Happenings at McMenamins - 31st birthday of Terminator Stout - 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop hosting Pitch Black Friday on Black Friday - Annual Release of Kris Kringle Traditional Yuletide Ale

Courtesy of McMenamins

Cold, wintery days call for rich, dark beers – and McMenamins has got you covered. Nov. 19 marks the 31^st birthday of Terminator Stout – a rich, full-bodied ale that’s one of McMenamins three much loved “standard” beers – and a birthday bash celebrated “across the land” in honor of this brew. On Black Friday (Nov. 25), the 23^rd Avenue Bottle Shop will host Pitch Black Friday, a dark beer tap takeover with ales from McMenamins and guest breweries. They’ll be open until midnight so savvy shoppers can head over after the mall.

Courtesy of McMenamins

Terminator Stout’s 31^st Birthday

 

Nov. 19 at all McMenamins 54 locations in Oregon and Washington

McMenamins’ robust stout is celebrating 31 years’ worth of sipped pints with:

o   $8 growler fills, $4 pints and limited-edition 22-ounce bottles (stock up if you’re a Terminator fan – there’s only a limited supply)

o   A special Terminator-themed Discovery Hunt where you can solve McMenamins art-themed clues at Rams Head, the 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop, West Linn, Fulton, Kennedy School and Hillsdale for the chance to win a custom Terminator bottle opener keychain and an overnight stay at a McMenamins hotel

o   Smoked Terminator, a small-batch Terminator variation, brewed at Kennedy School 

Courtesy of McMenamins

·         Pitch Black Friday at McMenamins 23^rd Avenue Bottle Shop
          Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to midnight; free to attend, 21+ to drink

Whether you’re taking a break from the Black Friday sales or totally avoiding them, stop by the McMenamins 23^rd Avenue Bottle Shop to get your fill of delicious dark beers – all 20 Bottle Shop taps will be pouring a dark beer, including:

o   Goose Island Beer Co.’s rare 2015 Bourbon County Stout

o   Epic Brewing's Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stout

P.S. If you’ve got gifts for beer, wine and spirits lovers on your shopping list, pick out presents from among the 800+ bottles of craft beer, spirits and wine, gift packs, specialty glasses, McMenamins swag and other gifts at the Bottle Shop.

Courtesy of McMenamins

 Kris Kringle Traditional Yuletide Ale Release

On tap at all McMenamins 54 locations in Oregon and Washington, Nov. 11 – Dec. 25.

Surprise your favorite beer lover with something different in their stocking this year: Kris Kringle Traditional Yuletide Ale, a warmer perfect for the wet, cold winter nights of the Pacific Northwest. The 2016 version is a hearty and robust ale with toasty, rich and chocolaty malt flavors and hints of ginger and cinnamon. Generous amounts of two different hop varieties were added in five different additions which deliver a magnificent and massive hop assault.

Portland Cherry Festivus Announces 25+ Cherry Beer & Cider Taplist

Courtesy of Cherry Festivus

11/11/2016 Portland, OR - Today Portland's 2nd annual Cherry Festivus, reveals their 25+ strong taplist of Cherry beers and ciders one week ahead of the November 18 - 20th event. The celebration returns to Bazi Bierbrasserie with chocolate pairings this year. VIP session tickets for Friday are still on sale but will sell out, General Admission for Saturday and Sunday will be available at the door or advance.

From the organizers of the Portland Fruit Beer Festival comes this more intimate unique tasting event that focuses on one of the world's most popular fruits, with rare and one-off beers and ciders plus cherry food specials and cherry cocktails. The major addition this year, artisinal chocolate pairings and even a cherry beer flight with an optional chocolate pairing flight. 

