Oregon Brewers Festival 2014

Oregon Brewers Festival Logo
This Wednesday kicks off the biggest beer festival of them all for Oregon Craft Beer Month, the Oregon Brewers Festival, also nicknamed OBF. Held the last full weekend of every July, this year the festival is kicking off on Wednesday July 23 and goes to Sunday July 27. As always, OBF makes its home on the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, making is just a 1 block away from the Max lines at the SW First and Oak Street Max Station.

Admission to the Oregon Brewers Festival is FREE and is also all ages as long as you are the parent of the minor. To taste the beer you will need to purchase a 2014 souvenir Oregon Brewers Festival 2014 tasting glass for $7, and then from there tasting tokens are $1. It costs four tokens for a full glass of beer, or one token for a taste.
Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn
Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn

Purchasing the glass or tokens is Cash Only, though they do have ATMS on site. The six food/beverage vendors providing food and alternate drink also are cash only, but some of the vendors selling other items it may be up to their discretion. The message is, bring cash. You can also bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverage if you’d like, though it is subject to bag searching like all bags when you are entering. I always make sure I bring alcohol absorbents like a bread and cheese and charcuterie plate, and a bottle of water.

Taps close at 9 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 7 pm on Sunday. I always try to go as early in the day as possible, as there will be less crowds in terms of finding seating, less lines in getting a beer, and less likelihood that a beer will have run out for the day (they will not tap the next keg until the next day). The best days will be the weekdays or early on the weekends, the worst lines are the weekend evenings.

Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn
Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn

Keep in mind that OBF spans multiple days, so I will sometimes walk in the North or South tent, get some beers in that area, and then leave and come back another day to do the other side, rather than walking back and forth between the two tents. When you get there, sit down and plan your strategy based on where the beers you have picked out and ranked are located. Read through the Beer List online and then when you get the list with trailer numbers upon entering the festival, start marking where everything is.

Here are a few of my picks of beers you might want to consider for your list,  which you can even do on your mobile phone using coaster.me :

  • 10 Barrel Brewing Co Cider Weisse, a Berliner Style Weiss blended with green apple cider
  • Ballast Point Brewing Co Sculpin IPA, a solid IPA and Ballast is from San Diego, if you haven’t had Ballast before (they do bottle this beer year round, but still you may not have seen it before). They describe that their use of hops creates hints of apricot, peach, mango and lemon flavors, but still packs a bit of a sting, just like a Sculpin fish.
  • Boneyard Beer Bone-A-Fide, an  American Pale Ale that has high rankings on Beer Advocate and Untappd
  • Caldera Toasted Coconut Chocolate Porter, because it sounds delicious just with the name alone, and I love chocolate candy bar like porters.
  • Cigar City Brewing Mangosteen Florida Weisse, the Berliner Weisse style is always refreshing during the summer, andt his one particular Berliner Weisse has Mangosteen
  • Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Burton Olde English, an Olde English Style Ale that is oak aged blend of an English Style ale and an IPA
  • Dudes Brewing Grandma’s Pecan Brown is Toasted Nutty brown ale deliciousness. I enjoyed it last year and plan to get it again
  • Ecliptic Brewery Perihelion Crimson Saison, a Saison brewed with Rhubarb which may be a one off for OBF as I haven’t seen this Saison offering before
  • Ex Novo Brewing Co Black & Wheat, Ex Novo just opened this month and I haven’t had a chance to try any of their beers, so I’ll be glad to have this sample introduction with a Black Raspberry Wheat beer
  • Firestone Walker Brewing Co Easy Jack, a Session IPA that uses hop varieties from Europe, New Zealand and North America for globetrotting hops all in one beer
  • Gigantic Brewing Co Who Ate All the Pies?, this Strawberry Rhubarb Gose had me at the name including the word pie and the use of Strawberry and Rhubarb in a Gose style which promises a bit of sourness
  • Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Sraffe Drieling, an organic Farmhouse Triple brewed with spices. If you haven’t had this Logsdon beer before, here’s your chance to try it out!
  • Mazama Brewing Rasplendent, a Raspberry and Hibiscus Wit
  • Paradise Creek Huckleberry Pucker is a Berliner Weiss with Huckleberries that one commenter on Untappd mentioned is “Tart n tangy like Pixie Stix”, while others mentioned Nerds. Basically it’s sweet and sour sorta like a candy. Sold.
  • Sixpoint Craft Ales Barrel Aged 3 Beans, a Baltic Porter made with Mast Brothers Chocolate cacao husks and infused with fresh Stumptown Coffee Roasters cold brew, and then aged on oak. Yum right?

Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn
Oregon Brewers Festival, Photo Credit Timothy Horn

This year OBF will be hosting 88 different craft breweries from around the country plus another 100 in the Specialty Tent, which makes its return (previously called the Buzz Tent) after a hiatus last year. In the Specialty Tent there will be special European beer friends: 12 breweries (11 from the Netherlands and 1 from Germany!) so this is a special opportunity to try those beers and their unique flavor profiles compared to the 88 American breweries.

Plus, look how fun these brewer friends are that you can meet in the tent as you are tasting their beer! Each brewery will serve up to five of their beers in the Specialty Tent starting at Noon (Wed-Sat) and the brewers will be available for meet the brewer sessions those days as well as you drink their beer. 

Do note that although there is no separate ticket to get into the Specialty Tent, only tasters are served (no full pours), and all beers are double tokens. I’ve highlighted the brewers and few example beers where I was able to see descriptions so you have an idea what you might be able to try!

Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014

  • Bierbrouwerij Emelisse, I’ve had beer from this brewery before that I’ve enjoyed, and they are bringing their Smoked Coffee Porter  as well as Black & Tan blend of Imperial Russian Stout and Double IPA and is barrel aged on an Isley barrel.
  • Brouwerij Rodenburg has brought their internationally acclaimed Bronckhorster Nightporter stout with flavors of coffee, smoked malts and chocolate as well as their Midnightporter American Imperial Porter which is similar to the Nightporter but with more smoke peat and hops. Their Terra Incognita is their 100th Anniversary Brew and they will be barrel aging it to be available in 2015
  • Brouwerij ‘t IJ
    Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014, such as Brouwerij't IJ
  • Microbrouwerij Rooie Dop has me interested in their The Daily Grind coffee porter of which the description says “Using delicate ingredients like Guatemala Antigua coffee, brown malts and Saaz hops, we created this dark coffee-infused beer. It will be the smile you need to break the daily grind.”
    Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014, such as Mark Strooker of Microbrouwerij Rooie Dop
  • Brouwerij Maximus
    Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014, such as Marcel Snater  of Maximus
  • Brouwerij Duits & Lauret
  • Brouwerij de Molen has a variety of beers they have brought, including representatives of the styles of English Barleywine, Russian Imperial Stout, Baltic Porter, Saison, and more!
  • Oedipus Brewing – they have brought some unusually flavored beer, including Lekkerbek Saison with mustard seeds and dill. and Mannenliefde Saison with Lemongrass & Szechuan peppercorns and a Thai Thai Triple with Galanga Root, Orange peel, Coriander Seeds, Lemongrass, Chili pepper. A thai spice dish in a beer?!
    Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014, such as Oedipus @OedipusBrewing took the OBF glass to Noordwijk, the small coastal town where they all met 15 years ago!
  • Het Uiltje has an interestingly named Uiltje Pepperspray Porter
  • Oersoep has an unusual lineup of Saison and Sour Ales, a couple which they described as having hints of bubblegum (their Sergeant Brett Pepper Saison that has spice and bubblegum?) or sour candy (Brettanosaurus Rex Brett Ale), and a Pomme Bruxelles that is a dryhopped blend of an apple-cider and a one year old  barrel-aged sour that is described as sparkling, tart and very fruity
    Dutch brewers are coming to OBF 2014, such as Oersoep
  • Ramses Bier, if you dare, has the Naar de Haaien Smoked IPA that is brewed with seaweed and seawater
  • Brauerei Nothhaf

I’ll be there at the Oregon Brewers Festival 2014 on Wednesday evening, and also I’ll be following when beers tap at the Specialty Beer tent via their twitter @OBFLTDTent. If you are trying those beers from our European friends, also use or check for the hashtag #NLtoPDX.

Are you going to OBF? What beers sounded interesting to you?

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Fire & Brimstone Festival: a Celebration of Chili and Smoke Beverages

Fire & Brimstone 2014, official poster image by Blaine Fontana
Fire & Brimstone 2014, official poster image by Blaine Fontana

One of my favorite beer festivals in Portland is back for its fourth year in just 2 weeks!. The Fire & Brimstone Festival is hosted by both Hop & Vine and Saraveza, which are conveniently only a half mile walk from each other (about a leisurely 10 minute walk, with Sarevaza at 1004 N. Killingsworth St. and The Hop & Vine at 1914 N. Killingsworth St.). Both are reachable by the Max Yellow Line N Killingsworth stop.

