www.brewerman.com

Disclaimer: I’m an admitted Deschutes fan-boy.

Mirror Mirror is about to see a  re-release.  Mirror Mirror is a barley wine that kicked off Deschutes’  Reserve series (see Abyss, Dissident, Black Butte XX) back in 2006.  It  is a personal favorite that has seen rare reappearances at the Deschutes pubs  and at special tasting events. I’m really excited that I’m going to have  an opportunity to stock up on another release of it and do a vertical with one  of my few remaining bottles.   It’s been a long while since I’ve cracked  one, so it should be interesting.

Last Wednesday afternoon, I was given an opportunity to go volunteer at the Deschutes Brewery by helping them hand-dip the Mirror Mirror bottles in wax (an aesthetic touch that helps prevent oxygen from getting under the cap  and spoiling the beer as it ages).  They had multiple dipping stations  going, and everyone was in a groove.  Make no mistake … this  is some hard work, and it drove home how out of shape I really am when I  couldn’t straighten my arm all the way the next morning.  They’ve got a  great assembly line put together for this labor of love, and should have no  problem getting this stuff out in time for the April 29th release  date.

During my time there, I picked up a few scraps of information about significant dates for Deschutes products/events.

Mirror Mirror and Red Chair release party
As DeschutesBeer tweeted the other day, the release party for Mirror Mirror will be at the Bend and Portland pubs next Wednesday, April 29th  at 5:00 PM.  Getcha some tastiness!

Red Chair should make it to Austin area
For my Texas family, I was told that there will be an allotment of Red Chair IPA headed to the Austin area.  Keep on the lookout for this special Bond Street  release in 22’s at your finer bottle shops after April 29th.  Get on top  of it, because once it’s gone, it’s gone.  It will most-definitely please your inner hop lover.

New X Taps at the pub
Currently the Bend pub has a  single special tap called the X Tap.  It is there for some of the bolder one-offs or special kegs they’ve set aside (like the occasional unannounced  Mirror Mirror kegs that have popped up every once in a while).  There are  plans for the addition of two more X Taps at the Bend pub.  One will be  reserved for a Portland-brewed beer (will be so glad to finally have easier  access to their stuff), and one will be reserved for a Reserve Series beer …  Reserve series beer available year-round!  If they can pull that off,  there will be beer geeks applauding all over Bend.

Black Butte XXI for the 21st Anniversary Release
The second release of a ramped up, cocoa-infused, coffee-laden version of Black Butte is going to be the special 21st Anniversary release.  The first  release was the Black Butte XX which was originally a Reserve Series release  around the time of their 20th anniversary.  I’m still fighting with  myself to keep from mowing through the remaining bottles in my stash.  It  is my understanding that we’re in for a more-pronounced coffee dimension of  the overall flavor this time, which I think is going to be absolutely  delicious. BRING IT!!!

Additional Beer Geekery
Pics of beers aging in various  barrels!  See the Super Jubel?!?! Yummmmmmmmm!

Thankfully Deschutes Brewery has finally said that Red Chair IPA will be bottled as a Bond Street release.  This has been a huge local’s favorite through its development and testing here at the Bend pub.  I have been hearing for a while that it was going to be bottled, but I couldn’t get anyone to say when and how.  Six Packs?  Bond Street?  I just received the following pointer to their blog post about Red Chair, answering my question.  Their desciption:

Red Chair is a bright copper beauty (think freshly minted penny) with a solid head and perfect lacing that typifies Deschutes ales. It has a plush body with satiny caramel flavors derived from seven varieties of malt including British crystals, German pilsner, and domestic versions of cara-pils and Munich. Despite all of this, Red Chair is still a hop forward ale, but not in the way many have gotten used to. You will find no cloying, mouth puckering bitterness here. In its place a straight up succulent citrus punch to the nose. This is due to the experimental nature of some of the hops, as well as, how late in the process they were added.

Keep your eyes peeled.  This was great at the pub.

Cheers!

Beer Wars, an independent documentary on the state of craft beer in relation to the established “big three”, will be having a live event held in movie theaters across the country on April 16th.  If the online clips are any indication, it appears to be a pretty well-done movie.

