Monday, June 30, 2008

7.4 Million Pints Worth Cheering

I received this press release from my friend Glynn Phillips, owner of Sacramento's oldest producing brewery - Rubicon. Last year Rubicon celebrated 20 years of brewing, this month they celebrate their 3,000th batch.

A Tiny Bit of History
When the Great American Beer Festival introduced the American IPA category (1989), the gold medal went to Rubicon Brewing. They followed this up with a second gold medal in the same category in 1990. Their IPA is still great, a treat for those who live in the region, but clearly the style has evolved.

On to the press release:
Sacramento, Ca (June 28, 2008)- The Rubicon Brewing Company proudly
announces the release of its 3000th batch of handcrafted beer. This
milestone batch is a double India pale ale that has appropriately been named "Hop Sauce".

Hop Sauce is a new recipe for the Rubicon Brewing Company and includes ten different hop varieties: Summit, Columbus, Chinook, Cascade, Vanguard, Glacier, Goldings, Bravo and Sterling. It has been double dry hopped, and ten pounds of New Zealand Mouteka hops were added to the serving tank for the final hoppy touch. In a time where the shortage of hops is forcing hop prices through the roof and causing most breweries to get creative with their recipes, the Rubicon Brewers, Scott Cramlet and Al Griffin, decided to go over the top and use every hop variety they could get their hands on. The result “...is a great Double IPA with huge flavor and aroma, brewed in true handcrafted Rubicon style,” says Glynn Phillips, owner, Rubicon Brewing Company.

So let's do the math... if each ten-barrel batch brewed generates 310
gallons, or 2480 pints, and there has been 3000 batches brewed, that means
that over the past 21 years, the Rubicon Brewing Company has produced
7,440,000 pints! That is a staggering figure in light of the fact that most
microbreweries manage only half that production quantity in a lifetime.

The Rubicon Brewing Company would like to thank their loyal customers for the chance to go this far and still be going strong. The Rubicon is a
favorite Midtown Sacramento institution and for over 20 years has provided
handcrafted beers and great food, served in a casual, friendly atmosphere.
If you haven’t been by yet, or it’s been a while… Go by and try the Hop
Sauce or any of their other fine brews, and see for yourself the difference
experience can make.
Pacific Brew News would like to than Rubicon for keeping our collective thirsts' quenched all these years. Soon there will be an update for their 21st anniversary celebration, called Hoptoberfest. This event will be more like an IPA festival than anything, cause for hop heads all over Sacramento to rejoice.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Hopsickle: So Good Even Cats Love It

Bubby from Brain Gravy posted this picture today and I couldn't help but love it. With his permission I now get to share it with you.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Kevin Pratt: Brewer at Greenhouse Restaurant

In an earlier post about Greenhouse Restaurant I mentioned I didn't know who the brewer there was. Turns out it is none other than Kevin Pratt, one of the world's few Grand Master Judges for the BJCP and manager at Folsom's homebrew shop, Brewmeister. In his free time he also heads the Gold Country Brewers Association, the Sacramento region's oldest homebrew club, serving at President. Just for fun he's also the Assistant Continuing Education Director for the BJCP. Somehow the guy still finds time to drink a beer or two and can be seen, on occasion, at the region's great breweries. I've drank with him, judged with him, sat on the board of directors for GCBA with him and even sat in a class or two that he led for BJCP preparation. I don't know a lot more about Kevin's resume, but the guy clearly knows a thing or two about beer making.

According to Pratt, he will begin brewing the organic set of beers very soon (days, not weeks). He's tweaking his own recipes based on organic ingredient availability, and hops seem to be a major pain in butt right now (imagine that). The beers will mostly be English in style, a preference set forth by the owner, but at this point it is a wait-and-see game for us chomping at the bits to try new, fresh beers. Luckily, it sounds like an unfiltered wheat beer is not far away from being ready.

Tidbits: If Greenhouse is unable to source all the organic ingredients they need (dark roasted malts, hops) they seem to have a plan. Beers with any non "organic" ingredients will simply be called "Natural". Brews served there called "Organic" will be 100% organic. If your a local and are concerned about the organic-ness of your beer, you'll be happy to hear Pratt and the gang at Greenhouse are doing their best to deliver.

Cherries, Beer and Good Cheer

Last night Tracy and took a break from the norm to help Scott Cramlet, head brewer at Rubicon Brewing for the last 19 years, remove stems from cherries. The fruits came from a farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills and are of the Montmorency variety, the tart cherries. These are for Scott's High Mountain Cherry ale, the brew that brought home a gold medal at last year's GABF for the sour ale category. The labors Scott is taking now will take a few years to mature into the beautiful beer that won last year, but he's been around long enough to appreciate that.

Scott holds the tart cherries in one hand and old, dried hop flowers in the other. These hops contribute very little flavor and aroma (none, really) and are only used as a preservative. The hops are from the 2000 harvest - when they were cheap.

The back door at the Rubicon.

Tracy removes stems from the fruit.

We stemmed four boxes that night, leaving the rest for Scott and his crew. In all there were more than 500 pounds of cherries processed.

Scott has been doing this for several days.They are a pretty fruit, but not a cherry you want to eat on its own - very dry and tart.

Is there a better way to celebrate such an event than an old bottle of New Glarus' Belgian Red? Check out that bottle, it's been around for a long time in Scott's cellar. It was exceptional.

Cherries in the five-gallon bucket.

It wasn't all work. Scott was showing us how much air was in the yeast from a beer he was filtering. If you don't think it's funny, I suppose you had to be there.

Stems on the left, cherries on the right. I'm sure you knew.

Again, this was actually a pretty good time. Scott was also generous enough to provide us his freshest IPA available, straight from the fermenter. I don't understand why the general public is afraid of hazy beer, the flavors in the unfiltered version were amazing.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month

I received a list of events that will move Oregon Craft Beer Month along and wanted to pass it to you. If you're in the region, stop in at one of these parties and lift a pint in celebration of the state's great beer scene.

Oh, just so you know, this is a long freaking list of events. For individual day events, scroll down to the bolded "kick-off party" at Horse Brass on July 1.