Each venue will have chili and smoke beers, a smoked or chili cider and a mini-cocktail special. Both will also have special food to match with the smoky or chili beverages. For instance, Saraveza is offering their ENORMOUS Bamberg onions & smoked skewers and Hop & Vine is dishing out tacos. Of course, the regular menus will also be available and many of those items will compliment the beers in their own ways so you aren’t limited in food options. For instance, from previous visits I can’t resist getting the popcorn at The Hop& Vine, and they have a very tasty grilled cheese sandwich. You can’t go wrong with the classic cheese and charcuterie plate either.
Smoked and Chili beers at the Fire & Brimstone event at Hop & Vine Parmesan and pepper popcorn to snack on at The Hop and Vine, Portland. Charcuterie plate at Hop & Vine Grilled cheese and tomato soup at Hop & Vine

This year, the Fire & Brimstone Festival falls on July 26 and 27th, with the Festival Hours Saturday and Sunday 11 AM -10 PM. Both venues will also be open for regular business if you choose not to partake and/or you want more food or beverages off their regular menu.

Admission is free, but to taste the cost is $20 for 10 taster tokens, with additional tokens at $1.50, and the tokens can be purchased and used at both Hop & Vine and Saraveza, and can be used both Saturday and Sunday. A sample 5oz pour will cost 1 token.

Last year there were more than 15 smokey or spicy beverage samples to select from, so there is definitely a lot to try. This year it seems there could be a total of 20 items available between the two locations. Several of these offerings will be beverages created especially for this festival, so they are truly one of a kind opportunities to taste some of these flavors!
Image courtesy of Drew of The Hop & Vine
Image courtesy of Drew of The Hop & Vine

Featured Breweries & Cideries Include

At Saraveza

  • Agrarian Ales – Smoked Chili Porter
  • Alaskan Brewing Company – 2013 Smoked Porter
  • Ballast Point – Habanero ‘Sculpin’ IPA
  • Base Camp Brewing Co. – “Smoooke on the Weisse Beer” Beechwood Smoked Wheat
  • Breakside Brewing/Ned Ludd “36 Chambers” Sage Smoked Honey Golden Ale
  • Flat Tail Brewing “El Guapo” Blonde Ale w/Cucumber, Lime & Habanero
  • New Belgium/Cigar City – 2013 Ale Brewed w/Anaheim & Marash Chilies, Aged on Spanish Cedar
  • Oakshire Brewing – “Smokin’ Hell Extra” Smoked Helles Lager Infused w/Serrano, Chulaca & Habanero Peppers
  • Occidental Brewing Co. – Rauchbier
  • Two Towns Ciderhouse – “Cot in the Act” Apricot Cider w/Ancho, New Mexican & Chipotle Chilies
  • “Whiskey Inferno” cocktail with house-Infused Ginger, Jalapeno & Honey Whiskey w/Cock & Bull Ginger Ale and a Jalapeno “Hot Rock” w/Smoked Sea Salt Rim.

At Hop & Vine:

  • Breakside Brewing “Passionfruit Sour” w/ Habanero Chiles
  • Dogfish Head “Festina Peche” – peach berlinerweisse – via Thai Chiles in a randall infuser
  • Epic Brewing “Smoked & Oaked” Belgian Strong
  • Fort George “Hellcat” – belgian strong pale w/ Anaheim, Pasilla, Jalapeno, & Habanero Chiles
  • Gigantic “Firebird” – Smoked Hefeweizen – via Grilled peaches and habanero chiles in a randall infuser
  • New Belgium/Three Floyds “Gratzer” – Polish-style smoked dark wheat ale
  • Reverend Nat’s “Smokey Pineapple Bhut” – smokey Tepache w/ Ghost Chiles
  • Stone Smoked Porter
  • Widmer Brothers Brewing SxNW ’12 – dark strong w/ chiles, cinnamon, & pecans – aged in Tequila Barrels
  • Hi-Wheel Habanero Lime – spritzy fermented fruit wine w/ habanero extract
  • a spicy & sweet “Hell in a Handbasket” cocktail with muddled Serrano Chile, Tequila, Mezcal, House Watermelon Shrub, & Lime Juice w/ guajillo-salt rim
  • “Blood & Smoke” cocktail – Famous Grouse, House Smoked Peach Shrub, OJ, Cherry Heering, Bitters
  • “Ghost Rider” – craft jello shot – Novo Fogo Cachaca, Lime, Terragon Simple, Serrano Juice

Final Draft List and more details to follow as I keep my eye on the Fire & Brimstone Facebook event page!

Images from previous Fire & Brimstone: At The Hop & Vine, they will probably continue having a few beers available at the bar, and more available on the back patio for the event. My favorite pairing of fire and brimstone and food that they have done was when they had specials of a Jalapeno Pecorino biscuit with smoked pork gravy and fried egg and Flourless chocolate cake with smoked chili ice cream, at Hop & Vine Fire & Brimstone version 2012. That was the first year I had the pairing from Saraveza, which was the Smokin’ Bamberg Onion Plate, a traditional Rauch beer meal, that consisted of a Bamburg Onion, Mashed Potatoes w/ Schlenkerla gravy, salad, side of vegetables and a Sugar Pimp Peach-chili dessert.
Hop & Vine, which offered 4 beers inside from their taps and 6 outside from kegs Jalapeno Pecorino biscuit with smoked pork gravy and fried egg, a special at Hop & Vine, Fire & Brimstone version 2012 Flourless chocolate cake with smoked chili ice cream, at Hop & Vine, Fire & Brimstone version 2012   Saraveza's Flight of Five Chili and Smoked Beers for Fire & Brimstone 2012 Saraveza's Flight of Five Chili and Smoked Beers for Fire & Brimstone... Burnside Sweet Heat always glows in the glass it seems (front right) Saraveza Fire & Brimstone 2012 food pairing of the Smokin' Bamberg Onion Plate, a traditional Rauch beer meal, that consisted of a Bamburg Onion, Mashed Potatoes w/ Schlenkerla gravy, salad, side of vegetables and a Sugar Pimp Peach-chili dessert Saraveza Fire & Brimstone 2012 food pairing of the Smokin' Bamberg Onion Plate, a traditional Rauch beer meal, that consisted of a Bamburg Onion, Mashed Potatoes w/ Schlenkerla gravy, salad, side of vegetables and a Sugar Pimp Peach-chili dessert

Have you had smoke or chili beers before?

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July is Oregon Craft Beer Month 2013

As I have mentioned a few posts ago, July is Oregon Craft Beer month. Throughout this month, there are breweries and beer festivals celebrating the craft of beer all over Oregon. Here in Portland, there are some particular events that caught my eye.
Oregon Craft Beer Month in July

  • Belmont Station’s Puckerfest, which celebrates sour, wild and funky beers from July 12 to the end of this week. If you have not been to Belmont Station for a while, check out their new larger space that includes a patio and also a food cart, Italian Market for a taste of Philly.
  • This Thursday (July 18), I will be attending a Smallwares and Breakside Brewing five course beer dinner pairing: I’ll be sure to report out, don’t worry!
  • This weekend  July 19-21 is the International Beer festival located in the North Park blocks with 150 beers from around the world
  • And then, the biggest of them all- the Oregon Brewer’s Festival, this time starting a day earlier than previously from Wednesday July 24 to Sunday July 28 offering the ability to taste 80 beers along the beautiful waterfront. This year, instead of the plastic glasses, they are going to actual glass glasses for your tasters.
    Sign showing the way to beer at Oregon Brewer's Festival
  • Fred Eckhart’s is hosting his 23rd Beer and Cheese tasting event at Rogue Public House in the Pearl that pairs 10 beers and 10 cheeses on July 22
    Rogue Dead Guy Ale and the smelly Monteillet Mejean
  • Another beer and food dinner event, Gigantic Brewing and Restaurant Beck which benefits Le Cordon Bleu’s Student ACF Hot Foods Team and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and SW Washington on July 25
  • July 27 is apparently Oakshire day- there is an Oakshire Barrel Aging Seminar at The Upper Lip over Bailey’s Taproom at 1:30pm, and you can warm up to taste those 4 beers pouring with Raven and Rose’s Oakshire Brewer’s Brunch with 3 courses at 11am… my arteries made me pass on the full Irish Breakfast at Raven and Rose, but I’ll be at the Upper Lip
  • The McMenamins at Cornelius Pass is releasing a special spicy beer trio for what they dub Pepperfest ’13 on July 31
  • Also on July 31 is the 3rd Annual Brewer’s Burger Brawl at Hop & Vine boasting a battle of burger and beer!
  • And ALSO on July 31 (you guys are killing me) is the 3rd Ben Fest, celebrating all the brewers named Ben that we have here, and they are all bringing a beer!

