Church of Beer

Block 15

2012-02-07T17:31:00.000-08:00

Recently at a training, I had a chance to go to some out of town breweries.
I met up with some friends who had suggested Block 15.
I had about 3 pints of various beers as well as sips from half a dozen more.

Nebula Naked Oat Stout-a nice smooth beer that starts out a little dry, but turns around to a nice dark stout, with coffee and chocolate tastes
Have Another Mild- a low alcohol beer with a lot of flavor, great for sipping while doing paper work
Hemp Nut Brown- a nice smooth brown, it had a great mellow flavor of roast, but just a little.

Block 15 beers were all well made super craft beers. I reminded me of the defunct Roots brewery in craft and craftsmanship.

Cavatica Stout

2012-01-15T20:33:00.001-08:00

"When exposed to dark, foamy liquids, this placid spider hollers pirates songs, cheats at cards and argues politics with its fellow arachnids"

A beer with spiders on it. A 8.8% dark beer. It is a nice beer, a little heavy on the alcohol. I would recommend it.

Winter Beers

2011-11-10T01:14:00.001-08:00

A quick note to the good winter and dark beers are out.
Winterhook form Red Hook
Ebenezer from Bridgeport
Winter Ale from Alaskan
Jubeale from Deschutes

Buckbean Brewing

2011-10-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

I took a day off which allowed me to go to Reno with the family.
The great family I have allowed me to go to a local brewery.
Buckbean Brewing, which when we got there on Monday was closed.
But they should learn to lock there doors when closed, because people like me will open the door and ask "hello?"
They were nice enough to put up with me for several minutes, with a couple samples. We came back the next day for more samples and some beer to come home with.

Black Knoddy
Tule Duck Red Ale
I like these beers the best. They had about 8 beers, all lagers, all good. They do not bottle, only keg and can.
If you get to the area go to it.

good news bad news

2011-09-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

the bad news?
the time knocking the rust off my beer making skills, showed in an undrinkable uncarbonated, coffee flavored beer/vinegar type of grog.
the good news?
jubelale is out for deschutes early and it is delicious. once again proving the off year, on year with the beer. This year it taste like a slightly spice winter porter style. yum
enjoy it

Loser

2011-09-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

"Corporate Beer Still Sucks"
LOSER in big black letters says the bottle... how do you ignore a 22 of that?
A pale ale with a light crisp flavor. It is drinkable and the 7% sneaks on you.
I have to get another bottle as my taste buds were muddled by a stout.
try

Voo Doo American Stout

2011-09-10T13:34:00.000-07:00

doing a walk through of my bottle shop I discover Voo Doo American Stout.
the label catches my attention and I buy the 22.
The bottle says it is a good hearty stout.
The label wasn't far off. It was rich and dark. The taste was smooth with underlying flavors of chocolate, coffee and a rich roasty flavor. The best/worst thing is the beer taste unrefined....like there is room for improvement.
Recommend

2011-09-10T13:33:00.001-07:00

Fivepine Porter

2011-09-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

At Three Creeks Brewing we try the new brew, FivePine Porter.
It is a rich smokey chocolate beer. It is smooth and tasty. It is great ice cold and smooth at room tempature. We buy four 22 for my fridge at home.
highly recommend the beer and the pub

Surprising

2011-09-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

Craving a black and tan at pub, I ask if they can make one.
"we can, but we don't have the usual beers for it"
-how about Sinister Ale and PBR
"Really? that's a local beer and I haven't tried it"
-the brewery might freak out, but it sounds good.

It was good, I order a couple more. It is suprisingly good.

Tale of the Fest

2011-08-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

My first vacation in a while.

I spent two days at the fest.
47 breweries at least 2 beers each.
The good part was day 1 was not busy when I got there.
The bad news pretty much the same beers from last year. How would I know? I still have the program from last year.
People were friendly, the weather was nice.
I picked up several coasters and stickers that I didn't have.
The beers I liked "Duke II" Ten barrel
"Moose Drool" Big Sky
"Steam Fired Stout" Firestone
"Tangerine Wheat" Lost Coast
"LSD (Lompoc Strong Draft)" Lompoc

Beers I didn't like
"Mint Kolsch" Gilgamesh - yeah it sounds bad

I also got time to go to Three Creeks, the homebrew shop (buying another batch tom make) and the my favorite bottle shop (the many bottle picture).

Brewfest

2011-08-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

I leave in two days for the beer festival. Three days with 60 beer types.
It will be the first and probable only fest of the summer season for me.
Can't wait. Photos and reviews to follow

Brewing again

2011-07-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

Having the day of.
having the equipment.
having the time.
having the ingredients.
I took to the stove and 3 hours later a dark wort.
Today...a bubbling liquid in the fermenter.

Hoodoo Voodoo IPA and Knotty Blonde Ale

2011-06-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

I know I have had these beers before, but that was on draft at the pub. These were both in 22's and I wanted to see how the faired and traveled in bottles.
The Knotty Blond was a good smooth beer. It had a pleasant aroma of hops, with a light flavor. It is a great summer beer, but with only 4% alcohol, it can go either way depending what your are looking for. recommended

The Hoodoo Voodoo IPA- I had greater expectations for this beer. I have been dabbling in IPA's, but I don't think my taste are the same as those who "love" IPA. This beer was just okay. The aroma of hops was mixed and even a little bit disguised by the beer smell. The flavor was the same way, disguised, but I am not sure by what. try it, who knows

All in all I would like the brewery to continue to brew and bottle.

Purple Haze

2011-06-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

After visiting a pub a while ago and meeting two drinker, one from Louisiana and one from Kentucky, which lead to a discussion about east coast and west coast beer. The loved the beers of the area, but both recommended Purple Haze as one of the better east coast beers (well close enough).
So when I saw it I picked up a sixer. A "malt beverage with raspberries added", the label said. I am a fan of raspberries in beer, but I was still cautious. I opened it and offered a sip to the mrs. I than took the dogs for a walk "sipping" the beer. Before I knew it I had finished it. It was perfect with the sunny 68 degree weather. It was crisp and light, with no heavy sour or sugary taste. The raspberries complimented the smooth beer. It is one of my favorite raspberry beers, recommended

Vortex IPA

2011-06-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

Having received a t-shirt from the brewery from christmas, I was excited to find a can (a pint no less) of Vortex IPA. I grabbed and took it home for later.
The oppurtunity came to sample it on my day off. It was a pretty good for an IPA and a canned beer (sometimes that can goof the flavor). It had a solid hoppy aroma with a smooth taste. I would like to follow it up with a draft sampling of the beer to see how they compare.

Oatmeal Ellie

2011-05-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

Seeing a new oatmeal stout at the beer store I was excited to try it.
Sadly that excitement ended when I opened it.
This beer tasted terrribly young at best. There was a hint of wonderful flavor, but it was masked in a sugary and over sweet flavor. I could not get a decent aroma. I even poured it in a glass, hoping it would disturb the beer and bring out the hint, but to no avail. I may give it a try later, but avoid this beer. I would really like to hope it is a bad batch.

Pliny the Elder

2011-05-06T08:26:00.001-07:00

I swear I have had a posting about Pliny before, but I couldn't locate it when looked through old post (not that I looked terribly long).
But since I was given the heads up about the small bottle shop having some, I went the next morning and bought 3 of the 6 bottles they had. The wife was surprised only 3.
This beer is a one the best beers I have ever had. A smooth and tasty IPA. The aroma invites you to drink more. It comes in 16 oz bottle and at 8% it is just the right amount of beer in a bottle.
Highly recommended

2 chance

2011-04-06T08:48:00.000-07:00

With my b introducing me to KGB, I gave the X series IPA a try. It was pretty good. A smooth and aromatic IPA. Since I am not a huge IPA fan it probably is just a middle of the road IPA. I had been disappointed with Widmer in recent years, since the had dropped milk stout and quality seemed to go down a little.
Hopefully this is a sign of things changing.

Lucky Lab.

2011-03-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Lucky Lab- a fan of dogs and a fan of beer I was excited to visit the pub. I had two chances to visit, one quick for food and to eye-ball the place. The second to sit and sip a pint.
I of course had the pint of porter while I chatted with a random patron about beer. It was a good beer. The only thing that sticks out about Lucky Lab is the service. It doesn't seem like a brewpub/brewery. It seems like a chore for the employees, but maybe that was the off hours I was there

Work and Pleasure part 2

2011-03-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

The second pub I had to chance to visit was the Green Dragon.
With 30 taps to choose from it was easy to find a beer I like.
Oakshire Stout on Nitro. That is what I love in a beer, rich, thick and smooth, like a coffee beer.
I also had a mead, but can't remember the name, but was smooth and a clear taste of blackberry.

Better

2011-03-21T11:53:00.000-07:00

My dear wife bought a bottle of Lagunitas Stout over the weekend. I had a bottle or two a few years ago, and I did not care for the brew. It was overly hoppy, overly carbonated, and bitter. It did not taste like a Stout.

The bottle I shared with Brother B was much better. It had the rich, carmel taste of a Eastern European Stout or Porter. It was not overly heavy. The carbonation level was fine.

I might not buy it, but I would definitely not turn one down.

