Prebeer Preamble: What’s the most beer-friendly US State? A thorny question if ever there was one, but today we dive into some Oregonian beers, and begin to make a case for the Beaver State.
Beer #1: Full Sail Amber. I’m joined by long-time Portland friends Beth Green and Jason Newsom to quaff this Hood River brew. Will old friends reconnect over this approachable beer, or will I seriously piss off my pals by declaring ambers to be “generally cheesey?”
Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Alan Sprints”. The founder, owner, and head brewer of Portland’s Hair of the Dog Brewing Company joins me for a terrific discussion. Topics include his beers, his brewing philosophy, and what it’s like to be a small craft brewer with a deservedly big reputation in one of America’s premier beer cities. You can find Alan’s beers here.
Beer #2:Black Butte Porter from the Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon. Armed with some boutique chocolate, Beth, Jason and I plunge into this roasty classic. The conversation eventually runs up against the musical question “How are porters different from stouts, anyway?”
Beer Geek Moment: “Meet the Hop” A whirwind introduction to everyone’s favorite brewing spice, and one of Oregon’s big cash crops. Consider this Part 1 in a series…
Postbeer Postscript: We do that evaluation thing, and find out that living in Portland can seriously skew what one considers to be “middle-of-the-road,” beer-wise.
Yet another fine show. Always nice to find out about new and different beers. I’ve done sworn off fizzy-yellow beer and I’m not looking back. It’s so much better with a beer that drinks like a meal!
Pingback: Speaking of Beer » Blog Archive » The Last Portland Hurrah