A Toast to Jim Kennedy

A Toast to Jim Kennedy
BY
Gary Corbin
Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap

What's that beer in your hand? A Portland-based micro? A British ESB? A dry Irish stout? If it's anything other than fizzy, straw-colored American lager, you have Jim Kennedy to thank for it. Jim co-founded Admiralty Beverage with his wife Bobbie in 1985 with a simple, passionate vision: to bring the great beers of the world to Portland. Having spent over 20 years in his family's stevedoring business, Jim had traveled the world and tasted all the great beers. "He loved them!" Bobbie told me. Jim loved the imports, and he also was an early booster of the micros. But it wasn't an easy sell. Jim had to first educate publicans and sales staff on what the products were. On weekends, Bobbie said, Jim hauled around samples of Belgians and micros to pubs and stores, telling people, "Here, try this!" It was unconventional, but it worked. "Widmer and Deschutes, to name two, wouldn't be where they are today without him," said Hair of the Dog's Alan Sprints. "Belmont Station would never be there if it wasn't for him," echoed proprietor Joy Campbell. Jim's legacy transcends good beer. "He was a visionary, leader, and educator, about beer and all the good things in life," said Martin Gredvig of Columbia Distributing, which bought Admiralty in 1995."Jim was like a father figure to a lot of people," Sprints said. Kurt and Rob Widmer agreed. "He held and attended his own wake so he could say good-bye to people," Rob said. "That was pretty special." Jim, who would have turned 64 on March 27, succumbed to cancer in July, 2002.

Beer News:

Laurelwood's 5th Anniversary is this week and they are celebrating the only way we know how. Today and Wednesday (March 21 & 22) enjoy Happy Hour beer prices all day- that's $2.75 pints. Laurelwood also thought they'd bring out one of you're all-time favorites...GREEN ELEPHANT ORGANIC IPA. Don't miss it.

- McMenamins Pubs & Breweries has opened its newest bar, Back Stage. The bar, located behind the Bagdad Theater (3702 S.E. Hawthorne, Portland), has several pool tables, a full bar featuring McMenamins ales, wines and spirits and seating for up to 50 people, encompassing a space behind the Bagdad silver screen with ceilings nearly 7 stories high.

American Premium Beer Challenge winner was crowned last weekend. According to Larry Connor
the most interesting things were the following:1) Our average scores for this year were significantly lower than last year's Great American Light Beer Challenge (I can provide data for this as well if you would like). I'm going to try to come up with some normalized data to even it out.2) The winner is Coors Original. A recipe that hasn't changed in recent years, as opposed to Bud Select who placed in the middle of the pack.3) Dollar for Dollar Pittsburgh beers are the clear winner. Old German Premium Lager and Iron City from Pittsburgh Brewing Company. Took 1st and 2nd respectively.4) However, for overall taste Portland seemed to be right up at the top with 2/2 of the Portland beers in the top 4 (2nd and 4th).

Yamhill Brewing Ink

I know this guy from years of him trying to launch this venture. If anyone needs ink, it is this group. I wish Tim and all his investors the best of luck
Cheers,

