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April 28, 2011July 9, 2011

Completists in Portland

Evan Rail in his Good Beer Guide to Prague and the Czech Republic puts forth the idea of the beer traveling “completist” – someone who needs to go to EVERY brewery in a city to feel mission accomplished. With a brewery list to continually add to, this concept perfectly describes me and Merideth. Always visiting Portland during Oregon Brewers Festival, we were never left with enough free time to indulge this need. Our first Spring trip to Portland finally gave us the free time to fulfill our completist desires and add some outlying breweries to the List.

An early beer stop in Southeast Portland

Landing at Portland International Airport shortly before 8am, we needed an early opening brewery to get our day started on the right track. Located in the bottom portion of Southeast Portland, Philadelphia’s Steaks & Hoagies fit our needs perfectly. We were sitting at the bar ordering a nine beer taster set at the prime beer-drinking hour of 9am.

Merideth and I split the taster set as we each enjoyed a hoagie, the Italian Special for myself and Ham and Eggs for Merideth. I would be lying if I didn’t say that a few of the beers were kind of odd. There seemed to be a ‘house flavor’ permeating a number of the brews. With that said, we did enjoy several of the beers including Two Street Stout and the Belgian-style Golden Ale.

While we were finishing up our taster set and breakfast/lunch, we stumbled upon our theme for the Easter holiday episode of beergeek.TV. One of the morning TV shows was doing a segment on Peeps, those neon yellow sugar bombs in the form of a squishy chick-shaped confection. I wondered what beer pairs best with Peeps?

Armed with a meaning and purpose for our trip (plus a soon to be gotten box of Peeps) we were off to the Portland suburb of Tigard and our second destination of the morning. Located on Main St. in what I assume was ‘old town’ Tigard, Max’s Fanno Creek Brewpub was doing a bit of a brisk business at 11am on a Friday. Despite there still being a chill in the air, I was surprised to hear Merideth wanting to sit outside.

Nine was the number of the day as the taster set at Max’s was also nine brews. Not sure that Merideth truly got to taste and enjoy the beers because she was sampling them with the Peeps. She paired the sugary treat with the Golden Ale, Vanilla Porter, Raspberry Stout and Imperial IPA. The results will be revealed in the beergeek.TV episode.

I felt sick after one nibble of Peep, so I sampled all the beers unencumbered by the pairing question. Of the nine, the Dry Hopped Red, Reverend’s Daughter, a Belgian-style Golden Ale and the IPA stood out for me.

A highlight of our stop at Max’s was eating my first Scotch Egg. Our Irish friends always go on about them and despite not knowing what it was, I was curious to try one. [It’s a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in sausage, then deep fried] Despite the “fancy-ass chi-chi” presentation, it was quite tasty as most deep fried food tends to be when served with beer. I will admit, I did remove the yoke.

If you do make make it to Max’s Fanno Creek Brewpub, be sure to check out the bar top made from crow’s foot hemlock. The wood is 600 years old and spent 200 years at the bottom of the Columbia River.

Our final stop on Friday’s completist brewery tour was Old Market Pub & Brewery. At the junction of two roads, Old Market had a real roadhouse feel, both inside and out. The rambling building had an expansive wood-paneled interior with a large dining room and a pool room in the back. With the warmth of the day finally showing, we took a seat in the beer garden out front.

And yes, the sampler was nine beers again! For me, the star of their brews was Hop On, a hopped-up Amber Ale. Big surprise that I would pick the hoppiest beer as my favorite. Merideth continued her Peep/beer pairing quest putting Mr. Slate’s Gravelberry Ale, a raspberry Wheat Beer and Hop On to the test.

Enjoying the sunny Portland weather in their beer garden, we managed to squeeze in a game of Scrabble. Given the massive beating I took, Merideth won 340-310, I’ll think twice next time before suggesting to get a quick game in.

On Easter Sunday, we visited another of the outlying breweries on our target list. Conveniently located ten minutes from the airport, Breakside Brewery was an easy stop before our flight home. Located down a residential street, we thought that my douchephone directions had led us astray until we came upon a grouping of businesses amidst the homes.

