is love - can you taste it?

Fifty Fifty Brewing Co
Truckee, CA
www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com
Manifesto Pale Ale / American Style Amber Ale
Six different malts including Honey and Red Wheat are accented with four hop additions, including one at whirlpool for a crisp, hoppy finish. The London ale yeast strain leaves a clean, slight malt sweetness behind for balance. One of Fifty-Fifty's flagship beers, this batch was unfiltered specially for the OBF.

Firestone Walker Brewing Co
Paso Robles, CA
www.firestonebeer.com
Union Jack IPA / American IPA
The newest member of the Firestone family, Union Jack is an aggressive IPA with more than 70 IBUs and plenty of alcohol. Citrus, pineapple and a full chewy malt profile finish clean on your palate, thanks to the Warrior, Simcoe, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops. Union Jack won silver at the 2008 World Beer Cup and gold at the 2008 GABF.

Fish Brewing Co
Olympia, WA
www.fishbrewing.com
Organic Wild Salmon Pale Ale / Pale Ale
Remarkably bright with a crisp hop finish, Fish Tale Organic Pale Ale is a beautifully balanced jewel of brewing. Its four organic malts impart a mellow sweetness amply matched by Yakima Cascade hops. Pale ale enthusiasts will treasure this ale as much as they love Cascadia, the beautiful land that inspired it.

Flying Fish Brewing Co
Cherry Hill, NJ
www.flyingfish.com
Abbey Dubbel / Belgian-style Dubbel
Winner of the 2008 Silver Medal at the GABF, this classic-style Dubbel is an exceptionally complex beer with many interwoven flavors. It features an immense head with a fruity nose and generous body. Malty in the middle, it has a clean, almondy dry finish and a slight alcohol warmth. It might remind you of a fine burgundy.

Full Sail Brewing Co
Hood River, OR
www.fullsailbrewing.com
Full Sail LTD 03 / Pilsner
Brand new for 2009, this crisp, new Pilsner-style lager is pale-golden in color and features a spicy floral hops aroma, malty medium body, and a smooth, thirst-quenching finish. Mt Hood spring water, two doses of Sterling hops, all 2-Row pale malt and Full Sail's house lager yeast just want to rock your tastebuds' little world.

Golden Valley Brewery
McMinnville, OR
www.goldenvalleybrewery.com
Bald Peak IPA / IPA
Golden in color with a zesty bitterness and full aromatics in the finish, Bald Peak IPA is brewed using Nuggets and Cascade hops exclusively from Colman Brothers Hop Farm just outside of St. Paul, Oregon.

Grand Teton Brewing Co
Victory, ID
www.grandtetonbrewing.com
Bitch Creek / ESB
Grand Teton's flagship brew is mahogany-colored, complex and balanced, letting both the hops (Galena, Chinook and Centennial) and malt (Idaho Pale, German CaraHell, Cara Aroma, Cara Munich and Melanoidin) come through. Four GABF medals, including two golds, and four North American Beer Awards in the last five years prove that Bitch Creek is not just a pretty name.

Great Divide Brewing Co
Denver, CO
www.greatdivide.com
Titan IPA / IPA
Titan is brewed for disciples of gigantic hopping. Piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors lead the way, reminiscent of grapefruit and orange zest. Its bracing finish balances a generous malt sweetness with crisp minerally bitterness.

Great Northern Brewing Co
Whitefish, MT
www.greatnorthernbrewing.com
Wheatfish Wheat Lager / American Wheat Lager
This award-winning brew is a hybrid between an American Wheat beer and a premium lager. Pilsner, Pale, Wheat and Munich malts provide the malty flavor and body, complemented by a light hopping with Cascade and Aurora hops. Fermented at a relatively cool 50 degrees with Munich lager yeast, it is lagered three weeks for a clean, crisp flavor and finish.

Green Flash Brewing Co
Vista, CA
www.greenflashbrew.com
Green Flash Imperial IPA / Imperial IPA
This Imperial IPA is created in the new tradition of the San Diego-style IPA: super-hoppy, high gravity, yet highly quaffable ale. Intense hop flavors and aromas from a unique blend of Summit and Nugget hops get just enough support from 2-Row, Carapils and Carastan. Dry-hopping accentuates the hop aromas and flavor.

Hazel Dell Brewpub
Vancouver, WA
Hazel Dell IPA / IPA
Hazel Dell IPA is brewed with 2-Row Pale, Caramel, Munich and Wheat malts and an English-style yeast. Over the top of that firm malt base, four different hops - Galena, Tettnang, Rainier and Cascade - give it a bracing hop flavor with medium bitterness.