David Dronkowski
Editor and Publisher
Guest on Tap

e-mail: Davedron@comcast.net

Brewmaster's every ingredient key whether creating beer or pub
Monday, March 27, 2006
HELEN JUNG The Oregonian
Tim Glenn gestures at a dollop of brown paste smeared on his hand.
"There's probably more cells on my finger right now than the population on the planet," the Portland brewer says about the paste -- yeast cells that will convert a water, malt and hops mixture into a rich stout. "I like to say that most of the work is done by a cast of trillions."
He has a similar philosophy about his new pub, the 9th Avenue Public House for Yamhill Brewing Co. The pub, which opened in November, is the culmination of 10 years of Glenn's cobbling together money, equipment and furnishings from friends and others to finally turn his longtime beer interest into a business.
"Some things are just too big for one person to do," said Glenn, 55, noting financial contributions from 17 investors as well as the manual labor from others that went into the pub.
The road to opening wasn't without setbacks. Although Glenn established Yamhill Brewing in 1995, the business did little except limited manufacturing of brewing equipment. Some early investors grew frustrated over the slow pace of development and pulled out. Glenn could raise capital only in fits and starts -- leading to bursts of development separated by periods of inactivity.
But as Glenn continued to work construction and carpentry jobs, he and others scavenged, bought and bartered for furnishings from high schools, restaurants and even an orphanage. Over the years, the pub took shape -- a sneeze-guard taken from a Sizzler salad bar now hangs over the bar; glass blocks from a Portland high school form part of two walls; the long wood bar was carved by a woodworker in exchange for some welding that Glenn did.
The challenges aren't over. Glenn expects the pub, open for four months, to lose money for a while longer, although he said it is nearing break-even. There's more to be done, from building a stage to adding more varieties of beer to the five on tap.
But after 10 years, he's just celebrating the pub's opening.
"It's a real relief," said Glenn. "Hallelujah."
Helen Jung: 503-294-7621; helenjung@news.oregonian.com; www.oregonlive.com/weblogs/playbooksandprofits

Wild Hop Lager

MJstender writes to the Oregon Brew Crew:
Man, what this guy sez:

http://www.brookston.org/beer/?p=102

Drinking it, it's mild and drinkable and has noticeable hops (too bad they're cascade though) but ....I mean....good god, what next, organic Bud Lite? Organic Coke????


PROST

Results from Great American "Premium" Beer Challenge

From: Larry Connor
Here is how the competition was arranged:
So what we did was get 15 diffferent types of American Premium Lager. To qualify a beer had to meet one of two criteria. It either had to be the highest quality (as determined by price) offering from a brewery or it had to literally have "Premuim" on the label. We then gathered a group of 12 people (both beer experts and regular drinkers) to rate the beers according to how well they liked it, rather than how close it matches a specific guideline. We split everyone up into three groups and each group was served each beer blind in a random order and they rated them 0-10.Here are some of the more interesting statistics that I got from the data.
Overall score (averaged)
Coors Original
4.166667
Northwest Trail
4
Labatt Blue
4
Full Sail Session
3.9
Old German Premium Lager
3.666667
Iron City
3.666667
Miller High Life
3.666667
Michelob
3.583333
Bud Select
3.541667
Josef Hoffbrauer Premium Lager
3.416667
Miller Genuine Draft
3.291667
New Belgium Blue Paddler
3.208333
Olympia
3.166667
Rolling Rock
3
Molson Canadian
2.75

Best Bang for the buck (overall/price per ounce):
Beer Name / / Cost per ounce // Value (score/(cost/oz))

___________________________________________________________
Old German Premium Lager // $0.045139 // 81.23076923
Iron City // $0.048611 // 75.42857143
Josef Hoffbrauer Premium Lager// $0.048611 // 70.28571429
Miller High Life // $0.055556 // 66
Olympia // $0.048611 // 65.14285714
Coors Original // $0.066667 // 62.5
Labatt Blue // $0.069444 // 57.6
Miller Genuine Draft // $0.062500 // 52.66666667
Bud Select // $0.069444 // 51
Michelob // $0.076389 // 46.90909091
Rolling Rock // $0.069444 // 43.2
Full Sail Session // $0.090909 // 42.9
Molson Canadian // $0.069444 // 39.6
New Belgium Blue Paddler // $0.104167 // 30.8

The most interesting things that I found were the following:

1. 1) Our average scores for this year were significantly lower than last year's Great American Light Beer Challenge (I can provide data for this as well if you would like). I'm going to try to come up with some normalized data to even it out.
2. 2) The winner is Coors Original. A recipe that hasn't changed in recent years, as opposed to Bud Select who placed in the middle of the pack.
3. 3) Dollar for Dollar Pittsburgh beers are the clear winner. Old German Premium Lager and Iron City from Pittsburgh Brewing Company. Took 1st and 2nd respectively.
4. 4) However, for overall taste Portland seemed to be right up at the top with 2/2 of the Portland beers in the top 4 (2nd and 4th).