More info @ www.oregoncraftbeer.com
Oregon Craft Beer Month
JULY 1, 2008 – JULY 31, 2008

July 1st - July 31st
Eight Guest Taps from Oregon Craft Brewers
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
Daily, Monday - Friday 11am to 2:30am, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 2:30am
503-232-2202 • www.oregoncraftbeer.com
Come and enjoy Oregon craft beer all month long, from the smallest to the largest craft brewers in the state.

July 1st - July 31st
26 Rotating Oregon Craft Beers
McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside Restaurant & Pilsner Room, 0309 SW Montgomery, Portland
11am to 12am daily
503-220-1865 • www.mccormickandschmicks.com
Come and meet Oregon brewers from around the state and enjoy a rotating selection of Oregon Brewed beer all month long while visiting the home of the Full Sail at Riverplace.

July 1st - July 31st
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Brewery Tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Full Sail Brewery Tours
Fully Sail Brewing Co., 506 Columbia Street, Hood River
Daily at 1, 2, 3, 4pm
541-386-2247 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Get a behind the scenes glimpse into the world at Full Sail Brewing Co., as the team opens their doors to tours running at four convenient times throughout the day, every day during the month of July, as they celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
Daily 4pm Distillery Tours. Sunset views of Yaquina Bay Bridge and Pacific Ocean. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Wolf Eel Café, 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road, Newport
541-867-3474 • www.rogue.com
Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Distillery Tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours. Oregon Brewer’s Fest tokens, mugs, and t-shirts available.

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Root Beer tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours. Tours of Pier 39 Historic Hanthorne Cannery Interpretive Center

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Brewers on the Bay
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Brewery tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
Daily 4pm Distillery Tours. Sunset views of Yaquina Bay Bridge and Pacific Ocean. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Standing Stone Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month with our new chef Eric Bell.
Standing Stone Brewing Co., 101 Oak St., Ashland
541-482-2448 • www.standingstonebrewing.com
Chef Eric Bell will be featuring food specials made with Standing Stone Ales.

July 1st - July 6th
Free Rogue Bus shuttle!
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Free Rogue Bus shuttle to the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field.

July 1st
Kick Off Party for Oregon Craft Beer Month
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
5pm
503-232-2202 • www.oregoncraftbeer.com
Come and meet the Brewers of the Oregon Brewers Guild at the Kick Off Party for Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st
Rogue Ales Releases John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock,” Latona Ale
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
5pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
To kick off Oregon Craft Beer Month, there will be a Firkin tapping of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale.

July 1st
Rogue Ales Releases John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
5pm
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
To kick off Oregon Craft Beer Month, there will be a Firkin tapping of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale.

July 1st
Lompoc Brewing Company's Lompizer release party
Oaks Bottom Public House, 1621 SE Bybee Blvd, Portland
4 pm to 6 pm
503-232-1728 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Lompizer is Lompoc Brewing's craft beer salute to light ales and lagers. A great way to kick off Oregon Craft Beer month.

July 1st
New Beer Release: Washoe Weizen
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
All Day
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
A traditional Bavarian style hefeweizen brewed in anticipation of the Intergalactic Washoe Tournament.

July 1st
Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from breweries including Bend Brewing, Siletz Ales, Klamath Basin Brewing, Big Horse Brewery in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st
Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged, different every week
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til the taps run dry
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 1st
Meet the Brewer - Alameda Brewhouse
Green Dragon Bistro and Brewpub, 928 SE 9th Ave, Portland
6-9 pm
503-516-0606 • www.pdxgreendragon.com
Meet Eric Wathen and Max Skewes from Alameda Brewhouse as they bring four beers to the south side.

July 2nd
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.


July 3rd
Rock Bottom Brewery Celebrates the Return of the Blitzen Belgian Triple
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Back in the mix, Blitzen Belgian Triple will be available at the Rock Bottom Brewery in conjunction with the Oregon Craft Brew Month.

July 3rd
Ninakasi Beermaker Dinner at Bel Ami
Bel Ami Restaurant, 1591 Willamette St., Eugene
6:30 pm
541-485-6244 xt-3 • www.midtownmarketplace.com/belami.html
Ninkasi Brewing Co. and Bel Ami team up for a 3 course, multi item beermaker dinner. Cost is $50.

July 3rd - July 6th
Rogue Ales and Art in the Vineyard Festival at Alton Baker Park
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
11am-11pm daily.
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Art in the Vineyard Festival at Alton Baker Park. Featuring live music, crafts, and Track Town and Rogue Ales.

July 4th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 4th
Fort George Brewery Hold 4th of July Parking Lot Party
Fort George Brewery and Public House, 1483 Duane St., Astoria
6pm
503-325-PINT • www.fortgeorgebrewery.com
Join us as we celebrate the nation's birthday. The city of Astoria puts on a display of fireworks on the waterfront which will be viewable in our parking lot celebration!

July 4th - July 6th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call for tickets or more information.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
Begins at 11am daily.
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
Begins at 11am daily.
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
Begins at 11am daily.
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th-7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
Begins at 11am daily
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
Annual 4th of July Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 6th
Hopworks Urban Brewery Intergalactic Washoe Tournament
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
12pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Play the game that’s sweeping up and down the west coast beer scene - WASHOES! The game is a cross between horseshoes and skeeball and played with 1 inch washers. Teams of 2 will compete for the title of “Intergalactic Washoe Champions”. Whether you’re a seasoned washoe vet or a newcomer, everyone will have fun! As always – we recommend you ride your bike or tri-met. Early registration at the Hopworks hostess stand.

July 7th
First Anniversary Missed Opening and Grand Re-opening Party
Green Dragon Bistro and Brewpub, 928 SE 9th Ave, Portland
4pm to close
503-516-0606 • www.pdxgreendragon.com
Stop on by for a shuffleboard tournament, some food specials and a few other surprises up our sleeves. On tap, something from Bend Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing’s Total Domination IPA and 18 other unique drafts.

July 7th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 8th
Lompoc Brewing's Secret Beer Vault with Geraldo Brewvera
Hedge House, 3412 SE Division St., Portland
4 pm to 6 pm
503-235-2215 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Expert Beer Hunter Geraldo Brewvera has discovered a secret beer cooler at the Hedge House. Geraldo plans to open the vault and expose all its secrets and contents to the public for consumption.

