As another year comes to an end we see a lot of postings online about “the best” whatever of 2008. These lists are always fun and often make me reflect on what I’ve done during the past 12 months. With that in mind, I wanted to present a few lists of my own for your reading enjoyment. If you have any disagreements, please leave a comment to let me know - it’s possible I overlooked something or that I just have a different opinion. Now, onto the honors.

Best Beer Events of 2008
I’m not judging these based on anything other than pure enjoyment, feeling that a measure of a beer event shouldn’t be confined to how many beers were served. So, here are a few of my favorite events from the year.

• Philly Beer Week: This “event” had it all: dinners, beer, people, and fun. However, what struck me most about this week in Philly was just how much the people of Philadelphia embraced their beer scene. Bar after bar, grocery stores, and restaurants — everyone it seemed — was a fan of their local beer, if even only for this one week. It was great watching Mayor Nutter tap the first cask, and to see news outlets and people from all walks of life join in the festivities.
• Northern California Homebrewers Festival: Starting with an epic outdoor meal prepared by Sean Paxton, The Homebrew Chef, and culminating at The Dead Palate Society’s gathering for special and hard-to-find brews, this camping beer festival had everything for the uber-beer geek. I particularly enjoyed some of the lectures, sampling beer styles not commercially available for most of us, as well as experimental beers I’m certain we’ll never see made at any brewery. Nestled in the foothills of Northern California’ Sierra Nevada mountains, the NCHF provided some of the most relaxed beer drinking I could imagine.
• The Big Pour: If you missed out on this the first time around, you’ll want to make an effort to attend the next event put on by DRAFT. More brewers attended than revelers could keep track of poured more beer than anyone really knew what to do with, but this event wasn’t a run-of-the-mill beer festival. With pool tables, foose ball, ping pong, bean-bag tosses, and baseball throws, it was more of a celebration of the American beer culture than anything – like our motto, Life on Tap.
• The Bistro’s Double IPA Festival: As much as I appreciate a delicate and complex beer, there just isn’t anything quite like being bombarded by hops! Naturally, when I was invited to judge this year’s event I was in heaven, and the party I walked into upstairs (when the judging was over) was full of my kind of people.
• Honorable Mention: GABF; Toronado Barleywine Festival; Toronado’s Belgian Beer Month & Dinner; Five Guys and a Barrel Dinner at Cathedral Hill;
• Events I Missed the Most: The Great Alaska Beer & Barleywine Festival; Ebenezer’s Belgian Fest & Beer Dinner;

Top Beer Drinking Cities of 2008
This is contentious, I know, but with all the travels around the country I did this year I was able to come up with a few opinions that I wanted to pass along.

• Philadelphia: Keep in mind, this is the best beer “drinking” cities. I think Philly edges out Portland simply because of the number of good bars in a city that is incredibly easy to navigate at any time of day.
• Portland: Sure, this city can still hold onto its Beervana title. With more breweries than any other city in the country, it’s a title they deserve. Add to that a number of world-class beer bars and it’s easy to see what all the fuss is about.
• San Diego: This southern California city has a wonderful balance of good bars and great breweries, and is leading the charge on hopped-up brews.
• Denver: This is getting a regional nod, for certain, but the greater Denver area has several great drinking experiences for those seeking a decent pint.
• Boston: This city can’t be overlooked, what with all the Red Socks bars they have. It’s safe to say if you’re parched, it won’t be difficult to find what you’re looking for as far as liquid refreshment goes.

Best Brewery States of 2008

• California: Seriously, there are just too many top-tier brewers in this state to ignore (Russian River, Bear Republic, FiftyFifty, Alesmith, Stone, Green Flash, Port, Lost Abbey, Sierra Nevada, and Anchor — just to name a few).
• Michigan: I’m giving this great state a big nod because it’s the most exciting, up-and-coming state as far as beer goes. It seems the more I try Michigan beer, the more impressed I am by the creativity and overall quality, not surprising with breweries like Bell’s, Jolly Pumpkin, Dark Horse, New Holland and Short’s putting out stellar products.
• Pennsylvania: This state made a pretty substantial splash at this year’s GABF, and with breweries like Stoudt’s, Troegs, Victory, Penn, Noddinghead, Sly Fox, and Triumph in the mix, it makes a pretty amazing lineup.
• Oregon: With heavy hitters like Deschutes, Hair of the Dog, and Rogue all calling Oregon home, it would be hard to overlook this northwestern paradise.
• Colorado: While New Belgium and Avery may take many of the headlines for the state, there are a plethora of smaller breweries in Colorado that demand some respect.

Most Exciting Import Country of 2008

• Italy: One year ago I was only just beginning to hear of interesting new beers coming out of Italy. I’ve tried a few this year and agree with the talking heads (am I a talking head?): The brews being made in Italy right now are fun, easy to enjoy, and worth seeking out.

Greenest Brewery of 2008

• Sierra Nevada: This is an easy choice really, simply because its closed-loop practices and commitment to sustainable practices are well ahead of the curve for any industry.

My Brewer of the Year

• Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing: I’ve known Matt for only a couple of years, but really got to spend time with him this year. I can honestly say that this man knows more about hops and brewing than I’d ever have expected from his quiet, soft style. I suppose it’s no wonder, given the mountain of honors he’s collected over the years.

Brewery to Watch in 2009

• The Bruery: Patrick Rue has done a bang-up job in his first year of business and I’m certainly interested to see how he builds upon his success in the coming years.

Top Beer News Stories of 2008

• Allagash Builds a Koolship: I don’t know how this project will eventually be judged, but it was something to see the online videos of the first batch of beer to utilize this old-school vessel.
• Toronado opens in San Diego: No, it isn’t Big Daddy behind the bar, but with a name like Toronado you can’t help but have high (impossibly high) expectations.
• A-B InBev: While it has been speculated for years, the buyout of Anheuser-Busch by Belgium’s InBev was still a surprise hard for many in the USA to absorb.
• Russian River Expands: This has been another long-developing story, but when beer-lovers in Portland, Seattle, and Denver could buy bottles of Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig, the beer world seemed like a happier place.
• RateBeer.com Hacked: For many beer enthusiasts this site has become a community and a valued resource for beer education and appreciation. When it was taken offline due to security issues, many realized just how valuable it really is. Luckily, they are back online and it appears all the kinks have been worked out.

The holiday season is here and in full-swing. It’s likely that you’re planning a trip to see the family and stressing about last-minute shopping that needs to happen before the big meal and gift exchanges. With that in mind I wanted to take a moment to share some MORE holiday beer ideas worth exploring.

Aperitif

Before dessert you may require an aperitif to clean the palate, as well as lighten it a bit. Believe it or not, this is a great time for a sour ale like a lambic or gueze. If going with a lambic, however, be sure it’s a hard, sour version and not an overly sweet and heavy option (which we’ll get to momentarily). Find a bottle from Cantillon or Cuvee Rene and pour into a champagne flute. If you’d like to add fresh fruit, like raspberries or blueberries, go on ahead — it isn’t a bad idea. If you’re unfamiliar with these beers they may shock you at first, but if you can appreciate the spontaneously fermented beverage, you’ll find the highly effervescent drink will reset your palate completely and prepare you for the sweet stuff.

Dessert

It’s impossible to pair every possible dessert option that will be served around the country, so let’s just hit the big and obvious dishes.

If you have a dark, rich chocolate concoction in front of you, this is a good place to pull out that Lindemann’s Frambroise you didn’t know what to do with. The sweet raspberry flavors will hit the chocolate and create a truly delightful experience. I’d also suggest the Wisconsin Belgian Red by New Glarus if you’re lucky enough to have one, or maybe even the Chocolate Cherry by O’Fallon.

Custards frequently pop up around the holidays and nobody really knows what to do with them, beer-wise. Ah, but here’s a tip: they’re so freaking good with a well-aged barleywine IF you happen to have one squirreled away. A growing number of people are sitting on beers like Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot or Stone’s Old Guardian, and if you happen to have a big American barleywine that’s been aged for four years, it may just be the perfect time to bring one out. The slightly oxidized, toffee-sweet, and complex alcohol notes will play wonderfully with custard — especially flan.

If you know you’ll be subjected to the goodness that is a cherry or berry pie, you may want to bring along a smooth, big imperial stout — like an Oak Aged Yeti by Great Divide or Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout. Here you’ll find the coffee/chocolate malts complementing the fruits while also lifting the syrup from your tongue. Avoid the versions with an overt, hot alcohol presence as they can override the berries.

New Year’s Toast

Champagne has somehow managed to make itself the obligatory drink for the magical New Year’s moment, when the ball drops and the music plays. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Champagne, but do you ever wonder why it’s a staple for this holiday? If you’re like me you might try something extra classy to ring in 2009, something that will make your friends and family cheer or just stare in wonder. In years past I’ve gone with bottles of the aforementioned New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red, served in a flute. That will never disappoint. I’ve also found that sometimes it’s worth breaking the bank, just a little, for such occasions and have splurged to buy bottles of DeuS, Malheur Brut, or Scaldis Prestige (Busch Prestige if out of the US). These beer are all presented in Champagne-style bottles (750ml) with cork and cage wrapped in foil. They each have been aged in the Champagne method (methode champenoise) and all have a light color, highly effervescent bubbles, and a taste that many don’t associate with beer. The bottles will set you back at least $30, but hey — it’s a great way to ring in the New Year.

Sipping

There are a lot of opportunities to sip this time of year and for this I suggest you find a big, barrel-aged beer from a local craft brewery. I have a local joint that just tapped a wheat wine aged for eight months in Pappy Van Winkle barrels (23-year-old Bourbon). Oh, a snifter of this poured from a growler goes a long way. With most of us living close to a craft brewery, it seems like a great time to stop in and see what’s new. If they sell growlers, fill one up and open it when you have a houseful of friends.

Safety

One parting note for you all. As much as I love beer, and as much as I know you love beer, please do your part to keep the roads safe this year. Clearly it’s colder and icier than it has been in many places, so just remember that alcohol really does impair reactions and judgment. I’m not saying don’t drive drunk, I think we all understand that, but perhaps it’s a good time to avoid driving buzzed, too. Cities all over the country have programs to get you home if you don’t have someone to drive you, and they’re great programs — I’ve used them several times.

In all I know I speak for everyone at DRAFT when I say thank you for your support, feedback, and good times. This has been an outrageously good year for us and we look forward to hearing from you more in 2009. Have a great holiday season, whatever your traditions may be, and take more than a few moments to connect with those around you while enjoying some of the best beer the world has to offer.

Cheers!

The holiday season is here and in full-swing. It’s likely that you’re planning a trip to see the family and stressing about last-minute shopping that needs to happen before the big meal and gift exchanges. With that in mind I wanted to take a moment to share some holiday beer ideas worth exploring.

The Holiday Dinner

First, let’s talk about dinner. Pairing a good beer with a meal is not rocket-science, but there are some essential rules to observe. If your family is making a baked ham, for instance, you likely won’t want to pull out that special bottle of Double IPA, the citrusy and spicy hops just won’t complement the meal. Instead, look for a bottle of doppelbock that is made locally, or even imported from Germany. I personally love the Celebrator Doppelbock with glazed ham, the caramel sweetness of the beer really draws out the buttery and sugary flavors of the meat and scrubs the palate between bites. There’s some wonderful domestics available too, like the special edition put out by Full Sail for their 21st anniversary — a truly splendid beer with a brighter peppery hop flavor than those from Europe. If doppelbocks aren’t readily available this is also a great time to pick up a well-crafted barleywine, but know what you’re buying as many American Barleywines can have more hop flavors than a double IPA. Here I’d suggest an English version, like J.W. Lees Harvest, Weyerbacher’s Blithering Idiot, or Heavy Seas‘ Below Decks. All of these beers will make a glazed ham meal more appealing and will lead to beery conversations with others at the table.

But what if you’re having turkey? Here hops are more appropriate, as turkey is more savory, especially if stuffed with herbs and aromatics. Bring a few bottles to the table for this and experiment a little; see how the hops in a Belgian Tripel compare to an American IPA or a German Pilsner. There is a misconception out there that Belgians don’t use a lot of hops in their beer, but try a Westmalle with a bite of turkey and see if you can’t detect the lemony bite that accompanies the beer. On the same token, a fresh pilsner with a poppy hops like are found in Trumer Pils will really draw out the herbs and spices of the bird. Finally, bring out the West Coast IPA from Green Flash or Bell’s Two Hearted Ale and find a new appreciation for the woody, resinous hop notes within. Be warned though, a big American IPA may not complement the side dishes as well as other styles listed, so put out extra glasses if you can.

There are a few styles that will complement both meals, like Belgian Dubbels and even a dunkelweizen. The Dubbel, of course, is a safer bet as the rich, sweet, and spicy components are enough to wow even the most hard to please in your family. Bring out an Ommegang or Flying Fish and impress your father-in-law, even if only for a second. Dunkelweizens are a bit trickier, but if you have a bird that has been smoked (or fish, for that matter) you’ll really want to take a sip of a fresh Bavarian dunkel — the smokiness that it can pull out is astounding, all thanks to the yeast’s phenols that are typically described as clove. There are a few great imports to choose from, Weihenstephaner and Hopf come to mind, with some domestic versions popping up at places including Chicago and Missouri.

Last night I went to a good friend’s home to share in a birthday dinner, an event worthy of the celebration of another trip around the sun. Along with the meal we all shared in some simply fantastic beers. Perhaps it wasn’t on purpose, but when the night was done and we’d looked back on the remains scattered on the table you couldn’t help but appreciate the irony of it all. As my good friend and brewmaster, Peter Hoey, celebrated another year we were able to also enjoy beers that have seen a few years themselves.

Before dinner we opened a bottle of Russian River Sanctification Batch 001, a 100 percent brett beer bottle conditioned with ale yeast. Vinnie Cilurzo no longer makes the beer this way and just to see the bottle was a treat. The beer was dry, light, and nowhere near as sour or acidic as new batches of Sanctification. It’s funny really, brett on its just isn’t all that sour, it requires other funky things like pedio and lacto-b to really add the souring characters many have grown to love. (not really sure what this means?) We sipped the beer, pausing for a moment here and there to discuss the details, but ultimately opting to just enjoy the brew.

Dinner was beef stew, Peter’s own creation, made with all the stew-fixin’s as well as an aged bottle of Bison’s Winter Warmer — one of the last beers made by Peter in his time at Bison (he wasn’t even around to see it bottled). For those who don’t know, adding beer to a stew or beef in general is a good way to tenderize the meat. The acidity of beer breaks down the beef and if allowed to sit long enough will result in a very tender bite. Yeah, it was good.

With the main course wrapped up it was time to get serious into the beer geekery. Peter spread out a plate of three cheeses, jam, crackers, and bread. The cheeses included an uber-creamy and buttery cheese that seemed made specifically for beer pairing, a stiff and pungent bleu cheese that called for a smooth barley wine, and Humbolt Fog — another pungent cheese that is as close to perfect as one can hope to experience. Peter took care of us.

The first two beers came out of the fridge and my heart leapt a little, Peter had grabbed a bottle of 1999 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot along with a bottle from 2000. Beers of this age need to be treated carefully when they’re opened and poured to avoid agitating the yeasts and sediment gathers at the bottom. With great poise Peter poured the beers into two glasses for each person. They both were rich with toffee notes, incredibly sweet with an added touch of brown sugar to capture the nose. The flavors were also similar, as one might expect, with no hop flavors to speak of yet they still maintained a shocking bitterness level. No, it wasn’t like the bite found in a fresh Bigfoot, but there was clearly a hop presence in the beers that had aged eight and nine years. Each had lost a lot in the body, becoming thin, but not anything a beer geek would complain about.

Pairing these with the pungent bleu cheese was a thing of beauty as the creamy and punchy flavors of the cheese were cut instantly by the sweet toffee flavors in the beer. If you haven’t tried a barleywine and bleu cheese pairing before, you really owe it to yourself to correct that oversight. I strongly suggest you pick an English barleywine or a well-aged American version as an overly hoppy selection can yield unappreciated results.

Next we had a choice to make. Peter had a couple bottles of Sierra Nevada Celebration that were seven and eight years old, but knowing what else was on the table we opted to try those another day. Instead we opened a bottle of North Coast’s Old Rasputin Millennium Edition imperial stout. As the name suggests, this is a bottle of the famous stout released to commemorate the new century and after eight years it was still every bit as good as it was fresh. The brew displayed bold coffee notes in the nose and flavor, along with a firm alcohol presence and subtle fruit qualities. Having this with the buttery brie cheese was a phenomenal experience as the cheese neutralized the acrid and acidic characters of the beer.

We had another Imperial Stout to get to before moving on: a bottle of New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk. Peter and I both shared this beer in Portland earlier in the year at the Oregon Brewers Festival. It was simply amazing to try on tap and we were both eager to experience it anew from the 22-ounce bottle. The beer was as complex as it was good, with woody and fruity notes found in the aroma and taste, overpowered only with the deep roasted coffee notes the dark grains contribute. The beer is simply astounding, a palate experience any beer enthusiast can appreciate. We certainly did.

At this point it was time for the star of the show, a beer Peter had picked up a few months back from one of Sacramento’s foremost beer and wine sellers. He told me about this beer when he got it, but wouldn’t say anything more than it was a special beer for a special meeting. Knowing Peter as I do my mind began to imagine just what exactly he could have that caused such excitement. I thought of some rare Belgian beers, or some obscure collectors item, but nothing prepared me for what he pulled out.

The bottle was tiny, a shape I wasn’t familiar with and when I saw the label that read Anchor Old Foghorn I was perplexed momentarily. I took the bottle, unsure what exactly it was, and saw that it was a Jubilee Ale… from 1983! I was holding a 25-year-old bottle of Anchor’s celebrated barleywine! “You gotta be kidding,” were the only words I could muster. The bottle held only eight ounces of fluid and after two-and-a-half decades, the beer had stained the bottle from the inside. Peter went on to tell me it was a gift from Daryl Corti, the famed food/beer/wine seller of Sacramento, a man with a palate that has impressed people from every industry. (He’s a man who can drink a wine blindly and not only tell you the variety, but the hill it was grown on. According to Peter, he is a master of olive oil, too). Hearing it was from his collection I knew the beer was properly stored and my mind began to race. Could this beer possibly be good?

We each got our samples and began to make our initial impressions. The aroma had lost a great deal, showing a faint sweet character like brown sugar and sherry. The taste, however, was shockingly intact, the same sugary notes clearly coming through and growing into the aftertaste. There were no hops in this beer, but that was clearly expected and okay.

Where could one possible go from here? We weren’t sure, but we weren’t done discussing life and were enjoying each other’s company enough to warrant further exploration. Peter generously pulled out a bottle of barleywine made at Sacramento Brewing Company several years back (2001 Babylon). As expected the beer was rich and creamy, with sweet caramel and notes of black cherry and raisin.

When it was time to wrap up I looked over the table to see what we had accomplished, and it was good. I then thought of the poetic nature of it all. Here we were celebrating another year of life, another trip around the sun for Peter, and here were beers that had been around for several trips of their own. Hell, one of these beers was nearly as old as Peter and I! I could imagine a much younger Fritz Maytag enjoying the beer as it was put into small bottles. I could remember myself in elementary school (I was seven in 83), the dorky and pudgy me that longed to be an astronaut. While so much has changed in our lives, it was great to see the constants — that a night with friends was just as cool now as it was then, that the same giddy excitement we had as kids over candy could still shine through with beer, and that when all is said and done the meaning of life Solomon espoused thousands of years ago remains true: to eat, drink and be merry.

I’ve enjoyed brewing my own beer at home for years, well before I began writing about beer or really had a grasp on all that beer can be. When I began it was for no other reason than to say I did it. I’d sampled good homebrewed beers before and several friends encouraged me along the way. That first batch was done in an undersized, overpriced pot that held five gallons of liquid (I learned on that first batch that this wasn’t enough to make five gallons). This premier beer came out all wrong, there’s no way around it. I’d decided to make a Belgian Wit with extracts and little comprehension what I was getting into. The resulting product was a beer that was amber in color (way too dark) without wheat (oops). Who really knows what kind of herbs and spices were added. In the end, after the transfers from fermenter to fermenter, then to bottle, I held a beer that I was absolutely thrilled to have made. It was good too, really good! Knowing what I know now I think the only standard I had for quality was it wasn’t sour. I know it couldn’t have been anything like Hoegaarden, but I didn’t care. This was a beer made by my own hands, on my own front porch, and I loved it.

It wasn’t long before the upgrades came along: a bigger kettle followed by an even bigger one. Next I converted some coolers into a mash tun and hot water tank. Bottles gave way to kegs and it didn’t seem long before I was creating my own recipes and using ingredients just because I could (vanilla beans, honey, roots, whatever). Finally I made the plunge and invested in a three-tier home brewing system from MoreBeer, which allowed me to double my production for the same effort, while reducing mess and headache.

Of course I am not the same beer lover I was when I started. After all, my business card says “Beer Director” for the country’s best beer magazine, a fact I am both proud and humbled to admit. I travel to beer festivals around the country and drink from taps pouring great beer from coast to coast. I have a temperature-controlled room that has more than 700 beers, piled high in cases, stuffed on shelves and wherever room is. I have craft beer — great craft beer — everywhere I turn. Still, I cannot tell you how much I love to fire the kettles and brew my own damned beer.

This past weekend I gathered with a couple of friends and my lovely wife to make an incredibly hopped IPA. We started around 9:00 a.m. with a “team meeting” to lay out our schedule for the day: milling, mashing, sparging, boiling, hop additions, and cooling. We began the work of the day by crushing 25 pounds of grain, a process that sets the tone for the day with the patience demanded. With the grain crushed we added 8.5 gallons of water to the mash tun, heating it to 136 degrees. While the water heated we weighed out the hops and chemicals for the boil (calcium chloride, and gypsum). Before we knew it the water was at strike temperature and we doughed in the grains for a protein rest at 122 degrees for 15 minutes. We measured the pH, stirred the mash, and soon turned up the burner on the mash tun to raise the temperature up to 152 degrees for the sacrification rest where starches are converted to sugars. Watching the mash is a lesson in itself, seeing the liquid go from cloudy to clear, a clear indication (pardon the pun) that the conversions are happening as they should. When we were happy with the conversion and after the refractometer told us we had enough sugar, we again bumped the temperature up in the mash all the way up to 165 degrees, which stops all further conversions.

With the mash all done we began the sparge, using water we had heated up to 168 degrees. Collecting 12.5 gallons of wort took a fair amount of time, but we could tell the efforts were worth it as we tasted the sweet malted barley tea. The organic 2-Row from British Columbia was bready and incredibly sweet and when we took the gravity reading in the kettle as we waited for it to boil we were impressed with the 1.055 reading (our target original gravity was 1.063 and when allowing for concentration with two gallons of liquid evaporating in the one-hour boil, we figured we’d be right on target).

The wort began to boil and we added the 2 ounces of Simcoe hops that were to boil for 60 minutes, lending a wallop of stiff hop bittering. After 40 minutes we added our next hop addition, one-third of an ounce of Simcoe and two-thirds of an ounce of Columbus — this addition serves a dual purpose, extracting some flavor and more bitterness from the hops. Ten minutes after this it was time for two-thirds of an ounce of Simcoe and on and one-third ounces of Columbus — to add more flavor and some aroma. Finally, after 60 minutes of boiling, we turned off the burner and added one ounce each of Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade hops — this addition is to add more hop aroma.

Immediately we began the cooling process, using a wort chiller. The goal here is to drop the temperature of the wort as quick as possible to avoid off-flavors. When the liquid was cooled appropriately it was next transferred from the kettle to two five-gallon fermentors. The Original Gravity (measure of sweetness before fermentation) was right on target at 1.062. The yeast was added and then the fermentors were sealed using three-piece airlocks that would allow CO2 to vent out, yet keep any air to come in.

At the end of it all, when all the equipment was cleaned and put away, when all the notes were put into the computer and when we all gathered around the table to enjoy a beer, it donned on me: I love making my own beer. Sure, I can buy some of the best and boldest beers on the planet for cheap and not spend seven hours working, but there we were — our feet tired and our bodies sticky with sweat and dried wort — smiling as we shared stories and discussed what each hop variety smelled like (and tasted like on its own, we had to try them). We also shared handfuls of grain and again had it drilled in our heads where beer flavors come from. This is a type of beer education you don’t get by reading books and blogs or listening to podcasts. This was hands-on and it was beautiful.

If you’re a fan of beer and haven’t taken part in homebrewing before, I encourage you to do so. In the United States there are homebrew clubs almost everywhere, and often there are group brew days that are open to the public. Find your local club (there’s a complete listing on the AHA Web), contact them and see if there’s a community brew day coming up. While there take a handful of malted barley and pop it in your mouth, taste the bready makeup of American 2-Row, or the deep roast in a Black Patent. Then smell the hops (unlike us, you’ll likely not want to taste them) and find where the pungent, citrusy, earthy, musty, cheesy, or piny notes come from in your favorite beer. You don’t have to be a homebrewer to appreciate homebrewing and if you don’t have the time, space, or desire to make your own beer, you’ll still appreciate seeing what goes into the beer you enjoy.

There is always more to the story, isn’t there? Today the good beer-loving people in and around Portland are reading and hearing a lot about the pending sale of the beloved Green Dragon to Rogue. If you have read some comments and blog posts you may come away feeling Rogue is just a big bully forcing themselves upon Green Dragon, but this just isn’t an accurate image. I won’t promise to illuminate you to every detail there is, but as a big fan of Green Dragon and Rogue I wanted to take a minute to clarify a few things with a fact and fiction post. I spoke with Brett and Jack Joyce, the big wigs of Rogue. From those talks, here is what I know:

Fact: Rogue is in the process of purchasing Green Dragon.
This sale needs State (OLCC) approval and if/when this happens and if all else goes well, papers could be signed as early as 11/17. This isn’t a hostile takeover, but a business decision that is apparently mutually beneficial for those with stake in the companies. Rogue (Jack and Brett Joyce anyway) really enjoys and appreciates what Green Dragon has become in only a short time.

Fiction: Rogue has laid off half the Green Dragon staff, or a number of employees.
To be frank, they couldn’t right now if they wanted to. See the point above. They haven’t assumed ownership and can’t very well influence staffing until they do. In talking with Jack Joyce, however, it also doesn’t sound as though they have plans to do so. In Rogue’s past purchases — Eugene City and Issaquah come to mind — the majority of the staff remained.

Fiction: There will be no more “Meet the Brewer” events.
These will move forward as normal, under Parker’s leadership. There should be no change in this program.

Fiction: Rogue will take over the taps. Again, according to Joyce, there are no plans to make this into a Rogue-dominated establishment. There is discussion of adding more taps that would likely be Rogue beers, but the rotating taps is part of what makes Green Dragon what it is — Rogue doesn’t plan to mess with that.

Fiction: Green Dragon will soon be “just another Rogue location.”
Joyce likes Green Dragon and plans to keep the wall art, shuffle board, pinball and everything else which makes Green Dragon the Green Dragon. “What’s in it for us?” was the question posed by Jack Joyce when I asked about changes to Green Dragon. To overhaul Green Dragon and make it into something locals don’t recognize isn’t a prudent move in his mind.

What will change? Clearly it is too early to know. I was told by both Joyce’s that staff will wear Green Dragon t-shirts and go through training. Also, kitchen staff will wear aprons. In Jack’s own words, the move is an effort to “preserve Green Dragon for the community.” If there is to be a greater Rogue presence in Green Dragon, taps will be added as to maintain the great rotating taps everyone in the region appreciates. There should not be a loss in selection as a result of this purchase. I also suspect there will be some serious conversations to come with regards to the relationship with Integrity Spirits.

There are a lot more items out there you may have read or heard. For now I just suggest everyone take a deep breath. Relax, have a good beer. To condemn the Green Dragon (or Rogue) now, before ink has even dried, would be a shame.

DRAFT’s Beer Director Rick Sellers recently helped Firestone Walker determine the mix for XII, its 12th anniversary ale. Here, he describes the final day of tasting. You can read all about day one here.

The morning had a brisk chill and an ominous feel, the wind was picking up and burly clouds were rolling inland moving quickly over the Pacific. Luckily inside the walls of Firestone Walker all was well, jovial in fact, as brewers and staff prepared for the day’s barrel tasting and blending session. When I walked into the brewery I saw that the 14 barrels we sampled the previous night had been moved out and that the nearly 50 barrels from the brewery’s “union system” had just been drained and were being steam cleaned in preparation for the next batch of beer.

The staff gave me free reign in the brewery, which allowed me to walk in the cool storage, peek in the kettle and mash tun, tour the offices and lab, and even enjoy a pint of unfiltered Double Barrel. The brewery is extraordinary in its efficient use of space with spattered stacks of wood barrels for various projects and many fermentors around-the-clock brewing. I also enjoyed spending time around the brewery’s keg cleaning and filling line and well-tuned bottling line. The DE Filter was bigger than I expected to see for a brewery of this size and overall the brewers at FSW made it clear that they were operating at a pace that mirrored the brewery’s success.

It wasn’t long before the next stack of barrels was brought out for sampling and we made quick order of tasting from barrel-aged imperial red, dry stout, Belgian strong ale and more imperial stout. Tasting from these barrels — any of these barrels — is a treat in itself, but to be able to try them all side-by-side is an experience that is difficult to describe. The difference between barrels of the same beer was even harder to convey. While most barrels seemed very similar, with only subtle differences in aroma and flavor, some were very dissimilar. The imperial stout, for instance, was mostly roasty with strong bourbon notes of vanilla and orange, but a couple bourbon barrel samples were extremely coconutty.

Eventually it was time for us to gather in the conference room upstairs where staffers placed graduated cylinders from the lab and glassware galore at each seat. Three vintners from local wineries — one was introduced to me as “the Jesus Christ of wine” — joined the panel, as well as Sean Paxton the Homebrew Chef and myself. Matt Brynildson, the brewmaster, was running the show but made it clear he wasn’t going to steer our conclusions. He put out five pitchers of beer and pretty much let us go. There were bottles of Firestone Walker 10 and 11 for sampling to help tune our palates, but we were advised to not replicate this beer. Matt wanted us to make something new and exciting with the components we had available.

(A side note here: Something simply has to be said about X and XI because they were unbelievably good! 10 was smooth as silk with chocolate overtones and toffee sweetness. The hops that were once assertive were gone, making this beer an absolute joy to drink. XI had a fuller body, but still had chocolate and coconut flavors and oh-so-soft carbonation and alcohol warmth. If you have a bottle of either, rest assured the beer can handle the time in the cellar.)

Once we’d sampled the past two vintages we dug in. It was a chore to pour beer into the graduated cylinders, as the opening wasn’t that wide, and more than once I spilled a bit on the table. (I still feel guilty about that foul). It was clear that the best base for this blend was the imperial stout because the coconut, vanilla, and orange notes from the barrel made it too good to not use in vast amounts. We attempted to find the perfect balance of four other beers and getting an exact measurement for our notes was tough. In the end we all landed on a blend that was very similar; it was actually quite telling how good the blends were when we realized we’d all pretty much made the same beer. I know that I made seven different blends myself and I assume the others made at least five. With six of us blending I can imagine we had made and tasted more than 30 blends, each passed around for others to taste.

At the end of blending we all wrote a random number on our favorite blend and pushed it forward for tasting. Then we tasted them all blind, took notes, and discussed the pros and cons for each. Finally it was time for Matt to sample our best blends. He did so quietly and professionally, quickly taking mental notes and moving onto the next glass. In the end he isolated his three favorites. Further discussion ensued with the blenders of each giving the percentages of the components used. Once the notes and ratios were shared, the panel’s job was pretty much complete.

It should go without saying that the FINAL version of XII will be slightly different. I have no doubts that Matt, who is one of the world’s best brewers, will make a final judgment call on the blend and may even add something extra, something secret, to cap off this already beautiful beer. By the time this posts, he will have pushed the beers in the bright tank in the ratio he thinks appropriate and the bottles will have been filled. When it is released this weekend at the brewery, people may gawk at the $20 price tag, but seeing first-hand what sort of time and effort went into the finished product, it’s clear that at the asking price this is a deal!

The drive down was luckily uneventful, a blessing given we were driving through San Francisco headed south on Highway 1. We made good time in the Prius and by the time we passed Gilroy we knew we’d make it to our appointment well ahead of schedule. The driver for this excursion was none other than the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton, and we were on our way to see a friend in the industry, Firestone Walker’s brewmaster Matt Brynidleson. We made the journey (a six hour drive for me) to be part of the final blending and tasting panel for XII, Firestone Walker’s much anticipated 12th anniversary ale. Eleven, for those who may have forgotten, was a blend of five barrel-aged beers that utilized barrels of American oak, rye whisky, barley whiskey, and brandy. The beer was phenomenal, with an up-front chocolate and nutty flavor that gave way to the spirits that once matured in the same vessels. There were hints of orange, vanilla, and cracked pepper along with a comfortable alcohol presence. It flew off the shelves and its quality merited its choice as a DRAFT Pick. This year the bar is being raised and to be part of the panel that has influence on the finished product is an honor.

We arrived as the sun was bidding farewell to another day. The tasting room that doubles as brewery entrance was softly lit with warm shades of yellow, while the wood bar and the red floors made the room cozy. The tap list was scrawled on a small black board and the day’s special beers included the GABF award-winning “Oaktoberfest” along with the coveted Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale (UDBA). We stopped only for a moment at the bar before walking through the metal door that led to the production floor where a bottling line was at rest and most of the workers had vacated.

Around a series of turns past fermentors we found Matt working with Firestone’s newest employee Jessica (aka the Thirsty Hopster). They worked in tandem: Matt would rinse and scrub the wooden barrels, making sure no dust or foreign objects were around, then he would jam a 10-inch stainless steel pry bar between the barrel’s bung and wood, working the tool back and forth until the bung was loose. At that moment, Jessica, who was standing at the ready with a long tube that blew compressed air, would stick the tube just inside the barrel’s cavity, which often led to dark and sticky beer flying out toward anyone within five feet. While Jessica kept the air on in the barrel, Matt quickly grabbed a wine-thief (doubling today as a beer-thief) and sample glass. Briskly extracting the beer-filled thief he transferred just enough beer for the four of us to sample and judge. Immediately after taking his sip and passing the glass, Matt then grabbed a large contraption that had a long stainless steel tube that would be inserted into the full barrel. At the flip of a lever or two the device quickly began pulling out the beer and transferring it to the stainless fermentor nearby. Matt and Jessica would repeat this process, stopping between each step to sanitize, 14 times in total.

After all this work, Matt was confident that he had about one-fourth of the beer he would need. You see, all those barrels had only one beer. The beer was aged in rye whisky, barley whiskey, and American oak barrels. These barrels also had a range in toasting that started at “dark” and finished at “deep,” changing the flavor and aroma profiles of the beer inside. Sampling each beer was an exercise in subtle perception. While all were roasted and chocolaty, some had notes of almond, coconut, orange, vanilla, and varying degrees of alcohol warmth. In the end, 12 barrels were selected for that session and once they were emptied they were again stacked and moved out of the way.

By this time, we were tired and needed food before calling it a night. Together we made quick order of cleaning and it wasn’t long before we were on our way for sushi and conversation.

The next day we planned to complete the blending process, but it wouldn’t be a quick ordeal. There were still several beers (each housed in several more barrels) to taste before they could be extracted. Once all the beers had been chosen we would sit with area vintners and begin the actual blending process, playing with ratios for each beer until we agreed on something exceptional. The brewmaster would diligently take notes and I completely expected to be questioned about what we smelled, tasted, felt, and thought about each combination. It would not be a quick decision, but if Firestone Walker expects to match and exceed Eleven, the work is worth the reward. I, for one, can’t wait.

