Bookmark Your Beer
BOOKMARK YOUR BEER
By Gary Corbin
You’re thinking about beer. You want something new, different, fresh. But you’re out of touch with what’s current. Where do you turn? To the Internet, of course — the source of all news too hot to print.
But the Internet’s a big place. At last official count there were a bazillion beer Web sites — and that was yesterday. To help you narrow your search, I’ve put together a handy list of my favorites. These will get you to good information about good beer in no time, especially if you make judicious use of browser bookmarks.
BEER APPRECIATION
Beer appreciation sites on the Web abound. Beeradvocate.com is stuffed with beer news, features, event and travel information, and, yes, advocacy. Want to know about a beer style? The latest Belgian Tripel? Beers you can’t find around here? Try this site first.
If you want to know what people actually think of them — or if you want to tell others what you think — venture next to Ratebeer.com. Both of these sites encourage you to register, but it’s not required.
Realbeer.com is a chattier version of BeerAdvocate, allowing user posts and listserve-type discussion. Similarly, the MicrobrewLovers group on MySpace (groups.myspace.com/microbrewlovers) is a discussion forum in Murdoch’s empire (free membership required to participate). Which leads us to …
BLOGS
Blogs, or “Web logs” for those just landing on planet Earth, are user-contributed content Web sites. Generally, an author pens an initial posting, and readers add comments. In the past few years they’ve become all the rage, and beer fans are right there with the teeny-boppers in filling Web content.
Jeff Alworth’s “Beervana” blog (beervana.blogspot.com) is newsy and informal, and since it’s a blog, it’s interactive. Keep up to date on the Portland--area beer scene or use his handy list of links to connect to other worthy beer sites. Like, um, mine: browsingbrews.blogspot.com. If you like my writing here, you’ll like it there, too.
PRINT MEDIA ONLINE
Most print publications are going digital, at least partly. Celebrator Beer News (www.celebrator.com) includes reviews, columns, feature articles, and regional and industry news from its printed cousin, often featuring Portland writers such as Lisa Morrison and Fred Eckhardt. Ale Street News (www.alestreetnews.com) contains less of its print content and focuses more on merchandizing Beer Goddess and Beer Ambassador goods.
Of course, this column, Guest on Tap (www.guestontap.com) and its affiliate, pdxbeer.blogspot.com, are must-haves in your Favorites list.
PortlandBeer.Org is all about appreciation. Very consumer-oriented, it’s replete with news
items about new releases, beer descriptions, and brewery profiles.
THE INDUSTRY
The Web site of the industry association’s Oregon Brewers Guild (www.oregonbeer.org) is a wealth of information on Oregon beer, breweries, and brew pubs, as are its companions in Washington (www.washingtonbrewersguild.org) and California (www.calbrewers.com).
HOMEBREWING
The American Homebrewers Association (www.beertown.org) and Beer Judge Certification Program (www.bjcp.org) are the membership sites for those essential homebrewers’ associations. The AHA site is great for connecting with fellow brewers and brew clubs while the BJCP is all about competitions and judging.
The Oregon Brew Crew Web site (oregonbrewcrew.com) keeps homebrewers up to date on competitions and events in the Portland area and is the portal for signing up to its very active listserve.
Nationally, on MySpace, groups.myspace.com/homebrewers hosts forums and chat for homebrewers on the world’s largest blog and social networking site.
For supplies, www.fhsteinbart.com provides an online catalog for one of the oldest beer and wine supply houses in the United States. Wholesalers should check their BrewCraft USA site, www.steinbart.com.
By Gary Corbin
You’re thinking about beer. You want something new, different, fresh. But you’re out of touch with what’s current. Where do you turn? To the Internet, of course — the source of all news too hot to print.
But the Internet’s a big place. At last official count there were a bazillion beer Web sites — and that was yesterday. To help you narrow your search, I’ve put together a handy list of my favorites. These will get you to good information about good beer in no time, especially if you make judicious use of browser bookmarks.
BEER APPRECIATION
Beer appreciation sites on the Web abound. Beeradvocate.com is stuffed with beer news, features, event and travel information, and, yes, advocacy. Want to know about a beer style? The latest Belgian Tripel? Beers you can’t find around here? Try this site first.
If you want to know what people actually think of them — or if you want to tell others what you think — venture next to Ratebeer.com. Both of these sites encourage you to register, but it’s not required.