Cheers,

Work and Pleasure part 1

2011-03-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

I headed north to look for work.
RD was kind enough to put me up at his house and point me in the direction of pubs and breweries.
I had the chance to go to Hopworks with RD. It was busy for a Saturday, but the wait was fine, especially with the espresso stout in hand. A great roasty beer. Just the smell alone was good. I had drank half before I noticed. The flavor is great.
I handed RD a Terry Porter, named for Portland Trailblazer.
Then came the sampler of ten of there beer; all were tasty and smooth. Each sample correspond to the beer list, so each was easy to identify. Unfortunately I can describe the individuals ales. I was impressed with all, regardless of style.

post-poned

2011-03-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

i was going to make my first beer in two years, but potential job lay-off has post-poned it until I can guarantee I won't have to move it mid batch.

KoKo Brown

2011-03-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

As accompanying the wife in grocery shopping.
i saw a new beer on the shelf, KoKo Brown, from Kona Brewing. A good brown ale with a hint of coconut. As the beer warmed as I drank it the coconut came out. It was a good. It came across with a smooth ale with a great aroma. I am not a coconut fan, but it was good.

W11: KGB

2011-02-27T11:47:00.000-08:00

Brothers and Sister of Beer,

I have tried KGB and it is good. Widmer's annual offering of is a Russian Imperial Stout. Bless the W serries. This brew is a good as the 09. It is a hard hitting brisk beer with 9.3 ABV. It's a clever beer. The high alcohol content does not hit the drinker over the head. I found the beverage in a six pack at the Market of Choice.

Cheers,

Chicory Stout

2011-01-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

Liking stouts, I saw a Chicory Stout from Dogfish Head Brewing sitting. I have seen it a couple of time and never tried it. Dogfish makes alot of different types and I have only had few.
I grabbed one and the guy behind me grabbed all the other ones, exclaiming "this is a great beer"
Sitting around I cracked it open. One of best stouts I have had in a while. Roasty and bold. This is had great hops that just warmed the whole flavor of the beer. I recommend it.

Winterfest

2010-10-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

The beers of winter and plus a favorite.

1- Seadog, Wild Blueberry-one of my favorite beers rediscovered. delicious, clean, crisp and light. I love the fruit flavor, even if it is blueberry.
2- Deschutes, Jubeale-a continuance of the good one year, bad the next. this is the off year. it seems all over the place. The only consideration is Deschutes keeps pushing it and not settling. i can't wait next for next year. this is a pass
3-SOB, Old Humbug- a tasty high alcohol winter beer. this beer will be greater in the long run. SOB being new and drawing alot form their Deschute's roots. I like the drinkability of this beer. Nice spice and smell.
4-New Belgium-2 Below- my old friend, you have returned. The same great seasonal has returned. the spice, the aroma and the drinkability. I am glad I found this years ago and the formula has not gotten goofy. This beer makes me glad fall has returned. I recommend it.
5-Alaskan-Winter -"Made with Spruce Tips!"-a beer I had from years ago, with an odd "bubble gum" flavor that made me want to seek it out year after year. This is a great seasonal, with it's unique flavor. I recommend it even if brudha doesn't care for it.

Dick's Brewing

2010-10-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

As a favor for dog sitting, he stopped at Dick's Brewing, where he happened to be staying nearby and brought a 12 pack of there beers. I have had some of it before.
The beers I have had so far:

Dick's Mountain Amber Ale-I liked it, no anything fancy, reminds me of the Mactarnhans. It had pleasant hop aroma and was clean.

Dick's Golden Ale- I liked it. It was smooth and tasty. Not a word class beer, but easy to drink.

Dick's Cream Stout-forgettable. didn't taste like a stout. It is smooth like a cream stout, but nothing else.

Dick's Brown Ale-little taste, hard to recognize as any type of beer. It has no real odor, flavor. Needs a recipe tweak.

Bobtoberfest.

2010-09-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Buy this beer. Yup, you heard me. Buy this beer. It's perfection. I bought a 22 ouncer last night. I could not be more pleased. It was not heavy. it was no overly hoppy. It was not oppressive. It was complex and sublime a great beer for the dying days of summer and the first days of fall. It is a tribute to all things beer.

Drink up,

Heater Allen writes:

Bobtoberfest - Our version of an Oktoberfest-style beer. We named this beer for my late brother Bob; the person who sparked my interest in brewing lager beers in general and Oktoberfest beers in particular. Bright amber color. Rich, malty, and smooth, with a just touch of clean hop bitterness. If you can't make it to Munich this fall, this beer is the next best thing. Bobtoberfest will be released in mid-September. The 2010 version is slightly darker than the 2009 version, but still smooth and malty! (1.015 BG, 5.40%, 22 IBU, 9 SRM)

Festival

2010-08-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

I was able to juggle work to get a chance to attend one day of the Bend Brewfest.
Held in the lovely downtown amphitheater, the weather cooperate, being warm and sunny without being oppressively hot.

10 Barrel Brewing Co. Belgian Blonde Ale / Summer Ale
21st Amendment Brewery Hell or High Watermelon Wheat / Brew Free! Or Die IPA
Bayern Brewing Company Dump Truck Extra Pale Summer Bock / Dragon’s Breath Dark Heff Ale
Beer Valley Brewing Co. Leafer Madness IPA / Black Madness 2BIPA
Bend Brewing Company Starlet Imperial Red Ale / Black Diamond Dark Lager
Big Sky Brewing Moose Drool / Trout Slayer Filtered Wheat Ale
Boneyard Beer Bone-A-Fide / Girl Beer
BridgePort Brewing Co. Hop Czar / Organic Blue Heron
Caldera Brewing IPA / Pale Ale
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. Paulina Lake Pilsner / 20” Brown
Crispin Cider Company Crispin Original Hard Cider / Fox Barrel Pear Cider
Deschutes Brewery Hop in the Dark CDA / Miss Spelt Hefeweizen
Double Mountain IRA / Vaporizer
Everybody’s Brewing Country Boy IPA / Law of Nature Pale Ale
Full Sail Brewing Co. Spotless IPA / LTD 03
Great Divide Brewing Co. Hercules Double IPA / Hoss Rye Lager
Hopworks Urban Organic Rise up Red / Organic Hub Lager
Kona Brewing Co Kona Longboard Lager / Kona Wailua Wheat
Lagunitas Brewing Co. A Little Sumpin’ Sunpin’ / New Dogtown Pale Ale
Laurelwood Brewing Co. Organic Free Range Red / Workhorse IPA
Lompoc Brewing Proletariat Red / L.S.D. Lompoc Strong Draft
MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale / Summer Grifter IPA
McMenamins Copper Moon Organic Pale / Pilsner / Lager
Mt. Shasta Brewing Co. Skipo and Go Naked / Mountain High IPA
New Belgium Brewery Ranger IPA / Sunshine Wheat
Ninkasi Brewing Co. Total Domination / Radiant
Oakshire Brewing Watershed IPA / Line Dry Rye
Pyramid Brewing Co. Haywire Hefeweizen / Juggernaut Red Ale
Redhook Ale Brewery Copperhook Copper Ale / Big Ballard Imperial IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Pale Ale / Tumbler
Silver Moon Brewing Hop Knop IPA / Darkside Stout
Three Creeks Brewing Co. Knotty Blonde / Old Prospector Pale Ale
Trumer Trumer Pils
Walkabout Brewing Co. Worker’s Pale Ale / Red Back IPA
Widmer Brothers Brewing Drifter Pale Ale / W’10 Pitch Black IPA

These were the beers available.
And these were the beers I had, some to because I probably never would buy a bottle and some because I already liked

10 Barrel Brewing Co. Belgian Blonde Ale / Summer Ale
21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free! Or Die IPA
Bayern Brewing Company Dragon’s Breath Dark Heff Ale
Bend Brewing Company Black Diamond Dark Lager
Big Sky Brewing Moose Drool
Boneyard Beer Girl Beer
BridgePort Brewing Co. Hop Czar / Organic Blue Heron
Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. 20” Brown
Deschutes Brewery Hop in the Dark CDA / Miss Spelt Hefeweizen
Double Mountain IRA / Vaporizer
Everybody’s Brewing Country Boy IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co. Hercules Double IPA
Hopworks Urban Organic Rise up Red / Organic Hub Lager
Lagunitas Brewing Co. A Little Sumpin’ Sunpin’
Laurelwood Brewing Co. Organic Free Range Red
Lompoc Brewing Lompoc Strong Draft
MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale / Summer Grifter IPA
McMenamins Lager
Oakshire Brewing Watershed IPA
Pyramid Brewing Co. Juggernaut Red Ale
Redhook Ale Brewery Big Ballard Imperial IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Tumbler
Silver Moon Brewing Darkside Stout
Three Creeks Brewing Co. Knotty Blonde / Old Prospector Pale Ale
Widmer Brothers Brewing W’10 Pitch Black IPA

Back in Black

2010-08-05T03:38:00.000-07:00

Having tried the watermelon wheat and not being terribly impressed, I saw this at the store and decided to try it.

Described as a Black IPA, after tasting it I thought it was a bit of a goof. It doesn't have the hops of an IPA and isn't very much in the line of a "black".

Having said that it wasn't that bad. I taste more like a light stout, if that is possible. The flavors were nice and even, a smooth almost roast flavor. The hops are mild. It reminds me of the Sinister Ale from 10 barrel. I would recommend it.

hefe

2010-07-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

on a short trip to Bend I had the chance to visit again Bend Brewing. Hoping to catch there coconut porter on nitro, I ended up with there seasonal hefeweizen. It was great beer, complete with slice of lemon. The brewer instructed no orange slices. Cloves and bananas were evenly hinted in its cloudy goodness.

