Posts Tagged ‘Laurelwood Brewing Company’

Elephant in a bottle?

April 25th, 2008
Laurelwood's Organic Green Elephant
Was it real, or just a dream?

True story? I’m pretty sure. I’ve got a witness. Unfortunately, neither her nor I were given permission to break the silence. But, on the other hand, we weren’t told not to break the silence. So, in the spirit of ambiguity, I’ve got a tale to tell. But, good journalists don’t expose their sources and good journalists don’t sit on important stories either. Luckily, I’m not a good journalist. So here we go. What I’m about to tell you did not happen and the photographs accompanying this story are faked. Really.

In an alley in Portland last night, there was a knock at my window. Normally, I don’t roll down my window in these type of situations, but I recognized the shadowy figure. Without a word, he dropped something in my lap, hopped back in his car, and sped away down Sandy. As my girlfriend said “What kinds of people do you hang out with…”, I turned on the interior light in the car and discovered a bottle of mythical proportions. Sitting in my lap, was a 22oz bottle labeled “Organic Green Elephant”. I looked out the windshield in time to see the mysterious taillights fading into the distance. Could it be? While my source was reliable, this was a bit too hard to stomach (well, until I got home and cracked it open).

Laurelwood's Organic Green Elephant
Laurelwood’s Organic Green Elephant IPA

Those of you in town know that this is one of the most sought after beers in town. Last year a seven-barrel batch–draft only–was demolished within 3 days of it’s release. This year, several hundred cases of 22oz bottles will be available at undisclosed locations. As with other limited Laurelwood bottle releases, my guess is that they will be available for purchase at the restaurants and breweries and some retail outlets in town.

So, if this story is indeed true, and if I did indeed drink the contents of the bottle pictured here, then you should be seeing these bottles popping up (and then disappearing) around town. Grab them while you can!

Beer of the Month – Laurelwood Darkhorse [April 2008]

April 1st, 2008
Beer of the Month
Laurelwood Darkhorse [April 2008]

Well, here we are again. And, by “again”, I mean: here we are, Beer of the Month, about four months behind schedule. We’ll be going back to check out notes and fill in the blanks, but for now, it’s April 2008 and we’ve got a hybrid beer to showcase.

April is a crossover month, sitting between winter and spring. Portland can fluctuate between snow and hot sun and back again as nature tries to make up it’s mind. This is also a great time for a crossover beer: the India Dark Ale. OK, it’s not a style that’s recognized by the BJCP, but it makes sense: a bit of malt for the winter and a bit of IPA for the Spring. Based on their extremely popular Workhorse IPA, the Darkhorse is a reworking of the original recipe, adding a heavier malt bill and balancing it out with a bit more hops.

If you’re not ready to give up your darker winter beers and not ready to jump into IPAs, Darkhorse bridges the gap and helps with the seasonal transition. It is currently pouring at the 51st Avenue location in NE Portland.

Deranger 2008 Release

March 17th, 2008
Bottle of Deranger -- Portland, OR
Pictured here in bottle form, but you can get yours on draft now!

Just a quick note to let you know that Laurelwood has their unbelievable Deranger back on tap. Brewed as an entry for the 2008 World Beer Cup, you can get a local taste before it leaves for world domination. I know it’s on tap at the Sandy & 51st location, but it may be available at the others as well. As the end of March nears, we’re starting to leave Big Beer Season, so grab these while you can!

10 Questions with Chad Kennedy of Laurelwood Brewery

January 1st, 2008
Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 51st Avenue
Laurelwood Brewing Company.

Brewer’s Name:
Chad Kennedy

Brewery:
Laurelwood Brewery

1) If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only choose one pound of either hops, water, barley, or yeast, which would it be, and why?
Yeast! I’m sure I could make some sort of alcoholic concoction with the native flora. Maybe fermented coconut spiced with the root of some exotic plant? I wouldn’t want to risk the local yeast though- I mean come on- just because I’m stranded on a deserted island doesn’t mean I wanna drink super sour pruno.

2) What is the best aspect of NW beer drinkers?
That they leave some for me. Really, the fact that they’re not afraid of flavor.

3) What is your favorite beer style, and why?
Cliche, I know, but I love IPA. There are so many varieties of IPA and it really shows me if a brewery knows about balance. Yes-balance even in a super hoppy Imperial IPA-can you balance that big bitterness and aroma or is it simply one dimensional hop bomb.

