A new interpretation of an old law came to light when the Oregon Liquor Control Commission cancelled the homebrew contest at the State Fair, causing quite a stir in the Oregon Beer Community.  In fact, I was fielding questions from as far away as North Carolina once news of the issue spread across the country.  The problem revolves around the legality of homebrewers being exempt from requiring a manufacturers license when there beer is sampled in a venue other then their home.  This essentially limits any home-brewed beer from being tasted or judged anywhere, well, anywhere away from home.  As a state that enjoys year-round homebrew competitions, thousands of people are now scratching their heads as to what’s legal when it comes to homebrewed beer.

It appears that this look upon the books may have been instigated by Deschutes Brewery checking to make sure if one of their events was compliant under OLCC regulations.  Gary Fish, president and founder of Deschutes Brewery says this in a press release issued today: “The real story is that Deschutes Brewery contacted the OLCC to ensure that a homebrewers forum we were planning during American Craft Beer Week was legal.  Given the rules we are bound to as licensee of the OLCC and as a responsible member of the brewing community, we always want to make sure that we understand the intricacies of the OLCC’s regulations.  After a three-minute conversation with an OLCC representative, we were told that the agency would call us back with further information.  This never happened, and the planned event was dropped as a result.”

The press release went on to talk about Deschutes Brewerys’ long-standing relationship with the homebrewing community: “Now it seems that the OLCC has resurrected a dormant law regarding homebrewers, much to the dismay of the brewing community, including Deschutes Brewery. We have always felt that passion for craft beer starts at home and we support homebrewers all across the United States. We are always happy to fulfill homebrewer requests for clone recipes, hops and raffle items for homebrew competitions. We also sponsor the Porter category at the American Homebrewers Association’s National Homebrew Competition each year.”

Update: @pdxLance (via Twitter) Points to the OLCC’s response to the issue here (from Beer and Coding).

Related posts:

1. Bridgeport Brewing Company WinsTwo Medals at 2008 World Beer Cup
2. Oakshire Brewing to release bottles of Watershed IPA and Overcast Espresso Stout
3. Organizers call off All Oregon Ale Festival

Passing this along from Ezra at The New School:

For too long craft beer and spirits have remained separate entities only crossing in the occasional shot with a beer back. With Portland’s well established craft beer culture and the rise of craft distilleries it is only right that these two should meet again with more tasty results.

While writers like Stephen Beaumont have been pioneering the blending of spirits and beer for awhile most lovers of either drinks are not familiar with what you can do when marrying them.

The New School, a newish beer blog/webmag has teamed up with experienced bartender / mixologist / writer and Bols Genever Brand Ambassador Jacob Grier to put on an event for Oregon Craft Beer Month aimed at turning beer drinkers on to the world of blending and spirits and vice versa.

On the menu for the party Saturday July 17 3-7pm is a unique line up of cocktails but I want to highlight one in particular the:

• Cascadian Revolution is a drink inspired by the recent rise of a new style of craft beer, the Cascadian Dark Ale or Black IPA. The beer style attempts to marry the qualities of NW IPA’s in their citrusy and piney hop character and the dark roasted malt character of a Porter or Stout. The overall goal being for the beer to appear dark brown or black but taste deceivingly lighter and carry a dank, citrus fruit, pine hop notes.  The name Cascadian Dark Ale was proposed by Portland based beer writer Abraham Goldman-Armstrong who realized that the brewers who created the style were all based in the Republic of Cascadia. More info on that here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_(independence_movement) In creating the Cascadian Revolution cocktail we attempted to keep the goals of the beer style intact while creating something that you could only get out of a cocktail. The Cascadian Revolution uses local Clear Creek Distilleries Douglas Fir Eau de Vie in honor of the official tree featured on the flag of the Republic of Cascadia the Douglas Fir, it is complemented by a splash of Grand Marnier to bring out more of the orange citrus fruit so often associated with NW hops, for beer we chose to use Deschutes Brewing from Bend, OR’s new Hop In The Dark Cascadian Dark Ale. These three ingredients are shaken and served in a martini glass and finally finished with the secret ingredient, a drop of pure Hop Oil.

