The North American Organic Brewers Festival is this weekend, beginning tomorrow at 3pm. I had a great time last year, but I generally go to these events early and leave early. This is one of my favorites.
I’m surprised that they picked this weekend since at least one of the organizers is [...]

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At the HUB grand opening. Sounds like it’s going to be hopping. While their beers have been pouring at better local pubs for awhile now, they haven’t had a place to sit down and enjoy the full spectrum of their goodness.
The brewpub and restaurant sounds like a monsterous undertaking. It’s [...]

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After leaving the Mendenhall Glacier, we drove immediately to a beerdrinker’s mecca, the Alaskan Brewing Company, home of the delicious Alaskan Amber and a number of other tasty beers. I was surprised that the Alaskan brewery had no brewpub. From the sound of conversations (though nothing explicit or even really implied), they’ve chosen [...]

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Off to the winter beerfest. Personally, I find it too crowded and the beer too strong to stay long, so I try to get in early before it’s completely packed. But gotta get a few tastes in.

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Alaskan Amber is an easy-drinking amber that tastes good. Light on hops, and full of sweet malt without being sticky or thin, this gorgeous amber-hued nectar is a pleasure. The head pours thin but full and dissipates quickly, but the body remains consistent.
I wouldn’t call Alaskan Amber spectacular, it isn’t riddled with layers [...]

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Blonde and a bit cloudy, with a resilient head, Delirium tremens is a very tasty Belgian. It drinks smooth and crisp. Well, it’s smooth, trails slightly yeasty but not in an offensive way, and I like it. Other than that I’ve been totally distracted during this so that’s all I’ve got. [...]

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The Alameda Brewhouse has released their ales in bottles to ease general consumption. Which is really nice because that way I don’t have to actually go to their brewhouse to enjoy their tasty beers.

The brewhouse is a family-friendly joint on NE Fremont in Portland. Sometimes a bit too family-friendly for my taste, a [...]

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Something’s wrong with NE Broadway. There are a lot of cool little businesses along there. I love the Rose and Thistle. But for the most part, they are underperforming. Almost every stop along NE Broadway is a bit too…bland. I gave this some thought awhile ago, and my conclusion then [...]

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Fredbeer. That’s how I’ve always known this classic Portland microbrew. You could easily swap classic for potent because holy crap this baby’s got bite…it’s tempting to order Fred on the rocks.

The aroma is rich and amazing, scented smoothly of light malts. Fred pours a rich, beautiful head that lasts and lasts. [...]

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St. Peter’s English Ale comes in a sweet old-style medicine bottle. This organic ale from England opens with a nicely rounded bitterness and has an interesing fruity finish. It drinks clean, not syrupy at all, and has a nice light carbonation with the medium body. This beer is less sweet than typical [...]

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Lazy Boy…just jumped out at me tonite as I picked up some veggies to make a lentil curry. “Locally Brewed,” they claimed. Where the heck is local because I’ve never heard of you. Everett, WA. I guess it’s kind of local. But what about those guys getting their Vermont bottle [...]

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For weeks I’ve been anxiously watching a space on Alberta at about 10th. They were working hard to convert a pretty dismal spot into what would clearly become a bar. It looked like they were pouring some serious heart and soul into their work.
A buddy of mine was at Binks having a pint [...]

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Beautiful Frank Freakin’ Zappa. You’d wish anyway, staring at that mug on the bottle, trying to figure out what the heck you’re going to get when you open it. Well, you don’t have to step too far onto a limb…those Petaluma brewers are pretty consistent at putting something together that’s in your face, [...]

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A great man has passed. I raise a toast to the memory of Michael Jackson, beer connoisseur.

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Okay, this is going to sound like heresy, but I did not attend the beerfest this weekend. At some point I made a hasty promise to the lady that we could hit Ikea on Friday in the afternoon. And I made good, got out of work early, and we cruised over to the [...]

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plagerized from an email Nader sent me:
This Friday & Saturday (June 8th & 9th) Roots Organic Brewing presents the 2007 North American Organic Brewers Festival, at Overlook Park on N. Interstate and Fremont.
Similar to many other pdx beer fests, admission is free and tasting cups are just $5 (you can get $1 off if you [...]

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Go Full Sail. A yummy lager with multiple layers of flavor but not trying to mimic anything German or Czech I’ve ever had. Golden, light, bubbly, slighty sweet. Delightful but not challenging. It get on the tongue and jumps right off. This one will also work for your friends who [...]

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This cloudy beer is a treat for a broken wrist. Easily opened using my wall-mounted bottle opener, I managed to pour it gently down the side of the glass, extracting only a slightamount of head. Which is fine because I can’t (or won’t) shave and less head keeps the foam out of my [...]

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The label tells us to “Go big or go home,” but at 9.1% ABV, this certified organic 22ozer out of Chico, CA is more likely to send you home. Big certainly describes this Imperial IPA well. Big and potent. And pretty enjoyable. If you like your beers strong, and you’re fond [...]

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Score today!  N prepped up some provencal braised cod (ala Test Kitchen cookbook) and potato-leek gratin (from The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, my current favorite cooking tome), and I spoiled myself with a 22oz bottle of Rogue’s Morimoto Soba Ale, “A perfect accompaniment to lighter cuisine.”
It’s meals like that that just make you stop and think [...]

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