Every now and then we get crushed (in a good way) with a giant pile of new beers, and today was one of those days. By my count we received 19 new beers, and several other favorites returned to the cooler. The vast majority of these bottles are new to Oregon, and a couple have never been seen in the states, so the commercial descriptions will have to suffice until we have a chance to drink them all. If anyone tries these before we have a chance to describe them I implore you leave a comment and tell us what you thought.
New North American Beer!
Anchor Brewing -
Summer Ale: Anchor's tasty summer seasonal is a filtered American wheat ale. It doesn't have a long season, but hopefully it'll still be here when the weather finally warms up.
Allagash -
Black: Commercial Description -
Allagash Black, our new Belgian style stout, is brewed with German 2 row barley, Torrified wheat and oats, balanced by a large addition of Belgian dark candi to give the Black a full and silky mouthfeel. Roasted malts give this stout its classic chocolate, toast and malty taste, and contribute to chocolate notes and a hint of roasted coffee in the aroma. The Black is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain and refermented in the bottle with the methode champenoise to make this beer truly unique.Allagash -
Odyssey: A Barrel-aged, strong, dark, Belgian-style wheat ale? Hmmm...That sounds just crazy enough to work. Lots of folks mention flavors of chocolate, raisins, bourbon, and wood, so I'd expect something along the lines of a bourbon-aged Belgian Grand Cru.
Allagash -
Hugh Malone: This tasty treat is an American interpretation of a Belgian interpretation of an American IPA. Got it?
Dieu du Ciel! -
Peche Mortel: Oregon got a taste of this elixir once (several years ago), and it still stands as one of the tastiest beers I've ever had, so hopefully this new batch will live up to my fond memories. This concoction is loaded with coffee, and they're not kidding about the warning label on the bottle: "
If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, and caffeine makes you bounce off the ceiling, then just put the bottle down and find something else to drink." If it wasn't pushing 10% abv I'd be tempted to have one for breakfast.
Dieu du Ciel! -
Dermiere Volonte: The commercial description is simply "Dry-hopped Belgian-style ale", which doesn't give us much to go on. Reading some of the reviews it seems as though they were shooting for something along the lines of Orval, the classic Trappist blonde. Anything that scores above the 90th percentile is certainly worth a try, and if it's even half as good as Orval it will be delicious.
Dieu du Ciel! -
Corne du Diable: Commercial Description - An American-style I.P.A. The Corne du Diable is a contemporary adaptation of the original English Pale Ales. This interpretation of the style, born on the North American west coast, is caracterised by stronger and much hoppier beers. The result is a caramel flavoured, full-bodied red ale, with sharp bitterness and powerful aromas thanks to our dry hopping technique.
Dieu du Ciel! -
Rosee d'Hibiscus: Commercial description - The Rosée d’Hibiscus is a soft spoken wheat beer. The rose colour comes from the hibiscus flowers added during the brewing process. The aromas and flavour of this tropical flower are very prominent in the beer, giving it a slight acidity and a very agreeable fragrance. It is the perfect thirst quencher on a hot summer day.
Dieu du Ciel! -
Route des Epices: Mmm...rye beer. I don't know what it is, but there's something about rye beer that's really been hitting the spot lately. Perhaps it's the aroma, or perhaps it's the spicy, borderline metallic zing that it adds to the finish. Either way, I can't seem to get enough, and this one looks like it'll have a permanent place in my fridge, at least until we run out. The one dominant note besides the rye that pops up in all the reviews is pepper. Lots and lots of pepper. Stay tuned for an update on this one.
New European Beer!
Drie Fonteinen -
Hommage: This special brew was crafted as a tribute to Gaston Debelder, the founder of Drie Fonteinen. This is one of the only authentic "multi fruit" lambics in existence, blending the bright flavors of raspberries with a small percentage of tart Belgian cherries. Several years of aging in oak barrels melds everything together in a truly spectacular fashion. Only 36 bottles arrived in Oregon, so if you're a "lambicophile" (copyright pending) you'll want to grab one of these while you can.
