Short Vacation

A short trip to bend allowed me to make a run to two beer spots.
1-Wild Oats Market-pictured beers i purchased.
I did manage to talk myself out of buying the $20 bottle of cask age Old Rasputin. I still have Abyss I haven't touched yet

the Wild Blueberry Wheat Beer from Sea Dog out of Maine. I had it at the Bend Beer tasting last year and was surprised to see it, so i bought a 6pack. As good as I remember. A great summer fruit beer. Crisp with no sugary or tartness to it. It is light and worthy of sharing.

Then there is Drake's Crude Oatmeal Stout. 6.9% . made by Erie Brewing Company in Erie Pennsylvania. An ok oatmeal stout. It's name sums it up. I liked it, but it is crude. needing some work to hammer it out. There is no real odor like Stout, but it isn't really beery either. the flavor is smooth, but not really above par for this area. West Coast stouts have so much to offer. I do think it is a great effort for a east coast stout. i did enjoy the change of pace, would bring 1 to share with friends, but wouldn't purchase regularly.

2- Cascade Lakes-Redmond. I have been to the Bend Cascade Lakes on several occasions and never been terribly impressed with anything. It was new and served beers. the beers were not bad, but the service, food and general atmosphere were not worth recommending. recently a brother stated that the Redmond pub was far better and the beer was better.

I went to give it a try. It was worth it and makes me forget there is one in Bend. The food was great, the atmosphere was great. A local pub you could sit and drink with your buddies or chat up the person on the stool next to you. I had two beers the Red on Nitro and the Stout. The nitro smoothed the rough edges of the red and made it a great smelling. It was smooth with a subtle crispiness to it. I was surprised when the mother in law order it, but could see why she did. I only wish the nitro worked better for growlers. The stout was also impressive. Dark and rich. there was a great aroma that brought a warm smile to my face. I did fill the growler and just finished it off. Go to Redmond, visit the pub.

Drifter Pale Ale

Drifter is not your standard pale ale. It is not crisp and clean. It is not weak and near tasteless. Drifter is a beach beer, or rather, a Northwest Beach Beer, made for sipping next to camp fires on the beech. It is a has a smokey hint of burning logs and memory of time spent with good friends on the edge of nature.

The first time I had the beer, the year was not warm enough.

The second time was in July in the revolutions of fog and sun, showers and clears skies of the Fourth of July weekend in Neskowin. I could not have picked a better beer to match the week and weather.

I bought my third six pack last night. It's hot. It's a hundred degrees. The beer beat the heat and still provided a subtle taste that was not too hot for the weather.

I give Drifter the Church's Blessing. You should bless it too.

-Brother RD

Heaven's Helles Pale Lager

My dear wife came home with a bottle of Heaven's Helles Pale Lager last night. I'm not much of a lager man, but it was hot and I'm a Lompoc fan, so I gave the beer a go.

It's a light summer beer with the faintest hint of fruit. It is soft and smooth with little after taste. The beer matched the day, and that is always a blessing.

-Brother RD

Oak's Bottom Public House

Brother Eric was in town yesterday. Leaving Beer Nirvana two years ago, he now resides outside the D.C. beltway. Sadly, craft breweries are few and few between in his pond of the world, Dogfish in Delaware is the closest, proper pub, and it is over an hour away.

Aiding another aficionado, we went on a pilgrimage to Oak's Bottom Public House. It's a quiet, cozy pub featuring Lompoc news and a few guest tops. Eric is an IPA man. He tried their Centennial IPA . They describe it as, "-A classic Northwest IPA. Nicely balanced and easy drinking with all the hop flavors. (6.0% a/v)." Its a nice beer. It is not overwhelming and definitely not extreme. I had the the Lompoc Strong Draft - Portland’s new cult beer. LSD is an American strong ale with big body, a touch of smoked malt and a generous hop profile. (6.9% a/v)" I think of it as summer stout. It is a rich ale that is full of flavor, without being heavy and oppressive. It was perfect with my Totchos, "a heaping plate of tater tots, smothered with cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, black olives and onion topped with sour cream and salsa." The small portion, I added black beans for added flavor. It's an epic appetizer made to be a meal.

For dessert, we both imbibed the "C-Note Imperial Pale - This HUGE Imperial Pale Ale (100 IBU!) is a hop head’s dream. Using Crystal, Cluster, Cascade, Chinook, Centennial,

Columbus and Challenger hops. (6.9% a/v)." It's an uber ale: extreme and hoppy. The combination of seven hops creates a complex taste worth trying again and again.

Oak's Bottom Public House, without a doubt, has the Church of Beer's blessing.

-Brother E.

Whidbey Beer Works

While on the meanderings of our vacation, my dear pointed out a beer store was located across from the quilting store she wanted to visit. As she went into her craft store, I glanced into the window of Whidbey Beer Works. Whidbey Beer Works is the Belmont Station of Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island. It is a mecca of beer. The store had yet to open, I was happy looking through the window at all the selections. The owner came to the door and opened the store for me. Wow! He introduced me to his huge Black Lab, Molly Moose, and we chatted as I looked through the store. He has a fine selection of imported beer, Northwest Breweries and local beer from Western Washington. I picked up a few items for my brother. There were a few free coasters and a free beer opener, very useful when one is on vacation. I walked away with a big smile. I cannot recommend the store more.

-Brother RD