Hopworks Urban Brewery
Portland, OR
www.hopworksbeer.com
Organic Rise Up Red / NW Red Ale
Copious amounts of Cascade and Centennial added during and after the boil and whole flower Oregon-grown Cascades in the hop back give Rise Up Red its rich hop flavor. Organic malts keep it clean and green and give it that deep red color. This one will sustain you as it sustains the planet.

Kona Brewing Co
Kailua Kona, HI
www.konabrewingco.com
Coconut Brown Ale / Brown Ale
Toasted coconut adds a sweet, nutty flavor to this dark, moderately hopped ale. Chocolate, Carapils, Munich and Victory malts add color, body and roasty flavor to the base 2-Row malt. Warrior, Millennium, Cascade, Willamette and Mt Hood hops put the Northwest into this tropical taste treat. Think Stumptown, drink Aloha!

Lagunitas Brewing Co
Petaluma, CA
www.lagunitas.com
Lagunitas New DogTown Pale Ale / Pale Ale
This New DogTown Pale Ale is not the same old pale ale brewed in the little town of Lagunitas back in 1993. It is way better. The brewers have updated the old girl and the combination of a dry finish with the 21st century hop varieties make her new again!

Laht Neppur Brewing Co
Waitsburg, WA
www.lahtneppur.com
Neddy's Brown Nut / American Nut Brown
Neddy's Brown Nut has a light roasted malt flavor with a lingering nutty finish, great for a summer evening around a fire pit or at a backyard barbecue. Great Western Premium 2-Row, Crystal, Carafa and Chocolate malts give the beer its body and deep color. A light touch with East Kent Golding and Centennial hops lets the roasty malt flavor come through.

Laughing Dog Brewing
Ponderay, ID
www.laughingdogbrewing.com
Alphadog Dog Imperial IPA / Imperial IPA
If you're looking for hop punch, you've found it. Simcoe, Columbus and Mt Hood hops flow with abundance into this brew kettle - the beer was then dry-hopped with Columbus and Mt Hood. Gambrinus Pale, Honey and Light Munich malts provide the fermentables, and the American ale yeast renders a very crisp finish. Gold Medal winner, Leavenworth Ale Festival.

Laurelwood Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
Double Oregon Hefeweizen / Strong Wheat
Double Oregon Hefeweizen (DOH!) is not your brother's hefeweizen. This version of Oregon's most-brewed beer was designed around the tastes of the Oregon beer lover: loads of malted wheat and barley for a big, cloudy brew, strong but easy drinking with a fruity flavor.

Lazy Boy Brewing Co
Everett, WA
www.lazyboybrewing.com
Lazy Boy Red Head / Imperial Red
The red color in this ale comes from a delicate balancing of roasted barley with Crystal, ESB and Northwest Pale malts. Three additions of Palisades hops balance the malty flavor with just enough crisp bitterness for balance. Portland Spring Beer & Wine Fest goers gave this one a Silver medal.

Lompoc Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.newoldlompoc.com
Flower of the Gods / IPA
A half-dozen or so additions of Cluster, Simcoe and Tettnanger hops begin before the wort begins to boil and don't quit until... well, we're not quite sure when. Gambrinus Pale and Munich Light malts carry the hop load and feed the American ale yeast. We think the Gods will like this flower.

Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka, CA
www.lostcoast.com
Great White / Belgian Witbier
Malt, wheat and oats form the substance of this translucent American version of a Belgian white ale. Light bodied yet rich tasting, coriander and lime leaves and a "secret blend" of herbs add subtle citrusy nuances to this refreshing, quaffable beer. This would be a perfect match for a falafel or hummus plate.

Lucky Labrador Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.luckylab.com
Solar Flare / Golden Ale
Solar Flare Ale is a light, refreshing ale, perfect for a hot summer day. That's only fair, since the water used in the brewing process was heated by the sun in the Lab's solar water heating system. Great Western and Scottish Pale malts are joined by a light Briess Carapils to give it a golden hue, while Brewers Gold hops provide moderate, balancing bitterness.

MacTarnahan's Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.macsbeer.com
Summer Grifter / IPA
Summer Grifter is a wayward ale, lurking wherever thirsts gather. This seasonal IPA uses 2-Row, Munich and Caramel Malt and a hop bill of Chinook, CTZ, Cascade and Centennial. Grifter has a cunning malt balance and finishes with a hefty hop bite. This ale threatens to steal your allegiance and con your thirst into leaving town!

