Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Laughing Buddha Brewing Company Will Change Its Name


Laughing Buddha, a Seattle-based craft microbrewery, has resolved a trademark dispute with an Australian brewer that packages beer in Buddha-shaped bottles. To resolve the dispute, Laughing Buddha Brewing Company will operate as Trade Route Brewing Company starting April 1, 2009.

Smouha Fabrics, owner of Lucky Drink Company of Australia, sent a letter to the Seattle microbrewery in May 2008 objecting the use of Laughing Buddha’s name, citing US trademark registrations for their Buddha-bottle design and the name “Lucky Buddha.”

“We didn’t feel that we were infringing on their trademark,” says Chris Castillo, co-owner of Laughing Buddha Brewing Company. “Smouha is a big corporation and we couldn’t afford to go through the litigation process.”

Laughing Buddha Brewing Company began selling their line of beers to restaurants, pubs, and stores in late 2007. They brew a brown ale with pandan leaves, a hefeweizen with mangoes, and a pale ale with ginger.

“We’re experimenting with many ingredients from ancient trade routes,” says Castillo. “Trade Route Brewing Company will be a better fitting name for us.”

Friday, February 20, 2009

Mark your Calendars for the Return of the World's Largest Organic Brewers Festival

The North American Organic Brewers Festival June 26-28th at Overlook Park in Portland, Oregon will feature the world's largest variety of organic beers. Last year's festival featured 75 different organic beers, and drew about 15,000 attendees.

Beers poured at the NAOBF range from pilsner to porter, amber ale to Belgian wit, Irish-style stout to Northwest-style India Pale Ale. With breweries from across North America, England, Scotland, Germany, and Belgium the festival showcased some of the finest organic beers on the planet. Over the last decade organic brewers have carved out a solid niche within the craft brewing movement. Organic beer sales grew from $9 million in 2003 to $19 million in 2005, and to $25 million in 2006, according to the Organic Trade Association.

"I see organic as the next step in the craft brewing revolution's return to traditional beer ingredients and brewing methods," says festival organizer Abram Goldman-Armstrong, of the growing popularity of organic beer.

The NAOBF, presented by Roots Organic Brewing, is in its fifth incarnation, and promotes sustainable living as well as organic beer. Sustainability oriented vendors and non-profits set up alongside brewers. The NAOBF benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, which fights cancer, often caused by agricultural chemicals, the Oregon Tilth, which promotes organic agriculture, and the Oregon Food Bank, which feeds the hungry. A diverse program of music runs throughout the event, and a children's area provides activities for youngsters. Local vendors offer a variety of cuisine from Sweetbriar Farm's pork, to Horn of Africa's spicy organic dishes, to veggie dogs.

NAOBF organizers strive to make this the most earth friendly beer festival in North America. Festival attendees sample beer from compostable corn-starch tasting glasses instead of the heavy plastic mugs used at other beer festivals. Composting and recycling stations are provided for festival waste and food vendors are required to use compostable cutlery and plates. Electricity needs are met with a combination of biodiesel and solar generators, volunteers wear organic cotton and hemp tshirts, and signage is reusable.

The NAOBF will be open from 12-9pm Friday June 26, 12-9pm Saturday June 27, and 12-5pm on Sunday June 28. A tasting glass is $6, and 4 oz. tastes of beer are $1 each. A $1 discount is given in exchange for three cans of organic food for the Oregon Food Bank or presenting a validated MAX light rail ticket.

