Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014

Last Sunday, we once again (just like my recap in 2013 and my recap in 2012) spent Father’s Day (after calling my dad earlier in the morning of course) with a visit to the Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014. This is one of my favorite beer festival events all year because it pairs tastes of beers with cheese. The event draws beer lovers rather than those who just want to drink beer, and we are more serious about trying to discern the detailed flavors in beer and cheese. Also, I love cheese. LOVE.

Portland Beer and Cheese Fest 2014 poster

This year, the location of the event changed from The Commons Brewery to Burnside Brewing as The Commons is in the works of setting up a new bigger and better tasting room (very excited for them! Can’t wait!). Despite the location change that had us in the less photogenic brewing garage of Burnside (but also meant we had access to some of the tent covered outdoor tables and could get food and more beer at Burnside if we wish), and the crazy heavy rain that day, it was still a great event. Particularly, I really appreciated that there were more places to be able to put down my plate of cheese and beverage rather than having to hold them the entire event.
Beer and Cheese Pairing station at Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014 Beer and Cheese Pairing station at Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014

This year Chop took a break to actually spend Father’s Day as a father (good for him! And I had stopped at the PSU Farmers Market earlier and procured my pate for later!). Don’t worry Olympic Provisions was on hand with a meatastic display of charcuterie for participants to graze on to balance out the beer and cheese tastings. Special shoutout on the “meat flowers” that were in the display (you can see one though slightly picked from in the last photo bottom right) as they offered their pork pistachio pate, sweetheart ham, mortadella, and various salami.
Olympic Provisions was on hand with a meatastic display of charcuterie for participants to graze on to balance out the beer and cheese tastings Olympic Provisions was on hand with a meatastic display of charcuterie for participants to graze on to balance out the beer and cheese tastings Olympic Provisions was on hand with a meatastic display of charcuterie for participants to graze on to balance out the beer and cheese tastings Olympic Provisions was on hand with a meatastic display of charcuterie for participants to graze on to balance out the beer and cheese tastings

And now, for the greatness of cheesemonger Steve of The Cheese Bar using his genius for good in pairing cheeses with beer. I write this post not only for those of you in the future who may be searching on the internet and wondering what this event was about and whether you should buy tickets to the 2015 event (the answer is a resounding YES), but to also encourage you that in the meantime, this is a tremendous theme for any get together. Have everyone bring a beer from a brewery, bring a cheese, and then everyone enjoy! Here are some examples of pairings you might consider… And obviously, if you would like any advice, Steve is your man.

This year the pairings included:

The Beer and Cheese Pairings:

  1. Breakside Brewing Pilsner with Vintage Cheese Company Mountina (cow – Montana)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Breakside Brewing – Pilsner with Vintage Cheese Company – Mountina – cow – Montana
    This was one of my favorite pairings of the day. I loved the light well flavors of the Pilsner that was true to the style but yet also seemed to transcend it with more forward flavors then the typical lagers that leaned more towards malts with a slight sweetness. I probably would have never thought to order this beer if I saw it because of the style. But then paired with the earthy and nutty Mountina it was very tasty and would please anyone and I actually would recommend these two. As an aside, just the day before I sampled their seasonal Passionfruit Sour and it’s a fantastic summer beer, light, low alcohol, but very tasty and you can definitely taste the passionfruit and so well balanced. I encourage you to grab some! Meanwhile, that Mountina is a cheese that goes well with a wide variety of beers- I’ve had the cheese several times, and I know from other events Steve has paired it with beers in the past two Portland Beer and Cheese Festivals and at the Rookery with other German style beers such as Hefeweizen and Kolsch styles, not just lager styles.
  2. Pfriem Family Brewers Saison with Satori Pastorale (cow and sheep – Wisconsin)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Pfriem Family Brewers Saison with Satori – Pastorale – cow and sheep – Wisconsin
    The Pfriem Saison’s grassiness was complimented well with the similar country field earthiness of the Sartori cheese that was sharp yet creamy and also had little crunchiness of aged cheese crystals. I adore cheese crystals.
  3. Upright Brewery Black Lime Saison with Central Coast Goat Gouda (goat – California)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Upright Brewery Black Lime Saison with Central Coast – Goat Gouda – goat – California
    I wasn’t able to detect any lime or citrus going on here, but I can always get behind a gouda, and gouda and beer is a very safe win in terms of pairing. When we bring a cheese plate to any of the Bailey’s Taproom beer festivals, we always have a gouda as the rich nut and earth flavors of goudas go well with many styles of beer.
  4. Burnside Brewing Company Spring Rye with Gruyere d’savoie (cow – France)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Burnside Brewing Company Spring Rye with Gruyere d’savoie – cow - France. Also, Olympic Provisions charcuterie
    It was around this point I also needed some charcuterie to accompany the tastes. This whole plate was heavenly, with the tones of rye and coriander from the beer and which are present in the Olympic Provisions meats just a perfect match (in my photo you can see the chorizo salami, but that’s because in my mouth as I was taking this photo I had already stuffed the Italian style cacciatore salami that you had seen on the right side of the table in my other photos earlier), and the buttery, salty and savory Gruyere being the icing and sprinkles to this plate that was just destined to be together.
  5. Firestone Walker Brewing Company DBA (Double Barrel Ale) with Ferns Edge Mt. Zion (goat – Oregon)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Firestone Walker Brewing Company DBA with Ferns Edge – Mt. Zion – goat – Oregon
    This was the only beer that wasn’t local, as Firestone Walker is from California. However, the brewer David Walker was on hand during Portland Beer Week so I understood how this toasty English Special Bitter type ale that balances hops and malts equally in the taste profile got on the list. The Ferns Edge Mt. Zion is delicious, but I am a huge fan of Ferns’ Edge Goat Dairy and I think their best cheeses are their various chevres and want to see more of that dammit. In this case, although I do I like the cheese, I thought the flavors overwhelmed the DBA rather than complimenting or contrasting them. I like other Firestone Walker beers (particularly their proprietor’s vintage series like Parabola, Sucuba, Stickee Monkee) and would probably pass on the DBA in the future as it is ok but not outstanding in my opinion.
  6. The Commons Brewery Dunkelweiss with Quadrello di bufala (water buffalo – Italy)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here The Commons Brewery Dunkelweiss with Quadrello di bufala – water buffalo – Italy
    The Quadrello di Buffala is a pretty funky soft cheese, but this bit of barnyard paired with this Dunkelweiss combined for a very earthy experience that was a whole new experience. This is one of those great pairings where you have each one individually, and then when you combine them on your tongue it becomes a whole new flavor,  in this case of caramel and buttery cream. I love when a pairing births something entirely new like this and is a surprise!
  7. Hopworks Urban Brewery and Worthy Brewing Portland Beer Week Collaboration Session IPA with Hook’s 5-Year Cheddar (cow – Wisconsin)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Hopworks Urban Brewery and Worthy Brewing – Portland Beer Week Collaboration Session IPA with Hook’s 5-Year Cheddar – cow – Wisconsin Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Hopworks Urban Brewery and Worthy Brewing – Portland Beer Week Collaboration Session IPA with Hook’s 5-Year Cheddar – cow – Wisconsin
    This Hook 5 Year Cheddar is a great match to any hoppy beer. Unfortunately I am not a big hop fan (West Coast IPAs can be very happy bitter) so I admit I passed this beer on to F (he had given me his Quadrello anyway as it was too soft and pungent for him) so don’t have as much to say here except that if you are looking to match an IPA, an aged cheddar is your best bet.
  8. Double Mountain Brewery Carrie Ladd beer with Isle of Mull Cheddar (cow – Scotland)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Double Mountain Brewery Carrie Ladd beer with Isle of Mull – Cheddar – cow – Scotland Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Double Mountain Brewery Carrie Ladd beer with Isle of Mull – Cheddar – cow – Scotland
    The Carrie Ladd is a yeasty porter, which is nice that it focuses on celebrating roast rather than strong chocolate and smoke flavors like many porters do (or perhaps I’ve just had a lot of porters that are strong in those flavors, and I’m a sucker for any vanilla porter on a menu so probably is also self selection). The Isle of Mull cheddar seemed to further emphasize the yeast while also providing a little contrast with a bit of sharpness. Do those photos seem like an eye test (first focusing on the beer, and then the cheese) – for some reason even though only I had been drinking my cameraphone decided it couldn’t focus on both at the same time.
  9. Widmer Brothers Brewing Smoked Schwarz with Idazabel (sheep – Spain)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Double Mountain Brewery Carrie Ladd beer with Isle of Mull – Cheddar – cow – Scotland
    Of all the cheeses, the Idazabel here was my favorite, and was a cheese I had never had before and has a subtle smokiness to it, which is why it complimented the smoke of the smoked schwarz beer here.
  10. Gigantic Brewing Company Too Much Coffee Man Black Saison paired with Kirkham’s Lancashire (cow – England)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Gigantic Brewing Company Too Much Coffee Man Black Saison paired with Kirkham’s – Lancashire
    This was my favorite individual beer of the festival, with it’s strong coffee and chocolate roasty flavors in the beer. Add the buttery Kirkham Lancashire and I think I can have this for breakfast instead of coffee and buttered toast or english muffins. Oh man, that would be a serious awesome breakfast.
  11. Lompoc Brewing Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Side Porter with Cascadia Creamery Glacier Blue (cow – Washington)
    Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, a pairing of beer and cheese, here Lompoc Brewing Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Side Porter with Cascadia Creamery – Glacier Blue – cow – Washington
    I am a big fan of barrel aged beers, and although the flavors of this Lompoc beer were nice, I’m spoiled in that I had tried many a bourbon barrel aged beer, and in comparison this one had a thinner taste then what I’ve experienced before. It did have a great nose. For a stronger flavor beer like this, a strong creamy and salty blue cheese like this Glacier Blue is the perfect contrast and counter for the beer. I was only too glad to take F’s Glacier Blue as he is not a fan of blue cheese. If you see me and also don’t want your blue cheese, please feel free to pass it on to me.

Logistically, I am a big fan of these events that have these punchcards that do double duty in providing some information as well as making me feel quite accomplished when I have completed my beer and cheese report card. I highly recommend the Portland Beer and Cheese Festival next year!
Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, an event pairing beer and cheese, here Lompoc Brewing Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Side Porter with Cascadia Creamery – Glacier Blue – cow – Washington Portland Beer and Cheese Festival 2014, an event pairing beer and cheese, and you can graze on Olympic Provisions charcuterie

This Sunday is another punchcard day as I attend the Portland Monthly Country Brunch (unfortunately already sold out) that includes little tastes of brunch as well as a Bloody Mary Smackdown. You can look forward to that report next week (my report on it last year will explain why I’m so excited about it, though the mention of Bloody Marys is really enough isn’t it?)!

Which of these beer and cheese pairings do you think you would have enjoyed?

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Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese – Portland Release Party

I was super thrilled when Tiffany from Thyme of Taste shared that there was a special event for Melt: The Art of Macaroni & Cheese occurring at Steve Jones’ Cheese Bar. First of all, I love cheese, and I will take any excuse/rationalization necessary to go to cheese.

Book cover for Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese cookbook

I also love Steve Jones, as I have enjoyed all the cheese education he has been imparting on me since the best cheese extravaganza I have ever experienced, his Cheese Bar Spectacular with Ten 01 back in 2010 with its 101 cheeses. That was a one time event, my first time meeting Steve, and was an important jumpstart of my cheese knowledge as it really upped my familiarity with local cheeses. Thankfully, there are still Steve’s annual pairing of beers and cheese (recaps of Portland Beer & Cheese Fest 2012 and Portland Beer & Cheese Fest 2013 as examples, and has done events with Lardo and Raven & Rose, among others). He also helps curate cheese plates for so many of the amazing restaurants in Portland.

Steve Jones of Cheese Bar offering cheeses and charcuterie at Bailey's Taproom- 2007-2012 5th Anniversary Gloriousness

Cheese plates are a great way to try lots of cheeses affordably, rather than buying them by weight $7-10 at a time – instead, you have the opportunity to taste several cheeses for the same price. You can never go wrong with a cheese plate curated with Steve’s Cheese- such as this one below of 11/17/2013, a Cheese Board of Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow – Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep – Italy), and the Crottin (Goat – France). This was my first crottin! I’m a big fan of Borenkaas as they go wonderfully with beer with its nuttiness- this is true of most Dutch cheeses I think. The sheep cheese went best with the chutney you see on the board, and the Crottin’s grassiness was balanced out by the glass of red wine I was having.

11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow - Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France) 11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Remeker Pure Borenkaas (Raw Cow - Holland), Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France) 11/17/2013 Steve's Cheese Bar Cheese Board: Focusing in on the Gran Cacio Etrusco (Sheep - Italy), and the Crottin (Goat - France)

If you want to appreciate cheese more, the key thing I would suggest you do is keep notes of what cheeses you had- particularly ones that you really love, or really hate. This will help you understand your tastes. An easy way to do this is to just have one document on your phone/cloud that you can use to make your notations. I often take photos of the cheese and the label if I’m dining out so that I don’t have to spend a lot of time typing into my phone instead of socializing. BTW this same trick works with wine!

The Cheese Bar is Steve’s place, a great cheese shop where you can procure marvelous exquisite cheeses from around the world, plus get access to the genius award winning knowledge of cheesemonger Steve or whoever is behind the counter to help select cheeses (and often sample as well to help make decisions!). But you don’t have to just subsist on the samples of cheese alone. Cheese Bar is also a beer/wine bar and cafe, offering multiple types of cheese plates (a cheese plate of the day, soft ripened cheese plate, blue cheese plate, etc) as well as other small plates of food varying from pimento spread to grilled cheese or fondue in order for you to try lots of kinds of cheeses.

Even more enthralling for this last visit for me however was the fact that Stephanie Stiavetti of the Culinary Life blog was hosting the Portland launch party for the book Melt: The Art of Macaroni & Cheese (co authored with Garrett McCord of food blog, Vanilla Garlic) at Cheese Bar. At the book launch party, she was offering two examples of the mac dishes from the cookbook! Amazon link: http://bit.ly/meltmacaroni. And this was a free public event!

PS. Stephanie has cut her hair and is even more adorable than the photo below. Check out her Facebook or Google+ for more updates and photos from the tour.
Stephanie Stiavetti of the Culinary Life blog, one of the authors of Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Garrett McCord of food blog, Vanilla Garlic, one of the authors of Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese

I was so there!

The first sample was a cold pasta salad of Drunken Goat with Edamame, Fennel, and Rotini. I was surprised how fresh and salady with herbaciousness this take on mac and cheese was, with only the cubes of Drunken Goat cheese and a light lemony oil dressing.
Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese recipe, a cold pasta salad of Drunken Goat with Edamame, Fennel, and Rotini

The second sample she offered was the Lincolnshire Poacher with Cotija, Chorizo and Penne. Of course she used real chorizo meat, but based on the flavor profile I think Soyrizo would work just as well- they key is the grassy contribution of the Lincolnshire Poacher cheese with the salty crumble of the Cotija.
Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese recipe, Lincolnshire Poacher with Cotija, Chorizo and Penne

Although that sounds so specific to pick out Lincolnshire Poacher or the Drunken Goat as the cheese to utilize, the book does suggest several other alternate cheeses that can be substituted in, and she’s great at pointing out the specific flavors of the cheese she was looking for, so you can also chat with your local cheesemonger.

The key differentiator here for me is that Stephanie and Garrett really focused on highlighting the unique exquisite flavors of high quality artisan cheeses, and they prepare them in a large variety of kinds of dishes to really expand the what you can do with these cheeses besides enjoying them on a cheese plate. Though, nothing wrong with a cheese plate of course, brimming with multiple cheeses.  🙂

The recipes really run the gamut, from salad to stovetop baked and casserole to dessert, and also bring in influences of flavor profiles internationally, such as Greek, Mexican, Indian, and even Asian! That’s what really drew me to the book- even though the book title starts out with “Melt”, it’ s not always about throwing in cheese and cream over pasta into the oven. The recipes are a lot more diverse than that so that you could possibly be making more than one of these dishes in a week without feeling like it’s a repeat, since the recipes can be so unique in taste.

Some examples that I am so so excited to make:

  • Pumpkin stuffed with sausage and fontina recipe,
  • Raclette with Farfalle, Cornichons, and Sauteed Onions
  • Turkey and Robusto Mac and Cheeselet (perfect after Thanksgiving as a way to use up some leftover turkey!!)
  • Chicken Breast Stuffed with Leonora Goat Cheese, Star Pasta, and Gingersnap

Pumpkin stuffed with sausage and fontina recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Raclette with Farfalle, Cornichons, and Sauteed Onions recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese
Turkey and Robusto Mac and Cheeselet (perfect after Thanksgiving as a way to use up some leftover turkey!!) recipe from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese Chicken Breast Stuffed with Leonora Goat Cheese, Star Pasta, and Gingersnap from Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese
Photo Credit: Matt Armendariz, courtesy of Little, Brown and Company

Each recipe also suggest wine pairings, as well as other snacky pairings with the cheese (such as certain fruit) in case you are assembling a cheese plate or perhaps brainstorming another recipe. The book, which has about 75 recipes, is chock full of gorgeous, enticing photos that make you want to cook everything in the book. After only flipping through a few chapters I was already ready to throw out the Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipe I had earmarked for Thanksgiving this year in order to try some of the recipes above.