Marin Brewing Co
Larkspur, CA
www.marinbrewing.com
Bluebeery Ale / American Wheat with Blueberries
This three-time GABF gold medal winner starts with a Pale 2-Row and White Wheat malt base. Chinook hops at the beginning of the boil add just a hint of bitterness. Blueberry extract formulated especially for Marin gives it a gentle fruit profile, enhanced by the English-style yeast and the soft alkaline water.

McMenamins Concordia Brewery
Portland, OR
www.mcmenamins.com
Hot for Teacher IPA / IPA
This IPA won the Hillsdale Brewfest to earn the right to represent McMenamins at the OBF. Made with five different malts - Pilsen, Vienna, Amber, Special aromatic and C-120 - and a clean American ale yeast, it is bittered and flavored in abundance with Chinook and Sterling hops. Extra Chinooks are added for dry-hopping.

Moylan's Brewing Co
Novato, CA
www.moylans.com
Pomegranate Wheat / Wheat Ale
The hop levels are kept low so you can taste the delicate flavor of the pomegranate concentrate that gives this beer its unique fruit flavor. Great Western Wheat and Gambrinus Pale malts give the beer its base and golden color. This beer took silver at the California State Fair in 2008.

Mt Shasta Brewing Co
Weed, CA
www.weedales.com
Mountain High IPA / American IPA
This deep golden, mild and malty American IPA unites hops with fresh mountain spring water. Late hop additions contribute floral and pine aromas reminiscent of Mt. Shasta. The Simcoe hop profile starts smooth and builds up to a mellow, bitter finish. A generous dry hop emphasizes a green hop accent and enjoyable mountain-high aroma. Mt High IPA took first place in the 2008 California Brewers Festival.

New Belgium Brewing Co
Fort Collins, CO
www.newbelgium.com
The Trip / Belgian Style Specialty Ale
The Trip is a deep, golden ale generously hopped with Magnum and the seldom-used Citra hop, which produces flavors of grapefruit, peach and passion fruit. Spiced with lemongrass and grains of paradise, The Trip is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain for a hop-forward ale with swirling fruit undertones.

New Holland Brewing Co
Santa Rosa, CA
www.newhollandbrew.com
Golden Cap / Saison
Golden Cap Saison is a modern interpretation of a traditional farmhouse ale. This soft, pale beer embodies the flavors and aromas of summer fields. Brewed with an ancestor of wheat called spelt, its straw-colored body, lively carbonation and a unique fermentation profile evoke fresh cut hay and cracked peppercorn.

Ninkasi Brewing Co
Eugene, OR
www.ninkasibrewing.com
Radiant Summer Ale / Summer Ale
This new beer for Ninkasi gets its elegant malty flavor and orange color from Pale, Vienna and a touch of dark Crystal malts, balanced by three doses of Millennium, Galena, Northern Brewer and Liberty hops. An additional dose of Liberty is used to dry-hop the beer to give it another boost in hop aroma and flavor.

North Coast Brewing Co
Fort Bragg, CA
www.northcoastbrewing.com
Scrimshaw / Pilsner
Named for the delicate engravings popularized by 19th century seafarers, this GABF gold-medal winner is a fresh tasting Pilsner brewed in the finest European tradition using Munich malt and Hallertauer and Tettnang hops. Scrimshaw has a subtle hop character, a crisp, clean palate, and a dry finish.

Oakshire Brewing
Eugene, OR
www.oakbrew.com
Overcast Espresso Stout / Oatmeal Stout
Gray skies are a regular part of life in Western Oregon. Overcast Espresso Stout is the dark and silky stout we crave while giving us the shot of organic espresso we need. After extracting all the goodness possible out of organic 2-Row, chocolate malt, C-120 malt, and roasted barley, the finished beer is steeped in locally roasted, cold-pressed organic espresso. I'll have mine with cream and sugar, please.

Old Market Pub & Brewery
Portland, OR
www.drinkbeerhere.com
The Kraken Imperial IPA / Imperial IPA
Pale, Munich and Franco-Belges aromatic malts were boosted with organic Oregon honey to provide more fermentables without cloying sweetness in the finished beer. Copious amounts of Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo Gold and Tettnanger hops balance all that malt with citrusy, spicy bitterness. Part of the brew was aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels.

Oregon Trail Brewery
Corvallis, OR
www.oregontrailbrewery.com
Oregon Trail Wit / Wit
Clean and spicy, with orange peel & coriander seed, this Belgian-style wheat beer is unfiltered and great on a hot summer day. Brewed with American 2-Row, White Wheat, Carapils, rolled oats and Belgian acidulated malt and lightly hopped with Nugget and Mt Hood, it won the 2004 People's Choice Award at the Newport Microbrew Festival.