Highlights of this years three day tasting event include a special Randall version of Ecliptic Brewing's Third Orbit Anniversary Ale, this Imperial Cherry Porter will be poured through a device called a Randall that will be filled with even more cherries plus chocolate for a one time only treat. Rare beers include one of the world's most sought after, Cantillon's Kriek and a Petit Kriek from Oregon's acclaimed De Garde Brewing. Also from Oregon, cherry beers from Upright Brewing, Fort George, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, Double Mountain and Culmination. Washington gets into the mix with a one-off Cherry infused Bourbon Barrel-aged Dark Star Imperial Stout from Seattle's Fremont Brewing, Sour Cherry Millie from Bellingham's Wander Brewing and Prunus, a grenache barrel-aged wild saison with cherries from Propolis Brewing. Also in the lineup: a super rare keg of Love Cherry Felix from New Belgium Brewing and from California a Vanilla Cherry Sour from Almanac Beer Co. and Supplication from Russian River Brewing Co.. On the cider front, Swift Cider releases their first keg ever of a multi vintage cherry cider blend called O'Dell All Sour Cherry Cider and Reverend Nat's Hard Cidery has crafted a one off collaboration with Walking Man Brewing using their Black Cherry Stout in a cider hybrid blend. All in all expect atleast 25 different beers and ciders to be poured. 

The regular festival session kicks off Saturday, November 19th but there is a special VIP session on Friday November 18th with very limited advance tickets on sale now for $30 that include a collectible glass and 7 drink tickets. General Admission festival tickets are $20 which include a special collectible glass and 6 drink tickets and good for entrance November 19th and 20th. 

Additional tickets are available for $2 each. There are only 200 glasses total available for the festival, there may be passes available at the door on Saturday but to assure entry we recommend purchasing in advance.

Friday Nov. 18 - VIP Session 5-11 PM

Saturday Nov. 19 - General Admission 3-11 PM

Sunday Nov. 20 - General Admission 1-7 PM

TAPLIST

10 Barrel Brewing: Cherry Baltic Porter
Inspired by a chocolate cherry cordial, this imperial Baltic porter was aged over montmorency cherries. 30 IBUs, 9.8% Abv.

Almanac: Vanilla Cherry DogpatchVanilla Cherry Dogpatch takes everything you love about our regular Dogpatch Sour and turns it up to 11. We started with our base red sour ale and added a ridiculous amount of Bing, Rainier and Montmorency Cherries to each barrel for a juicy, intense cherry flavor that exudes summer.  Then we added in whole Madagascar vanilla beans, building on oak’s natural vanilla flavor.  The final blend creates a delicate balance of fruit and oak that keeps you coming back for more.  Pair this summer sipper with game bird, fruit sauces and still-warm pie. 7.5% Abv.

Cantillon: 100% Kriek LambicCantillon is the brewer of Belgium’s most authentic lambic. This kriek 100% lambic is blended lambic beer brewed with cherries. 5% Abv

Crooked Stave: Petit Sour - Tart Cherry
Tart Cherry is the fourth varietal in our Petite Sour series. This 5.5% ABV beer pours a rich red, with a snap of tartness from the addition of the equivalent of over a pound per gallon of sour cherries, after being primary fermented in oak with our mixed culture of wild yeast and bacteria. 

Culmination Brewing: Kriek Mythology 2016 $140 1/6

This light bodied Kriek is a blend of two thirds tart pie cherries and one third sweet cherries. The base beer was conditioned in pinot barrels for 6 months, then conditioned on whole cherries for 2 months which lends aromas of dark fruit and baking spice. 7.0% Alc. by Vol.

De Garde: Petit Kriek

A wild Saison inspired beer. Like all of our beer, this was run through our coolship and naturally fermented in oak foeder. After fermentation and aging in oak on the lees, it was transferred to secondary oak tanks along with fresh Oregon cherries (Brooks and Lapin) from Baird Family Orchards. The secondary fermentation with cherries provides a bold fruit character and vivid color as well as a moderate increase in acidity and alcohol. 