The NAOBF was first held in 2003 at Port Halling Brewing Company, and since 2006 has been an annual event in Portland, Oregon, one of the greenest cities in North America. Portland is home to two all-organic breweries, NAOBF presenter Roots Organic Brewing Company, and Hopworks Urban Brewery, which debuted its beer at the 2007 NAOBF. A number of other brewpubs in Portland produce significant amounts of organic beer, including Laurelwood, Lucky Lab, and Alameda Brewhouse. Portland also tops the list of bicycle-friendly cities, is a leader in green building, and is home to more breweries than any other city in the world (38).
Overlook Park, between Fremont and Overlook Streets on North Interstate Avenue is located on the Yellow Line MAX, Portland's award winning light-rail system, two stops from downtown Portland. Festival attendees are encouraged to use the MAX, walk, or bike to reduce the carbon-footprint of the event. There is no on-street parking at the site, making responsible transportation the easiest way to reach the event.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Damn the Man - just say NO to the New Oregon Beer Tax!!

Come stand up against House Bill 2461 (The New Beer Tax) Next Thursday, February 26th, at 5pm at the Green Dragon in Portland, Oregon. You'll have the chance to learn more about the proposed beer tax (like what crap it is), send a letter to state representatives, and speak with Oregon brewery owners. There will also be anti-beer tax collateral for everyone. Come down, speak out, and drink up. This is beer we're talking about here!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Calling all Brewers, Distributors and Possible Sponsors!

Be a part of the First Annual Brews and Blues Festival, set for August 7 & 8, 2009, at Island Park in Springfield, Oregon - a fundraiser for Springfield/Eugene Habitat for Humanity.


Contact Kate Close to get involved.

Portland Deschutes Brewery and Public House Receives Organic Certification

Deschutes Brewery's Portland Pub goes organic. Oregon's award-winning Deschutes Brewery recently received Oregon Tilth certification for the brewhouse at the Portland Brewery and Public House and plans to begin brewing organic beers on-site, including Green Lakes Organic Ale.

"We are deeply committed to sustainability and when building the Portland Pub, we drew on the experience we gained during the Oregon Tilth certification of our Bend brewhouse," says Deschutes Brewery founder Gary Fish. "We built our Portland Pub with the goal of going organic and our menu continues to feature local and sustainable products whenever possible."

Nearly nine months after its grand opening in the Pearl District, Deschutes Brewery is Oregon Tilth certified and now the only organic brewpub in Portland's trendsetting neighborhood. Brewer Cam O'Connor is itching to brew a batch of Deschutes' popular Green Lakes Organic Ale, which uses Salmon-Safe certified Sterling hops, and experiment with recipes of his own on the pub's 12 barrel batch system.

In addition to its recent organic certification, the Portland Deschutes Brewery and Public House has built on its dedication to being environmentally friendly by collecting and giving the spent hops and grains from the brewing process to a local cattle farmer to be used as cattle feed and compost; the beef raised on these spent grains are then purchased by the brewery and used in the pub kitchen. Other environmentally friendly features include an energy capturing system in the brewery that reclaims heat, which is used to pre-warm the wort on its way to the kettle. Energy Star rated kitchen equipment and HVAC systems reduce the pub's overall energy consumption. The Portland pub has also operated on 100% PGE renewable energy since the day it opened.

Elysian Tasting at Full Throttle Bottles!

Join Laura Stoudt of Elysian Brewing tomorrow, February 18th to taste through Elysian's lineup of beers - Immortal IPA, Perseus Porter, the award-winning Dragonstooth Stout, along with one special release... Come down to find out what!

The Immortal Ale is a Northwest interpretation of a classic English style, golden copper in color and loaded with New World hop flavor and aroma.

The Perseus Porter is a wine-dark beer, extremely drinkable and of medium weight. It is slightly smoky with black and chocolate malts; bittered with Columbus and finished with German Northern Brewer hops.

Dragonstooth Stout is a smooth and sturdy stout, made with 10% rolled oats, roasted barley and chocolate malt. Bittered with Chinook; finished with Cascade and Columbus hops.

Tastings happen every Wednesday from 5-7pm at Full Throttle Bottles. Only $4 at the register.

