west coast

New Beer Blog Breakside Brewery Beer Flight

When in Portland, the next stop on the beer tour was Breakside Brewery. Breakside Brewery has very little to no history on the internet. Here is a little something from the website called www.beerpal.com.

Breakside Brewery is the invention of Scott Lawrence and Tony Petraglia. Some
mutual friends introduced the two after learning they both had a desire to leave
their corporate jobs in order to pursue their dream of opening a brew pub. They
jumped in head first and committed their minimal financial resources and made it
happen.

We brew many of our beers in house on our 3 barrel brewery.
These beers range from classic styles to experimental concoctions. In addition
to our house beers, we offer a rotating selection of guest beers.

It is a young brewery that make some interesting beer but yet keeping the non craft beer drinker interested. Let us get into the brews. There is a photo I took of their beer flight.

This will go to right to left. First up is Kolsch, Wit, Dry Stout, Aztec Woodlawn IPA, IPA, and Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA.

Kolsch

It has a clear yellow color without a head on the beer. The beer has a shunky smell to it. The taste is a sweet carbonation slight fruity notes with a nice crisp finish. It is an extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

Our new director of brewing operations Jacob Leonard has designed his first Breakside beer! We’ve made a number of kolsch-esque beers over the last few years, but they’ve all had something non-traditional about them. With this beer, Jacob takes us to the heart of true Cologne beer with an elegant and restrained interpretation, using German pils and wheat malts, and Hallertauer and Tettnanger hops.

5.1% ABV 16 IBU

Wit

This wit has a cloudy white color without a head on it. It has a heavy yeast to lemon smell with other spices that I cannot figure out. The taste is a heavy lemon to a little wheat taste with a nice lemon aftertaste. It is very drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

Our summer seasonal is back for a six month run in our lineup! This beer is brewed in the style of the great wheat beers of Belgium. Spiced with orange peel, coriander, and chamomile, it is refreshing, slightly tart, and easy drinking.

4.4% ABV 16 IBU

Dry Stout

It is black in color without a head on it. It has a roasted coffee smell to the beer. There is a heavy chocolate notes in the taste with a slight coffee aftertaste.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

An Irish-style stout brewed in the tradition of Guinness. Dark in flavor but light in alcohol, this is a roasty and chocolaty beer that won’t make you feel stuffed. SILVER MEDAL, 2011 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL; BRONZE MEDAL, 2012 WORLD BEER CUP

4.2% ABV 36 IBU

Aztec Woodlawn IPA

It has cloudy dark copper color without a head on the beer. It has a burn citrus smell to the beer. The taste is sweet carbonation hoppy and way too many spicy to it. It is not drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

A new addition to our full-time lineup, this second IPA showcases four pungent American hops that we don’t use in our regular IPA: Newport, Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook. It is slightly darker, more full bodied and less bitter than our flagship beer, and at under 6% ABV, it’s a hoppy beer that you can drink all day long.

5.4% ABV 49 IBU

IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer. It has a citrus to earthy smell to the beer. It has a nice citrus to piney taste with a nice dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

Our take on the classic India Pale Ale style–the favorite craft beer of the Northwest. This amber colored brew is loaded with four different types of hops during the brew day and then gets dry hopped after fermentation is complete. Our IPA has a huge citrus and pine character with a strong, but refined bitterness.

6.9% ABV 65 IBU

Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer. It has a nice copper color without a head on the beer. This beer has a nice citrus taste to it with nice dry aftertaste to it. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.breaksidebrews.com):

The final of our fresh hop beers is a true hop explosion: it’s a wheat-based double IPA using one of our favorite aroma hops. The tropical fruit notes in this beer are wildly intoxicating.

