Posts Tagged ‘ PDX culture ’

Baseball and a Winter Wonderland

Amid the sunshine and baseball of the fast-approaching SoCal summer, today I am taking a dip back in time with Ninkasi Brewing Company‘s winter seasonal, Oatis Oatmeal Stout. It has been rolling around in my car since December, for the record. Also for the record, note that you should store your beer bottles upright to avoid any contamination from the metal in the cap.

Having said that, the warm and slightly nutty nose alone was enough to drown out any damage I may have done through my rough treatment of this particular bomber. This brew’s true strength is its mouthfeel, I believe.  It tastes fairly standard and predictably complex as far as dark beer is concerned and definitely not overbearing. A balanced feel in the mouth, then, is the perfect complement to this smooth, dark nectar: smooth up front, bitter in the back.  It’s like a mullet in my mouth!

Though I would love to leave you thinking that Oatis tastes like white trash (though I am shirking the rules of class by tasting straight from the 22 in front of the TV on my living room couch), I must say it tastes more like a cozy night in front of a warm fire as the steady rain pelts your windows. Quite refreshing, on this warm May night I now describe as chilly (Hey – I’ve been here since September, okay?! I’m slowly losing my hardcOregon. Sad, I know.).

On an NL scale so far this season from the Houston Astros (13-23) to the Philadelphia Phillies (22-13), I’d give Oatis an LA Dodgers (Beat SD Padres [22-14] tonight without league-leading slugger Andre Ethier). Not perfect (19-17), but even after a small beating it still delivers.

2010
05/15
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Swift Kick in the Pelican: India Pelican Ale

Pacific City, OR is mostly known for 1) that gargantuan dune – SO fun to hike up and board down – and 2) Pelican Pub & Brewery. The dune may be quite filling, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth so why not hike up it instead and check out Pelican afterward.

I do so love me some IPA and since the bomber promised this classic hoppy brew with a unique American twist, how could I resist?!  Pop open the top and dig your nose way down into the head and just soak it up because the only way I can descre the aroma is “delicious.” It was almost sweet-smelling, but still had that green bite.  The head itself was delightfully stiff – the best kind of defiance.  Then, prepare yourself for a sneak attack: the mouthfeel is oh-so-hoppy and a bit spicy. It is quite comfortable until the kick in the pants at the back of your tongue.  My spidey sense says that’s probably the American twist.

On a snowboarding halfpipe scale from me (the lowest value the number 1 has to offer) to Shaun White (10), India Pelican Ale lands around a 9.27 (Scotty Lago, mayhaps? In large quantities it may cause you to act like him, at least.)…unless you don’t like IPAs, in which case it lands on the floor.

I bought my bomber of Pelican at the Fred Meyer in Tillamook, OR, but I’m sure it has percolated to a few locations more inland, as well. Ideally you will rush on out to the coast for a day of shenanigans and savor a pint or so straight from the brewer’s tap in Pacific City.  For your sake, I hope the sun joins you there.

2010
03/07
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Mile-High Brew Club

The best part about flying Alaska/Horizon is that they almost always offer a complimentary wine and micro from areas the airlines service. What this means for me right now is that I get to start drinking at 12:10 in the noon on my flight home. Today’s selection is Black Tusk Ale, a winter seasonal from Whister Brewing Company in Whistler, B.C. (clever, eh?!). For being served up in a little plastic cup, it looks pretty darn good, don’t you think? Nice ‘n’ dark with a Guinness-shaded head.

The Mile-High Brew Club

My senses were a little dulled by the small child kicking my seat; even though it definitely tasted dark, I thought I smelled a bit of a fruity aroma, though Whistler B.C. suggests a “subtle, malty aroma.” The medium-body fades to a clean finish, strangely enough. It feels and looks kinda like a nut brown, with its warm red-brown color. Definitely not a winter warmer, but then again the pilot did say it was high 50s/low 60s back home. Good thing I didn’t pack my snow pants.

On an NCAA Div. I(A) Football 2009 scale from Western Kentucky (0-8 conference, 0-12 overall) to Alabama (8-0 conference, 14-0 overall), I dare say this comes in at around an Oregon Ducks (8-1 conference, 10-3 overall) – great season, but you just wish it’d have lasted a little longer.

2010
02/22
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Full Sail’s Wassail

It’s stormy and rainy in beautiful southern California this weekend, so I figured this would be the perfect time to bust out another Oregon winter brew.  When in Rain…
One of the winter seasonals I brought home over Christmas break was Full Sail Brewing’s Wassail (is it just my pun-tastic tendencies, or does anyone else wish they had spelled it Wass’Ale or summat?). The bottle itself is enough to make you want to go skiing…or just hole up in a ski lodge with a few bottles and a sweetheart. Even the cap is cute, with “stoked to brew, brewed to stoke” printed around the top and “naughty” and “nice” arrows on the sides of this twist-off.

