"It was a brave man who first ate an oyster" -Jonathan Swift

A recipe for love on the eve of Valentine’s Day—oysters and stout… That’s the theme for the Fort George Brewery & Public House’s February beer pairing dinner, on Wednesday 13th. Oysters and stout are both considered aphrodisiacs, so this event could wet your appetite in more ways that one!

The five-course meal includes a Trio of Oysters on the Half Shell, Savory Oyster Flan, Champagne Oyster Brie Bisque, Oyster & Mushroom Stuffed Pork Roast, and Coffee Girl Stout Sorbet.

Diners will receive a stout beer paired with each food course. The stouts include some of the most highly coveted and eclectic in the beer community. February is Stout Month at the Fort George, with eight stouts on tap. The dinner will feature both house and guest taps on draught, and bottled varieties as well. The current menu includes Beamish Dry Stout, Caldera Old Growth Imperial Stout, Lucky Lab Pavlov's Russian Imperial Stout, Deschutes Abyss Imperial Stout, and Fort George Brewery Coffee Girl Imperial Stout.

“There’s a longstanding relationship of pairing oysters and stouts. The robust-bold qualities of stout compliments the earthy flavor of oysters,” said Publican, Chris Nemlowill, of the Fort George.

The dinner will include information on beer and culinary pairings. The bond between oysters and stout can be dated as far back as the 18th century, when the waters of England and Ireland teamed with oysters, which the working class widely consumed along with their stout.

“The dry assertive bitterness and roast of the beer intersects with the brininess, texture, and sea flavors of the oyster in a way that nothing else can. One can almost imagine the beer as the knife that cracks the oyster open. There seems to be a primal connection between them,” according to The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver.

The dinner is limited to 30 people, so you’re encouraged to reserve your spot as soon as possible. All-inclusive tickets include food, beverages, and gratuity. The cost is $50 per individual. Call (503) 325-PINT, or drop by the Fort George Brewery and Public House, located at 15th and Duane Street in Astoria.

Fort George Brewery & Public House • 1483 Duane Street Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-PINT • www.fortgeorgebrewery.com

MAGIC BEER: THE MCMENAMINS DRINK TANK

MAGIC BEER: THE MCMENAMINS DRINK TANK

By Fred Eckhardt Issue date: 01/29/2008
Honorary Beer Scribe for Guest on Tap


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Brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin have built themselves a modest empire of wondrous proportions. They operate some 54 mostly historically important establishments, including 23 breweries and brew pubs, a vineyard, a winery and a distillery. There also are nine theaters, a golf course, eight hotels, and bed-and-breakfast inns in locations from north of Seattle to Roseburg in central Oregon.
My favorite McMenamin establishment has to be Portland’s White Eagle on North Russell Street, opened by two Polish immigrants in 1905 (nickname then: “Bucket of Blood” from the fighting there). Offering recreation, poker, liquor and beer to young Polish immigrants, it featured an opium den downstairs and a brothel upstairs.
The breweries reference some 200 recipes and up to 500 different brews. Each brewer is expected to make the major McMenamin brews, but they also are given artistic freedom to invent their own.
Artistic? Well, yes! Mike McMenamin says he considers his brewers to be artists. And why not? This is an organization that has a company historian, Tim Hill, a poet or two and a number of paint artists; all of whom are given great creative license.
The most distinctive and interesting brew the brothers make is the annual anniversary beer to commemorate the 1983 beginning of their first (combined) venture, the Old Barley Mill Pub, on Portland’s Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard. Each year’s brew is distinctive.
These anniversary brews are fascinating, not only for their taste, which is great, but for their design and their effect when you drink them. They are designed by what can only be called a drink tank — usually 12 to 25 people, each of whom brings a strange or exotic ingredient to add to the current anniversary brew. Magic beer, indeed.
Lunch is served and the meeting is convened at a secret location. Sometimes it’s at their first brew pub: Portland’s Hillsdale Brewery and Public House.
The genial Mike McMenamin supervises the activities. The wort for the base beer will be at a full rolling boil. Each drink tank participant brings a favorite libation, herb selection, flower, poem or article to read, and there always is a musician to contribute musical selections from time to time.
The various libations, including many McMenamin beers, wines and spirits, will be sampled by everyone, after which the remaining liquor will be poured into the offerings vat. The contents of that vessel will be added to the finished brew in the kettle.
I remember their first brew in 1989: Wisdom Ale. Fig Newton cookies, rosemary, thyme, sage, peaches and sunflower seeds. There also was ceremony: Irises were laid on top of the cover to the brewery’s open primary fermenter, and there were readings from wise books of the ages.
The herb selections were from Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. That beer had a magical effect, because after the first sip I felt wiser; but my newfound wisdom was gone by day’s end.
Later, there was Longevity Ale (1990), and that was even better.
In 1991 there was Invisibility Ale. I have a hard time remembering that one, but I may have turned invisible because the herbs were designed to make one scarce — not a problem to one’s neighbors. The brew included amaranth, chicory, edelweiss, mistletoe, poppies and some secret stuff. There was Grateful Dead music (“Stella Blue” by Jerry Garcia). I may have stayed invisible for a week.
The 1992 Hallucinator Ale was downright scary, as was the ingredient list. The first sip set me to giggling. Suddenly I felt older, wiser, slightly invisible and giggly.
All at once I knew the secrets of the universe. I forgot them immediately and decided to bark at the moon instead; but it was high noon and I was completely discombobulated.
Some of the herbs included althea (protection, psychic powers), angelica (protection, healing, visions), lavender (love, longevity, happiness, peace), mint (love, money and psychic powers). You get the picture. That was a rich marinade to inject into a beer.
When Pat McNurney, Edgefield grounds manager (who had collected the herbs), actually sipped from the marinade, Mike McMenamin tried to protect him. But his cry, “Pat, stop. Don’t drink that. You’re too important to lose,” was too late. McNurney recovered in a few weeks time, but I still feel giddy.
For the first eight years there always was a bottle from a case of Lanson “champagne for connoisseurs only,” acquired from an old brewmaster of the now-long-gone Blitz-Weinhard brewery, in France, in 1945, just after World War II had ended.
The ’45 was a banner year for that champagne. We may have consumed the planet’s last bit of that great vintage in 1996.
My notes are indecipherable, but I think the 2006 (2005?) confab featured 55 additions, with samples of 20 McMenamins and other brews (including first bottling Hammerhead, and Lucky Lager’s final bottling).
Four herbal and floral offerings, followed by Krug champagne, readings from James Joyce, and a Henry Weinhard ad from The Oregonian from November 1914, tiny copies of which were added to the tub. Remember — Oregon went dry in 1916.
There were various other additions including songs, poems and who knows what all. I contributed a bottle of my own sake, and led the congregation in the Prohibition-era Starvation Army song: “On the right side of Temperance we now take our stand. …”
In conclusion let me state that “Sanity is for sissies; a he-man needs another beer!”

The Rising Price of Beers seem to be coming to Portland

Bob F writes: "A $5 pint of beer can be nursed considerably longer than a $5 glass of wine."

Michael writes "I was at Belmont Station tonight and they were in the process of changing prices on MANY beers, for instance Jolly Pumpkin Fuego del Otono was going from 10.49 to 14.99, Dick's Grand Cru from 1.59 to 2.79...STEEP price increases. Be afraid, be very afraid... "

Bob F writes again: "

Reminds me of the Carter years (pre bar coding). It was a period of high inflation. You sometimes found the store personnel were too lazy to remove a label when they were raising prices, so they just placed a higher priced label over a lower priced one."

Have you seen prices inching up? Please let us know at Guest on Tap! Reply here.

Cheers,

Editor

PELICAN PUB & BREWERY WINS THE TOP PRIZE

Stormwatcher’s Winterfest takes the competition by storm yet again
This past weekend in Anchorage, Alaska, the Pelican Pub & Brewery had another great showing at the Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival—Stormwatcher’s Winterfest 2006 came home with the top prize—the Gold medal in the prestigious Barley Wine competition!

This English-style Barley Wine surpassed 33 competing entries in one of the largest organized Barley Wine competitions of the year. Just last year, the 2005 vintage took home the Silver medal in the same category. There is no doubt that this beer impresses the palates of judges around the globe—in addition to its honors at the Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, Stormwatcher’s Winterfest has won a Gold medal at the North American Beer Awards (2003); Silver medals at the Australian International Beer Awards (2005, 2006, 2007) and a Silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival (2006).

“The level of competition in Alaska is intense, and all of us here at the Pelican are thrilled that Stormwatcher’s Winterfest has brought home top honors,” said Darron Welch, head brewer at the Pelican Pub & Brewery. “It is especially satisfying after the great performance it had last year!”