Full Throttle Bottles | 5909 S. Airport Way | Georgetown | Seattle | WA | 98108

2009 Spring Fling Homebrew Competition

On Saturday, April 18th The Central Oregon Homebrewers Organization (COHO) will host this AHA/BJCP sanctioned event. To enter a beer is $6 per entry, and the deadline is April 10th. The best of show beer will be brewed commercially at 10 Barrel Brewing Co. in Bend. Please visit www.cohomebrewers.org for complete details.

Idaho Beer Aficionados Tasting

Come to Ono Hawaiian Cafe on February 26th from 6:00pm-9:00pm for a night of beer tasting! Featuring six different beers paired with six different Hawaiian or Pan-Asian dishes, Chef Michael Mohica from Ono Hawaiian Cafe and Kanack Attack Catering is ready to broaden your horizons.

Call 208.429.6800 for more information. Ono Hawaiian Cafe is located at 2170 Broadway Ave Boise, ID

Monday, February 16, 2009

Full Sail Receives Sustainability Award

In a state that is well known for its exceptional beers as well as its commitment to sustainable industries, it is no surprise that a local brewery is the recipient of the Governor's Sustainability Award for Small Business. Hood River, Oregon based Full Sail Brewing received the award in recognition of its outstanding sustainable business practices.

"To be acknowledged for our sustainable business practices by Oregon, a state that has been at the forefront in its commitment to sustainable business practices, is an honor," said Irene Firmat, Full Sail's founder and CEO. "For us, this sense of responsibility has been part of our core principals since we first started brewing beer over 21 years ago."

The judges of the awards noted that the brewery excelled in the areas of social equity, energy and water efficiency, renewable energy, use of recycled materials, procurement of local ingredients, community involvement and waste management.

Full Sail Brewing is an employee-owned company that operates a brew house made of reclaimed and recycled materials, uses local ingredients whenever feasible and purchases wind power for its facility's energy needs. The company also uses a hot water recovery system that saves more than three million gallons of water per year, which helps it consume roughly half the water other breweries use in beer production.

In 2006, Governor Ted Kulongoski issued an Executive Order directed by the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department (OECDD) to establish an awards program to promote and advance the inclusion of sustainable practices in government and the private sector. This order helped establish the highly competitive and sought-after Governor's Sustainability Awards.

The 2008 recipients of the awards totaled six winners in four categories. In addition to Full Sail, award winners in the Small Business category included two other companies in the wine and beer industry: Sokol Blosser Winery located in Dundee, Oregon, and Klamath Basin Brewing Company located in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Limited Seating - Reserve Your Spot for the Beer Northwest Pairing Dinner!



Join us February 23rd at 6:30pm at Vindalho in SE Portland, and enjoy amazing Indian food with a Northwest flare, perfectly paired with beers from Oregon and Washington.

Tickets are $60 and include beer pairings and gratuity. Vindalho is typically closed on Mondays, but will be open for this private event. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Click here to make reservations.

Vindalho is located at: 2038 SE Clinton Street, Portland, Oregon. 503.239.7000

Menu:

Reception
*Spicy Potato Samosas with creamy mint chutney
*Spicy Masala Chicken Wings served with tamarind yogurt chutney
*Lamb Kofta-Spicy meatballs in a tangy red sauce
Paired with: Krait Prestige Champagne Lager

Appetizer
*Black Pepper and Curry Leaf Prawns
Paired with: Laughing Buddha Mango-weizen

Entrée
Pork Vindalho (Carlton pork shoulder braised with chiles, garlic, and vinegar )with Saffron Pullao and Crispy Shoestring Potatoes
Paired with: Southern Oregon Brewing Porter

Dessert
Chocolate-orange spiced mousse with a crisp coconut tuile
Paired with: Cascade Brewing Cuvee du Jongleur

We hope to see you there!

Washington, Oregon and California Brawl!


It’s time again for the best of the region’s beers to go head-to-head in the 2nd annual Beer Brawl from February 25th - March 1st at Concordia Ale House in Portland, during which loyal patrons and beer lovers determine the winner.

