Beer Here Dark Hops Hoppy Black Ale

Beer Here Dark Hops Hoppy Black Ale, a Danish take on the CDA from Beer Here, poured blacker than most stouts into the glass, with no observable carbonation and a thick, frothy tan head.  The nose is strong and aggressive with coffee and unsweetened chocolate, with citrus and pine hops adding zip to the finish and a bit of smoke. 

Beer Here Dark Hops Hoppy Black Ale opened with hops briefly leading the charge with fruity, pleasantly skunky notes before a huge smoky, chocolate-coffee malt body thickened and took over.  The ale stayed smooth throughout, and an inordinate amount of earthy and savory flavors passed the palette as the ale slowly faded and dried in the finish.

Beer Here Dark Hops is has a malt profile that puts most stouts to shame and enough hops to catch the attention of any IPA drinker.  The ale drinks a bit thicker and stronger than most CDAs found on this side of the Atlantic, and has enough alcohol to make this a great cold-weather, late evening treat. 

Rogue Brewery Chatoe Rogue First Growth Creek Ale

It was a long work day, so I'm rewarded myself with one of my more expensive and exotic beers waiting on hand... one of the many specialty brews from Rogue Brewery.  Rogue Brewery has always been an interesting brewery to me because it started right here in Southern Oregon (Ashland, to be precise) but has since grown up and moved to Newport. with an offshoot in Portland.  In a market saturated by IPAs, Rogue stands out through it's signature Rogue Dead Guy, a Maibock style ale, and a myriad of left field winners to challenge beer drinkers looking for something different.

If you every get the chance, visit either the Newport or Portland brewery and pub house and enjoy the amazing food (Kobe Bleu Ball sliders will blow your mind), intimidating beer menu, and quirky character they each bring.  This is a beer blog, so I won't go into detail, but if you enjoy fine spirits and you haven't tried their Rogue Spirits line of whiskey, gin, and rum you are missing out on one of the finest boutique hard alcohol experiences I've found for a reasonable price.

All this brings us to the Chatoe Rogue First Growth Creek Ale...

Although beer, like art, should be able to stand on it's own merit without context, the story behind the First Growth Creek Ale is too good to pass over.  Part of Rogue Brewing's GYO (Grow Your Own) series, this beer is brewed using Rogue's own hops and barley (they proudly list the eight ingredients used to make the ale as Wheat, Rogue Barley from their Dare and Risk malts, Rogue Hopyard Revolution hops, Montmorency cherries, Pacman and Belgian yeast, and free range coastal water).  And yes... that's cherries in the list of ingredients. 

Chatoe Rogue First Growth Creek Ale poured into the glass a cloudy red-brown with a small but creamy head that slowly pulled away to reveal a wine-like separation where the beer met the edge of the glass.  The nose was pleasant and smelled like a subtly smoked lambic.  Although not too dark in color, the beer was thick enough that the bubbles seemed to be rising to the top in slow motion.

The first impression in the mouth certainly mirrored the lambic nose, momentarily slightly sour and only subtly hopped.  Left to sit for a few seconds, the beer seemed to almost expand and foam in my mouth through chemical reaction.  It wasn't until I swallowed that a finely balanced, medium bodied malt ale came through, very refreshing and leaving just a hint of cherry at the end with without sweetness, the bitterness of the hops, or the smokiness of the malts lingering.

I'm not a fan of most fruit enhanced beer, but I put this in a different category... this ale isn't about being a cherry ale, it's about being a great malty ale with cherry accentuating it's best features.  This is one of those beers (like several of theirs, including the Rogue Chipotle Ale and Rogue Chocolate Stout) that are too quirky and rich to be consumed regularly but are the beer drinker's equivalent of ambrosia when consumed only a few times a year. Find a bottle, pour, and get ready to slide into the weekend...

