Brewer Ben Edmunds talks about Gose and Breakside Brewery’s first beer
It's not everyday that a new brewery decides to brew a Gose style beer for its first offering. But that's exactly what Ben Edmunds, brewer at Breakside Brewery, decided to do. As Portlanders wait patiently for one of the city's newest breweries to start pouring its own beers on-site, some lucky people were able to try Breakside's first official beer last week at the Hop and Vine's second anniversary party. The delicate yet crisp brew, not to mention the fact that it was served in wine glasses, was a perfect compliment to the celebration.
I caught up with Ben Edmunds after the event to discuss the beer, the style, and the timeline when we might expect to see more from Breakside. Here's that conversation:
Tell us about Gose and your experience with the style
Our gose is/was a traditional stab at this resuscitated style. The style was nearly unknown until a few years ago in the US; most Germans don't even know it exists! This was the first gose I had ever brewed. Gose is a specialty from eastern Germany. It is a tart (not overly sour) wheat beer made with coriander and some level of salt addition. Originally from Goslar, where the water had a naturally high salt content, the beer is more closely associated with Leipzig now. In the 1920s, there were hundreds of 'gose houses' in Leipzig, a university town where the beer was peddled as a sexual stimulant. You can imagine the student reaction. The style nearly died out during the Cold War, when wheat was appropriated for food use in the Soviet Bloc, and it's only now making it to the US. The first American gose I tasted was at the Herkimer Brewery in Minneapolis, where they specialize in traditional German styles. Theirs was very heavy on the palate, but it was well balanced with only a touch of sourness. Since then, I've had a few German examples as well as all of the goses we've seen from Upright, Cascade, and now Widmer. Alex's version from Upright is the one that inspired me most; it had a phenomenal balance and dryness, and the tartness was just right. When it came time to try the style, I used a different yeast strain, so the beer's profile is quite different.
A Trip to Sisters, and Three Creeks Brewery
View from the road, driving through Sisters
If you haven't been to Sisters, OR, you're missing out. We rented a house just outside of town for Memorial Day Weekend this year, where views from our deck afforded us some of the best mountain views I've seen in Oregon. When we weren't exploring the surrounding parks and trails, we spent most of our weekend relaxing and enjoying the view. We didn't want to do much else. There was one exception, however.
Sisters is home to Three Creeks Brewery. The Brewery is located just southeast of downtown in what looks to be a rehabbed old barn. The build-out is beautiful. Separated into two parts: a restaurant and a bar, we grabbed a table in the bar on Saturday afternoon and ordered a taster tray.
Double Mountain Bon Idee Release
As Angelo from Brewpublic points out in his post about Double Mountain's Bon Idee, there has been a lot going on lately in Beervana. After attending the Goose Island release event last Thursday, some of us headed over to Saraveza for the Double Mountain Bon Idee release party.
I had intended to share my thoughts about Double Mountain's latest effort, and its entry into this year's Cheers to Belgian Beers festival, before the actual festival. In some ways I'm glad I wasn't able to get my thoughts posted until now.
On Thursday, I enjoyed Bon Idee. As a farily hoppy beer described by the brewery as an Oregon Farmhouse Ale, it was a predictable brew given Double Mountain's heavy hand when it comes to hops. And while the limited quantity and blend of Bon Idee Avec Kriek suggested an enhanced version of the beer, I prefered the Bon Idee without the addition of Double Mountain's Kriek. At the release, the beers were complimented by house made boudin blanc sausages prepared by Spence Lack of Saraveza. And in leaving Saraveza on Thursday night, I thought Double Montain would be a strong contender in Saturday's Cheers to Belgian Beers competition.
Cheers to Belgian Beers 2010 Recap
This year's Cheers to Belgian Beers festival was my first. And of all the beer events and festivals I've attended, Saturday's event has definitely earned a spot as one of my favorites.
I like the idea behind Cheers to Belgian Beers: it's a brewing competition where all the beers share a common yeast strain. This year, brewers were tasked with using Wyeast 3726-Farmhouse yeast. Having never attended the fest, I was impressed with the spectrum and diversity of choices among the 30+ beers brewed for the event. The choices showcased a variety of ingredients from grapefruit peel to peppercorns, and styles from farmhouse table beer to Belgian dark strong ale. There was something for everyone. Evidence of this could be found in just about every conversation going on at the fest, and is reflected in the varying written opinions from Bill, Jeff, Angelo, Derek & Dr. Wort.
While many beer festivals quickly become chaotic and uncomfortable, Hopworks, the host for this year's event, offered an experience that was was refreshingly easy. We were met with a line of about 20 people when we arrived around 3:00pm, but the volunteers were organized and friendly. The line moved quickly and, with our pockets full of tickets and tasting glasses in hand, we reviewed our options. We barely took one step towards the beer tent when we came across a group of friends who were eager to share opinions of what they'd already tasted. This, and the fact that it was conveniently located at the beginning of the alphabetical lineup, prompted me to choose Block 15 La Ferme' de Demons as my first choice.
Goose Island’s Greg Hall introduces Matilda, Sofie, and Pere Jaques to Portland
Goose Island Brewmaster Greg Hall talks about Matilda, Sofie, and Pere Jaques
When I first came across a Goose Island beer in Portland, I was surprised for two reasons. First, I didn't expect to see beer from my hometown 2,200 miles away in Oregon. And second, from Goose Island's pretty extensive line of beers, there was one lone offering available: Bourbon County Stout.
In the months after we moved from Chicago to Portland, I did see Goose Island's Christmas Ale on the shelves at some stores and thought Goose Island may be making a push into the market. But Christmas came and went, and Goose Island's Christmas Ale went with it. Until recently, the only news I heard about Goose Island came from friends still living in Chicago.
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.
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.
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:
Upright Brewing is (only) a Year Old
Alex Ganum, Owner & Brewer at Upright, talks about the Apricot Anniversary Ale
Last night, I had the opportunity to join a great group of beer writers, bloggers, and enthusiasts at Upright Brewing for a tour and a preview of what's to come at the brewery's one-year anniversary party on April 9th. In thinking about the two specialty beers that will be available at the party, an Apricot Anniversary Ale and the highly anticipated Four Play, and the rest of the Upright lineup, it's hard to believe that Upright Brewing is only a year old.
I really enjoyed the Apricot Anniversary Ale; it's tart, dry, and refreshing. Like some others in attendance, I found Four Play to be better now than when it was on tap in February at Saraveza. On Friday, April 9th from 4:30-9:00 pm, the Apricot Anniversary Beer and Four Play will be on tap; Four Play will also be available in bottles for $12/bottle.
