… and this is the one you read … well, thanks. But if you’re reading one of the other Portland Beer Blogs, too, you probably already know about the Holiday Ale Festival in Pioneer Square beginning tomorrow (Thursday). Heck, even the Oregonian mentioned it.
Look for Part II of the Holiday Ale Reviews this eve.
… in that order.
I entered some of our photos from the Metolius River brewing adventure in A Good Beer Blog’s recent photo contest, and we won! I already have a copy of the book
Just got back from another delicious meal at Oaks Bottom Public House and have some more Winter beers to add. Mind you, I’m no fancy beer tasting guy, I know what I like and what I don’t like, so I apologize if my notes lack detail.
Before I start, here’s a list of the current guest taps going on at Oaks Bottom in addition to New Old Lompoc brews Sockeye Stout, Proletariat Red (one of my favorites) and Lompizer (a pilsner):
This afternoon I had the Tannen Bomb and Papa Noel with my grilled ham and cheese with tots.
The Papa Noel was a great winter ale. It had a nice roasted, smokey flavor with a helpful infusion of hops to keep it interesting. I definitely tasted a toffee flavor and there was not too much alcohol taste in this 7.2% ale.
The Tannen Bomb tasted to my uncultured palate very similar to the Papa Noel but with more alcohol and less hops coming through. It had many of the same caramel and raosted flavors, but overall not as complex from beginning to end.
In addition to these great beers I has the Siletz Winter Warmer after work last night. All I can really say I (yawn) this beer really (yawn) didn’t impress me as a Winter (yawn) ale. It reminded me of a sweeter Amber ale I would drink in the Summer. Not much in the way of roasted or spicy flavors coming through that one would expect.
Looking forward to Portland’s Holiday Ale Fest under the Christmas (or is that Holiday) Tree in Pioneer Courthouse Square Nov. 30 through Dec. 3. Cheers.
Bridgeport Ebeneezer Ale
I have never been a big fan of this beer, but when picking up the beer for Pop Art’s Open House Party, I decided to add it as a wild card 3rd keg. Fast-forward a few hours, and I was feeling pretty good after several 6.4% abv glasses. The night Bruce and I brewed Bourbon Spiced Mystery Ale, we sampled a couple Ebeneezers in 12 oz. bottles and were pleasanly surprised by this year’s batch, well balanced with plenty of malt and spice, caramel flavors and a very smooth mouthfeel. Tasting it again, I’m not surprised I drank so many – this beer perhaps defines a new category – the holiday session beer!
Moylan’s Hopsickle Imperial Ale
Okay, this is not really a holiday beer, but “hopsickle” does rhyme with “icicle,” and that’s apparenly close enough for Bruce. This beer was a favorite over the summer, clocking in at 9.2% abv with hop flavors that are literally off the charts. If you try putting this beer on a chart, you will literally have to get a bigger chart, no matter what size chart you start with. Literally.
While it is outrageously hoppy, it somehow works, with smooth mouthfeel, but without the overwhelming bitterness that 100+ IBU beers tend to have. Most of the hops here are aromatic. It’s sort of like putting a hop in a bong, inhaling the smoke, and feeling the flavors emanate through your every molecule. If you can picture that, you had better have two of these, because you are more addicted to hops than even I am.
BS Brewing’s Bad Santa 2006
I really wish I had saved a sample of the 2005 vintage to compare this one to, but it was just too delicious to resist. I managed to save one bottle of the 2005 for almost 9 months, and the aging did incredible things to this high octane (How high, you ask? Re-laaaaaaaaax … have a homebrew.) beer, and I resolved to brew the 2006 early so as to give it additional time to mature for the 2006 holiday season.
It’s nice, but it’s maybe a little too sweet, sweeter than I remember the 2005, but still a pretty solid holiday beer if I do say so. Nutmeg aroma, but even better nutmeg taste. I’ll tell you a secret: I “dry-nutmegged” it. Take that, Sam Calagione. I’m debuting it at Thanksgiving this year, so we’ll just have to see what the fans have to say.
Coming in Part II and III: