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.

This was not my best-managed brew session by a long shot, but the beer still turned out good.  Malty, nutty, not-too-sweet.  This is one tasty Brown ale.

Here’s a pointer to the recipe.

Bend Brewing Company - Imperial Pilsner

One of the owners of The Blacksmith and I went over to the Bend Brewing Company for lunch a few weeks ago, and had the good fortune of getting to try their Imperial Pilsner while it was on tap.  This is such an enjoyable beer; I’m surprised I didn’t hear all the beer geeks I know in town talking about it.

Smooth … good bitter … great mouthfeel … excellent finish. It is surprising that this beer weighs in at 7.6% ABV (Alcohol by Volume) as it goes down very easily and is extremely refreshing for an imperial.  Hops and malt are both clean and flavorful. The darker-than-a-Pilsner color depth is most-likely due to the fact that there were a larger amount of sugars than a traditional Pilsner in the boil (thus, the higher ABV measure).  More sugars in the boil means more caramelization, and thus more color.

There’s only one keg of this at The Blacksmith, and I’m not sure how much Tonya has left at the BBC.  Come and get some of this while there’s still some to get.

Victory - Storm King Imperial Stout

While my wife and I were on a trip to Eugene to see Queens of the Stone Age … saviors of hard rock … we stopped off at a beer bar called The Bier Stein. While there I loaded up on Victory beers. I’d had their Prima Pils before and loved it. They had others including the Storm King which came highly recommended, so I picked up a few. I absolutely loved it, and now you can too.

Another hit from Victory.  This beer is big and roasty. It catches you off guard because it sure doesn’t go down like the big beer that it is. Weighing in at 9.1 ABV, it is full of smooth, creamy, roasty, chocolatey goodness. The hops are present and supporting, but not the star of the show. Great malt backbone, and clean finish. Would probably go great with ice cream or some chocolate.

Victory Storm King photo by Bend Oregon Restaurants

So these same people found themselves at the pub yesterday, and called me saying that they were pouring a Belgian that they thought I would love.  It was a sour brown, and they thought it was pretty good.  I had traded emails with Larry at the brewery in the past, and he had let me know that they were doing a sour brown for their reserve series.  Since Deschutes regularly uses the pub as a proving ground for recipes as they’re being formulated, I figured this might be a preview of what they’re going for with Dissident.

I bellied up to the bar, and ordered the sour brown (can’t remember the moniker under which they were pouring it).  They pulled the handle, and it blew!  Sucks.  Luckily, someone at the pub went to the back and said that I had hurried down to try it.  They didn’t have any more, but they gave me the foam that poured out when they put the next beer on.   After it settled, I had a good 3-4 oz … enough to get a sense.  The color, aroma, and flavor were great.  I’m not usually a fan of the Belgian stabs I’ve had at Deschutes, but if the final product is like what I had last night, I’ll be so happy (and so slapping down some money for a case or two).  Great flavor … exactly in the ballpark of a sour brown.  It is a bit rough around the edges, but that’s to be expected.  My understanding is that this beer was straight out of the tank.  I was told it is going to go through some time on wood and some blending as well before it is ready.  With what I had last night as a base, this will indeed worthy of the Reserve Series pedigree.

So I was done with my teaser beer, and was ready for a full beer.  I looked up to see what replaced the blown Sour Brown keg … it was the Coffee Double Black which is an Imperial version of their Black Butte Porter.  I was told that this would be the next in their series of Anniversary bottlings in celebration of their 20th.  Epic win!  Two reserve series teasers in a row!  What I had last night didn’t have much head on it, but damn was it tasty … sweet, roasty, warming alcohol.  Very nice.

What a way to end a Monday!  Looking forward to the release party guys!

Wild Oats is carrying Caldera IPA.  Now it’s a steep $9.00 six pack, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t one of the tastiest IPA’s I’ve had in a long time.   Don’t be one of the uninformed that is deterred by the fact that it’s in cans. Seriously … this is the current top repeat performer on my list of easy-drinking beers, and my favorite IPA of the moment. It seems I’m over on the East Side much more these days to restock my fridge with this nectar. Go check this beer out!

Also at Wild Oats is a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Porter from the Brewmaster’s Series of Full Sail.  I’m not a big Full Sail fan, but I have to admit that their Brewmaster’s Series are regularly interesting, and I’m always up for a new barrel-aged beer.  I haven’t had it yet, but here’s what RateBeer has to say about it. Should be a nice bottle to crack open when I’m transferring beer this weekend.

So go support the beer buyer at Wild Oats for the smart additions to their lineup.

The Abyss is an Imperial Stout aged in several different wooden vessels and blended together to make up a complex character that unfolds into huge flavors as the beer warms.  At a whopping 11% ABV, this is something to be savored sip by sip.  Roasty, smooth, sweet, warming and delicious … this beer will go quickly just as last year’s batch.  This stuff should age very well, so grab as much as you can and try to keep your bottle opener away from it until later.