July 8th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 8th
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 8th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's New Beer Release: Bourbon DOA + Bourbon Barrel Day
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
3pm - close
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
All the Hopworks bourbon barrel aged beers on tap at the same time! Kentucky Christmas, Bourbon IPA, Bourbon DOA, and possibly another?! Beers tapped at 3pm.

July 8th
Meet the Brewer and the Beer - Full Sail Brewer's Share Series
Full Sail at Riverplace, 0307 SW Montgomery, Portland
5 to 7pm
503-222-5343 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Come celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month and kick off our latest Brewer's Share series beer with Full Sail brewer Greg Lizama.

July 9th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 9th
Double Mountain Pils Premiere Party
Henry's 12th Street Tavern, 10 NW 12th Ave, Portland
5pm
503-227-5320 • www.henrystavern.com
Come celebrate the Portland debut of Double Mountain Pils, a true lager for the summer season. Meet the brewers and join the raffle for Double Mountain t-shirts and glassware.

July 9th
Hopworks Beer and Oregon Cheese Pairings with Steve’s Cheese
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
7pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Join us for a tasting of Hopworks beers paired with Oregon craft cheeses. Guided by the Hopworks brewers and Steve from Steve’s Cheese. Get insight on the brewing and cheese making process while enjoying some excellent pairings. See the Hopworks hostess for tickets.

July 9th - July 13th
Concordia Cup
Concordia Ale House, 3276 NE Killingsworth, Portland
Wednesday 11am through Sunday Midnight
503-287-3929 • www.concordia-ale.com
10 of the Best Oregon Imperial IPA's battle it out for first place in a blind taste test. Winning brewer will captain the Oregon Beer Brawl II team. Votes will be gathered from July 9th starting at 11 am until July 13th at midnight. Taster trays are $10 to participate and vote for your favorite. Admission is free.

July 10th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 10th
Meet the Brewer and the Beer - Full Sail Brewer's Share Series
Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub, 506 Columbia Street, Hood River
5 to 7pm
541-386-2247 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Come celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month and kick off our latest Brewer's Share series beer with Full Sail brewer Greg Lizama.

July 10th
Rock Bottom Announces Return of Black Peter - Belgian Noire Ale
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Looking for a new beer? Maybe you're craving an old favorite. If that's the case, the Rock Bottom Brewery has what you need. Join their team when they bring back Black Peter, the Belgian Noire Ale. You won't be disappointed with this hand-crafted beer.

July 11th
Laurelwood Open House and Beer Release of Double Oregon Hefeweizen
Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, 5115 NE Sandy, Portland
2pm-5pm
503-282-0622 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
The Brewery Open House and tours start at 2 pm along with a stronger version of American Hefeweizen called Double Oregon Hefeweizen or as it's better known around the brewery as DOH.

July 11th
Falconer Scholarship Benefit Party for Don's, Lisa's, and Scott's 156th Birthday!
Produce Row Cafe, 204 SE Oak Street, Portland
5 pm
503-232-8355
Just when you thought you were getting old, the special birthday guests, Lisa Morrison the Beer Goddess, Don Younger owner of the Horse Brass Pub, and Scott Willis owner of Point Blank Distributing celebrate a combined birthday of 156 years old with a dinner party where a $1 from every pint benefits the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. Now that's a birthday party!

July 11th - July 13th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call for tickets or more information.

July 11th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 12th
Party for the 2,000th Oregon Brewers Guild Supporter of Native Oregon Beer (SNOB)
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
2 to 5pm
503-288-BREW • www.oregonbeer.org
Come celebrate the 2,000th SNOB member with a party at the Horse Brass Pub.

July 12th
Bridgeport Brewpub Hosts Brewing Professor Charlie Bamforth
Bridgeport Bakery & Brewpub, 1313 NW Marshall, Portland
1 - 4pm
503-241-7179 • www.bridgeportbrew.com
Come and be a part of the excitement as Brewing Professor and writer Charlie Bamforth signs his new book "Grape vs. Grain". It's time to learn from one of the greats, boys and girls!

July 12th
7th Annual McMenmins Roadhouse Brewfest
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro
11am – 10pm; music at 4pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Free admission, All ages welcome (21 and over to sample ales), Featuring Eight McMenamins ales, live music by The Old Elbows, food specials, balloon guy and more! Try eight different McMenamins ales and talk to the brewers who brewed ‘em! This noncompetitive celebration of beer "puts the brewer back in brewfest," featuring our very own McMenamins brewers ready to answer your questions throughout the event. Not only that, but you can listen to live music, enjoy summery food specials and much, much more!

July 12th - July 13th
Deschutes Celebrates Summer at the Bend Summer Festival
Downtown, Bend, OR
July 12th, 11 am to 10 pm
July 13th, 11 am to 6 pm
www.bendsummerfestival.com
Come visit the Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden.

July 12th - July 13th
Where It All Began Beer Fest
Produce Row Cafe, 204 SE Oak Street, Portland
Saturday Noon to 9pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm
503-232-8355
Come celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Produce Row Cafe. $5 at entry gets you a cup and 4 tickets, 12oz cup, 3oz per ticket. 14 Oregon Beers outside and 21 retailers inside. Cash only outside. $10 minimum purchase inside for all cards. Several speciality beers will be brewed by Oregon Brewers for this event.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
10am
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch. Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
10am
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
10am
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
10am
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Hopworks Urban Brewery Hosts Pimped Out Bike In Event
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
12pm - close
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Show off your hottest ride! Tall bikes, short bikes, cruisers, choppers, road bikes, mountain bikes, kids bikes, recumbents. Just like a classic car cruise in.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
10 a.m.
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 14th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 14th - July 20th
Puckerfest
Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St., Portland
Monday thru Thursday 3pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday Noon to 12am, Sunday Noon to 9pm
503-232-8538 • www.belmont-station.com
Specials on tap and in the bottle throughout the week. Unofficially named the "Puckerfest," several sour beers, including a year-old Berliner Weiss from Portland's BJ's Brewpub, will also be pouring at the adjoining biercafé.

July 15th
5th Quadrant Hosts Beer Trivia with Katie Shimmer
5th Quadrant, 3901 N Williams St., Portland
9 pm to 11pm
503-288-3996 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Classic beer trivia with world famous Katie Shimmer.