ABV 7.7
IBU 25
OG N/A
TG 1.015

Boulder Beer Flashback Anniversary Ale

Boulder Beer Flashback Anniversary Ale, a limited offering Boulder Beer being called a Brown IPA, poured a hazy, murky pale brown with heavy carbonation, and a short lived, sticky tan head. The 

nose led with sweet, roasted notes with a citrusy hop edge.

Boulder Beer Flashback Anniversary Ale opened crisp, roasty, and dry, highlighting a well developed malt body.  As the ale settled, a strong (but not overwhelming) hop bitterness came through and introduced the orange and pine flavors associated with a NW IPA.  Flashback ended on a dry, slightly bitter fade.

Boulder Beer Flashback Anniversary Ale, first and foremost, is a hoppy brown ale, not an IPA with a darker malt makeup.  As a hybrid style I've never tried (nor considered), I’d have to say Boulder Beer is on to something here.  Not as bold or brash as a typical CDA, Flashback is an exciting and possibly new beer experience worth checking out. 

Ninkasi Brewing Oatis Oatmeal Stout

After the light beer yesterday, I decided to hit the polar opposite end of the beer spectrum and crack open a bottle of Ninkasi Brewing Company's Oatis Oatmeal Stout.  Ninkasi is another one of those great Oregon microbreweries that popped up out of nowhere and quickly established itself as one of the top beer makers around.  If you ever find yourself near Eugene, make sure to check out the Ninkasi Brewery and tasting room.  The fireplace outside is amazing and the outdoor seating is casual but chic.

Only available on tap or in 22oz. bottles, Oatis poured into the the glass (pardon the accidental North Coast plug on the glass) frothy and espresso black, with a milkshake thick, coffee colored head. The nose was strong coffee, black licorice, with a very subtle undertone of lawn clippings.  There was no transparency to this Stout!

For all it's heaviness and body displayed in the pouring, it was a surprise that the first notes when drank were lemon rind (likely from well balanced hopping).  Within a second, the hops receded to the back of my mouth and the beer's thickness (think a root beer float after the ice cream melts) and mildly-sweet mocha flavor came through and coated my mouth.  Oatis had a loooong finish.

Not a huge stout fan (I typically prefer porters when drinking a dark beer, as many stouts have the flavor of burnt. day old coffee), I have to say Ninkasi brought the best qualities of a stout to the table with such class it's hard to find something to not like about Oatis.  That said, this is a heavy beer, and after pulling back 22oz. I was full.  The perfect end cap to a cold night, to be sure!

ABV 7.2
IBU 50
OG 1.072
TG N/A

I've already had a couple of people ask about what I have for the upcoming weeks... here's a preview of things to come.  As always, donations are accepted ;-)

Dick's Brewing Co. Golden Ale

Today marks what I believe to be a first for me... my first time opening what must have been one thoroughly skunked beer.  I planned to revisit Gordon Biersch Brewing, this time with their Czech Style Pilsner, and immediately noticed something slightly off in the nose.  It tasted acceptable for the first second, but an aspirin-like medicinal bitterness and metallic funkiness quickly dominated... truly horrible tasting.  As the beer was bottled mid-December of last year and has been well stored since I bought it, I checked the beer in the bottle to make sure it wasn't residue in the glass... it wasn't.  Given the pleasant surprise that was their Marzen, I have to assume this wasn't the way it was meant to be tasted.  The thought of choking down the glass wasn't bearable, so I (wisely) opened a different beer.

Back to Dick's Brewing Co., the Washington brewery that wisely sells true mixed-variety 12-packs for those looking to try a little bit of everything.

Dick's Golden Ale poured surprisingly flat, with a bronze-apple juice like color and the smallest head I've ever poured in an ale.  The nose was a sour malt... mostly yeasty.

The hops made up for the lack of effervescence in the front by bringing a crisp, mineral tingle.  The initial flavors dissolved into a body of honey-wheat somewhat floral with hints of floral notes that left a pleasant toasted flavor in my mouth.  The flavors of the beer had enough depth to engage, but had strangely worn out their welcome by the end of the glass.