The 2006 vintage of Stormwatcher’s Winterfest has a deep amber-red color, with an aroma and flavor of caramelized and toasted malts, rich dark fruit and earthy hops. This extremely full-bodied brew has a subtle residual sweetness balanced by alcoholic warmth in the finish. Its big, rich flavor makes it the perfect complement to a stormy Oregon Coast day.

Beer aficionados can taste Stormwatcher’s Winterfest all the way back to 2003. This deep vertical tasting of 2003—2007 vintages is available at the Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City, Ore. for just $8.00. The draft and kegged 2006 vintage is sold out, but bottled Stormwatcher’s 2006 is still available in limited quantities.

For more information on the thirteenth annual Great Alaska Beer & Barley Wine Festival, visit http://www.auroraproductions.net/beer-barley.html.

The Pelican Pub and Brewery, located 22 miles south of Tillamook on the majestic Oregon Coast, has become a Northwest landmark for craft beer and fine food enthusiasts. The oceanfront facility includes an outdoor patio and banquet room with unobstructed views of Cape Kiwanda and Haystack Rock. Celebrating its 11th year in Pacific City, the Pub has created masterpieces such as Kiwanda Cream Ale, India Pelican Ale, MacPelican’s Scottish Ale, Tsunami Stout and Doryman's Dark. The three-time Great American Beer Festival “Brewpub of the Year” winner is open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. For more information, call 503-965-7007 or visit http://www.pelicanbrewery.com/.

Fort George Brewing: February is Stout Month

From the desk of the fine folks at Fort George Brewing:



February is Stout Month: Bourbon Aged Cavatica & Coffee Girl Unveiled

Stout Month, a celebration of dark, rich, bold beers begins February 1st at the Fort George Brewery & Public House in Astoria, Oregon. There will be eight eclectic and extremely coveted stouts within the craft beer community on draught.

These specialty stouts are some of the hardest to find in the nation, made in very small batches, due to the expensive ingredients, and extra time that makes the beers so good.

For example, in the bourbon barrel conditioning process, brewers order barrels from Kentucky, age the beers in the barrels, and then have to get the beer back out of them. Barrel conditioning of stouts develops extremely complex flavors.

You can try this style of stout for yourself with the Fort George’s new Bourbon Barrel Aged Cavatica Stout.

“It has a very subtle, oak and peaty bourbon flavor, layered into the ordinarily fabulous flavors you’d find in our Cavatica Stout,” said owner, Jack Harris.

The Fort George Brewery will also be unveiling in February, Coffee Girl Imperial Stout, an espresso stout. The union of coffee and beer was only a matter of time, especially to pub patrons, who have been lobbying for co-owner, Chris Nemlowill to materialize in beer, his marriage to the owner of a local coffee house, Coffee Girl.

“Dark, rich, and malty, balanced with a rich espresso aroma and an aftertaste of roasted dark chocolate, you just might fall in love with the Coffee Girl too,” said Nemlowill.

Special events for stout month at the Fort George Brewery & Public House include a craft beer appreciation class for women on February 9th, and a beer pairing dinner including stouts and oysters on February 13th.

Ask for a taster tray so you can try all the stouts on draught at the Fort George. The lineup includes: Cavatica Stout—Astoria, OR, Bourbon Barrel Aged Cavatica Stout—Astoria, OR, Coffee Girl Imperial Stout (Espresso Stout)—Astoria, OR, Stone Russian Imperial Stout—San Diego, CA, Deschutes Abyss Stout—Bend, OR, Caldera Old Growth Imperial Stout—Ashland, OR, Lucky Lab Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout—Ashland, OR, and Rogue Chocolate Stout—Newport, OR.

Fort George Brewery & Public House • 1483 Duane Street Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-PINT • www.FortGeorgeBrewery.com

Panty Dropper Ale Available in Select Portland Locations

I recently found a new IPA on tap at Anna Bananas in St. Johns on N.Lombard Avenue. Betwix tap handles for Hopworks' HUB IPA and Pyramid Snowcap, There was a new tap handle I'd not heard of before. The label read "Panty Dropper Ale." I've heard of others dubbing potent libations under such a moniker, but never found a brew actually called such. I inquired with the nice man working behind the counter and he informed me that it was a beer "brewed by a woman in Hillsboro, or something." My facination grew after I sampled the hoppy treat. I am a nut for finding new micro brews. And one from the Portland area...even better!