Realbeer.com is a chattier version of BeerAdvocate, allowing user posts and listserve-type discussion. Similarly, the MicrobrewLovers group on MySpace (groups.myspace.com/microbrewlovers) is a discussion forum in Murdoch’s empire (free membership required to participate). Which leads us to …
BLOGS
Blogs, or “Web logs” for those just landing on planet Earth, are user-contributed content Web sites. Generally, an author pens an initial posting, and readers add comments. In the past few years they’ve become all the rage, and beer fans are right there with the teeny-boppers in filling Web content.
Jeff Alworth’s “Beervana” blog (beervana.blogspot.com) is newsy and informal, and since it’s a blog, it’s interactive. Keep up to date on the Portland--area beer scene or use his handy list of links to connect to other worthy beer sites. Like, um, mine: browsingbrews.blogspot.com. If you like my writing here, you’ll like it there, too.
PRINT MEDIA ONLINE
Most print publications are going digital, at least partly. Celebrator Beer News (www.celebrator.com) includes reviews, columns, feature articles, and regional and industry news from its printed cousin, often featuring Portland writers such as Lisa Morrison and Fred Eckhardt. Ale Street News (www.alestreetnews.com) contains less of its print content and focuses more on merchandizing Beer Goddess and Beer Ambassador goods.
Of course, this column, Guest on Tap (www.guestontap.com) and its affiliate, pdxbeer.blogspot.com, are must-haves in your Favorites list.
PortlandBeer.Org is all about appreciation. Very consumer-oriented, it’s replete with news
items about new releases, beer descriptions, and brewery profiles.THE INDUSTRY
The Web site of the industry association’s Oregon Brewers Guild (www.oregonbeer.org) is a wealth of information on Oregon beer, breweries, and brew pubs, as are its companions in Washington (www.washingtonbrewersguild.org) and California (www.calbrewers.com).
HOMEBREWING
The American Homebrewers Association (www.beertown.org) and Beer Judge Certification Program (www.bjcp.org) are the membership sites for those essential homebrewers’ associations. The AHA site is great for connecting with fellow brewers and brew clubs while the BJCP is all about competitions and judging.
The Oregon Brew Crew Web site (oregonbrewcrew.com) keeps homebrewers up to date on competitions and events in the Portland area and is the portal for signing up to its very active listserve.
Nationally, on MySpace, groups.myspace.com/homebrewers hosts forums and chat for homebrewers on the world’s largest blog and social networking site.
For supplies, www.fhsteinbart.com provides an online catalog for one of the oldest beer and wine supply houses in the United States. Wholesalers should check their BrewCraft USA site, www.steinbart.com.
Beer News
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
Q: “Are there any shops where a person can go and brew a batch of beer and return later to bottle it? One like the one that used to be near the old Meier & Frank warehouse." Writes Greg A.
A: Brew On Premises or BOP shops are the technical terms for them. Yes, we do have one in the city! Let's Brew at 8235 SE Stark (http://www.letsbrew.net/, Ph#503.256.0205). Brian is the owner and his wife, Kim, manages. A 12-gallon batch runs about $90, depending on what you want to brew. Price does not include bottles. Kim said you should call for a reservation.
NEW BEERS!
New From the NEW OLD LOMPOC: Bombshell Blonde is their very popular cream ale. It's sweet, on nitro and very flavorful. Hugo Bitter is even more drinkable, at 3.3 percent alcohol. It's a classic light traditional English bitter, so it has just that right kick to it. There are also isolated pockets of C-Son's Greetings, our hoppier, stronger version of the C-Note Imperial Pale, but that beer is going fast. / ROGUE BREWING has a new Chocolate Stout is just in time for Valentine’s Day. / From out on the Gorge, Jacob Leonard, brewer at WALKING MAN, has some new seasonal beers to offer. Here are a couple you should try at their brew pub in Stevenson, Washington: Belgian Saison "Saison du Ped"; Belgian Double "Abbey Rode"; Robust Porter "Porter Porter", a hoppy, low alcohol 4.6%; Scotch Ale "High Road"; and a Stout "No Name Yet" aged in dark rum barrels.
NEW TO THE MARKET!