For someone who isn't enthusiastic about golden ales, Dick's Golden Ale came across as very middle-of-the-road.  While I criticized one of their more adventurous attempts at pushing traditional styles, this beer seems like missed potential, and offered a pleasing-enough, but pedestrian, drinking experience. 

For the sake of posterity, here's the one that really missed the mark.

Dick's Brewing Lava Rock Porter

I think I found a method to the madness for the next couple of weeks (I have spent as much time hemming and hawing each day over what beer to drink as I have actually drinking them), but I'm keeping it loose for the rest of this week, so here comes another tasting from Dick's Brewing Company.  Porter is a style of beer I fall in and out of love with every couple of years, and after a year or two of neglect it's time to fall in love again.

Dick's Lava Rock Porter poured black into the glass; cloudy with suspended sediment (the film at the bottom of the bottle leads me to believe it may be bottle conditioned) and a frothy cream head.  The nose was predominantly mocha and espresso with accents of fruity hops.

Lava Rock Porter was a surprise on the tongue... leading with a sweet, cherry-flavored hops that slowly faded to a dark chocolate malt that combined with the cherry notes and lingered for some time like a cherry cordial.  The long, chocolate-cherry body eventually faded, ending Lava Rock Porter on accents of roasted coffee. 

Much like last night's tasting, I was surprised how much was happening with this beer.  The cherry notes from hops are something I don't recall experiencing before and isn't something I would have sought out, but they complimented the chocolate and made the beer seem less heavy.  I absolutely recommend lovers of porters and plain old beer drinkers alike check this out to try a somewhat different take on the classic porter style while still enjoying all the things that make a porter great.

Thanksgiving Beer Dinner!!!

Since I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year, I decided to get a little adventurous and have an all-beer Thanksgiving dinner, with each dish prepared with some type of beer, while trying to keep it a cohesive whole.  Here is the rundown-

-New Belgium Tripel, Tangerine, and Fennel Brined Turkey- Very succulent and flavorful with the beer and citrus never overpowering the turkey flavor.  

-New Belgium Tripel Sourdough Stuffing- The stuffing actually carried through a bit more of the beer and citrus flavors than the turkey, but it was still so subtle no one would have known other than there was a pleasant "otherness" going on.

-Deschutes Dissident Sour Cranberry Cherry Sauce- I don't like canned cranberry sauce, and I've never really craved cranberry sauce with my turkey, but this stood out with the complexity of the honey, sour ale, and fresh vanilla bean.

-Deschutes Jubelale Roasted Potatoes, Fennel, and Brussels Sprouts- Just standard fair, tasty roasted veggies.

-New Belgium Tripel Turkey Gravy- There wasn't enough, if that says anything :)

-Blue Moon Winter Ale Butter Biscuits- This was an afterthought, but a welcome addition by daughter slammed down.

-Homebrew Pumpkin Ale Butternut Squash- Slightly sweeter and more spiced than mashed potatoes, way less sweet than any sweet potato dish I've tried, those who wanted savory used gravy and were happy, those who wanted sweet used a little cinnamon sugar.

-Homebrew Pumpkin Ale Pumpkin Pecan Crunch with Pumpkin Ale Whipped Cream- The pecans/butter/cinnamon caramelization on top made dish for me.  

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale

Another day, another beer from Peteluma, CA's biggest brewery... Lagunitas Brewing Co.  Lagunitas, known for good brews and creative names (I'm not aware of any other company who had a brew name banned from printing like Lagunitas Censored *cough-"Kronik"-cough*).  I picked up a bottle of what I thought was Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, but as I pulled it out to drink I realized is actually Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale, one of their monthly seasonal beers... here's to new things!

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale poured a light honey color into the glass, crystal clear with several focused points of effervescence on the bottom of the glass that formed a sudsy, sticky off-white head that nearly exploded out of the glass no matter how careful the pour.  The nose was gentle with citrus and persistent undertones of banana. 

