10Jul/103
Catching Up: bits & pieces from the last couple weeks
It's been a bit since my last post. I've been out of town camping with my dogs for most of the last week. While I was away, I tried to get away from the Internet, email, Twitter, blogging, etc., which was really refreshing. I did not try, however, to get away from drinking beer. Instead, I was reminded of this post as I tried some new beers. For most, there were no notes, reviews, or plans for blog posts. There was no conversation about flavor profiles. Rather, it was time to simply enjoy some good beer. It was great.
I wanted to share a few random thoughts from the past couple weeks:
- Before I headed out of town, I didn't have time to share my thoughts about the North American Organic Brewers Festival. While it's a bit late for a full review, I did want to share my two favorite beers from the festival - especially because I didn't hear much about these beers from other attendees or in the reviews I read about the festival. The two beers were: Widmer Brothers Teaser XPA Extra Pale Ale and McMenamins Ryenoceros Rye IPA. For different reasons, these two surprised me. They were great beers for a hot weekend, and were perfect for the event.
- I don't want my beer served with fruit. I stopped at Bend Brewing while I was out of town, where I was served Black Diamond Dark Lager with a lime. While the bartender told me the lime makes the beer taste better, I wish he would have asked if I wanted the lime. I found it hard to taste much of the beer through the overpowering lime taste and aroma. I'd be curious to know what others think about beers served with fruit.
- My favorite beer I've had in a while is Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA. The beer is awesome. Get some while It's still available.
Now, onward to enjoy some of this great Portland weather and the amazing lineup of local Oregon Craft Beer Month events.
July 10th, 2010 - 13:23
Wow, I’m surprised the brewery itself served the beer with fruit. Bummer. I’ve had a couple Upright Four’s served to me in Portland with a slice of lemon or orange without being asked if I wanted it.
I think some non-beer-geeky bars that are used to serving widmer hef, or blue moon with fruit just see a somewhat similar styled beer in their rotation and assume it’s appropriate.
The added fruit might make a beer more palatable for those that don’t really like beer that much, but unless the beer was made with fruit (and even then, sometimes) I don’t want it in mine.
July 12th, 2010 - 15:45
Yep, fruit should be a choice, even for something like Widmer Hef where they encourage it. Kinda like asking if you want salt on your margarita glass.
Plus, did he squeeze the lime into your glass with his fingers? That’s a little too much intimacy for me.
July 12th, 2010 - 18:04
Luckily no, the bartender did not squeeze the lime into my beer. He served it on the rim of the glass. In any case, I didn’t want it. Bill, you’re right, it is like asking if you want salt on your margarita glass – not everyone wants it served that way.