A couple of important notes:  I went down to the main brewery to pick up a case, and they said they have 4 left.  Local grocery stores have it, but word is out, and the small amounts bottled are going quickly.  Also, I wouldn’t be as informative as I could be if I failed to mention that The Blacksmith - the Best Happy Hour in Bend - is one of two places in Central Oregon where you can get this stuff on tap … get it while it lasts!

Cheers!

Good friends of mine own The Blacksmith restaurant here in Bend, Oregon. They shut down the restaurant about six weeks ago to do a major remodel of the inside. One of the new directions of the space is to bring the bar front and center. You still get great food and an excellent dinner experience if that’s what you’re into, but there’s a new focus on small plates, excellent liquor choices, a wide variety of beers, and a beautifully designed bar and lounge area.

I had the pleasure of helping create the beer list, and I’m really curious to hear honest opinions about it. The thing about Central Oregon is we are in the back yard of the NW Craft Beer scene. This year alone, two local breweries brought home four GABF medals. I love that I’m a 5 minute drive to several pubs where Craft Beer is so well represented, and I take advantage of that fact rather frequently. Still, I miss diversity in all the beer bars here in town.

With The Blacksmith’s beer list, we did our best to provide the widest breadth of choice among the highest quality beers available in Central Oregon. There are 12 handles and a modest collection of bottles that represent everything from Lagers to Belgians to Guinness to West Coast IPAs to local favorites. Come check it out, and know I’d welcome any feedback (positive or negative).

Cheers,

Spence

More than 100 judges labored for three days to evaluate 2,793 beers and pick the best entries and top breweries for this year’s Great American Beer Festival. A total of 222 medals were awarded in 75 beer style categories and top breweries and brewers were designated based on the total number of medals won. The five top awards recognize small, medium and large breweries and small and large brewpubs

Here’s the recap of those winners who call Oregon home:

American-Style Wheat Beer - 19 Entries
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Brewmaster Reserve

International-Style Pilsener - 10 Entries
Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Gold: 4K Pils

Dortmunder/European Style Export or German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesen (Meadow) - 18 Entries
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Widmer Export Lager

Imperial or Double Red Ale - 38 Entries
Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Gold: Organic Deranger

Bitter or Pale Mild Ale - 43 Entries
Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Gold: Pub Bitter (and now our supply at the pub just got a whole lot smaller!)

Golden or Blonde Ale - 48 Entries
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Kiwanda Cream Ale

American Style Brown Ale - 45 Entries
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Gold: Doryman’s Dark Ale

Imperial Stout - 44 Entries
Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Gold: Abyss

Rogue Ales, Newport, OR
Bronze: Russian Imperial Stout

Strong Scotch Ale - 28 Entries
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Gold: MacPelican’s Wee Heavy Strong Scotch Ale

Old Ale or Strong Ale - 32 Entries
Bend Brewing Co, Bend, OR
Silver: Outback X

Straight fact … Deschutes, and Pelican have been kicking ass, and this year they’ve each brought 3 gold medals back to Oregon! In addition, a second GABF medal was won by the Bend Brewing Company in as many years!

Sincerest congratulations to all breweries for their outstanding job at turning out amazing beers for all of us here in Oregon.

Jubelale - Perfect for a cozy winter gathering, Jubelale is a festive ale characterized by a large malt body balanced with hop bitterness derived from a variety of American & European hops. Enjoy this celebrated seasonal tradition! IBU’s: 60 Alcohol Content: 6.7%

Hop Trip - Deschutes’ brewers took the journey over to the Willamette Valley to pick an abundant amount of the freshest whole leaf Crystal hops straight from the vines of Doug Weather’s farm. The return trip to Bend was greeted with a homecoming welcome as the hops were immediately added to the boiling brew kettle. The first brew started soon after a phone call was received from the Willamette Valley confirming the hops were loaded on the truck. Roughly 680 pounds of Crystal hops were added to each of the 120 barrel batches in addition to some dry kilned whole flower hops. All together, there are 7 pounds of hops per barrel. A brisk flavor is created with a finish of soothing bitterness from the fresh hop oils. IBU’s: 38 Alcohol Content: 5.5%

Superstition Fresh Hop Stock Ale - We developed a Stock Ale recipe that has a subtle but complex malt profile. We used Willamette hops upfront in this beer but the wow factor comes from the tremendous amounts of fresh Crystal hops in the back end of the beer to accentuate the hop flavor and aroma. This is a beer to take stock of. IBU’s: 52 Alcohol Content: 5.3%

Biggest “hmmm?…” moment - Jubelale. I’m just not sure what to say about this except that it tastes “green”. It has a gummy, resiny flavor that knocks it out of balance in relation to the roast, bitter, and malt. It also suggests that it needs to mature a bit as well. I love Jubel. I’ve got a bottle collection dating back years. I’m going to buy a case (as I always do) just to stay true to tradition, but I have to say I was caught off guard by what I tasted.