Here’s how it works: Captains representing Oregon, Washington and California select four beers from their home states in the IPA, stout, pale ale, and open categories. This year’s captains include former Beer Brawl champ Sean Loring from Lazy Boy Brewing in Everett, Washington; Ken O’Connor from Deschutes Brewing in Portland, Oregon; and Richard Norgrove from Bear Republic Brewing Company in Healdsburg, California.

Come in and purchase a taster tray ($12 for 12 three-ounce sampler glasses, or $25 with a commemorative t-shirt), then vote for your favorites in a blind taste test.

If you love beer, you’ll love the Brawl!

Click here for more information. Concordia Ale house is located at 3276 NE Killingsworth St. Portland, OR 97211

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Fifth Annual Oregon Cheese Festival Dishes up Delicious Events


Oregon-inspired culinary events will kick off this year's Oregon Cheese Festival in Central Point, Oregon.

To commence the festival, a sumptuous meal introducing guests to participating artisans will be held at the historic U.S. Hotel Ballroom at the Jacksonville Inn in Jacksonville Friday night, March 13th from 6:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. Tickets are $70 per person, and are available by calling 866 -396-4704. The dinner will benefit the Oregon Cheese Guild.

Each course of the dinner will spotlight a cheese made by one of the festival's artisans paired with a local wine. Throughout the meal, celebrated cheese columnist and author Janet Fletcher will act as emcee and join the winemakers and cheesemakers in discussing the showcase dishes.

On Saturday March 14th, thousands of visitors will have the opportunity to sample cow, sheep and goat cheese from Oregon and northern California creameries.

"The farmer's market format will present an interactive experience between artisans and visitors, giving everyone an opportunity to talk about the product, the process and learn each individual cheesemaker's story," says David Gremmels, owner with Cary Bryant of Rogue Creamery. "It's a way to truly be connected with the source of the cheese being presented."

Samples and sales will be offered at each booth. Festival music will be provided by Michelle Scheffler and Bruno Grassi, and children are invited to participate in the event's annual coloring contest, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon.

The Oregon Cheese Festival will be open to the public Saturday, March 14th from 10a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rogue Creamery, 311 North Front St, Central Point, OR.

A $5 entry fee includes tastings and demonstrations. A $5 wine tasting fee includes a commemorative wine glass etched with the Oregon Cheese Guild logo. For more information contact Rogue Creamery at 866-396-4704 or www.roguecreamery.com.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Ninkasi Pairing Dinner at Madison's in Portland


Madison’s Grill presents: An Evening with Ninkasi Brewing
February 21st, 2009 7:00 PM

Guests will be greeted with a spread of fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and domestic cheeses. Served with Quantum Seasonal Ale

Starter Course
“Wings” of duck confit served with a selection of sweet and spicy sauces and jicama slaw. Served with Believer Double Red

Soup Course
Cream of Potato Leek Soup garnished with Pom Frites
Served with Total Domination IPA

Salad Course
Spring arugula, roasted beets, caramelized onion, toasted hazelnuts and gorgonzola tossed with a sweet Believer Red vinaigrette.
Served with Spring Reign Seasonal Ale

Main Course
Cascade hop crusted salmon or beef tenderloin with an Otis Stout mornay sauce served with chevre mashed potatoes.
Served with Tricerahops Double IPA

Dessert Course
Bittersweet chocolate and dark rum fondue served with fresh strawberries, marshmallows and an oatmeal cookie.
Served with Otis Oatmeal Stout

Damn... This makes me hungry.

Tickets are $35 plus gratuity, for Reservations call 503-230-2471

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Grand Teton Introduces a New Brew


Grand Teton Brewing Company will release Double Vision Doppelbock February 15th, the first in their 2009 “Cellar Reserve” series of specialty beers. The 2009 Cellar Reserve beers are dedicated to, and brewed in strict adherence to the Reinheitsgebot, the 1516 Bavarian beer purity law. Each beer this year will be brewed to commemorate one of the four true beer ingredients: malt, hops, yeast and water.

