Enjoying the Outdoors (and beer) in Hood River
My dad was in town this past weekend, so we decided to get out of town on Saturday and head out to Hood River. With clouds and rain looming over us as we headed out of Portland, we were lucky enough to leave the gray behind us as we drove east. We were greeted in Hood River with temperatures in the mid-60s and partly sunny skies. It wasn't long before the sun was shining and we went in search of someplace where we could enjoy a beer outside.
In recent trips to Hood River, I learned that both Full Sail and Everybody's Brewing (located just across the Columbia River in White Salmon, WA) have outdoor decks. But because it was earlier in the season, neither was open during our previous visits. On Saturday we decided to check them out. I highly recommend both of them; I'm not sure there's a better place in the area to enjoy good beers and phenomenal views while soaking up the sun.
For those making the trip, I'd like to offer a couple random notes. First, Full Sail's pint glasses are some of the best I've seen. The shape and quality are great, but equally as important, they're marked with a clear fill line that reads: A FULL PINT, and the fill line is about an inch from the lip of the glass. Second, Everybody's has some of the best brewpub food I've had. We've eaten there twice and the food was great both times.
Bridge to Brews: Big on Bridges, Short on Brews
Yesterday, I ran the Bridge to Brews 8k run in Portland. We couldn't have asked for a better day to run. As I ran with the 4,000+ other runners over the Fremont and Broadway Bridges, and through the streets of Portland, the promise of cold beer at the finish line was my motivation to finish strong. I wasn't alone.
At the finish, our high-fives and words of encouragement quickly gave way to the all important question: Where's the beer? And after finding the one beer tent tucked away in the far corner, we realized that actually getting a beer was going to be more difficult than we had thought. It was then that we realized that there was a line several hundred people long, and that we would first need to find the end of the line (which was tougher than it sounds), and then wait with everyone else before getting our hands on a beer.
I ran the 8k in 46 minutes. Sadly, I waited in the beer line for longer than that.
Widmer introduces Brothers’ Reserve #2: Prickly Pear Braggot
When I first heard that Widmer was going to release its second Brothers' Reserve beer, Prickly Pear Braggot, I was intrigued. I didn't know what to expect, as I had never tried a braggot. In looking for further clarification about what a braggot was exactly, I naturally looked for it using Wikipedia; this search redirected me to the article about mead.
The Wikipedia article defines mead as "an alcoholic beverage, made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast." The article goes on to say "mead is often referred to as honey-wine." Braggot is considered a mead variant, and is described as "originally brewed with honey and hops, later with honey and malt - with or without hops added."
After attending a tasting of the Prickly Pear Braggot hosted by Rob and Kurt Widmer on Tuesday evening, I learned that this was a pretty accurate description of what we were drinking. Simply put, braggot is a blend of mead and ale. Widmer's version includes knapweed honey and juice from the red prickly pear.
An unlikely combination: Deschutes pairs bacon and beer with vegetarian dishes
Chef Jeff Usinoqicz introduces the Gateway dinner
Jeff Usinoqicz, Executive Chef at Deschutes Brewery's Portland Pub, called it a Gateway dinner. Before serving it last night, he discussed what gateway meant to him. Jeff talked about it as an unlikely or unexpected combination. That's exactly what we found in each of our five courses: vegetarian dishes paired with bacon and beer, each carefully prepared or selected to compliment the otherwise innocent plates.
While it was obvious that everyone expected more people to attend the dinner, the fact that Deschutes closed the brewpub to the public demonstrated a real commitment to serving those that did spend the $65 to enjoy the unique pairings. I appreciated Jeff's perspectives as a chef, but also thought the comments from Sheldon Marcuvitz of Your Kitchen Garden Farms and Jim Hansen of Carlton Farms really helped make the connection between the food, farms, and our tables. The vegetables were sourced from Your Kitchen Garden Farms and the bacon was sourced from Carlton Farms.
Oregon Beer Odyssey Gone Wild
Oregon Beer Odyssey's Ben Edmunds teaches us about sour beers
As far as I can tell, interest in sour beers seems to have grown in recent months. It seems that sours have become a more frequent topic of conversation; they’re finding their way into a more regular rotation at local bars; and they seem to have earned some additional shelf space at local bottle shops – shelf space that was likely once home to other more recognized, expected, and accepted styles.
Admittedly, I’m fairly inexperienced when it comes to sour beers. While I enjoy them, I haven’t devoted much time or energy to really learning about them. So, my perception that sours are gaining traction and becoming more readily available may be skewed by the fact that I’ve recently started to pay more attention to the style. In any case, I wanted to learn more. Conveniently, I also wanted to check out the Oregon Beer Odyssey, a recently launched Portland-based company offering a series of beer classes. On Saturday, I attended Oregon Beer Odyssey’s Sour and Wild Beers class, and I can’t say enough good things about it.
Chicago Bound? the Local Option is a great option
As I watch the #CBCChi and #CBC2010 tags come through via Twitter, I'm painfully aware that I'm missing the Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago this week. Instead, after moving to Portland, OR from Chicago in August, I'm 2,200 miles away wishing I could have stuck around long enough to join in on the fun. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen.
While I know the usual suspects will be at the top of most peoples' charts - the likes of Goose Island, Three Floyds, Piece, The Map Room, Hopleaf, Half Acre, Publican, Metropolitan Brewing, Two Brothers and Revolution Brewing come to mind - I felt compelled to make a suggestion, in fear that these guys may be overlooked by some.
Do yourself a favor, and check out the Local Option when you're in Chicago.
Spring Beer and Wine Fest Recap
In the weeks leading up to the Spring Beer and Wine Fest, I had heard mixed reviews. Sure, there's a pretty long list of breweries and wineries represented, but most people I talked with were in agreement: the beers offered are fairly standard and predictable. At the same time, many pointed to the ambiance, or lackthereof, of the Oregon Convention Center, and the strange variety of vendors sprinkled among those serving beer and wine; all of this seemed to shape a less than enthusiastic view of the Fest.
Having moved to Portland in August of last year, I had never been to the Spring Beer and Wine Fest. So after hearing similar stories from a number of people, I was looking forward to checking it out myself. On Friday, as part of a media preview event hosted by Lisa Morrison, I had the opportunity to tour the exhibit hall, taste a hand-picked selection of the more unique beer offerings, and listen to some of the brewers talk about their breweries and their beers. While I experienced some of the drawbacks mentioned above, it sounds like steps were taken this year to address these issues. Overall, I had a good time at the Fest. Thanks to Lisa, we were treated to a solid selection of beers - some of which I hadn't previously had the opportunity to try. And while the Convention Center may not be the most visually appealing event space, it offered a welcome escape from the cold and rainy Portland weather.
Check out Beervana's post about the beers we tried as part of the tour; It's Pub Night also has posted a brief write-up of the event. Highlights of the Spring Beer and Wine Fest for me included:
