(WA) Wandering the Hop Fields, November 9th, 2009

This past week’s experiences included an Anniversary, open membership, and a sad passage.

The Ram opens its doors to new members

Puget Sound - It was brought to my attention that come the 16th of November open enrollment in The Ram’s Mug Club will be a reality. Besides getting your name on a mug (that you can take home) thirty bucks ($30) entitles you to two dollars off ($2) pints and invitations to beer release  parties. As an enticement Dave Leonard was kind enough to mention that they are releasing a Winter Wit and a Belgian Double this month.

In Seattle (*call ahead for verification of continued availability) they are featuring a preview of sorts. Here is what Dave had to say regarding the Mocha Stout.

“Mocha Stout is a nitro stout Cafe Vita coffee and Theo Nibs”

Try this beer before it goes on at the Winter Fest as the ‘WABL beer’. Finally, look for Mall Walker to make its triumphant return this coming December.

For more details contact your local Ram Restaurant and Brewery or go to their website.

Walla Walla Brewers Closes Its Doors … for now

Walla Walla - Recently it was brought to my attention that a beloved brewery in my native Walla Walla (yes that Walla Walla) was closing its doors due to ongoing financial concerns. Walla Walla County for all the wineries it produces is a region with only four breweries. Founder and Brewer Tyson Crudup when I asked him for comment had this to say regarding their closure.

“I will brew again some day. For now just at home until I can plan a better return. I will be on touch. Cheers”

This is a sad commentary for a brewery that was featured at last year’s WABL Anniversary (Citra Hopped India Pale Ale) as well as recognized by not only this writer but several others¹ as well. Good Luck Tyson, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

WABL Anniversary the aftermath

Seattle – Last Saturday with the backdrop of Key Arena (sans Sonics) and a cold air blowing against us, we waited for the fourth annual WABL Anniversary party. Started in 2005 as a way for craft beer consumers to show their support for local craft beer, today the event attracts over 300 goers.

Strewn throughout the expansive Rainer Room within Seattle Center tables and chairs eagerly awaited guests. The event wasn’t without nourishment both for the mind and stomach either. Furthest from the entrance, a prominent lasagna, chips, and cookie bar attracted hoards of eager appetites prior to filling their glasses. Upon returning to your seat one only had to walk a few feet to sample the unique, the familiar, and the new from breweries as far east as Yakima.

Throughout the night each guest waited eagerly for a chance to win complimentary gifts courtesy of the Washington Brewers Commission. I myself won amongst the three hundred people a set of Georgetown Manny’s Pale Ale pint glasses.

Special thanks to the breweries who supplied us with wonderful beers, Janelle Pritchard (Snoqualmie Falls), and our newly elected Brewery Commissioner Eric Radovich. If the name fails to ring a bell you only have to attend a University of Washington Husky Football game or listen to Seattle Mariner’s Ichiro Suzuki's introduction.

The night came to a close with the brewers and guests that were in attendance raising a toast to the passages of Jim Quilter, Dick Young, and Brian Sollenberger.

Cheers

¹reference. Washington Beer Blog & Seattle Beer News

²reference, Janelle Pritchard offered a special thanks to the local ‘bloggers’ for without them Jim Quilter, Dick Young, and Brian Sollenberger’s passages would have remained unnoticed.

(NW)De Proef Van Twee & Witte Noire…Coming Soon

Alan Shapiro from SBS Imports was kind enough to contact me in regards to yet another set of releases coming into the region.

“SBS Imports is pleased to announce the arrival of the two newest beers in the De Proef line-up, Van Twee Belgian Ale (collaboration with Bell's Brewery) and Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale.”

“Van Twee (From Both) is the third beer in the Brewmaster's Collaboration Series.  Previous collaborations included Signature Ale with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing/Lost Abbey and Les Deux Brasseurs with Jason Perkins of Allagash. Van Twee was co-designed and brewed by John Mallet of Bell's and Dirk Naudts at De Proef.  It is a deep amber-chocolate colored porter-dubbel hybrid, with Michigan sour cherry juice and brettanomyces in the secondary fermentation.  Layers of rich chocolate and coffee notes are followed by underlying sweet-sour cherry fruitiness with a long finish.  It is reminiscent of the famous filled chocolates of Belgium.  It is available in cases of 6/750ml cork-finished bottles and 20L kegs.  Suggested retail price is $16.99 per bottle. Alcohol 7.5% by volume. Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale is another unique style interpretation created by SBS' President Alan Shapiro along with Brewmaster Dirk Naudts.”