Pike Brewing Co
Seattle, WA
www.pikebrewing.com
Monk's Uncle / Belgian Tripel
This big, full-bodied beer has a complex flavor profile with a yeasty nose, fruity esters and malty dryness. Hints of honey, spice and exotic fruit play with your senses. Pale, Pils, Wheat and Aromatic malts are given a boost by candi sugar. Nugget and Saaz hops give it just enough bitterness to balance. Gold Medal Winner, 2008 North American Brewers Assn.

Port Townsend Brewing Co
Port Townsend, WA
www.porttownsendbrewing.com
Hop Diggidy IPA / IPA
The grain bill for this one is simple - almost 100% Great Western Premium 2-Row, with a touch of Caramel 20 malt - leaving plenty of room for you to taste the Centennial, Amarillo and Cascade hops. The beer is dry-hopped twice with Amarillo - once "warm" in the fermenter, and then again in the cold conditioning tank. This gives the beer extra hop flavor without extra bitterness.

Pyramid Breweries
Seattle, WA
www.pyramidbrew.com
Haywire Hefeweizen / Hefeweizen
Formerly known as Pyramid Hefeweizen (same beer, new name), this beer has won Gold at the 2004 GABF, Silver at the 1997 World Beer Championships, and Bronze at the 2000 World Beer Cup. Unfiltered in the Bavarian style, it is lightly hopped to allow the malty wheat flavor to pour through.

Redhook Ale Brewery
Woodinville, WA
www.redhook.com
Redhook Belgian Tripel / Belgian Tripel
Belgian candi sugar is added to this strong Belgian-style ale to give it an alcohol boost and to keep it drier in the finish. 2-Row, Munich, Caramel and Wheat malts provide its malty base, and a Belgian yeast gives it that characteristic old world flavor. Bittered in moderation with Northern Brewer hops, Saaz are added in the whirlpool for extra spice and aroma. 2008 and 2009 Gold Medal Winner – North American Brewers Assn.

Riverport Brewing Co
Clarkston, WA
www.riverportbrewing.com
Old Man River Oatmeal Stout / Oatmeal Stout
Good old-fashioned rolled oats give this dark, smooth stout its creamy texture. Its complex grist includes Pale 2-Row, Munich, Black Patent, C-15, Vienna and Chocolate malts, roasted barley and rolled oats. With this beer, you can satisfy tonight's thirst and get a head start on tomorrow's breakfast.

Rock Bottom Brewery
Portland, OR
www.rockbottom.com
Eat a Bale o' Hops IPA / IPA
The down economy left brewer Van Havig with an oversupply of hops. What to do? Please the OBF crowd, that's what. Heaving hopping in the kettle and hop back and double dry-hopping with the likes of Cascade, Amarillo, Simcoe and Crystal give this beer not only its aggressive bitterness but huge hop aroma and flavor as well.

Rogue Ales
Newport, OR
www.rogue.com
Latona Pale Ale / Pale Ale
Rogue likes to do things differently, and Latona Pale Ale is no exception. Unlike every other beer at the festival, it is a one-hop, one-malt strong pale ale. The hops are Mt. Rainier specialty hops and the malt is a Franco-Belges special aromatic malt of French origin.

Scuttlebutt Brewing Co
Everett, WA
www.scuttlebuttbrewing.com
Tripel 7 Belgian Style Ale / Belgian Tripel
Two-row Pale malt, rolled oats, and a hint of chocolate malt form the base of this malt-forward brew. Turbinado sugar provides more fermentables and helps it finish dry. Moderate amounts of Galena hops bitter the brew just enough for balance, and Tettnangers are added for a little spicy hop flavor and floral aroma.

Southern Oregon Brewing Co
Medford, OR
www.sobrewing.com
SOB Gold / Hybrid Ale/Lager
One of the OBF's most unique brews, this ale/lager Acidulated malts with relatively hard water, then hopped with high-alpha Challenger and Perle hops as well as low-alpha Crystal, Sterling and Czech Saaz, which are more common to continental lagers. Its lager yeast provides a rich but crisp, dry finish. People's choice winner at the 2008 Medford Battle of the Bones.

