Reviews Coming Soon: Dick’s Brewing Company, 7 Seas Brewery, Powerhouse Brewing, Harmon Brewing Company, Silvery City Brewery. (So many beers…so little time!) February 11, 2011
Maui Brewing Company Has gone Coconuts! January 23, 2011
When the weather is crispy and cold, snow is on the ground, and fireplaces are working overtime there’s nothing like a toasty porter to warm you up. But, what does one do when one is tired of winter weather and longs for a touch of the tropics? Well, you grab Maui Brewing Company’s CoCoNut Porter!
Maui Brewing Company brought this unusual porter to the 2010 Portland Brewer’s Festival. The line for that particular beer was the longest one at the festival and unfortunately by the time I made it to the front of the line, it was tapped out. Bummer. But, since the Brewer’s Fest I’ve spotted the CoCoNut Porter in our local grocery store. Not in bottles, but in cans! Maui Brewing Companies philosophy on the use of cans vs bottles is the same philosophy that has been creeping slowly into the microbrew community. Cans are non-breakable, easier to chill, lighter to carry, and best of all, the are 100% recyclable!
I was a bit apprehensive to try this beer, simply because the thought of coconut in a porter sounds kind of sickening sweet and just, well, odd.
Well, I’m here to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. With a dark color and light coconut aroma, two of the senses are pleased immediately. The first drink is a malty-sweet (but not too sweet) surprise. Maui Brewing really brings a great tropical feel to this lovely porter by using six varieties of malted barley, Cascade and CTZ hops, and hand-toasted coconut. The result is a smooth porter with hints of chocolate, coffee and, of course, coconut. I was hooked after the first sip. Usually I suggest porters during the fall and winter. But, this porter is great any time of the year. At 5.7% ABV it’s not too high in alcohol, but because of the rich taste I would suggest this porter as a sipping beer. So, if you’re tired of having a white Christmas, try a CoCoNut Porter for a little tropical vacation.
Cheers,
Liz
Upcoming Event: The Museum of Flight’s 9th Annual Hops and Props
Saturday April 9, 2011
VIP Event 6-7:00 pm: $100
General Admission Main Event 7-10:00 pm: $70—SOLD OUT!
Members: $55—SOLD OUT!
Designated Drivers: $30 (Designated driver tickets will be available in the Museum Store the night of the event.)
TIP OF THE WEEK: H2O – Nectar of Life and Preventer of Hangover? January 16, 2011
I am not one who drinks beer for the purpose of getting drunk. I choose to enjoy my beer and the company I keep instead of wondering what I did the night before while hugging the porcelain God (or Goddess for my pagan friends). In my opinion, frat boys need not apply and if forgetting the evening is your sole purpose of drinking beer…then why are you viewing this blog? But, there is the rare occasion when one does have a few too many and wakes up wishing for sweet death. How do you prevent this unfortunate side effect? Agua, H2O, voda, das Wasser, uisge, mizu, good old-fashioned water.
What many people forget about when drinking is that alcohol is a diuretic which means it causes frequent urination and flushes water from the body. The result? Dehydration. The headache one gets the next morning is a direct symptom of dehydration. The best thing to do to prevent the “kicked in the back on the head” feeling is to drink water before, during and after you drink alcohol. Now the amount of water you should drink is still up for debate but it has been proven that drinking water throughout the night helps keep you hydrated and most people have reported either a slight headache to no headache whatsoever. This is no old wives tale, drinking water helps to prevent the morning after headache.
Scott and I have experimented with this theory for quite some time (years actually) and we both agree that when we drink water while drinking beer neither one of us experiences the infamous headache. I personally try to drink at leat 1 pint of water with each pint of beer. The other benefit of drinking water is it slows one down from chugging their beverage and they actually drink less. Another plus if you ask me. Now some may say drinking water is for wusses. My response, I would rather enjoy my night instead of regretting my morning.
Cheers!
Liz
The little Engine House that still can! January 10, 2011
Sometimes some of the best places are found completely by accident. About 3 years ago, when my husband and I were new to Washington State, we went exploring down 6th Ave in Tacoma. I just happened to be looking to my left when I spotted a gorgeous brick building with fluorescent beer signs in the windows. Thinking it was probably a dive bar, hubby reluctantly turned the car around to investigate. And boy, are we glad we did! Turns out this brick building is home to Tacoma’s first micro-brew. Engine House No. 9, built in 1907, was once the original fire house for Tacoma’s North End and is registered on the National Historical Register. 
Talk about ambiance! The place is packed full of antique fire fighting equipment and memorabilia including the original pole the firemen slid down a hundred years ago. The brewery not only carries its own beers, but has many guest taps as well featuring some of the best beers from around the world. I ordered the Engine House No. 9 (AKA E9) sampler tray for $5.00. The sampler features 6 of E9’s best home beers, some of the finest micro-brews in Tacoma.
Belgian White (4.1% ABV): If you are looking for a springtime ale, this may be the ale you want. The lowest ABV of the bunch, the aroma is soft and citrusy with a hint of lavender and wheat. This is a crisp, floral ale with a good clean finish. The Belgian White is very easy to drink and would go great with just about any meal.
Tacoma Brew (5.1% ABV): Brewed with Czech Saaz hops, this pale ale has a smooth, hoppy flavor with a sweet caramel finish. The caramel seemed to intensify with every sip. Tacoma Brew is my husband’s “go to” beer. It may be yours too!
Roasted Porter (5.9% ABV): As many of you know, I’m a big pan of porters. Made with coffee, this porter is so sweet and creamy; I thought it was nitro tapped. The iced coffee flavor and aroma is so prominent, you may forget you’re drinking beer. Delicious!
Rowdy Dick Amber (6.2% ABV): Crisp and slightly hoppy, the malty finish rounds out this nice ale. I pick up subtle hints of spice and think of autumn when I drink this ale. This ale is great for crisp October nights.
Winter Warmer (6.3% ABV): Like I’ve shared in my previous blogs, winter ales are a bit stronger than the average ale. And, like I am about to share, this ale is true to form. Beautiful and toasty, hints of caramel and coffee smooth out this rich ale. There is a bit of the hard alcohol taste I have warned you about in previous blogs, so be careful. This ale is definitely a sipper.
India Pale Ale (6.6% ABV): As you are all aware, I’m not a fan of IPAs but I actually enjoyed this one. Full bodied and full of hops, this IPA has a beautiful citrus aroma and the bitter flavor of grapefruit. Being the IPA fan, my husband really enjoys this beer. Though this ale may sound strong, it was actually quite easy to drink.
Fire Engine Red (7.0% ABV): With the highest ABV on my list, Fire Engine Red has a high alcohol nose and a strong winter ale style taste. It’s quite hoppy and yet toasty with a malty finish. Like hard alcohol this beer is quite warming but I wouldn’t suggest you drink it while you eat.
Engine House No. 9 is family friendly and has a great, eclectic food menu. Try one of their fantastic pizzas with the house brews. Since stumbling upon Engine House No. 9 over 3 years ago we have become regular customers. If you come by on a weekend chances are pretty good you may run into me.
Cheers!
Liz
Reviews coming soon: Dick’s Brewing Company; 7 Seas Brewery; Powerhouse Brewery; Engine House No.9 December 26, 2010
Quick tips to get to know your local breweries:
When stepping into an unfamiliar brewery for the first time, one may be a bit overwhelmed with beer options. Here are a few great tips to heighten your beer experience.
Look over the tap handles and tell the bartender what type of beer you usually like: “I like malty,” “I usually drink wheat beers,” “I like a lot of hoppy flavor.” This will give the bartender and idea of what type of brew you
would enjoy and he or she can suggest what they have that might suit you.
If you still aren’t sure what you would like, see if they have a beer sampler tray. Most breweries offer some sort of sampler and usually place the beer from lowest alcohol content to highest. If they don’t have a sampler tray, ask for a sample before ordering. Many places will be glad to let you sample the brews on tap for free before ordering a full pint, but some may charge $1.00 per taste.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for clarification when it comes to flavors and NEVER be ashamed to ask your bartender to exchange a beer that you do not like. Remember, your bartender is the professional and is there to help.
Cheers!