Between the beer and food, Breakside Brewery was one of the highlights of the weekend. We sampled eight beers with three hoppy beers, Hoppy Amber, IPA, and IPA Jr., being the stars. Merideth even enjoyed IPA Jr. which could be an excellent session IPA if the brewers knocked the ABV down a bit. However, the most intriguing brew was the Kölsch-style Ale made with Rye. Light and refreshing with that Rye bite and spiciness, it would be the perfect brew for a Portland summer day.

I had looked at the Breakside food menu online before our trip and knew exactly what I wanted for Easter lunch, the Pork Belly Sandwich. Merideth ordered one as well. It was to die for! The pork was cooked to perfection and fennel slaw was a delicious accompaniment.

Lunch and beers at Breakside with our nephew and his significant other was the perfect way to spend Easter Sunday and to end our trip on a high note. While we are not ready to declare ‘mission accomplished’ the completist in us were very satisfied with our progress over the Easter weekend in Portand.

View all the Portland images

April 20, 2011May 24, 2013

New beergeek.TV Episode – Return to Alaska

Back at the Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival

“Return to Alaska” is the latest episode of One Pint at a Time.

Ever since our first visit to Anchorage three years ago, we’ve talked about returning. Despite all those conversations centering on a summer visit, the lure of Alaska in January to relive our first Year in Beer trip was too strong to resist.

Braving frigid temperatures, we immersed ourselves again in the welcoming Alaskan beer community. We revisited our favorite Anchorage beer spots and also ventured into the frozen tundra for the first time. Thanks to our Alaskan friends for making it another great time!

So enjoy our return to Alaska…

For all the episodes of One Pint at a Time go to beergeekTV.

April 8, 2011

North Bay Beer-cation

I have admit that I don’t get to Sonoma County nearly enough. Merideth regularly travels to the North Bay for work and I have accompanied her on a few occasions. But my house-husband duties usually keep me from spending more time in one of the the true gems of the US beer scene.

Another one of my moments of brilliant inspiration had the planning wheels in my head spinning. I would have Merideth drop me off in Santa Rosa and I would bike the 20 plus miles to Guerneville while she was working. When Merideth was finished, she would meet me there. Like all great plans, mine had one flaw — the weather. When the day of the trip finally arrived, biblical amounts of rain scuttled any idea of a bike ride. I spent the day hanging out at places such as the Santa Rosa library waiting for Merideth to finish work.

Merideth in front of Sonoma Springs Brewing Co.

Our first stop of the day was Sonoma Springs Brewing Co., located along the main drag in Sonoma. Being mid-day on a rainy Thursday in March, we were the only customers when we entered the quaint brewery and tasting room. Bellying up to the bar, we greeted the brewer/bartender/owner and his tiny assistant — his young son. A long day ahead, we ordered a taster set of beers to share.

The brews fell mostly into two categories: German-style beers and hopped up California ales. The two German-style Wheats, Divine Harvest Dunkelweiss and Mission Bell Sour Wheat, were both sour despite only one having ‘sour’ in its name. Merideth and I both found them very strange, though I found the Sour Wheat more acceptable. Maybe because it was appropriately named. I did like the New Bavaria Roggenbier.

On the other hand, the two California hop bombs Lil Chief Pale Ale and Noma Coma Double IPA were excellent. My favorite, Lil Chief, was redolent of running naked through a pine forest after a summer downpour. [Did I just plagiarize Chris Devlin?]

After finishing our taster set, we bade farewell to our hosts and headed north towards Guerneville. The drive down River Road was reminiscent of the Santa Cruz Mountains, except the hippies were much more menacing looking. The last time we were in Guerneville was in 1997 when we visited the original location of Russian River Brewing at Korbel. Thirteen years later, we ventured another mile down the road to visit our second new brewery of the day, Stumptown Brewery and Smokehouse.