6.9% abv

Double Mountain Brewery: '15 Tahoma KriekAmerican Style Brett Beer – 10.3%, 10 BU
The Tahoma Kriek uses a strong Belgian Blonde ale for a base prior to the addition of local Rainier Cherries. Our house yeast strains and Brettanomyces Lambicus, was allowed free reign to develop its sour and complex character, resulting in a stronger, more bracingly tart and juicy ale than the more classic beers in the style. This beauty was kept at cellar temperatures on the whole fruit for 13 months. Best enjoyed with a good cheese and better company.

Ecliptic Brewing: Third Orbit Anniversary PorterEcliptic’s third orbit around the sun is on October 20th. To celebrate they brewed an Imperial Porter with a gravity warping amount of cherries. A blend of seven malts along with Columbus, Amarillo, Chinook, and Cascade hops complement the chocolatey cherry flavors.  ABV 9% IBU 50

Fort George: Tempest  

Imperial Amber French Saison with Cherries & Vanilla. Peppery esters from the French Saison yeast, layers of cherries and vanilla bean, punctuated with a dry finish. 8.4% Abv.

Fremont Brewing: Cherry edition of Bourbon Barrel-aged Dark Star

A one-off Cherry infused Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in 15 year-old Kentucky bourbon barrels. Blend of 24, 12, and 6 month bourbon-barrel Dark Star. 14.5% Abv.

Great Notion: Orchard ReserveSaison fermented for 10 months in French Pinot Noir barrels with our house sour culture. The beer is conditioned with Tart Montmorency cherries from Michigan.

Hi-Wheel: Cherry BasilFizzy cherry citrus wine infused with fresh basil.  6.8% ABV

Logsdon: Kriek VierA quadrupel based beer with intense Kriek flavor aged for 4 months in bourbon barrels with cherries. This beer was compiled by the Logsdon crew of 4 with 4 of our initial seizoen yeast strains and 4 more cultures of Brettanomyces and lactic bacteria. Krieke Vier is a big beer with great flavor intensity and incredible cherry complexity that is smooth and easy to drink.

Logsdon: Cerasus
This is our organic kriek or tart cherry beer, a barrel-aged West Flanders style Red Ale with two pounds of fruit added per gallon of beer. Both sweet and tart Oregon cherries are added to our oak aged Far West Vlaming during the aging process with a combination of several yeast strains and lactic bacteria to develop a secondary fermentation. The crystal malts, oak tannins, and fruit develope into a soft well rounded beer of Burgundian character. The beer will increase in acidity as it ages providing additional character. 8.5% ABV, 18 IBU

New Belgium: Love Cherry Felix

This is a single source from one special foeder of perfectly soured Felix, our light base beer aged in cherry whiskey barrels from Leopold Brothers Distellery.

pFriem: Oude KriekAdding fresh, Hood River cherries to our barrel aged lambic ale makes us happy, but 10 months later, flavors of cherry pie and the dry, tangy finish are even more satisfying.

Propolis Brewing: PrunusGrenache barrel aged golden brettanomyces saison with cherries. This is a rare "pre blend" ale straight from the barrel.

Reverend Nat's Hard Cider & Walking Man Brewing: Spiced Cherry Stout Snakebite

My Winter Abbey Spice cider always plays well with others, this time with Walking Man Brewing’s Cherry Stout. The list of ingredients and flavors is long but decidedly wintery: chocolate, cherry, raisins, pie spices, coffee, apple, molasses, oatmeal. Festival exclusive. This is a beer-cider blend and as such is NOT GLUTEN FREE.

Russian River: SupplicationBrown Ale aged in used Pinot Noir barrels from local Sonoma County wineries. It is aged for about 12 months with sour cherries, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus added to each barrel. Flavors from the cherries, Pinot Noir and oak balance each other nicely with a little funk from the brett.

Solera Brewery: Kriek
0 IBU, 5% ABV

Swift: O'Dell All Sour Cherry Cider - 2014/2015 Blend This is a cherry cider time machine. In 2014 and 2015 we made single batches of dry cider and aged them on copious amounts of Montmorency, Balaton, and Early Richmond sour cherries. We named the cider after our cherry grower in O'Dell, Oregon who gave us nearly every bushel they harvested. Pucker up and let your taste buds enjoy the cherry harvests gone by and long cool nights drifting in a sea of cider. 6.5% ABV - Semi Dry

Three Magnets: Sour Cherry HelsingPollinator cherries and our flagship saison aged for 10 months in Spanish varietal oak white wine barrels. 7.2% Abv.

Upright Brewing: Heart's BeatA bold fruit beer fermented entirely in oak casks full of dark cherries, the Hearts' Beat bridges elements from the world of wine with its tannic structure and varietal depth showcasing Oregon's finest fruit. 7% Abv

Upright Brewing: ShadesThe sister beer to the Hearts' Beat, both of which being named after gems by Charles Mingus, the Shades instead uses Rainier cherries and shows heavier development of wild yeasts for an overall funkier profile. 8% Abv

Wander Brewing: Sour Cherry MillieSour Cherries and lactobacillus. Pours a hazy rose color. Refreshingly tart and effervescent, finishes dry. Aromas of red licorice and cherry blossom accompany flavors of lychee and Japanese plum. 4.4% Abv.--

Cherry Festivus

Tickets at https://2015cherryfestivus.eventbrite.com

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/577441525780834/

Bazi Bierbrasserie
1522 SE 32nd Ave, 

Portland, OR 97214 

(503) 234-8888

Double Mountain Fa La La La La Winter Ale Returns

Courtesy of Double Mountain Brewing Co

Hood River, OR - November 10, 2016 – As the snow is now starting to pile up on Mt. Hood, Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom brings back their seasonal favorite, the Fa La La La La Winter Ale. This hoppy winter ale is currently available on draft and in bottles at the downtown Hood River Taproom and at our Portland Taproom in the Woodstock neighborhood. Fa La La La La can be found throughout the Northwest, British Columbia, and Southern California from now through the end of the year.

"This yuletide treasure is packed with enough piney hoppiness to keep you joyous, and heedless of the wind and weather.  There are enough hops to clog our heat exchanger during every run-out."  ~JenHouse, Brewer

Courtesy of Double Mountain Brewing Co

Fa La La La La

Winter Ale

7.5% ABV, 85 BU

Description: This year’s Fa continues with bags full of Centennial hops to warm your heart and soul.  Centennials take the reins with pine and citrus, and a resounding chorus of Pilsner and Crystal malt echo the refrain.  ‘Tis the season to be jolly!

About Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom: Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom was established in 2007 in the heart of downtown Hood River, OR. Founders Matt Swihart and Charlie Devereux opened the brewery with a clear mission: make great beer for craft beer fans. Double Mountain Brewery’s unique location lends to not only using pure and clean glacial water for their beers, but they also take advantage of regionally grown hops. Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom’s unfiltered and long-aged beers deliver maximum flavor and character. They can be found on tap and in bottles throughout the Pacific Northwest and Southern California. Learn more at www.doublemountainbrewery.com

Walking Man Brewing Celebrates Sweet 16 Anniversary

Courtesy of Walking Man Brewing Co

Stevenson, WA—(November 9, 2016)—Walking Man Brewing is celebrating their 16^th anniversary by hosting a Sweet 16 party on November 23^rd from 6-10pm.  The celebration will take place at the brewpub and extend into The Grain Room private event space above the brewpub in Stevenson.  

For 16 years Walking Man Brewing has strived to maintain the integrity of a small community craft brewery. Holding strong to the timeless tradition of brewing hand crafted, dynamic beer, Walking Man remains one of the only breweries in the Northwest to use traditional open-top fermentation.  Every batch has been lovingly stirred by hand since the first brew in 2000. 

Fans are invited to kick off the holiday season at Walking Man’s Sweet 16 party the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. The event is free for all ages.  DJ John Ross will provide the motivation needed to hit the dance floor. Guests can also capture a memory at the photo booth with an instant photo souvenir.