Double Vision Doppelbock was brewed to highlight the brewery’s wonderful water. Like all the great traditional brewing towns, Victor, Idaho, is in or near some of the world’s best barley- and hop-growing regions, and is distinguished by an ample supply of top-quality water.

The Double Vision Doppelbock is brewed with Idaho 2-Row Pale and German Munich, CaraAroma, CaraMunich and de-husked Carafa malts to an original gravity of 24 Plato (1.096 SG). The malts provide a dark leather color with ruby notes, a luxurious tan head, and a bready aroma with a hint of smoke. It is lightly spiced with Liberty hops, an American version of the noble German Hallertau Mittelfruh, and fermented with lager yeast from a monastery brewery near Munich. In the traditional manner, Double Vision is fermented cold (48 F) and lagered a full 10 weeks for smoothness. At over 8% alcohol by volume, it is a deceptively drinkable springtime warmer.

The 17th century Paulist monks of Munich were allowed no solid food during their twice-yearly fasts. They brewed an especially nourishing strong dark lager they called “liquid bread” and named “Holy Father” to help them through the Lenten and Advent fasts. The beer was known as a doppelbock, which signifies a strong lager. Since “bock” also means “billy goat” in German, these beers are often decorated with images of gallivanting goats. The Double Vision label features two goats in front of a waterfall—a reminder of the importance of water to the development of the style as well as the taste of this strong lager.

Grand Teton Brewing releases four or five different beers a year in the Cellar Reserve line. The production quantity is very limited. The Double Vision Doppelbock is available in kegs and unique brown one-liter, flip-top bottles.

The Double Vision Doppelbock will be available February 15th at select locations in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Oregon, Montana, Washington, New York, Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas! Call the brewery at 1-888-899-1656 for information and availability.

Olde Reliable Barleywine Release

Laurelwood will be releasing Olde Reliable Barleywine at their NW Public House TODAY. Brewers will be on hand to hand out samples and field requests.

This strong, deeply complex beer is truly for the connoisseur. Olde Reliable gets its rich color and flavor from loads of Pacific Northwest malt and an especially long boil. A dose of brown sugar in the boil add to the unique character of the ale. 10 % ABV, 90 IBUs, O.G. 22 º Plato

Laurelwood's NW Public house is located at 2327 NW Kearney Street Portland, OR 97210

Warm yourself on a Wednesday!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Urban Assault Ride, Sponsored by New Belgium Brewing, Expands to 10 Cities This Year!

Adventure Fit announced that the seventh season of Urban Assault Ride, the largest bicycle-based adventure race series in the country, will hit the streets of 10 cities this year. The Urban Assault Ride (UAR) is a funky bike scavenger hunt that involves navigating city streets, taking on unique physical challenges, and then kicking back at an after-party. Weekend warriors, racers, bike commuters, couples and families unite as teams of two take to the town by bike.

During the ride, checkpoint challenges may include power-sliding adult big wheels, face-first slip 'n slide action, or even jousting on BMX bikes. The challenges vary in each city, so participants never know what's in store. Prior to the event, checkpoints are listed on the event's website (www.urbanassaultride.com) so everyone has plenty of time to plot a course.

The first team to hit all checkpoints and complete the final obstacle course takes home a pair of New Belgium cruiser bikes. The top three teams in each of the four divisions will also receive awesome prizes. A celebration follows at the after-party with New Belgium beer and an interactive prize raffle with a host of two-wheeled shenanigans.

New Belgium Brewing, the Title Sponsor of the 2009 Urban Assault Ride, is well known for its love of all things bicycle and for its sustainable practices.