The required photo from the Stumptown Brewery's deck overlooking the Russian River

On this dreary afternoon, we were two of maybe seven or eight customers. The large u-shaped bar wrapped from the inside to the outside which serviced Stumptown’s expansive deck overlooking the Russian River. Despite the weather, I forced Merideth to sit outside, even after she had already expressed her wish by sitting down at the inside bar. I had visions of playing Scrabble on the deck while watching trees flow down the rain-swollen Russian River. In my defense, at least it wasn’t raining.

Merideth much happier in front of a fire

Merideth ordered the Bushwacker Wheat, another oddly sour-ish Wheat beer. My choice, Blimey the Wanker, beside having a great name, was a much better choice. It was was more of an English style, nicely hopped but not an over-the-top enamel-eating brew. By the way, after a few sips of our beers, we moved inside.

Despite the miss on Merideth’s beer, we can’t wait to return in warmer weather to take advantage of Stumptown’s deck. I can see myself enjoying a few Blimey the Wankers out there on a sunny summer day. Plus, I still need to do the Santa Rosa to Guerneville bike ride.

Hop Kiln Winery, California Historical Landmark #893

We took Westside Rd., the scenic route between Guerneville and Healdsburg, to our next stop: Bear Republic Brewing. As we passed flooded vineyards and swollen creeks, we reveled in what we thought was a new back road adventure. Then we came upon Hop Kiln Winery, a stop we made on our first visit to Sonoma County in 1997. Obviously, we had taken the same road between Russian River and Bear Republic back then.

Built in 1905, the building is, according to its California landmark listing, the “most significant surviving example of a stone hop kiln in the North Coast region”. Inside, there are vintage photos and equipment from the era when hops were king. Hop Kiln Winery is a must stop for any beer geek touring the area.

A few minutes after leaving Hop Kiln, we were in downtown Healdsburg. Despite being one of my favorite breweries, Bear Republic was mainly a growler fill stop in our busy Thursday schedule. Arriving at happy hour, we finally encountered our first crowds of the day. Grabbing the only two seats at the bar, Merideth ordered a Peter Brown Tribute Ale, a Brown Ale while I performed much needed research.

With only one Bear Republic growler, I needed to choose wisely. My first beer and first choice for the growler was Hop Rod Rye, their amazing IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. At home, our Bear Republic beers tend to be a bit it dated. So, I was in heaven to be drinking fresh Bear Republic beer again. I was pretty satisfied with Hop rod Rye as my growler choice but did have a Racer 5 just to make sure.

Our final stop of the day was Russian River Brewing in downtown Santa Rosa. Riding over from our hotel in the taxi, I thought it was going to be a semi-quiet evening — a few beers, dinner and a game of scrabble. With the Craft Brewers Conference events happening 55 miles to the south, I assumed all the beer geeks were there.

Russian River Brewing packed on a Friday night

I couldn’t have been more wrong. Walking in the back door, we could see that the bar and dining areas were packed all the way to the front door on the opposite side of the building. Luckily, there was a high table by the back door free. Merideth staked that table out while I walked up front to try to satisfy our desire to be closer to the action. Seeing that the table where Merideth sat was the only one free, I returned to her and settled in.

Enjoying a Defenestration at Russian River Brewing

If there was maybe one mistake on the day, it was going to Russian River last. There were a number of new beers I wanted to try but was losing steam quickly. I passed on the three Pale Ales, Gaffers, Segal Select, and Happy Hops, though the last I would bring home in a growler. Moving over to the Belgian-style Ales, I chose the excellent Defenestration, a 7.25% ABV Hoppy Blond in the Houblon Chouffe mold. My second and last beer of the day was their Craft Brewers Conference Collaboration brew with Sierra Nevada, a Sour Brown. A bit on the lighter side, it was probably what I needed. A Pliny probably would have put me under the table.

It was Merideth’s evening. She got to drink her favorite Russian River beer, Damnation, their Belgian-style Strong Golden Ale. She ruled the Scrabble board, destroying me 335 to 265, but most important, she go to spend the afternoon and evening with her wonderful husband. If she had one disappointment, she felt that she should have scored 400 in Scrabble. Maybe next trip…

View all the images from our North Bay Beer-cation

April 3, 2011

Our Local Beer Scene: Toast Carmel Valley

With sunny and warm weather returning to Carmel Valley, this is a perfect opportunity to introduce the latest entry to the Monterey Peninsula beer scene — Toast Carmel Valley. In the heart of Carmel Valley village, Toast is a locally-owned, neighborhood bistro that opened in September 2010.