8.4% ABV ? IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.breaksidebrews.com

Twitter: @breaksidebrews

In closing, here is another brewery that I wish I had a little bit more time to enjoy their beers. There are not too many Kolsch I like in the market but this one from this brewery found a way to make a good one. I do not know what it is but American Craft Breweries find ways to mess up classic German beer styles. I am not a huge fan of wheat beers, which I had a chance to talk to the brewmaster about it. I can see people liking this beer. Their Dry Stout was pretty good. This is a beer I could find myself drinking it all day. Hello Mass produced Dry Stouts take notes on this one because this is what your stout is supposed to taste like. Good job on this beer! Aztec Woodlawn IPA, I was not fan of it. I am not a fan of chili powder or peppers in the beer. I hate the burning down the throat but this is the new thing in the craft beer world. There are people are looking for this beer just because I do not like this beer does not mean you will not like it. Please go try it and let me know what you think about this beer. There normal IPA was pretty good. I really enjoyed it. Fresh Hop Citra Double IPAis a really good beer. I wish I had more time to try some of the fresh hop beers.

Here is the beers I love to unlike:

Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA
IPA
Dry Stout
Kolsch
Wit
Aztec Woodlawn IPA

This is my thought pattern and it is the golden word in craft beer world. I am just an idiot with a ton of thoughts in the world. However, this is a really good brewery, when you are in the Portland, you need to stop in and check this brewpub out. I will be back at Breakside Brewery in Portland. Put a bird on it and go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Cascade Brewing

When in Portland, Brewvana took us on a little brewpub tour around Portland, Oregon. Our first stop was Cascade Brewing. I was pretty excited to stop here because this brewery is known for their sour beers. In my recent years, I have become a huge sour beer fan. Here is a little history of the brewery. Cascade Brewing was founded in 1998 by Art Larrance, who started in beer industry in 1986 with the Bridgeport Brewery. Cascade Brewing brews several different beer styles but they are known for their sour beers. They have two brewpubs around the Portland city limits. They are being sold in a few states from the West and East Coast. There are no states in the middle of the United States where their beer is sold. They have won some awards at the Great American Beer Festival.

Here are a few photos from their back room where they storage the beer in oak barrels:

Here are the beers I had a chance to try while I was there:

It has a cloudy light copper color without a head on the beer. It has a berry smell to the beer. It is a heavy sour taste to the beer. Sour beers are not drinkable. The drinker will have one and have to move on unless they are slipping on them through out the night.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com):

Noyaux 8.94% ABV

This NW style sour ale features blonds and triples that were aged on oak between 18 and 24 months, then additionally aged for 12 months on raspberries and apricot noyaux. Sweet raspberry fruit, rose petals, almond and vanillin are noticed up front. Tart raspberries, oak and a soft almond note on the tongue lead to a finish of rich, tart raspberries with lingering hints of almond and maraschino cherries.

This beer came straight from the fernating tank. It has went through the packaging process. This is their Blueberry Sour beer. I cannot remember if he had a name on it. I do not have it on their beer list. It has a nice blue with a violent color head. It has a slight blueberry smell with a little sour to the beer. It is same as the taste to the beer. It is pretty drinkable.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cascadebrewing.com

Twitter: @cascadebrewing

Closing, this was a great experience to get by this brewpub. I know the next time I am around Portland. I will make another visit to Cascade Brewing. I just wished I would have picked up a few bottles but I did not know if I could have got them on the train the next day to Seattle, Washington. I will be checking on some online shops or just make a trip there. Both of these beers are slipping beers not drinking beers. Not many beer drinkers get this process of drinking sour beers. They are meant to be sipped over time. They were both very enjoyable and I wish I had time to try their other sours. My favorite from the two I had there was their Blueberry. Good pick Ben and Brewvana! Go get some or put a bird on it! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Widmer Fresh Hop Columbia Common

When in Portland, this is the second beer I had at the Widmer Brothers Brewpub. It is their Fresh Hop Columbia Common. If you read my earlier blog, you know a little something about this brewery. If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that blog post. Let us get into the brew.

It has a nice copper color with a semi white head on this fresh hop ale. There is really no smell to the beer but picking up a little citrus smell. The taste has a sweet malty but yet has a citrus carbonation to the taste. It has a nice pale ale aftertaste, which is dry hoppy finish. It is extremely drinkable.

