Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Beer 101 – IPApril, the conclusion May 8, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,India Pale Ale,IPA,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seattle Beer,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 8:26 pm

As IPApril came to a close I have to admit, I was a bit sad. IPA has long been my nemesis beer but after spending a month focusing on that particular style I have grown a bit fond of IPA. Over the last month my I have grown to enjoy the flavor of IPA’s a bit more, especially British IPA’s. I’m still not a huge fan of high IBU, “blow your head off” IPA’s but I do have a better appreciation for them.

For those new to craft beer, here’s a bit of info…

HISTORY: There is some debate regarding the history of how IPA came about and who was the first brewer to create it. Legend has it that George Hodgson of the Bow Brewery in London was the first person to create IPA. But it’s just that…a legend. Though Bow Brewery’s “pale ale for India” was the top seller there is no evidence proving that he was the first to brew IPA.

The short story that most beer geeks agree with is that IPA was first created in England in the 1700’s. Beer shipped to British troops in India would often not survive the voyage to India and would spoil. Brewers discovered that adding more hops helped preserve the beer during the voyage. And viola….India Pale Ale was born.

CHARACTERISTICS: IPA’s of today are a bit different from the IPA’s of days gone by. Americans were drawn to the crisp, citrus notes the hops added and decided to blow the flavor out of the water. A typical American IPA is going to be extremely high in grapefruit aroma and flavor whereas English IPA tends to more on the sweeter, malty side.

IBU: “International Bittering Units” is a very important tool of measurement for IPA’s. Basically, it is a scale used to measure the bitterness of the beer once the hops are added. The higher the IBU’s the more bitter taste is created. IPA’s with high IBU’s are going to have a very strong grapefruit flavor and aroma. Many IPA drinkers in the PNW prefer their IPA’s to have at least 80 IBU’s. I lovingly refer to these folks as “hop heads.”

I tasted many IPA’s during the month of April and enjoyed a majority of them. Others, not so much. So below is a list of my favorites. You can find the complete list of IPA’s I sampled on my Facebook page.

Boneyard Brewing RPM IPA (7% ABV, 50 IBU’s) – sunny orange color, floral aroma. Subtle hop character w/orange sweetness. Crisp, sparkly. Well-balanced, medium body.

The Pike Brewing Space Needle Golden Anniversary 2012 Vintage IPA (6.5% ABV, 58 IBU’s) - Sticky/resin body. Cloudy. Candy-like aroma. Full-bodied, sweet, malty, with loads of honey character. Smooth, English-style IPA.

Alameda Brewing El Torero IPA (7.2% ABV, 88 IBU’s) – THICK! Unfiltered. Clover honey aroma, full-bodied, lots of sediment. Complex hops but they don’t dominate. One of my favorites!

Mad River Brewing Jamaica Sunset IPA (7% ABV, IBU unavailable) – Spicy, nutty, dry hops. Crisp, clean finish. Quite tasty!

Lagunitas IPA (6.2% ABV, 45.6 IBU’s) - Very hoppy! Malty with floral notes. Very crisp. Nice hop finish.

Deschutes Hop Henge IPA (10.6% ABV, 95 IBU’s) - Hoppy aroma. Honey/vanilla sweetness. Nice hop finish without the bitterness. Malty and well-balanced.

For those of you just starting out in the craft beer scene, I would NOT start with an IPA. This is the stronger of the beer styles and may be too hoppy and bitter for beginners. Start slow and work your way to it.

What’s on tap for May? How about fruit and flavored beers? I shall call it ”The Flavors of May.”

Cheers!

Liz

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Beer Styles 101 – The intro April 13, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,German Beer,Micro brew,Organic Beer,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers — pnwbeerchick @ 10:40 am

A few weeks ago I announced on my Facebook page that I was going to do a little something different for the next year. As many of you know, I consider myself a “forever student” of beer. I never want to stop learning about beer and the beer culture I have been a part of for the last 20 years. So, I have decided that each month I will focus on drinking one style of beer and at the end of the month will compose one blog to talk about my experience and the top five beers in that style. Why am I doing this?

Well, over the last 30 years the beer style doors have not just opened, they’ve been blown off the hinges! No longer is an IPA or Hefeweizen beholden to one particular taste, aroma, and experience all together. Brewers are experimenting and tweaking beer styles and taking them to new levels. You can take two Pale Ales and get two different experiences from each. It’s exciting and fascinating!

I will continue to write about breweries, beer festivals and special beers. But for my Beer Styles 101 I will write short entries about each beer I have on my Facebook page and will write my final analysis here on my blog. Check out my Facebook page to see what’s up. This month…IPApril. Yes, IPA’s are on my beer menu for the month and so far it’s been quite a ride.

Cheers!

Liz

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Catching Island Fever April 10, 2013

Filed under: Bainbridge Island,beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Pacific Northwest Beer,Washington beer,Washington Craft Beer Brewing,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 7:41 pm

Here in the PNW sunny days are few and far between. When the sun does come out the best thing to do is get into your car are drive somewhere with a gorgeous view. Bainbridge Island is one of those places. Just a ferry ride from Seattle, the island is quaint, picturesque, and laid back.

There are a couple of places I like to hit when I visit. For lunch, I usually stroll into The Harbour Public House. Just steps from the village this hip public house serves delicious, organic cuisine and some of the freshest craft beers on the island. 12 on tap and 1 on cask to be exact! You won’t find Coors or Bud Light in here. You also won’t find children. The Harbour is 21 and over.

Located in a fully restored 132 year old house, The Harbour prides itself on using only fresh, locally grown ingredients in their dishes, pouring local craft beer, and showcasing local artists in the decor. On a clear day the famed Seattle skyline is visible from the back patio along with a lovely view of the harbor below. The Harbour is a “must see.”

Another “must” is the Bainbridge Brewing Co. Just off the beaten path, the brewing company captures the laid back spirit of the island. The tap-room is pretty, open, and welcoming. The beer? Well, it’s pretty darn tasty!
Kommenter Kolsch (4.8% ABV) – Golden Grahams aroma. Sweet, crisp, effervescent. Lightly malted. Sweet finish.
Northwest Pale Ale (5.4% ABV) – Malty. Very nicely hopped. Smooth, caramel notes throughout. Very easy to drink.
Eagle Harbor IPA (6.0% ABV) – Hoppy aroma, soft citrus. Tart grapefruit finish. Only 60 IBU’s so very easy IPA to drink.
Puget Sound Giant Hoptopus IPA (8.8% ABV) – Hop/floral aroma. Sweet and malty for an IPA. Lovely grapefruit finish. Another IPA for the IPA fearful!
Battle Point Stout (6.6% ABV) – Smokey aroma. Rich, malty, dark chocolate bitterness. Smokey finish. Definitely a sipper.

Bainbridge Island is a great place for a day trip. To get there from the peninsula you can cross the Agate Pass Bridge just outside of Poulsbo. From Seattle you can hop on the ferry. And you don’t need to wait for a sunny day to enjoy it, because let’s face it…it’s the PNW!

Cheers!
Liz

www.bainbridgebeer.com
www.harbourpub.com

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The beer drinker’s mead March 10, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Mead,Oregon Brewers,Oregon Micro Breweries,Pacific Northwest Beer,Rogue Brewing — pnwbeerchick @ 1:40 pm

I have been a big fan of mead (honey wine) for years. Thick and syrupy, drinking mead is like taking in a mouth full of honey. I just love to sip this beverage on a cool spring day! Now, many of you are probably scratching your head wondering why a beer blogger is writing about mead. Well for one thing, I don’t discriminate. And for another, it’s considered by many archeologists and food historians to be the ancestor of all fermented beverages.
Dating as far back as 2000 B.C. (and possibly further), mead has been enjoyed in Africa, Asia, Europe, and now the United States. I’m sure you are still wondering why this article even exists. Well, PNW brewing icon Rogue Brewing has taken on the task of creating lovely mead that is not only light and crisp, but easy for even the mead hater to enjoy.
Rogue Farms First Growth 19 Original Colonies Mead is Rogue’s interpretation of a beer drinker’s mead. All I can say is WOW! THIS IS GREAT MEAD! Ok, I’m obviously going to say more. The beautiful color is rivaled by the luscious aroma. Jasmine flowers and honey dominate the nose. Traditional mead is very thick and syrupy with no carbonation what so ever. Rogue, however, uses champagne yeast and free range coastal water creating a lovely, champagne-like carbonation so the body is clean and sparkly but still maintains the jammy qualities of traditional mead. Rogue uses their own Rogue Farms Hopyard honey along with wild flower honey and Jasmine Silver Tip Green Tea Leaves.
This mead is delightfully aromatic, crisp & clean. For a wine made with two types of honey, this mead is sweet but not sickening sweet. Jasmine flowers are prominent through the body and mellow out the honey. The green tea adds a nice, soft acidic tone and the finish is just, again, more heavenly jasmine. The ABV is only 5.2% but because this is a bit thicker than beer, I don’t suggest you drink it with food.
My husband can’t stand mead, but guess what? He couldn’t get enough of this one! Neither could I!! We actually went back to the bottle shop and bought a couple more bottles. Rogue Brewing got it right.

Cheers!
Liz

www.rogue.com

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looks like I need a friend in wisconsin! February 21, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew — pnwbeerchick @ 8:49 pm

I have never been to Wisconsin. I don’t know a lot about the state except that it’s beautiful in the spring, hot in the summer, a large portion of the population stems from Swiss and German immigrants and Native American tribes, milk is huge there, before prohibition there were over 200 breweries operating in the state, and Oktoberfest is a hell of a lot of fun. Why this sudden interest in “America’s Dairyland?”