Eel River draft beer! EEL RIVER, out of Fortuna CA, is the first 100% certified organic brewery in the US and Portland now has the IPA, the Ravenseye Imperial Stout, and the Triple Exultation Old Ale. These beers were at this year’s Holiday Ale Festival. / ALASKAN BREWING CO. has announced that they are proud to be an official sponsor of the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race®. It's fitting that Alaskan Amber is the official beer of the Iditarod, because both the beer and the race offer a taste of Alaska's frontier past.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
FULL SAIL TASTING ROOM AND PUB is now closed for renovation until March 17th. They should re-open just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. / WINTER BREWER’S DINNER featuring Craft Brewed Belgian Style Beers and Belgian-Inspired Food on January 27th, 2006 at Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City, Oregon (503-965-7007 http://www.pelicanbrewery.com/). / The second annual LOVERS' BEER FESTIVAL at FEARLESS BREWING COMPANY takes place on Sat., Feb. 10, 2007. Beer tasting starts at 6:30 pm until 9 pm. Tickets are $8 and include beer tasting, chocolates and appetizer buffet. 326 South Broadway, Estacada, Oregon (503-630-BEER http://www.fearless1.com/). / 14TH ANNUAL HILLSDALE BREWFEST -20 McMenamins brewers present 20 beers in the infamous “Battle of the Belt” at Hillsdale Brewery & Public House on Saturday, February 17th. The day-long event features brews, food, family fun and a competition for the Belt – an honor that includes the right to represent McMenamins at this year’s Oregon Brewers Festival. The Hillsdale Brewery & Public House is located at 1505 SW Sunset Boulevard in Portland (503-246-3938 www.mcmenamins.com).
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
Q: “Are there any shops where a person can go and brew a batch of beer and return later to bottle it? One like the one that used to be near the old Meier & Frank warehouse." Writes Greg A.
A: Brew On Premises or BOP shops are the technical terms for them. Yes, we do have one in the city! Let's Brew at 8235 SE Stark (http://www.letsbrew.net/, Ph#503.256.0205). Brian is the owner and his wife, Kim, manages. A 12-gallon batch runs about $90, depending on what you want to brew. Price does not include bottles. Kim said you should call for a reservation.
NEW BEERS!
New From the NEW OLD LOMPOC: Bombshell Blonde is their very popular cream ale. It's sweet, on nitro and very flavorful. Hugo Bitter is even more drinkable, at 3.3 percent alcohol. It's a classic light traditional English bitter, so it has just that right kick to it. There are also isolated pockets of C-Son's Greetings, our hoppier, stronger version of the C-Note Imperial Pale, but that beer is going fast. / ROGUE BREWING has a new Chocolate Stout is just in time for Valentine’s Day. / From out on the Gorge, Jacob Leonard, brewer at WALKING MAN, has some new seasonal beers to offer. Here are a couple you should try at their brew pub in Stevenson, Washington: Belgian Saison "Saison du Ped"; Belgian Double "Abbey Rode"; Robust Porter "Porter Porter", a hoppy, low alcohol 4.6%; Scotch Ale "High Road"; and a Stout "No Name Yet" aged in dark rum barrels.
NEW TO THE MARKET!
Eel River draft beer! EEL RIVER, out of Fortuna CA, is the first 100% certified organic brewery in the US and Portland now has the IPA, the Ravenseye Imperial Stout, and the Triple Exultation Old Ale. These beers were at this year’s Holiday Ale Festival. / ALASKAN BREWING CO. has announced that they are proud to be an official sponsor of the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race®. It's fitting that Alaskan Amber is the official beer of the Iditarod, because both the beer and the race offer a taste of Alaska's frontier past.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
FULL SAIL TASTING ROOM AND PUB is now closed for renovation until March 17th. They should re-open just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. / WINTER BREWER’S DINNER featuring Craft Brewed Belgian Style Beers and Belgian-Inspired Food on January 27th, 2006 at Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City, Oregon (503-965-7007 http://www.pelicanbrewery.com/). / The second annual LOVERS' BEER FESTIVAL at FEARLESS BREWING COMPANY takes place on Sat., Feb. 10, 2007. Beer tasting starts at 6:30 pm until 9 pm. Tickets are $8 and include beer tasting, chocolates and appetizer buffet. 326 South Broadway, Estacada, Oregon (503-630-BEER http://www.fearless1.com/). / 14TH ANNUAL HILLSDALE BREWFEST -20 McMenamins brewers present 20 beers in the infamous “Battle of the Belt” at Hillsdale Brewery & Public House on Saturday, February 17th. The day-long event features brews, food, family fun and a competition for the Belt – an honor that includes the right to represent McMenamins at this year’s Oregon Brewers Festival. The Hillsdale Brewery & Public House is located at 1505 SW Sunset Boulevard in Portland (503-246-3938 www.mcmenamins.com).
posted by PDXBeer at 6:23 AM
1 Comments:
Hey, thanks for the shout-out!
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