Barleywine, Barleywine Everywhere, So Let's All Have A Drink

It's barleywine season - one of my favorite beer times of year.  I've always been a fan of good barleywines, so I'm really looking forward to both the 10th Annual 'Barleywine Bacchanal' at Beveridge Place Pub, and the 10th Annual 'Hard Liver Festival' at Brouwer's Cafe. 

First up is the 10th Annual Barleywine Bacchanal at Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle.  This is a popular beer destination in the Seattle area, so if you've never been there I urge you to head on over to West Seattle and check them out.  It's well worth the trip across the West Seattle bridge. 

Firestone Walker XVth Anniversary Ale TODAY At Brouwer's Cafe - UPDATED

As my regular readers know, I'm a big fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company out of Paso Robles, CA.  My favorite beers in the World right now all come from their 'Proprietor's Reserve' series, which consists of:

• Double Jack - Firestone Walker's Imperial IPA - and my favorite Imperial IPA, period.
• Walker's Reserve Porter - With notes of toffee, caramel and bittersweet chocolate.
• Abacus - Just one of Firestone Walker's amazing and complex barleywines (Soon to be renamed §ucaba (Abacus backwards)).
• Parabola - A rich and robust stout with bold bourbon and tobacco aromas and a rich dark chocolate, charred oak flavor.
• XIVth Anniversary Ale - A complex blend of six different FW beers, including Double Barrel Ale, Sticky Monkey, Parabola, Velvet Merkin, Goodfoot and Black Xanthus. Simply amazing. 

Well, I just got some great news about the next offering in the Proprietor's Reserve series.  I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale.  And now it seems my wait will be handsomely rewarded.  XVth Anniversary Ale from Firestone Walker will be on tap at Brouwer's Cafe in Seattle Today: Monday, November 14th starting at 7:00PM. 

Brouwer's also says they have another little 'surprise' in store for us on that evening, but for now they're keeping us in suspense as to what the surprise might be.  Frankly, I'm hoping they'll put on a keg of a rare beer from Firestone Walker known as 'Sticky Monkey'.  It's a beer they usually only make for blending purposes, but I was fortunate to have some on tap at Brouwer's last year after the Firestone Walker & Homebrew Chef collaboration dinner I attended back in May of this year. 

I'll also be dropping by Bottleworks in Seattle this morning, as soon as they open, to grab a few bottles of XVth Anniversary Ale.  They should also have some rare XIIIth Anniversary Ale available, so I'll grab a few of those as well.

I still have at least one bottle each of Parabola, Walker's Reserve Porter, Abacus (Soon to be renamed §ucaba), some XIVth Anniversary Ale at home.  Once I get my hands on some XVth Anniversary Ale (and some XIIIth Anniversary Ale) bottles this year, I'll have to pick up a Double Jack, have a few good friends over and have an all Firestone Walker Reserve Series tasting.  Talk about a beer-gasm!  I'll have to see what kind of menu I can come up with to accompany this incredible lineup.  My compliments to the Firestone Walker Brewmaster and to their master blenders. 

I will definitely be at Brouwer's Cafe tonight to get some XVth Anniversary Ale on tap (and, perhaps, splurge on a bottle of XIIIth Anniversary Ale as well).  Will I see you there? 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Alaskan Brewer's Night, The Release of Firestone Walker XV & Coast & Coast Toast At Brouwer's Cafe

There are three exciting events coming up over the next week or so at Brouwer's Cafe, so mark your calendars and set some time aside. 

The first event is tomorrow night, Tuesday the 8th.  It's Alaskan Brewer's Night at Brouwer's, where Alaskan Brewing will have 8 dedicated taps available.  There will be no Alaskan Amber, but there will be their IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Smoked Porter (which was just released this year on November 1st) and their 25th Anniversary Perseverance Ale (A Russian Imperial Stout).  An Alaskan Brewing representative will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have. So if you're a fan of Alaskan Brewing, this is your night.

Another event, not fully featured in this article, will also be happening on November 10th at 6:00PM, when Brouwer's will be tapping two JW Lees Wood Barrel casks: one a port cask and the other a lagavulin cask. 

Next up is an event I've been eagerly anticipating: the release of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale.  It arrives in WA state this year on November 14th (check with your local bottle shop), and Brouwer's will have XVth Anniversary Ale on tap starting at 7:00PM, which is quite rare. 

Also availble that night at Brouwer's in the bottle (for consumption only at Brouwer's - they don't sell bottles to go) will be Firestone Walker's Parabola stout as well as their XIIIth Anniversary Ale and their XIVth Anniversary Ale.  I've never had the XIIIth Anniversary Ale myself, so I might just have to order a bottle while I'm there, and/or see if they still have any available at Bottleworks or any of my other local bottle shops. 

As well as enjoying the release of XV at Brouwer's, I also plan to pick up a few bottles at Bottleworks as soon as they open on the 14th, as well as a few bottles of XIII if they still have any.  I'm planning on taking off work early that day just for this event.  You can learn more about the blending process for Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale HERE. 

On a frosty day sometime this winter, I'm also planning to get together with a few good friends and have a Firestone Walker Proprietor's Reserve Series tasting including: Double Jack IPA, Walker's Reserve Porter, Abacus Barleywine, Parabola Stout, XIIIth Anniversary Ale, XIVth Anniversary Ale and XVth Anniversary Ale.  With that much good beer around, I might just have to pull out my smoker in the dead of winter and make some good BBQ to accompany these fine libations. 

The day after the release of Firestone Walker's XVth Anniversary Ale at Brouwer's will be an event called the Coast to Coast Toast.  This is a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Vanberg & DeWulf importers of fine Belgian beers such as: Scaldis, Dupont, Foret, and Moinette just to name a few.

Here's a bit more info about Vanberg & DeWulf:

Vanberg & DeWulf are the original, most ardent and proselytizing importers of Belgian beers in the USA. It’s no wonder they’re called the “Belgian Experts”: ever since 1982, their mission has been to support independent, family-run breweries and indigenous beer styles that express the spirit of a place. The founders, Don Feinberg & Wendy Littlefield, were the first Americans inducted into the Belgian Brewers’ Guild. They published the first edition of “The Great Beers of Belgium” by Michael Jackson, and brought Duvel, Rodenbach, and the lambics of Frank Boon to the States. In the 1990’s they pioneered cooking with beer education at the CIA and The James Beard House. Don & Wendy conceived of and built Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, thereby constructing the first farmstead brewery to be built in over a century… on a former hops farm, no less. Their brewery Ommegang was the first brewery to make all bottle-conditioned, cork-finished, exclusively Belgian-style beers in America. Every beer in their current portfolio is a major or a minor classic.

I honestly don't drink enough Belgian beers, even though I really do enjoy them.  Perhaps this event will be a good way for me to rediscover some Belgian classics I've been overlooking or not getting enough of.  Care to join me?  As you can see, there's quite a bit to get excited about the next week or so at Brouwer's Cafe. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

There's More To Life Than Just Beer

There's more to life than just beer.  I've heard this saying before.  I'm not sure I entirely agree, but anything is possible.  However, since I enjoy good Scotches and Bourbons as much as a well crafted beer, I guess there is some truth in that statement.

Tonight (Thursday, July 7th), I'll be attending an event at Brouwer's Cafe featuring bourbons by Four Roses.  Their bourbons have been made in Kentucky since 1884 and Brouwer's will be featuring four different vintages:

     Yellow Label:

"A worldwide favorite, especially when creating mixed drinks with a sophisticated, contemporary flair. Hints of pear and apple compliment floral aromas and mix with a taste of honey and spice. Smooth and mellow with a unique, long and soft finish. 80 proof."

     Single Barrel:

"A premium Single Barrel Bourbon with a taste you'll want to savor again and again. Complex, full bodied and surprisingly smooth with a delicate long finish that’s unbelievably mellow. Contains hints of ripe plum and cherry tastes with fruity, spicy aromas including maple syrup and cocoa. Drink straight up or on the rocks. 100 proof."

     Small Bach:

"Marrying, or mingling, multiple Bourbon flavors is an art in itself. Four original and limited Bourbons have been expertly selected by our Master Distiller at the peak of maturation to create a perfectly balanced small batch Bourbon that rewards you with a mellow symphony of rich, spicy flavors along with sweet, fruity aromas and hints of sweet oak and caramel. Finishes soft, smooth and pleasantly long. Best enjoyed straight up, on the rocks, or with a splash. 90 proof."

     And a special vintage bottled especially for Brouwer's,
     Brouwer's Single Barrel:

There will be signature cocktails made with each individual vintage, or you can get a flight with 1oz of each if you prefer your bourbon straight like me.  I'll probably go for a flight, the have a little more of whichever one I enjoy the most. 

Four Roses Bourbon can be somewhat difficult to locate in WA state.  It can be found in some Seattle liquor stores and a few in Everett, Clearview and Puyallup, but many smaller WA liquor stores won't have it.  So you may have to search a bit.  (You can find out which liquor stores carry which vintages by doing a brand search HERE). 

I only had Four Roses bourbon for the first time last week.  I had some of the Small Batch, and it was amzing.  A slightly sweet start and exceedingly smooth.  I'm looking forward to trying the other vintages to discover which one I'll like best. 

So, if you're a fan a good bourbon, get your butt down to Brouwer's toinght.  Things get going around 6:00PM. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Seattle Beer Week Is Wearing Me Out

My wife, Lynn, and I had so much fun at the Firestone Walker & Homebrew Chef dinner at Brouwer's on Monday and in the few days prior, that we were wiped out on Tuesday.  We never really got home on Monday until around 1:30AM and didn't get to bed util at least 2:30/3:00AM.  So, needless to say, we slept in on Tuesday the 24th. 

Even when we did get up, we just felt too wiped out to hit any Seattle Beer Week events that day.  I wanted to hit up the IPA Fest at Big Time Brewery, but I just couldn't find the energy.  I live 22 miles from Seattle, so I have to make a conscious effort to come into the city for even a single event. 

I finally got back into the swing of things on Wesnesday.  There was no early event this day at Brouwer's, but I went there for an early lunch anyway.  I was hoping they'd still have some Firestone Walker beers on tap.  I was not disappointed.  They even had Firestone Walker's 'Sticky Monkey' on tap by itself.  This is extremely rare.  Sticky Monkey is a beer Firestone Walker brews specifically for blending purposes.  It is usually not seen available by itself (i.e. Not blended as part of another FW beer).  We have Sean Paxton (The Homebrew Chef) to thank for that one, as he brough up this beer to use as an ingredient for the beer pairing dinner I attended on Monday the 23rd. 

Firestone Walker's 'Sticky Monkey'

After kicking things off at Brouwer's, I hit up the Firkin Firkin event at Elysian Brewing on Capitol Hill.  This was a WA vs. CO event, with beers from breweries in both states available on Cask.  There were 15 casks to try and participants were urged to vote for their favorite.  Since I'd arleady been to Brouwer's for a few and was planning on heading back there later for an event at 6:00PM, I only had 3 5oz tasters - and a few other sips from some friends I ran into at the event. 

Unfortunately, I left my notes & photos from this event on my other PC, which I won't have access to until tonight, so I'll update this post then with photos, which Firkins I tried and which I cast my vote for. 

After Firkin Firkin at Elysian, it was back to Brouwer's Cafe for their Beer Cocktail event with Hopworks beers and Brewing Up Cocktails.  After the Union Jack Hurricane and the Parabola/Sticky Monkey/Mint Syrup Ber'lip I'd had at Monday's dinner, I wanted to give a few more beer cocktails a try. 

While the Hurricane & Ber'lip I'd had on Monday were pretty heavy on the beer - with just a bit of flavoring added, the offerings at Brouwer's for Brewing Up Cocktails were quite different, and generally only used beer as one ingredient among many or as a 'top off' after mixing the other ingredients.  I decided to try a 'West Coast Radler' and a 'Single Speed'. 

Since the Radler was topped off with a light lager, I barely noticed it.  It did provide a thinning of the other ingredients to mute their strength of flavor, but in a way that didn't water things down.  Very nice.  The Single Speed was a bit more unusual, but then I don't usually have any cocktails with Aquavit.  The mix of IPA and apricot/lime flavors in this one provided the bulk of the flavor and color.  Not bad. 

IF THE VIDEO ABOVE IS NOT WORKING - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO OF A WEST COAST RADLER BEING MADE AT BROUWER'S ON YOUTUBE. 

After my two cocktails I couldn't resist, so I ordered another Firestone Walker Sticky Monkey.  I had to take advantage of it while it was still around.  Brewing Up Cocktails at Brouwer's was my last event for the evening.

Unfortunately, the next day, Thursday, I had to be back to work.  I also had a few things to take care of at home, so I only had the time to hit one event last night on my way home.  I stopped by Elliott Bay Brewing in Burien for their 'IPA Feast'.  All 5 Elliott Bay IPAs were on tap (or cask) and available in pints or as a taster tray.  I opted for the taster tray, which included: Organic Ebay IPA, Organic Demolition, Black Ops CDA, Hellmouth IPA, and Organic Hop von Boorian.  No surprise to me, my favorite was the Hellmouth.  At 7.1% ABV and 100 IBU's it was the 2nd strongest and the hoppiest/most bitter beer in the bunch.  And I'm a sucker for a good, strong IPA. 

My IPA Feast Taster Tray at Elliott Bay, Burien

I found the Organic Ebay decent, but a bit too light flavored for my palate.  Demolition was probably my 2nd favorite (7.25% ABV and 98 IBU's).  Hop von Boorian was OK, but I've just never gotted used to the mix of Belgian yeast combined with strong hops.  To me, those are conflicting styles/tastes and I can't seem to get into them.  I know the 'Belgian IPA' style is getting more popular lately, but I'm not a big fan.  The CDA was decent, but again, the over-toasted flavor of black patent or other dark malts doesn't agree with my palate when mixed with a strong hop flavor.  I guess I'm discovering that, with a few exceptions, I'm a sucker for sticking to the classic, defined beer styles. 

Today is Friday, and I plan to hit a couple of events after work today.  First, I'd like to hit up the Naked City Drink Naked Night event at Naked City Taphouse.  After that, if I can tear myself away, I may head to Night of the Living Nanos at the Fiddler's Inn.  This will be a showcase of beers from three of Washington's smallest breweries. 

See what too much beer makes a nice, consevative girl do? (Oh, who'm I kidding?  Conservative?  lol)

I haven't decied what events I might attend this Saturday or Sunday yet, but I also have to think about kegging my latest batch of IPA and transferring my Oktoberfest Lager to kegs to start it's 3-month long lagering period.  So you'll have to check back to see where I'm at.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe

Last night, Monday, May 23rd was, for me, the highlight of Seattle Beer Week.  My wife and I attended the Firestone Walker & The Homebrew Chef Collaboration Beer Dinner at Brouwer's Cafe.  This was a 10-Course dinner, paired with 12 different Firestone Walker Beers and beer creations.  Brouwer's Cafe closed at 3:00PM to prepare for this special event, and the doors opened for ticket holders shortly after 6:00PM. 

As we were brought in and seated, servers came around to present us with our 'Reception Beer': Firestone Walker's Union Jack IPA on Cask.  Other than Brouwer's few booths, most of the seating for the dinner was at long tables.  So we enjoyed our Union Jack as we introduced ourselves to the other attendees at our table and marveled at the menu for the evening, which was laid out in front of us on large, beautiful menu sheets.

As we were finishing up our Union Jack, Matt Bonney (Owner of Brouwer's Cafe), Sean Paxton and David Walker (Owner of Firestone Walker Brewing Company) came out to welcome us all and to tell us a bit about the evening we were about to experience. 

Course 1:

The first course for our dinner consisted of Cajun Prawns.  These were prawns, brined in Firestone Walker's Pale 31, dusted with Creole spices, coated in a Pale 31 beer batter, coated in shaved coconut, fried crispy sweet and served with apricot DBA mustard sauce.  This was paired with a Firestone Walker Solace - a Summer Wheat beer. 

I'm sure many of you have had coconut prawns as an apetizer at one time or another.  These... were nothing like that.  The succulence of the prawns was easily apparent due to the Pale 31 brining, and the subtle yet slightly spicy Creole spices came through beautifully in contrast with the apricot DBA mustard sauce. 

Intended as a light opening course, it paired perfectly with Firestone Walker's Solace, whose citrusy/fruity notes and clean finish complimented the prawns without obscuring the flavors. 

Seattle Beer Week Rolls On

Today, Monday, May 23rd, is the 5th day of Seattle Beer Week.  The first four days have already been a whirlwind of amazing beer-related events and activities, and we still have 6 more days of fun to go.  Thankfully I have today and Tuesday off, but heading back to work Wednesday is gonna be so hard!

So far, I've been able to attend the following Seattle Beer Week events:

Day 1 - Thursday, May 19

-Seattle Beer Week Kick Off at Maritime Pacific Brewing:
You can read all about my experience at this event HERE.  It was a great night filled with good food, great beer, old and new friends alike.  Everyone was having an amazing time in the great weather, and enjoying the Official Seattle Beer Week beer: Decompression Ale. 

At the Jolly Roger Taproom at Maritime Pacific

I followed up the SBW Kick Off at Maritime with a brief stop at Uber Tavern.  I wanted to drop by because I'd heard they were having Dogfish Head World Wide Stout on tap as well as Dog Fish Head 120 Minute IPA.  Now, I've had both of these beers before, but it's rare to find them on tap.  Both were amazing. 

-Cask-O-Rama at Beveridge Place Pub:
This is an annual event at BPP.  Casks cover the bar and you can have a pint or go with a taster tray.  I chose the latter.  You can see my selections and read a bit more about what I thought HERE.  I hung out here, enjoying myself and the great lineup of Cask beers until nearly 10:00PM, my last event for the night (I had to be at work on Friday!)

My Taster Tray at Cask-O-Rama

Day 2 - Friday, May 20th

I was unable to attend any SBW events on Friday due to the monthly meeting of my homebrew club, The Impaling Alers.  I had a great time at the meeting with my fellow members, enjoying some great homebrew, and some delicious hummus and salmon dip, both provided at the meeting by my beautiful wife, Lynn.  By the time the meeting/socializing wrapped up, it was nearly 11:00PM.  Time to call it a night. 

A Detailed Look at Seattle Beer Week - May 19-29, 2011 - UPDATED (5/18)

 

Seattle Beer Week is now just a few hours away.  I wanted to give you an extremely detailed run-down of all the events, so you can plan out your week to get the most out of it.  There are loads of great events to chose from.  Here we go!

UPDATED!  5/18/2011

Seattle Beer Week starts tomorrow!
Even more great events have been added.  New (or moved) events since our last update are indicated by a red asterisk *. 


Day 1 - Thursday, May 19th:

All Day-Growler Madness: Stone Brewing Co. at Super Deli Mart (9051 35th Street SW, Seattle, WA).  Stone will be tapping a cellared keg of Double Bastard and maybe a few others.  10% off all Stone bottled beers. 

11:00AM

-Elliott Bay IPA Feast at Elliott Bay Brewing - West Seattle (4720 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA).  Five Elliott Bay IPAs on one sampler tray.  Come get your IPA on. 

4:30PM

-Boundary Bay Brewery Appreciation at Collins Pub (526 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA).  6 tap handles, showcasing beers from one of Seattle's finest breweries for over 15 years. 

5:00PM *

-*Lazy Boy Brewer's Night at Blaefire (1801 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA).  There will be $10 beer flights and Lazy Boy schwag giveaways. 

5:30PM

-Seattle Beer Week kicks off with the tapping of the official Seattle Beer Week beer, brewed this year by Maritime Pacific Brewing Company (1111 NW Ballard Way, Seattle, WA). 

-*Schmaltz & Vine at Malt & Vine (16851 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA).  Taste beers by Coney Island's Schmaltz Brewing, including 'Human Blockhead'- a 10% Imperial American Bock, a 7-vintage vertical tasting of Jewbelation, and see Donny Vomit of Coney Island fame. 

6:00PM

-Seattle Cask-O-Rama at Beveridge Place Pub (6431 California Ave. SW, West Seattle, WA).  Cask beers from all Seattle breweries participating in Seattle Beer Week will be on the bartop!  Come on by and have a cask!

-Pike Brewer's Dinner at Emmer & Rye (1825 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA).  This is a food and beer pairing dinner, featuring the food of chef Seth Caswell and beers from the Pike with Charles and Rose Ann Finkel.  The menu is yet to be announced. 

-Hales Brewer's Dinner at DeLuxe Bar & Grill (625 Broadway Ave E, Seattle, WA).  A beer and food pairing between DeLuxe Executive Chef, Beth Fuller and Hales beers.  A four-course menu has been prepared.  Contact DeLuxe for tickets and info or call them at (206) 324-9697.  The cost is $35 per person (tax and gratuity not included). 

-North End Kick Off at Fred's Rivertown Alehouse (1114 First St, Snohomish, WA).  If you're in the North end and can't make it down to Seattle for the Beer Week kick off, come celebrate it at Fred's.

-Schooner Exact Night at The Beer Junction (4707 42nd Ave SW, Seattle, WA).  Come enjoy some Schooner Exact beers at The Beer Junction. 

-Upright Brewing Night at Old Town Alehouse (5233 Ballard Ave N, Seattle, WA).  Upright is a Belgian-inspired brewery using Northwest ingredients.  Come on out and have a few at Old Town Alehouse. 

-*Bayern Brewery Night at 74th Street Alehouse (7401 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA).  Bayern's owner & head Brewmaster, Jurgen Knoller will be on hand to open an Oak Firkin of his new Cask Summer Bock beer.  He has driven the firken himself from Missoula, MT to be here for this event. 

-*Colorado Invades Ballard at the Barking Dog Alehouse (705 NW 70th St, Seattle, WA).  All Colorado beers will be on tap at the Barking Dog.  There will be taps from New Belgium, Left Hand, Oskar Blues & Boulder Brewing.

7:00PM

-Alaskan Brewery Smokin' Beer Dinner at Julia's on Broadway (300 Broadway E, Seattle, WA).  An enticing menu, paired with beers from Alaskan Brewery.  You can see the full menu HERE. 

-Seattle Beer Week Kick Off Stop 2 at Brouwer's Cafe (400 N. 35th St, Seattle, WA).  The kick off party rolls on at Brouwer's! 

8:00PM

-Seattle Beer Week Kick Off Stop 3 at Pyramid Alehouse (1201 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA).  The party's still rollin' - now at Pyramid Alehouse near Safeco Field. 

-*Carnies & Cronies at the Unicorn (1118 E Pike St, Seattle, WA). Come see Zak from Schmaltz brewing & Donny Vomit of Coney Island fame.  Coney Island Ales & Unicorn corndogs. 

9:00PM

-Seattle Beer Week Kick Off Stop 4 at Naked City Taphouse (8564 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA).  And the party is still rolling.  Are you still standing?  24 Taps - 12 will be devoted to Naked City Beers and 12 to beers from other Seattle area breweries. 

-Heavy Metal Beer Bash at Highline (210 Broaday Ave E, Seattle, WA).  Come enjoy some heavy metal from: Lightning Swords of Death, Saviors and Black Queen.  There will be pint specials on metal-themed beers such as: Back in Black IPA, TNT Doppel Weizenbock and Helmet Pale Ale. 

10:00PM

-Heavy Metal Beer Bash at The Galaway Arms (5257 University Way NE, Seattle, WA).  Come enjoy a show with live, local heavy metal bands, along with brews from Left Hand, 21st Amendment, etc. etc. etc.

Seattle Beer Week Starts Tomorrow

Seattle Beer Week is here!  In just over 24 hours, things will kick off with the very first event, the Elliott Bay IPA Feast at Elliott Bay Brewing in West Seattle starting at 11:00AM.  Personally, I'll be at work, so I can't make it to that one.  The first event I will likely attend is the 5:30PM Seattle Beer Week kickoff at Maritime Pacific Brewing Company - brewer of this year's official Seattle Beer Week beer.  After that, I may head over to Brouwer's Cafe for 'Seattle Beer Week Kickoff - Stop 2', starting at 7:00PM. 

On Friday, I won't get the chance to attend many events besides my monthly homebrew club meeting.  This month is our annual 'swap meet', where members can swap/trade/sell brewing equipment.  I also plan to bring a few beers an ciders to trade or just share with my fellow brewers. 

Saturday will keep me busy too with Beer & D'oh Nuts at 99 Bottles in Federal Way at 10:00AM, followed by Keggs & Eggs with American Brewing at the Brave Horse Tavern starting at 11:00AM.  Later, I'm thinking of attending the World Class Brewer's Reunion at Pike Brewing Company, which begins at 2:00PM. 

Do you have your strategy for Seattle Beer Week planned out yet?  With an average of 12 or more events each day, you're sure to find something you'll enjoy.  So rest up tonight, for tomorrow Seatlle Beer Week begins!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

IPA Spring Is In The Air

Spring is here (at least on the calendar that is; you wouldn't know it around here by looking or going outside!)  And Spring means IPAs.  I'm a huge IPA fan, so I always love a good IPA, and right now they're in abundance around Seattle.  Here are threee local happenings that highlight IPAs and the northwests Love of them.

Cooper's Alehouse 9th Annual IPA Fest: - April 8 - 29 (8065 Lake City Way NE, Seattle)
If you're a regular reader, then you already know about Cooper's IPA Fest.  64 IPAs will be rotating on Cooper's taps from the start of the event back on April 8th, through April 29th.  For a few reviews and the full list of all the IPAs that either have been on, are on now or will be on during the fest, look HERE. 

Beer Valley Brewing IPAs featured at Brouwer's Cafe: (Brouwer's: 400 N 35th St, Seattle - Beer Valley: - 937 SE 12th Ave, Ontario, OR)
Today only, April 13th, Beer Valley Brewing's head brewer, Pete Ricks, will be on hand to enjoy with you three IPAs from Beer Valley: Rosebud IPA, Leafer Madness Double IPA and Black Madness Double Black IPA.  At only $4 each, you can easily afford to come on down and try 'em all.

Brouwer's also, of course, has plenty of other great beers on tap, including these other IPAs:
-Avery Majaraja Double IPA
-Skagit River Gospel IPA

And the following barleywines currently on tap, if you're still in a barleywine mood:
-Stone Old Guardian '08
-Stone Old Guardian '10
-Hood Canal Breidablik '10
-Mad River Wheatwine '08
-Mad River john Barley Corn '07
-Hales Rudyard's Rare '07
-Elliott Bay Barleywine '10
-Diamond Knot Icebreaker '09
-Stone Belgo Barleywine '10
-Moylan's Old Blarney '10
-Laurelwood Old Reliable '10
-Marin Old Dispsea '10
-Sierra Nevada Bigfoot '08
-Big Sky Old Blue Hair '10
-Lagunitas Gnarleywine '10
-Big Time Bill's Bearded Wonderfulness '10
-Full Sail Old Board Head '08

IPA Throwdown at Full Throttle Bottles: (5909 Airport Way S, Seattle)
Take 8 different IPAs from Washington, Oregon and California and pit them against each other in a no holds barred throwdown to see which one comes out on top.  That's what's going on tonight at Full Throttle Bottles from 5-7PM. 

To quote from Full Throttle Bottles:
"Now we won't be comparing Imperial or Double IPAs, but regular straight up IPAs. It's not about who has the highest IBUS or can make the most extreme beer, but who has the best tasting IPA. These were chosen at random so don't think there aren't hundreds of other top notch IPAs out there!"

This is a free event, pouring 2oz samples.  That means WA state beer & wine sampling laws apply.  You'll only be able to try 4 out of the following 8 IPAs available, so you'll have to chose carefully.  If you find one you like or you'd like to try the others you can, of course, always grab a bottle (or a few!) to take home with you.  You can vote for your favorite and the winner will be 10% off at FTB for the whole month of May. 

The 8 beers in tonights tasting, of which you can chose 4:
-Boundary Bay IPA
-Diamond Knot IPA
-Schooner Exact 3-Grid IPA
-Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA
-Laurelwood Workhorse IPA
-Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic IPA
-Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
-Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

For a full description of these beers to help you select the 4 you'd like to taste head HERE.  See you there.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

Ever Drank & Smoked So Much You Went Blind?

If you're a fan of single-malt Scotch and good cigars, you might want to check out one of Brouwer's Cafe's 'Blind Lion' Scotch Nights.  Brouwer's usually hosts a few of these special nights a year.  On these nights, Brouwer's doors are closed to the public, so that the Blind Lion night can be fully enjoyed by only the ticket holders for the evening's event. 

I have yet to attend a Blind Lion Scotch Night, but I'd like to try and attend one sometime in the next year or two.  

As you can see from above, the next Blind Lion Scotch Night is on Saturday, April 16th and there are still tickets available.  Go to brownpapertickets.com or visit Brouwer's Cafe (400 N 35th St. Seattle, WA) and ask to see a manger to purchase tickets. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there! 

Hop-Scotch Is This Weekend

Starting this weekend at Fremont Studios in Seattle (kitty-corner from Brouwer's Cafe) is the annual Hop-Scotch Beer & Scotch Festival. This event is a benefit for the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). You can attend this event on either Friday, April 1st form 5:00PM to 12:00AM or Saturday, April 2nd from 1:00PM to 12:00AM. Click HERE to purchase tickets.

The standard ticket is $25 for a taster glass and 5 tokens, or you can spend an extra $5 for 10 taste tokens ($30 'Grand Admission' ticket price). There's also a $15 ticket price for non-drinkiers/designated drivers.

Designated Driver

I won't be able to attend this year, but I hope to give it a go next year. For those attending, have fun!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

My Experience At Brouwer's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival

Yesterday I attended Brouwer's Cafe's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival. It was packed to the gills, as usual, but I made sure I got there early. I know from past experience how fast Brouwer's can fill up during Hard Liver. It's a good thing I did too because, even in the pouring rain, the event, which started at 11:00AM, already had nearly 20 people in line by 9:30AM! I guess next year, I need to get there even earlier.

When the doors opened, they only let a few people trickle in at a time. Brouwer's is usually already 3/4 or more full when the doors open for Hard Liver. This is because of the judges, who arrive and begin their judging around 9:00AM. So, seating can be slim pickings for the general public once the doors open.

Once I made it in the door, just a few minutes after 11:00AM, I spotted a single open seat at the bar. I was attending this year's Hard Liver alone, since the two people who were going to attend with me had to cancel. So I made a beeline for the bar seat, praying that it's occupant wasn't just in the bathroom. But no; I was in luck! I got the LAST bar seat, and within minutes they stopped letting people in from the line outside. They would have to keep waiting out in the pouring rain until some of the judges or other patrons started leaving. For me that definitely wouldn't be anytime soon.

After getting settled at the bar, I began looking over the tap list, and writing down the tap numbers for those I wanted to try on the tasting note sheet I'd brought with me. I usually bring my own paper for tasting notes, since the tap list provides very little space for note taking.

Here are my impressions for each barleywine I was able to try (in alphabetical order):

Anderson Vallley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing throughout.
-Light/Clear amber color.
-Light hop nose.
-Excellent balance - just a bit on the hoppy/bitter side.
-Very smooth and full bodied.

Big Time Bill's Bearded Wonderfulness '09 - Big Time Brewing Company, Seattle, WA:

-Medium head retention. Light lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Flowery hop nose.

-Nicely hoppy. Good bitterness but still well balanced.

(Note: Big Time's barleywine is usually called 'Old Wooly'. This year was a bit special, since Bill Jenkins is leaving as head brewer at Big Time this month.)

Black Raven Old Birdbrain '09 - Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond, WA:

-Poor head retention. No lacing.

-Light amber color.

-Hoppy but also sour nose.

-Slightly sour/winey/cidery.

-Not very hoppy.

-Light body.

Dick's '05 - Dick's Brewing Company, Centralia, WA:

-Decent head retention. Some lacing.

-Amber color.

-Very light nose.

-Slightly sour/puckering (a bit cidery).

-Slight warming.

Dogfish Old School '10 - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE:

-Poor head retention. Slight lacing.

-Very light amber color.

-Winey/cidery & slightly astringent.

-Not hoppy.

Firestone Abacus '11 - Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, CA:

-Decent head retention and lacing.

-Deep amber color.

-Woody/malty nose.

-Caramel and very pleasant light cognac notes.

-Not very hoppy.

Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws '10 - Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Portland, OR:

-Poor head retention. Almost no lacing.

-Medium dark amber color.

-Slightly fruity nose.

-Slightly fruity/sweet.

-Very light hops/bittering.

-Slight cognac notes.

Lagunitas Gnarleywine '10 - Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA:
-Good head retention and lacing.
-Light amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good balance.
-Slightly husky/grainy.

Marin Old Dipsea '10 - Marin Brewing Company, Larkspur, CA:
-Medium head retention. Decent lacing.
-Dark amber color.
-Slightly cidery nose.
-Pleasant Belgian and bananna notes. Estery/fruity.
-Not very hoppy / slightly sweet.

Moylan's Old Blarney '10 - Moylan's Brewing Company, Novato, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Nice hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slighgtly astringent.
-Slight warming.

Ninkasi Critical Hit '10 - Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR:
-Good head retention. Nice lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Very light nose.
-Medium hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slightly 'grapey' (not quite winey).
-Slight warming.

North Coast Old Stock Ale '10 - North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA:

-Good head retention. Nice lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Light body.

-Slight 'band aid' flavor (Phenolic).

-Not very hoppy.

Speakeasy Old Godfather '09 - Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slight cognac notes. Very pleasant.
(Note: I had this one at Beveridge Place Pub's Barleywine Bacchanal. It was one of my favorites from that fest. so I decided to have a little more!)

Victory Old Horizontal '10 - Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing.
-Very good balance.
-Good hop flavor.
-Slight musty 'old sock' flavor (undesirable).

Out of the nearly 60 barleywines Brouwer's had on tap yesterday, I was able to try 14 of them. Not too shabby. My favorite from the ones I tried was Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09. It was exceptionally smooth and well balanced, and very easy to drnik. I'd have to give my personal 2nd and 3rd places to Speakeasy Old Godfather for #2 and Firestone Abacus '11 for #3.

The official winners of the festival, as announced at Brouwer's at around 2:00PM, were:
1. Anacortes Old Sebastes '10 - Anacortes Brewery, Anacortes, WA.
2. Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA.
3. Glacier Brew House Old Woody '10 - Glacier Brewhouse, Anchorage, AK.

Unfortunately, by the time the winners were announced, I'd already just about had my fill. So, I was only able to try one out of the three 'official' winners, but I'm OK with that. The festival was an amazing experience, as always, and I got to try some truly World Class barleywines.

So, if you're local to Seattle or can get here in mid to late march next year, I urge you to check out the annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival at Brouwer's Cafe. You won't regret it! Just be prepared to get in line early or to have to wait a bit before you can get in.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

Brouwer's Cafe's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival - Getting Ready

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Are you a fan of barleywines? Then have I got a deal for you!

Just a couple of weeks back, I attended the 9th annual Barleywine Bacchanal at Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle. It was a great event and I had a wonderful time. Now, however, it's time for Brouwer's annual barleywine fest, which they lovingly refer to as the Hard Liver Berleywine Fest.

They put up the full list of what to expect at this year's event a couple of weeks ago. Take a look here and make your plan of attack! Since I attended BPP's Barleywine Bacchanal, I plan to skip any choices I tried there, so I can focus on the ones I haven't had the opportunity to sample yet.

Hardliver 2011 Tap List:

• Flying Dog Horn Dog 09
• Fishtail 10 squared
• Red Hook Trouble Hook 10
• Alaskan Golden Nugget 10
• Victory Old Horizontal 10
• Sierra Nevada Big Foot 08
• Sierra Nevada Black Barleywine 10
• Avery Hog Heaven 10
• Boulder Killer Penguin 10
• Great Divide Old ruffian 10
• Southern Tier Black Burner 09
• Anchor Old Foghorn 10
• Dogfish Olde School 10
• Lost Coast Fog Cutter 10
• Pike Old Bawdy 07
• Anderson Valley Horn of the Bear 09
• Ninkasi Critical Hit 10
• Speakeasy Old Godfather 09
• Stone Old Guardian 09
• Stone Belgo Barleywine 10
• Lagunitas Gnarleywine 10
• North Coast Old Stock ale 10
• Anacortes Old Sea Bass 10
• Dick’s 05
• Hales Rudyard’s Rare 07
• Hood Canal Breidablik 10
• Deschutes Mirror Mirror 08
• Mad River John Barley Corn 09
• Mad River Wheatwine 08
• Hair of Dog Doggie Claws 10
• Boundary Bay Old Bounder 10
• Glacier Brew House Old Woody 10
• Lost Abbey Angel Share 10 Brandy
• Lost Abbey Angel Share 10 bourbon
• Black Raven Old Birdbrain 09
• Big Time Bill’s Bearded Wonderfulness 09
• Big Time Bill’s Bearded Wonderfulness 10
• Elysian Cyclops
• 10 Ram Mall Walker 10
• Fullsail Old Board Head ??
• Hub Noggin Floggin 10
• Bigsky Old Blue Hair 10
• Bigsky Old Blue Hair 10 Cask
• Firestone Abacus 11
• Smaltz Jubilation Blend 14
• 7 Seas Wheel Chair 10
• Moylan’s Old Blarney 10
• Marin Old Dipsey 10
• Scuttlebutt Old No. 1 09
• Naked City Cluster Cuss 10
• Eel River Triple Exultation 10
• Snipes Roza 10
• Old Lampoc Tavern Rat 09
• Old Lampoc Unsettler Belgo Barleywine 10
• Laurelwood Old Reliable
• Port Towsend 10

Quite a selection! And unlike BPP who generally spreads out their barleywine selection over the course of the Bacchanal (meaning you have to make a few trips back to BPP if you want to try them all), Brouwer's generally has every barleywine on their list on tap when the festival beins.

This years Hard Liver Barleywine Fest gets under way this Saturday, March 12th, at 11:00AM. This event always seems to fill up quickly, so I reccommend getting their early if you'd like to have a place to sit - or just don't want to be stuck outside in line, waiting for other's to leave.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

Pliny The MADNESS!

Many have heard of it; some have not. But whenever it arrives, it sure doesn't last long. Kegs drain in record time. Bottle shops have a run on it and must impose a bottle limit per shopper - and they still run out in under a day in most cases.

What am I talking about? That'd be Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny The Elder Imperial IPA. And those who don't know, Pliny The Elder is one of two 'Pliny' beers made by Russian River (The other, of course, being Pliny The Younger). Both are excellent Imperial IPA's, but that's not the only reason demand for both Plinys has gotten so high.

Beer Advocate, a beer culture website based out of Boston, MA, last year declared Pliny The Younger, quite smiply, the best beer in the World (based on reviews from their readers - all beer styles were allowed/considered).

Head to their site to see a list of their 100 Top Beers. You'll note that Pliny The Younger is right on top.  Does it deserve to be there?  I honestly don't know.  I've never tasted it. 

Pliny showed up in Washington state late last month. My local bottle shop was sold out of Pliny The Elder in just a few hours. Also, at Brouwer's Cafe in Seattle, they tapped a 1/6 barrel (5 Gallon) keg of Pliny The Younger at 10:00PM on Tuesday, March 1st. According to their Facebook page, the keg was drained in approximately 7 minutes!