Full Sail's Clever Cap

Stoked to Brew, Brewed to Stoke

After twisting the cap to the “nice” side and pouring the rich red-brown nectar into my ghetto glass, I shoved my nose in for a whiff…and had to jam my schnoz in further and further to get a fair sniff. Though the toasty, slightly grassy aroma was definitely a plus, it was weaker than I had been hoping for. I suppose there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, but by the same token, this was too little of a great nose.
My first swallow confirms my love of winter seasonals – the taste goes straight to the back of my tongue and stays there. I wouldn’t say this ale is quite full-bodied, but Wassail is definitely on the heaviest side of medium-bodied. Perhaps the 7.0% abv tips the scale on that subject, however. Drinking my way down the glass, I am in love with how the head lingers on the glass walls. What a great visual to complement an all-around enjoyable winter warmer. Now, if I only had a raging fire with which to enjoy this. Oh, to be in the Northwest.
On an adrenaline scale from watching TV (1) to skydiving (10), Wassail earned a heavy day of windsurfing (8.7) from me. How appropriate, considering Hood River is one of the best places in the world for it.

2010
02/08
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Classic Drafted, Circa mid-Feb 2009: “One Bad SOB”

Even though we got an unplanned week off of work on account of heavy snow, I seem to have left no time for my beloved friend BEER.  In deference to those who rooted so much for the return of Drafted, I lazily posted a draught from the original column.  Was this the published version?  My answer to that is a cliché: what do you get when you cross an elephant and a rhino?  Enjoy. (Beer: Southern Oregon Brewing Company’s Gold Ale)

First off, I would like to publicly berate Nick for subjecting me to this beer – he knew full well what he was getting me into…and that I prefer dark beer. Nevertheless, I, too, shelled out the $4.04 for a bomber at Mama Gia’s with an open mind and a friend’s questionably clean plastic cup (not even a glass…psshht…men). I love that the label sports a jolly suspenders man toting a keg of SOB; “so far, so good,” I thought. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the best part.

Scanning the rest of the label (yes, my disdain began before I had even opened the bottle), we see that SOB’s Gold Ale is “fermented with a lager yeast.” I have said it before, but I must reiterate that beer is categorized as either lager or ale based upon the type of YEAST used. You, dear beer, are a LAGER! Know your role! This paradox leads me to one of two conclusions – either someone downed a keg of this stuff while drawing up the label or, well, they just did not care to find out what they were bottling. Despite myself, I popped the top and dove in.

I was not overly impressed by the head, though I did clock it at 1:47 from full foam to near-complete dissipation. With my first sip, I shared Nick’s uncanny sensation of recognition. “Have I had this one before? It tastes like…is it?…my favorite pong beer?” Seemingly indistinguishable from my trusty Johnny 6-pack, this beer truly deserves to be served very cold, to the point that your taste buds become desensitized to its ineptitude and you are not put through the frustrating task of having to try and savor this one as craft brew.

As each mouthful warmed, it revealed the weak and watery body and flavors. I could hardly detect the hops. My sourest face came with the dregs, which tasted only of water.

Established in 2006, SOB is a relatively new company with nowhere to go but up. They are based in Medford, OR and I am hopeful that this offering is far superior on draught, however, this bomber bombed. They get my kudos for their community involvement, though.

On a scale of Keanu Reeves (1) to Sean Connery (10), this beer would be a Vin Diesel: eye-catching, but once you get into it you would rather have some cheesy kung-fu movie star for the same film. In other words, Coors Light already comes in bottles, so save your money.

2010
01/21
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Winter Blues? Bah, Humbug’r

I must admit, I was drawn to MacTarnahan’s Winter Humbug’r by the flashy label. Seriously, though, who doesn’t love strange cartoons of sloppy, inebriated men waving mistletoe in your face?  And that color scheme: aesthetically inviting. Too bad you can’t taste a label.

Holiday Humbug'r

...and a bottle o' beer in a pear tree

During the pour, it seemed thick and pleasantly dark – that’s a good sign, right?!  I do so love a good, dark beer – especially in a winter seasonal. The nose on this porter was characteristically nutty and sweet. I started to get a bit excited for that first sweet sip.  All signs were pointing to go.

In for the taste, and…

…payoff. Everything in the nose translated to my mouth. It wasn’t as bitter as I like my porters, but it did have a slight bite other than what I’d expected – perhaps on its way to a stout roast-ish taste, but just a tinge of it (“deceptively dark,” indeed). Strangely enough, though, none of this made it to the back of my tongue.  Gypped.  Even that roasty-toasty taste was along the periphs.

As for the finish, I’ve had better.  I’ve had much worse, but from a porter I expect better.  It lasted long enough after a few sips, but once I did get it to linger, I wished I hadn’t. It did not deck my halls with cheer, as promised, but I guess you could say it did fulfill its goal of unraveling my ribbons.  I would be content to drink this with friends and a movie, but I can think of a few porters I’d rather enjoy with dinner.

On a Sandra Bullock scale from All About Steve (1) to The Blind Side (10…remember, this scale is relative), I give Humbug’r about a Forces of Nature (7.2) – entertaining for sure, but neither memorable nor high art.  If you must serve this with food, try pairing with an open-face sandwich (broiled, of course) with provolone or swiss.