You don’t have to only drink your beer of course- check out recipes I have made in the past using beer, including beer cheese faceoff with two beer cheese recipes, beer ricotta, and my favorite beer recipe so far, beer soup of Butternut Squash and Ale Soup with Candied Almonds and homemade Mascarpone and with Cambozola. I’ll be sharing another beer food recipe in just a bit.

beer cheese recipe Saison Beer Ricotta on Cucumber Butternut Squash and Ale Soup with Candied Almonds and homemade Mascarpone with Cambozola

Or, perhaps you are just looking for something to pair with your beer. This recipe was shared by Cha Cha Cha and posted also at the Oregon Brewer’s Guild. This recipe from Cha Cha Cha was recommended to pair with a Full Sail Sessions Beer (Black Lager). The beers always stand out to me because of the unique bottle they come in, a stubby bottle. The bottle style is really called stubby, by the way.

When I saw this recipe, I thought of a friend I know who enjoys Full Sail as a regular beer to enjoy while watching TV, and who as of yesterday, just flew off to do a Bruseels to Amsterdam tour, 9 days of touring with cycling and drinking beer on a tour with Beercycling. We first found out about Beercycling a few years ago during Zwickelmania, and it has been on our wishlist- but our friends are actually doing it this year. Good for them, and Bon voyage, and bring back some beer (I will also accept gouda cheese)!

Mole Poblano from Cha Cha Cha (makes about 4 cups of mole)

  • 3 Chiles Mulatos
  • 2 Chiles Pasillas
  • 2 Chiles Anchos
  • 1/2 Chipotle peppers (optional if you want it a little spicy)
  • 6 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cup almonds
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 onion (chopped fine)
  • 1/4 cup ground coriander
  • 1/8 cup ground cloves
  • 1/2 stick Mexican Cinnamon (ground)
  • 1 ounce bittersweet Mexican Chocolate chopped coarsely
  • 2 cups of chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • Brown sugar or salt to taste
  1. Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Then take all the chile peppers and garlic on an aluminum sheet and toast for 6 minutes until fragrant. Remove chiles and let them cool before then removing the seeds and stems and chopped them into 1/4 inch pieces. Make sure to wash your hands, and DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYE. Ouch.
  2. Meanwhile in the oven before turning it off, toast the almonds and peanuts by putting them on on ungreased sheet in a single flat layer for 10-15 minutes, and then ground them in a food processor.
  3. In a large skillet, heat without any oil on the pan the sesame seeds at medium heat until they are toasted and fragrant. Remove.
  4. Now add oil on medium heat, add garlic and onions until soft. Then add all the toasted pepper pieces, coriander, cloves, cinnamon and chocolate. (Make sure you stir constantly until chocolate melts).
  5. Add to skillet chicken broth, raisins, and your toasted almonds, peanuts and sesame seeds. Stir for about 15 minutes until sauce is thick.
  6. Place everything from skillet in a blender or food processor and blend well.
  7. Place sauce back in the skillet and stir for another 8 minutes, season with brown sugar or salt.

Now, the question is as you open up that beer what to pour this mole on. Enchiladas? Burritos? Maybe. You can continue to poach a protein (chicken, pork, tofu) in the sauce in the skillet. Or take the easy way out instead if you want and pour this on some store bought rotisserie chicken and eat it on Mexican rice.

And maybe you’ll have some beer left after dinner, and you’ll decide to follow suit from the menu at the Full Sail Pub and Tasting Room at Hood River and throw some vanilla ice cream in it and call the beer float your dessert! Don’t forget to check into the beer on Untappd – if you check in 2 different Oregon beers and you’ll get a special badge for this month. So go out and get a sampler tray from your local Oregon brewery!

Can you identify my sampler trays?
all the beers at Bridgeport Brewery in a sampler tray McMenamin's Ale Sampler tray for beer Laurelwood Beer Flight Deschutes Brewing, make your own beer sampler with 6 options possible from their menu which changes seasonally (though it has a few constant ones) Sampler tray from Upright Brewing Walk the Dog sampler, plus a glass of another beer, at the Hair of the Dog tasting room Tasting tray of beer at Coalition Brewing A sampler tray of beer at Breakside Brewery Tasters at Cascade Brewing, specializing in sour beers <Sampler at Fort George Brewing in Astoria. Back left to right: 1811 Lager, Quick Wit, Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale, Vortex IPA; Working Girl Porter, Cavatica Stout, Quiet Rye-It, Red Tide; OmegaTex, North 5, and Firkin Nut Red dry-hopped with Cascade Hops

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