“We thought we would have some fun with the Sweet 16 theme and encourage guests to express a bit of whimsy with their attire by wearing whatever the phrase ‘Sweet 16 Party’ inspires.  Just be sure to bring your dancing shoes,” said Co-Owner Tabatha Wiggins.  

The brewpub kitchen will be serving a special limited menu of pub favorites. It wouldn’t be a birthday party without the cake! Complimentary cupcakes baked with Walking Man beer will be available while supplies last.  

Most significant to the evening’s festivities Walking Man will feature several special release brews including a new release, Twinkle Toes IPA.  Cellared heavy hitters like Bourbon Barrel Aged Jaywalker Imperial Stout, Old Stumblefoot Barleywine and cask conditioned Knuckle Dragger IPA are included in the lineup.  Brand favorites including Homo Erectus Imperial IPA, Walking Stick Stout, Flip Flop Pilsner and Barefoot Brown will also be on tap.  

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @walkingmanbeer for updates and more info!

Courtesy of Walking Man Brewing Co

About Walking Man Brewing 

Walking Man Brewing is nestled in the small town of Stevenson, WA in the scenic Columbia River Gorge just 45 minutes east of Portland, OR.  Established in 1999, Walking Man Brewing has become a destination for beer enthusiasts and a gathering place for friends near and far.

  

The brewery and brewpub is located at 240 SW 1st Street in Stevenson, Washington. To learn more visit www.walkingmanbeer.com or call (509) 427-5520.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Releasing HUB Brewer's Whiskey

Courtesy of Hopworks Urban Brewery

Hopworks Urban Brewery today announced that they will release HUB Brewer’s Whiskey at both Hopworks pubs on Wednesday November 16. More than four years in the making, the whiskey was distilled at New Deal Distillery from the wash of Hopworks’ award-winning Organic HUB Lager. Highly limited in production, HUB Brewer’s Whiskey will be available primarily by the glass at Hopworks pubs, with an upcoming bottle sale in December.

“What really sets our Brewer’s Whiskey apart is the use of our beautiful, finished and filtered organic beer in the still,” said Hopworks Brewmaster and Founder, Christian Ettinger. “We get a smooth spirit that exhibits characteristics well beyond its years. Making whiskey is a natural extension of our passion for craft beer. Our Brewer’s Whiskey is a product of our playfulness and our commitment to push the limits of what we can do as fermentation experts.”

“We’re used to working in a fast-paced brewing facility. It was an exciting challenge to make a whiskey based off organic beer and give it the love, patience, and neglect it needs to age well,” said Hopworks Head Brewer, Trever Bass. “We did just that and we’re truly proud of the results.”

Unhopped Hopworks’ Organic HUB Lager received a traditional double pot still distillation and was aged in a variety of American oak barrels where it picked up flavors of brown sugar, dark currant, chocolate, and leather. Much like Organic HUB Lager, the whiskey has a clean honey flavor, restrained ester profile and a smooth finish.

“We had a lot of fun working with Hopworks to create a single malt whiskey,” said Tom Burkleaux, New Deal Distillery owner and distiller. “Being brewers, the Hopworks team excels at working with all malt fermentations. We wanted the deeper notes of the malt to carry through. Once distilled the malt had a pleasant nutty character, which mellowed nicely in the barrel. Of course the best part was finally tasting it after several years!”

Of the partnership with New Deal Distillery, Christian Ettinger said, “We found a great partner in New Deal. Their decisions to use organic ingredients resonates with us, and they have been excellent in helping us bring to fruition a product that is made with the same skill and care as our beer.”

Release Party

HUB Brewer’s Whiskey will be available at both Hopworks’ pubs beginning Wednesday, November 16 at 5pm. The whiskey is served neat or in a variety of house cocktails that include a Hopworks Old Fashioned and Blackberry Sour. The Hopworks brewpub on Powell will also serve a BBQ Whiskey Burger special with beer battered in the days following the release.

Bottle Sale

750ml bottles of HUB Brewer’s Whiskey will be available during a special bottle sale on Saturday, December 17th, from 11am - 3pm at the Hopworks brewpub on Powell Blvd. New Deal Distillery will also have a variety of bottles available for purchase at the pub during the sale.

Courtesy of Hopworks Urban Brewery

About Hopworks Urban Brewery

Hopworks Urban Brewery strives to revolutionize and inspire the brewing industry with practices that drive quality, protect the environment and improve the community we live in. Utilizing organic malts and a combination of locally-sourced, organic and Salmon Safe hops, the company’s 20-barrel brewery produces 13,500 barrels of beer and cider a year for HUB’s brewpubs and for distribution throughout the Northwest. Hopworks is a family-owned and operated business, the first Certified B Corporation brewery in the Pacific Northwest, a gold-level bike friendly business, and is recognized as one of the Best Green Companies To Work For In Oregon. In 2016 Hopworks will open a new brewpub in Vancouver, Washington. More info at hopworksbeer.com

About New Deal Distillery

New Deal Distillery has been proudly crafting small-batch, award-winning spirits in Portland’s Southeast Industrial District since 2004. Visit their Tasting Room & Distiller’s Workshop to sample and see what they’re playing with, or take a hands-on whiskey-making class taught by owner and distiller, Tom Burkleaux. Find New Deal at local farmers markets,  spirits event around town, or on the shelf of your local liquor store. More info at www.newdealdistillery.com

Terminal Gravity Releasing Apolitical Stout

Courtesy of Terminal Gravity Brewing Co

Press Release:

Fellow Americans-

No matter where you stand politically, most can agree this election season has gotten a wee bit out of hand. Sometimes we find ourselves seeing similar trends in the beer world. How big can a beer get? How robust, complex? How hoppy? It’s not an IPA unless you can smell it the moment you walk into the pub. EXPLOSIONS of flavor and bold opinions abound. 

Here at TG we try to make consistent, honest beer. If you pull any one of our twelve handles at the pub, you’ll find a great beer, whether it’s a Czech-style Pilsner or an American IPA. We also stray from the ordinary and push some boundaries. Take some of the beer coming from our barrel aging program—Golden in the Rye, our Extra Special Golden aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels; and Unbridled, a Kentucky Common Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels. Both are great beers and styles not a lot of folks are approaching. 

Our latest seasonal draught beer is an ode to what we call a “drinker’s beer.”  Apolitical Stout is a American Stout that will satisfy the drinker in the winter, yet make her/him consider it during the shoulder seasons as well. It pours a rich, dark brown with a creamy foam head, tangled with light brown hues. On first sip, one might consider it lighter than it looks. A smooth texture and mouth-feel brought on by the addition of oats in the malt bill compliment the hesitant roast flavor. With lasting notes of coffee, the finish carries bitterness reminiscent of real dark chocolate.  At 5.7% ABV, it’s a perfect beer to enjoy as a full pint.

 

Courtesy of Terminal Gravity Brewing Co

This is an honest beer. No need to pick sides here. This beer is best enjoyed in a cozy pub, among friends.

 

Try a pint today, at our pub and where finer beer is sold in Portland. Specifically, you can experience this beer at Paymaster Lounge in Portland, located near the Pearl District at 1020 NW 17th Ave.

Cheers Friends.

 

SEATTLE’S REUBEN’S BREWS ANNOUNCES “HOP IDOL” HOMEBREW CONTEST

Courtesy of Reuben's Brews

SEATTLE, Wash. (Nov. 7, 2016) In homage to its roots, Seattle’s award-winning Reuben’s Brews is launching the “Hop Idol” Homebrew Contest. Do you think your beer has what it takes to be the next great homebrew?

“Homebrewing is where it started for us,” says Adam Robbings, Co-Founder and Head Brewer of Reuben’s Brews. “Homebrewing competitions gave me the confidence to take a chance at opening a brewery. We’ve wanted to start a competition like this for some time as a way to try new beers, support the homebrew community, all while having a lot of fun!”