Sprecher Brewing Co
Glendale, WI
www.sprecherbrewery.com
Mai Bock / Bock
Mai Bock is Sprecher's spring seasonal offering, a deceptively strong pale lager, big in alcohol and malt flavor, with rich hop character and a light fruit bouquet. Caramel, Pale and Wheat malts give it the big body and maltiness. Mt Hood, Tettnanger and Willamette hops spice up the nose and provide just enough bitterness to balance. Eight weeks of aging rounds out its malty smoothness.

Standing Stone Brewing Co
Ashland, OR
www.standingstonebrewing.com
Double India Pale Ale / Double IPA
Four additions of five different hops - Nugget, Crystal, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo (including a final infusion of Amarillo for dry-hopping) push this brew's hop character into the ozone. All of the malt is organic: Briess 2-Row, Munich and Crystal 60. SafBrew US-05 ale yeast produces very little diacetyl for a clean, crisp finish.

Stone Brewing Co
Escondido, CA
www.stonebrew.com
Stone Cali-Belgique IPA / West Coast Belgian Style IPA
This hybrid is part California IPA, part Belgian, and 100% Stone. Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hops boost this brew into the IPA range of 77 IBUs, with further Chinooks added at dry-hopping for more aroma. The Belgian yeast strain gives it culture and worldliness and a flavor unique among IPAs.

Summit Brewing Co
St Paul, MN
www.summitbrewing.com
Horizon Red Ale / Hybrid American Red Ale
New for 2009, Horizon Red boasts six hop additions - four in the kettle, one in the whirlpool, and one in the fermenter for extra aroma and flavor. Summit, Horizon, Amarillo and Cascade hops give it a floral, citrusy nose and enough bitterness to balance the 2-Row, Caramel, Wheat and Black Patent malts. A highly attenuative American ale strain adds fruity esters and a dry, crisp finish.

Terminal Gravity Brewing
Enterprise, OR
www.terminalgravitybrewing.com
Festivale / British Strong Ale
Festivale is made in the style of British strong or "old" ales. Brewed to be fairly dry, it has huge, complex malt and hop flavors with a nice little alcoholic warmth in the finish. Deep ruby brown in color, it will produce a fine cream colored cascading head. If you like strong ales, this might be one of your new favorites.

Three Creeks Brewing Co
Sisters, OR
www.threecreeksbrewing.com
Stonefly Rye / Rye Ale
Stoneflye Rye is a unique beer utilizing 20% Rye Malt which provides a pleasantly spicy character. This unfiltered brew is full bodied in flavor, yet light on the palate with a smooth and dry finish. As soothing and refreshing as Central Oregon's mountain streams, even the most finicky of fish can’t turn their heads when this beer is presented.

Track Town Ales
Eugene, OR
www.rogue.com
200 Meter / IPA
200 Meter IPA is a true Northwest IPA - light and golden, almost orange in color, with a primary focus on hop flavor and aroma. Horizon, Amarillo, Centennial and Simcoe hops balance Northwest Pale and Munich malts, Free Range coastal water and top-fermenting Pacman yeast.

Trumer Brauerei
Berkeley, CA
trumer-international.com
Trumer Pils / Pilsner
Trumer Pils is a traditional European Pilsner brewed to the exacting standards of Salzburg's 400-year-old Trumer Brauerei. It has a creamy head, effervescent mouthfeel and a slightly hoppy nose that gives way to its signature clean, dry finish. The finest German and Austrian malts and Austrian and Hallertauer hops give this Pilsner its crisp, bitter flavors.

Vertigo Brewing
Hillsboro, OR
www.vertigobrew.com
Razz Wheat / Raspberry Wheat
This unfiltered American Wheat Ale is infused with real raspberries, not syrup, into the secondary fermenter for four days before being racked to a tertiary vessel for conditioning. The raspberries give the beer's flavor a pleasant mix of sweet fruit and tartness. Hop levels are kept low so you can taste the berries.

Victory Brewing Co
Downingtown, PA
www.victorybeer.com
Victory Prima Pils / Pilsner
Heaps of German and Czech whole hops give this pale lager a bracing, herbal bite over layers of soft and smooth malt flavor. This refreshing combination of tastes makes Prima a classy quencher in the tradition of the great Pilsners of Europe. Dry and delightful, this is an elegant beer.

Widmer Bros. Brewing Co
Portland, OR
www.widmer.com
KGB / Russian Imperial Stout
The reason for this beer's popularity is no secret among Gasthaus-goers. Thick, black, roasty and strong, its malt bill includes 2-Row Pale, Caramel 60L, Extra Special, Roast and Chocolate malst. Northern Brewer and East Kent Goldings are added at the boil and at whirlpool. We would tell you more, but then we'd have to kill you.

Catch a Free Bus Ride to OBF

OBF Buzz Tent!

Each July, brewers from around the country send one single product to be poured at the Oregon Brewers Festival. Every year, a few of these beers generate buzz and become the must-try beers of the event. This year, they’ve switched it up by asking the brewers to create not only the beer, but the buzz as well.

These beers run the gamut from old favorites to new creations. They’ve come to in 1/6 barrels, ¼ barrels, half-kegs, firkins and bottles. These beers are highly prized, very expensive, and the selection is very limited in quantity. Many of the brewers of these beers will be on hand in the tent to talk up their product.

The Buzz Tent will be open on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 from Noon to 4:30 pm each day. Admission is separate from the festival. A ticket costs $20 and includes a punch card good for eight four-ounce tastes. The ticket will give you tastes of six different buzz beers, plus two tastings of your choosing. Because of the different quantities of product on hand, there is no guarantee what beers will be pouring at any single time, but you cab be sure they will be fantastic! Look for the chalkboard outside the tent, or follow the Buzz Tent on Twitter: @OBFBuzzTent.

They will be selling a total of 2,000 tickets to the Buzz Tent: 1,000 per day. The tickets are first come, first serve. Tickets can be purchased on site starting Thursday, July 23 in the “Tokens Only” lines on the south end of the mugs/tokens tent. You must purchase a Friday and/or a Saturday ticket. The Buzz Tent itself is located in between the Mug/Tokens Sales and the South Beer Trailers.

Admission to the Buzz Tent does not include a mug. Just use the mug you are using to sample all of the other beers at the festival. To whet your whistle, here's a sample of what will be pouring in the Buzz Tent this weekend:

Alameda Horseshoe Hefeweizen, Alaskan Barley Wine Anderson Valley Huge’r Boont, Ballast Point Sour Wench Tart Blackberry Ale #1, Beer Valley Black Flag Imperial Stout 2008 Fresh Hop edition, Blue Frog Barrel Aged Strong Amber Peligroso, BridgePort 2008 Stumptown Tart in firkin, BridgePort BBL Ebenezer, Cascade Brewing Sang Royale, Cascade Brewing Gold Yeller, Cascade Brewing Night Fall, Cascade Brewing Gose, Cascade Brewing Mouton Rouge, Deschutes Bourbon Quad, Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, Fearless Strong Scotch, Fifty Fifty Imperial Eclipse Stout (barrel aged for 180 days in Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrels), Firestone Walker Double/Imperial Union Jack, Full Sail 1998 Old Boilermaker Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine, Grand Teton Brewing Howling Wolf Weizenbock, Laurelwood Organic Deranger Imperial Red, Laht Neppur Spiced Waitsburg Winter Warmer, Lazy Boy Pomegranate Belgian Golden Ale, Lompoc Barrel Fermented LSD, McMenamins West Linn Largo Laws Treasure Strong Scottish, McMenamins Crystal Ballroom Obama Nation Domestic Schwarzbier, McMenamins Old St. Francis Base Camp Coffee Stout, McMenamins Oak Hills Das Schwertz Maibock (Whiskey Barrel Aged), Moylan's Brewing Co. Batch #1000 Double Kilt Lifter, New Belgium La Folie, Oakshire Glen's Hop Vice Imperial IPA, Redhook Raspberry Tripel, Rock Bottom Rod Flanders, Stone 13th Anniversary, Sprecher Brewery Bourbon Barrel Scotch Ale, and Widmer X-114 IPA.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Chuckanut Brewery's 1st Anniversary Party - Sat, July 18th, 2009


Join Chuckanut Brewery (601 W. Holly St, Bellingham, WA) in celebrating their first year of being in business at Chuckanut Brewery's 1st Anniversary Party, Saturday July 18th. Live music, Outdoor BBQ, special priced beers and more. The "Kitchen" opens at 11:30 am, outdoor bbq, beer specials and live music starts at 4:00pm. All ages welcome and no cover charge required.

Chuckanut Brewery has lined up a night of non-stop live music under the covered patio. Dave Hannon Band will kick-off the night at 4PM with their high energy three piece acoustic, pop, rock band. I Love you Avalanche will follow at 6PM, playing fun Indie Pop music, and Vox Solis will take the night home with their classic rock starting at 8PM. Live Music will last until 10PM.

The and beer specials will start at outdoor BBQ starts at 4PM and will feature fresh Northwest Seafood and Chef Chad Bowes will be roasting a pig, raised locally on Chuckanut Brewery's Spent Beer Grains! Other BBQ specials include Local Misty Hamburgers, Hempler Brats and Veggie Burgers.

Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen, located in Old Town, Bellingham, it is a brewery and restaurant offering a full-service menu. Mari and Will Kemper, owners of Chuckanut Brewery are pleased to welcome guests to their brewery and restaurant starting at 11:30 am every day. For additional information, contact Annie Pfriem or Mari Kemper at (360)752-3377.

Oakshire Brewing to release bottles of Watershed IPA and Overcast Espresso Stout

Oakshire Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon will release two of their year-round beers on Thursday, July 16th. Watershed IPA and Overcast Espresso Stout will be distributed in 22 ounce bottles in the Eugene and Corvallis markets.

“This is a very exciting time for our young brewery,” explains Brewmaster Matt Van Wyk. We feel we have a huge fan base that is not able to experience our beers on draft but would gladly enjoy our beers at home, on a trip, or with friends.”

The Oakshire team has been working for the last 6 months designing packaging for the new bottles. “We’ve presold a large portion of our first production run. That says a lot for the state of craft beer and for Oakshire,” stated co-founder and head of sales and promotions, Chris Althouse. Oakshire beers will be bottled with mobile bottling services until a bottling machine can be acquired.

According to Jeff Althouse, Co-Founder of Oakshire brewing, “This new package for our beers will really help us grow not only in our local market, but throughout the state. Access to our beers has been a major goal for us as we’ve grown from a tiny brewery into what we are producing today.”

Althouse plans to fill Eugene and Corvallis accounts first and then send bottles to Portland and other areas in the state just as fast as the small brewery can keep up with demand. New tanks were recently installed to implement this new bottling project.

The 5th Annual Great American Distillers Festival

The 5th Annual Great American Distillers Festival is a gathering of small distilleries from across the country who come to Oregon, the Mecca of craft distilling, to share their products, their passion, and their expertise in handcrafting spirits. The event will be held this October at the Bossanova Ballroom in Portland, OR.

Craft distillers – from as close as right around the corner to as far away as Freeport, Maine—bring their best vodkas, rums, gins, whiskies, brandies and other spirits for two days of sampling, seminars and informal interaction.

Oregon’s most talented bartenders will be using a selection of the festival’s craft spirits in the 3rd Annual Mixmaster Mixology Contest sponsored by the Oregon Bartenders Guild, Rogue Spirits and Imbibe Magazine.

Other festival events will include spirits seminars, Live Wire! Radio show, and a special guest appearance and Keynote address by Bill Owens, author and President of the American Distilling Institute.

The festivities run all week with an opening reception and breakfast at the Rogue Distillery & Public House, a tasting of barley-based whiskies and beer and two nights of cocktail events pairing participating distillers with local bartenders.
Sponsors for the 5th Annual Great American Distillers Festival include: Glassco, Imbibe Magazine, Portland Tribune, and the Portland Development Commission. Festival partners include the Oregon Bartenders Guild and the Oregon Distillers Guild.

Ticket prices are $10.00 for a one day pass, which includes three tasting tickets, and $16.00 for a two-day pass and six tasting tickets

Friday, July 10, 2009

Foundation Announcement Kicks Off ‘Beer Birthday’ Party

They sure don’t look it – OK, maybe they will after surviving Oregon Craft Beer Month – but three local craft beer promoters are turning 159 years young this weekend. And in typical style, they are throwing a big beer bash and fundraiser for the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation.

Horse Brass Publican Don Younger, Point Blank Distributing owner Scott Willis and Beer O’Clock radio show host, Lisa Morrison (aka The Beer Goddess), all share a birthday on Saturday, July 11. And they are celebrating their collective 159th birthday on Sunday, July 12 with a party starting at 5 p.m. at the Horse Brass Pub. (You will have to ply them with beers to find out how old each one of them is separately.)

All three of the birthday celebrators are intimately involved with the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, a non-profit organization that creates scholarships to send Northwest brewers to brewing school so they can hone their craft. So, Don, Scott and Lisa decided to make their birthday celebration a fundraiser for the Falconer foundation.

They also are upping the ante with some really big news about the Falconer Foundation itself. This news will not be released until shortly after the birthday party begins at the Horse Brass on Sunday, July 12, so you must attend the celebration to hear the announcement, which promises to be important information for pro and home brewers alike.