Website: www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter: @widmer_brothers

Closing out, the meaning of fresh hop is when they start the brewing process. There are fresh hops picked from the farm and then pour into the brew kettle. There is not many breweries that have ability to do this process unless they are by a few hop farms. Portland Breweries have this option and you see many fresh hop brews around the city. Even the little brew pubs get into the action of making their own fresh hop brew. We do not get many that make it out east because they are made in such a small batch. There are times that the breweries do not make enough and they want to take care of their home market, which I totally understand. I really enjoyed this one. I believe I had three while I was out in Portland and Seattle. This one was the best and impressed me. I would love to try this same recipe but not fresh hop next to each other to see the difference. I really enjoyed the citrus in the smell and taste. It is drinkable and I could have drank this beer all day. It is only available in their brewpub for a limited time only. Go get some or just put a bird on it! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Widmer Alt

When in Portland at Widmer Brothers Brewpub, after our brewery tour, which I did really enjoyed the depth of details, we were able to get some lunch and a few brews. If you read my earlier blog on their Raspberry Imperial Russian Stout, you are pretty know this brewery. If you have not read that beer post, please, read the first of that beer post. Let us get into this great brew.

I had this beer at their brewpub. It has a nice amber color with semi white head on the beer. It has a sweet malty smell to this alt. The taste is a nice sweet carbonation malty with a dry finish to it. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter: @widmer_brothers

In closing, I am a huge fan of Alt ales. I believe there are some really good Alts out there and there are some really bad Alts. There is no middle of the road on this beer style for craft brewery. Either the brewery can make a really good one or just do not make it all. I hate to be so harsh on Brewmasters. This is a science and an art form. I know for a fact that Einstein would not put some of his thoughts on paper unless they were really good. It would go with Vincent Van Gogh making his master pieces. This beer is done very good and it is everything I look for in this beer style. I would put this beer in my line up but it is only available in draft and at their brewpub. If you are out in Portland, check out the Widmer Brothers’ brewpub for this beer and some great food. Put a bird on it and go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Deschutes Inversion IPA

When in Portland, Deschutes Brewing is the brewery that will be featured in this blog post and the beer is called Invasion IPA. I had this beer at that Irish Bar down the street from Hotel 50. Deschutes Brewing was founded in 1988 in Bend, Oregon. This brewery is the fifth largest craft brewery and the eleventh largest overall brewery in the United States. They brew several different beer styles. Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a copper color without a head on it. It has a citrus smell to the beer. It has a nice citrus taste with a nice dry hop aftertaste to the beer. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.deschutesbrewery.com):

Alc. 6.8% | IBUs 80

228 Calories, 12 oz serving

Paradise is stumbling upon our whole flower hop room and inhaling. Inversion IPA is as close as you can get without knowing somebody.Enter, if you will, all the glorious aromatic complexity of the hop. This big, bold IPA’s intense multi-hop kick gets a subtle dose of restraint from select Crystal and Carastan malts. For discriminating hop heads.Malt: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Caramel Hops: Millennium, Horizon, Centennial, Northern Brewer, Cascade, Citra

The Critics Speak

The America’s Best IPA Pale Ale

2011 World Beer Awards

Gold Medal, India Pale Ale

2009 Australian International Beer Awards

Gold Medal (90 Points – India Pale Ale)

2008 World Beer Championships

Silver Medal, India Pale Ale Category

2007 Australian International Beer Awards

Bronze Medal, India Pale Ale Category

2007 West Coast Brew Fest

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.deschutesbrewing.com

Twitter: @deschutesbeer

In the end, this is a very good West Coast India Pale Ale. It is not one of my favorite India Pale Ales but I will put it in the mix once in a while. Once they come to Chicago. This beer is pretty drinkable. It has a nice citrus to hoppy taste witch enough malty backbone to balance it. It has an nice balance for an India Pale Ale. I really did enjoy this beer and you need to try this beer if you can get a chance. Go get some! Put a Bird on it! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Southern Oregon Brewing Pin Up Porter

When in Portland, I was able to take a trip with a few of my coworkers to check out a some breweries in Portland, Oregon. When we landed in Portland on a Thursday night, we headed downstairs to Hotel 50 bar. There was this beer from the Southern Oregon Brewing called their Pin Up Porter. Southern Oregon Brewing was founded by Dr. Tom Hammond in 2006. There is not a ton of information on this young brewery. Let us get into this beer.

It has a black color without a head on the beer. There are some chocolate to coffee notes with a slight burn smell. The taste is about the same as the smell, however, the aftertaste is of a dry chocolate to the beer.