The 2009 UAR schedule is as follows, adding three new cities to the roster:
4/19 Tucson, AZ NEW!
4/26 Nashville, TN NEW!
5/17 Seattle, WA
5/31 Portland, OR
6/28 Austin, TX
7/19 Fort Collins, CO
7/26 Denver, CO
8/16 St. Louis, MO NEW!
9/20 Minneapolis, MN
9/27 Chicago, IL

Adventure Fit and New Belgium Brewing are at the forefront of promoting the bicycle as alternative transportation, working hard to encourage folks to bike more and drive less. Sign up today and learn more about New Belgium here. Join New Belgium's Team Wonderbike to make a pledge to offset car miles by simply riding a bike.

Stewart's Ginger Beer Now In at Full Throttle Bottles!


They bought the whole pallet! If you need it, want it, or are just curious what all the buzz is about, they have it. They have it ALL! You'll need this ginger beer (soda) to make a Dark & Stormy or a Moscow Mule. There are entire internet groups devoted to this soda.

They also have other hot ginger ales and beers such as Blenheim Red Hot Ginger Ale, Buderim HOT Ginger Brew and Reed's Jamaican Ginger Beer. Try DG Jamaican style or Hot and Cold from Sprecher (yes the root beer place!) Try them all and melt your face! Please call to have them set some aside, half the pallet has been sold already...get yours before it's all gone! Call 206-763-2079.

Full Throttle Bottles is located at 5909 S. Airport Way, Seattle.

McMenamins' 16th Annual Hillsdale Brewfest

On Saturday, February 21, 2009, the notorious "Battle of the Belt" rages for the sixteenth time at Hillsdale Brewery & Public House (1505 SW Sunset Blvd.). McMenamins' Hillsdale Brewfest is a day-long event featuring twenty original brews such as Wolf Ticket Milk Stout, Hot For Teacher IPA and Recession Imperial Red, along with food specials, revelry, merriment and – most important – a competition for the coveted Belt. The Hillsdale Brewfest is free to attend, begins at 11 a.m. and is open to guests of all ages; those 21 and over may taste the ales.

Twenty of the finest ales from all over McMenamins' Kingdom of Fun are sent into battle, their brewers vying for bragging rights, the notorious championship belt and a berth in the annual Oregon Brewers Festival. Patrons order "trays" of beer, arranged from lightest to darkest – each of the two trays offers ten 4-ounce samples and costs $8.75. It is our guests' duty to decide who deserves the coveted title. With sixteen ales from Oregon and four from Washington, these beers cover the spectrum of brew styles – from hefeweizen to oatmeal stout, barleywine to smoked amber ale and beyond. Each taster casts one ballot that lists his or her top three choices.

The victorious brewer at this year's Battle of the Belt will represent McMenamins at the 22nd Annual Oregon Brewers Festival in downtown Portland on July 23–26, 2009. For more information, visit www.oregonbrewfest.com.

Monday, February 9, 2009

We know they serve great beer, but who serves Portland's best clam chowder?

A dozen pubs and restaurants will contend at the third annual Chowder Challenge to determine the answer to that very question on February 28th from 12pm-6pm at the 5th Quadrant, located at 3901-B North Williams Ave. in Portland.

The public is invited to sample New England-style clam chowders (no Manhattan allowed) from a dozen area brewpubs and restaurants. The chowders are served up in non-labeled, two-ounce cups. After tasting all entries, attendees vote for their favorite. The chowder receiving the most votes is named the People's Choice Winner and takes home the coveted Chowder Cup.

Celebrity judges (including Beer Northwest editor, Megan Flynn) will determine the winners of the other three categories: Most Authentic, Most Flavorful and Best with Beer.

Admission is $10, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Locks of Love.

PARTICIPANTS:
Alameda Brewhouse, EaT: An Oyster Bar, 5th Quadrant, Hedge House, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Horse Brass Pub, Laurelwood Public House, Lucky Labrador Brewpub, Morrison Hotel, New Old Lompoc, Oaks Bottom Public House, and Rogue Ales.