Liz
2010 Portland Holiday Ale Festival December 12, 2010
What could be better than sampling new beer with a few friends? How about sampling beer with 18,000 new friends? Well, on December 4th I had the privilege to do just that at the 2010 Holiday Ale Festival in Portland, OR. For $25.00 I was handed a mug and a small roll of tickets to sample some of the best winter warmers brewed this year. A sample taste was one ticket and a full pint was worth 4. Forty-seven brewers from all over the country brought their best winter ales, stouts, porters and barley wines to the event.
Some beers were great, some not so much. So instead by trying to write about every beer I sampled, I’m going to give you my top 5 favorites from the 5-day event. Winter warmers are thicker and higher in alcohol so the casual drinker should really use caution when partaking in a pint. 
#5 Smoked Porter w/Vanilla Beans – Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, CA)
Normally, I’m not a Smoked Porter fan. But, Stone Brewing Company changed my mind with their Smoked Porter by adding Vanilla Beans into the brew. The first sip brings the wonderful toastiness of a nice porter and then carries a bit of the smoke flavor. But, suddenly the smooth flavor of vanilla and hints of chocolate and coffee mellow this porter down to a truly lovely beer. This is a nice porter and has the lowest ABV on my top 5 at 5.9%.
#4 Brown Mashuggana – Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA)
Lagunitas Brewing Company took their popular seasonal Brown Shugga’ and kicked it up a notch for winter. Already brewed with a ton of brown sugar, the brewery added a touch of their Bourbon barrel Imperial Stout giving this cask conditioned porter a special kick. The flavor of the brown sugar and bourbon really come through making this porter and wonderfully sweet, smooth beer. But be careful, at 10.0% ABV, this porter should not be taken lightly.
#3 Sang Noir – Cascade Brewing Company (Portland, OR)
Switching gears on flavor, I really enjoyed this sweet yet sour ale. Cascade Brewing Company is known for brewing sour beers and Sang Noir did not disappoint. Deep red in color, this ale is aged for more than a year in Pinot and whiskey barrels. Sang Noir is then blended with a barrel of Bing cherries giving the ale a wonderful cherry sweetness and aroma. This ale is so delicious that it would be easy to forget Sang Noir is 9.5% ABV. I had a hard time putting this ale down so, again, drink cautiously!
www.cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com
#2 Figgy Pudding, Olde Stock – Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery (Corvalis, OR)
This wonderfully sweet (but not too sweet) Strong Ale was a close tie for first on my list. Brewed with English pale and specialty malts and molasses, Figgy Pudding is then matured in brandy barrels and conditioned with mission figs, Ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg. Block 15 then ages the ale further with English stock wild yeast. I enjoyed the sweet aroma and the taste of sugared figs. Figgy Pudding brought great visions of sitting by a fire on Christmas Eve. Or maybe it was the 11% ABV that gave me visions. Anyway, proceed with caution when approaching this delightful brew!
#1 North the Fourth – Fort George Brewery & Public House (Astoria, OR)
My favorite beer of the event was also brewed with the most eclectic ingredients. North the Fourth is brewed with 60 pounds of cranberries, 40 pounds of spruce tips, and 2 pounds of candy canes (yes, candy canes). US Challenger and Czech Saaz hops are nicely balanced with 2-row malt giving North the Fourth an essence of chocolate and caramel. The candy canes give this ale a wonderful and interesting sweetness. Like most of the winter beers, the ABV on North the Fourth is quite high at 9.5%. I loved this beer so much I actually handed over 4 tickets for a fill pint.
If you have never been to a beer festival, you are missing out on a good time. To be surrounded by other beer enthusiasts that wanted nothing more than taste and enjoy the new winter brews really made for a fun evening.
Happy Holidays!
Liz
Velkommen til Poulsbo! November 30, 2010
This year I decided to spend the long holiday weekend in Europe. Ok, that was a slight exaggeration. I actually spent a day in the darling little European town of Poulsbo, WA, but you can’t blame a girl for dreaming. Located on Liberty Bay, Poulsbo is a picturesque Scandinavian storybook village complete with Viking murals, antique stores, gift shops, and the Sons of Norway lodge and the world-famous Poulsbo Bakery. Poulsbo also has two great pubs for the weary shopper to grab a bite and a pint.