Here is a descriation from Made In Oregon (www.madeinoregon.com):

Southern Oregon’s Pin-Up Porter is dry finishing with chocolate and coffee undertones to go along with a hint of smokiness. 5.5% ALC and 30 IBUs. 22 oz.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sobrewing.com

Twitter: There is no Twitter address.

Closing one tab to start another one, we moved from the hotel bar to some Irish Pub down the street. I loved the smokey to the roasted taste. There is a, chocolate and little coffee notes from the beer. It is pretty drinkable beer and a pretty damn good beer. I just wished I had a little bit more time to enjoy another beer. I guess I will have make another trip out to Portland to enjoy another pint or two. I would recommend this beer to others that loves stouts and porters. Go get some! There was a theme towards the end of the trip. Thanks to Kevin! Put a bird on it! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

In this fall beer blog, the beer that is being feature is Flying Dog Dogtoberfest. If you read my earlier blog on their Cherry Sour Ale, you know a little something about this brewery. If you have not, please, read the first part of that blog post. Let us get into the beer.

This fall beer has a nice clear copper color without a head on it. The smell is a nice malty. The taste is a smooth malty without an aftertaste. This beer is a beer drinker malty delight or dream. It extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.flyingdogales.com):

alcohol by volume: 5.6%

availability: Fall release

hop bittnerness: 30 IBU

Specialty Malts: Light Munich, Munich 90, Munich 100, Vienna

hops: German Perle, Hallertau

yeast: Proprietary lager strain

Brewed with 100% imported German ingredients, it will cut spice while pulling out sweetness. Flavor notes: Full-bodied caramel sweet with a light toasted and crisp, clean finish Pairs with: Mexican and Pepper Jack cheeses; sweet Asian sauces; spiced desserts; German foods

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.flyingdogales.com

Twitter: @flyingdog

Closing out, I really love this beer. There are three breweries that hit home runs on the fall seasonals and they are Flying Dog, Milwaukee Brewing Oktoberfest, and Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. This beer gives you the nice malty from a traditional German style lager. It has a nice balance but not boring like most fall seasonals. I have to say this fall season has been very disappointing and I hoping winter seasonals are not the same way. I hate fall and winter because the motorcycle is up for the winter. The beer normally gets me through that problem. This year fall has been very bad. I am glad to see a few breweries are stepping up to the plate and Flying Dog Dogtoberfest was one of them. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Shiner Oktoberfest

In this fall beer blog, we are going to take a look at another Oktoberfest but this time it is from Shiner Brewery. This little brewery could do anything. This German base brewery has been blogged about in my blogs in the pasted. If you have read my earlier blogs, you know about this brewery. If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that Wild Hare post. Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head on the beer. It has a sweet caramel malty smell to the Oktoberfest. The taste is what you aspect from a German base brewery. It has a heavy malty to a little caramel taste with malty aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Here in Shiner, TX, we’re suckers for tradition. Which is why this classic Oktoberfest brew is made with the highest quality two-row barley, Munich and caramel malts, along with German grown Hallertau Tradition and hersbrucker hops. It’s our way of honoring our ancestors and the beer they loved to celebrated with So raise your stein to tradition and enjoy this utterly classic brew. Prosit!

Here is a description from their website (www.shiner.com):

Style:
This festive Marzen-style seasonal has a deep amber color and slightly toasted flavor. The initial rich malty aroma and sweetness fades to a moderately dry, hoppy finish.

Recipe:
Made with the highest-quality Two-Row Barley, Munich and Caramel malts, along with German-grown Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops.

Back Story:
First introduced to the Shiner family as our 96 Anniversary Brew, this Marzen-style brew has regained popularity among Shiner and Oktoberfest drinkers alike. It’s connection to tradition and celebration makes it a great fit for the Shiner seasonal portfolio.