Porter

2010-06-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

I opened a bottle of this porter. It was a great first taste and flavor, but the end flavor of that first taste, is rather beery and disappoints. Every taste followed suit. I wanted it to taste good. I am hoping it was a bottle fluke.

Kent Lake Kolsch Ale

2010-06-02T02:35:00.000-07:00

Brethern,

I picked up a 22 ounce bottle of Iron Springs Brewery's Kent Lake Kolsch Ale while on vacation. It’s an unusual beer. It’s lemony in color and cloudy, a beautiful looking beer. Beer to mouth, you can taste the wheat, but it’s not as heavy as a Hefeweizen. The front end was nice, but the back end lacked distinction. I wanted a lemon to go with the brew, but once the citrus was added, the beer still need a little more.

It’s a nice beer well matched for a warm day, but I probably won’t buy another bottle.

Cheers,

ABV: 4.5%

OG: 1.050

Workhorse IPA

2010-05-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Brothers and Sisters,

I dub this beer tasty! Sister H brought it home from the local grocer. It has a sunny bottle to match the day. In the glass, it is a red hued, deep amber. It has a wonderful, powerful aroma of hops and citrus. It is sweet and malty and bitter. There is a dry finish and mellowness to the malts. It has a complex flavor and it is very drinkable.

IBUs 80

ABV 7.5

Cheers,

Golden Valley Brewing

2010-05-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

Brothers and Sisters,

I returned from the Golden Valley with good news of froth and foam, in a word: beer. Walking into their brewery, I acquired a "ten tap stave sampler."

Brought forth on a bow of wood, I sipped and savored each ounce of the liquid goodness. I did not dislike one beer. I did not love any of the beers. Golden Valley makes a solid, quality brew. Each is carefully crafted. None are extreme. They are all good. None taste like another.

3rd Street Wheat: The brewery calls it an "approachable American Style wheat beer light in color with a crisp clean, slightly lemony flavor." The description makes the beer sound boring. It's not. It's the sparkling wine of wheat beers. It is a pale lemon in color with little aroma. The carbonation makes the brew crisp, yet clean with a faint citrus hint. It is very drinkable: a beer to conquer heat and humidity.

OG 1.039

IBU 18

ABV 3.9

Perrydale Pale: "Gold Valley's session style pale ale. Straw gold in color, and lightly hopped for a crisp and smooth flavor."

You all maybe shocked, but this pale was my favorite beer of the bunch. It was clean, light, and smooth, yet very tasty with a sweet touch.

OG 1.033

IBU 10

ABV 3.2

French Prairie Blanche: An "unfiltered Belgian Style Blond Ale spice with Orange Peel and Coriander."

The Belgian is a seasonal offering available in May and June. I found it to be pale yellow in color. It was clean, mild, and subtle.

OG 1.030

IBU 10

ABV 3.8

American Pale Ale: The brewery calls this beer their "Northwest style pale ale with a light malt profile and a citrus hop aroma."

Golden Valley's pale has a mild, malty body with a slight aroma of hops and citrus notes on back.

OG 1.048

IBU 35

ABV 4.6

Chehalem Mountain IPA: "A Northweststyle IPA with rich balanced malt profile with Centennial and Cascade bittering hops backed by a whole Kent Flower and Cascade dry hops."

This is not a NW style IPA. NW IPA tend to the extreme. This is a drinkable IPA: a friendly IPA, an IPA for those who don't like the bitterness of a NW IPA. Chehalem IPA is a lighter IPA. It's dry with subtle bitter tones on the back end. It's a good beer, a complex beer, a beer worth tasting.

OG 1.060

IBU 50

ABV 6.1

Red Thistle Ale: "The heavy use of imported malts creates a complex flavor that is balanced and enhanced by the use of mild noble hops."

Red Thistle is Golden Valley's flagship beer first brewed in 1993. On first sip, it was my least favorite beer in the sampler. It seemed a little watery on the front with mild hops on the back end. The more I drank, the more I liked it. I could taste the complex flavor. It's a good burger and fries beer.

OG 1.054

IBU 40

ABV 5.5

Geist Bock: "A traditional Mai bock lager with a full bodied malt character."

Tasty! Another seasonal. Sweet on the front end with mild bitterness on the end. I could tast the carbonation. After drinking this beer, I want to try more Geist Bocks!

OG 1.065

IBU 10

ABV 6.0

Bald Peak IPA: "Golden pale in color with a zesty bitterness and full aromatics in the finish. Brewed using Simcoe hops that have a floral citrus pear character and a zesty bitterness."

The Bald Peak IPA was my second favorite beer. It's a bold IPA. The zesty flavor is a testament to the extreme hops. It differs from most extreme IPAs by being is sparkly and sweet on the front with a very bold finish.

OG 1.060

IBU 50

ABV 6.1

Dundee Porter: "This robust porter has a luscious roasted malt complex with hints Chocolate malt and a slighty dry finish."

The Dundee Porter has a rich aroma. It's a properly dark beer. You can't see through it. It's not red in color at the base. The porter has faint hints of chocolate. You can taste the roasted malts. It's not a beer to drink with a meal. It's a meal beer: a dessert beer, a beer for the dark of winter.

OG 1.061

IBU 26

ABV 6.1

Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout: "This Stout is brewed using roasted, black barley and chocolate malts in a mildly astringent with burnt malt tones. A higher finishing gravity promotes a full-bodied stout. Served on a nitrogen faucet."

This oatmeal stout is thick and creamy with the faintest hints of chocolate. It's smooth and slightly sweet. You can tell it is poured on from nitro. If you are a stout fan, you'll like this beer.

OG 1.078

IBU 30

ABV 6.8

Robust Porter

2010-05-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

Robust Porter from Firestone Walker Brewing Company. Another porter grabbed during the great bottle run. 5.9% alcohol, with a mellow and smooth taste. I wouldn't really describe it as robust though. A "mild" porter at best, with a slight caramel flavor.

Espresso Stout

2010-05-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Again I had a chance to have the Oakshire Overcast Espresso Stout. I realized I had this beer before, but picked up another bottle. A great rich and dark beer. It has great flavor and smells wonderful. A great aroma of coffee and light chocolate. It hits your tongue in all the right areas. I almost think this is one of my new favorite beers, much better than I remember.

Lager and a Pale

2010-05-03T22:04:00.000-07:00

A fan of Walkabout Brewing, I was excited to find a 22 of there Worker's Pale Ale at the local beer store. I put it in the kegarator, waiting for time to drink it. That time was tonight after dinner, while goofing around in the extra room. Walkabout has always been a craft brewer and I am still a fan of the Crocktoberfest and the Jabberwocky. Walkabout does most of their business with draft.

I enjoyed the simple crisp clear taste, with a surprisingly great aroma. Thinking I wouldn't like it I found myself picking up the empty bottle trying to get a another swig, not realizing it was empty. A great simple beer with a clean taste and well made. I would recommend it.

The other beer I opened was a tester. At Trader Joe's last week, I walked the beer aisle to see if they had any good deals or anything new (the oatmeal stout isn't half bad). I noticed a beer in cans, which is unusual for Trader Joe's. Only Fosters and a couple English beers are ever in cans. This an American beer, Red Oval Classic Lager. The other thing caught me was a clever sign stating "2.99 at this price you can't help give it a try".

Why not? I had spent that much on a terrible Japanese "Stout" once. The mrs was sceptical as well. I had just been to a bottle shop and purchase over $60 of stouts, porters and such. (more on that later)

Not expecting anything than a skunky Coors Light (which has its place). I was pleasantly surprised. It did not suck. It had a great lager taste and reminded me a little of Henry's, with a smoother taste. Granted this beer will never win any medals, but it was a good gamble, making me wish I had bought more, but then I would never get to the coconut porter i have stored up.

2010-05-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hey Friends of the Beermongers!

A quick (post) to let all ya beer lover's know what is going on next
weekend at the Beermongers.

Of course Saturday May 8th is our All Day Bar Baptism Party. We will be opening bottles of our favorite beer all day, starting at noon. The samples of these brews will be FREE, here are some of the offerings: Upright "Foreplay" and "Oyster Stout," Bogedal #130, Urthel Hop-It, Sierra Nevada "Life and Limb," Scaldis "Prestige Des Nuits," and 6 liters worth of Val Dieu Grand Cru. We will have some of Oregon smallest breweries featured on draft including Off the Rail, Fire Mountain, and Heater Allen, and we have some great kegs stashed away such as Schneider Aventinus and The Bruery Berliner-Weisse. At around 5pm we will Christen the Tropical Salvage Hardwood Bar in Beermonger style. We will have some special guests from the Beer World and Beyond and Free snacks All Day!

Sunday May 9th is Mother's Day. We are hosting a unique beer class with our friends from the Oregon Beer Odyssey entitled "Beer to your Mother" at 4 pm. The class cost $35 per person and will include many beer samples, printed materials, and light snacks. Sign up at the store or on OregonBeerOdyssey.com

The class will be followed by at 5:30 pm by Free Tasting featuring Sierra Nevada. So bring your Mom to the store and give her the gift of BEER.

Cheers,
Sean and Craig
beermongers

Hop Henge Experimental IPA

2010-05-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

While I was recovering, Brother Pete brought over a 22 oz. bottle of Deschutes's Hop Henge Experimental IPA as a get well gift. I saved the bottle until I was on my feet, and shared it with Brother B last weekend. The ale has an impressive deep amber hue. Bottle opened, it smelled of flowers and hops. It's a clean crisp beer: Not too heavy, Not too hoppy, Drinkable on any day.

