Oregon Brew Fest time......my 19th! After looking at the beer list it should be a good year, lots of interesting beers to try. www.oregonbrewfest.com
Ok, been a couple of days now since the OBF and I had a great time. Couple of thoughts:
1- Thursday is no longer a day for the hardcore beer geeks, snobs, etc......the secret is out and it was pretty busy right from the start.
2 - Why is the south tent not as busy as the north tent? I've noticed this the last couple of years....especially weird as the buzz & the sour tent are right next to the south tent so you really have it the best if you stay on the south side.
3 - Why do people stand in front right where the beer lines start...after you get you beer get the f*$@k out of the way....last time I checked that's why they have tables and chairs.
4 - All in all a good year, had fun with my brother, Casey, and Gavin and his wife Tiffany.
These are the beers I tried, just sample pours, and no pours of any beers I've tried before.
1 - Electric Brewing/Bisbee, AZ - Kolch, first beer of the day and a good one to start with.
2- 10 Barrel /Bend, OR - Raspberry Crush, a sour beer with Raspberry. Not a big fan of sours but this was really good.
3 - Bayern Brewing/Missoula,MN - Dark Doppel bock
4 - Beer Valley Brewing/Ontario,OR - Oregonberry Wheat ale
5 - Bison Brewing Co/Berkeley,CA - Honey Basil Ale, really liked this beer, the honey, the basil just really interesting flavors and actually really refreshing.
6 - Boulder Beer Co/Boulder,CO - IPA.
7 - Boundary Bay Brewery/Bellingham,WA -Double Dry Hopped Delta Pale Ale, really liked this one.
8 - Bridgeport Brewing/PDX - Stumptown Tart.....funny I've never tried this beer, even though everytime I see it at the store I think about picking it up. It was good for a fruit beer and I think I would enjoy it if I was offered it.
9 - Collaborator/PDX/Oregon Brew Crew - Pineapple Express, wow a really good beer, bit of sweetness and aroma from the pineapple, really refreshing.
10 -Eel River Brewing/Fortuna,CA - Climax Extra Pale Ale
11 - Flyers Restaurant & Brewing/Oak Harbor,WA - Pacemaker Porter
12 - Flying Fish Brewing/Cherry Hill,NJ - Exit 16 Wild Rice IPA, wow crazy beer brewed with rice, big beer @ 8.5%, but was very smooth, one of the better IPA's of the fest.
13 - Golden Valley Brewery/McMinnville,OR - Rose de Vallee....interesting fruit beer, a bit sweet for me.
14 - Gigantic Brewing Co/PDX - Dynomite! IPA, Excellent IPA, nuff said, big lines for this beer.
15 - Goodlife Brewing/Bend,OR - Traditions Oak Aged Pale ale, really good beer, can't wait to get over to Bend and visit this new brewery.
16 - Lagunitas Brewing Co/Petaluma,CA - OBF Fusion.
17 - Logsdon Farmhouse Ales/Hood River,OR - Kili Wit
18 - Oakshire Brewing/Eugene, OR - 25/Imperial Oregon Ale......WOW best beer of the fest as far as I'm concerned.... 25 ingredients from Oregon were put in this beer, couldn't tell what any of them were while drinking the beer but it was excellent, this would have been a full beer for me if I was at a bar..
19 - Old Market Pub & Brewery/PDX - Cherried Alive/Fruit beer.
20 - Occidental Brewing/PDX - Kellerbier, Crisp, fresh, easy drinker.
21 - Oregon Trail Brewery/Corvallis,OR - Oregon Trail Lavender Ale
22 - Phatt Matt's Brewing Co/Redmond,OR - Kolsch
23 - Prodigal Son Brewery & Pub - Pendleton,OR - Splendor in the Glass V:The Splendor Under the stairs....American Pale Ale...really good, seemed sort of earthy.
24 - Redhook Brewing/Woodinville,WA - Peach Trippel
25 - Russian River Brewing Co/Santa Rosa, Ca - Row 2/Hill 56-The Story of Simcoe...American Strong Pale Ale. Another excellent beer, a full pour drinker...big lines for this beer, seemed to be an IPA but whatever it was awesome.
26 - Vertigo Brewing/Hillsboro,OR - Tropical Blonde/Fruit beer.
27 - Wasatch Beers/Salt Lake City,UT - Wasatch White Label Witt
28 - Widmer Brother Brewing co/PDX - Smooth Cream-N-Ale, Another great beer made just for for the brewfest by the Widmers, excellent beer
So I think I left a few out but that's what I have on my list, had a great time as a usual.