The winner will receive $250 and get to brew their beer with the Reuben’s Brews team at their brewery in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The finished brew will available on tap in the Reuben’s taproom and see some distribution around the Pacific Northwest. It is also planned to be entered in the Pro-Am category at one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the country – the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

How will they choose a winning beer? Like a former reality show with a similar name, the judging will be led by a Brit with a high standard of excellence – U.K native Robbings.

“This will be a Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) certified homebrew competition,” says Robbings. “All entries will be judged against the BJCP style guidelines, focusing on hoppy styles. We love hoppy beers and think it will be fun to focus on that category!”

Here are a few of the basic rules for entry:

• Contestants may submit up to five different beers. Entry forms and recipes are required for each submission.
• There is a $5 entry fee for each beer submitted. Make checks payable to “Reuben’s Brews LLC.” All entry fees will be donated to Seattle Children’s Hospital.
• Beers must be submitted between Monday, January 16 and Thursday, January 19, 2017. Late entries cannot be accepted.
• The competition judging will be held on Saturday, January 21 and may continue through Saturday, January 28. We anticipate naming the winner on Monday, January 30.

Read the complete list of contest details and rules at http://www.reubensbrews.com/blog/2016/11/3/hop-idol

About Reuben’s Brews

After the birth of their first child Reuben, Adam and Grace embarked on a mission to brew bloody good beer. Originally from the UK, Adam turned a passionate hobby into a family-run brewery crafting nationally and internationally recognized beers in a wide variety of styles. Since opening in 2012, Reuben’s has won awards for its beers around the world including at the Great American Beer Festival, the World Beer Cup, the US Open and was named Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Washington Beer Awards. Find Reuben’s Brews in Western Washington and at its taproom located at 5010 14th Ave NW in Ballard, open 7 days a week. For more information, visit www.reubensbrews.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@reubensbrews).

Firestone Walker Release Luponic Distortion Revolution No. 004

Courtesy Firestone Walker Brewing Co

Paso Robles, CA: Firestone Walker’s Luponic Distortion revolving hop series reaches firmly into the Southern Hemisphere with the release of Revolution No. 004 this month—a mind-bending mix of seven different hop varieties, led by a pair of experimental South African hops.

Luponic Distortion is not a single beer, but rather an ongoing series of beers that revolves approximately every 90 days. While the base beer always remains the same, each revolution features a different hop blend built around experimental hops, designed to showcase the growing possibilities of pure hop aromas and flavors.

Southern Serendipity

While each prior revolution of Luponic Distortion was inspired by Brewmaster Matt Brynildson’s own deliberate forays into the world of experimental hops, Revolution 004 originated from a more serendipitous discovery.

As Matt tells it, his brewmaster friend Rodger Davis of Faction Brewing recently shared some hops that he procured from South Africa for his own Western Cape IPA. Rubbing and smelling the hops, Matt was blown away—and sufficiently intrigued to start making some phone calls.

“I’ve worked with Southern Hemisphere hops from New Zealand and Australia, but South Africa wasn’t really on my radar until that moment,” Brynildson said. “South Africa is a bit outside the ideal growing belt, yet these hops presented these super explosive tropical qualities—every bit as interesting as what we’ve going on here. I was saying to myself, ‘Who’s the genius down there, I’ve got to find out.’”

He added, “Rodger warned me not to fall in love with these hops because there wouldn’t be enough for me to do anything on a sizeable scale. But it just so happened that my timing was perfect and I got some that were just coming off the shipping container. I told the supplier not to let me take all of the hops at the expense of other small brewers. So basically he sold me enough hops to do this one beer.”

Tropical Punch

Four South African hops take the lead in Revolution 004. Two are experimental hops with pronounced tropical fruit qualities, along with distinct white grape and floral notes. The third hop presents a lively passion fruit character, while the fourth is more classically noble in profile.

“Revolution 004 is a departure from the more citrusy stone fruit personality of Revolution 003, but as always you will sense common threads,” Brynildson said. “And once again, all of these bold fruit aromas and flavors are derived wholly from pure hops.”

