Hefeweizen by Tailgate Beer

Tailgate Beer, Hefeweizen: Style: American Wheat Ale, ABV 5.0%, 12oz Can

This is the first beer that I discussed that comes from a can and it is worth being the first. Normally I like to stick to beers brewed in the NW but at $4.99 a six pack I had to try this Wisconsin brew. When I poured my first beer I didn't even think snapping a picture or taking to the to smell it, I just didn't have hope for a can beer that cost less than a dollar each. In fact I didn't even waste time in cutting up a lemon. Then I took my first drink and realized that this beer was really good. In fact I liked it so much that I went back the next day and bought a case.

 

This beer goes down smooth with a mellow citrus flavor and a light mouthfeel. It's color orange and slightly darker than I'm use to but it has a nice haze with no settlement. The head is white and foamy but doesn't have long retention. Overall I think this is a perfect beer for tailgating, camping, or just hanging in the back yard.

 

   



W Series.....Russian Style

KGB Russian Imperial Stout, Widmer: Stout style, 9.3%ABV 12oz bottle

So it's the end of a warm summer day and why does that mean I have to stick to light color beers?
Honestly I usually do try and enjoy lighter beers during the summer months but, a really good friend of mine donated a four pack to us at TasteThisBeer (and by us I mean me) and I figured why wait till the fall. So I'm sitting myself down in the cool shade behind my house to try and imagine this being the end of a cool Fall day instead.

This beer pours out looking dark and intimidating with a thick tan foamy head. The head slowly dissolves leaving a nice thin layer with plenty of lacing on the glass. The aroma is that of oatmeal and dark chocolate with, because of the high ABV, the obvious alcohol smell. This is a full body beer with good balance and hops to prevent it from being overly sweet. You can taste the roasted malts against the mocha back drop which then ends with a grassy hop aftertaste. The sweet rich malty flavor actually lingers on your lips which assist in the over all pleasure of this beer.

This is a perfect Fall or Winter after dinner dessert beer that would be perfect with a piece of dark chocolate or slice of double chocolate cake. But if you're like me and insist on drinking beers outside their rightful seasons, try this beer with a roasted chocolate marshmallow.    

Oakshire Brewing - small batch brewing at its finest

Oakshire Brewing small company based in Eugene, OR

As before mentioned in my past posts I started going to beer tastings at Hagen's in Oregon City, this past Thursday had me tasting Oakshire Brewing Company beers. Now I've seen Oakshire beers on the shelves of my local beer sellers but I never actually brought one home so this tasting was especially nice as I would be tasting all new beers. Unfortunately their representative had to back out at the last moment and instead sent a distributor rep in his place. This leads me to not having as much information as I wanted about the brewery but lucky for us they have an excellent website. So from Oakbrew.com we are able to learn that Oakshire only brews in 15-barrel batches and that they are in he business out of love for beer and not money. It also mentions that they are dedicated to producing fine quality beers of different styles. Hmmm, maybe that's what led me to buying 2 beers to write about instead of just one.

 

Line Dry Rye, Oakshire Brewing: Rye Pale Ale style, 5.3% ABV, 22oz bottle

 

 

 When I tasted this beer at the tasting I thought, this doesn't taste like other Rye Beers, this is good. When I took this beer home the first thing I noticed was that the head was more substantial than I had remembered. A nice white head that slowly faded away. The nose was that of malt and citrus but did not have the rye smell that I would expect from a rye beer. The color was a clear gold, slightly darker than a typical American pale ale. The first mouthful is a pleasant treat, it is sweet with hints of citrus and blackberry honey, crisp and clean, and has just the slightest taste of rye. This is a wonderful summer beer and has made my list of beers to drink on a hot day.

Overcast Espresso Stout, Oakshire Brewing: American Stout, 5.8% ABV, 22oz

Ok, I know what you might be thinking about stouts in the summer. Trust me this isn't a thick heavy stout, more like a nice smooth porter. Also I live in the Pacific Northwest and there is always a few days in early summer that call for a nice dark beer. When you pour this beer into your glass you might think, sure is dark and boy is it Heady but, once the head settles down to a lacing of tan foam you'll see it's not over bearing. Take some time to go ahead and really get your nose up close to take in the wonderful strong smell of coffee, chocolate, and malts. As I mentioned already this beer is smooth and lighter than other stouts. Also being an American style stout brewed in Oregon you can bet that it also will have slightly more hops than other stouts on the market, and you'd be right. Along with the very strong dark chocolate and coffee flavors you'll be treated to a bitter back drop that almost seems to keep the mouth feel dryer than other malty beers. Although I wouldn't take this beer on a hike, I would suggest that it would work perfect when the day cools to night sitting in front of a camp fire roasting up smores.   

 

Organic IPA the way it should be done

Fish Brewing Co., Fish Tale Organic IPA: 6.7% ABV 

A friend of mine was asking about IPA's and if I had tried any recently, I haven't. That had me thinking and therefore had me rushing to the store to fix that. I decided to pass the usual suspects and reach for something different, an Organic. That's right, I tend to stray away from Organic beers because of fear that they may have concentrated more on the ingredients and less on the finish product. 

 

The beer was a nice rich amber color with a nice lacy full white head. The amber color already had me thinking that this beer was already different from what I expected. The aroma was of caramel with hints of citrus notes in the back ground. I took my first drink not expecting much but was very pleased with it's malty rich flavor and grassy bitterness of fresh hops. Although not as hoppy as most IPAs in the market place, I found that this beer was well balanced with little to no after taste. It's mouthfeel was smooth and slightly oily allowing the hops to really sit on the tongue.

 

I decided to have this IPA with carne-asada and some home made black/black eyed beans. The crisp bite of the hops and smooth sweetness of the malts complimented the spicy food perfectly.

 

In short I would taste this beer again and again. 

Full Sail Brewing, 25th Anniversary Brews

Full Sail Brewing: perfection and only 25 years old 

Yesterday was one of those cold wet spring days that makes you think, "why did I move to Oregon from sunny Los Angeles" but, then you get invited to a beer tasting at your local store and realize there's more to live than a little sun. When I say beer tasting at your local store you might be thinking, "oh, some small table set up in the beer isle with someone pouring 1oz tasters", but you'd be wrong. We're talking about a "taste sitting" at Haggen's in Oregon City where they do tastings once a month. I'm talking about sitting down with 40 or so other people, food provided to cleanse your pallet, someone from the brewery discussing the beers and the brewery in depth, and of coarse beers being poured into real glasses to drink (has to be more than an ounce to really get a taste). And yesterday it was Full Sail Brewing and I was excited to see that we'd be tasting some of their Anniversary edition brews.

 

The Beer Line-Up was the following: Brewmaster Reserve Pale Dopplebock, Brewer's Share Series Phil's Existential Alt, Pub Series ESB, LTD Lager Series Vienna, Session black and red, and to finish the selection their Bourbon Barrel Stout with dark chocolate to eat with it.All of the beers were excellent and trust me at the end of the night I was torn on which one to buy to bring home and write about. I decided on the one that was really surprising to me, I chose the Pale Dopplebock.

 

Full Sail Brewing Company, Pale Dopplebock: 9% ABV, 1pt 6oz

I was expecting a thick rich malty beer that would sit heavy on the pallet and in the belly, I was in for a surprise. The Pale Dopplebock has a much lighter and smooth mouthfeel than ordinary Dopplebocks. The flavor profile is still however very much sweet and malty with some hints of spice and grassy hops. The finish is more like an IPA than a traditional Dopplebock, meaning instead of a sweet long lasting malt aftertaste you can taste the lingering bitters from the hops. This all makes for a faster drinking beer that may just be perfect for a late spring bar-b-q.

 

I would definitely suggest that you Taste This Beer! And if you are in the area stop by Haggen's in Oregon City.