10 barrel brewing

2010-04-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

After receiving a bottle from my brudha. I decide to attempt the pub they had opened on the westside of Bend. Inlaws in tow, who had attempted to eat and drink there earlier only to met with a huge wait, we arrived. The pub has copied a design from 7th Street in Redmond and has two garage style doors that access the outdoor seating. The wait was minimal, even though the building was packed.

And thanks to manager/owner we were offered a tasty pair of beers (the third was not so tasty),
I had the Sinister Ale, which was delicious, but I traded MIL for her less interesting red on nitro (she liked the black and i didn't want her to suffer).
The Sinister was dark and had a great flavor. It's roast made it delicious. I stuck to that once i finished the red on nitro.
The red had no aroma, no real flavor, but was creamy (go figure). The manager checked back in and asked about our beers, i told him the red was so so and he offered me Duke. A "mish mash" of left overs thrown into a recipe. It had a great aroma of hops and nice sharp flavor. It was a good change of pace from the red.
My wife and FIL had the coffee porter. They loved it. A great coffee smell, followed by the taste of coffee and chocolate. They would not stop drinking them.
I had a sip, it was good, but the sinister kept my taste buds under a spell.

Beervana Breweries

2010-04-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

Alameda

Amnesia Brewing Company
832 N Beech
Portland, OR 97227
503-281-7708

Bridgeport

Coalition Brewing

Hair of the Dog

Hopworks Urban Brewery

*More Info and Suburban Breweries

Growler

2010-04-18T14:13:00.000-07:00

Brother B brought a growler of Block 15 beer over yesterday. Since I'm on pain meds, I can't drink, but it poured up, full and foamy with lots of carbonation. Maybe another day.......

Cheers,

New Label

2010-04-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

Brethern,

Southern Oregon Brewery has relabeled their Porter. I grabbed a bottle at the local grocer yesterday. Now, it's the SOB's Pin-up Porter. There's a winking gal in nylon stocking on the front. It's definitely more eye-catching. Inside, it's the same beer. The changing is nothing more than advertising.

Cheers,

Monty Python's Holy Grail-Ale

2010-03-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

A nice crisp ale. I can not remember if I have had it before, but I gave it another try. A nice crisp little ale. The aroma was sutle and pleasing. It's flavor was good and even, but nothing exciting. I enjoyed it with a relaxing day off.

WTF

2010-03-12T17:46:00.000-08:00

Yup. Wilco Tango Foxtrot. Not Red. Not Black. Not Brown. It's is malty, robust and a tad tangy. It's subtly sweet on the tip of the tongue. It's dark. A good beer for a cold, showery spring and the newest limited release from Lagunitas. With 7.84 ABV and 64.20, I declare this beer a blessing.

Cheers,

Human Blockhead

2010-03-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Brother B brought this tasty brew around last weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect. In the label, it a lager. In the glass, it's a red. In the mouth, it's malty and not bitter. It's a lighter, more approachable Bittersweet RIPA. I really liked it. In a 22 ounce bottle, it's an all evening beer, leaving the drinker satisfied.

It's seasonal, so find yours today.

CoCoNut Porter

2010-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

Brethen,

I have found a new beer and it comes from a can! Last night, I stopped by the local grocer and had a taste for the unique. I eschewed IPAs and dark lagers. I wanted creamy and smooth with a rich taste.

I grabbed a can of CoCoNut Porter by Maui Brewing Co. in an act of faith that the Gods of Beer would place a wonderful concoction inside the can.

The beer was robust. Creamy and smooth with a magnificent head. It had a hint of chocolate and coconut. It was a subtle beer: Not heavy, not too light. I could have well more than the 12 ounce can.

At 5.7 ABV, it was a nice treat on a Monday night.

Try It!

Cheers,

MacTarnahan's Ale

2010-02-19T12:49:00.000-08:00

CBS Tasting feat. Zak Davis

2010-02-19T12:48:00.001-08:00

From the lecturn of Brother B:

Brother D and I got to meet the Church of Beer's now infamous lurker from Shmaltz brewing, Zak Davis last night at Corvallis Brewing Supply (link: http://www.brewbeer.cc/ ) at a tasting held by CBS owner Joel Rea.

It was a pleasure to meet you in person, Zak, your enthusiasm for the craft is top notch and a credit to your position at Shmaltz. <- meant for a cut and paste into your online CV.

Enough blathering about Zak and onto beer...Zak brought with him the perinneal favorites from Shmaltz including an updated version of Coney Island Albino Python that surpassed the last bottle RD and I tried last year. Seems that they have been doing a little tweaking of the process to refine it. The hint of sour that was present (but not unpleasant) in the last tasting seemed to have been caused by unintended fermination issues. If you like Belgian Wheats, give this a try for some variety. I will not hesitate to pick it up again.

For the new offering of the day, Zak brought Coney Island Human Blockhead. It has all of the malt characters that I have come to expect from a Shmaltz offering with a wonderful rider of hops weaving in and out of the malt flavors underlying it. Red in color with a clean finish that kept me trying to figure out how something so malty and hoppy wouldn't end up building in your mouth.

Brilliant again guys, your ability to use Lager yeasts against heavy beers continues to amaze.

Amen,

Brother B

Pale and Black

2010-02-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Had a long weekend and got a chance to enjoy some beers.

Classic Pale Ale from Whistler Brewing Company. I had it recommended after talking to local beer store employee about how I don't like a few beers because of the water (rogue and stone). I tried the pale, because they did not have the stout in. I am not a huge pale fan, reminds me Macro-macro beers. This was a beer I enjoyed while assembling some shelves. It was crisp and clean. I did enjoy the smoothness of the beer. As promised no weird water flavor, made with glacier water, which was refreshing. No stinky beer smell, but no real hop smell either, but it is a pale. I would recommend it and wish to try there stout.

Imperial Iniquity Black Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company. Having enjoyed several black ales lately, I scooped this out of the cooler. Not reading the label, (this is beer drinking not homework). It was an Imperial Black 9% and it was made in New York. Having little success with east coast breweries, i was hesitant at first. This is a 9% hair on your chest beer, which I found to be the problem. This might be a good black ale, but the imperial part I think ruined it a little. There is a hint of roast that enticed me, but there was the 9% chasing it. Take a drink and you again are teased with a great flavor and then chased by 9%. That is all i could real taste. Don't get me wrong I do like strong beers (the abyss), it just seemed wrong. not recommended.

Which made me want to brew a black ale, now to find a recipe. Any suggestions?

Beer Tasting

2010-02-02T15:08:00.000-08:00

So I finally had time to sit down and taste all of the beers brought to me by friends and family. I shared them with friends over a bit of pizza.

1- August Schell's Pale Ale= a nice safe drinkable beer. a light color beer. suited more drinkability, rather any skill of making a beer. i have low expectations for pale. it had no aroma. i would drink it if no other of my favorites were around. not something i would buy regularly, but wouldn't look down on it either.

2- August Schell's Stout - a good beer, although as discussed with friends, it supports the theory that east coast breweries have a lot to learn about beer. It was well made and beat most of the east coast stouts I have tasted. But still not strong, still no roast/dark flavor, which west coast breweries have spoiled me with. the black ale was better flavored beer.

3- Grand Teton Brewing Black Cauldron Imperial Stout- This beer starts off sharp and bitter and then slides off into a great after taste. It's alcohol is at a perfect level 8%. The problem is the first taste and the second taste don't fit each other. Almost like they hadn't "tuned" the recipe enough.

4-Mactarnahan's Goose Bump- Imperial Stout w/coffee= this is a beer that punches you in the face with flavor and alcohol. it is strong. i found myself put off by it after opening, but was engaged with something else and kept drinking. finding out that i enjoyed it after it overwhelmed my tongue and i had finished the 22.

5-Laughing Dog's Alpha Dog Imperial IPA- a good made beer. overpowering with it's hoppyness. i am barely an IPA fan and to drink an Imperial (it is close having a
Coors Light fan and drink an Old Rasputin). I loved the cloudiness and aroma of the hops, but just not the assault of hop flavor.

6-10 Barrel Brewing - Sinister Black Ale- The surprise of the tasting. A black ale with tons of mellow rich flavor, not overpowered by "beery" flavor, not bitter, not sour and very drinkable. a good solid aroma.

honorable mention
chris's homebrew. a stout made with coffee instead of water. it a was a great beer. it had little of a sugary problem, but better than i have ever done for stouts

Double Mountain Hop Lava

2010-01-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

Brethern,

Brother B and I watched the Ritual of Play-off Football at the local sports pub. With 22 brews on tap, there's always a good selection to choose from.

I picked first.

I went for the Double Mountain's Hop Lava. I knew nothing about the beer. I picked in out of instinct and a I was rewarded.

It's solid beer. It's sweet on the front and a bit bitter on the back. The more I drank, I less I tasted the bitter, and the sweeter and the more savory the IPA became. Hop Lava is not extreme. It's not over-hopped.

Brother B thought it was a bit flowery.

I thought it tasted fresh.

We both liked it.