Merideth and I love where we live in Carmel Valley. Unfortunately, our beer options are very limited. Either we could go into town, a half hour drive, or hang out at our only local option, the redneck bar with a pretty standard selection of beer. More often than not, we ended having a beer a home.

So, it goes without saying that Merideth and I were really excited to learn about the coming of Toast. While not really a beer bar or pub, Toast, with its casual atmosphere and friendly staff, is a great place to drink a beer and relax with friends. With it’s welcoming atmosphere and dog-friendly outside seating, Toast will be OUR place to hang out in Carmel Valley Village during the Summer season.

I don’t need a gazillion beer selections at my local. Toast has six taps with our staple brews being Green Flash West Coast IPA, Allagash White and North Coast Scrimshaw. Offerings from Lost Abbey and Port Brewing also are regularly featured in the draft beer line up. As for bottles, there are 15-20 to chose from including all-time favorites Rodenbach and Allagash Black.

My usual dinner entree... Fettucine with Local Foraged Mushrooms, Humbodlt fog and Truffles

To be honest, I wasn’t really concerned about the food they planned to serve. It was all about the beer for me. However, the food has been the pleasant surprise. All the dishes are simple, reasonably priced and delicious. A few things on the menu that Merideth and I regularly order:

Marinated Olives, Hummus, Roasted Garlic with House Flatbread
Monterey Calamari with Green Grapes
Mussels Steamed in Reisling Butter with Frites
Fettucine with Local Foraged Mushrooms, Humboldt Fog and Truffles
Roasted Chicken with Mascarpone Enriched Orzo

And the desserts are excellent too!

From its sunny deck, Merideth and I will be spending many an afternoon and evening enjoying a few beers and watching Carmel Valley life pass by.

March 17, 2011November 1, 2011

Sierra Nevada Night at burger.

Merideth and I ended our 28-day beer hiatus Wednesday evening at a Sierra Nevada “Tap Takeover” event at burger. in Santa Cruz. A very large and cheerful crowd, including Spike from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, enjoyed probably the widest and best selection of Sierra Nevada brews on tap in Santa Cruz County history.

Fifteen Sierra Nevada brews were on tap, ranging from the standards like Pale Ale, Kellerweis and Stout to the special, such as three of the 30th Anniversary series, 2009 Bigfoot and Hoptimum. There were even a few unique brews: Empire Strikes Black Russian Imperial Stout, an early Beer Camp brew, 2×4, a blend of two Belgian-style ales and a Pro-Am Old Ale. All in all there was a pretty special selection of Sierra Nevada beers.

Going in, I knew my first beer after a 28 day hiatus was going to be my beloved Torpedo. Unfortunately, that one Torpedo made me pretty loopy. Not wanting to be under the table, I passed on the higher ABV special brews and moved on to a nice, mellow Kellerweis. Merideth, after beginning with a Kellerweis, tried the 2×4, a beer she much enjoyed.

Each of the Sierra Nevada beers had a food pairing. Having gotten through the beer hiatus by indulging my sweet tooth, the dessert items caught my eye. Bigfoot 2009 paired with a brownie topped with Stout whipped cream and the Empire Strikes Black accompanying a selection of chocolates.

It was a very mellow evening by our standards, but it was great getting out, being sociable and seeing friends. Congrats to Quinn from Sierra Nevada and burger. for putting on a fun event.

View all the pictures from our evening at burger.

Our California Common is being re-released

In other Sierra Nevada related news, we are so proud our Beer Camp brew was one of the four beers selected for Sierra Nevada’s upcoming “The Best of Beer Camp” mixed pack. We look forward to drinking our hopped-up California Common again. Look for “The Best of Beer Camp” 12-packs in mid-May.

If you missed our Beer Camp blog posts:
Our Kind of Camping
Brew Day at Beer Camp