Thankfully, wiser minds prevailed, and instead my friend and I discussed how we could just ADD another recipe for another day during our Thanksgiving vacation instead.

Also, maybe I bought 4 cheeses from Cheese Bar for the cheese plate on Thanksgiving Day. Until Thanksgiving early dinner is ready, a bottle of wine and a cheese tray and vegetable tray are the snacks to keep us fueled during our Thanksgiving meal is ready. I said I was going to buy 3, but I bought 4. This seems to always happen. I mean, it only added up to 1.25 pounds of cheese. For four people. And that’s only half the cheese plate.

I’ll report back on what I make from the Melt: the Art of Macaroni & Cheese cookbook, but meanwhile, here is a bit more on the book, including their cookbook trailer! I am SO RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK. And this is not a sponsored post- I just really love it!

Melt: the Art of Macaroni and Cheese – The Official Trailer from Stephanie/SJS on Vimeo.

MELT: THE ART OF MACARONI AND CHEESE is a cookbook that reinvents the American classic, macaroni and cheese, with gourmet ingredients, handcrafted artisan cheeses, and unique flavor combinations. It is the first book to marry the American standard, macaroni and cheese, with handcrafted artisan cheeses and a wide array of pastas, producing dishes that are both classic and chic.

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Raven and Rose’s Beer with the Bird

Ever since I walked past the 1883 William Ladd Carriage House, I have been wondering what it would become. It was a beautiful house that is definitely beautiful enough for people and not just horses and carriages and the people who tend to them. But, when I moved here, it lay empty after its apparent move to construct an underground garage on the property for the condominium building across the street. Finally, the official news was released last year that the plans were to make it some sort of gastropub, and a few months ago the restaurant opened, named Raven & Rose.

William Ladd Carriage House William Ladd Carriage House

I had it on my list to try. I wanted to check out the Victorian inspired restaurant helmed by Park Kitchen alum David Padburg that is putting out rustic farm to table cuisine inspired from history- early American farmhouse and Irish and English traditional fare. Meanwhile, besides the bar area in the downtstairs restaurant area, there is also an upstairs bar area named the Rookery. Here, bar director David Shenaut is using the former vaulted hayloft space to showcase historical cocktails.

However, its opening during the holidays made it difficult to fit into my schedule. Sundays and Mondays which are more free, they are closed (too bad, because it is the perfect environment to watch that new show The Following. They just changed their hours though, so maybe…). Last month, when as part of my Portland Food Adventures trip to Tasty n Alder, John Gorham’s list of restaurants he recommended resulted in several gift certificates as an introduction, and Raven and Rose was one of those gift cards.

And then… I saw David is continuing his reputation of community builder (he helped cofound Portland Cocktail Week) in that the Rookery would be hosting several events to bring producers and imbibers together, including a bimonthly brewer’s social called “Beer with the Bird”. This inaugural event debuted this past Thursday February 28 with Charlie Devereux from Double Mountain Brewery and John Plutshack from Logsdon Organic Farmhouse Ales, along with cheese pairings available from Steve Jones of Cheese Bar. SOLD!

Since it was a Thursday evening I had limited time as I had an evening work conference call. So this first visit, I was only able to glance at the dining space as I made my way past the hostess desk and the booths with gas lamps up the stairs to the Rookery. I look forward to returning and seeing more- and I am wondering what it would take to sit at those kitchen seats by the wood-fired oven pictured here in the Eaters Coverage with photos. For a little context, the first photos in the slideshow are the main restaurant, and the last 3 from the Rookery. I know because I saw them myself:

Isn’t that bar amazing? There’s a cabinet just full of aged scotch over there. The next event they have is an event Raven & Rye with James C. Russell, master distiller at the Wild Turkey Distillery where he served more than 50 year, carrying on the tradition from his grandfather, father, and his son has also worked there more than 20 years now. Jimmy is so beloved at Wild Turkey, they named one of their finest products after him in 2000–the 10-year-old Russell’s Reserve. The Raven and Rye event is an opportunity to meet Jimmy and explore Russell’s Reserve rye cocktails. Sounds dangerous- and it’s on a Tuesday night- March 12 4-6pm. Will I see you there?