Little Sumpin' Wild Ale opened with a well carbonated front that tasted like a sweet peach that was both sticky and slightly cloying.  As the ale closed, banana bread and brown sugar flavors with a slight medicinal bitterness took hold and lingered for a half minute or so.

At 8.75%, Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale isn't a lightweight beer and falls somewhere between a sipping and a session beer.  It was admirable of Lagunitas to let the yeast lead the flavor in this beer, but as someone who hasn't bonded with Belgian style ales I found the combination of sweet and astringent a little off-putting despite a relatively strong hopped front.  Most beer drinkers I know should try it because of it's uniqueness, but I doubt most will grab a second bottle.

Bend Brewing Company Flight (Bend, OR)

A quick, two day trip inspired by the release of a certain new beer that shall remain unnamed in this post, I managed to hit six Bend, OR breweries during that time.  Arriving in to town an hour before check-in, I headed over to Bend Brewing Company brewery for lunch and a first round to begin the beer festivities.  A special shout-out is in in order for the amazing Steelhead sandwich they prepared.  Here's a brief rundown of the flight-

Bend Brewing High Desert Hefeweizen- This was a standard, dusty wheat ale... dry and light with all the right characteristics of the style.  A tip of the hat to Bend Brewing for not assuming I want a lemon in a beer just because it is a hefeweizen.


Bend Brewing Ching Ching Sour Ale- Ching Ching Sour Ale was, hands down, the star of the show.  A sour ale made with hibiscus, pomegranate, and just the right amount of carbonation and tartness, Ching Ching was both refreshing and complex, especially given the extremely light ABV.  How good was it?  I bought four 22oz bottles.  This isn't a standard sour ale, and not something I would normally be attracted to, but Ching Ching was just that damned good.


Bend Brewing Metolius Golden Ale- Metolius Golden Ale opened with a corn-centric, damp grain start and closed on a wet cardboard yeast funk note.  Nothing wrong with this ale, but certainly not my style.


Bend Brewing Doppelbock- Bend Brewing's Doppelbock was an interesting experience... much lighter than its original European brethren, but bringing enough dried fig and caramel to the forefront to mostly cover the Belgian yeast.


Bend Brewing Elk Lake IPA- Elk Lake IPA was, for lack of a more pleasant descriptor, a disappointment.  The ale was watery and featured an unusually strong mineral profile against the soapy, grapefruit rind hops.  The nose was actually quite pleasant, but the medicinal bitterness in the fade quickly erased that memory.


Bend Brewing Axe Head Red Ale- Sweeter and slightly less hoppy than the Elk Lake IPA, Axe Head Red Ale brought better balance to the mix but wasn't exceptional.


Bend Brewing Scarlet Imperial Red- Scarlet Imperial Red Ale was the best of the hoppy beers, slightly more sweet and much more floral than the IPA or standard red.  A bit of the soapy, aspirin-like bitterness still showed up on the fade, but it was much less noticeable.  The ale hid it's 8.5% abv really well.


Bend Brewing Outback Old Ale- Despite promises of raisin and dried fruits, Outback Old Ale struck me as incredibly dry and vegetal, with a medicinal bitter aftertaste.  


Bend Brewing Pinnacle Porter- Light caramel started off the Pinnacle Porter, which was oddly juxtaposed to the light, roasted coffee flavor that comprised most of the tasting experience.  The porter ended roasty and dry.


Bend Brewing Nitro Vanilla Porter- More watery than creamy, the Nitro Vanilla Porter did bring a light tinge of vanilla to the mix, and the coffee flavors were much more subdued than the Pinnacle Porter, but this ale seemed a little anemic. 

Upright Brewing Company (Portland, OR)

Getting to Upright Brewing is an experience, but there lie great rewards for those willing to find the building, enter what appeared to be a closed café, take a questionable elevator to the basement, and traverse the unsigned industrial hallways until accidentally stumbling into the unsigned brewery, where a couple of small tables designate the tasting portion of the underground brewery.  Too cool for school vinyl plays in the background and the vibe is mellow.