The next day I employed Internet search engines only to find one entry that appeared to match. It was for the Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival. Apparently they were to carry the Panty Dropper. From this site, under brewers' web sites, there was just an email. So, I emailed what, when, where, who was Panty Dropper. To my delight, I was replied to by a kind lady named Linda Hansen. Linda wrote in detail about her fine brew:

"Ours is somewhat of an unusual story. We too are "beer geeks". In fact we were home brewers that were attempting to develop an I.P.A. that we could drink at home (we have 4 kids!). Long story short, we now sell to right around 10 local establishments. We had developed our "signature" beer, and everyone kept telling us how good it was, and how much they would love to be able to purchase it. Of coarse the friends and family were expected to say that right?......but total strangers were very impressed with our beer. Enough so, that I decided that it was worth a shot to get licensed with OLCC, and BAFTA. Once getting through that red tape I could now sell beer legally to a bar/pub.

"We went from stovetop, to garage, to shop, to bigger shop, until finally contract brewing. We were supplying 3 pubs by hand crafting our product in a large shop off of a two keg home brewing cooker that we had welded ourselves. Pretty amazing now that I think back on it, but we had many late nights. I can remember us in the shop brewing until 1:30-2:00 am, in anticipation for the next keg that our client would need. Did I mention that we both have real jobs!! I am an Oncology R.N. full time, and Denny is a hodd carrier (brick/mason) full time, so these late nights although worth it, took it's toll. We wanted to get our beer into more places but were afraid that we would be unable to keep up, so we approached Max Tieger at Tucks Brewery if he would be willing/interested in a contract brew? Max took us on willingly, and in the process was a phenomenal teacher. We attempted to manipulate our recipe from brewing 1 keg at a time, to brewing a batch on his 5 barrel system. Ultimately we felt successful, and were very proud of our product.

"Tucks Brewery sold, and Max was in the process of opening his own brewery (Max's Fanno Creek Brew Pub). In the mean time we had picked up a few more accounts, and were at a cross roads. Either we went back to brewing one keg at a time, found someone else willing to contract brew, or quit altogether.

"I started the phone chain of brewers in the Portland area. Gosh what a great group of people. As a big nobody, I was half expecting the cold shoulder, but people were so willing to help out, it was just that the beer boom was on the rise, and they really just did not have any extra fermenter space to brew a contract and still keep up with their own. It was David Flemming from Lucky Lab, who suggested that I contact "The Tylers" at Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, OR. Tyler Reichert (the owner), and Tyler West (head brewer).

"I met with Tyler Reichert, and he thought they would be able to do it. Now we were needing to manipulate our recipe from a 5 barrel system to a 10 barrel system. Ultimately after a few attempts, we now once again had our "PDA" as we call it or Panty Dropper Ale. We have continued to work with "The Tylers", and Silver Moon Brewing for over a year. In fact we were both in the Spring Beer Festival last year, as you had mentioned."



By definition PDA is an American Style Pale Ale, due to the high IBU's (82-83), and borderline ABV (around 5.6-5.8%).
Linda says "...We make what we like!!! Typically the pale ales/IPA's are summer seasonal, but we have found tremendous success year round. We do have a few establishments that just feature PDA as a seasonal tap.

"We self distribute our beer, thus keeping it very local, usually under 10 establishments. We have one signature beer! It had taken off so fast, and has continued to do so well, that we really have not had much time to play around with other recipes, although Denny is a HUGE Belgium beer fan, so I see some Belgium experimentation on the horizon."

-Silver Moon Brewing is located at 24 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend, OR (541-388-8331)

www.SilverMoonBrewing.com



Look for PDA Friday, March 21 & Saturday, March 22, 2008 at the 14th Annual Spring Beer & Wine Fest

It may still be available at Anna Banana's Coffee, with two locations in Portland.

Lucky Lab to Release Monster Beer

Portland's Lucky Labrador Brewing Company just announced it will be releasing a port barrel-aged Pavlov's Russian Imperial Stout. Brewer Ben Flerchinger said "We got a hold of a port barrel from Abacella winery in southern Oregon. The day they emptied it of port we drove it to Portland and filled it with imperial stout. There it sat for a good six months soaking up all the complex flavors of the wine soaked oak. Good raspberry, vanilla, black currant flavor that gives way to a caramel roasty finish."
Pavlov is slated to be sold at the Lucky Lab NW Quimby location on January 18th, 2008 for $8.95 for a 22-ounce bottle.