Goes Well With:
Best when served with meaty dishes like sausage and roasted chicken, fresh, creamy cheeses, pasta with white sauces and seafood.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shiner.com

Twitter: @shinerbeer

In closing, I really enjoyed this beer and this is one of my favorite beers from this brewery. I believe this beer is just above Wild Hare Pale Ale for the top spot from this brewery. I had the chance to visit this brewery a few years ago and had a blasted. This brewery makes some good beers and I hope you had a chance to try some of their beers. This Oktoberfest is close to the classic style. It has a heavy malty taste that will make your malt drinker loving this beer to the end of the season. Plus, this beer just won Gold Medal in this Great American Beer Festival. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Boulevard Brewery and Sierra Nevada Brewery Terra Incognita

While in Washington DC, we are going to take a look at a beer that I received at Savor. The beer is Terra Incognita from Sierra Nevada Brewery and Boulevard Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog from Sierra Nevada beers, you are pretty up to speed on this brewery. If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog. Bouldevard Brewery was founded in 1986 in Kansas City, Missouri by John McDonald. They brew several different beer styles. They are the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States and they become the largest independent American Brewery in Missouri when AB was sold to Inbev. Let us get into the beer.

This is a bottle I received while at the Savor 2012 in Washington DC. It has a pretty dark brown color with a white constant head. This beer has a heavy carbonation to it. The smell is of dark chocolate cherries. It has a very nice smell to it. The taste is a sweet roasted malts with a slight cherry and almond to it. There is a ton going on in this beer. The aftertaste is a sour to the beer. This is a pretty drinkable beer for the high alcohol percentage.

Here is a desecration from the beer bottle:

Situated at opposite ends of the California Trail, pioneering breweries Sierra Nevada and Boulevard have embarked upon a journey into the unknown, to a land where adventures in brewing and flavor await. Terra Incognita is, fittingly, an earthy beer, celebrating the unique terroir of the two locations. Beginning with Sierra Nevada’s estate-grown pale malt, and combined with amber-malt, wheat, and malted wheat, it is then assertively hopped with Bravo and Styrian Goldings, dry-hoppeed with East Kent Goldings and finally barrel aged with Brettanomyces in Missouri oak.

Here is their websites and twitter addresses:

Websites: www.bouldevard.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitters: @bouldevard_beer and @sierranevada

In closing, I have to say I was not really that impressed with this beer. It was drinkable for being a big beer. Since this was part of the package for Savor, I will not be mad or sad if I never drink this beer again. They did a pretty good job on this beer but I just feel this beer is missing something to it. When two breweries brew this beer, it was a big deal in the pasted. I just feel that this adventure has loss its passion and excitement. I normally do not care or get excited over these beers. In most cases, they are overpriced and most cases not worth the money. I am not saying you will like this beer but good luck getting a bottle on Ebay and other places. I do have an extra bottle for sale if you are interested please email me. I hope you can go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Uinta Brewing Detour Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from Uinta Brewing. The beer is called Detour Double IPA, which is part of their Crooked Line. If you read my earlier blog on their Uinta Hyve Ale, you are up to speed on the information on this brewery. If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post. Let us get into the beer.

This Double India Pale Ale is part of their 750ml bottle which is called Crooked Line. It is heavy in carbonation and has a dark amber copper color to the beer with a head. The smell is a citrus to earthy to the beer. The taste of the beer is the same as the smell. It has a nice crisp bitter finish. It is pretty drinkable for a beer with 9.5% ABV.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Detour blazes the trail for fresh and bold Double IPAs. Four varieties of hops combine to step up the flavor profile. A hoppy adventure that finishes dry. Big in character. Venture to pair with other spirited flavors such as those found in spicy ethnic foods.

Here is a description from their website (www.uintabrewing.com):

NotesDetour blazes the trail for fresh and bold Double IPAs. Four varieties of hops combine to step up the flavor profile. A hoppy adventure that finishes dry. Big in alcohol and character. Venture to pair with other spirited flavors such as those found in spicy ethnic foods.

Art

Label art by local Utah artist Leia Bell.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter: @uintabrewing

In the end, this is one of my favorite beers from this brewery asides their Hop Notch India Pale Ale, which there is a beer post on this blog. I love the drinkablity of this beer. It has a nice hoppy taste but yet balance from the great malty backbone. It is extremely drinkable and dangerous because it is 9.5% ABV. This beer has affordable price at your local liquor store which makes it a value to us craft beer drinkers. This is a great beer and I highly recommend it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

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The Critics Speak

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