Biggest “exactly what I expected” moment - Hop Trip. Two words … “love it”. This is hops showcased as they should be. Big, chewy, up-front, and yet completely complemented by the malt they rest upon. Aroma, flavor, and drinkability all in one tasty package. Get it … while it lasts.

Biggest surprise - Superstition Stock Ale. There was once a brewery called Orchard Street Brewery out of Bellingham, WA that was the only brewery that I had a stock ale from, and it was a treat when I could find it. What a great beer. Orchard Street went under (from what I understand), but this beer is damned close to it. Hoppy like an American Pale Ale with a slight caramel malt flavor reminiscent of an amber without the cloying qualities that I get from many ambers … a great session beer. And this one is fresh-hopped! Awesome, and brought back such great memories.

And there was a surprise. I overheard and saw brewers talking about and sampling an Oktoberfest they brewed at the pub. Got a quick sampler, and it was highly drinkable. Very highly drinkable. Good job guys!

So there you have it. Four new beers at the pub, and they’re all most definitely worth have a pint or more of.

Cheers!

I’ve been wanting to try Pliny The Elder for a long time, given its 100 percentile rating on RateBeer and 93 percentile rating on BeerAdvocate. I went to the homebrew shop, and decided to change things around on the recipe just a hair to get rid of some leftover hops and save some cash.  I also didn’t use the recommended American Ale yeast, and went with the American Ale II yeast.  This was mostly because they called for White Labs California Ale, and I’ve never had to make a decision about a substitution there.  I knew that the most common substitution there is American Ale yeast, but I didn’t know that WYeast also offers an “American Ale II” strain.  I went with the II on the homebrew shop’s recommendation, but I think that might not have been the closest substitution.  Regardless, I’m sure it will be close.  I started early on Sunday morning last week.  Here’s the brew day notes:

8:00 AM: Started bringing the 16.68 quarts of strike water up to 164°F to hit a rest temperature of 152°F.  Added 3.2 grams of the gypsum to the strike water (remaining 1.8 grams will be added to the water used for lautering).

8:40 AM: Dumped strike water into the cooler, and stirred in the grain.  Threw the top on the cooler, let it rest 10 minutes, and checked the temp.  Spot on!

8:50 AM: Started bringing second addition of water up to temperature.

9:40 AM: Dumped second addition of water in to step temp up to 168°F.  This is one area that I have to go out to the net to get some feedback on.  Using brewing software to formulate temperatures yields what I feel is way too high a temp and way too much water in the mash/lauter tun (mash schedule portion of BeerSmith told me to bring this second amount up to 207°F).

9:50 AM: Vorlofed and lautered out a little over 6.5 gallons of wort for a five gallon batch.  Figured I’d boil off a little over 1 gallon in a 90 minute boil, and the tons of hops would soak up some of the wort.  Took a sample, and OG was 1.071 (pretty damned close to 1.074 OG stated by the recipe).  I think that this will concentrate down after being boiled for 90 minutes.  Need to go check the net for an equation to calculate OG based on evaporation, but will probably be too lazy to do that after brewing.

10:30 AM: Began bringing wort up to boil.

10:35 AM: Set out hop additions for boil.  Holy crap what a load of hops!  It smells amazing over on the counter!

11:10 AM: Wort is boiling.  Dumped first load of hops and started the clock.  Now onto cleaning and sanitizing the primary fermenter, stopper, and airlock (food-grade plastic bucket).  Set aside the mash tun to cool off.

11:45 AM: Boil progressing nicely. The evaporation rate appears to be progressing as expected, and I think that I’ll actually end up with 5 gallons of wort after draining from the boiler. Keeping my fingers crossed.

12:25 PM: Inserted immersion chiller so it will sanitize. Dumped in yeast nutrient and irish moss.

12:42: Began crashing wort.

1:12 PM: Wort is crashed to 78°F. Opened up valve on brew pot, to let it splash drain into primary in hopes of introducing oxygen into liquid. Pitched yeast and began to clean up.

10:00 PM: Seeing signs of life on the airlock.  Bubbling away!

Day 5: 5:30 PM: Time to dry hop.  Measured out all dry hops, and there’s a boatload!  It smells amazing.  1.75 oz of Centennial, 1.75 oz of Simcoe, and 3 oz of Columbus (Tomahawk).  Daaaaaayum!  In all seriousness, this is quite the incredible haul of hops going into 5 gallons of beer.  16.75 ounces!  Holy hop slam Batman!