Let me know if you have any questions and I'd be happy to explain anything about the competition. Our next taste test will be the Great American IPA Challenge in about 6 months or so. This event will be certain to tear your taste buds off.

Notes by Larry Connor

Glen Falconer Memorial Brew

BY Abram Goldman-Armstrong
Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap
The brewing community is nothing if not tight-knit, and when a brewer dies the waves ripple through the community. Glen Falconer who brewed at Eugene's Wild Duck brewpub died in 2002.
Falconer was a great brewer, freely sharing his knowledge and his beer, and has a passion for massively hoppy malty beers. He got his start home brewing in Eugene, then brewed at Steelhead, and Rogue before coming to the Wild Duck.
After Falconer passed away, a brewing school scholarship was set up in his memory, funded by the annual Sasquatch Brewfest held in Eugene and the Brew Am golf tournament in Portland during the Oregon Brewers Festival. Bob Craig, brewer and owner of Walking Man Brewing in Stevenson, Washington got the three scholarship recipients; Barney Brennan of Full Sail, Jenn Gridley of Fish, and Markus Stinson of Elysian together to brew a beer in Glen Falconer's memory. Over a series of phone calls and they came up with a recipe for an Imperial Red, a big malty style with plenty of Simcoe hops.
The beer was brewed on February 10 at Walking Man. Gridley and Brennan pitched in around the brew house, though Stinson could not get away from his brewing duties at the Elysian in Seattle. Falconer's brother and sister in law flew up from the Bay Area to be there for the brew. A brewer couldn't have asked for a better tribute, with those who benefited from his legacy gathering to brew a beer which he would have enjoyed.
The Falconer Legacy Project Imperial Red will be tapped at the Horse Brass Pub ( 4534 S.E. Belmont;#503.232.1315) on Friday, March 24, 2006 from 6pm
Abram Goldman-Armstrong lived in Cork City, Ireland, in 1997-98 and holds an Irish studies certificate from University College Cork. A complete biography is available at http://www.guestontap.com/bios.shtml
Beer News:
BridgePort IPA was awarded another Gold Medal for their IPA at the Brewing Industry International Awards 2005 . The Gold Medal win in the International Ales competition was awarded at the annual Brewing, Food and Beverage Industry Suppliers Association luncheon on March 15 at Guildhall in the City of London.
Rogue Ales was also awarded 4 medals from the 2005 Brewing Industry International Awards for their Rogue Chocolate Stout(Gold); Hazelnut Brown Nectar(Silver); Morimoto Imperial Pilsner(Silver), and Rogue American Amber Ale(Bronze)

Oak Bottoon Pub is set to open this weekend!

"Late Breaking Beer News!"

Once you have hit the bottom, everything looks up!" The new venture by Jerry Fechter ( the power behind Old Lompoc, Hedge House) and Jim Parker, "The Oak Bottom Pub"(1621 S.E. Bybee St., Moreland area), should be open March 25th weekend if everything goes as planned! Go by and check them out

Red not Green Beer!

BY Abram Goldman-Armstrong
Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap

With St. Paddy's Day approaching, thoughts turn to Irish beer. Fitting, as St. Patrick is said to have had a brewer. However, as Irish saints and brewing go, odds are on St. Brigid, who could turn bathwater into ale. The Irish have been brewing since prehistory, and consume the second most beer per capita, second to only the Czechs. Until recently stout accounted for most of the beer sold in Ireland, but it has declined to only 38 percent, with lager accounting for 55 percent. The holy trinity of Irish stouts (Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish) is served at a number of local Irish pubs including Biddy McGraw's and the County Cork. Laurelwood and Widmer have brewed dry Irish stouts for Paddy's Day. Though stout is often associated with Ireland, it has only been brewed there since the 18th century. But red ale has been brewed in Ireland for at least 5,000 years; dergfhlaith, which means both "red ale" and "kingship," appears in ancient myths. Smithwick's (pronounced "Shmiddicks"), now owned by Guinness, was founded in 1710 in Kilkenny, and its red ale is available on draught in Portland. It is on the sweet and malty side with a mild hop flavor, and corn syrup for a lighter body. Murphy's and Beamish both jumped on the red ale bandwagon in the 1990s to combat the decline in stout sales. Smaller breweries, which had disappeared in the 20th century, also began opening in the 1990s. Beers from Biddy Early, Carlow Brewing Co. and Kinsale Brewing are sporadically available in the U.S. New Old Lompoc produces the Dagda Irish Red Ale for Paddy's Day. It's named for an early Irish deity who was know for his skills in many arts, and cauldron of plenty. Raise a pint of red, not green, to Paddy in true Irish fashion. Slainte mhaith (good health)! Abram Goldman-Armstrong lived in Cork City, Ireland, in 1997-98 and holds an Irish studies certificate from University College Cork. A complete biographiy is available at http://www.guestontap.com/bios.shtml