Cheers,

Ill Tempered Gnome Winter Ale

2010-01-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

This Gnome was gifted to the Church for Christmas, I cracked it open last night to accompany the assembling of furniture from IKEA. Like many winter brews, Ill Tempered Gnome is a dark, red beer. Opened, it has a nice aroma. From first taste to last, from front to back, it's a bitter beer, not unbearable, but bitter. I suspect its the hops. Underneath, is the more more subtle flavor of a traditional English Ale. It's an beer. It's worth a try, but I'd probably not buy it, but I'd definitely drink it, if offered.

Cheers,

Rant

2010-01-18T00:16:00.000-08:00

I went to a brew pup over the weekend, three guys walk in and all order Coors Light. What's the point. Why go to a brew pub? Coors Light is served everywhere. Why bother going to a brew pub, if you won't drink micro-brewed beer?

Schell's Stout

2010-01-08T02:36:00.000-08:00

Over the summer, my dear parents, stopped in New Ulm, Minnesota and visiting the August Schell Brewery. Fortunately for me, they brought home a mixed six pack. Brother B and I shared a few during the Rose Bowl, but tonight being beer night, the first night of my weekend, I cracked open a stout. Mmmmmm. Tasty. A perfect beer for a cold, rain-doggy night. It's like a Baltic Porter without the anise flavor. It has a hint of maple without being sweet. It's a smooth beer that doesn't bite with bitterness.

Cheers,

Lost Coast

2009-12-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

Brother Shane brought a few beers over the other night to enjoy with the snow. Two came from Lost Coast Brewery out of Eureka, California. I discovered Lost Coast driving down US101 a few years back. I was attracted by their odd-ball, surreal labels. I was impressed by their beer.

I am a stout guy. Lost Coast's Eight Ball Stout is rich, robust, and creamy. It's everything I want in a stout. It's roasted without tasting like coffee. It's creamy with out tasting thin. It's a great beer for the cold of winter.

The second beer was Tangerine. I know, it's a fruit beer. Fruit beers can be funky. I was dubious about this wheat. Shane swears by it. I took a sip. It's is like drinking a tangerine. The citrus notes are perfect. It's not overly sweet. It takes natural and good. I can't wait to have one on a warm day.

It's one of my best finds of 2009. Try it.

Cheers,

Sandy Paws

2009-12-30T04:44:00.000-08:00

Ah brethern,

I have tasted another fine brew from the micro-crafters at Heater Allen. It's a fine dark beer brewed like a baltic porter without a hint of anise. It's on the lighter side of a porter, more of a double alt, or perhaps, influence by a bock. It a nice seasonal beer, not heavy, not extreme, but a solid beer with the care expected of Heater Allen.

Cheers.
RD

Jolly Bock

2009-12-29T09:44:00.000-08:00

Last night, after catching a movie, I stopped by at the local Lompoc for Miser Monday. $2.50 pints are a blessing. I selected an on tap seasonal, Jolly Bock, a dark lager. I don't like frilly winter ales. Keep the orange peels, nutmeg, and other spices out of beer, please. Jolly Bock has n one of these ingredients. It is a deep red, bordering on black. The beer is clear and a crisp with a full taste without the lingering bitterness. I liked it. I'd order it again.

Cheers,

Hop Czar

2009-12-27T17:22:00.000-08:00

While in the local grocer, a label with a hop bearing czar caught my attention. A new beer from Bridgeport? The "Robust Ruler of all IPA's? 7.5% Alcohol by volume? I carried a six pack back to the Church.

It's not the beer I expected. It is not an extreme hopped beer. It is a full flavored beer. It triple hopped with three malts and four types of hops.

Hop Czar hints of green hops and is not overly bitter. I find it crisp and smooth on the back end. It is not overly heavy. I could have two without being overwhelmed.

Enjoy,

Santa's Private Reserve

2009-12-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Sisters and Brethern,

It is the time of Christmas. For the Celebration of Tree Decoration, I picked up a 22 0uncer of Santa's Private Reserve from Rogue. How could not like a bottle with St. Nick holding a stein in the snow?

The beer is a deep red with little head. It is smooth on the front, with a crisp, yet complex taste. It whispers of spruce and spice and things I really don't care for in beers. It is a quality beer. It smells great, but it's not for me.

Cheers,

Thanksgiving tasting

2009-11-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

The in laws just made there way back from Montana and they brought back some variety.

Belthian White- Harvest Moon Brewing. A beer once opened, smells of it proudly labelled spice. Coriander. Do I like Coriander? I don't know, but I like beer with made with spruce tree tips and I don't generally like spruce tree tips. So I dove in. The color was crisp and light, with the odor of a lighter beer to go with it. The beer is Coriander, followed by a hard to identify spice, but I would guess orange. It is a good beer, but not something I would consume regularly, due to the lightness and flavor. TRY

Dragon's Breath "Dark Heff Ale"- Bayern Brewing. A surprising beer MIL found at a brewpub in Montana. She was surrounded by locals ordering the Dragon's Breath and excited for me to taste it. The beer was a little weird, billed as a Dark Heff Ale, a lunatics experiment? No, this beer was great. A rich full flavored beer. It was unusual to poor such a dark heff. No hints of citrus, but almost a light brown mixed with the lightness of a heff. It a great smell to it, crisp and inviting. RECOMMEND

Black Widow Oatmeal Stout- Yellowstone Valley Brewing. It was a good dark beer. The smell was enticing. I couldn't wait to taste it. I was surprised how bitter the first drop on the tongue was which was followed by a smooth taste, that reminded me of mild chocolate mixed with mild coffee. I could taste a hint of licorice. The beer itself was also warming, but not because of alcohol. I like the beer, but found myself wanting the beer to be the second flavor, rather than the sharp first one. TRY it see if it is your type of brew.

Octoberfest Lager -Bayern Brewing. This was my least favorite beer. It tasted young and the color was dark for an Octoberfest. There was no odor or aroma. I actually was confounded after drinking the Dragon's Breath first, thinking this should be good, but it wasn't. I poured out the rest of the beer, not brave enough to finish it and eager to try the others. AVOID or get a better batch, I still have two let, maybe Brother Chris will like them.

Pigs Ass Porter-Harvest Moon. At first not much smell, good smooth, not rich or sharp. A roasty flavor. A good after taste, a London Style Porter, which can cause some apprehension. The warmer it got the more that aroma of roast came out. I let it sit and waited to see if the flavor would get better. It did, making me wish I had taken it out of the fridge and let it sit for eight minutes before drinking it (40-45 degrees). It was better than any London Style Porter I had ever had. RECOMMENDED.

The winner is........

JEWBELATION BAR MITZVAH

2009-11-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

From Brother B:

JEWBELATION BAR MITZVAH - Shmaltz Brewing

Carmel and alcohol assault your senses on this fantastic limited time
release from Shmaltz. 13 Grains 13 Hops 13 ABV in Shmaltz' 13th year.

There are so many hop characteristics blending together I really can't
say that there is a predominant one, there is just a thorough hop
flavor across the malts without being over powering. Brother Jim you
need to try this one, Brother Mike needs to try it to an alt of his love
of Heavy Belgians.

At 13% I was sipping after my first pounder and feeling fat and sassy.

Whistler Brewing Company: Black Tusk Ale.

2009-11-24T20:51:00.000-08:00

From Brother Adam:

I'd heard about the Whistler Brewing Company for a while, and that they would be importing into Washington State soon, so I was excited to bring a six home to try.

This lovely beer developed a thick head as it poured, which calmed down into a thin, but visible layer after a minute or two. Though very dark in color, with just a little glimmer of deep amber around the edges, it is a beautiful clear reddish brown. Much like some of the English Porters I have had the good fortune of drinking. It has a very nice toasty biscuit aroma with just a little finish of coffee and honey.

The Black Tusk Ale has a lovely, soft malty sweetness, and a refreshing, light palate. It has just enough hops to back up the malt, but it is in no way forward. This ale has a rich flavor profile, matching its nose nicely, and following up with some really soft chocolate and wheat bread character.

I am very happy with this beer. It has a rich palate which lends itself to the colder winter months, a very nice light body, and an ABV (5%) which lends itself to easy drinking for those of us in the Pacific Northwest who are used to stiffer brews. I look forward to the other 5 bottles, as well as trying out their other brews.

Url: http://www.whistlerbeer.com/

WHA2

2009-11-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

From Brother B:

Brother Chris with increasing confidence in all-grain brewing reproduced
his Wet Hop Ale with very few modifications. Reactions to the growler
went as follows...

Brother D - "Tasty"

Reverand Gum - (yes he is ordained and another brewer) "Light on the body
add a lighter crystal to support the wonderful hop character which
carried the grapefruit citris notes and had a wonderful fresh hop nose."

Brother B - "Aged well for a month and a half, solid carbination and good
head retention. The hop chararacter was thorough front to back with a
nice fade to bitter. I would still like to see a bit more body to it
but that is a personal preference. All said better then the first and
very drinkable. Chris you are a master."

Session Black

2009-11-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

From Brother B:

Session Black - Full Sail

Full bodied lager that finishes clean. Different from Session Lager by the malty back that tastes somewhere between a porter and a lager. Reminds me very much of East European black lagers. I am not sure if I would prefer this over the Session Lager but I wouldn't turn it down.

Steam Train Porter

2009-11-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

I have been devoted to my keg of beer and haven't had time to sample lately.
I did have a birthday and talked the Mrs into a local little beer shop to pick up a couple selections.
The first was Steam Train Porter from Snoqualmie Falls Brewing. I poured the Mrs a sample, so she could taste and I could observe it in a glass. (who wants to dirty two glasses?).