Specs: 5.3% abv, 27 IBUs; 6-er of 12 oz. bottles purchased at a WINCO in Eugene, OR (I forget for how much, though).

MacTarnahan’s is renowned for their Amber, and their PR guy is unofficially titled the “Director of Pontification and Tale Telling.”  Cute.

2010
01/10
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Festival of the Last Minute

First thing I did when I got home? My best friend from high school and I hit up Portland Saturday Market for the Festival of the Last Minute. Yeah! Nothin’ says welcome home like street vendors, fresh jams, and Girl-Who-Hula-Hoops-While-Playing-the-Saxophone.  Well, maybe One-Handed-Guitar-Hobo.  He rocks pretty hard.  Speaking of rocking, enjoy some snapshots from the last day of the 2009 Saturday Market season.

Dog wearing Oregon coat

Hope this pup wasn't born in Corvallis.

Yeah, it was cold – and it seemed like all the dogs out were TINY!  They were cute, all shivering and hypothermic.  Some owners carried them around in their sweaters.  Others – well, you saw.

Trying to show how cold it is.

This kid thinks we're nuts.

See?!  Cold.  It is surprisingly difficult to get a cold-breath shot on the fly.  This is attempt #4…and that little boy has begun to wonder about the crazies behind him in line for elephant ears.  I wonder, too.

Boy with a spatula through the head

How would you even get that in there?

The best part of the Festival of the Last Minute is that there are more chitlins runnin’ around with kitschy toys than usual…probably because their parents are in an unusually giving mood.  He seemed too polite for me to want to shove a spatula handle-first through his temples, though.  Pity.

Portland Saturday Market '09

I love my town.

A close second to the Kitsch is the Indie.  Arts and crafts edge closer together on this Portland pavement…the edgier it is, the better it sells.  I fall in love with every indie boy I pass on the street.  Sigh.  I love Portland.

On the MAX

Perfunctory MAX shot.

What is it about a day on the town that makes everyone (myself included) take boring photos on the MAX?  Must be that darn holiday cheer!

2009
12/26
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A Taste of Home

Aside from rivers (or any naturally occurring body of water, for that matter) and my friends, the thing I miss most about home is the beer culture – an enthusiasm for microbrews you can taste (pun intended).  I know there are breweries down here in SoCal and I’ve even been to a brewpub in Big Bear (the stout? porter? oh, right…doppel bock I had was quite good, but obviously not memorable. In any case, that’s a story for another time.), but the brew-tmosphere that pervaded my social life in Portland keeps duckin’ me in LA.  Beer takes a backseat to higher conversation, such as who’s cheatin’ who (who’s bein’ true…and who don’t even care anymore), how Angelenos are SO over Ed Hardy, or the latest stupid Glenn Beck stunt.

Working in the San Bernardinos does make it a bit difficult to procure a decent micro, if only because my favorite dives hardly even have taps – let alone microbrews on tap.  None of my coworkers had even heard of Drop Top.  Sigh.

This brings me to the two most uplifting episodes/anecdotes in my beer diaspora so far: the Beer Angel at a gas station in Burbank and the Hefeweizen Fairy at Tony Roma’s in Universal CityWalk.

Chronologically first, the Beer Angel was gassin’ up behind me at a Costco (SO economical – read: cheap. Yesssssss!).  He eyed my Oregon plates a while, doubtless pondering which stereORtype to pursue for a quick yet fulfilling gas station exchange.  To my lingering joy, he struck out with a quick “Hey, next time you’re in Portland will you pick up a bunch of microbrews for me?  Yeah, just stop over at the Kennedy School and maybe get some Widmer, too.”  Oh man – I almost burst, I was so happy!  I kindly let him know that I’d try, but could make no guarantees the goods would survive me before they were delivered.  He understood both my voracity for Portland beer and my frustration with the lack of accessibility on par with home’s offerings.  Refreshed, I went off to work; coincidentally (or was it?!),  it was my Civil War game GO DUCKS spirit week at work – great timing, gas station Beer Angel.

Most recently, though, I discovered a somewhat reliable non-LA-bar source for a Portland Beer fix: LA chain restaurants!  Much better, I know.  🙂  My best friend flew in on her way to visit her dad in Texas, so her brother and I have been showing her the sights/malls.  CityWalk was on our agenda for the big ol’ Universal globe, so we decided to see Avatar while we were there.  The showing we wanted was sold out, so we caught dinner at Tony Roma’s after we bought tickets to the next available showing.  I’d been avoiding eating out because a) I’m trying to pay off my student loans and b) I don’t make that much money in the first place.

Anyway, this time I was rewarded with a long list of options…rapidly rattled off.  “Coor’s Light, Bud Light, Hefeweizen, …”  Stop right there, Sir.  Whose Hef?  “Uh…Wid…meeeeeeear?”  WIDMER?!?!?!  Yes, please.  “Small or large?”  After much deliberation, I went big.  Real big.  25 ounces big, in fact.  Oh-so-very worth it.

Mug of Widmer Hef

Pinkies up, ladies!

2009
12/21
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