My old friend Matt (from my Disneyland days) was kind enough to send me a little bottle of joy from New Glarus Brewing Company. Fat Squirrel Nut Brown Ale is a lovely English Brown Ale with a ton of hazelnut flavor and aroma. Dark brown, think, full-bodied, rich, with a touch of sweetness Fat Squirrel drinks almost like a desert. New Glarus chose hops from the Pacific Northwest, Bavaria, and Slovenia to give this beer a nice little kick. And at 5.8% ABV you can enjoy more than one without being sent over the edge. I really enjoyed this beer and was sad that there was no more to be had.

New Glarus rarely distributes outside of Wisconsin so if you’re lucky enough to find one in your area, pick it up!!

Cheers!

Liz

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Coming soon…New Glarus Brewing, Rogue Brewery, Puyallup River Brewing Co, and Lagunitas! February 14, 2013

Filed under: beer,breweries,Craft Beer Breweries,Craft Beer Trade,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 12:58 pm

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Sailing the 7 Seas January 5, 2013

Filed under: beer,Craft Beer Breweries,Gig Harbor,IPA,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seasonal beers,WA,Washington beer,Washington State Micro Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 7:58 pm

The pride of Gig Harbor has moved to a new pad. 7 Seas Brewing, home of the “Ultimate Proper Pint,” re-opened their doors last month. Newly located in what was the QFC grocery store and just steps from historic Gig Harbor waterfront, the new spot is bigger, shinier, and full of 7 Seas’s best brews!
Co-owners Mike Runion and Travis Guterson started the brewery three years ago in a tiny tasting room just off of Hwy 16. Having a deep concern for the environment, Mike and Travis pride themselves on operating a “green brewery.” They can their beers instead of bottling and recycle spent grain to local farmers for livestock feed. When it comes to setting up the tasting room, Mike used reclaimed wood when he built the long, gorgeous tables for patrons to sit at. The benches came from the recently demolished Tacoma Elks Lodge. Want to know more about the artifacts and stuff around the tap room? Just ask! The entire staff is very friendly and fun.
But enough of my jibber jabber. Let’s get to the beer!
British Pale Ale (5.4% ABV) – One of my favorites of the bunch, this pale ale is crisp and clean. Biscuity with floral notes. Very easy to drink and great year round.
Rude Parrot IPA (5.8% ABV) – This one is for the hop heads! Simcoe and Citra hops give this beauty the kick IPA fans lust after. Lovely grapefruit aroma and taste. And at 75 IBU’s, this is one rude beer!
Ballz Deep Double IPA (8.4% ABV) – 7 Seas most popular beer, Ballz Deep is another delightful IPA that would please any hop head. Surprisingly malty for an IPA but that is a plus! This is a very lovely, very drinkable IPA. Don’t get me wrong, this is a hoppy beer. 82 IBU’s to be exact. But if you don’t like to get punched in the face by hops then I highly recommend this baby.
Wheelchair Barley Wine (10.6% ABV) – You may want to sit down for this one! Thick and syrupy with a raisin and plum fruit aroma. Very warming. Very strong. Definitely a sipper. There’s a reason they names this vixen “Wheelchair.”

Cutt’s NW Amber Ale (6.15% ABV) – Very nice. Pretty hop aroma. Citrusy and floral characters with a nice malt/hop balance. Great choice for a growler.
Port Royal Stout (6.8% ABV) –Another one of my favorites! Ink black color. Brown head. Malty and full-bodied, this stout has a lovely warming, toasty flavor notes of dark chocolate and espresso. The finish is smoky. Great as a desert beer or sitting by the fire.
Depth Finder India Red Ale (5.9% ABV) – One of 7 Seas newest seasonal releases this beer has a pretty dark red color. Hoppy aroma with clear body. Crisp and clean with a hoppy, floral finish. Very nice.
Reign Man ESB (5.5% ABV) – Another new seasonal creation, this lovely beer is malty and sweet with a nice hop finish. Crisp and clean this ESB would go great with any meal.
Belgian Imperial Stout (9.0% ABV) – Do you like chocolate covered bananas? If so you will LOVE this beer. I do! Dark brown teetering on black color and full-bodied. Malty, dark, bitter chocolate aroma and taste with hints of banana and coffee. Very smooth, rich gem.
There is no food in the tap room but patrons are more than welcome to bring in food of their own. The tap room is now open 7 days a week : Sun through Tues from 11:00-8:00, Wed through Sat 11:00-9:00.
I can’t say enough about 7 Seas except that I love this brewery! I have been coming here since their opening in 2009 and will continue to come back for years to come.

Cheers,

Liz

www.7seasbrewing.com

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Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Breweries, Beers & Good Times

Beer 101 – IPApril, the conclusion May 8, 2013