Beer Birthday: Jay Brooks

Today is the 60th birthday of beer writer Jay Brooks. He is the co-founder of last month's successful #FlagshipFriday campaign and author of California Breweries - North. Jay is a veteran beer writer (but I'm removing the titles of the publications last used in this celebratory post because they're all out of print, but let's focus on the happy like that fac that...) his column Brooks on Beer appears in the San Jose Mercury News. He has contributed to the Oxford Companion to Beer as well as Playboy Magazine.  He is the co-founder of SF Beer Week (which I'm planning on working into my iCal for 2020 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of). To anyone who follows the brewing industry, none of this is news. But for years, a convivial component of his Brookston Beer Blog has been celebrating brewers and those in the beer community on their birthdays. So please...join me in wishing Jay a very happy birthday.

Brewmaster Craig Cauwels, yours truly, the Beer Chef Bruce Patton, the birthday boy

Beer bloggers Jay Hinman, Chris Cohen, Steve Shapiro, Jay Brooks, moi, Bryan Kolesar

Outdoor Speakeasy: Me, Brian Lenzo, Jay Brooks (whose blog I copied this from), and pre-Golden Road Meg Gill

Ed the Neighbor Reviews: Sam Adams

Hullo -

The Beer Fairies Came. When I came home from work on Friday, the Beer Fairies left a box from Sam Adams (not the mayor). They brought a Winter Lager,a Cherry Chocolate Bock, a Juniper IPA, and a Merry Maker Ginger bread Stout. My question to you: ship it, store it, or drink it?

Drink up. If we were only gone 6 months I'd ask if there was more than one of those bocks, but I suspect if there's a 2nd bottle you could use it to make a delicious bread pudding or dessert with.

I'd given a brewery--New Belgium--your address to start sending packages to, so not sure why the Sam Adams one showed up there but they send quite a few. I know another sample was just shipped by them but guessing that went to 3754. I should send them a note asking them to hold onto it...it's the beer they release once a year that retails for $200. No, I'm not making a joke.

I am trying to think of what you could do to a beer to make it retail for $200. The only thing that comes to mind is taping $196 to the bottom of the bottle.

The Juniper IPA was incredibly disappointing. It was a fine IPA, but it didn't have a hint of juniper or gin. MAjor bummer.

The Winter Lager was nice. It wasn't as good as their other seasonal brews, and I don't think it was as good as Bridgeport's Ebeneezer, but it was a tasty beer.

And the Cherry Chocolate Bock? I had a wee whiff of the cherry cough syrup. Not gaggingly sweet, but every sip sort of made me tilt my head, a la a confused Dunkel, and ask myself. "Triaminic?" Another disappointment. There may be a bottle left when you return. :)

Reviews first:

Tried the Cold Snap Winter Ale from Sam Adams. I thought I really liked it, but then I read the label: orange? plum? spices? Huh. All I tasted was good beer...The Cold Snap was definitely yummy. I just don't know what the dude who wrote the label was drinking.

New Belgium sent a Snapshot Wheat Beer and a Rewind IPA. It's unanimous: everybody loves the Snapshot Label.

And just when I was getting caught up ... Sam Adams strikes again. Seriously, how do you keep up?

After your last e-mail, I wasn't going to bother you with beer deliveries until I was ready to write my reviews (New Belgium is going to have a tasty spring, that's for sure!), but Sam Adams sent a 22 oz. Double Bock (no fancy name or nothin'). According to their promotional materials, it one of their first "big beers" and has an ABV of 9.5%. Do you want me to hang on to that one until your return? It's a limited edition, so I doubt there will be any professional benefit from hanging on to it, but it might be nice for your palate. 

Ed the Neighbor Previews: Sam Adams Oats McGoats Reduced-gluten Stout

From Brewbound's Facebook page

From the It's a Travesty Files, I'm just now getting around to launching a new series called "Ed the Neighbor Reviews" wherein our neighbor back in Portland...Ed...does me the courtesy of enjoying beer samples that arrive while we're living in Amsterdam (and squirreling away the big bottles that look like they'd benefit from some cellaring or whatever room he's storing them in). I intend to pick up these beer reviews when we're back, but here's the "first" (to be posted, not emailed to me, and I'll start uploading his backlog of reviews). In fact, it's a preview, not a review. Note, when I add editorial comments, they'll be denoted by "ed." who is not to be confused with Ed.


Dear Sam Adams,

Thanks so much for your recent delivery of your Oats McGoats Stout. Despite its silly name (ed.: clearly a reference to the commercial staring James Earl Jones and Malcom McDowell [1] that inspired that bromance flick with Paul Rudd [2] but also it's been done before by The Bruery and Three Notch'd), it's in the fridge right now and I'm looking forward to taking it out for a test drive, if you will. I'm a sucker for stouts and it's a nice break from the steady rain of IPAs that have been inundating the Northwest. Once I've had a sip or two, I'm sure I'll be racing to my computer to post an online review; however, I do have one little question: who the hell is the target audience for "reduced gluten" beer? Are you aiming for the sophisticated connoisseur, who appreciates the earthy, spicy flavors, but might be distracted by the heavy aftertaste of a full gluten beer? Or are you hoping to catch the eye of the gluten intolerant stoutophile who suffers from days of stomach churning diarrhea from a full gluten beer but might enjoy your reduced gluten stout enough to tolerate a few terrible hours alone in a bathroom stall? Please let me know, and I'll adjust my review accordingly.

Your sincere(ly confused) friend,
Ed

[1.]

[2.]

Your last beer

From when I had Nicole Erny, Adam Lamoreaux, Dan del Grande and Fraggle on my SFoodie blind pale ale tasting panel. Includes proof Fraggle drank Budweiser.

The beer community. That’s my favorite phrase. It juxtaposes the two greatest concepts: beer and community. Beer lovers love beer, sure, but a beer enjoyed alone isn’t nearly as good as one shared among friends new and old, basically extended family. Cities across the country and around the world grow their own beer communities comprised of brewers, publicans, beertenders, bloggers, quaffers—anyone who wants in. The family is ever-expanding as more people discover the world of better beer and of course as more people raise children as part of the industry and/or scene. The first story I had published in a beer magazine was all about second generation craft breweries featuring the likes of Sierra Nevada, Bell’s, and New Glarus. As a fairly new father myself, I’m pleased this is a culture I get to raise my toddler in. But like all families and communities, sometimes we lose people.

Sadly, Fraggle—the name absolutely everybody knew him as and the crusty punk certainly rocked—suffered a stroke last week and did not recover. A passionate beer geek (and vegan and punk and socialite), he and his former partner opened Beer Revolution in Oakland, injecting a huge dose of awesome into the San Francisco East Bay community. It was and remains a place to explore new beers and congregate, really delve into, discussion about beer (and other important life matters).

I never got to be very close with Fraggle—I lived in The City and then we moved away from The City—but every time I saw him his larger-than-life personality commanded the room even if we were at an outdoor beer festival.

As time marches, people age, accidents occur, and other tragedies strike the community, we will lose more family members. I’m fondly remembering the great Bill Brand, the legendary Don Younger, and recently departed Jack Joyce. Little-known fact: the first beer item I had published in print was the obituary for Karl Strauss. Even more tragic are the recent, untimely deaths of brewers’ kids like Dick Cantwell’s son (Nap, 18), and Brendan Moylan’s son (Sean, 27). I didn’t even know those boys but as a father and member of the beer community, I cried for their losses.

Comrade Barley's final Facebook profile

People often ask what’s your favorite beer, or if you can only have one beer on a desert island, what would it be? It’s a silly question because beer lovers have hundreds of favorite beers and none of us ever sign up for a three hour tour at sea. But just like one of my truly favorite beers, Moonlight Brewing’s Death & Taxes, those are things none of us escape. How many of us have a wicked awesome beer cellar going? Mine has case upon case. I always say I plan on enjoying every single beer before I go. But I can’t help wondering if Fraggle had a stellar stash of his own. That dude loved sours and big, strong ales—stuff that woulda been amazing long down the line. It’s macabre, but I wish he could’ve known, just an hour before he started to slip, so he could’ve selected what his very last beer would be. Like I said, it’s a really dark thought, but perhaps one worth thinking the next time we stare into our beer cellars or fridges or closets. “What do I want my last beer on Earth to be?” I think many folks have something uber special we hold onto for that mythical special occasion. Weddings come and go. Landmark birthdays arrive in rocket time and streak behind us in life’s rearview mirror.  And those magical bottles persist on shelves.

I wish to God I could go back one week (and supernaturally travel back to my Beeradise in Portland then bank south to Oakland) and uncork that bottle of Cantillon Fou’ Foune, or Horal’s Oude Geuze Mega Blend, or probably that 2010 Cascade Vlad the Imp Aler to share with Fraggle. But I do know that when I go home, the first bottle I’m going to crack open is that 2007 The Abyss and polish it off with my wife (and let my son dip his finger in it). We’ve all heard to live each moment as if it’s your last but I think that’s a terrible idea for the very reason that it might be true. Having said that, I can get down with enjoying each beer as if it’s your last. Just pray we all have a million more last-beers and a million more moments to enjoy them with friends and family.

Title TK #EBBC14

Pre-conference pub crawl's set list (HUGE thanks to Reuben Gray from @TheTailofAle for organizing):
1) Galway Bay Brewery Stormy Port Porter (cask) at The Brew Dock
2) J.W. Sweetman Porter (cask) @ Dublin's only proper brewpub
3) Rascals Brewing Co. Ginger Porter The Norseman as well as...
4) O'Hara's Irish Craft Beers Leann Folláin ("Imperial" dry Irish stout, 6%)
5) Someone's amber ale. Forgot name of bar. Remember that only porter they had was Founders Brewing Co. but I'm in Ireland not Mich (and why don't they ship to Oregon dangit?)
6) Porterhouse Brewing Company Plain Porter @ their public house.

Now I know why they call it porter. I needed someone to carry me home!

Brewing beer responsible for setting up first farming society/civilization

Epic of Gilgamesh

How many craft breweries in Ireland? Not even close to 50, not counting the UK's Northern Irish breweries that operate under different regulations. 43 brewing companies (including contract brewed ones) on the island. Another 20 coming soon. Closer to 30 physical brewing facilities.

51 in the Republic and 15 in N. Ireland according to Ratebeer.

European Beer Bloggers Conference ahoy

I've been so busy with beer writing deadlines that I realize I need to take a deep breath and enjoy a beer (or several) just for the sake of it. Living in Europe as I've been doing for the past several months has been very cool and loaded with new experiences and ex-beeriences. I've had locally crafted beers in Portugal, Germany, France, and, oh yeah, Belgium. I had a Danish asparagus beer in Denmark. And then, of course, all the Dutch beer I've been exploring here in the Netherlands from our home base in Amsterdam. One place I've always wanted to go to is Ireland: it looks beautiful, I love porters and stouts and Irish whiskey and redheads and those thick, wool sweaters. So when the EBBC announced it'd be held in Dublin this year, I had to go.

What's more: I love Guinness. That's right, a dyed-in-the-wool, avowed craft beer drinker who always champions the little guy has always been particularly fond of the nitrogenated, creamy, roasty, NOT-filling, dry Irish stout regardless of the fact that it's brewed by Diageo (including other Irish juggernauts Harp and Smithwicks plus Kenya's Tusker, Jamaican Red Stripe, and Bailey's, Smirnoff, etc.). Guinness for strength. My goodness my Guinness. All that stuff. It's not that I once dated an Irish ginger or partied into the night with the guys (and gal) from Flogging Molly drinking pint after pint after pint of the stuff. It's just good drinkin'.

Most importantly, I'm looking forward to spending a weekend geeking out and being a geek among an entirely new set of beer lovers who, I'm ashamed to admit, I'm almost entirely unfamiliar with (I've gotten nerdy with Mark Dredge, I've admired Martyn Cornell from afar, and I've recently and virtually become a fan of Dublin's Reuben Gray. All new faces, all new beers, all new places, all new everything. I'm eager to sip, to learn, to befriend.

The work beers and deadlines can wait til the party's over.

A pizza looks at 40

Before I relocated for a bit from Portland to Amsterdam, I was invited to do a collaboration beer at Old Town Brewing. All brewer Bolt Minister asked me was if I wanted to brew an IPYae with him since, as I love pointing out, my son's initials are I.P. and his last name is Yaeger. He has a soft spot for stuff like that since he and his wife, Amy, have a son not much younger than our IPYae. Brainstorming about what this IPA would look and taste like, I confess that the results could've been less than stellar since the recipe I suggested was conceptual, perhaps not practical. I wanted an OG of 1.0612 (IPYae's b-day is Jan. 6, 2012). I wanted the early hop additions to be Nugget since he is our little nugget and that's what I have growing in our yard. I wanted two middle additions to be Zeus to match the double-Z's in Izzy's name. I seem to recall we finished and dry-hopped with Cascade so that the last hops I tasted before we moved would be classic West Coast/Northwest flavor.

Anyway, the resulting beer was truly delicious. It had a light/medium body, earthy/floral first sip but strong grapefruit finish that lingered pleasantly. It's my understanding that the house IPA, now called Shanghai'd, was redesigned shortly after and that it bears some similarity to that pro-am batch. I mention all of this because A) I can't wait to return and try a pint of Shanghai'd. And I'm bummed that I'll be missing Old Town's pre-Pro lager called Nina that will be tapped to commemorate Old Town Pizza's 40th anniversary. (The brewery opened in 2012.) The anniversary party is this Tuesday. To commemorate the occasion from afar, I'm actually going to share two passages from my chapter on OTB in my upcoming guidebook, Oregon Breweries (even though something like this is simply not done.) Because the story of any brewery is really the story of the people behind it, here are the passages about the owner and the brewer.

Old Town Pizza owner Adam Milne didn’t have a hand in establishing the company back in 1974. Heck, he was just a kid then. In fact, the original location is the one in Old Town Portland but the owners had opened a few others—now all gone. Little Adam held his ninth birthday party at one in Eugene. Imagine what you’d do if you found out a beloved place from your childhood was about to shut down. If you were in a position to save that ice cream parlor or bowling alley, you’d salvage it, which is what Milne did in 2003.

After that paragraph, I add ominously, "He wasn't alone," but let's save something for those who buy the book. Fast-forwarding, I write about brewmaster Bolt Minister. And maybe I could mention here that I'm up for some focus-grouping. Do y'all like the music break in the middle? Lemme know if that stays or should end up on the digital editing-room floor.

Bolt (Bolton is a family name) says his philosophy is, “Like what you drink, drink what you like.” He’s not one for crazy beers because drinking beer is something you should “enjoy with your friends, your community, your bar mates. It shouldn’t be a self-indulgent activity where you take yourself too seriously.” The philosophy carries over to all facets; he’s a fan of Classic Country a la George Jones, not steak-less sizzling New Country. (He put on a George Jones Tribute beerfest as a wake for “The Possum” and we’ll see if I’m successful in getting him to host a Tom Jones Living Tribute beerfest for “The Voice.”) Bolt’s previous brewing experience at a few other Northwest breweries came at pubs that likewise emphasize community and casual dining. I agree with him in that a pizzeria is not the kind of place you come with your family or buddies only to ignore them while paying exclusive attention to what’s in your glass. “When you geek out you miss out,” he added.

So I raise my glass from afar and wish old Old Town Pizza and new Old Town Brewing continued success over the next 40 years.

BridgePort launches HOP CZARINA WIPA aimed at women

I don't generally repost press releases from breweries, but sometimes they say what I'd otherwise shy away from. Almost a year ago, I tongue-in-cheekily blogged about the death of IPAs because of how fractured the marketing had become. Numerous more "series" of hop-forward beers from larger craft breweries have not made me drink my words. Yet...little did I foresee where future marketing efforts would lead:

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Miley Papazian, Q/West

503.401.8888 / miley@q-west.com

BRIDGEPORT BREWING LAUNCHES HEAD-TURNER HOP CZARINA WOMEN’S IPA

Brand Celebrates Intensely Hoppy “Double-you” IPA and Showcases Girlish Hop Figures

PORTLAND, Ore.—01 April, 2014 – BridgePort Brewing Company, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, has added a new Hop Czar IPA Series to its lineup of handcrafted brews. The original Hop Czar Imperial IPA, first released in 2008 as a limited edition brew, was an adventurous and boldly hop-centric brew for BridgePort. But as the enthusiasm of hop-happy beer drinkers grew, it quickly proved to be much more than a niche ale among men and women but mostly men. Hop Czar soon became the brewery’s flagship beer. Inspired by the original Hop Czar’s arousing phalanx of experimentation, the Hop Czar IPA series will feature three hop-forward craft beers, each brewed in Portland and released sequentially throughout the year.

“The original Hop Czar was born out of virile experimentation, pushing limits of hoppy flavor and aroma,” said Jess Edgerton, BridgePort’s brewmaster’s wife. “With the new Hop Czar IPA Series, our brewers have the chance to continue experimenting with the Willamette Valley’s incredible hop varietals to engender three new and gender-specific IPAs this year.”

The second offering in the series after the Citra Guy-Hopped IPA that showcased the intense musk and flavor of the Citra hop varietal is the Hop Czarina Women’s IPA, a curvaceous WIPA. This new brew adds a decidedly feminine twist to a masculine original, combining the intricacy and intimacy of seductive malts with a buxom dose of Sparkly Crystal, Xena, Warrior Princess, and Lady Liberty hops from Paradise Island. Belgian candi sugar and spice were added in the whirlpool.

Although Brewmaster Edgerton and his team of brewers are creating three adventurously hoppy IPAs in the spirit of the Hop Czar Imperial IPA, Jess Edgerton continued: “This Women’s IPA is the only one makes beer more approachable for the ladies. The candi sugar and spice lends a nice, sweet balance. Overall, it’s a little bit smoother, less rugged, a little more approachable.” Jess added, “Today’s beers are designed for a dudelier dem-bro-graphic that intimidates gals away from craft beer.” Evidence lies in actual beers made with bull testicles, cod pieces, and sausage fests. “Other beers are designed to go with male-centric activities like social engagements with friends, attending sporting matches, and life-affirming celebrations. This WIPA pairs perfectly with cute shoes, and totally cute tops.”

About Hop Czarina Double-you IPA

IBUs: 36-24-36

ABV: 8.008135%

SRM: 2 (platinum blonde)

Ingredients: The Hop Czarina Double-you IPA contains Sparkly Crystal, Xena, Warrior Princess, and Lady Liberty hops for a dainty citric taste and seductive malts and velvety oats for a more sweetly, if top-heavy, flavor.

Description: With lower alcohol content designed to reflect women’s shorter statures and oodles more sweetness than the original, Hop Czarina Double-you IPA is a safe and approachable ale, featuring a range of complex ideas and qualities marketers never imagined in female customers.

To taste this release in the Hop Czar IPA Series, visit BridgePort Brewery, located at 1313 N.W. Marshall Street in Portland, Oregon or look for it wherever BridgePort beers are sold.

About BridgePort Brewing Company Celebrating 30 years in 2014, Oregon’s oldest craft brewery continues to evolve from a microbrewery to a regional leader committed to producing high quality craft ales. Lead by Brewmaster Jeff Edgerton, the team of BridgePort brewers prides itself on using hops from an hour away and clear glacial water from Mount Hood. The BridgePort family of ales includes IPA, the Hop Czar IPA Series, and Kingpin as well as a forthcoming Queenpin, an Empirical Ruby Ale. BridgePort Brewery is located at 1313 N.W. Marshall St. For more information, call 503-241-7179 or visit www.bridgeportbrew.com.

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