Drie Fonteinen -
Doesjel: Although they use the traditional blend of 1,2, and 3 year old beer, this gueuze is bottled still (flat), similar to Cantillon’s Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru. On first sip, the creamy malt body and citric, slightly vinegary tang create an explosion of flavor. Aromas of barnyard (hints of leather, wood, grass, and musty cobwebs) carry through the air as it warms, adding layer upon layer of complexity. Like most Drie Fonteinen products, this is bone dry and has an acidic, cleansing finish.
Hofbrouwerijke -
Hofblues: Belgian breweries tend to bring an interesting twist to the recipe or process when they emulate British style beers, and this stout is no exception. All the typical roasty, coffee, and cocoa notes are there as expected, but many reviews point to a Belgian yeast fruitiness that sets it apart from its English fore bearers. Many people also mention a bit of smokiness, along with a solid bitterness in the finish, that keeps the body from being cloyingly sweet.
Hofbrouwerijke -
Bosprotter: This seems like a solid Belgian tripel, and many of the reviewers mentioned an underlying zesty peppery note, which could be an interesting twist to the style.
Fantome -
Brise-BonBons: This was originally designed to be a beer so bitter that no one could drink it. Unfortunately, Dany Prignon underestimated the demand for such things, and it's become one of the most popular (and therefore hard to find) Fantome brews around. Look for the big bottle with the sumo wrestler on it, and prepare yourself for the onslaught of earthy, spicy, herbal bitterness.
Fantome -
Black Ghost: Commercial Description - Once described as a Belgian Irish-style stout, Black Ghost has undergone lots of changes over the years. It now bears no resemblance whatsoever to a stout, and brewer Dany Prignon has begun adding spices to the beer. What they are is anybody's guess...the Fantôme confounds once again.
Fantome -
Printemps: As with everything else Fantome, you never quite know what you're getting into, but the Printemps tends to be one of the more consistent in terms of style and body. Expect a light peachy colored brew that's chock full of fruity, spicy, and yeasty goodness. Will it be sour too? Who knows, but we'll find out soon.
Mikkeller -
黑 (Black): At 17.5%abv, this looks to be Mikkeller's answer to Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout. Like a heavy metal band going camping, this stuff is INTENSE! (sorry, I couldn't resist). It is apparently quite hot (i.e. boozy) at this point, and even the brewery admits it probably won't peak for a couple of years, but we're gluttons for punishment so we'll try it soon.
Hook Norton -
Old Hooky: A classic ESB, with a good dose of crystal malt to give it some body. Low abv British beers aren't known for their endurance, so get this one while it's fresh.
Bieres-23 - Ambree: This one is so new that it hasn't even been entered into the Ratebeer or BeerAdvocate databases yet. Come and grab one and you can be the first person in the world to review it.
Bieres-23 - Biere de Mars: This one is so new that it hasn't even been entered into the Ratebeer or BeerAdvocate databases yet. Come and grab one and you can be the first person in the world to review it.
If that wasn't enough, there's the "returning favorites" that I mentioned above; Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, Cantillon Classic Gueuze in 750ml bottles, Ridgeway IPA and Bitter, Coniston's Bluebird Bitter, Fantome Saison, Haandbruggeriet's Norwegian Wood and Dark Force, and Panil Bariquee. Whew!
Event Notice:
Last, but certainly not least, don't forget about the free Ayinger tasting on Thursday, May 15th, from 6-8pm. Gertrud Hein-Eickoff, Ayinger's Export Manager is traveling all the way from Bavaria, so stop in and learn to pronounce those goofy German names from an expert! Check our
event calendar for more info on our free tastings and other special happenings.
This is a funny book. Guide books can be. You see they are to guide people from "X" around about a little old place we like to call "Y". If you are from "X" or "Y", you are likely going to understand what's going on but if you are not it gets to be a bit of an exercise in cultural anthropology with a decent bit of literary deconstruction thrown in.
heater - using only beers bottles and hoses. How does it work? Well, The beer bottles lie on a board in rows and are all connected by hoses, which allow cold water to flow through them. As the bottles and board lie outside, the heat from the sun warms the water in the bottles. The warm water can then be used for showers, or meals, or most anything we use hot water for.
Schell Sampler! Schell Sampler! Schell Sampler!