In America, size matters. The bigger you are, the more power you have, especially in the business world. Director Anat Baron takes you on a no holds barred exploration of the U.S. beer industry that ultimately reveals the truth behind the label of your favorite beer. Told from an insiders perspective, the film goes behind the scenes of the daily battles and all out wars that dominate one of Americas favorite industries.

Be sure to check out the trailer and clips, and visit the Beer Wars web site.

Thanks to Matt Theus for the head’s up!

People who know me know how much of a fan I am of the Mikkeller beers.  Despite being in Denmark, they are one of my favorites in the world for representing the innovative spirit and flavor profiles that drove the craft beer big bang that’s still being felt to this day.  A couple of their  latest offerings to show why …

Alesmith, Stone, Mikkeller Triple

Now a long-awaited beer has arrived in Denmark. It is the result of a cooperation between Alesmith, Mikkeller and Stone. None of them need any further introduction. This is the top of the pop - the brewers Dream Team.  They have brewed what they describe as a classical and quite traditional Belgian triple, but if you know the three breweries, you might rightly doubt just how traditional the end result is going to be. Beer Geeks all over the world have been waiting for months, but now the wait is over. Belgian Style Triple Ale from Alesmith, Mikkeller, and Stone is finally here.

And from their newsletter …

Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

I can already reveal the first new beer of 2009 – a tuned version of the legendary Beer Geek Breakfast, called Beer Geek Brunch Weasel. This is an imperial Oatmeal stout brewed with one of the world’s most expensive coffees Cà Phê Chòn, made from droppings of weasel-like civet cats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries. Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The beer will be available from the beginning of 2009.

If anyone has a line on where to pick these up, I’d love a pointer.

Happy New Year!

Saw this while lurking on the COHO email list … thought I’d throw up a quick pointer in case anyone in the area can make it

Dave Fleming, the Brewmaster of Three Creeks Brewing Co. in Sisters, will be at Cross Creek Cafe (in Redmond) on Fri. Dec 12th. The tasting will start at 5:00. Dave has been the brewer at Lucky Lab in Portland, Bridgeport in Portland and McMenamins. He has alot of experience. Dave has given us a tour of the brewery, and I have tasted all of his beers. This is great stuff. Three Creeks is a good place to relax after coming back over the pass or just watch the game. All you guys should check it out when you are in Sisters. On Dec. 12th Dave will be at our Cafe. He will be bring lots of his beer for you to taste and as always we will have schwag for you to win. Dave is a very fun guy, he will make this night one to remeber. If you are a homebrewer or a beer lover don’t miss this event.

Just got an email from Red, White and Brew author Brian Yaeger.  He let me know that he’s currently in NY on a book tour and plans on heading up to Portland to read at Wordstock (November 8-9).  Also, he’s apparently a fan of Rogue’s Chocolate Stout, but then again … who in their right mind wouldn’t be?  I haven’t read Brian’s book yet, but how can you not support a guy who drove around the country for a book about breweries and brewers around the US?

Update … just got the details from Brian about where and when he’ll be at Wordstock:

… I just found out my exact time. I’m on Sat, Nov 8 at 5pm and best part is I’m on the McMenamin’s stage! Perfect, right?

Of course, I’m also looking forward to returning to my favorite brewpub there, the Lucky Lab on Hawthorne, with all those dogs. Puppies and beer are a great pairing.

Cheers,

Brian

So get out there and support a fellow beer lover.

Cheers Brian!

Wednesday afternoon I had the pleasure of attending an interesting marketing event for the San Francisco-based 21st Amendment Brewery who has announced their intention of growing their distribution.  They are one of the leading pack of brewers embracing a shift that’s ever-so-slowly creeping into the craft-beer-buying consciousness.  CANS!

Cans people!  Cans.  In my opinion, cans are the absolute doo doo as far as craft beer packaging is concerned.  Zero light, minimal head space, ease of transportation … not to mention the business benefits of cheaper distribution costs.  There is a long-standing war between proponents of bottles and cans that dates back to the mid-30s when the beer industry first started playing with canning their product.  The biggest legitimate issue the anti-can crowd had was that the beer resting against the metal interior would facilitated a chemical reaction that introduced off flavors, ruining the taste of the beer.  This has been a non-issue for decades since the introduction of a non-reactive, water-based polymer liner that protects the beer from reacting with the metal.

Ultimately, I’m not saying that I’m a fan of one vessel over the other.  I’m just saying that excellent beer DOES come in cans.

Which brings me to 21st Amendment and their recently-held weBEERnar (I know, right?).  They shipped each participant a package with the two beers they are focused on distributing: The Hell or High Watermelon Wheat and The Brew Free Or Die IPA.  Also included were instructions asking to hold off on drinking the beer for the event.  In addition we were given the URL to the WebEx session.

The event was essentially a description of the beers and distribution goals followed by an informal Q&A.  Shaun O’Sullivan and Niko Freccia were the two representatives from 21A.  They covered topics like the rise of canning in craft beer, a few high-level logistics of contract brewing through Cold Spring Brewery in Minnesota, and future plans for expansion.  They began distributing their beer in San Francisco in July, and are actively focused on expanding throughout the Bay Area and Alaska with the ultimate goal of making their beer available across the nation.

As for the beer?  Well it’s pretty damned good.  I’ll let the BeerAdvocate and RateBeer cover the beer-drinking public perception, but I can see how the Watermelon Wheat would be a monster thirst quencher in the summer, and the IPA is a good example of a solid West Coast version of the style

So raise a glass (poured from a can) to 21st Amendment, and wish them success.

Cheers!

Brew Free! of Die IPA
BeerAdvocate [A-] http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/735/20781
RateBeer [94] http://www.ratebeer.com/Ratings/Beer/Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=8189

Hell or High Watermellon Wheat
BeerAdvocate [B-] http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/735/4202
RateBeer [26] http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/21st-amendment-hell-or-high-watermelon-wheat/8187/

That’s right people. My favorite Northwest beerfest is back, and sweet sassy molassey … this year’s PIB is bringing the heat. I’ve done my homework, and all I can say is, they’ve outdone themselves again. Hope you can make it to Portland this week.

MARK YOUR PORTLAND OREGON SUMMER BEER FESTIVAL CALENDAR!
PIB is an over the top beer festival celebrating the world’s most legendary brewing styles and the nations that made them famous. Come taste over 130 world-class beers from more than 15 countries.

TASTE THE GREATEST BEERS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF! RAREST OF THE RARE: The beers of PIB represent all that’s possible in the world of brewing. Many are quite obscure yet hold their own place in world history as the birth of a new brewing style.

So without further ado … my guide to an outstanding PIB

I want to say this up front … get inside before 2:00 on Saturday, and get in line. See my pics below.

Blue indicates beer is on draft
Maroon indicates extra-special beer … you’ll figure out a way to kick yourself in the taint if you miss it

• “Plan B” Belgian Brown - Belgian Brown / Flanders Red
  [Flyer's Brewery, Washington - ABV: 7.0%]
  With the addition of fresh lavendar, “Plan B” is a collaboration between Tonay Savoy of Flyer’s and Arlen Harris, noted NW pro brewer who specializes in great Belgian beers. It will likely be a Flanders/Duchesse style beer, perhaps a little stronger. The Belgian yeast used is the Bastogne.
• 120 Minute IPA - American Double / Imperial IPA
  [Dogfish Head, Delaware | ABV: 21% | BA: B+ | RB: 3.85/5.0]
  The name “120″ comes from being boiled for a full 2 hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops. Of course since we’re talking about Dogfish this is only the beginning. Next it is dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month, then aged for another month with whole-leaf hops. It is estimated at 120 IBU.
• 2005 Double Bastard - American Strong Ale
  [Stone Brewing Company, California | ABV: 10% | BA: A | RB: 4.05/5.0]
  A rare 2005 vintage keg of possibly the most prized beer from Stone Brewery. There will only be 1 of these kegs at the event this year, so get it early.
• Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2006 - Biere de Garde / Sour Ale
  [BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes), Switzerland - ABV: 11% - BA: A - RB: 3.83/5.0]
  Brewed just 4 times and very rare, this beer treads the boundary between port, wine and beer. This version (the 3rd) is VERY different. It is a unique ale aged in multiple used wine casks, merging all the complex aromas of a vintage red wine, along with wood and the taste it picked up from its former contents. This beer is named in fond memory of Bon-Chien, the late brewery cat who went to kitty heaven in June 2005.
• Avec Les Bons Voeux - Saison / Farmhouse Ale
  [Brasserie Dupont, Belgium | ABV: %9.5 | BA: A | RB: 3.95/5.0]
  “Les Bons Voeux” means best wishes, which is what Brasserie Dupont sends with this very special saison ale brewed only for the holidays. Redolently aromatic, rich and velvety, this is an ale to toast the season and welcome in the New Year!
• Aventinus Eisbock -
  [Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn, Germany | ABV: 12% | BA: A- | RB: 3.83/5.0]
  ON TAP! This is the first time we have been lucky enough to get this beer, let alone in kegs! It is a highly concentrated version of their famous wheat doppelbock, Aventinus, which is normally 8%. But by freeing out the water, they increase the ABV to 12% and the beer changes into something more like port. Awesome stuff.
• Baird Temple Garden Yuzu Ale - Spiced/Fruit beers
  [Baird Brewing Company, Japan | ABV: 5.7%]
  Yuzu is the Japanese name for a citron, a slightly less acidic lemon-lime type fruit. It is a wonderfully aromatic fruit with a snappy zest that is much prized in Japan. We proceeded to shave off and collect the outer peels and hand-squeeze the juice. We then added both the peels and the juice to a rich, malted-wheat accented wort at the end of kettle boil. The end result is, in a word, divine!
• Barley BB10° - Spiced/Fruit beers
  [Birrificio Barley, Italy | ABV: 10% | BA: A- | RB: 3.66/5.0]
  Pale malt, Caramel malt, Pilsner malt Spices — Sapa of Cannonau, which is boiled wort of Cannonau red wine grapes, white candi sugar, orange peel Cascade & Kent Golding hops.
• Rogue Ten Thousand Brew Ale (Brew 10,000) - American Double / Imperial IPA
  [Rogue Ales Brewery, Oregon | ABV: 10% | BA: A- | RB: 3.58/5.0]
  Brew 10,000: One Brewer, Eighteen Years, Ten-Thousand Batches of Beer. Brew 10,000 is not so much a style of beer, rather it is a new recipe using some of the best ingredients John Maier has ever brewed with… Vienna, French Special Aroma, and Maris Otter Pale Malts; Yakima Summit and German Saphir Hops, Free-range Coastal Waters, and PacMan Yeast. 83 IBU
• Belhaven Wee Heavy - Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
  [Belhaven Brewery Company, Scotland | ABV: 6.5% | BA: A | RB: 3.6/5.0]
  FIRST TIME ON TAP in OR & WA! In this reviewer’s opinion, one of the most highly underrated beers in the world and an easy candidate for top 50 beers. A classic example of the style of beer which typified Scottish brewing in the 1800’s.
• Burton Baton - American Double / Imperial IPA
  [Dogfish Head, Delaware | ABV: 10% | BA: A- | RB: 3.7/5]
  Burton Baton is made from pilsner and amber malt yielding an 11% ABV, hopped with Warrior and Glacier. Primary fermentation takes place in open vessels using two yeast strains, American and English. The beer is conditioned on barrel staves of French Oak for four months before being dry hopped with Glacier. It is then blended with 90 Minute IPA.
• Cantillon Cognac (aka 50ºN-4ºE) - Lambic - Unblended
  [Brasserie Cantillon, Belgium | ABV: 5% | BA: A- | RB: 3.92/5]
  In March 2005, the brewery Cantillon had bought second hands barrels in the region of Cognac. For 15 years, the wood had been impregnate with cognac. Then for 2 years, our lambic has extracted all the flavors and aromas to make a unique gueuze. The name comes from the geographic location of the brewery.
• Allagash Curieux (Bourbon Barrel Aged) - Tripel
  [Allagash Brewery, Maine | ABV: 11% | BA: A | RB: 3.7/5]
  If you don’t try this beer, quite simply, SHAME ON YOU. Never mind that this Bourbon-barrel-aged beer has never been on tap out west before, or that it’s nearly impossible to find even in the bottle. No, that shame would be that you miss out on one of the greatest artisanal big beers ever brewed in the United States. Everything in this beer is evident–the style, yeast, wood, and bourbon…but none of these overwhelms the others. Incredible balance in a big, sexy, exotic style. Top 5…all time!
• Cuvee du Jongleur - Wood-aged Specialty
  [Cascade Brewery/Raccoon Lodge, Oregon | ABV: 7.5%]
  A blend of oaked sour reds, oak-aged soured Tripel (18 months), and fresh Blond Quadruppel. The Reds are the base beer for the Cascade Kriek and Blackberry. The Tripel is the base beer for Cascade Apricot. This blend is undergoing further lactic fermentation in the keg for carbonation…no yeast or surgar was added. 8 different beers are blended to build complexity and color. In the end it vaguely resembles Duchesse de Bourgogne, but dried with lower acidity.
• De Molen Rasputin Imperial Stout - Imperial Stout
  [Brouwerij de Molen, Netherlands | ABV: 10.7 | BA: A- | RB: 3.8/5]
  Color 199.7 EBU, bitterness 81.7 EBU, OG 1102, FG 1026, hops are Premiant and Saaz. This beer is brewed once a year. The 2007 version has 297 bottles (brewed March 17th 2007, bottled April 27th 2007). Best before 25 years after bottling!
• Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel - American Double / Imperial Stout
  [Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel, Quebec | ABV: 9.5% | BA: A | RB: 4.15/5]
  Stunning coffee Imperial Stout, and one of the most highly rated overall beers in the entire world, regardless of brewing style
• Gluteus Maximus (Vintage 2004) - American Barleywine
  [Tuck's Brewery, Oregon | ABV: 11.5% | BA: A+ | RB: 4.3/5]
  Kiss this beer good-bye, one last time! These are believe to be the last kegs of Max Teiger’s great Oregon barleywine brewed during his tenure at Tuck’s Brewery. This beer has aged incredibly well and at 11.5%, it is great first thing in the morning.
• Harviestoun Ola Dubh 30 Yr (CASK!) - Old Ale
  [Harviestoun Brewery Ltd., Scotland | ABV: 8% | BA: A | RB: 3.9/5]
  READ CAREFULLY: This beer will be poured at 2pm on Saturday ONLY. It is a one-of-a-kind and will not last more than an hour. It is a VERY RARE REAL CASK of the Ola Dubh, which is the Harviestoun Old Engine Oil aged in “wet” Highland Park 30 Year Old Single-Malt Scotch casks. YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
• Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 Yr - Old Ale
  [Harviestoun Brewery Ltd., Scotland | ABV: 8% | BA: A- | RB: 3.7/5]