Now let’s focus on Beer with the Bird. I got there right at 5pm so my friend and I were able to snag a table in the library nook side that you see above to the right. This wound up giving us more space from the buzz of people by the bar area, where an hour later there was standing room only in the Rookery. You could buy any glass of  beer from the breweries you wanted, or opt for a flight from a brewery. Also optionally you could add the flight of cheese that Steve paired with that flight of beer. They thoughtfully provided lots of information about the beer and cheeses.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird with Logsdon, Double Mountain, and Steve's Cheese Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird with Logsdon Farmhouse Ales and Steve's Cheese Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird with Double Mountain and Steve's Cheese

I started out with the flight of beer and cheese from Logsdon Farmhouse Ales because I thought these would be most appealing to my palate, and I was right. I loved every single one. I admit the Peche ‘n Brett was my favorite, and I would have another of any of these Logsdon beers again.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales beer flight

These were paired with Samith Bay Ladysmith and Ancient Heritage Hannah cheeses, with the Ladysmith going well with the Seizoen (who am I kidding, I could eat a whole tub of Ladysmith alone) as its lighter flavor lets you still taste the freshness of the cheese, and the Hannah I paired with the other two beers.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird with Logsdon Farmhouse Ales and Steve's Cheese selections of Samith Bay Ladysmith and Ancient Heritage Hannah cheeses

  • Logsdon Farmhouse Cerasus 8.5%ABV Oak-aged Flanders Red with tart organic Oregon cherries. We add 2 pounds of cherries per 1 gallon of unfinished beer. Crystal malts, oak tannins and fruit develop into a soft well rounded beer. The complex esters and yeast-derived flavors come from the bottle conditioning. 2012 Portland Cheers to Belgian Beers Peoples Choice award winner.
  • Pech ‘n Brett 10.0%ABV Created with organic peaches added to our Seizoen Bretta from a nearby farm. This beer displays crisp peach flavor with the added acidity produced by our special Brett yeast and light oak aging. 2012 World Beer Cup gold medal winner American Brett Style.
  • Seizoen 7.5% ABV Unfiltered Seizoen is naturally fermented and carbonated with pear juice and select yeast strains, producing complex, fruity and spicy flavors balanced with whole organic hops and soft malt character.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird, Logsdon Farmhouse ales pairing

I totally got greedy and decided to get the second flight of beer and cheese all by myself so I didn’t share with my friends at all. For Double Mountain the Red War, a strong Belgian Style Red Ale, surprised me as the favorite of the flight for its smoky yeasty tones over my usual leaning towards porters and stouts. The Carrie Ladd was a very light in terms of porter style flavor but I liked the roasty yeastiness. And, the Kolsch was wonderfully refreshing- only the Cask IRA I shared away to a tablemate because it was too hoppy for me, but remember I am not an IPA fan.

The Double Mountain beers were paired with Fern’s Edge Mt Zion and Vintage Cheese Co. Mountina. I liked the earthyness of the Mountina a lot with the Red War and saved those for my last bites.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird with Double Mountain and Steve's Cheese selections of Fern's Edge Mt Zion and Vintage Cheese Co. Mountina

  • Kolsch [German Style Ale] 5.2%ABV 40BU In Cologne, many a brewery produces a light-bodied ale with a delicate fruitiness and rounded maltiness, courtesy of a unique yeast strain. Our Kolsch is unfiltered and more generously hopped than its German cousin
  • Cask IRA [India Red Ale] 6.5%ABV 60BU This IRA marries an enticing red color and rich body with the hop flavors of an IPA. The darker malts we use provide a nice balance to the depth of hoppy flavor, while our unique ale yeast strain adds a delicious complexity. The softer carbonation of the cask conditioning process makes for a gentler and more delicate-tasting brew
  • Carrie Ladd [Steam Porter] 6.6%ABV 45BU Named one of the early steamships on the Columbia, this chocolatey/roasty steam porter uses a Czech lager yeast fermented at ale temperatures to provide a light cherry fruit overtone to the lovely Sterling hops.
  • Red War [Strong Belgian-Style Red Ale] 8.5%ABV 30BU A big yet approachable abbey-style beer. Lots of fruity complexity (banana, cherry, apricot) without a lot of the smoky phenols and higher alcohol notes of many Belgian ale strains. The fermentation finished dry, but with residual sweetness from a blend of light and dark crystal malts.

Raven and Rose: Beer with the Bird, Double Mountain pairing

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