Beer News:

Laurelwood Public House in Hollywood has released some new beers in March. First, a big malty beer with the release of Beer Nut Brown Ale( 5.6% ABV) and second, favorite of the big hop fans, "Big Bore" Strong Piston Pale, a great Imperial Pale( 7.6% ABV).

the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, Walking Man Brewing, and Horse Brass Pub announces the release party for the 2006 "Sasquatch Legacy Project" Imperial Red Ale on Friday, March 24, 2006 from 6pm at Horse Brass Pub (4534 SE Belmont, Portland). Release party celebrating the first-of-its-kind collaboration in support of the Foundation's brewing education program. visit www.sasquatchbrewfest.org. Souvenir glasses and t-shirts will also be available only at this special event.

Organic Love of Beer!

BY Abram Goldman-Armstrong Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap

Oregonians love organics, and they love beer. Organic beer has been brewed in Oregon for nearly a decade. Organic hops and barley are grown without heavy metal fertilizers and pesticides, keeping runoff harmful to native wildlife, fish, and plants out of streams and topsoil. The now defunct Spencer's in Springfield bottled the first organic beer in the state in 1998. The organic beer market has grown so much that even the brewing behemoths are considering the launching of their own organic beer. Craig Nicholls was one of the local pioneers of organic brewing. He has included organic beers in his lineup wherever he brewed since 1998, and last year opened Roots, an organic-only brewery with fellow brewer Jason McAdam. Over the years, more organic malts have become available, making it possible to brew styles from Bavarian wheat beers to Imperial Stouts and big IPAs organically. Roots is hosting the second organic beer festival in North America at the World Forestry Center on June 10. The craft-brewing movement is a return to traditional beer styles, made with ingredients, which until the last century, were grown like all crops without chemicals."Organic is the way it was, and the way it will be," says Laurelwood brewmaster Christian Ettinger, whose brewery was the first to be certified under the National Organic Program. Organic beers account for about 40 percent of the brew pub's production, and its Free Range Red was recently chosen in the Northwest Brewing News Readers' Choice Awards as "best organic beer." Just because a beer is organic, though, isn't a good enough reason to drink it, according to Don Younger, owner of the Horse Brass Pub. "It has to be a good beer first," he says. Luckily for us we've got plenty of great local organic beers to choose from. Abram Goldman-Armstrong has been writing about organic beer since 2000.
Local organic beersRoots:
All organic Laurelwood: Free Range Red, Tree Hugger Porter and assorted seasonals
Hair of the Dog: Greg, a blond ale brewed with organic squash and no hops for Higgins restaurant
Lucky Lab: Organic Golden, first brewed for the organic brewers symposium in 2002. This beer has become a Lab standard. Though not certified organic, most of Hawks beers from Roseburg are brewed with organic ingredients. Fish in Olympia, Wash., produces organic amber, pale and IPA. Where to find organic beer The Goodfoot Lounge, Higgins and organic grocery stores - Whole Foods even has its own line produced at North Coast Brewing in California. Both Market of Choice and John's Market carry an extensive line of organic beers, too.
Beer News:A very special evening at the Concordia Ale House(3276 NE Killingsworth, Portland #503.287.3929) will be had by all on Thursday March 9th @ 6 PM when Walking Man Brewing's own, Walking Man Bob, will be bringing kegs from his Private collection for the honored patrons to sample. Don't miss this event!