  Ola Dubh (or ‘Black Oil’) is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park, Distiller of the Year*. It is based on Harviestoun’s award-winning Old Engine Oil. With more than a stylistic nod to the classic Imperial Porters (and Stouts) of the nineteenth century, this deliciously rich, dark, 8% a.b.v. beer is the first ale to be aged in malt whisky casks from a named distillery and, with traceable casks and numbered bottles, the rest with genuine provenance. Ola Dubh will initially be available in three different expressions; the initial release will be of small batches aged in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park 12 Year Old, Highland Park 16 Year Old and Highland Park 30 Year Old. Further variants are planned for the future. Ola Dubh is, in the words of beer afficionado Owen D.L. Barstow: “The most interesting new British beer I have tried in years.”
• Hop Stoopid - American Double / Imperial IPA
  [Lagunitas Brewing Company, California | ABV: 8.2% | BA: A- | RB: 3.95/5]
  Get Stoopider
• JW Lee’s Harvest Lagavulin (SPECIAL) - English Barleywine
  [J.W. Lees, England | ABV: 11.5% | BA: A- | RB: 3.73/5]
  READ CAREFULLY: This beer will be poured at 2pm on Saturday ONLY. It is a one-of-a-kind and will not last more than an hour. It will be poured from an extremely old wooden “British Pin”–a classic gravity keg that likely predates WWI. The beer itself is the famed Harvest ale that has been aged in “wet” Lagavulin Single-Malt Scotch casks.
  And one of Brewerman’s all-time favorites in the bottle!
  Freakin the eff out that I’m getting a chance to try this out of a wooden gravity keg!!!!
• La Folie - Flemish/Flanders Red
  [New Belgim Brewing Company, Colorado | ABV: 6% | BA: A | RB: 4.02/5]
  A classic Flemish-style, sour brown beer. La Folie is wood-conditioned from 1-3 years in French Oak. The barrels had a previous life hosting wine. The old tenant imparts tart qualities to the beer living there now. The barrel itself also leaves its mark with very woody notes, particularly in the nose.
• Mikkeller Black - American Double / Imperial Stout
  [Mikkeller, Denmark | ABV: 17.5%!!! | BA: B+ | RB: 3.73/5]
  Get this beer right away as soon as you enter. Then leave and go buy it if you can find it. Save it for 2 years. Drink and marvel. It will be one of the first to sell out at both events, guaranteed!
  Brewerman loves him some Mikkeller
• Old Crustacean (Vintage 2006) - American Barleywine
  [Rogue Ales Brewery | ABV: 11.3% | BA: A- | RB: 3.66/5]
  An unfiltered and unrefined Barleywine. Intense, robust, malty and dark. The cognac of beers. A huge beer in a little bottle, this is a beer designed for sipping. Old Crustacean is brewed with eight ingredients, Great Western Harrington, Klages, Hugh Baird Carastan and Munich Malts, Chinook and Centennial Hops, free-range coastal water and PacMan yeast. Old Crustacean is best when aged for one year.
  This is a 2006 barleywine on tap from Rogue … what more do you need?
• Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron - Imperial American Brown Ale
  [Dogfish Head, Delaware | ABV: 12% | BA: A- | RB: 3.84/5]
  An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means “holy tree” and it’s wood has been used in South American wine-making communities. This beer is highly roasty and malty brown.
• Sick Duck V2 (Vintage Rum/French Oak Aged) - Imperial Stout
  [Flyer's Brewery, Washington | ABV: 11% | BA: A- | RB: 4/5]
  We are proud to announce the return of our only “proprietary beer” ever, made specifically for our events by Flyer’s Brewery in Oak Harbor WA. This marks the 2nd time and this is Batch #2. It is based on their monster Imperial Stout and aged on French Oak and Pyrat XO Reserve, a 15 year old Caribbean rum. The brew is a Double Mash totaling 1325 lbs of malt for 7 bbls, 7.5% of which is oats. Hopped in 4 additions w/ Centennial and East Kent Goldings.
• Tripel Karmeliet - Tripel
  [Brouwerij Bosteels, Belgium | ABV: 8% | BA: A- | RB: 3.9/5]
  Oatmeal beer from Belgium? Perhaps the most remarkable and little known thing about Tripel Karmeliet is that it is brewed with both wheat and oats, yes oats, in addition to barley. This makes for a very unique grain bill as Belgian triples go. This beer belongs vaunted in the standard-setting collection of beers that define the Belgian triple brewing style.

