Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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A Quick Trip to the Horse Brass

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After brunch, we made a quick visit to the Horse Brass Pub, one of the best beers bars in Portland, and the country for that matter. It’s owned by my friend Don Younger, who’s done a great deal to support craft beer over the years. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Horse Brass Pub. It’s beer selection is naturally excellent and has an authentic British pub feel. I had a couple of yummy cask beers.

Our bartender at the Horse Brass, who’s been there since the beginning.

Lisa Morrison enjoys a pint.

One of Don’s former employees did this painting of him during a trip to England in 1997. I’ve always loved it and happily this visit was able to manage to get a decent photo of it.

Brunch at BridgePort

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I was invited to brunch at BridgePort Brewing and was keen to see the newly renovated space. The brewery had been under construction the last time I’d been in town and had reopened earlier this year. I must say I was a little disappointed that the brick and ivy exterior was gone and in its place a sallow stucco. Inside, though thoroughly modern, was spectacular, if a little too polished for my tastes. But it does seem to fit with the Pearl District’s overall new look and feel. The food was excellent and they had all of their beers on tap, including many of the older ones I hadn’t tried for quite some time. I enjoyed a smooth Blue Heron Pale Ale with breakfast and sampled the wonderful Old Knucklehead, BridgePort’s barleywine.

This beautiful sign hangs above the bars and gives some great info about each beer, but it will make it pretty hard to change lineups, won’t it?

My table, with Stephen Beaumont, Paula Johnston (marketing manager for BridgePort), Tom Dalldorf and Marie Oliver, a Portland-based beer writer.

Channeling Belgian artist Rene Magritte, this painting seems right at home against the interior brick.

Friday at OBF

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I finally made it over to the festival itself mid-afternoon, and things were in full swing.

People waiting in line to buy mugs and tokens to sample the beers at the festival.

Tom Dalldorf, Lisa Morrison and Stephen Beaumont.

Chris Crabb having one of those days.

Inside one of the festival tents.

Stephen and me.

Festival grounds.

Lisa and Mark with Brian’s baby.

Contemplating her beer, a festival goer looks lost in thought.

Hair of the Dog

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After the Brew Am, I paid a visit to one of my favorite Portland breweries, Hair of the Dog. Luckily, I was traveling with people who knew exactly how to get there, because even having the address is no help if you don’t know how to navigate the labyrinth-like back alleys that lead to the brewery. The first time I visited the brewery — which was on my honeymoon ten years ago — it took us a very long time and many wrong turns before we finally found it. But like their beers, it’s very worthwhile to make the effort. For many years now, they’ve been having a open house Friday afternoon during the festival and it’s always a fun time.

Almost all of their beers were pouring, including their delicious new Blue Dot Double IPA. Released in bottles this year on Earth Day, the blue dot refers, of course, to mother Earth. As with everything Alan makes, this too is a quite tasty example of an Imperial IPA. Big hops with citrus notes such as grapefruit abound. Thick and chewy, with a great mouthfeel.

Alan Sprintz owner/head brewer of Hair of the Dog Brewery.

Alan shows off the food he prepared for his open house.

Me showing off Alan’s grill outside the brewery.

The Brew Am 2006

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The 2nd annual Sasquatch Brew Am took place Friday morning at McMenamins Edgefield Pub Course. It was for a very worthy cause and sponsored by the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. I also sponsored a hole at the tournament.

Nico Freccia, of 21st Amendment, tees off.

A view from the hills. McMenamins Edgefield Pub Course.

Me at Hole No. 2, the hole I sponsored.

Hole No. 2.

Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico, co-owners of 21st Amendment, at Hole No. 12, the hole they sponsored. They’re holding the imaginary cans of their beer they forgot to bring.

The McMenamins gardens with the ballroom and water tower behind them.

Shaun teeing off.

Lisa Morrison, Paul Walker, Abe Goldman-Armstrong, Noel Blake, and two golfers from Lompoc Brewery in Portland.

Lisa Morrison and Bob Brewer look on as Quentin Falconer, organizer of the Brew Am makes a toast in the ballroom after the tournament.

The tournament participants relax in the ballroom.

Thursday at OBF

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I arrived in Portland around 3ish after ten and half hours in the Celebrator van, just in time to help set up the booth for the festival which began at four.

Tapping the Collaborator keg at the festival.

Fred Bowman, co-founder of Portland Brewing, Tom Dalldorf, Celebrator publisher and Jack Joyce, owner of Rogue.

Tom with Cathy and Sean, Stephen Beaumont’s sister and brother-in-law.

Chris Crabb, who runs thing for the festival.

Jamie Floyd, whose Ninkasi Brewing is almost open, but the beer is pouring now.

Jamie Jurado, head brewer for Gambrinus.

OBF is Coming, Get Your Watermelon Wheat Early

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Tomorrow the Oregon Brewers Festival begins and will continue through Sunday, July 30. I’ll be driving up early tomorrow morning with Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf. Perhaps I’ll see you there?