Reputations are on the line: the Morrison Hotel set the bar in the last challenge, sweeping all categories and wresting the cup away from the inaugural winner, The New Old Lompoc.

The festivities will also feature a beer garden, live music, a rootbeer garden, and food for purchase. Minors are welcome at the event. Click here for more information.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Meet the Brewer!


Green Dragon Brewpub presents “Meet the Brewer” Tuesday February 10, 2009 featuring Jürgen Knoller and Thorsten Geuer of Bayern Brewery in Missoula, Montana from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Jürgen was born and raised in Bavaria, Germany about 25 miles away from the Neuschwanstein Castle in Füssen. Germans call Bavaria "Bayern" and that is where the name of the brewery comes from. Thorsten served his apprenticeship as brewer and maltster between 1996- 1999 at the "Hofbräu Früh" brewery in Cologne, Germany.


Featured Beers:
Killarney: An Irish Red Lager, served from a wooden cask.
Bayern Pils: The best pils you’ll find on either side of the Atlantic.
Face Plant: A doppelweizen. A “dangerously” dark wheat beer.


The Green Dragon is located at 928 SE 9th Ave Portland, OR 97214.

Calling all Chocoholics!


Pike Brewing proclaims Seattle the Sensuous City by hosting PIKE CHOCOFEST, two days before Valentine's: foreplay for the big day.

Exhibitors will be on hand to sample and talk about their chocolates, wines, beers, spirits, and mead:
Carter's Chocolates
The Chocolate Box
Gelatiamo
The Pike Brewing Company
Trevani Truffles
Frans Chocolates
Theo Chocolate
Ritrovo Imports Click Distributing
Claudio Corallo Chocolate
Merchant du Vin Corporation Bottleworks Sky River Mead Noble Wine Company Badger Mountain Vineyards/Powers Winery Clear Creek Distillery

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Beer Belly Dinner

Meet, eat and drink with Full Sail Brewing’s John Harris on February 12th from 7pm-9pm at The East Burn in Portland, Oregon. The EastBurn is located at 18th and E. Burnside. Cost is $25 per person, check out their website for more details, or call 503.236.BURN.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

10th Annual WASHINGTON CASK BEER FESTIVAL


The Washington Beer Commission presents the 2009 Washington Cask Beer Festival on Saturday, March 28th with two sessions from 12-4pm, and 6-10pm (separate tickets required for each session) at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion. This year the Cask Festival celebrates its 10-year anniversary. The event was conceived when a group of Washington brewers got together, wanting to introduce cask-conditioned beer to the local beer-drinking population. Ten years later what started as a small beer tasting for a handful of beer connoisseurs has become one of the most prestigious beer events of its kind, that draws cask beer enthusiasts from all over the region.

The Washington Cask Beer Festival has become a major highlight of the Pacific Northwest beer festival scene. The event features 60+ one-of-a-kind handcrafted cask-conditioned beers from the region's most innovative microbreweries. Also serving is Herbert's Legendary Cask Festival Ale, a special cask beer brewed collectively by the Washington brewers in memory of Bert Grant, a legendary Washington beer icon. To commemorate the festival's 10-year anniversary in 2009 there will be 10 different versions of the Herbert's brewed by 10 different breweries/collaborative groups. It is craft brewing in its finest form and is fascinating to see how different brewers interpret the same recipe and add their own twists.

Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion is located at 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door, and includes a souvenir cup and all sample tastes. Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID to be admitted. Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door only.

Tickets are on sale online and at select outlets. The event is expected to sell out so advance purchase is strongly recommended.

WABL members will enjoy exclusive advantages including a $5 discount on tickets, special WABL tasting glass and "WABL Beer," a special beer brewed by a different Washington brewery for each Washington Beer Commission festival that is available exclusively to WABL members.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Craft Beer Minus the Beer Belly


Redhook wants you to stick to your New Year's Resolution. Meet Slim Chance, a light ale with the full-bodied flavor of a craft brew. Slim Chance is brewed in the blonde-style tradition, using a wide variety of golden-kilned malts, a touch of wheat and subtle aroma hops. It combines the best attributes of a crisp, refreshing ale with the benefit of having fewer calories.

