Category: Other Beers

The Oregon Brewers Festival approaches quickly, and it will most likely be an amazing event. But just in case you don’t want to deal with the crowds, local beer patron saint Don Younger is having his own miniature Brewers Festival at his three pubs – Horse Brass, New Old Lompoc, and the Hedgehouse.

If you’re up for some fun in the North Park Blocks on July 9,10,11th, consider stopping by for the Portland International Beer Festival. It looks like a chance to try some unique beers, and its for a good cause. If you’re looking for someone to go with, let me know.

Another home brewer that I occasionally work with promised me a sample of his wares after helping him with some online courses. There was some delay, partly due to schedule conflicts, but he did deliver. The first of the 6 beers was a thai chilli porter, which he warned wasn’t very spicy.

I tried this one out last night, and it was very good. Credit to both his brewing and creativity – it was a very good porter in its own right – nutty, malty, and satisfying. The chilli wasn’t too evident or upfront, but ws more apparent in the finish and aftertaste. It was a very complimentary flavoring, and had the added affect of suggesting to your palette that you desired more.

Thanks Jamie!

From RealBeer.com:

Drinkers of beers including Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors Light consumed an average 5.7 beers in the past month, while consumers of regular beer drank five beers, Mintel reported.

Why do they drink more? My personal feeling is that light beer is completely unsatisfying (for starters). Light beer drinkers need to drink more to attain contentment. With less flavor, body and alcohol, you’re paying the same for less product and satisfaction.

I suppose you could argue that because the beer is “light”, you can justify drinking more of it. But by the time you’ve reached that point, you’ve consumed nearly the same number of calories.

Being a fan of ales, the calorie content isn’t the concern. Beer is part of a meal, and should be treated as such. Hell, Monks drank it instead of food during lent. (Nothing beats using Hell, Monks, and Lent in the same sentance)

So, to all the light beer drinkers out there, there’s nothing wrong with beer. Give it some consideration, drink it in moderation, a stop supporting these idiotic companies.

Hey Joe, If you’re up to it, try and pick up some Liquor de Malt before you come back west. We’ll make it worth your while. (wink, wink)

Congratulations are in order for Chris Ettinger of Laurelwood Public House & Brewery for his astounding victories (5 medals!) at this years World Beer Cup. Its good to see such an excellent brewer get the recognition he deserves. And that double deranger – wow!

I missed Stone Brewing’s Press Release about their new Low-Carb beer. What a hilarious April Fool’s joke! Cheers to Stone, and take that all you carb zealots.

There’s a story over at CNN on the long term affects of heavy drinking. It appears that heavy social drinking has the same neurological effects as clinical alcoholism.

There is a saying among some beer drinkers – 60 beers per month is still healthy. If that is true, its something to max out at. I think I’m still well within healthy range, but I’ll keep better track now. I don’t want brain damange.

I’ve already missed most of Reelbeer.com’s Battle of the Beers, but i was able to vote for Rogue’s Brutal Bitter today, pitting a classic Rogue ale against Grant’s upstart financial savoir Mandarin Hefe.

If you’ve got time, cast a vote to your fave, and maybe have one too. I wish I’d remembered the contest. I always seem to pick the loosers.

Now that all archived entries have dropped of the front page, I’d better post something. Like news that Redhook is hurting, and a change in distribution agreements with AB could seriously damage the company.

I’m hard on Redhook quite often, but that’s partly because I used to love their beers, their culture, and their advertising. Now I’m not so fond of their beer, their bedding with AB, or their advertising. But I really don’t want to see them go. I’d rather they just made fantastic beers again.