We all have ideas that sound great in our heads, but when we try to make this a reality it goes to hell. Brewers have this happen on occasion: they develop a recipe that works on paper, or in their spreadsheets, only to realize the real-life experiences of a brew day can’t be calculated. Recently the brewing collaboration between Left Hand and Terrapin encountered such a dilemma when it brewed a black rye lager fondly named Terra-Rye’Zd.

You see, rye just isn’t an ingredient that is fun to work with in a brew. When it’s in the mash it gets really gummy and difficult to manage, even in small amounts. Well, Terra-Rye-Zd didn’t use just a little bit of rye, it used a lot. In fact, the brewers used so much rye the rakes in the mash tun (the brand new mash tun) wouldn’t move the grain — making for a very long, frustrating brew day, one that was “terrorized” the crew. But, was it worth it, the stuck mash, the frustration, and long day? To quote what is quickly becoming the phrase of the year, “you betcha. ”

The beer has the water softness of a traditional schwarzbier (black lager), but the rye imparts a distinct sharpness to the flavor and aroma that sets this apart from the German black lager. The dark grains lend a very light smokiness that settles in nicely on the back of the tongue. Hop bitterness is elevated slightly, and they contribute an earthy, floral hop flavor. This is a slightly heavy beer, but easy to enjoy.

Given that this is the first in a series of collaboration brews between Terrapin and Left Hand, and that it’s well-crafted despite a brew-day from hell, it seems safe to assume we can expect more great flavors in the next of Midnight Project series. The beer will be made at Terrapin, however, and we think it’s safe to assume there’ll be a lot less rye.

The Morning After

This week has been an exercise in pacing yourself, the phrase “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” was uttered accurately many times within my earshot and I think I took it to heart. Still, no matter how well one is paced for the GABF ‘marathon’ you can’t help but wear out the body a little with the excessively late nights and city walking from one event to the next. With that in mind I was overjoyed to be able to sleep in this morning, and do as little as humanly possible with the only requirement of the day being a plane to catch.

I had breakfast in lower downtown Denver at a place called Rioja, a selection based on some good recommendations from Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment, along with folks who attended the DRAFT Dinner Series event there the night before with Samuel Adams. I can’t remember the last time I had a breakfast this good. To start off I ordered a bloody Mary to sip on while choosing my food options. The drink was heavy with the horseradish, which isn’t a bad thing for my palate, along with a rich tomato juice character and crisp, pickled green beans. It was a good way to begin a lazy day.

My breakfast selection was a tough call with a menu full of dishes I was sure I wanted. I eventually landed on their ‘bacon and egg’ meal because I’d heard so much about their ‘bacon’ that is actually pork belly, sliced about a half an inch thick and lightly crusted with spices. The plate created involuntary watering of the mouth, one look and I knew I was onto something big.

To begin the eggs were absolutely perfectly cooked, over-medium with a runny yolk, but no clear or mucusy look, topped with a very freshly cracked black pepper that was wonderfully aromatic and spicy. The plate also had a cylindrically shaped French toast that was rich, moist and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Finally, I dug into the pork belly. I can’t really explain the level of enjoyment found in this first bite. Yeah, it was fatty. Yes, it was salty. Yeah, I felt a bit like I was doing something wrong. However, this is sinfully delicious and could be addictive. I actually wondered if it was a bad idea to fly my wife out to Denver just to eat here for breakfast. Along the way I was given freshly cooked breads and treated to some absolutely fantastic service.

Before I was allowed to leave my server brought me something he was certain I needed to try, their Loca Hot, a very spicy margarita. This is a house specialty of theirs and several staff members raved at how great it was. Sure enough, it was great. This margarita uses a tequila that has been dosed with a hot chile, lending more than a little spicy elements to the slightly sour and sweet flavors of the alcohol and citrus. If you find your way here, don’t leave without giving this a shot.

When breakfast was over I knew my time in Denver was short, but figured I would have 30 minutes to get to Falling Rock one last time to drink a beer I just can’t find in Sacramento. Upon arriving with my bag in tow I ordered a glass of La Folie from New Belgium, sat down and watched the Denver Broncos football game. Finally I realized the time was right and my departure from Denver was due.

I leave Denver with these parting thoughts:

• Denver is more than a beer town. This week I was lucky enough to walk the streets and take in the sites, like the Frederic C. Hamilton Building that is home to the Denver Art Museum. There are few buildings that have impressed me as much as this.
• Food in this town is fantastic and it isn’t just one restaurant.
• Whiskey drinkers of the town should be very proud of their local brand, Stranahans. I sipped the Colorado whiskey at a fine bar and was impressed with the clean, spicy and fruity flavors.
• The people I ran across were genuinely happy to see the beer festival each year, were proud to be the host of such a fun and popular event.
• Love the hybrid cabs!
• What’s with the “No Double Turn” signs? Seriously.
• Also love the diagonal crosswalks.
• There really are other bars in the town than Falling Rock, and some of them are absolutely hopping at night. Apparently, Denver loves to party.
• It seems like a very healthy population, I can’t recall how many folks I saw on their urban hikes or out walking their dogs.
• I can’t wait to get back