I sat down with the 22. The color was rich and dark. The aroma built up the anticipation for the beer, with it's dark, warm and smooth smell.
The flavor was great. The Mrs kept refilling her taster glass, saying "this is really good".
I agree, a "typical" porter with rich malts, including brown and chocolate. The beer was great, easy to drink, no sugary tinge and not heavy at all. This beer was great to the end. Pick up a bottle

Black Ale

2009-11-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

From Brother Jim:

Some friends came for dinner this weekend, and brought with them some beer to share: New Belgium’s (the folks who do Fat Tire) 1554 Enlightened Black Ale. The bottle states that it was based off of an “ancient” recipe found in an old library book. The verdict? Beer was just as delicious 500 years ago as it is now.

The beer was dark, but not as opaque as a porter or stout. It gave up a respectable head that quickly died down. The aroma is heavy on the coffee and caramel. In the mouth, the beer is surprisingly smooth. The carbonation was particularly nice – it made for a creamy mouthful without the density of a stout. It is perhaps best described as “medium bodied”, though full in the flavor department. The dominant flavors are chocolate with a touch of acidity. It has a really nice malt profile, nowhere near a Scotch ale, but enough for a tasty, satisfying full-mouth flavor. The hops are present and give it a dry finish, but don’t take center stage. Yum.

This was a big hit for both Sister Erin and I. A nice switch from the porters we’ve been drinking. Dark, satisfying, and fairly unique. We’ll definitely be drinking more of this, and encourage other brewers to spend more time in the library.

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/1554

Messiah Bold

2009-11-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

Sister Mars know my fondness for Shmaltz, so she returned from the local grocer with a six pack of Messiah Bold Beers last week. I shared a few with Brother B. After tasting the beer, we both agree it has a full mouth taste with clean finish. All the flavor is on the front. It is not a Belgian Brown or a warmer, instead it has a brown sugar flavor. It's a good beer, but I am not a fan of brown. I probably won't buy another six pack, but if you like Browns, give it a try.

Cheers,

Flyer’s Pacemaker Porter

2009-10-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

Another Post from Brother Jim:

Continuing the happily emerging trend of porters in the Church …

After gaming with some friends last night, we stopped off at the Copper Hog for a beer. The 9lb Porter was gone from the tap menu, replaced by Flyer’s Pacemaker Porter. Always happy to try something new, I decided to give it a shot.

The beer poured an opaque black, with barely any head at all. There was minimal carbonation – enough to know that you were drinking beer, but not much beyond that. Perhaps as a result, the aromas put off weren’t that strong, though what was there was rich and inviting. I expect flavors of chocolate and coffee in a porter, and the Pacemaker leaned so heavily towards the chocolate side of things that I had to check their website when I got home to see if they were adding baker’s chocolate to the brew (they weren’t). It was tasty, but didn’t have enough of that dry, hoppy finish that I cherish in a good porter. A good beer, and worth trying, but not my favorite porter of the season.

http://www.eatatflyers.com

Jim

Big Boss Porter

2009-10-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Brothers and Sisters,

I write to you a fine beer, a unique beer, a polish porter has graced the halls of the Church of Beer. Sister Mars brought home a bottle on Friday. I asked for another bottle on Saturday to share with Brother B. It's a good beer. It's dark and slick with little foam. It's sour cream on the front and sweetness in the end. It hints of chocolate and reminds one of smoke from a fire. It's not heavy. It's creamy and warms your insides well and not unlike it Ukrainian cousins.

Cheers,

Shastafarian Porter

2009-10-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

I took a chance tired of the local beers in the kegarator. Being a fan of the porter I called and asked if they sold kegs. I asked if there was any extra paper because of the cross state transport. No such rules.
"I'll be there in a hour"
I get there have a pint and brawt
I get the keg of porter and drive the our home. I get it home, tap it, bam, and out comes a nice light amber ale...
I call and it is was marked porter, but was an amber and i am not driving back.
They will have some one come over in the next day to change out the keg. They say drink as much of the amber as I can.
I call friends and pass out growlers. I get at least 2 gallons gone of the amber.
The amber is okay at best and awaited the porter, which was deliver and a lighter keg was returned.
I poured the porter into a glass. It is great, dark and rich. One o my top porters.
Now if I can only can get it regularly.

Brother Chris

2009-10-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Brother B stopped by bearing a growler of Bother Chris's Wet Hop Ale #1. Brother Chris is a home brewer. Shifting from extracts, this ale is his first attempt at making beer from whole grains using the hops from Bother B's backyard.

Opening the growler, the ale smelled of hops, flowery and fresh. After tasting Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale, I concur at the description. This is a wet hopped ale. It's a cloudy and tart. It's not clean, the tartness lingers.

When Brother Tom stopped by the Church later in the afternoon, we foisted on him a pint. He liked it. He said, "It tastes like a beer I'd buy at store."

Brother B and I agree, it's a successful first batch.

Cheers,

Smoked Porter

2009-10-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Brethern,

I must tell you of a good beer, a beer with the Church's blessing. Bottled in Juneau, the 2008 Alaskan Smoked Porter is a beer worthy a big state. The "alder-smoking to the malts" create a flavor of smokey bacon greatness. It is creamy and smooth with a touch of bitterness on the front, and comfort on the back.

It's a beer for dark days and red meat. I wish I had some venison. It's one of my favorite beers this year.

Cheers,

9 Pound Porter

2009-10-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

Another Post from Brother Jim:

With my in-laws still in town, Sister Erin and I got to head out for a date while her parents watched the kids. We tried a new (to us) restaurant: The Copper Hog in Bellingham. The atmosphere was quiet and dark, with a good selection of on-tap brews (the only non-craft brew which I saw was Guinness). We passed on the Snow Cap and selected Georgetown Brewery’s 9 Pound Porter, poured from the tap.

http://www.georgetownbeer.com/products/index.html

The beer was pitch black in the glass. Only by holding it up to the light and looking at an angle at the bottom of the glass (where the light passes through only about a ½ inch of the beer) could we see a glimmer of light. The finger-high head dropped fairly quickly. The carbonation was nice – effervescent at first, then shifting subtly to silky and creamy in the mouth a beat later. It was a good, nourishing porter. The hops were noticeable and pleasant. The coffee characteristics were predominate over the hints of chocolate. A good, tasty porter.

When asked to free associate about the beer, Sister Erin said “dirty sneakers” and “ground up rubber tires on a playground“. The accompanying smile seemed incongruous, so I asked if this was a good thing. She assured me it was; you get dirty on the playground, but you have fun doing it.

On a side note, the Copper Hog served us, by far, the best colcannon either of us could recall having, inside or outside of Ireland. Warm and garlicky, a true comfort food. Definitely worth a visit for those in the area, with a good selection of beers on tap and in bottles:

http://thecopperhog.com/

Harvest Ale

2009-10-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

On a Beer Monger's recommendation, I picked up a bottle of Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale and brought it back to the Church to pair it with the Ritual of Saturday Football. Brethern, its a good beer. Despite being the 13th Release, this wet hop ale is a blessing. It's has a nutty-pine aroma with a full complex taste. It's not overwhelming or extreme hopped. As the glass warmed to room temperature, the flavor and aroma increased. I like this beer very much. I recommend it to you.

Cheers,

Creamery

2009-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have sad duty to name an offender to the Church of Beer. The Creamery. Homebrewers who started out of their garage and made good beers. A heffy, a brown and a stout worthy of supporting. That was almost two years ago. They upgraded and got too ambitious. They renovated a huge space for brewing, kitchen and a pub. It is a lovely space with great potential, but goes largely unused.

But over the two years of trying to work the kinks out, they still haven't worked it out. The service has gotten better, but the flaws have not been corrected, the worst offense.
The food is overpriced and not good even for pub food. The flaws in the space have not been addressed. The worst is the continuing stench of fish. Not cooking fish, but stank of fish.There are six or seven employees wondering around and only one working.

The worst part is the beer has gone down hill. The heffy that introduced me to spice and a good slice of orange in it, is sad and funky. The stout has gone from rich and dark, to sugary and weak. When asked if something was wrong with the beer the waitress replies "that is what they want it to taste like"

In something I RARELY do I stopped drinking it and asked for something else.

The mrs has humored me in going back, giving them a chance, but I will not waste my tastebuds and return my keg for the deposit.

Snow Cap

2009-10-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sisters and Brethern,

I have gathered you here today to talk about Pyramid Brewing' s Snow Cap Ale. Snow Cap is there annual winter offering. The recipe changes from year to year as does it's cool and taste. Some times it is outstanding. Other times, it is less than ordinary. I saw the beer sitting on the shelf of the local grocery and thought it would make a great a pairing with the ritual of football.

I opened the beer. It smelled nutty. It had a prodigious a foamy head and for the first time I can remember, it has a red color. I was curious and hoping for a hit.

On first taste, had a hint of hazel nuts, crisp, a bit bitter, and then... soap. I thought my palette might be off, so after drinking a glass of water and chip or two, I tried again. It became more bitter and the subtle hint of soapiness stayed in my mouth. I like like the beer less with each sip. I was sadly disappointed.

I am hoping Brother B will give Snow Cap a taste, so he can explain to me what created the odd flavor.

