Archive for the ‘craft beer’ Category

Raft & Craft Trip

Jul 19, 2010 Events, Good People, craft beer

WWW raft trip on the Rogue

Whew! How life goes round and round…

Friday was a fabulous Oregon Hops Growers Association BBQ hosted by S S Steiner in Brooks, Oregon. I was lucky enough to get to go and met several hops growers and other beer community enthusiasts and supports. Good people all (great food too!).

From Sunday through Tuesday I’ll be on the Rogue River with White Water Warehouse on a signature Raft & Craft Trip.

Joy, Bob and I will be plotting more beer and rafting adventures for 2011. In the meantime, visit their site and get in touch with questions. A raft trip would be a fantastic way to celebrate and reward your staff, treat your friends, and in general enjoy a few of the wonderful things our country affords us.

Now, where’d I put that paddle…

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Tongue and Cheek

Jul 14, 2010 craft beer, education

Consider the taste buds.

One reason to thoroughly coat your mouth when you taste your beer it because we have tastebuds all over our mouth – tongue, cheeks, back of the throat, and the roof of the mouth.

Larry and Don at Napa Smith

We recently had the pleasure of a tour and visit with Don Barkley, at Napa Smith, and I asked him about this. I asked him about how beer makers completely taste and swallow and wine makers taste and spit it out. (Napa Smith makes both quality beers and wines hence the question). More specifically I inquired about if and why beer should be swallowed when tasted vs. the traditional wine spitting out after a thorough mouth coat.

He shared that he believes that it’s important to swallow because the different flavors you get from beer will best include the swallowing of the beer for those flavor purposes. Said another way, you get different flavor experiences when you completely swallow your beer.

Never mind that attractive (to some) beer burp to re-experience it.

So be sure to really taste your beer. Let it coat your entire mouth and then enjoy the swallow. The whole experience involves from the tip of your lips to the drop down the gullet.

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How Do You Quench Your Thirst?

Jul 13, 2010 Something To Think About, craft beer

What quenches your thirst? And what specifically are you trying to quench?

In the beer world, quenching – for me – involves context as well as what’s in my glass. What to consider?

thirst quenching beer

Well, time of year and climate of locale for one. For example right now, in Southern Oregon, it’s hot and dry. Bring on a refreshing session beer (a range of them is great). As the evenings cool down, I’ll always welcome a full flavored stout or porter with some ice cream or other yummy complementary dessert. A crisp hoppy Pale or IPA with fresh citrus fruit in a tart – mmmm! also makes a swell choice.

Consider also availability of beer where you’re at. What’s fresh on tap at the spot you’re sitting or driving to or through. Fresh is always better (as long as it’s not green). Available beer could also be some home brewed beer as well if someone decides to offer to share.

And what about what’s new? Consider what’s new to the market as well as what’s new to you. What haven’t you tried – or had in a long time. What’s newer to the market, perhaps even an exclusive roll out or tasting event of a special beer.

Quenching involves your physical thirst as well as your metal thirst. What makes you satiated and happy – although I’d actually put happiness with satiation.

Have fun quenching this summer.

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Beer Is Not Wine CBS!

Jul 9, 2010 Myth Busting, Something To Think About, Unbelievable, craft beer

I feel ultra compelled to share the following with you.

As a member of the Brewers Association, one receives a daily Monday through Friday e newsletter chock full of great information, conversation, happenings and so on. Horst Dornbusch posted this spot on piece this week.

This, sadly, made me laugh out loud - and then get slightly pissed off.  ‘To wit’ indeed Mr. Dornbusch.

I’m in your camp and wanted to share it with WEB followers. If you agree readers, SPEAK UP !! Call CBS, NBC, FOX, whoever demand accuracy and proper representation and get them to realize Craft Beer is NOT a novelty nor nearly this ridiculously monochromatic. You get the idea. Act and we shall all receive.

Here it is.

“Mainstream Media Still does not (!) Understand Beer

Beware of false saints!

I followed Julia Herz’s link to http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/03/earlyshow/saturday/main6643411.shtml?tag=pop in BA Forum Vol. 16-0706, which guided me to “CBS Early Show features wine expert Ray Isle talking up ‘Beervana’ in Portland, OR.”

While it is commendable that organizations like CBS have begun to recognize the existence of craft beer as an important part of our culture, I believe the piece behind the link shows how far we still have to go in educating the media and much of society about craft beer. To wit:

* Why on earth does CBS need a “wine expert” to showcase craft beer? As if there weren’t enough brewers or beer journalists who could have lent a (competent) hand!

* And then there was this zinger in the write-up: “Rogue Dead Guy Ale: This is a darker, more intense style of ale (technically, it’s a German style called a Maibock).” This is inexcusable (even though in Texas, equally inexcusably, a Bock must be called an “ale” by law). I really must tell my friends in Munich about this American “Bock” innovation! With such brew-technical nonsense, Mr. Isle has shown himself to be a mere vacuous pontificator, a false saint!

* A quick look at his food pairings, too, reveal Mr. Isle’s rather unsophisticated understanding of beer: He singles out as suitable pairings “grilled seafood, raw oysters, that sort of thing;” “chicken, potato chips, pretzels, you name it;” “hamburger;” “anything from fried shrimp to French fries;” “sausages on the grill, barbecued ribs, that kind of thing.” How pedestrian and utterly predictable!
“That sort of thing, that kind of thing, you name it,” and—who would have thought—hamburger, pretzels, and fries (!)…such is the august advice from a culinary “expert.” To me this is proof that there is still a huge wall of ignorance about good beer out there that we must not tire to tear down!
Horst Dornbusch
Cerevisia Communications
West Newbury, Massachusetts

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Dinner With Rhonda

Jun 29, 2010 Celebration worthy, Good People, craft beer

What a delightful way to share a warm summer evening.