“Witte Noire is a companion to the highly acclaimed La Grande Blanche Imperial White Ale, blending darker malts along with wheat in the grain bill.  Witte Noire is a rich chestnut brown color with a full tan head.  It features light roasted porter-like notes on the front pallet followed by a round, soft middle.  Clove-like spice notes dominate the elegant finish.  It is perhaps a Belgian interpretation of the classic wheat doppelbock beers of Germany.  Witte Noire is available in cases of 6/750ml cork-finished bottles, with a suggested retail price of $9.99.  It is 7.5% alcohol by volume.”

"Our goal with both the Brewmaster's Collaboration and Brewmaster's Collection series is to bring products of unique taste profiles to discerning Belgian beer enthusiasts," noted Shapiro.  "I believe these beers are exceptional additions to De Proef range available in the U.S." Highly regarded Belgian brewing engineer and professor, Dirk Naudts, founded the De Proefbrouwerij in 1996.  He crafts each batch in an 11HL (9 U.S. barrel) brewhouse that blends state-of-the-art technology with traditional methods.  Prior to creating DeProef, Naudts was the Brewmaster at Roman Brewery in Oudenaarde, Belgium and Brewmaster at the prestigious St. Lieven brewing program in Gent, Belgium.

SBS Imports is based in Seattle, Washington and was founded by specialy beer industry veteran Alan Shapiro in 2002.  IN addition to De Proef, SBS also imports Aspall Cyders from Suffolk, England and Batemans Ales from Lincolnshire, England.  More information is available at www.sbs-imports.com.”

Hearing the news of another Belgian (country of origin) Ale arriving in the area, I can always reflect back on my trip to Brussels and all those wonderful cafes. I look forward to trying both soon and hopefully even give my feedback on these two new beers from this well respected brewery.

Cheers

Who Supports Local Beer More? Results, Week 1

The ravages of wind and rain have continued unabated and yet our desire to sit somewhere comfortable remains.

It’s now been a week and already the results are looking interesting in regards to which organization defines its support for local beer most.

Oregon’s SNOB so far has six (6) votes for fan supremacy. Meanwhile Washington's WABL is looking more like the club of choice with eighteen (18) total votes. Idaho still appears to be left out of the voting with none tallied. 

Keep those votes coming in and check back next week when more results will be posted.

Cheers

(OR) Lompoc Party Tonight in case you forgot

Portland, OR – This one was posted to me via their newsletter and I had to mention it in case you were looking for something to do tonight.

“ROLL OUT THE BARREL! Lompoc Brewing is pleased to release the first beer in its Barrel Aged Series: Bourbon Barrel Aged Doppel Bock Lager.  The release party will take place Friday, November 6th from 4 to 9 p.m. at Lompoc Sidebar, located at 3901A N. Williams Ave. in Portland.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Doppel Bock Lager was brewed in    November 2008, then transferred into bourbon barrels in January 2009. The beer aged for nine months, was then    cellared for an additional two in a conditioning tank, and finally    bottled in October. It features a malty body with notes of vanilla, raisins, caramel and oak. 8% ABV.

The release party will feature the Doppel Bock on tap - it's also available in 22 oz. bottles - as well as Rosemary Stout, Flower of the Gods IPA, Bald Eagle Pale Ale, Bob's Memorial Braggot, and Fresh Hop Harvest Man Red.” –source, Lompoc Brewing’s Newsletter

Cheers

Lompoc Brewing’s Sidecar Pub
3901A North Williams Avenue Portland, OR

(WA) Brouwer’s Hosting First Ever Cider Dinenr 11/11

Seattle, WA – Generally whenever I am querying various websites or checking my email I avoid the slightest deviation from discussing anything other than craft beer. Today I am making a small exception since this revolves the often overlooked kitchen staff and head chef of Brouwer’s Cafe.