Until next time,

Cheers,

Lucky 13 Mondo Red Ale

2009-10-10T16:57:00.000-07:00

Another fine submission from Brother Jim:

My in-laws are visiting, so I figured we’d start things off by sharing a beer with my father-in-law. After poking around, I decided on Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Lucky 13 Mondo Red Ale, an ale brewed to celebrate the brewery’s 13th anniversary.

It poured a deep reddish orange into the glass, but didn’t want to put off too much head. The first sip was unsatisfactory – a mishmash of flavors where nothing has space to develop. A big mouthful did the trick. Full bodied and silky. The experience is almost like drinking two beers. The sweet malt hits first, with hints of caramel and an unidentifiable fruit. It’s nourishing and thick. The caramel sweetness diminishes, and the beer finishes on the back of the tounge with the floral bitterness of the hops remaining long after everything else has faded. Absolutely delicious, and a nice presentation of flavors. Warning: it packs a bit of a punch. It tops in at a hair over 8%, so this isn’t one to down in quantity (unless, of course, you’re celebrating your 13th anniversary). As it’s a seasonal, I’ll be buying more and packing away a bomber or two for future services.

While the first taste saw my father-in-law extolling the virtues of Pabst Blue Ribbon, his final thoughts were “Wow, a guy could really get used to a beer like this”.

Stouts

2009-10-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

San Quentin's Breakout Stout- Marin Brewing. I enjoyed this most of the two. It was dark and roasty. The flavor lasted the whole beer, which the other beer didn't. It had a great flavor, which reminded me a little of barbecuing a hamburger. Why I don't know, but it had a great smell and flavor that triggers the brain to remember other taste. I am not sure if I had this beer before, but I would recommended it and buy it again. It went great with football.

Black Bear XX Stout - Alemeda Brewing. I opened this and had my customary two swigs. I thought it was one of the better beers I had in a while. It was dark, rich and smooth. It was warm and inviting. The problem was the farther I got into the bottle the less it tasted like those two swigs. I don't know if the alcohol or the temperature of the beer changed, but I was a little disappointed it didn't last the whole beer. I am going to have to try it again.

Monster Mash

2009-10-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday, while preparing for the Ritual Of Football, I stopped at the local grocer to stock my pantry. Siting on the shelf next to Southern Oregon Brewing's Porter, was Monster Mash made by Lompoc . It's seemed a perfect pairing for the ritual.

Monster Mash is an Imperial Porter. It has a rich and robust taste. It is smokey and swarthy, a beer to be consumed on a dark and stormy day next to a crackling fire. It's a big beer without being overwhelming, a beer to compliment burgers or beef stew.

Bring a Monster home today,

Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale

2009-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Today's Post is from the Canadian Border and our good friend, Brother Jim:

I was in the grocery store yesterday, picking up some produce for an upcoming dinner party and lamenting the fact that Bellingham, WA, for all of it’s progressive nature, doesn’t have a store with a good craft brew selection. I picked up a sixer of Pike Kilt Lifter (a perfectly acceptable scotch ale), and something I hadn’t seen before: Sierra Nevada’s Anniversery Ale.

http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/anniversary.html

My wife was initially dubious about the beer, as she’s generally not fond of IPAs. I poured a bottle into a pint glass for myself. The ale was a nice hazy copper color, and put off a big lacy head. The initial smell was pine needles, though the cold I’ve been nursing deadened it a bit. The taste cut right through that cold, though. It had a good hop flavor without bashing your head in – the Anniversary Ale is definitely not a typical NW IPA; it has much more complexity than just hop Hop HOP! The prevailing taste was fresh orange peel, with an underlying hint of spicy cloves. Crisp and tasty – a good session beer.

My wife had a small taste of my beer, then a larger one, then I had to go pour another one for myself because she wouldn’t give it back. We decided it tasted like Christmas. It was light and drinkable, with hints of summer, yet all of the flavors of the winter holidays. Like us, the beer has one foot in summer, the other in winter. It’s a nice place to be.

Freaktoberfest

2009-10-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

I had already bought the Freaktoberfest before Brudha reviewed it and Zak from Shmaltz Brewing granted an interview, so it seems like we are on Shmaltz kick.

I like this beer. The color itself is unusual. It takes the Octoberfest season and has fun with it. The flavor was smooth and pleasant. I was surprised it didn't taste ciderary, due to the color. It had a great smell and was good drink. The mrs had two taster glasses (which is unusually for stouts/porters).

This beer also cleared the taste of a bad Imperial Stout from Great Divide brewing which was all alcohol and no flavor. I opened it gave it two attempts and then left it to rot.

Shmaltz Brewing: Interview with Zak Davis

2009-09-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

Brothers and Sisters, the Church of Beer has a special guest, Zak Davis from Shmaltz Brewing.

Zak, thank you for being with us today, can you tell us what you do for Shmaltz Brewing?

I’m the Western Regional Sales and Marketing Manager. I work on developing our brand between California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.

Why is Shmaltz beer so great?

The question of the hour. There are a lot of really great things about Shmaltz Brewing Company. We’re a tiny brewery, with seven employees across the country, pushing one brand of beer with a double-fisting Rabbi on the label and another with a tattooed Freak Face. The marketing is fun and exciting and draws people in, and then the beers are well thought out and well executed, and keep people interested. We’re not brewing specifically to any style, so the majority of our beers are unique, and a fun change for the people drinking them. I doubt that we’re ever going to be a huge operation, and I think that that gives us the opportunity to really get out there and connect with our retailers and other customers on a more personal level. We’re all about, one case at a time, one person at a time, and over the past few years, we’ve really seen that pay off.

How long have you worked for Shmaltz?

I was hired in September 2007, so I just passed my two-year mark with the company.

What is your favorite part about working for Shmaltz Brewing?

Honestly, I love every element of my job. Because we’re a small company, all of the employees wear many different hats, and it’s given me the opportunity to experience many sides of the industry. Definitely doesn’t get boring. I have very close contact with the owner/proprietor, Jeremy Cowan, who, over the past two years has become one of my best friends. The other 6 full-time staff members around the country are amazing. I love the feeling of knowing that the work that I am putting into this company is actually making a difference. The beers are delicious and exciting. The branding is incredibly fun. And I really enjoy working with my wholesalers, retailers, customers, and watching the buzz grow.

What is your favorite Shmaltz beer?

That is always a very difficult question because the styles differ so much between our 11 beers. I think that my favorite go-to beer of ours is the Messiah Bold, a really nice, full-flavored, nut brown ale. The Coney Island Albino Python is perfect for a hot day. It’s a white lager (the only one in America) brewed with sweet orange peel, ginger, and crushed fennel seed. And if I’m looking to be a little more adventurous, I generally go to Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. A Double IPA that’s brewed with 20% rye malt and has 10% alcohol content. That being said, I really think that the entire line is incredibly solid. A specific beer might not fit someone’s individual taste, and that’s fine, but there’s always something that we can find that someone can get behind.

Shmaltz Brewing has a strong labeling concept. How was the iconic Coney Island face developed?

The Coney Island Craft Lager brand came around as a result of the HE’BREW Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. We were approached by Coney Island USA, the non-profit arts organization that runs and supports the Coney Island Circus Sideshow in New York, who asked us if we’d be interested in doing this project with them. The Coney Island Craft Lager™ brand is a partial fundraiser for that organization. The Freak Face logo was inspired by the old steeplechase-era Tilly Face, which was is the most recognized icon of Coney Island. Using the Tilly Face as the foundation, we asked a friend of ours, Dave Wallin, who is a great tattoo artist in Brooklyn to reinterpret the logo; keeping it recognizable and reflecting Coney Island’s history and culture while also moving it forward to reflect Coney Island’s progress and modernity. The tattoo on the Freak Face was inspired by one that is on the face of Insectivora, one of the Coney Island Circus Sideshow performers.

Where do you see Shmaltz going in the future?

Over the last 5 years, Shmaltz Brewing Company has grown over 1000%. We’re still a very small company, but right now, we’re trying to increase our distribution and brand recognition across the country. We’ve been getting some great press and have participated in events with, and our beers have been reviewed next to some of the best and most successful craft breweries in the country. I think that we want to continue that trajectory as we continue to increase our size and production. Eventually, we’re aiming to have physical locations in California and in New York for people to come enjoy our beers and the culture that we’re trying to create.

One last question, how did you hear about the Church of Beer?

Like I said earlier, the way that we see growth is one case at a time, and one person at a time. Because we don’t advertise, and because our beers aren’t on every shelf yet, it’s really important for us to be in touch with the people that are, not only supporting our brand, but are also telling other people about us. The internet and blogs have been crucial in getting the brand out into the universe. I do what I can to keep up with all of the places that we pop up on the internet, and I generally try to leave a comment and a thank you for the people who are taking the time to buy our beers and then write about them. That’s how I came across the Church of Beer. We really do appreciate all of the support that we get from bloggers, and, we’ve found that by putting out just a little effort, we’re able to really connect with the people who are doing the most to help spread the word. So again, thanks so much for picking up our beers, writing about them, and especially for supporting them and telling the world.

Freaktoberfest

2009-09-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

Sister Mars surprised the Church with a gift. Fresh from the local grocer, she bestowed a bottle of Freaktoberfest to me. It's a drink for "beer creeps and lager freaks" with six malts, six hops, and 6.66 ABV. Freaktoberfest is a blood red lager. I like Shmaltz. I like the packaging, I like the chutzpah, and I like this beer. It pours our red: red beer, red head. Freaktoberfest has a sublime citrus aroma. It's sweet on the front and bit bitter on the back, not unlike the flavor of a blood orange. It's a fun beer with a fine. Get yours before it's too late. Get your freak on!