My first stop was the Hare and Hounds English Pub on Front St. Decorated rather sparsely, the pub is a bit brighter than I’m
used to seeing in an English pub. The walls are painted in very light tones and the tables and chairs are basic. The restaurant resembled a sidewalk café more than a British pub. The bar area is adorned with British beer cans and bottles and soccer towels hang from the walls and ceiling. Though the pub did not give me the “rustic” British pub feeling I love, it is a pretty establishment nonetheless. The menu consists of the English pub standards like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and ploughman’s lunch. But, the chicken and rice soup was unbelievably great.
The beer tap selection was a pleasant mix of different beer styles. Again, Hare and Hounds carry some British pub standards like Guinness, Harp, and Newcastle, but microbrews from the Pacific Northwest dominate and are constantly rotated. As for their bottled beer selection, I was quite impressed. Large bottles of Samuel Smith’s and Samuel Smith’s Raspberry is available along with bottles of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and other British favorites. Our bartender, Dan, was extremely friendly and very beer savvy. He was a delight to talk to while enjoying my lunch and a pint…or two.
My next stop was just a small walk up the street to Tizley’s Europub. If you want a cool “rustic” vibe you will surely find it at
Tizley’s. Located on the 2nd floor of one of Poulsbo’s many adorable Bavarian style shops, Tizley’s charm begins on your walk down a small alley to the staircase that leads you upstairs into the middle of the pub. There is a very casual, old world feel throughout and there is outside balcony seating for lunch, dinner, or the relaxing afternoon pint.
Tizley’s serves just about every type of Bavarian Schnitzel possible along with other European favorites such as Sausage and Peppers, Black Forest Ham sandwich, Beef Boxty and of course, the traditional Goulash. But my favorite reason for coming to Tizley’s is their wide selection of European and microbrew beers. Like Hare and Hounds, Tizley’s also rotates their beer selection so you always have a fresh pint of whatever is in season.
But the true beer treat of the day was the Cherry Rye from Poulsbo’s newest brewery, Valhöll. Poured by way of a hand pump, Cherry Rye was a strong yet smooth beer with just a hint of dark cherries. Delicious! Valhöll Brewery is still under construction but will be opening soon on Front St. just doors down from both pubs. In the meantime you can enjoy their beer at both Hare and Hounds English Pub and Tizley’s Europub. And trust me, as soon as Valhöll opens I will let you all know!
Winter is a great time of year to visit Poulsbo…and during Oktoberfest…and Viking Fest. Pretty much anytime of year is a great time to visit Poulsbo and its great pubs!
Cheers,
Liz
What’s the Scuttlebutt? It’s 10º Below in the Pacific Northwest! November 20, 2010
Well, actually it’s really in the high 30’s in Washington State, but thanks to Scuttlebutt Brewing Company I’m looking forward to a snowy, chilly winter. This year the brewery brought out its 10º Below Ale. 
Brewed in the style of an imperial dunkelweiss, 10º Below has a crisp, citrus yet creamy start and ends with hints of chocolate and caramel.
Scuttlebutt brews this gem of an ale using both Mt. Hood and American Sazz hops creating a very creamy, rich, medium bodied beer. I really like this beer. I’m usually very cautious when it comes to winter beers as they usually run a bit high when it comes to the alcohol content. Well, 10º Below Ale is no exception. This baby is 7.4% abu so I suggest you eat before you drink. Or, eat while you drink! This beer goes great with a hearty holiday meal. Yes, there is a slight taste of hard alcohol, but nothing so strong as to detour even the most “alcohol sensitive” from partaking in this creamy goodness! 10º Below Ale is truly one of the “winter warmers” coming out this month.
Now, some people may feel that drinking something cold when there are icicles on the roof top is just crazy business. But trust me, once you pop open this winter ale you will be warmed from your head to your toes. And, there is a polar bear on the label. How can you go wrong with a polar bear? So grab your favorite guy or gal, curl up next to a cozy fire and pop open a 10º Below Ale.
Cheers,
Liz
Pacific Northwest Beer Chick 