July 15th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us to tap two new kegs Tuesday from the featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz Ales, Klamath Basin Brewing, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 15th
Hopsworks Urban Brewery Releases New Brew: Sunset Ale
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
All Day
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Hoppy, refreshing and imminently drinkable. This British style summer ale is perfect for nice summer days spent on the back deck at Hopworks.

July 15th
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 16th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 16th
Laurelwood's New Beer Release - One Day at a Time Weizenbock
Laurelwood Pizza Company, 1728 NE 40th Ave, Portland
11:00 a.m.
503-943-6157 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
A traditional German dunkel weizen brewed to bock strength chock full of the aromas and flavors of banana's and cloves. Named after the Laurelwood Brewing Co.'s favorite sitcom from the 1975-1983 television era.

July 16th
Roof Top Brewers BBQ and Beer Release Party
Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, 5115 NE Sandy, Portland
5pm
503-282-0622 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
Celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month with the brewers of Laurelwood on the roof top of their Sandy location.

July 17 - July 19th
Oregon Craft Beer Celebration
Market of Choice, 67 W. 29th, Eugene
3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
541-338-8455 • www.marketofchoice.com
Come and taste the bounty of Oregon beer at this three day celebration. Meet the brewers from Alameda Brewhouse, Deschutes Brewery, Eugene City Brewery, Full Sail Brewing, Laurelwood Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing and many more.

July 17th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 17th
Rock Bottom's New Beer Release - Congo Queen
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Treat yourself to the new release of a Belgian Style Colonial Golden Spiced Sorghum Ale at the Rock Bottom Brewery.

July 17th
McMenamins' Thirsty Thursday
McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub, 4157 N. Highway 101, Lincoln City
7pm 'til the beer is gone
(541) 994-7238 • www.mcmenamins.com
Sample a new beer style every third Thursday! In this monthly event, we reserve the third Thursday of every month to try out a new beer style. You can meet and talk with our brewer, try our limited edition beer and order lunch or dinner. Admission is free, must be 21 and over to taste.

July 18th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.


July 18th - July 20th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call ahead for tickets or more information.

July 18th - July 20th
Portland International Beer Festival
North Park Blocks in the Pearl, Portland
Friday 4 -10pm, Saturday Noon to 10pm, Sunday Noon to 7pm
www.seattlebeerfest.com
Purchase 10 Beer Tickets for $20, with an official glass. Additional tickets can be purchased for $1 for a 4oz. pour.

July 19
Deschutes Brewery Sagebrush Classic Feast
Broken Top Golf Club, Bend, OR
Begins at 5 pm
541-385-8606 • www.sagebrush.org
$225 - Join us for a gourmet feast prepared by 18 celebrity chefs and paired with Deschutes Brewery beers. Dancing outdoors to live music caps off the night. One never had so much fun doing so much good — proceeds benefit numerous Central Oregon charities serving children and families.

July 19th
Oregon Trail Brewery's Mystery Beer Tasting
Oregon Trail Brewery, 341 SW 2nd Ave, Corvallis
Brewery Tours 3-8 pm
www.oregontrailbrewery.com
This event features live music featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden. Also, there will be mystery beers to represent every beer style that is a craft beer, including an IPA, Wit, Brown, Ginseng Porter, Bourbon Porter, Kolsch, and light ale.

July 19
Fort George Parking Lot Music Series + BBQ
Fort George Brewery and Public House, 1483 Duane St, Astoria
2 to 6 pm
503-325-PINT • www.fortgeorgebrewery.com
Food and beer, crafted with fresh, quality ingredients from the Fort George,
will be available for purchase including southern-style barbeque ribs, corn
on the cob, and baked potato bar.

July 19th
McMenamins' Brewers Dinner
McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 N.W. Bond Street, Bend
7pm
541-382-5174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Here's a party to toast our Bend brewers -- let's make that brewers across Oregon! Tickets to the event are $50 and reservations are required. Guests must be 21 years of age & over. The menu features a Meza platter with hummus, marinated olives, feta, & grilled pita, with IPA. For a salad, guests can enjoy field greens with grape tomatoes, spiced Marcona almonds and grilled lemon vinaigrette with a Copper Moon. As for the main course there is Moroccan-spiced grilled flank steak with grilled vegetables skewers and quinoa with the
Brewer's choice of ale. And last but of course never least, for dessert there's a Lemon tart with pomegranate sauce and a Ruby Ale. So many treats to feast upon!

July 19th
McMenamins' 6th Annual Roadhouse Brewfest
Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 NW Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro
4 to 11pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Savor ales from eight McMenamins breweries, along with food specials and chats with McMenamins brewers. Live music provided by the Scraff Orser Band and the Freak Mountain Ramblers. Joe Mishkin "The Balloon Guy" will entertain the kids.

July 19th
Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub's Beer and Sausage Fest
Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub, 7424 SW Bvtn Hillsdale Hwy, Portland
1 to 10pm
503-296-0110 • www.raclodge.com
Featuring a variety of grilled sausage and live music.

July 20th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Homebrew Demo
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
2 to 6pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Finally you can learn how to brew at home like the great brewmasters. Get information and watch a homebrew demonstration in the brewery parking lot at Hopworks.

July 21st
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 22nd
Rogue Hosts Fred Eckhardt’s 17th Annual Beer and Cheese Tasting
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
Seating begins at 5pm, tasting begins at 6pm.
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Join Fred Eckhardt, the dean of American Beer Writers for a unique tasting of 10 microbrewes with 10 gourmet cheeses. Ticket prices: $25 for Rogue Nation Members, $30 for advance ticket orders, and $35 at the door.

July 22nd
New Old Lompoc's Festivus in July
New Old Lompoc, 1616 NW 23rd Ave. Portland
5 pm to 6 pm
503-225-1855 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Festivous Celebration with Portland Brewers and an Aluminum FesivouvsPole. A spin off of the classic Seinfeld Holiday episode focusing on the brewing industry. The airing of the grievances and the Feats of Strength will be the focal point while sipping traditional Christmas ales.

July 22nd
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from the featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 22nd
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Special Blend Night
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
3pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Christian, Ben, Jaime and one lucky Hopworks employee compete to see who can make the best Hopworks blended beer. Hopworks IPA+Velvet ESB blend? HUB Lager+Survival Stout+DOA blend? Something else?! This one will be crazy!

July 22nd
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 23rd
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 23rd
Oregon Brewers Festival Presents the Oregon Brewers Guild Brewers Dinner
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
6:00 to 8:30pm
503-288-2739 • www.oregonbeer.org
Some of the biggest names in craft brewing attend this informal BBQ as a prelude to the Oregon Brewers Festival. The ticket price of $50 ($40 for SNOBs) includes dinner, a souvenir pint glass, and six half-pints of Oregon beers that are not featured at the festival. Proceeds benefit Oregon Brewers Guild. Attendance is limited to 600.

July 24th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 24th
Widmer Brother's Brewing Co. Presents Oregon Brewers Brunch and Parade
PGE Park, 1844 SW Morrison St, Portland
9am to noon
503-778-5917 • www.oregonbrewfest.com
Presented by Widmer Brother's Brewing Co., Mayor Tom will be leading the Oregon Brewers Parade. Tickets cost $20 a piece. Each ticket includes brunch, beer, a parade T-shirt and a 2008 souvenir festival mug.

July 24
Deschutes Beer Tasting
Beaumont Market, 4130 NE Fremont St, Portland
5 to 7 pm
503-284-3032

July 24th -27th
Catch a Ride on the Rogue Bus to the Oregon Brewer's Fest!
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Free rides on the Rogue Bus to Oregon Brewer’s Fest.

July 24th – July 27th
Oregon Brewers Festival
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
Thursday - Saturday Noon to 9pm; Sunday Noon to 7pm
503-778-5917 • www.oregonbrewfest.com

July 25th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 25th
McMenamins' Third Annual Sasquatch Brew Am Golf Tournament
McMenamins Edgefield Inn, 2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale
8am to 1pm
www.sasquatchbrewfest.org
Pair up with celebrity brewers for a round of golf at one of the coolest courses in the area. $75 fee includes golf, picnic lunch, prizes, games, goodies, and a golf shirt. Proceeds benefit the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation to support its brewing scholarship program.

July 25th - July 26th
Homebrewing Demo
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
Friday and Saturday Noon to 6pm
503-288-2739 • www.oregonbrewcrew.com
Watch attentively as handcrafted beer is made by the Oregon Brew Crew. Isn't it time you learned some of the tricks of the trade from the masters?

July 25th - July 27th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call ahead for tickets or more information.

July 26th
Bend Brewing Comes to the Belmont Station
Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark, Portland
503-232-8538 • www.belmont-station.com
Come and meet the 2008 World Beer Cup Small Brewmaster of the Year, Tonya Cornett as she brings some rare treats over the mountain a rare appearance at the Belmont Station.

July 27th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Sunday OBF Recovery Brunch
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
9am to 2pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
What’s better after a long week at the Oregon Brewers Festival than an excellent Sunday brunch, and who know’s more about hangovers than brewers? That’s why Hopworks Urban Brewery is proud to present the “Sunday OBF Recovery Brunch”. A special menu of breakfast pizzas, cheeseburgers, tater tots, and pancakes. Wash away the haze with a Hopworks Bloody Mary or a world famous HUB-OSA (HUB Lager+Orange Juice). We’re opening early (9am) for this soon to be legendary event!

July 27th
Sassy Sunday and re-release of Rogue’s newest brew, Imperial Younger’s Special Bitter
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
3pm
503-232-2202 • www.horsebrass.com
Two great events, one great cause, the premier pour (cask conditioned) Imperial Younger's Special Bitter will be held at 5pm. The first 10 bottles of Imperial YSB ever produced will be signed by Rogue Brewmaster John Maier and Horse Brass owner Don Younger and auctioned to raise funds for the Glen Falconer Foundation. Featuring multiple unique and one off beers - all proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
5pm
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
5pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
5pm
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
5pm
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
5pm
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
5pm
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 28th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's joys that keep us going throughout the year.

July 29th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us to tap two new kegs Tuesday from the following breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 29th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's New Beer Release: Whoop Whoop Wheat
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
9am to 2pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Named for former Portland Mayor Bud Clark and his famed call, Whoop Whoop Wheat is a refreshing, slightly tart wheat beer perfect for the hot days of summer. Served neat or with raspberry or peach juice, this is definitely one beer you’ll want to expose yourself too.

July 29th
Rock Bottom Brewery's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'Til its Gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
What better way is there to begin to wrap up a month of celebrating Oregon's Craft Beer than to share a special blend thats been blended and barrel aged There just isn't a better way.

July 30th
McMenamins' Limited Edition Beer Release Party
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro
5 to 10 pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
One Night Only, or 'Til the Beer is Gone! Step right up and into the historic Roadhouse itself to try a just-release limited-edition brew, the first of many once-a-month. No admission fee; pints for $4.15. Must be 21 years old & over to taste.

July 30th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 31st
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 31st
Rock Bottom Brewery's New Beer Release - Belgian Wit
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6 pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Be there when the Rock Bottom Brewery launches the new release of the Belgian Wit.

A Hop Head's Oasis

I wanted to make sure folks in the Sacramento region knew that Monday, June 30th, the Sacramento Brewing Company's "Oasis" (Madison and Sunrise) will be pouring some hopped up delights.
  • Peterson's Pride: I know Peter has changed this brew a bit, but if it's anything like it was last year, you can expect it to be an English version of the Double IPA. Last year's version was so packed with East Kent Golding hops that I'm thinking Peter, himself, may have contributed to shortages of that variety. It was good too.
  • SacBrew IPA: This isn't a special beer, but it's a mighty fine example of the west coast IPA, bursting with aromatic hops that also contribute a pretty massive bite.
  • DogFish Head 90 Minute IPA: Peter secured a few (not sure how many) five-gallon kegs and the first will be tapped Monday. This beer is pretty new to California, so if you consider yourself a hop-head and haven't had it on tap yet, you might try to make time for this hoppy brew from Delaware.
Of course, SBC has several other great beers to enjoy and Monday's are all you can eat rib night.