Heineken Takes the Leap into Light

Fromwww.namedevelopment.com/blog
March 01, 2006
Product Naming: Heineken Takes the Leap into Light
Light beer lovers should prepare themselves for a new brand soon to hit the markets: Heineken Premium Light. This brand is aimed squarely at the late twenty-something crowd of guys who like high end beer. The Heineken Premium Light name may not sound inspired but according to the New York Times, there may be more here than meets the eye. First, Heineken has not simply offered up another ”light” beer (eg. Heineken Light), it has offered us a premium light beer, and there is indeed a difference.
Heineken has noted a gap in the light beers market at the premium end, a gap currently being filled by Heineken’s Amstel Light brand (aimed at women), while mainstream light beers from Bud and Corona battle it out at the lower end of the scale. Heineken Premium Light is meant to attract the Bud or Corona drinker who wants to “trade up” to something a little more sophisticated. Heineken will go against Michelob’s Ultra Amber with a slightly higher price position and an emphasis on “smooth”.
I wonder why Heineken has shied away from offering us a light beer in the past. Could it be a focus to avoid diluting the Heineken brand?
One marketer noted that both beer and soda companies have been traditionally shy to take the leap to light - Coke’s first diet drink was Tab, not Coke Light, and Bud’s was Natural Light, not Bud Light. But sooner or later, even a pure brand like Heineken has to get thirsty for larger market share.
If you're thirsty for more beer, check out A Good Beer Blog and Guest on Tap.

New Beers for Spring

BY Gary Corbin
Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap

You'll notice fewer spring seasonals this year than in years past. The reason: you and me. We aren't buying them. The market hasn't supported the beers, according to Aaron Gardner of Point Blank Distributing. But here are a few to look for. From Bayern, Killarney Irish Red, a draft-only red ale, low on hops and 5.7 percent ABV. Also from Bayern is their Maibock, due out in April, a very malty, strong (6.5 percent ABV) pale bock brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. Boulder Brewing returns with 2005's Sweaty Betty Blonde Ale, a Bavarian-style unfiltered wheat beer. At 5.9 percent, expect it to be cloudy with hints of clove and banana. Anderson Valley releases Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema on April 1 (no fooling), a 5.6 percent golden pale, "lightly sweet, with a delicate hint of spice." Widmer Broken Halo IPA - what we knew as W'05 a year ago - will soon be a year-round product. Bridgeport's Belgian-style Supris, released in time for its grand reopening in February, is a light, refreshing break from their killer IPA. Deschutes has remade Quail Springs IPA into "a bigger, manlier, more Northwest-style IPA," distributor Martin Gredvig says. Good imports: Kronenbourg 1664 from France is now available. Hambleton, a U.K. craft brewery, is releasing its Gluten-Free Ale for people with celiac disease who love beer. Meantime Brewery from Greenwich, U.K., has a London Porter and an IPA in 750 ml cork bottles.Prost!

Beer News:

A very special evening at the Concordia Ale House(3276 NE Killingsworth, Portland #503.287.3929) will be had by all on Thursday March 9th @ 6 PM when Walking Man Brewing's own, Walking Man Bob, will be bringing kegs from his Private collection for the honored patrons to sample. Don't miss this event!

The Lucky Lab Brew Pub on 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland are having their 7th annual Barleywine/big beer tasting. The time and date is noon until 10pm on Friday March 10th and those same hours on March 11th!

The second-ever organic beer festival in North America will be held June 10, 2006 in Portland, Oregon. Organic brewers from across the US and Canada will pour their beers alongside organic beers from England and Germany. The event, which will be held at Portland's World Forestry Center will include sustainable and organic vendors. For more information contact festival organizers Craig Nicholls at Roots 503-235-7668, or Abram Goldman-Armstrong 503-730-5597.