OBF Festival Picks
My whirlwind around the nation tour is over, and while I haven't tasted all 73 of the OBF beers yet, I can say that festival-goers should be in for a treat. As usual with the OBF, my short list is the top 33%, or 24 beers.
The hoppy fest-within-the-fest is back again with some testicle-shriveling high IBU ales. Hop! How high? Fully 21 beers are over 60 IBU, with 9 between 80 and 100. Start your lupulin tour with Hopworks Organic IPA and find out what Christian Ettinger will be up to when his new PDX brewery finally opens later this summer. It's balanced! Only 71 IBU! A trio of 95'ers will get the juices flowing: Green Flash West Coast IPA, very aromatic and surprisingly refreshing, Mad River Steelhead Double IPA, and Standing Stone Double IPA with all organic malt. Then finish with the gold standard of hop wines, Russian River Pliny the Elder.
Time for a palate cleanser to wash the alpha acids away. If you can't locate any sorbet de cassis, go for BJ's C'est Bon Blonde, with a hint of tartness, a light, spritzy finish, and BJ's usual deft handling of Belgian yeasts. Other Belgian standouts include Ommegang Hennepin (the hoped-for shipment of Three Philosophers didn't materialize, but Hennepin is a better hot weather beer anyway) and Flying Fish Bourbon Barrel Abbey Dubbel, made especially for this festival. Widmer is back in the game with an Imperial Wit.
Lagers are usually in short supply at the OBF, but this year there are several pilsners and bocks to choose from. Austrian brewery Trumer has transplanted themselves to the marshy soil of west Berkeley, CA, and will be pouring their Pils. I'm curious, but not expecting any big surprises. Widmer - Oregon Brew Crew partnership Collaborator will be pouring Rawkin Bock at the Brewers Guild "secret" tap, a malty reddish hybrid between a blonde and traditional bock. You must try Laurelwood PNW Pils, a double pilsner juiced up with palate-pleasing Saaz hops.
If you've brought guests from out of town, take them on a beery Oregon Trail from east to west with these unusual brews: Terminal Gravity Tripel, Deschutes 19th anniversary Golden Belgian Ale, Ninkasi Believer double red ale, and Rogue Imperial Porter. You could throw in Rock Bottom's Velvet Pale Ale if they are allowed to bring their nitro tap, but word is they won't, so you'll have to stumble across Naito Parkway and seek it out at the brewery.
Horny dude alert: the best place to chill is near the taps for 21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat, Kona passion fruit wheat, and Raccoon Lodge Raspbery Wheat.
Entry lines should be shorter this year, as festival volunteers will be helping out with wristbands. There will be a second token sales booth on the north side of the hot, dusty trail between the tents during peak hours as well. Art Larrance is a great guy - he wants everybody to spend less time in lines and more time guzzling beer, see?
As usual, best times to visit are early in the day: Thursday when the meadow is fresh and the selection is full, and Sunday when the crowds are sparse and mellow. Don't linger too long on Sunday, however: supplies and patience grow short and the party grinds to a weary, beer-soaked halt, with the question lingering unspoken, "Now that it's over, where should we go?"
Enjoy the festival and drink responsibly!
The hoppy fest-within-the-fest is back again with some testicle-shriveling high IBU ales. Hop! How high? Fully 21 beers are over 60 IBU, with 9 between 80 and 100. Start your lupulin tour with Hopworks Organic IPA and find out what Christian Ettinger will be up to when his new PDX brewery finally opens later this summer. It's balanced! Only 71 IBU! A trio of 95'ers will get the juices flowing: Green Flash West Coast IPA, very aromatic and surprisingly refreshing, Mad River Steelhead Double IPA, and Standing Stone Double IPA with all organic malt. Then finish with the gold standard of hop wines, Russian River Pliny the Elder.
Time for a palate cleanser to wash the alpha acids away. If you can't locate any sorbet de cassis, go for BJ's C'est Bon Blonde, with a hint of tartness, a light, spritzy finish, and BJ's usual deft handling of Belgian yeasts. Other Belgian standouts include Ommegang Hennepin (the hoped-for shipment of Three Philosophers didn't materialize, but Hennepin is a better hot weather beer anyway) and Flying Fish Bourbon Barrel Abbey Dubbel, made especially for this festival. Widmer is back in the game with an Imperial Wit.
Lagers are usually in short supply at the OBF, but this year there are several pilsners and bocks to choose from. Austrian brewery Trumer has transplanted themselves to the marshy soil of west Berkeley, CA, and will be pouring their Pils. I'm curious, but not expecting any big surprises. Widmer - Oregon Brew Crew partnership Collaborator will be pouring Rawkin Bock at the Brewers Guild "secret" tap, a malty reddish hybrid between a blonde and traditional bock. You must try Laurelwood PNW Pils, a double pilsner juiced up with palate-pleasing Saaz hops.
If you've brought guests from out of town, take them on a beery Oregon Trail from east to west with these unusual brews: Terminal Gravity Tripel, Deschutes 19th anniversary Golden Belgian Ale, Ninkasi Believer double red ale, and Rogue Imperial Porter. You could throw in Rock Bottom's Velvet Pale Ale if they are allowed to bring their nitro tap, but word is they won't, so you'll have to stumble across Naito Parkway and seek it out at the brewery.
Horny dude alert: the best place to chill is near the taps for 21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat, Kona passion fruit wheat, and Raccoon Lodge Raspbery Wheat.
Entry lines should be shorter this year, as festival volunteers will be helping out with wristbands. There will be a second token sales booth on the north side of the hot, dusty trail between the tents during peak hours as well. Art Larrance is a great guy - he wants everybody to spend less time in lines and more time guzzling beer, see?
As usual, best times to visit are early in the day: Thursday when the meadow is fresh and the selection is full, and Sunday when the crowds are sparse and mellow. Don't linger too long on Sunday, however: supplies and patience grow short and the party grinds to a weary, beer-soaked halt, with the question lingering unspoken, "Now that it's over, where should we go?"
Enjoy the festival and drink responsibly!
posted by zymorgy at 8:57 PM
4 Comments:
I had Trumer Pils last December when visiting Oakland, served in their signature tall, straight mug. I thought it was marvelous, crisp and hoppy and very refreshing. It was a nice change from all the hop-heavy IPAs.
I was impressed with the Standing Stone IPA. It's a brewery that doesn't always offer complex beers, but the IPA, rich with hop flavor and aroma (and less bitterness than the claimed 95 IBUs), and nicely balanced, was exceptional.
In general, I thought the beer selection was the best in memory. I had a couple beers I thought were subpar, but many that were good and few great ones. A better batting average than past years.
Yes, the Standing Stone was great! I've just returned to Austin from a wonderful vacation in Portland, which I intentionally centered around the OBF. What a great town! Seriously, I'm thinking of moving there, even though I love Austin dearly. My two former roommates who live there now took me to the OBF on Thursday, and a bicycling tour of brewpubs on Saturday. I'm still delirious. Look for a review on my blog (http://i-love-beer.blogspot.com) soon.
Oh yeah ... you're absolutely right about that Pliny the Elder. Damn. Makes me really sad that we can't get Russian River here in Texas.
And it cracks me up to hear you recommending a "hot weather beer." If that wonderful sunny weather in the low 80s is what you consider hot weather, then I definitely want to move there. Come visit me in Texas and I'll show you some truly soul-crushing heat, with nasty humidity to boot. But I'll also show you how to cope: with a visit to one of our chilly swimming holes, followed by a Shiner Kolsch or a Live Oak Pilz.
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