Upright Brewing Four Golden Ale

A small farmhouse ale, Four had spicy esters and a bit of sourness to it from the addition of a sour mash.  Grass and lemon led the flavor on this beer, with a wild yeast profile adding an exciting barn-quality to it.

Upright Brewing Five Farmhouse Pale Ale

Five managed to be bigger than Four in every way, offering more sweet fruits (apple and pear come to mind) and some vanilla.  That said, the yeast kept this ale spicy and wild, with a grassy linger.

Upright Brewing Six Dark Rye Ale

From the first sip, there was no hiding the rye in this ale!  An intriguing addition of the sour mash made rye, pepper, and chocolate pop, but somewhat lessened the dramatic impact of Upright’s signature yeast.  Six is a good and interesting beer, but not the most interesting offering on tap.

Upright Brewing Seven Saison

Seven is the “big” saison, and it trumps the already fantastic Five in almost every way.  Big, fruity flavors of mango and orange with a huge, creamy mouth feel and high carbonation defined the start of this beer, and the funk seems to be toned down significantly. 

Upright Brewing Engleberg Pils

There isn’t much to say about Engleberg other than it is a delicious and respectful take on the pilsner.  Light, slightly spicy, and slightly peppery from the hops; my friend had to grab a growler of it she liked it so much.

Upright Brewing Todo Modo Petite Saison

Ironically, Todo Modo was the most “Saison” of the saisons offered by Upright.  Lots of lemon, coriander, and esters with a funky kick of tartness in the fade. 

Upright Brewing Blend Love

Hands down my favorite offering from their impressive line-up, Blend Love is a sour ale made by a combination of Four, Six, raspberry fermented Six, and cherry and raspberry fermented Four in various used casks.  Blend Love opened fruity and sour, with farm house funkiness coming through but never taking away.  The sour to beat in Portland.

Upright Brewing Gunslinging Helles Smoked

This Helles lager was smoky and woody.  Nothing subtle here, and those with me who hadn’t experienced many Rauchbiers were extremely disconcerted.  Not quite a campfire in your mouth, but that smoky oak and maple flavor is the star of the show.  

Deschutes Obsidian Stout

When I first started drinking beer, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, the darkest standard offering from Deschutes Brewing, was my go to fall/winter beer.  Obsidian Stout poured an impregnable black into the glass, capped by a tall, red-tinged brown head.  The nose was roasty, with a subdued coffee undertone.  


Deschutes Obsidian Stout opened with a surprising heavy carbonation and a hint of tartness.  The stout quickly mellowed into a sweet middle, with roasted cocoa stealing the show over an underlying, creeping bitterness.  Obsidian ended with a touch of coffee.


Deschutes Obsidian Stout is a year-round offering and regional favorite for a reason; the balance between dark flavors and light drinking find a nice middle ground here, with enough ABV to keep you warm on a cold day but enough carbonation to never feel heavy or filling.  In a beer world of "Bigger is better", it is nice to have an old standby between the burly ones.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Ale Matured in Whiskey Casks

The second bottle from the odds and sods beers found in the back of a bar beer library, I’m pulling out another Scottish ale, this time from Harviestoun Brewery.  Apparently Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Ale, their reserve ale aged in barrels previously retired from Highland Park’s 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, is no longer in production, so here’s to a dying breed.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Ale poured oil-black as it settled, topped with a thin yellow-tan head that had to be forced. Scotch was the first detectable note in the nose without bring too boozy framed by chocolate and a little vanilla.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Ale opened with a smooth, clean start that managed to be creamy without being thick.  Hints of the scotch come through almost immediately, supported by dry chocolate notes. The long fade dried up the mouth-feel and brought some vanilla and almond from the oak to the forefront.

Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 18 Reserve Ale is the first whiskey-barrel aged beer I’ve tasted where the whiskey was an integral part of the profile as opposed to overwhelming it or coming off as watered down hard alcohol.  Either I have been lucky with my last couple Scottish ales, or I need to bump this country to the top of my vacation list!