If you can't make Monday, keep your ears open for their Double IPA, rumor has it this bad boy is going to be tapped late next week.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

NorCal New Brewery: Greenhouse Restaurant

Tonight I took my wife, Tracy, out for dinner. She made it clear she wanted something light, low-cost and good, then suggested that we check out a new place in town she'd heard about from co-workers. After work we made our way to Greenhouse Restaurant in Roseville, Calif., and were delighted with the menu items (and prices). Greenhouse's focus is serving local, sustainable foods and most of the food is grown (or raised) within 100 miles of their location. When asked if I wanted a drink, I did the obligatory request for their beers on tap. Turned out the local/sustainable trend stopped at the taps, with Bud, Stella, Sam Adams, Wydmer topping the list. In fact, the only regional beer they had was Sierra Nevada. I was discouraged.

Our server then let me know there were two house-brewed beers available, a pale ale and a brown ale. I asked where they were made (they didn't have a visible brewery on site) and she insisted they were made right there, on location. I requested samples of each fully expecting to receive a couple of dump-and-stir beers that weren't worth sampling, but low and behold - these were good! The pale was full-bodied, had a healthy dose of sweetness and nice hops in the end. The brown was actually the beer that impressed me more, a surprise for my palate, it was nothing short of drinkable with very restrained grain astringency and not overly cloying in its sweetness.

Once again I asked our good server if they really brewed the beers on location or simply had a local brewery contract the beers (I've been burned on this before). Again, she insisted and it was necessary for me to check out their kitchen area. I wasn't invited back there, but I figured if I was quick and quiet, I could grab a quick look at the system. Sure enough, there, just to the left as you enter, were a very small mash tun and kettle (may be the smallest commercial brewery I've seen). There were no fermentation tanks and when I broke my own rule and bothered the staff, they were very kind and pointed me to the other end of the kitchen. Yep, as they said, there were two small fermentation tanks (if I had a guess, I'd call this a four-barrel brew house).

I couldn't find out who the brewer was, by name, but before we left I was filled in about the taps I had mentioned earlier. Turns out they're only placeholder beers until they get everything fully operation. Their plan is to have eight beers altogether, six of which will be organic. If the initial offerings are any indication, this place will be a great option for me here in my town.

About the Food

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the food, because it was fantastic. We shared three small plates: pork loin (they even asked how I wanted it cooked, which was a first for me - I asked for the rarest they could serve, which is 165 degrees I was told); scallops for Tracy (they were great); margarita oyster shooters (these were unlike any oyster we'd had before, in a good way).

The menu prices started at five bucks for a light salad (along with other options) and ended at 28 (for their local/sustainable rib eye). On average the dishes seemed to be in the nine to 12 dollar range (the most we paid was 12 bucks).

If you're in the area and like this sort of food, be sure to stop in. I'll be most interested in seeing where the brewery goes and how quickly they pull off the beers that don't match their mission. As they are now, however, the two house-brewed beers are worth finding.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Beer Wars: California Strikes Back

This will no doubt be making its way around beer blogs everywhere, how can it not? The state of California (my home state) is moving forward with a plan that presumes all alcohol sold in the state that is NOT WINE must be a distilled spirit and taxed accordingly (read, up the wazoo!). This, my beer-loving friends, is unbelievable! It's wrong, it's a whole lot of things that shouldn't be said. Here is the announcement from the Board of Equalization's Judy Chu. Be sure to read passed the word "flavored", this is much bigger than alcopops.
Judy Chu, Ph.D., Chair of the State Board of Equalization (BOE), announced today that the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has approved the BOE’s regulations allowing flavored malt beverages to be taxed as distilled spirits rather than beer.

The Board approved the regulations on April 8, 2008, to clarify the definition of “distilled spirits” under the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Law. OAL approval deems the regulations effective and they will be fully implemented by BOE October 1, 2008. Beginning in October, flavored malt beverages will be taxed at the distilled spirits rate of $3.30 per gallon rather than at the beer rate of $0.20 per gallon.

“I believe that the ultimate effect of this regulatory change will be positive”, said Chu. “It will send a signal to youth that alcopops are hard liquor - because these drinks will now have costs that are similar to hard liquor. It will make it harder for young people to access alcopops, and that can only be helpful in reducing underage drinking.”

The new regulations create a “rebuttable” presumption that all non-wine alcoholic beverages, including flavored malt beverages, will be taxed at the higher rate. Manufacturers have the obligation to prove their product does not meet the definition of a distilled spirit. OAL approval on June 10, 2008 allows the manufacturer to argue their products do not meet the new definition effective immediately. The regulations will be fully operative and the higher taxation rate will begin on October 1, 2008.

Notices will be sent by the BOE to all retailers, manufacturers, and others involved in the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages notifying them all non-wine alcoholic beverages (including flavored malt beverages) sold in California will be taxed as distilled spirits. The BOE has also contacted all those involved in the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages requesting a complete list of all alcoholic beverages they manufacture, import, or distribute within California. It will be presumed these beverages are to be classified and taxed as distilled spirits unless the manufacturer successfully rebuts that presumption.

This regulatory change requires that the BOE establish and maintain on its Internet website a listing of alcoholic beverages whose manufacturers have successfully argued that their product does not meet the definition of a distilled spirit. Product information is being compiled and will be available on the BOE’s Flavored Malt Beverages Webpage.

BOE staff estimates that this change will bring in $41.4 million annually in combined sales and excise taxes.
I'll have a better commentary on this subject shortly.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Congrats Tracy

Naturally I am writing here without any of the pertinent facts or real information...save for the fact that I just want to say "way to go Tracy" on reaching one of your life's goals. A masters degree (MBA, UC Davis) is just not something any ole Joe Schmo can claim to have achieved. But now the Canadian/Californian wizard child of nearly all things can say exactly that. Nicely done I must say my friend.
At the moment she is with family somewhere in a cabin near Truckee basking in the after glow of a truly outstanding achievement, but hey - as we all know - that's just what she does and who she is.

I for one know that I am the better for knowing her and hope to continue that tradition far into the future.

Looking forward to the official celebration party at Sacramento Brewing on Saturday. I wouldn't miss it for all the stain glass windows in China.

Here's to you Tracy!

Monday, June 9, 2008

I received this from Gary Juels, the head brewer at Mary's Pizza Shack in Roseville Calif., in response to an earlier post I did after my first visit. This is his introduction and background, thought you might be interested.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gary Juels Head Brewer for Mary’s Pizza Shack.