Now, I can appreciate a well made Imperial IPA as much as the next person; perhaps even more. However, I think that the lengths some people are going to in order to get their hands on a pint or bottle of Pliny is a bit over the top. Is it an excellent beer? Without a doubt. But in your mad dash towards a Pliny, don't overlook all the other amazing beers that are also likely staring you right in the face.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

Beveridge Place Pub's 9th Annual Barleywine Bacchanal

This past Friday and Saturday, I attended the 9th annual 'Barleywine Bacchanal' at Beveridge Place Pub in West Seattle. For those who aren't familiar with barleywines, they are basically strong ales. To help you understand what an American Barleywine is supposed to be, here are the BJCP 2011 Style Guidelines for American Barleywine.

This event features 50 different barleywines, with at least 24 of them on tap at a time throughout the five-day festival, which kicked off on February 25th and runs until March 5th.

Over the course of 2 days, pacing myself carefully, I was able to try 21 of the barleywines at the fest. Below is a roundup of the brief tasting notes I took for each (in Alphabetical order).

Boulder Killer Penguin '09 - Boulder Beer, Denver, CO:
-A bit wine'y/cider'y - this came through in the nose as well
-Not very hoppy. A no-no according to BJCP style guidelines.
-Even though an '09, it tasted like it needed to age more/longer.

Boundary Bay Old Bounder '10 - Boundary Bay Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA:
-Inviting nose with slight citrus notes.
-Very well balanced, but nicely hoppy.
-Good hop/citrus character.
-Clean finish.

Deschutes Mirror Mirror '10 - Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR:
-Fairly well balanced, but a bit too much on the malty side (by BJCP guidelines).
-Decent/middle of the road, but no 'wow' factor (bland).

Deschutes Mirror Mirror '09 - Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR:
-Extremely simiarl to the '10 Mirrir Mirror, but even maltier.
-Not hoppy enough.
-A bit 'bland'.

Diamond Knot Icebreaker '09 - Diamond Knot Brewing Co., Mukilteo, WA
-Light nose.
-Smooth and well balanced.
-Mildly hoppy - like drinking a strong 'Pale'.
-Clean finish.

Dick's Barleywine '10 - Dick's Brewing Co., Centralia, WA
-Nice hop nose.
-Smooth and well balanced, but hops still come through.

Elysian Cyclops '09 - Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
-Strong nose.
-Comes across as too malty on first sip, but balances out more on subsequent sips.
-Not hoppy enough.

Fish 10 Squared '10 - Fish Brewing Co., Olympia, WA
-Inviting/hoppy nose.
-Nicely hoppy.
-'Slaps' you a bit on first sip, but smooths out as you drink more.

Flying Dog Horndog '09 - Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
-A good 'middle of the road' barleywine. Not a 'standout' but decent.
-Good balance.
-Lightly hoppy nose.

Hale's Rudyard's Rare '10 - Hale's Brewery & Pub, Seattle, WA
-Average taste.
-No 'wow' factor.
-Something tastes 'off' in the aftertaste, but I can't quite place it.

Hopworks Urban Brewery Noggin Floggin '10 - Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
-Very strong nose - almost like liquor.
-Strong alcohol flavor.
-Not very hoppy.
-Also tasted a bit 'off' in aftertaste.

Left Hand Oaked Widdershins '10 - Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
-Decent balance, but a little too far on the malty side.
-VERY strong Oak flavor - it overpowered this barleywine & lingered in the aftertaste.

Lost Abbey Angel's Share '10 - The Lost Abbey Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA
-Very inviting nose with hop and cognac notes.
-VERY smooth.
-Decently balanced, but too light on hops (according to BJCP style guidelines).
-Nice cognac notes.

Naked City Cluster Cuss '10 - Naked City Brewery and Taphouse, Seattle, WA
-Very 'grainy' - tasted like the raw grain it was made from.
-Grainy nose - not very inviting.
-If nothing else, this one was clearly far too young. All I tasted was raw barley/grains.

Scuttlebutt Old No. 1 '10 - Scuttlebutt Brewing Co., Everett, WA
-Light nose and flavor.
-Good balance.
-Nice hop flavor
-Slightly sour on the aftertaste (not unpleasantly).

Seven Seas Wheelchair '10 - Seven Seas Brewing Co., Gig Harbor, WA
-'Spicy' and malty.
-Not very hoppy.

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot '09 - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
-Smooth flavor.
-Well balanced.
-What Bigfoot 'should' be. As expected.

Sierra Nevada Black Barleywine '10 - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
-Well balanced.
-Smooth - almost like drinking a black 'Pale' ale.
-My preference is still for Bigfoot over this one.

Silver City Old Scrooge '10 - Silver City Brewery, Silverdale, WA
-Smooth flavor.
-Well balanced, but a bit on the malty side.
-Not hoppy enough.

Speakeasy Old Godfather '09 - Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA
-Nice hop nose.
-Good hop flavor.
-Slight cognac notes - very pleasant.

Stone Old Guardian '10 - Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA
-Strong belgian flavors.
-Prounounced 'spearmint' type flavor (you read that right!)

While it didn't strictly adhere to the BJCP style guidelines for an American Barleywine, my favorite selection from the list above was Lost Abbey Angel's Share. It was a very inviting and easy to drink barleywine. The cognac notes in the nose and on the finish were very pleasant. I had to restrain myself from splurging on a $42 bottle of the '08 Angel's Share before leaving!

My other favorites from the above list were Boundary Bay's Old Bounder, Dick's Barleywine and Speakeasy's Old Godfather. Each had a unique character that may not have fully come through in my brief tasting notes above.

It's been a blast, but this is only the beginning! In just two weeks (March 12th), Brouwer's Cafe kicks off their annual Hard Liver Barleywine Fest. See you back here on March 13th, were I'll run-down the barleywines on tap there.

As always, drink responsibly and stay safe out there!