I have to say that it seems the Barrel Tasting event gets better and better.  By far, this is the annual Deschutes event that I most look forward to each year.  The sun was out, the temp was cool, and there were beers-a-plenty.  The food they chose paired incredibly well (good Lord … that lamb from grill outside was delicious, and went very well with the Green Lakes).

So here’s what they poured.

The Abyss [ABV 11%, IBU 68]
Imperial stout aged in a combination of pinot, Oregon oak and bourbon barrels, brewed with blackstrap molasses, brewers licorice - then dry hopped with cherry bark and vanilla beans.

Drink this beer whenever a glass of it is in front of you.  If you say, “I don’t like dark beer”, you should get slapped … hard … immediately.  Don’t be that guy.  Drink it I say, and be set free!

Anniversary Gold [ABV 8.7%, IBU 60]
Belgian-style ale brewed with coriander and bitter orange peel. The bulk of character is provided by traditional Belgian yeast and Oregon oak aging.

I really enjoyed this beer although it was a bit sweet.  I would have preferred a bit of a drier, spicier finish, but it was a favorite among many in the room.

Black Butte XX Imperial Porter [ABV 10.3%, IBU 68]
Our original flagship beer brewed two times over. This beer has all the Black Butte Porter characteristics but some new flavor nuances in the form of coffee and chocolate intermingled with the standard, then conditioned in bourbon barrels.

The balance is insane, and was a father’s-day gut-punch for my father-in-law who may or may not have enjoyed four too many on top of the other beers that night.  I absolutely love this beer, but it is definitely on the sweeter side … to be expected given the style and ABV.

Mr. Big Ed Brown [ABV 5.2%, IBU 55]
Bourbon barrel aged and characterized by chocolate malt for a roasted flavor and northwest cascade hops for a citrus finish. Wheat and flaked barley contribute to its smooth body.

This was one of my personal favorites.  The flavors were all subtle, but it was one of the most-balanced lighter-grav beers being poured.  A great, nutty, valvety, chocoloate malt flavor throughout.  I really enjoyed this one.

Cabernet Green Lakes Ale [ABV 5.2%, IBU 45]
Made with 3 types of organic malt barley and balanced with Amarillo, Cascade, Brewers Gold, Centinnial, and Sterling hops then aged for 6 weeks in French oak cabernet casks and dry hopped with 1 lb. of Liberty hops per barrel.

Didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did.  I would say that it was a big crowd pleaser with the hop enthusiasts in our group.  No surprise given the hop salad in the description.  Very very easy to drink.

Super Jubel [ABV 11%, IBU 100]
This is a super-duper Jubel Ale. Fermented on our house yeast and rose hips aged in cabernet and syrah barrels then transferred into bourbon barrels to add complexity to this very interesting barley wine.

What needs to be said here … reminiscient of the Mirror Mirror, with a nice, just-noticible tartness from the rose hips.  Really really enjoyed this beer.

French Oak Twilight [ABV 5%, IBU 35]
Aged for 4 weeks in cabernet barrels, this beer has a unique blend of four hops and malts. This liuvely straw colored ale has a vigorous hop essence with a malt body that compiliments the flavor of this special seasonal brew.

I’m generally not a fan of Twilight … just not my beer.  However, I enjoyed this version as it seemed to have a bit more of a hop bitterness bite to it.

Oud Bruin [ABV 7.7%, IBU 30]
The beginning stages of our soon to be released reserve beer, The Dissident. This beer is a traditional sour brown fermented with two types of wild yeast strains and freshly picked cherries for a second fermentation. A small portion of this beer was then aged in pinot noir barrels.

Biggest disappointment.  Not that there was anything wrong with the beer, but it was served still.  I don’t know if this was an error or intentional, but it didn’t allow the beer to show what it might be.  Carbonation is such an important part of a beer as it helps carry aroma, which influences flavor.  It might be there to showcase the mother beer used to create The Dissident.  Now I’ve had an early component of this beer in the pub, and I have to say … buy it when it’s here, because it’s going to be gone … very quickly.  Wish that it would have been more of what I had in the pub.  Still, I can see where it might be headed, and the destination is glorious.

For those of you who are quick to act, love high quality beer, helping others, and will be in Portland this weekend, may I submit for your consideration, FredFest 2008.  This is the third year of an event that started out as a surprise birthday party for noted beer writer, Fred Eckhardt.

Limited tickets for this - ahead of time.  See excerpts from press release below.

… The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 — the actual date of Eckhardt’s 82nd birthday — at Hair of the Dog Brewing, 4509 SE 23rd Avenue in Portland. …

… Cost for the event is $50 in advance and includes a souvenir glass, free ticket for a raffle of bottled specialty beers and four hours’ of sampling, sipping and story-telling with Eckhardt. Admission is limited to 200 attendees. Judging from previous years, the event is expected to sell out quickly. Tickets are available through Pay-Pal. E-mail fredfest@comcast.net to purchase tickets. …

… As always, proceeds from FredFest and the related online auction will go to a charity of Eckhardt’s choice. This year, Eckhardt named Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, the local affiliate chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation, as the featured charity in memory of his longtime friend and fellow beer writer Michael Jackson, who died in 2007 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

And the beers?  A short but incredibly-impressive list indeed:

Looks like an awesome event.