Klamath Basin Vanilla Porter

Klamath Basin Brewing Co., Vanilla Porter, 6.7% ABV

It was an unusually cold spring day when I decided to do two things; First was to start a fire and warm up the house, Second was equally important and that was to warm my insides. So after the fire was well on it way to providing heat I cracked open Klamath Basin Brewing Company's Vanilla Porter. Normally I reserve Porters and Stouts for the fall and winter but it just seemed right to welcome a cold day with a dark warm rich beer.

The head on the porter was thick and had good retention. The smell was sweet with hints of vanilla and malts. I took my first drink not knowing what to expect, so many "Vanilla Porters" fall short by using only small amounts extract but, Klamath Basin Brewing  advertises that they actually use the vanilla bean. It was smooth, not really creamy, with a medium body and lingering taste. It's taste is that of chocolate, coffee, with vanilla and some very slight hint of smoke. The vanilla was subtle and not overpowering, my guess is that's because they used the bean and not extract.

I'd match this beer with a good medium spicy Chile or roast beef dinner. It's not a beer you'd  want to drink too fast so I'd stick to comfort foods that don't require something light to cleanse the pallet. This beer acts better as a compliment to rich flavors rather than a contrast to them. Better yet, sit down in front of a fire with a bit of chocolate and a glass of Klamath Falls Vanilla Porter for a real treat for dessert.

Lost Coast Brewery, Indica IPA

Lost Coast Brewery, Indica: American IPA (India Pale Ale) Style, 6.5% ABV

After spending Cinco De Mayo weekend drinking Corona's and Margaritas I decided I needed something with a kick. I'm not saying I don't enjoy a good Vienna Style Beer with some lime and salt, I just needed a beer that didn't just flow down my gullet like a glass of water. I needed a brew that would kick my taste buds on the way down. I needed Hops and Malts, I needed something crafted not mass produced. In other words it was time for an American IPA.

Since the Lost Coast Indica IPA was one of the few beers left in my fridge and since it was the only one I haven't yet reviewed, it was the perfect choice. When I poured it into my glass I noticed its' large white foamy head that left a nice lace along my glass. The dark amber color contrasted by the thick foam had me in delight that this beer was going to be a good change and one that I will drink slower than the coronas I had been pounding down. As the foam settled I was treated to Indica's nice malty aroma. I also noticed hints of citrus and spice with each inhale. No need to add a slice of lemon or lime in that glass. Taking my first drink I was pleased by the caramel malts balanced by the citrus and floral flavors of the hops. It was bitter but not over powering, it is a very well balanced beer. Swallowing my next drink I was pleased with how smooth and creamy this IPA felt in my mouth. The aftertaste was not as bitter or hoppy as other IPAs but did have enough there to enjoy without over taking the sweet malts it proceeded. Over all this is a very good American Style IPA.

I paired my glass with a creamy chicken and pasta dish I made by using Campell's Cheese Soup. (A similar recipe can be found here)  The smooth creamy mouthfeel complimented the cheese well the biter hoppiness helped cleanse my taste buds for more cheesy chicken and pasta. Great combo.

Rogue Farms GYO Beers

Rogue Farms Growing by the Glass

Rogue Farms are now producing every ingredient of their new GYO line of beers. I had the chance tonight to attend a free beer tasting and to hear more about them. It's amazing that a brewery set off to control their entire production from ground to glass as they call it. They not only grow the malt, rye, and hops but, also the spices and teas they add to their beers as well. Their mead is now made from the honey that their own bees produce. I am impressed.

The first beer we tasted tonight was Single Malt Ale. This was an excellent well balance beer for easy drinking. It was lightly floral with just a very slight hint of hops.  Good beer for a hot afternoon.

The second was Good Chit Pilsner and it really was good. In fact this might now be at the top of my list of Pilsners. It was sweet but not overly malty, almost no trace of hops, and no after taste. I can picture drinking this beer with some watermelon after mowing the lawn.

Third in line was Dirtoir Black Lager. I know they are calling this a lager but I'm going to call it a porter. Sure they used a lager yeast but if you tasted it and weren't told, you would swear that it was a excellently brewed porter. It was very malty with great hints of smoke and chocolate malts. This would be better suited for the end of a rainy day than the middle of a sunny one but good nonetheless.