“Wednesday November 11th, Brouwer's Cafe will be hosting it's first ever Cider Dinner. The evening will be a 6 course meal paired with the Ciders of Crispin. To MC the event will be Crispin's President and CEO Joe Heron.
Our Chef, Eric Draper, has prepared a special menu for the evening:

• Crispin cider menu
•  
• Organic heirloom baby lettuce cup Shaved fennel, holy basil, sprouts Ginger-chili-soy Jidori chicken confit Cider poached apple-lime coulis Pairing: Crispin Cocktail
• Apple smoked duck breast & belgian endive “bruchetta” Crispin honey crisp & pomme lambic reduction Huckleberrys, toasted hazelnuts, cilantro oil Pairing: Crispin Brut
• Seared & chilled coriander & Szechwan pepper dusted, yellowtail jack fish Citrus zest & apple butter Maine lobster & langoustino topping Celery root puree, bacon fat fried turnip, toasted pecan Pairing: Crispin Brut
• Pheasant apple mushroom leek sausage Wild mushroom-fingerling potato-kombocha squash hash
  Balsamic & Crispin cider poached Walla walla onions Pairing: Crispin Original
• Prosciutto wrapped, Crispin cider brined wild boar tenderloin Duck fat fried purple potatoes & plantains, rosemary aioli, Dikon radish, citrus, bleu de vern cheese & root vegetable crudité Pairing: Crispin Honey Crisp
• Dessert Apple manchego en croute, Toasted pine nut brittle Lemongrass ginger ice cream Pairing: Warm Crispin Honey Crisp & organic blue agave nectar

The cost of the event is $50 with a portion going to support Northwest Harvest Hunger Relief Agency.
Please RSVP to IanR@BrouwersCafe.com
Begins at 7pm” –source, Brouwer’s Cafe ‘blog’

Cheers

Crispin Cider Dinner, Brouwer’s Cafe
400 N. 35th Street Seattle WA 98107 (206) 267-2437

(WA) Brouwer’s Matt Bonney Guest Bartender, 11/09

Seattle, WA - Have you ever looked across the bar while you are seated comfortably sipping on your pint and thought “man I can do his job”? Or have you ever just thought to yourself as you saw that bartender just standing around “I would do things differently if I was in charge”? Matt Bonney is one of those men that’s expressed those sentiments publicly, in his own bar.

 

Co-Owner of nationally recognized bottleshop Bottleworks and the Brouwer’s Cafe, Matt Bonney has spoken of how often he could do a better job than his bartending staff. This Monday (yes a Monday) the 9th, you can finally utter those words you’ve wanted to for many years, “hey Bonney fetch me a beer"!

“Over the years our beloved Operations Manager, Matt Bonney, has always made it very clear to the staff that he could do anyone's job here. Well this coming monday it's time to put up or shut up for Bonney.

Bonney is taking over the bar from 5pm to midnight to prove he is a true Publican... or not.

Join Matt and the rest of the crew at Brouwer’s Cafe from 5:00 PM PST to Midnight as to prove to him once and for all that it’s hard work being a bartender.” –source, Brouwer’s Cafe ‘blog’

Cheers

Guest Bartender Matt Bonney, Brouwer’s Cafe
400 N. 35th Street Seattle WA 98107 (206) 267-2437

(WA) BPP has a new ‘House’ Beer, Black Raven

Seattle, WA – Last night under a haze of wind and rain, Beveridge Place Pub in the West Seattle neighborhood hosted their annual IPA Cask-O-Rama. Fixed prominently along the main bar as well in the ‘bullpen’ twenty-four unique cask beers from around Washington waited for eager consumption. The event wasn’t without its local celebrities as brewers from Snipes, Black Raven, Big Al, and a few others were in attendance. All those in attendance enjoyed great cask beers while nervously awaiting the announcement for the new house beer.

Announced at the stroke of 8:00 PM, Owner Gary Sink with the assistance of Bar Manager Rob Farris made the announcement we were all waiting for. Ladies and gentlemen all the way from Redmond, Washington say hello to Black Raven Trickster IPA. Look for this beer soon to replace the previous three year champ, Boundary Bay IPA and on into the coming year.

Congrats to Black Raven Brewing and the rest of the entries for reminding the state of how lucky we are to live here. Special thanks to the whole crew for vastly improving the process over last year.

Cheers

Site Updates: Sort out Dinners from the Calendar

A few weeks ago a colleague’s spouse asked me if I knew of any upcoming dinners in November. Needless to say I realized that the calendar in its current state couldn’t filter out just dinners. I thought I let you guys out there that have been trying to just find a good craft beer and food pairing that you sort it out, literally.

Under the section Craft Beer Dinners & Pairings you can find out what dinners or pairing events are coming up. An example of this is shown for Saturday’s Ninkasi Dinner in Oregon. And Idaho you have a Laughing Dog Dinner on Wednesday the 11th.

Have fun and as always if I am missing something, feel free to let me know.

Cheers