In addition to the big news announcement, the following special beers will be available for purchase at the party:
Full Sail Saison
Double Mountain Pils
Hopworks Urban Brewery Cascadian Dark Ale (2nd place People’s Choice Winner at the NAOBF)
Laurelwood Green Elephant
Terminal Gravity Triple
Walking Man Sasquatch Legacy (09 – Belgian IPA)
Hair of the Dog – Adam from the Wood
and at least one Mystery Beer

Plus – there’s more! Don “the birthday boy” Younger is unable to attend his own party because London was calling and he’s out of the country. So, at his bidding, we’ve cooked up some great ways to get back at him. There will be a chance to get your picture taken with “Cardboard Don” for a buck a photo. And there will be a “Pin the Tail on the Don-key” game, where blindfolded players pay a dollar to try to finally give Don, infamous for not having a rear-end, a proper posterior. (Remember, it’s all for the Falconer Foundation.)

There also will be a raffle with a Grand Prize of a Traeger pellet grill with pellets -- valued at over $850 -- plus a number of other great prizes.

Cardboard Don, Scott and Lisa look forward to seeing you there!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Brother's Day: Brews, Bros and Beer-nevolence

Thankfully most guys do not need a reason to savor a cold beer, but here’s a great one in case you do need it – a celebration of Brotherhood. Brother’s Day is Tuesday, August 11 and bros nationwide can get ready to celebrate their special day by hoisting a beer, clicking a mouse and occasionally punching each other in the arm – all in the name of doing good.

To honor Brother’s Day, Widmer Brothers Brewing has pledged to raise $10,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters by August 11 and is making it easy for those who love their bros to help, with a collection of e-cards at www.widmer.com/brothers. More snarky than sentimental, for each e-card sent $1 will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters in support of the organization’s effort to recruit more volunteer Big Brothers.

Facebook junkies can help Widmer reach its $10,000 goal, too – the brewery will donate $1 for each person who “fans” its official page at www.facebook.com/WidmerBrothersBrewing this summer.

“Our effort to support Big Brothers Big Sisters is a personal commitment,” Kurt Widmer explains. “We know firsthand the value of strong role models and of course, the importance of brotherhood.”

“I just hope Kurt remembers to buy me a Brother’s Day present this year,” added his brother Rob.

Widmer encourages those interested in getting involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters to visit the Brother’s Day website to find out how, and to sign up for Widmer Brothers Brewing-sponsored recruitment events in select cities.

Brother’s Day was made official last year when August 11 was proclaimed a holiday in the State of Oregon and the City of Portland. Kurt and Rob Widmer recognize Brother’s Day as a day to celebrate the success and contributions of brothers everywhere.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children reach their potential through one-to-one relationships that have a measurable impact. Volunteers spend just a few hours a week with a child, watching movies, playing in the park, or just hanging out. Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest serves children in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties in Oregon, along with Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties in Southwest Washington. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is the largest mentoring organization in Washington State, serving 2,500 children in King, Pierce, Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Whisky and Beer Pairing

Join Stuart Maclean Ramsay and Mick Secor at the Highland Stillhouse for a special evening on Wednesday July 29th, at 7:00 pm. They will be pairing Northwest Beers with International Whiskies. Appetizers will be included. Only $40.00 per person.
Call for reservations: 503.201.2255 or 503.201.2241

Lompoc Brewing’s 5Q debuts Bob’s Braggot, celebrates the storming of the Bastille

This Saturday, July 11th starting at 11 a.m. and continuing well into the afternoon at 5 p.m., make sure you are along the super hip stretch of N. Williams in Portland that is home to Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant and Pix Patisserie.

Lompoc Brewing’s 5th Quadrant and its new Sidebar will host the Bob Farrell Braggot Release Party from noon until 5 p.m. Bob’s Braggot is a traditional braggot (half ale and half mead) made with Willamette Valley honey from Buckwheat and Fireweed wildflowers. The beer was brewed with Bob’s help before he lost his battle with cancer in the Spring of 08. Lompoc finished the braggot in the fall of ’08 and the brewers believe it has aged enough to serve. Bob would be proud. Portions of the proceeds go to the Oregon Brew Crew and to Farrell’s family for medical costs. Enjoy a glass in the Sidebar or take a 22 oz bottle home for $9.00

Step outside into the beautiful July sunshine and enjoy Pix’s Bastille Day Block Party from 11 a.m. with live music, DJs, 5k Mini Marathon and a dog parade.

Wait! There’s more! For a mere $1, toss one of the loveable Lompoc brewers into the Dunk Tank to benefit Locks of Love and the Bob Farrell fund, tour the brewery and enjoy another beer in the Bastille Day Beer Garden.