Peroni Nastro Azzurra Birra Superiore

While Spring is taking its time settling in Southern Oregon, Northern California is quickly welcoming summer, with temperatures already breaking 90 degrees.  I joined my mother and brother in a farm-to-fork, locally owned, slow food movement focused walking food and history tour in mid-town Sacramento today, and after a couple of hours and a couple of miles in the mid-day heat I was ready for something refreshing and not too boozy.  Enter a fantastic, family owned Italian deli and a bottle of Peroni Nastro Azzurro Birra Superiore. 

Peroni Nastro Azzurro Birra Superiore was a transparent, weak yellow un the bottle, violently carbonated with a spritzy head.  CO2 carbonation dominated the nose with a slight minerality, although a wimpy sweet malt could be detected.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro Birra Superiore opened with a carbonated, mineral start.  Light wheat and wet straw notes were detectable, but the whole experience was mostly characterized by little more than sparkling water.

All things are luminescent in their intended context, and there isn't a beer I am aware of that would have been a better pairing with light exercise, lightly sautéed sage and veggie ravioli, and a blazing sun.  The complete lack of hops and a dominant effervescent minerality made for an incredibly thirst-quenching, if two-dimensional tasting.

After the walking tour, we poured into Pyramid Brewing's Sacramento Ale House for a flight, consisting of Outrageous Apricot Ale, Spring Seasonal Curve Ball Blonde Ale, Haywire Hefeweizen, Thunderhead IPA, and the pub house exclusives Crystal Wheat, Alehouse Amber, Draught Pale Ale, and Brewer's handles Livewire Imperial Hefeweizen and Uproar Imperial Red Ale. 

I'm sure I will have the opportunity to give Pyramid's standard line proper tasting consideration, but here are some brief thoughts on the ale house exclusive ales-

Pyramid Crystal Wheat- The hops and wheat flavors were a bit more pronounced than the Haywire, with the yeast stepping to the side and the body and carbonation just a bit crisper.  Of course, the color was beautifully clear.

Pyramid Alehouse Amber Ale- The malt profile was a bready wheat bomb with an almost smoky quality.  The hops were only present enough to lighten the malt, and the ale ended on a dry, pizza-crust extended fade.  Pyramid Alehouse Amber Ale was far from a bad ale, but didn't do anything that dozens of other low-cost ambers do.

Pyramid Draught Pale Ale- Poured from draught, the pale ale was extremely creamy in body, with lemon and citrus notes cutting through. Draught Pale Ale, like many lighter ales relying on hops as a core component of body served on draught, came off flat.  Good, not great, but I can't think of a time where this would be preferable to a bottle or regular tap. 

Pyramid Livewire Imperial Hefeweizen- Having never had an Imperial Hefeweizen, I was caught off-guard by the much larger malt profile and pinier hopping.  Livewire tasted closer to a pale ale with a hint of wheat than a big hefeweizen.  

Pyramid Uproar Imperial Red Ale- Uproar Imperial Red opened on a well-balanced pine note that quickly settled into a semi-dry biscuit malt that balanced the beer rather than overwhelming the hops.  Although less complex than many takes on the Imperial Red I have tried, Uproar was the standout of the ale house exclusive taps. 

Deschutes Jubel 2010 Once A Decade Ale

Deschutes Jubel 2010 Once A Decade Ale, the self-described limited Imperial release of Deschutes Jubelale Deschutes Brewing does once every ten years, is the first beer I purchased for the intent of aging (I purchased this mid-February of 2010) and has a "Best After" date of 1/29/11.  Originally slated to be one of my first beers (I'd already held on to it for almost a year...), I decided early this year this ale should be the final entry for 2011 for a number of reasons.  So here we are!