4) What is the first beer you brewed that was worthy of a name?
I’m not real big on cutesy beer names. I think the first beer I named was my first commercial seasonal-Holly Grail Abbey Ale.

5) Where do you get your inspiration from when creating new beers?
Everywhere. Other breweries, food, wine. What ever strikes my fancy I guess.

6) What is the most misunderstood aspect of being a professional brewer?
We don’t drink all day. Maybe everyday, but not all day.

7) What characteristics of Portland make this area so popular for brewers, breweries, and consumers?
We’re so close to all of what it takes to make great beer. Great water, hops and barley.

8) If “Northwest Ale” was added as a new style of beer, what would it be?
Based on whatever style- add hops, add gravity.

9) What is the most underrated hop?
That’s hard to say- Mt. Hoods maybe? Great noble-esque character and their from right here in the PNW.

10) What are the relationships like between competing brewers? Is there a sense of community, friendly competition, etc.?
Good I’d say. I don’t think you start really loosing that friendly feeling until you’ve got stock holders, a marketing department and need to sell a bazillion barrels of beer.

Beer of the Month – Laurelwood Break A Leg Rye [August 2007]

August 1st, 2007
Beer of the Month
Laurelwood Break A Leg Rye [August 2007]

Yep, I already know: another Laurelwood pick? Well, if they would stop making great beer! As most of you know, I’ve been down and out with a broken leg and Laurelwood is right down the street from me. Right now, it’s the easiest place for me to get to. I’ll be expanding my picks as my leg heals.

I’ve finally moved to a cane, so it’s getting a bit easier for me to move around. This month’s pick is a seasonal, so go out and get it while you can: Laurelwood’s Break A Leg Rye. Could it be a coincidence that I’ve got a broken leg and Laurelwood released this beer? Nope, the stars didn’t align on this one. I asked head brewer Chad Kennedy if they could make a Rye for me to speed up the healing of my leg. Laurelwood’s beer description: “This one’s for a friend. Our buddy in question here recently found himself stuck at home with a broken leg. We brewed this hoppy red rye to encourage him to get up and get a little exercise walking to the Wood. Here’s to the fellow that’s got to hobble to the pub on crutches. Cheers! ABV: 5.8%, IBU: 50, OG: 13 Plato”. Awesome! Thanks guys!

Now, would I pick this beer as Beer of the Month only for the reason that this “my” beer? No way. I may not have many scruples, but I am honest when it comes to beer (unless someone forgets to charge me for a pint or two). Regardless of sentimental feelings, this is a fantastic beer. Another great balancing act of malt, hops, and alcohol from the guys at Laurelwood. If you’ve never had a Rye beer before, don’t be shy. The Rye is added to the malt bill as a subtle flavor, not to change the base of the beer. So, go seek it out and enjoy one of the few Rye beers available in Portland!

Photos: Laurelwood Brewery on 51st

July 20th, 2007

Photos from Laurelwood Brewery on 51st.

Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 51st Avenue Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 51st Avenue
Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 51st Avenue Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 51st Avenue

Check out the rest of the photos here.

Laurelwood Brewery Grand Opening!

July 7th, 2007

I don’t think that there are any respectable beer drinkers in Portland that didn’t know that Laurelwood Brewing Company is opening a third location in town. We have been waiting and there were a few setbacks, but luckily for Portland, that’s all in the past.

Laurelwood Brewery, 40th Avenue
Paul Bergeman readies the wort for the second of a double batch of their Organic Free Range Red.

For years, the 40th Avenue location has brewed beer for it’s sister location on NW 23rd as well as supplying kegs for other establishments throughout the city. That brewery is a 7 Barrel system which was always run at capacity to barely keep up with demand. The new location on Sandy is a 15 Barrel system, which now increases their total capacity at 22 Barrels, more than 3 times the original size!

What does this giant jump in capacity mean for us? Well, first of all, more beer. With an overall increase in production volume, it will be much easier for Laurelwood to distribute their beer, not only to saturate Portland, but also start pushing out more beer to surrounding areas. So relax, if you live in Portland, you’ll probably never be far from some style of Laurelwood beer. Also, along with greater capacity, we will also be seeing more styles and seasonals. Now, for this brewery, this is no small task. Not because it is beyond the reach of the brewers, but rather because they already make so many damn seasonals! In about the span of a year, Laurelwood produces over 50 seasonal styles to compliment their 7 standard beer lineup. Yes, more than 50!