The fourth beer was ORegasmic Ale, a very nicely hopped IPA. It was well balanced with a sweet malt taste, full mouthfeel, and bite of their Freedom and Liberty hops. I can see drinking this with some chips and sour cream  and chive dip. Makes me think about long hot summer days.

Fifth in line was a Mead.....it was a mead, not bad but still a mead....next

The sixth and final beer was Roguenbeir Rye Ale, my favorite of the group and the one I bought to take home. It was smoky, malty, very smooth, with a light mouthfeel. I drank this with a avocado hamburger fresh off the grill and they matched perfect. I'd suggest avoiding any smoked foods as the beer is smoky enough. Maybe a grilled chicken salad with garden fresh tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette  dressing.

As a quick side note, if you get a chance to attend one of their beer tastings do it, they gave us free pint glasses, bumper stickers, and wrist bands on top of sampling all the great beers.

Pinkus Organic Münster Alt ...Wolrd's First Organic Brewery

Pinkus Müller Brewery, Münster Alt : Münster Alt Style, 5.1% ABV, 1 pint 0.9 oz

Honesty First: I never heard of a Munster Alt before and had to look it up. According to gregroe.com a Munster Alt is a "regional Altbier that is brewerd in and around Münster, which is about 80 miles (128km) northwest of Düsseldorf.  Münster alt is typically lower in gravity and alcohol, slightly sour, and lighter in color than other Alts."

When I purchased this "Organic" beer I was expecting to taste something closer to a traditional Alt beer with maybe a slight dirt taste (Just kidding about the dirt taste, Organic brewers need not send complaints). But as I poured it into my glass I noticed it was lighter in color than I would have expected. With a light golden color and nice white head I was reminded of other lighter German styles. It's aroma was slight but still malty and opposite to what I have read online, the Münster Alt did not smell slightly sour to me.

When I took my first drink I was pleased. It was light and had a very smooth mouthfeel. It tasted slightly malty with a hint of citrus. I knew I chose the right snack for this beer tonight (by luck). I sat down with a bag of tortilla chips and fresh guacamole. In fact halfway through the glass I had to remind myself that this was an Alt and not a Vienna Lager from Mexico, it was gone before I knew it.

Have this beer with chips and salsa, guacamole, a tamale, or anything slightly spicy, it's light enough to wash it down without filling the belly before you finish your meal. Excellent beer to try.

If I wasn't drinking a glass of beer right now, I'd be on my way to get one -ME





Alaskan Brewing Company, WHITE

Alaskan Brewing Company, White: Wheat Ale brewed with spices, 4.8% ABV, 1 pint 6 oz

Alaskan's White Ale is brewed in the style of a Belgian Witbier which are characterized by the suspended wheat proteins creating a cloudy appearance in an unfiltered beer.         
The head on this ale is a wonderful foamy white cloud that slowly dissolves yielding a nice faint thin layer. It's aroma is malty sweet with hints of fruit and spice.

When you sit back and enjoy this beer you will be pleased by how smooth and subtle the flavors are. Like all Belgian Style beers the yeast yields a nice fruity taste while the spices compliment it perfectly. This is an excellent example of a witbier.

I'd pair this ale up with something light like a chicken salad or even some grilled veggies and fruit.

Warsteiner Premium Verum, EINE KÖNIGIN UNTER DEN BIEREN

Warsteiner, Premium Verum: Pilsner, 4.8% ABV, 1 pint 6.3 oz

The label tells us exactly what to expect: "EINE KÖNIGIN UNTER DEN BIEREN" which translated to English means "A Queen Among Beers." This pilsner really is that good.

When you first pour her golden liquid into your glass you will notice a nice white head that is nit very foamy. The head retention is not long and nor would you expect this light of a beer to hold its head for long. The aroma is a nice gentle brush of malt, not over powering at all. As far as appearance and aroma goes this Pilsner presents it self like royalty.

From the first taste I became a fan. It is crisp, smooth, and dry. With no lingering aftertaste I found myself very pleased and wanting more.