Rogue Ales Announces The Release of Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerrilla Ale

Courtesy of Rogue Ales & Spirits

NEWPORT, Ore. – Rogue Ales announces the release of Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerrilla Ale, the sixth in its line of doughnut-inspired beers. 

Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerrilla Ale is based on Voodoo’s Grape Ape, a raised yeast doughnut with vanilla frosting, grape dust and lavender sprinkles. In this collision of crazies, Rogue Ales and Voodoo Doughnut continue to rally in their fight against boring beer.
“Rogue approached us six years ago and wanted to make a beer that tasted like our doughnuts. After a lot of trial and error, we created Bacon Maple Ale and it’s been great ever since,” said Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson, co-founder of Voodoo Doughnut.

“The beer is fantastic. It’s got a great grape essence and doesn’t taste like cough syrup. It’s grape in a great way,” said Rogue President Brett Joyce.
  Voodoo Doughnut Grape Guerrilla is available in serigraphed pink-painted 750-milliliter bottles worldwide starting in November. For more information about the Revolution visit rogue.com.  

Courtesy of Rogue Ales & Spirits

About Rogue Ales & Spirits
Rogue Ales & Spirits is an agri-fermenter founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 1,800 awards for taste, quality and packaging and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to saving the terroir of Oregon hops, barley, rye, wheat, honey, jalapeños, and pumpkins one acre at a time by growing its own.

About Voodoo Doughnut
Voodoo Doughnut is the brainchild of old friends and entertainment-minded Portlanders Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson and Richard “Tres” Shannon. In 2000, Cat Daddy and Tres decided to embark on a shared entrepreneurial venture — something that combined quality hospitality with their daring do-it-yourself brand of show business. Voodoo Doughnut now boasts of six locations: found in Oregon, one in Denver, CO, and a brand-new international outlet in Taipei City, Taiwan.

Laurelwood Brewing Co. Welcomes New Director of Brewing Ops

Courtesy of Laurelwood Brewing Co

Portland, OR – Laurelwood Brewing Co. is happy to announce their new Director of Brewing Ops, Ben Dobler. Ben comes to Laurelwood with a plethora of knowledge and excitement to be in this position.

Before coming to Laurelwood Dobler was with Widmer Brothers for about 20 years. In this position he was involved in all aspects of beer from brewing to packaging, sales, and marketing. Previously, Dobler was with Bridgeport Brewing Co. for 2.5 years. This is where he started his career in the brewing industry. He quickly learned the ins and outs of brewing as well as cellar and packaging operations. “I’ve been very lucky to have seen so many evolutions in the beer business.  Craft Brew Alliance opened so many doors and educated me in so many ways I’m still blown away at what I’ve learned,” says Dobler.

With the departure of Laurelwood’s current Brewmaster, Shane Watterson, Ben saw the opportunity for a new challenge.  Laurelwood has a rich history of great Brewmasters who have gone on to do great things in our industry.  “Those are some big shoes I have to fill," says Dobler.  "Laurelwood is a 15-year-old heritage brand that is deeply woven in to the brewing fabric of Oregon. Mike and his team have built a great brand and make great beers.  I look forward to a long and successful future with this brewery.”

The transition from former brewmaster Shane Watterson to Dobler will take place over the next few weeks, until Watterson’s departure to Level Beer around the end of November.

Cheers to Ben Dobler, the new Director of Brewing Ops of Laurelwood Brewing Company!

 About Laurelwood Brewing Co.:

Laurelwood is a family owned brewery that creates one of the most recognized regional craft beers. Owners Mike De Kalb & Cathy Woo-De Kalb are dedicated to sustainable and organic practices, and first began producing certified organic beer in 2001. Laurelwood’s product line is known for its creativity and quality therefore winning many national and international beer awards. Laurelwood’s handcrafted beers can be found on draft and in bottles throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. To find out more about Laurelwood Brewing Company go online at www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com.