Also on the menu is Stephen Beaumont’s…

• Green Devil: This drink is a strong one and is sure to kick some ass in the middle of summer but it is too good not to share. Involving a glass rinse of Absinthe, 1oz of Gin and topped of with a bottle of crisp Belgian Golden ale Duvel.  Dry, fruity, spicy, sweet, boozy: all those words describe the resulting cocktail.
• A drink based upon the current hot trend in the beer world Sour Beer. This cocktail will use one of the original makers of sours the Cantillon brewery and their Classic Organic Gueuze. The beer is made from a blend of 1, 2 and 3 year old oak barrel aged lambics. Mixed with Blackberry Liqueur, Gin, with 2 rocks and garnished with a fresh Blackberry.
• An unnamed exclusive beer from local Upright Brewing’s vault makes up the final cocktail. Upright Brewing is known for their experimental farmhouse ales and this one is no different. Using the ‘Four’ a farmhouse wheat beer that is open fermented they then aged the beer in Hungarian Oak barrels with fresh Yarrow flowers and Rose Petals. The cocktail marries those unique ingredient with Bols Genever Gin and Farigoule (a Thyme liqueur) to really make a refreshing and dry botanical blend.

Saturday July 17 3-7pm
The Hop and Vine
1914 North Killingsworth Street
Portland, Oregon 97217
503.954.3322

Related posts:

1. Bridgeport Brewing Company WinsTwo Medals at 2008 World Beer Cup
2. Widmer Brothers Brewing Warms Up Winter With A Cold One
3. Beer Release: Hop in the Dark, Deschutes Brewery

So, we’ll wrap this sad tale up with an official statement from Deschutes.  It’s true, no Black Butte Reserve Series in bottles this year.  While it is a loss of one of the most anticipated beers of the year, it’s great to know that a company like Deschutes Brewery won’t  just push out beer that doesn’t meet their high standards.  There is a very limited amount on draft at both Bend Pub and tasting room as well as the Portland Pub.  I had some on Sunday, and all I can say is: go get some now!

Statement from Gary Fish, founder and president, Deschutes Brewery:

We will not be releasing our Reserve Series Black Butte XXII in 2010.  This Imperial version of our popular Black Butte Porter has helped to commemorate Deschutes Brewery’s June 27^th anniversary since 2008.

The experimental chocolate used in this year’s formulation is coming out of solution and is forming a butter-type layer on the surface of the beer.  While the beer tastes perfectly fine, the visual in the bottle is not up to our long-held commitment to quality and positive customer experience.

Pushing boundaries like we do means that things don’t always turn out the way we expect.  However, we promise to never back away from the line, even when the risk is great.

There will be very limited amounts of Black Butte XXII on draft, only available at the Bend pub, Portland pub and the Bend tasting room.

Related posts:

1. Beer of the Month – Deschutes Black Butte XX [May 2008]
2. Fermented Photo: Black Butte XXI
3. Upcoming Bottle Releases from Deschutes Brewery

Full Sail Brewing’s Kristy Holsopple

Hood River, Oregon – “He was a wise man who invented beer.” –Plato

The Greek philosopher had his sentiment right, but according to most historians it was likely a woman who brewed the first beer and for most of the last 6,000 years of recorded civilization it was women “Brewsters” who continued to evolve the art of brewing beer developing many unique and regional varieties of beer.

“As craft brewers we are proud to be part of this heritage of brewing diverse, local beers as well as a beer culture that welcomes women. So we thought it only fitting that we should have our “Brewster” Kristy Holsopple brew the beer to toast the start of Oregon Craft Beer Month,” said Full Sail Founder and CEO, Irene Firmat. Full Sail Lab Supervisor, Kristy Holsopple, an avid home Brewster, crafted ”Dunkopple” a German Dunkles Lager as part of our Brewer’s Share series, just in time to toast the beginning of Oregon Craft Beer Month.

In recognition of the positive impact that Oregon craft brewers have made to our communities, the entire month of July has been designated by the Governor as Oregon Craft Beer Month. “To lead the Oregon Craft Beer Month kick off toast and to have the opportunity to highlight women’s role in craft brewing with one of my own recipes is a great honor. Dunkopple is traditional German Dunkles lager with a northwest twist. It’s a dark, yet easy drinking, moderately hopped, malty brew. Traditionally, Dunkles use Noble hops, so I chose northwest descendants of those varieties, Mt. Hood and Citra, to make it my own,” said Holsopple. ABV 5.2% IBU 25

Full Sail has scheduled two “Meet the Brewster and the Beer” events to showcase this new beer. The first is at the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, on Thursday, July 1 from 5:30 to 7:00PM. At 6:00PM (Pacific Time) the Full Sail crew will lead a toast along with brewers, brewsters, and craft beer enthusiasts from all corners of Oregon (a.k.a Beervana) to signify the official kick off of Oregon Craft Beer Month. Join in, no matter where you are, and raise a toast to celebrate Oregon Craft Beer. The second Meet Brewster and the Beer event will be at Full Sail at Riverplace in Portland, Tuesday, July, 6^th, from 5:00 – 6:30PM. Join the Full Sail crew to celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month and toast a pint of this new brew with Kristy.