I found that it agreed perfectly with pizza. In fact I will make a point of picking some this pilsner up for my next pizza night. I also plan on trying this Pilsner out with popcorn, yes popcorn, on our next movie night.

Widmer Brothers: Green & Gold (107ist and Timber Army)

Widmer Brothers, Green & Gold:  Kölsch Style Ale, 5.2% ABV, 1pint 6 oz

"We are RCTID (Rose City Til I Die) Each year the Timbers Army & the 107ist host a homebrew competition, bringing out the best in what makes the Rose City great: craft beer, creativity and a passion for the green and white. Timbers Army homebrewer Abram Goldman-Armstrong’s recipe was chosen and brewed by Widmer Brothers for you to enjoy as you cheer on your Timbers. Pints up Portland." -according to the bottle's label

OK first off, this is just one of the many things I love about Oregon. The breweries really appreciate the home brewers and do what they can to support their town. This is just one example out of many.

At first pour you get a skunky aroma that soon disappears and becomes a very faint aroma. The head
on this Ale is a nice fluffy white foam that unfortunately dissipates quickly. It has a very lightly hopped malty mouth feel with hints of citrus and/or lemon grass. The finish is dry with a biscuit after taste.

This is a perfect example of an American Style Kölsch; light, dry, and excellent on a warm spring day. I can picture sitting back after mowing the lawn enjoying one or a few of these while grilling up brats.

I wouldn't pair this beer up with anything to hearty. It's dry finish might actually make it perfect to have with Grilled Trout, Smoked Salmon, or better yet some Sushi.

 

Enjoy your next beer, hopefully it's not your last.....

Portland Brewing: ZigZag Lager



Portland Brewing, ZigZag Lager: Lager (American Domestic),5.1% ABV, 1pint 6 oz

Let me just start this off by stating that I have been a big fan of Portland Brewing since my first MacTarnahan's...and with Pyramid ownership of them I was happy since I love their hefeweizen. So writing this isn't easy but I have to be honest....here it goes.

The nose on this beer is very light with very little hint of any hops.
From the first mouthful I realized that this beer was lacking something, in fact it lacked balance and depth. It was watery and reminded me of something, I couldn't figure out what. So after making my wife taste it, she hit it on the nose and it came to me as well, "taste like a Coors". Sadly she was right. The warmer the lager got the harder it was to drink, it reminded me of everything I dislike about so called Domestic Beers. I was sadly disappointed and have to admit, I did not finish it.

This may be the perfect transition beer, that is often talked about, that will get domestic drinkers to move from Bud, Miller, or Coors to craft beers but, as for myself....I have to say sadly, "Don't Taste This Beer".

If you already have and disagree with me then tell me why I'm wrong. 



Brown Shugga

Lagunitas Brown Shugga 2012: Winter Ale, 9.9% ABV, 12 oz

This might just be the best year for Brown Shugga to date.... Ok so about 7 years ago my friend Justin offered me one, I accepted seeing how excited he was about them, but to my disappointment I didn't like it at all. That years tasted like cold medicine filtered through used coffee grounds. I never thought this product would last. I was wrong, really wrong. Being the beer-venturist I am, I continued to try Brown Shugga every year since. With that said I profess that with every year they have improved the recipe and in 2012 they perfected it. In fact after tasting it I bought 2 cases (wholesale of coarse). So as I sit down and enjoy the last of my stock I felt inspired to start writing on my Beer Blog again.

Back to the beer: Brown Shugga has a nice rich malt taste that lingers in your mouth while warming your stomach with it's high alcohol content. It's roasted caramel flavor and slight hop character make it a perfect after dinner drink. This beer was to be enjoyed slowly and not pounded down. As far a it's nose holds, well you'd expect that it would be over powering since 9.9% is pretty high but it is surprisingly mild for it's weight.

Ok I know it may be a little late to run out and grab a six pack but if you happen to see one in the back of your friends fridge, bypass the spring beers and tell them you'll be celibrating the winter that passed. And definitely add Brown Shugga to your late year shopping list.