Deschutes Jubel 2010 Ale poured almost black in the glass, but when held to light it demonstrated deep crimson and orange hues beneath an almost immediately non-existent beige head.  The nose carried spruce, gradd, dark chocolate, and the smallest hint of dried cherries in the background.


Deschutes Jubel 2010 opened with a one-two combo of sweet cherries and peppery alcohol that both mellowed into dark, sugary malt notes of licorice, maple, and burnt caramel.  Dry, roasted notes careened against a semi-sweet black-strap molasses and licorice fade.  There were a lot of almost there flavors that likely had their time in the forefront during the extended aging process, but the ale was mostly notable and defined by the sweet, dark malting.


Deschutes Jubel 2010 is a heck of a way to end the 2011 year of beer- the dark, sweet malts stand out significantly more than they did at the original release, and the ale truly tastes more settled and mature (likely nearing the end of its "Best After" date given how little hops and carbonation remained).  

Three Skulls Buccaneer Bacon Lager

"What the hell I was thinking picking up a beer made with bacon?!?" I asked myself as I cracked open Three Skulls Buccaneer Bacon Lager, a lager made by Seattle's Three Skulls Ales that has additions of beechwood smoked malt (yay!) and bacon (eh?).  The lager poured a clear, weak gold color with heavy carbonation and an incredibly short lived head.  The nose was led by a combination of corn and sweat, with plenty of slightly-off aromas detectable beneath the surface, but almost no smoke, maple. or pork.  


Three Skulls Ales Buccaneer Bacon Lager opened with the expected lager brightness but quickly flattened out into a carbonation-less soup of wet malt and creamed corn.  The lager thickened up and became creamier as it faded to a smokey (most assuredly just from the smoked malts) end with just the slightest hint of bacon flavor.  Disturbingly, after the flavors faded my mouth was left coated as if I had swigged oil or bacon grease.


Sometimes life is about pushing your comfort zone, or just enjoying a novel, guilty pleasure.  This is about the only reason one should pick up this lager.  It tastes too "off" to be a decent beer, lacks the rich, punchy flavor of bacon that could have offset this, and is truly unpleasant after it coats the mouth.  Here's to trying, rhymes with...

Boscos Brewing Ale Flight

While visiting Boscos Brewing in Nashville, I had the opportunity to run a flight of their standard offerings, their special releases, and their bottle-conditioned American-Style Dry Stout.

Boscos Witbier- A nice, American-style wheat ale.  stands up nicely without the typical citrus addition.

Boscos Original Alt- Thirst quenching, if nondescript.

Boscos English Style IPA- A toasted, biscuit malt profile dominated the hops

Boscos American Style Dry Stout Bottle Conditioned Ale- A standout of the flight, complex and extremely drinkable.

Boscos Famous Flaming Stone Beer- Typical amber ale, a little light on hops

Boscos Bombay IPA- The heavier hopped big broth of the English Style, this one stayed close to the English malting with much more pleasant and pronounced hops.

Hillsboro Brown- Nothing much to see here, folks.

Isle of Skye Scottish Ale- Surprisingly subdued and un-Scotchlike for the style

The Three Monkeys Manhattan Pub Flight

One of the more quirky and interesting pubs I found in mid-town Manhattan was The Three Monkeys.  Openly supporting the craft beer community, this little bar/restaurant featured 36 taps of beers from near and far, and I opted for the New York Flight to get a taste of what's being brewed locally.

Ithaca Flower Power IPA- Although slightly weak when compared to a West coast IPA, Flower Power was reasonably well balanced and had a slightly earthier hop tone than most IPAs.  Interesting, but underwhelming for any hophead, or honestly, anyone looking for a good representation of an IPA.

Blue Point Toasted Lager- The second toasted lager I have tried, Blue Point Toasted Lager had the slightness and smoothness of a lager with a roasted, toasty malt dryness that gave it a bit more body and girth.

Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale- Nothing exceptional to report here... an average, generic pale ale.