If you weren’t planning on going, clear your calendar and get yourself to Portland. It’s one of the best festivals in the country, beautifully situated in downtown Portland along the Willamette River at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park between the Morrison and Burnside Bridges. Each brewery is only allowed to bring one beer and many create a special brew just for the festival.

An inside source at the festival, Chris Crabb, revealed that the most popular beer at the festival is none other than San Francisco favorite, Watermelon Wheat brewed by 21st Amendment Restaurant & Brewery. A thrilled Shaun O’Sullivan, brewer and co-owner of 21st Amendment, was proud as a peacock to learn the news.

You may also want to consider playing a little golf in the 2nd annual Sasquatch Brew Am at McMenamins Edgefield Pub Course Friday morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. (8 o’clock registration). It’s for a very worthy cause and sponsored by the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. The Bulletin is sponsoring a hole, too, so come out and join us. Check out the website for more details if you’re interested.

Oregon Trader Gets New Owners, New Name

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According to an article in the Corvallis Gazette-Times, Orgeon Trader Brewing located in Albany, Oregon has been sold and re-named Calapooia Brewing Co. The new owners, Mark Martin and Laura Bryngelson, opened about three weeks ago. Their best-seller so far is Yankee Clipper IPA. They also apparently offer an amber, a chile beer, a pale ale, a stout and a wheat beer. Best of luck to them both.

Fowl Ball?: Widmer Buys a Piece of Goose Island

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Well this one certainly came out of left field. I’m not quite sure what to think about it. I really like Kurt and Rob Widmer. I like them a lot, in fact, both personally and professionally. They pioneered American-style hefeweizen, in fact invented the style. They co-founded the Oregon Brewers Festival to support and promote the craft beer industry as a whole. They brew many great beers — their potato beer is still the best of its type I’ve ever had — in many diverse styles. And they’re both very affable and down to earth people who make the beer community a better place for their having been a part of it. So I originally greeted the news of their arrangement with Anheuser-Busch somewhat suspiciously. But in the end they’ve been able to make it work for them, a trick few have been able to pull off. Which makes Widmer Brothers all the more impressive for having been able to walk that fine line between craft and business so successfully.

So does buying a minority interest in Goose Island Brewing of Chicago make sense? In some ways, yes it does. From a distribution point of view, it seems to make very good sense for both parties. If each begins making the other’s beer for their own markets, that too makes good business sense. So why does it give me pause? I’m not sure, but I think it has something to do with A-B buying a 35% stake in Goose Island and then Widmer buying a presumably much smaller piece, when they themselves are are part-owned by A-B (39.5%). I can’t put my finger on what bothers me about this, perhaps it is just simple paranoia on my part. For now, I’ll try to concentrate on the positive aspects of this and try to silence that voice in the back of my head and wish Kurt, Rob and John and Greg Hall all the best.

Festival Announcement: North American Organic Brewers Festival

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The 2006 North American Organic Brewers Festival will be held June 10 from 12:00-9:00 p.m. at World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon.

I received the following information about the upcoming festival from Roots Brewing, who is putting on the festival.

North American Organic Brewers Festival

At the World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon on June 10, 2006, from 12-9pm.

North America’s only organic beer festival will feature over 30 organic beers from the Pacific Northwest and as far a field as Germany, England, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Texas. From pale ales and pilsners to imperial stouts and dopplebocks, organic brewers are taking the craft beer revolution to the next level.

The North American Organic Brewers Festival is a celebration of sustainability and benefits Oregon Tilth, a certification body which supports organic farming, the Oregon Food Bank which feeds the hungry, the World Forestry Center, which is dedicated to sustainable forests, and My Father’s House a local shelter for homeless families. Local sustainability-oriented businesses, including organic produce delivery companies, garden centers, and green builders, will be on hand. Food vendors will include organic and free-range options from a range of international cuisines.

Family Friendly

An indoor children’s area will feature face painting, games and a soda pop garden, and the festival is adjacent to the Children‘s Museum, World Forestry Center, and Oregon Zoo.

Music

Music on the outdoor stage will be provided by Orkestra, the Stumptown Jug Thumpers, Baktune, Vivid Curve, Left Hand Monkey Wrench, Adair Village, and Wow and Flutter.

Cost

Admission to the festival is $4 which includes a mug, tickets for 4 ounce samples of beer will be $1. Attendees get $1 off admission with three cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank, a validated MAX ticket, or a World Forestry Center ticket. The Forestry Center will offer a $1 discount for festival attendees.

Location

The festival will be held at the World Forestry Center, which is located adjacent to the MAX light rail station, and attendees are encouraged to take public transportation.

Portland, Oregon not only boasts more breweries than any other city in the world, it is one of the greenest in North America. The city is a leader in recycling, green building, and livability. The festival’s stunning setting in Washington Park looks out over the fir forests of Portland’s West Hills, and Mount Hood, the source of some of the best drinking and brewing water in the country.

6.10

North American Organic Brewers Festival
World Forestry Center, Portland, Oregon
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