"It's the beer you want to drink after a hard run, a day on the slopes or a long bike ride, but it's also great for when you're just hanging out in the backyard," said Kim Brusco, brewing operations manager for Redhook Ale Brewery. "Slim Chance makes a perfect six-pack."

"When done right, a light ale should be easy to drink and full of complex, well balanced flavors. We took our time on Slim Chance, making it the best possible light ale, one that could live up to the Redhook label," said Brusco. "Great for stocking coolers and garage fridges any time of year, it shows how good a light beer can taste."

The smooth finish and subtle citrus undertones pair well with barbecued meats, Mexican cuisine and spicy ingredients like chili peppers, curry and Thai peanut sauce.

Slim Chance Light Ale will be available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft in western states* this February, with a national launch following in March. This year-round selection will be the only craft light ale available nationally, retailing for approximately $8.99 per six-pack.

* The 13 initial states are AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, WA, WI and WY.

Monday, February 2, 2009

SF Beer Week Kicking off 10 days of Beer Events


A Celebration of Beer By the Bay — February 6-15, 2009

On February 6th, SF Beer Week will begin celebrating beer in the San Francisco Bay Area with over 100 diverse events including beer festivals, beer dinners, cheese and beer pairings, educational seminars, homebrewing demonstrations and much, much more.

SF Beer Week is a ten-day celebration of beer in the Bay Area. It was conceived and organized by Jay R. Brooks, Tom Dalldorf, Dave Keene, Dave McLean, Shaun O'Sullivan and Bruce Paton. Jay Brooks is a local beer writer and blogger; Tom Dalldorf publishes the brewspaper Celebrator Beer News; Dave Keene owns San Francisco's most exciting beer bar, the Toronado; Dave McLean owns Magnolia Gastropub & Brewery and the Alembic, both on Haight Street; Shaun O'Sullivan is the co-owner and brewmaster at 21st Amendment Brewery & Restaurant on 2nd Street in San Francisco; and Bruce Paton is the Beer Chef and executive chef at the Cathedral Hill Hotel on Van Ness. SF Beer Week is, however, being put on by the Bay Area's vibrant beer and food community with dozens of venues and countless volunteer members of the brewing industry. It was created as a way to spotlight the local craft beer community with myriad events that showcase the fine quality, rich diversity and amazing potential that craft beer has to enhance the quality of life in the Bay Area.

For more information, visit their website.

Saké Shock - saké and food pairings to surprise your senses!

Sake Shock Flight Feb 1 - Feb 28, 11am – 5pm

SakéOne invites you to their tasting room to experience wild and wonderful saké and food pairings. The new Saké Shock flight explores craft-brewed saké paired with eccentric offerings such as chili lime cashews & blueberry pocky. Learn why saké, a pure and simple beverage, offers unlimited possibilities. Tasting Fee is $10 per person. Brewery tours offered daily at 1, 2 & 3pm. Call 503.357.7056 x. 235 for more information, or visit their website.

SakéOne, 820 Elm St., Forest Grove, OR 97116

Meet the Brewer!


Green Dragon Brewpub presents “Meet the Brewer” Tuesday February 3, 2009 featuring Dave “Chowder” Fleming of Three Creeks Brewing from 6:00p to 8:00p.

Dave is well know throughout Portland for his brewing history with Lucky Lab and McMenamins St. Francis School, and now resides in Sisters, OR with Three Creeks Brewing.


Featured Beers:
Old Prospector Pale: A true English pale with a rodeo twist

Rudolph’s Imperial Red: Haughty red, full-flavor brew with regal red tones. 9% ABV


The Green Dragon is located at 928 SE 9th Ave Portland, OR 97214.