Cheers,

Espresso Stout

2009-09-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

Espresso Stout. I picked up a bottle a while ago and haven't had a chance to open it until tonight, with a little MNF. It was dark and rich. It smelled great. It tasted like it could use some time to mellow the flavor (it tasted young). Laurelwood's Espresso Stout was far more impressive. This is a beer that may mature with time. I wanted it to be better, but it wasn't garbage. Try it and hope for the future.

Perfect?

2009-09-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

I visited the inlaws. I check out the fridge when I get there. Two reasons: I always forget what beer I left there and they always manage to scope out a beer for me.

Pliny the Elder-Russian River Brewery Company. This is probable one of the best made beers I have had in years. A craft beer of flavor, taste, aroma and hops. It was great all around beer.
It was crisp and smooth. Unlike 95% of beers I have had. The smell and hops were clean and memorable. The flavor made me want another and made me.......almost forget I was drinking a beer. I gave the mrs a sample who said, "this isn't my type of beer, but this is a great beer." I want to say the beer was an IPA, but I was to busy enjoying it. Now I wish I could find more.

Winter Humbug'r-MacTarnahan- "a rich holiday porter". I would probably call it a mellow porter or mild and tasty brown. It smells good and is an enjoyable beer. I don't know if it will compete with Jubelale, but I would drink it again if availabe. I almost wished I had this before the Jubelale.

7th Street

2009-09-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

I visited 7th Street Pub, which belongs to Cascade Lakes. I had made my mind up of what I was going to have before I got there, but it changed when I saw the menu of seasonals.

IPA on Nitro....What? Who puts an IPA on Nitro. No fancy name for the IPA, just IPA. The gave me a sample of IPA and the IPA on Nitro. It was my choice for my second beer. I couldn't resist the Grizzly Mountain Stout. I love it. What I want in a stout. It is rich with out being sour or too much alcohol to push it off. The dark and roasty flavor made it great.

The IPA was a great closer. I wanted a light beer to off set the dark beer for a change. I usually dive into the stout and never look back, but something about the first taste made it worthwhile. The nitro allowed the hops an almost honey smoothness. I also thought it would muddy the crispiness of the IPA, but no.

Also the bartender was friendly enough to trade me growlers, 1 Mia and Pias for one Cascade Lakes growler.

Jubelale

2009-09-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Curious to try my Bruhda's recommendation, I stopped by the local grocery store and picked up a six pack of Jubelale Ale. It was gloriously on sale. It was a sign from the beer gods. In the evening, I opened the bottle and was rewards by the subtle smell of chocolate goodness. The beer is mellow, not a rich dessert beer. It has a nice full flavor with out being heavy. It's not bitter, it's a comforting drink designed for cold dark days.

I agree with my Brudha and highly recommend this beer.

Cheers,

Scrimshaw Pilsner

2009-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

Sister Mars, Junebug, and I stopped by the local Lompoc for lunch. I spotted Scrimshaw Ale from North Coast Brewing on tap and knew what I wanted to pair with my plate of fish and chips. The beer is an amazing color of yellow from the side, but top down, it's an amber as the photo shows. It's not heavy or over powering. It's a crisp, dry beer with a taste that complimented my meal perfectly. It's a beer for the dying days of an Indian Summer.

Enjoy,

Deschutes Bend Pub Redemption

2009-09-24T14:58:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have been I have eaten and had beer straight from the pub tap.

I have been been to the brewery and sampled it, but when I was at the pub last about 2 years ago, the food was okay, but overpriced, the service was at best passable and the beer selection was okay. Not what I expected from Deschutes, especially since the competition in town is so fierce.

We went with the inlaws thinking we would just get a snack before going to another pub for food.

Turns out our waitress was fantastic, answering questions and bringing samples of beers we asked about. She was friendly and knowledgeable, it made half of the experience. The selection of beers was great, mostly light beers with high amounts of flavors. I wish I would had got the menu of all the beers, but I was to busy enjoying it all.

An SOB Porter

2009-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Brethern,

Listen to my words, an S.O.B. can be a blessing. An S.O.B. Porter is even better. Dry and savory, the porter is a beer brewed to eat with beef. It's not a big beer. It's balanced. It's smooth hinting of smokiness. It's not layer in a taste of coffee or chocolate. It's not a dessert beer. It's tasty.

Find an S.O.B. near you.

Cheers,

Early Seasonals

2009-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

While grocery shopping with the mrs, I checked the beer aisle for new beers. I discover two early seasonals.

Jubelale-Deschutes Brewery-This a beer has been off and on the last couple of years. One year, great flavor, spice and aroma, the next year, the alcohol throws off the flavor, smells bad and tastes completely awful.

If I am remembering right this is a good year.

I bought one. I should have bought a case. It is excellent. The flavor, alcohol, hops have all been hammered into a great beer. I drank half the bottle without knowing it. A nice seasonal which will warm you. I didn't even get a chance to look at the body of the beer or attempt to savior it.

The mrs. like it as well.

Winter Ale-Alaska brewing- An old odd friend. Making it with spruce tips, gives it an unique flavor. Brudha B disliked it the last time I bought a 6er to share. This year the beer hasn't changed much. A great crisp flavor, which is unique. I had it at one of my first beerfest, still a favorite.

If this is a sign of how the seasonals are going to be... BRING ME THE TWO BELOW from Fat Tire!

Chocolate Stout

2009-09-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I celebrated the Feast of Football. I ate pizza, I snacked on chips, and drank beer. Since the day started with rain, I selected Rogue's Chocolate Stout . Rogue makes tasty beer. They are a bit spendy, but it was a day of celebration of all things pigskin, so I fell to the temptation of dark beer.

The stout smells of chocolate. Poured out, it produce a frothy head of beer goodness. The taste is mellow and creamy with a bit if bitterness on the backside. The 22 ouncer lasted me the whole game. I didn't need another beer for the rest of the day.

Cheers,

Drifter Day

2009-09-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's an Indian Summer Day, I'm off work, sipping Drifter as I touch up the paint in the bathroom.

Cheers,

Coney Island

2009-09-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

Shmaltz has been to the fore of my feverish beer brain.

Heading down to the haven of Bunny and Brother B, I picked up a pair of offerings at the Market of Choice. We opened the Coney Island Lager first. I expected a light colored, craft lager. What we discovered was a dark hued brew, an amber hinting at a red, or as Brother B said, "between an IPA and a red." The lager is well carbonated. The eight malts and six hops create a light crisp taste that is the true, yet complex.

It's on my list of favorite summer beers.

2009-09-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Brethern,

Sister Mars has recently lamented in the lack of variation in the color palette of my recent photographs. Fear not, Labor Day has come and gone and with it the reign of summer beers. The rains of fall shall soon return and with it bring porters and stouts and other dark blessings.

A Wee Tale

2009-09-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

As Brother RD mentioned, Brother D and I have a story to tell. We have been brewing for about 7-8 years, if I am remembering correctly with a stint of 4 years in that where we brewed a batch a week. We have tried about every type of recipe you can imagine and even have a few ribbons under our belt in competition.

About 4 years ago the owner of our local brew shop, CBS (http://www.brewbeer.cc/), had a recipe for a Wee Heavy. These robust recipes are not for the faint of heart as the result can drop you in the 15% range of ABV and that is not an easy feet. But here we are, cocky as all get out, loving all of the different types of stuff we had been able to pull off so why not a Wee Heavy?

Brewing was pretty straightforward although we used extracts to increase the gravity since doing it with a boil would have taken us 2 days. We carboyed the sucker, added the first round of High Gravity yeast, then added Champagne yeast (works in high alc) two weeks later and then waited.

It was very active but died out in about 3 weeks. We thought this was a bit unusual considering the amount of sugars involved so we racked it to secondary fermentation and it took off again for a shorter 2 weeks. Time for a taste and a measurement to see how it was coming along.

It was still way off of the mark and still was very sweet so I think we re-racked it for the third time and waited.

The first sign of trouble was the waft of stinky sock we got off of it at about the 4-5 month timeframe. You could taste that, in spite of our cleanliness, we had caught a bacteria of some sort. We slipped it into the back of the closet to deal with another day.

At the 9 month mark, we pulled it out again with all the intention of dumping the spoiled batch but the bacterial taste had subsided a bit and we made the decision to allow it to remain in the closet and added a bit of yeast nutrient with a vague hope of recovering something from this batch.

At 1 year and 9 months we sample again. Again the sour has faded but the gravity is still fairly high making the beverage too sweet. We re-racked again, aerated for about a month and then lost interest again as the carboy disappeared back into the depths of the closet.

A year and a half passes with not much brewing, things change, seasons come and go and eventually Brother D and I get the itch to put on another brew. The discussion of what to do with the Wee Heavy is brief and inconclusive until the next week while we are racking to secondary for the batch we just brewed.

We prepare ourselves for the worst as we drag the old beleaguered carboy out of the depths of the closet and make a measurement that we are finally satisfied with and... it tastes wonderful. Almost 3 and one half years later is the thickest, toastiest, sweetest thing we have ever produced. No hint of the bacterial leavings was present and we calculated the ABV at approximately 15% though things get fiddly at that level.

We will never be able to replicate this one again, but it will live on in legend.