At it’s grand opening yesterday, change was already evident. In addition to their old standards (Boss IPA, Mother Lode Golden Ale, Organic Free Range Red, Organic Tree Hugger Porter, Piston Pale Ale, Space Stout), they’ve also added a second IPA, Workhorse, and a year-round brown called Hooligan (which is the replacement for the Ettinger Amber that has been removed from the lineup). If that wasn’t enough, they also featured three seasonals: Lucky 7 IPA, Imperial IPA #9, and Helgaweizen. Yep, 9 Laurelwood beers on tap for the grand opening.

Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 40th Avenue
If you need more than a pint or a pitcher, grab a keg!

As for food and such, it’s the same menu from the 40th Avenue location. In fact, they didn’t just bring the menu, they brought the whole kitchen! The kitchen was pulled from the old location and moved to make room for the new equipment which will transform the old location into the Laurelwood Pizza Company, which is aimed at opening in mid July. Laurelwood is known for being a family friendly establishment–a strange thing for a brewery. The 40th Avenue location can get a bit cramped and loud from 6:00pm-9:00pm with all of the children running around and screaming. The new spot, while still family friendly with play areas, is much more segmented to keep this distraction to a minimum.

So, all is not just well in Portland, it’s fantastic! Congratulations to the owners and staff for making this launch so successful. If you build it, they will come…=

Beer of the Month – Laurelwood Organic Green Elephant [June 2007]

June 1st, 2007
Beer of the Month
Laurelwood Organic Green Elephant [June 2007]

I didn’t want to do another Laurelwood beer for BOTM right away, but unfortunately, my leg is still broken, and Laurelwood is right down the street. Since my motorcycle accident one month ago, I’ve only been out of the house twice: once back to the hospital for a check up and once to Laurelwood when I found out that Green Elephant was released (2007.06.06). This should give you an idea of what it’s worth to go and grab one. Next month, I’ll be able to travel a bit further from my neighborhood.

This is one of my top 5 beers in the world. If you don’t believe me, believe the fact that it is Laurelwood’s fastest selling seasonal. In fact, a full 7 Barrel batch will only last a couple of days! This is a strong and hoppy 100% organic IPA. This is a bitter brew with just enough malt to take the edge off of the early hops.

I don’t want to spend to much time writing about this one because if I do, it will be gone before I am finished. Seriously, if you’re going to try this one, go now–it will be gone in the next couple of days.

Beer of the Month – Laurelwood Piston Pale Ale [May 2007]

May 1st, 2007
Beer of the Month
Laurelwood Piston Pale Ale [May 2007]

May’s pick is Laurelwood’s Piston Pale Ale. There are a lot of pales in Portland, and a lot of competition. But if you’ve tried this one, you know we had to pick it.

Pale Ales are a wide category. For many beers, it is a catch-all category: if it doesn’t fit anywhere else, and it’s not too dark, it must be a Pale Ale. Luckily, many Portland breweries don’t make use of this cheap parlor trick. Though there is a lot of leeway with Pales, there are standards.

Piston Pale Ale is the essential Portland pint. It’s everything a Pale Ale should be, but with the great Northwest twist: bigger and better. In many other parts of the world, this would be considered an India Pale Ale. With stats like 5.6% abv, 35 IBUs, and an OG of 13 degrees Plato, Piston falls within the guidelines of a Pale Ale, but based on aroma and taste alone, nine out of ten dentists would call this an IPA.

Well, the beers grow bigger around here, and we’re OK with that. This beer is a perfect balance between malt and hops, with a great dry finish. It’s a perfect crisp beer in the warmer months. And, when it’s cooler outside, it does a wonderful job of scraping the sweetness of barleywines off of your tongue, with enough alcohol to keep you warm. This is truly a beer for all seasons. We hear it even goes great with breakfast! Not all Pale Ales can do that!

Photos: Laurelwood Brewery on 40th

April 15th, 2007

Photos from Laurelwood Brewery on 51st.

Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 40th Avenue Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 40th Avenue
Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 40th Avenue Laurelwood Brewing Company, NE 40th Avenue

Check out the rest of the photos here.