Rhonda, Matt, Larry, Ginger

My Fine Husband and I had the pleasure of dining with friend and colleague Rhonda Kallman, co-founder of Sam Adams (retired) and founder of New Century Brewing Company, and her husband Matt recently. Since we were in Massachusetts a few weeks ago, it worked out to connect.

I admire Rhonda for her persistence, unflagging belief, and direct style (with a smile). So glad we could get together in her home turf.

Sitting outside, enjoying her beer Edison with fresh seafood, laughing and talking with a very good server taking care of us made for a great night.

Get together with friends often. Savor these experiences.

It’s a big part of what makes the world go round.

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Raft & Craft + New Meet Up Beer Group

Jun 21, 2010 Celebration worthy, Events, craft beer

Two events on the near horizon to talk about today:

1. Raft and Craft – Joy and Bob have an Oregon Craft Beer Trip. Sweet! Raft on the gorgeous Rogue River, enjoy company of other fun folks, savor quality Ninkasi craft beer and stay in cozy lodges. Seems pretty complete.

We leave the 18th of July, return the 20th and Joy has all the details - contact her here.

2. 4 Daughters Irish Pub is starting their own beer group – the inaugural event is this Wednesday, June 23rd – open to all genders. We’ll be a hosting a tasty Beer & Cheese Fondue pairing. Mmmmmmmm! A classic combination – call them here for your tickets.

Get out and support the brewers of your neighborhood, region, and the world.

Beer makes the world go round in some very lovely ways.

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What To Do

Jun 10, 2010 Events, Good People, craft beer

Ready for a great trip on the Rogue?

Well, one answer is to enjoy it (was there a question of what to do with your time??). Period.

  • Work – if it’s enjoyable absolutely qualifies.
  • Recreation – yes.
  • Solitude – whatever works for you.

One thing that makes life and all the people in it fun for me is to be adventurous. Joy is one of those people who have swooped in and made it that much more engaging and fun. She is her name.

We’re throwing this trip for all adventure goers – fresh air enthusiasts, livers, and doers. You can get details here.

We’d love to meet you and enjoy the adventure together.

p.s. great beer included

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Three Cheers – In The Right Glass

Jun 7, 2010 Beer & Other Edibles, Myth Busting, craft beer, education

Here’s an article that’s headed in the right direction.

Makes me cringe when I see ice cold glasses used for ANY beer, whether it’s supposed to be served chilly or not. Beer is not supposed to be served frozen.

When giving any kind of event or education piece, this is a critical light bulb turn on. Here’s my analogy.

Say you have a garden ripened tomato. Do you store it in the fridge? If you do, what happens to the taste and flavors? What happens to the tomato? What then is your experience going to be like?

Beer, like garden tomatoes, needs to be served (preferably when possible – and it’s not being snobby) at its best temperature. We’re not talking about getting candy thermometer out. We’re talking about good uncommon sense. What temperature should it be served at, approximately? Lager? Crisp out of the fridge. Stout – let it warm up just a bit to really be able to enjoy all the flavors.

Do you see pourers of Guinness grabbing a frozen glass? Cold glass, fine. Frozen – the beer doesn’t really appreciate it , me thinks.

Plus who wants a bunch of frozen crystallized froth in their beer glass?

So pick your glassware, pick the right temp of the glassware. Double whammy for double the pleasure and authentic experience.

This isn’t being a snob. It’s knowing what you like and asking for it.

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Beer and White Water

Jun 3, 2010 Celebration worthy, Events, Good People, craft beer

What do you enjoy your beer with?

How about some invigorating white water?

Women Enjoying Beer has been graciously and enthusiastically invited by Joy Henkle, White Water Warehouse to be along on a very special, first ever for them (and WEB) Oregon Craft Beer Trip.

WOO HOO! Get that life preserver on because here comes a literal boatload of fun!!!

This trip is scheduled for July 18 – 20th, includes comfy lodge overnight accommodations, tasty food, plenty of (free) fresh air and craft beer, and surely dynamite company.

Rogue river raft trip with White Water Warehouse

And the guests always make the party.

That’s you – women and men welcome. Register. Today.

We’ll be featuring the high quality beers from Ninkasi – YEA!  – as well for our two nights of pre-dinner beer and food pairing tasting.

Ninkasi was a generous partner earlier this year for a WEB meet up, much to the delight of the attendees. Thanks to Nicole, James, Jamie, and the entire crew in Eugene (Congrats on the expansion progress by the way).

There are a finite number of spots so reserve today by getting in touch with Joy here.

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Odells and Del Norte

May 26, 2010 craft beer

Del Norte Lager

One of the pleasures of air travel to me, yes I still enjoy it, is finding out what beers airport restaurants may have.

Yesterday brought me in contact (happily for my taste buds) with and Odells Easy Street Wheat and a Del Norte Lager. Both fit the bill for a relaxing lunch in Denver.

Good to see the airports carrying local beers. I sent Joe at Del Norte a quick email letting him know I enjoyed his beer – will still shout out ot Corkie at Odells.

“Good” is relative. To capture the quality, committment and   dedication in a clean well made beer equals good to me.

Enjoy a “good” beer today, airport or no.

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