The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting a single batch recipe of their choosing. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. The next Brewer’s Share will be crafted by Full Sail Brewer Adam Bulson, and is expected in early September.

Kristy Holsopple along with Full Sail CEO and Founder, Irene Firmat, are both members of the Pink Boot Society. The mission of the Pink Boots Society is to inspire, encourage and empower women to become professionals and advance their careers in the Beer Industry. http://pinkbootssociety.org/

About Full Sail Brewing Company:

The independent and employee-owned Full Sail Brewery is perched on a bluff in Hood River, Oregon, overlooking the most epic wind and kite surfing spot in the world. At this very moment 47 specialists in the liquid refreshment arts are crafting barley and hops into your next beer.  Among the company’s most popular brews are Full Sail Amber, IPA, Pale, LTD, Session and Session Black Premium lager. Founded in 1987, the Full Sail crew has been fermenting godlike nectar for 22 years.  Committed to brewing great beer and sustainable practices their award winning brews are now available in twenty states. The Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub is open seven days a week.  Swing by for a pint, grab a bite, tour the brewery, or just soak up the view.  http://www.fullsailbrewing.com

About Oregon Craft Beer Month:

The breweries of Oregon and the products they produce are known around the world for quality and innovation. More importantly, beer culture is an ingrained piece of the social fabric of our great state. Beer means more here, welcome to Beervana.

For more information about Oregon Craft Beer Month and a list of brewery celebrations throughout the state please visit:  http://www.oregoncraftbeermonth.com

Related posts:

1. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month
2. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates American Craft Beer Week with New Brewer’s Share Beer – Vendell Veizen
3. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month

Bend Brewing Co. is thrilled to announce three new medals awarded for its innovative microbrews. BBC was awarded Bronze medals for the Outback X Strong Ale, the Metolius Golden Ale, and the Dry Irish Stout last week at the North American Beer Awards, sanctioned by the North American Brewers’ Association.

The Outback X Strong Ale, a beer Head Brewer Tonya Cornett describes as demonstrating “roasted malt with hints of hops in the nose leading to a rich, roasted malt flavor with a background of dried fruits and sherry,” has won multiple awards in the last few years.

This was the first win for the Dry Irish Stout, a smooth and delicious stout with a creamy head atop a black beer with a sweet aroma and roasted barley flavor, brewed for St. Patrick’s Day.

This was also the first win for the Metolius Golden Ale, which has been a Bend Brewing Co. standard for fifteen years. “It’s great to be recognized for something we brew year-round, and that is consistently available to our guests,” says Cornett.  The 2010 North American Beer Awards were held last week in Idaho Falls, ID.

Bend Brewing Co. was the 2008 World Beer Cup Small Brewery of the Year. Cornett was honored as the first woman to win the title of World Beer Cup Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year the same year.

BBC overlooks Mirror Pond in the heart of downtown Bend and specializes in fresh beers brewed to match the spirit, beauty and charm of Bend itself. Open 11:30 – close seven days a week and offering Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close Monday through Friday, Bend Brewing Co. is located at 1019 NW Brooks St. For more information, see www.bendbrewingco.com or contact Bend Brewing Co. at 541-383-1599.

Related posts:

1. Renowned Last Abbey Brewer Tomme Arthur To Guest Brew at Bend Brewing Company
2. Bridgeport Brewing Company WinsTwo Medals at 2008 World Beer Cup
3. Photos: 2008 North American Organic Beer Festival

What takes 22 brews and more than a year of experiments to reach perfection? Deschutes Brewery’s newest Bond Street Series release: Hop in the Dark Cascadian Dark Ale (C.D.A.). C.D.A. is a new style of beer that emerged recently in the Pacific Northwest, more widely known as a Black I.P.A. There has been a significant movement and debate in the region to call the style C.D.A., and Deschutes Brewery leads the way with Hop in the Dark.

This ominous looking liquid combines prominent Northwest hops with roasted malts to create a black tinted India Pale Ale type beer. Hop in the Dark aromas come from Cascade, Amarillo, Citra and Centennial hops that float over a gentle undercurrent of velvet malt complexities.

Deschutes Brewery invites beer lovers to take the plunge – a hop, if you will – into this new Dark Cascadian Ale.

What:  Bond Street Series (22-ounce bottles and draft)
Where:  Available in all 15 states where Deschutes is sold.
When: Available May – September 2010

Beer Geek Information:
6.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
70 International Bittering Units (IBUs)

Related posts:

1. Upcoming Bottle Releases from Deschutes Brewery
2. Press Release: Deschutes Brewery Releases Reserve Series Jubel 2010
3. Hop in the Dark, the Challenge

Hood River, Or – The warm west winds signal the start of the summer season as kiteboarders and windsurfers light up the river in a swirl of color. You can watch the sight from the vantage point of Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub and savor the newest release in their Brewmaster Reserve series, Spotless IPA. This release continues Full Sail’s summer “sun” series. Named to honor our sun that has been spotless for over a year, Spotless is a true Northwest style IPA – richly hopped with Willamette and Zeus hops. A deep golden color, bright bitterness and a definite fruity finish meld into a beer that is all set to toast the summer months. It will be available in specialty beer stores and pubs throughout the Pacific Northwest from June to August in 22oz bottles and draft. ABV: 6.5% IBU: 70

The next beer in Full Sail’s Brewmaster Reserve line up will be Sanctuary, a Belgian Style Dubbel, to be released in August. For a full list of Full Sail’s Brewmaster Reserve Beers please visit http://fullsailbrewing.com

Related posts:

1. Press Release: Full Sail Brewing Company Releases Top Sail Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter
2. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month
3. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month

Widmer Brothers Brewing, based in Portland, Ore., has introduced its new summer seasonal, Sunburn Summer Brew, initiating the unofficial start of summer.

“We crafted this beer with summer in mind, wanting to create something perfect for long, hot days,” said Rob Widmer. “It is a crisp and refreshing beer that is an anticipated addition to our seasonal lineup.”

Sunburn is a blonde ale with a light caramel body and subtle, refreshing hop aroma. This brew uses Citra hops, a new hop variety that only a few breweries have access to. This unique hop helps create a balanced and flavorful beer with little bitterness. Sunburn is one of four seasonal brews that Widmer Brothers will release this year, providing variety that highlights the tastes of each season. Beginning in 1986, Kurt and Rob were the first U.S. brewers to release a year round four beer seasonal lineup.

Beer Stats

• Bitterness: 15 IBU
• Alcohol by Volume: 4.3% ABV
• Original Gravity: 10.5° PLATO

Sunburn is available from early May through August on draught and in six-packs at select retailers on the West coast. Six-packs have a suggested retail price of $8.99.

Related posts:

1. Looking into the Crystal Ball: Widmer Brothers Releases
2. Widmer Brothers Brewing Warms Up Winter With A Cold One
3. Fermented Photo: Widmer Brothers Deadlift Imperial IPA

Hood River, Or – Brewers know the best way to celebrate is to brew a special beer, so to honor American Craft Beer Week (May 17 – 23), Full Sail will release a new beer in their Brewer’s Share line up. This special beer, “Vendell Veizen” is a Weizen Bock and was developed by Assistant Packaging Supervisor, Wendell Bryant.

“It’s such an honor to brew a beer for American Craft Beer Week. I’m an avid home brewer and the best part about brewing is sharing what you’ve made with friends and family. I am excited to have a chance to brew one of my recipes on a larger scale because with more beer comes more friends to share it with. I enjoy German style biers, am a big bock fan and like malty beers, so I decided to make a Weizen Bock. Vendell Veizen is a bock style wheat bier, that is reddish amber in color and has tropical fruit flavors with a slight malt sweetness. It’s got a good amount of body and flavor,” said Bryant. ABV 7.2% IBU 21

“The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting a single batch recipe of their choosing.”

Full Sail has scheduled two “Meet the Brewer and the Beer” events to showcase this new beer. The first is at Full Sail at Riverplace in Portland, Monday, May 17th from 5:00 – 6:30PM and the second is at the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, on Thursday, May 20th from 5:00 to 6:30PM. Join the Full Sail crew to celebrate American Craft Beer Week and toast a pint of this new brew with Wendell.

The Brewer’s Share series is a line up of small batch draft beers where each Full Sailor takes a turn hand-crafting a single batch recipe of their choosing. Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share beers will only be available on tap at Full Sail’s Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River, Oregon, and at Full Sail’s Brewery at Riverplace, in Portland, Oregon. Growlers to go are available. The next Brewer’s Share will be crafted by Full Sail’s Lab Supervisor, Kristy Holsopple, and is expected in early July, just in time for Oregon Craft Beer Month.

Known as “The Mother of all Beer Weeks,” American Craft Beer Week celebrates craft brewers and craft beer culture in the US. It’s a national celebration across the US with events at a brewery near you. Look for American Craft Beer Week promotions featuring craft brewers in breweries, restaurants, and better beer stores, become a fan of American Craft Beer Week on Facebook or visit www.AmericanCraftBeerWeek.org for more information on events around the country and toast the week with a delicious beer brewed by one of the over 1400 craft brewers in the US.

“Small brewers are small businesses and collectively we have provided so much to our local communities and have reshaped American beer culture that in 2006 congress ratified House Resolution 753 acknowledging our contributions. At Full Sail, our employee ownership has created a powerful set of stakeholders in our community. Because we employees share equity in the company we have a great sense of roots to where we live and work. We have a deep sense of responsibility to the beauty of the place and operate our brewery in a careful, sustainable way. We support hundreds of events and charities each year, with a focus on those in our local area. We understand the impact that a business can have in a smaller community and we strive to support local businesses, provide jobs with full benefits and support our employees who volunteer. There seems to be a great synergy between beer and raising money for good causes and we are very happy to be a part of that. Thank you for supporting American craft brewers and cheers to House Resolution 753,” added Irene Firmat, Full Sail’s Founder and CEO.

About Full Sail Brewing Company:
The independent and employee-owned Full Sail Brewery is perched on a bluff in Hood River, Oregon, overlooking the most epic wind and kite surfing spot in the world. At this very moment 47 specialists in the liquid refreshment arts are crafting barley and hops into your next beer. Among the company’s most popular brews are Full Sail Amber, IPA, Pale, LTD, Session and Session Black Premium lager. Founded in 1987, the Full Sail crew has been fermenting godlike nectar for 22 years. Committed to brewing great beer and sustainable practices their award winning brews are now available in twenty states. The Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub is open seven days a week. Swing by for a pint, grab a bite, tour the brewery, or just soak up the view.  http://www.fullsailbrewing.com

For more information about American Craft Beer Week and a list of brewery celebrations by state please visit: www.americancraftbeerweek.org

Related posts:

1. Full Sail Brewing Kicks Off Oregon Craft Beer Month with New Brewer’s Share Beer
2. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month
3. Full Sail Brewing Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month

Some info from the Oregon Brewers Guild:

05/01/2010
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Upper Parking Lot
2944 SE Powell Blvd
Portland
503-232-4677
Noon-9pm
Admission is Free.
$5 for tasting goblet which is required to taste.
$1 for tastes.

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers started three years ago to help introduce Oregonians to the breadth of style and flavors of beers brewed in Belgium. The first year had 10 brewers pouring 10 beers at the Rock Bottom Brewery on April 10th, 2007. In 2008, 18 Brewers made 20 different beers for an event held on April 5th, 2008 at Roots Organic Brewing Co. in Portland. In 2009, on May1st and May 2nd, 23 breweries made 25 different beers that were poured at the Lucky Lab Beer Hall.

Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers is much like your standard beer festival, but all the beers are brewed by Oregon breweries in a Belgian inspired manner. In the past two years, all of the breweries were from the Portland Metropolitan area. In 2009, the Festival will be open to all Oregon Brewers Guild Members.

The yeast for 2010 will be:
Wyeast 3726 Farmhouse Ale
This strain produces complex esters balanced with earthy/spicy notes. Slightly tart and dry with a peppery finish. A perfect strain for farmhouse ales and saisons.
Attenuation: 74-79%
Alc. Tolerance: 12%
Flocculation: variable
Temperature Range: 70-95°F (21-35°C)

Related posts:

1. Portland’s Cheers to Belgian Beers 2008
2. 2008 Oregeon Brewers Festival — Exclusive Brewers Dinner Beer List
3. Updated Beer List for the 2009 Barleywine Festeroon at the Lucky Lab