Education
UC Davis, Master Brewers Course

Experience
Intern, Trumer Brauerei, Berkeley, CA
Volunteer at Mt Shasta Brewing Co. Weed, CA
Home Brewer.

Intro
Much like you.. I agree that we produced four good beers for our first ever Brews. This was a used 10 HL system, Direct fire kettle, and totally manual.. And I mean manual...no switches, rakes, temperature controls or any of the basic technology most commercial brewers have. I used a shaky ladder to mash and stir the first four batches because we couldn’t fit a Brewers platform in the 365 sq/ft brewery. I use gravity to transfer beer most of the time. Which I feel makes for a better Beer, its not being beat up by the pumps. The beers are truly handcrafted like the food.

Focus
We didn’t want the Beer to over power the food. So we came up with these four recipes and they turned out exactly the way we wanted them. We've been getting mostly positive feed back from our Patrons who frequent (fruit or no fruit). Always been a dilemma between beer geeks and soccer moms. If the "Hop Heads" are looking for something for their taste buds then I would suggest the "Pazzo" Pale Ale. It’s my personal favorite although; it is usually a battle between the Pilsner and Pale Ale

Future
The Wheat Beer is light – bodied . We wanted it this way to start. The next batch will be Medium-bodied with stronger floral – fruit aroma. Already in the recipe, look for it soon.

Coming Soon
All 4 beers and a seasonal served at any of Mary’s 18 restaurants.
Get ready for our Seasonal beer, Ill give you a heads up if you are up for a second visit.

Special Notes
The beer is served directly from the Bright Tanks. No secondary packaging. You can’t get a fresher beer from a tap.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Who Needs Hops?

I recently found an old book called "Hops: Their Cultivation, Commerce and Uses in Various Countries", by P.L. Simmonds, which is digitized on Google for your reading pleasure. Published in 1877 this book is billed as a "Manual of Reference for the Grower, Dealer and Brewer" and has way more information than I needed to know. However, there was a chapter in the end about hop substitutes that I just had to pass on to you, the loyal readers.
Among the bitter and tonic substances which have been used as substitutes for hops are the bark of some species of pine and willow, cascarilla bark, quassia, gentian, colocynth, walnut leaf, wormwood bitter, cloves, extract of aloes, cocculus indicus berries, colocynth seeds, capsicum, belladonna, nux vomica, Ledum palustre, box leaves, Menyanthes trifoliata, Cnicus benedictus, Erythrea Centaurium, ground ivy, Daphne Mezereum, &c.; recently picric acid has been employed. Although all these substances impart a bitter taste to beer, they are inferior to hops. Many of them contain the same constituents, namely, tannic acid, a resin, a bitter extractive, and an essential oil.
Scratching your head too? I wonder how a brewer today would market some of this stuff - "made with real box leaves", or maybe "now with more walnut leaf!" The next page simplified the list a bit:
The list of principal adulterants... would seem as follows:
Quassia wood
Wild Rosemary
Wormwood or Absinthe
Water Trefoil
Blessed Thistle
Lesser Centaury
Gentian (Indian quinine)
Willow bark
Aloes extract
Picric acid
Meadow Saffron
Fruit of Chillies
Deadly Nightshade leaves
Henbane leaves
Seeds of Nux vomica
Grains of Paradise, seeds of
Chiretta, the plant
Camomile, flowers of
Alehoof, or ground ivy
Deadly Nightshade? Isn't Deadly Nightshade, I don't know, deadly? My goodness, it seems brewers used anything they could get their hands on then to bitter their beer. You see, it seems there were Duty issues with hops and the prices seemed too high for some to pay, so options were sought out. I don't think our current hop situation puts us anywhere near this level of desperate meddling of plants to discover a new (old) way to bitter, and for that I am grateful.

Oh, we should also take comfort in knowing this isn't the first "hop crisis" the world has seen. Just over a hundred years ago there seems to have been a pretty nasty hop shortage. Why do I know? I'm helping my wife with research for a paper she's writing, looking at a ton of old hop price and production data and reading more about hops than I have since I started homebrewing - and very little of it is technical. I've also stumbled across some stories I can't verify about the way banks would flood the market with hop extracts when they sold assets of farmers who couldn't pay them back on time - further dropping the prices and further exasperating the issues farmers faced! What a crazy, crazy business!

I will say this, and I hope my brewer friends don't hate me too much, but I'd be really freaking cautious if I were a farmer right now looking to plant hops. I have so many questions now - like what capacity are the modern hop kilns running at and what happens if a hefty amount more hops were grown, could they be kilned? If not, who is going to pony up the money for a kiln? Not to mention trying to figure out the right amount to put in the ground. Plant too much and the value drops. Too little, well, then you have too little. Hops are freaking expensive to plant and tend to on a farm-size scale, and missing the estimate could, seriously, cost you the farm. Crazy, crazy stuff.

Bottom line, the small increase in the price of beer is nothing. I am sure you've noticed everything is more expensive, and it may be worse before it gets better. Beer isn't overpriced, and for many it is undervalued. Thank you brewers, farmers, brokers and drinkers.

Oh, if you're looking for another great book with old hop stuff, check out The Hop Atlas by Heinrich J. , Klinke, Christiane , Schmidt, Claus Barth. This was available at a local library, but I've had trouble finding a copy online for my own library.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Road Report

[Just talked with Mike] The crew is at Lost Coast Brewing Company now, about to hit the road. At this point they've done about 120 miles. Yesterday they rode 80 miles in about six hours, climbing approximately 4,000 feet. Today, at LCBC, they'd ridden around 40 miles and only had to climb 2,600 feet. Tonight they'll stop in Fortuna, Calif., and have dinner and drinks at Eel River Brewing Company, which is something like 23 miles from their stop at Lost Coast. It sounds as if everyone is doing great, a bit beat up after yesterday's ride, but able to cope with it as a team. Tomorrow is their shortest and easiest day, expect there to be a few beers consumed at Eel River.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

400 Miles to "Mile Zero"

At approximately 9:30 AM, June 1, six friends began a journey they'll forever remember. While the event is many months in the making, I figured I'd share my story of the past couple of days: getting the guys to their first mile.

Friday, May 30

Dinner at the Sober's is always a treat, after all, Mike is a great cook and his beer-fridge always enticing. This night had the added bonus of friends and family: Zack and Oralia drove in from San Roman; James and Butch flew in from Colorado. The three men would accompany Mike and a couple others on this most epic journey in a couple days, but this night was about celebration and friendship - dressed up with a little hops. With dinner of lasagna we enjoyed some of the region's best IPAs: Beermann's unfiltered version was quite astonishing and the staples of Racer 5, Lagunitas and others made sure the night was a festive one.

Saturday, May 31

Breakfast started plating just after 7:00 AM, French Toast with sausage cooked by the capable Butch. The meal was secondary though. From the time these guys woke up their mind was focused on one thing, loading up and moving out. The loading up isn't as simple as you'd expect - well, in some ways it is simpler, but to get to this level of simplicity took a lot of work. You see, these guys aren't packing more than they need to, only the essentials. For the one-week trek each man packed a small bag - most of the equipment and luggage fit nicely into one trunk.

The bikes were inspected, cleaned, oiled and inspected again. 25 years ago with this trip was taken Mike estimates his bike was about 20-pounds heavier, and less sexy. His newish lightweight steel-framed bike has a lot of miles on it, and his computer for the bike had just been repaired. The 'super' bike belongs to Zack, a CAT2 racer. I won't (can't/don't know) the details of this machine, but it's sleek, lightweight and damned fast. All the bikes on this trip were high-end, nothing you're going to find at your local department store.

When it was determined the bikes were ready and the luggage packed, the six bikes were loaded onto two car racks (three a piece). Two cars would carry the six, and I was an additional passenger with Carie (Darek's wife) and their child Tyler - we were needed to drive the vehicles back once the trip commenced.

The two cars departed right around nine in the morning. Not bad at all.

We drove north on I-5 for several hours before heading west on highway 299. For as uneventful as I-5 is, 299 is mind-boggling at times, stomach turning at others. A couple of hours of this highway and we were all ready for a stop in Blue Lake, specifically finding rest at Mad River Brewing Company.

I won't do a whole breakdown of the brewery tour, but I will say it was a much more interesting stop than I could have imagined it being. The story of their brewery I am certain will be talked about more here, soon.

After a couple beers and a quick tour we set out again, finding State Highway 101, crossing the Oregon border and reaching our destination for the day - Brookings, Oregon. I have been to Brookings on many occasions, find the views to be stunning and the climate appealing in its steely gray misty ways. Seriously, I love the Oregon coast and the weather there has never bothered me.

Dinner that night took place shortly after we unloaded into our rooms, pizza at Wild River Pizza and Brewing Company. This is the third WR location I've been to and was a bit disappointing in the unkept pizzeria feel it had - complete with a loud speaker with a tinny screaming voice that called your number when your pizza was ready. The food here, however, was perfect for what we were in search of. My personal favorite pizza had some sort of sausage and sauerkraut on it - it was so good!

Beers here are made at their other locations, either in Cave Junction (about 45 minutes away) or Grants Pass (about 1 1/4 hours away). The first two pitchers had were Pilsner and Brown Ale, both quite good in their own way, but not the beers we'd really hoped to find. On another trip to Oregon a couple of years ago, Mike and I stopped in the Grants Pass location and fell in love with their IPA - with an unassuming look and powerful flavors. There was no IPA on the board here and the barkeep said it wouldn't be on at all this night. Well, that was his story. I gave him some sob story about the trip we had just taken, the trip these men would begin in the morning and told him how much this crew loved their IPA. It wasn't hard, soon the barkeep (Shane) was in back, in the fridge, pouring IPA into a pitcher using a hand-pump (he was quite generously tipped for his effort, trust me). It was exactly what we wanted, a perfect end for the meal and a great way to start the trip.

Back at the hotel the mood slipped back into a festive one. Soon the first growler of Auburn Alehouse IPA was opened, enjoyed and emptied. After this, the first growler of Alpine's Exponential Hopiness followed suit. As the beers flowed the decibels increased and soon we realized we were a bit too noisy for this small-town hotel, it was quickly decided a jaunt across the street to "Lounge" was necessary.

Before we figured out what had happened we were there, in a place that may or may not have had a real name to it, a place we only know as the lounge based on the sign outside. This was a hell-hole, smoky with a sort of desperate feel to it, accentuated by silent patrons dropping coins into a video lottery machine, clicking the magic button and watching as their money disappeared. They weren't a happy lot and we certainly changed the mood here in a quick hurry - I mean, how could we not?

The beer menu was not surprisingly shallow, and in order to fully appreciate it all I ordered a pint of Miller High Life, while others ordered Hamm's and Fosters - and the proof this night was only beginning, Red Bull and Jaegermeister. With our drinks in hand we found the pool tables and started into a debaucherous game of team billiards. The losers had to buy the next round, and the next round seemed to always be the Red Bull/Jaeger bombs (No, I never did drink one of these. I had one years ago and figured that was enough for this lifetime). I moved to Hamm's and soon it was apparent that we'd officially partied the night away. I wish I could say I liked the beers I had here, even if only for the 'feel' of it, but these were hardly drinkable. Yes, it was fun, and I'd do it ten times again with these guys, but...

Loaded and ready for bed we made our way out the front door for our short walk next door. We found an electric bike outside, marveled at it a bit, but soon lost interest. It really was time for some sleep.

Sunday, June 1

At 7:00 AM I was quite happy with my shallow level of restraint the night before, I woke tired, but not hungover. In fact, for all the revelry, the gang seemed to wake up in one piece. We needed breakfast and soon found ourselves at another place with no name, enjoying small-kitchen fare of waffles, biscuits and gravy, omelets and coffee. Breakfast went quick and in short time we were again at the hotel.

The mood from the day before was gone, replaced with a sense of concentration and deliberation. Methodically, bags were again packed, stowed in the trailer that would be their home for the next week (towed by Bob, a great man who deserves mention). Cycling gear was donned and the bikes went through one last round of inspection as tires were inflated to perfection and route details were repeated. The guys had a long day ahead of them, they all knew it. While several guys here were in great shape, there was an unspoken uncertainty about what lied before them all - high mountain climbs and a total of 80 miles plus - just for day one! Yes, they could do it, but what would the day be like? How would tomorrow feel? All words left unspoken as they mounted their bikes, gathered for a group photo and set off - beginning together, at Mile Zero.