Ommegang BPA Belgian Pale Ale- This was an interesting ale, and certainly the right way to end the flight.  Opening with a crisp, slightly citrusy classic American pale ale start, the Belgian yeast quickly took over and added layers of spice and depth as the list caramel malt background came through.  Highlight of the flight, for sure.

Bridgeport Highland Ambush Scotch Ale

Bridgeport Highland Ambush Scotch Ale, a Big Brew Series offering from Bridgeport Brewing, poured a cola hue into the glass, topped with a long-lasting, buff head.  Vanilla and some fruity esters here present in the nose.  


Bridgeport Highland Ambush Scotch Ale opened surprisingly non-aggressive for a Scotch-style ale.  I'm guessing the barrels they are using are either unused, neutral oak or way past their prime.  That's not to say it's bad... it certainly isn't, but none of the Makers Mark (where the barrels are supposedly from) made it through and even the wood added, at most, maybe just a bit of vanilla and creaminess.


Bridgeport Highland Ambush Scotch Ale... fun beer, but don't walk in with style or process expectations.

McMenamins Old St. Francis Pub Tasting (Bend, OR)

Knowing I wasn't going to be able to drive home after an epic Abyss flight, I booked a room at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.  In addition to gorgeous rooms with a nice rustic flair, catching a movie with a pitcher of beer at the Old St. Francis Theater and enjoying a midnight soak in the Old St. Francis Soaking Pool without having to leave the premises was amazing.  Add to that four separate bars, a room to shoot pool, and a garden courtyard it you have one of the more enjoyable and memorable hotel experiences in my recent memory.  


I've done McMenamins flights before, so here's what was new with breakfast at the McMenamins Old St. Francis Pub-


Sleepy Hollow Nut Brown Ale- The name Sleepy Hollow made me think pumpkin, but this was actually a pretty standard, semi-dry toasted brown ale in a decidedly English style.


Robust Stout on Nitro- Breakfast in a taster glass.  A little more burnt coffee and strength than I was looking for, but a good enough offering none-the-less.

Cascade Brewing Barrel House (Portland, OR)

I had to revisit Cascade Brewing Barrel House, this time to do a complete run-through of the sour ales-

Cascade Brewing Apple Pie Sour Ale

Apple Pie certainly had apples going for it, but more yellow than green, that sat sweetly over cinnamon and vanilla.  Throughout the drink, there was a funky, grassy barn taste and wheat.  Apple Pie was thankfully a restrained “evocative of…” rather than an in your face, artificial tasting mess.

Cascade Brewing Summer Gose Sour Ale

The Summer Gose was well carbonated and expressed a mélange of fruit flavors over the sweet malt.  There wasn’t much funk to detect, but an odd saltiness came through at the end that extended the flavors into the fade without becoming too cloying.

Cascade Brewing Nightfall Sour Ale

This sour ale was a blur of berries, grapes, and cherries, with nothing standing out.  What it lacked in definable character it made up for by being the perfect mix of tart and sweet.

Cascade Brewing Lemon Drop Sour Ale

Wow.  I love sours, but this had too much vinegar and funk going on for even me.  The lemon was there, but very artificial tasting (like a hard candy) and marred by a jarring combination of pungent vinegar and artificial sweeteners.

Cascade Brewing The Vine Sour Ale

The Vine was one of the funkiest (in that good, sour way) of the bunch, almost wine like in the prominence of grape and cherries.  There was quite a bit of barrel coming through, and the tartness was contrasted with a creamy, almost thick body.

Cascade Brewing Sang Royale Sour Ale

Truly the king, this ale opened with tart cherries and somewhat bracing carbonation before a mild sweetness and touch of cider came through.  The oak came through strong on this beer, and a soft vinegar was always present to offset the other flavors.  My favorite of the tastings done here.

Cascade Brewing Nouveau Cerise Sour Ale

A newer take on the sour Kriek ale (hense the name), this was the youngest and sharpest tasting of the tasting, making it both a bit more refreshing but also the least integrated.  The fruit came through a bit strong.