Friday, August 17, 2018

You Know Urine Portland…

Packed well for the flight - a suitcase within a suitcase.


Started the flight on American Airlines - Philly to Portland OR – and at 30,000 ft enjoyed
New Belgium  |  Voodoo Ranger  |  Ale, Pale, Spiced  |  7.0  |  7.0
                            [brewer]             [brand]                      [style]          [ABV]  [score on 0-10]

Also set next to Micky (Melchiondo) Ween, of the eponymous band.


We were going to the Portland OR area, on a somber note, to pay respects to my wife’s aunt. That being said, we all enjoyed the family, food and beer in Portland.

After arriving, the next day – 8/17 - Took a trolley tour – in true tourist fashion.







The first family get together was late afternoon at the Yards Ale House in Portland. Cameron was a great host, and made some good suggestions (not that much I’ve ever had at Yards was bad).


Tried these:
Great Divide  |  Strawberry Rhubarb Sour  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  6.2  |  9 
Double Mountain  |  Kölsch  |  Kölsch  |  5.1  |  8  
Gigantic  |  Kölschtastic  |  Kölsch  |  5  |  7.5  
10 Barrel  |  Cucumber Crush  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5  |  7.5
Culmination  |  Sour Power Flower Hour  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5.5 
Melvin   |  2x4  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  8.5  
North Coast Brewing  |  Old Rasputin |  Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial  |  9  |  9.1  
Stone Brewing  |  Double Bastard Ale 2015  |  Ale, Brown, American  |  11  |  9  
Steenberge, Brouwerij van  |  Tripel Van De Garre  |  Ale, Belgian Tripel  |  11  |  8.5

Then stopped at Annex & Al's Den, for a


McMenamins  |  Blackberry Rhubarb pie  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  4.11  |  8.0

While walking passed a store with a sale on the GrowlerWerks pressurized growler. This must be purchased if you are serious about beer!!


Then lastly at a place I haven’t been to since 2011 - Bridgeport Brewing. Hello old friend.


Bridgeport  |  Old Knucklehead  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  9.2  |  9

Started the morning of 8/18 with a nice walk, to check out the area. What had changed so much in Portland is the aroma. Or smell. OR stench is more like it. A bit east of the area where we were staying (Canopy by Hilton, which is a different Euro-themed departure for the otherwise stalwart chain) was awash in the odor of urine.




I don’t mean the faint whiff of cat piss, I mean like – if you closed your eyes – you’d think you were kneeling in front of a urinal in a condemned mens’ room in Grand Central Station, before the 1998 restoration. Portland – you need to do something about the homeless population. And not “more affordable housing” – these people have no money, many appear to be  mentally ill, as well as drug-addicted. Intervene, get them off the streets, get them jobs. Plenty of people hiring.

But I digress; like any true beer fan, I soldiered on.




Once done mapping the urine odor density...


...stopped in at Pints, for a taster, not pints. Except for the Steel Bridge Stout.
That was a pint.
At Pints.
American pints.
Not Imperial pints, at Pints.
I wonder if there's a brewpub in the EU called "472 Centiliters"
Although Pints is now Ascendant brewing.


Pints  |  Steel Bridge  |  Ale, Stout, American   |  5.2  |  7.5  
Pints  |  Pink Peppercorn pepper Saison  |  Ale, Saison  |  6.2  |  6.8  
Pints  |  Even Bretter than IPA  |  Ale, IPA, Sour   |  6.4  |  7.5  
Pints  |  Awesome Sauce  |  Ale, IPA, New England   |  5.2  |  8  
Pints  |  Strawberries are my Jam  |  Ale, Sour  |  5.1  |  8.5  
Pints  |  Spruce Tip Trip  |  Ale, IPA, Tripel, Spiced  |  5.2  |  9  

Lunchtime was at the Rogue taphouse



Rogue   |  Hop Trippin  |  Ale, Pale, American  |  5.8  |  8    (Free as tap kicked!)
Rogue   |  Rolling Thunder   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  14.4  |  9.5  

At the end of the day - after the service – had a
Pelican Brewpub  |  Kiwanda Cream Ale  |  Ale, Cream  |    |  7.5

The next day was another family day with lunch at the “new” (to me) Double Mountain Brewery location in Portland.



Years ago I had their Tahoma Kriek, which uses Rainier cherries, hence the yellow color instead of red.
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Tahoma Kriek  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek  |  9.9  |  10  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Devil's Kriek  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek  |  9.2  |  8.5  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Citraf#ck  |  Ale, IPA, American  |  6.7  |  8.2  
Double Mountain Brewery Portland   |  Pêche Cuvée   |  Ale, Belgian Lambic Style  |  8.7  |  9  
Was able to get some to take home.

Went to a favorite - Bailey's Taproom for oddly enough beer 10,100, having had beer #1,900 there in 2011. Cameron was there this evening; he also told us about the new place called the Upper Lip, above them. They have a similar setup, with an insane bottle list.


Hair of the Dog  |  Doggie Claws  |  Ale, Barleywine, American  |  11  |  8  [beer 10.100]
Jester King  |  RU55  |  Ale, Belgian Flanders Red style   |  7.3  |  8.
Half Acre  |  Deep Space  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  7.8  


Boulevard  |  Bourbon Barrel Quad  |  Ale, Belgian Quadrupel Style  |  11.2  |  9  
Beaching Beaver  |  PB&J Blonde  |  Ale, Fruit  |    |  9  
Deschutes  |  Mirror Mirror  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  11.2  |  10  |  50% aged in barrels

Went out for a midnight snack after this at the Little Bird Bistro. Delicious.


Also had
Wolves and People   |  Coneflower   |  Ale, IPA, Session  |  7  |  7.8  

But on a sad note, as we were walking out, noted the Tugboat Brewing sign. They are now apparently closed.


Next day 8/20 went shopping in Portland. Went to Powell's Bookstore of course. Stopped at von Ebert for lunch. Love the hog.




Von Ebert  |  Pilsner  |  Lager, Pilsner, German Pils  |  4.9  |  8.5 
Von Ebert  |  Das Dom   |  Kölsch Style  |  4.7  |  6  
Von Ebert  |  Table Biere   |  Ale, Belgian Table Beer Style  |  3.6  |  9  
Von Ebert  |  Entirely Porter  |  Ale, Porter, English  |    |  9.5  
Von Ebert  |  Stratum  |  Ale, Sour, Kettle  |  5.3  |  8  
Von Ebert  |  O.P.M.  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial aged in bourbon Barrels   |  12  |  9.5  |  Aged with Ancho Chiles

Later in the day got a ride to Great Notion.


I had heard a lot about the place and decided to try all the beers; after all, UBER was doing the driving. Steve the bartender was a really good host.




Great Notion  |  Blueberry Muffin  |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  5.5  |  9.5
Great Notion  |  Chocolate Covered Strawberry   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial, Fruit  |  10.5  |  9
Great Notion  |  Old Barn oak aged  |  Ale, Saison  |  7  |  8
Great Notion  |  Luminous 03  |  Ale, IPA, Sour   |  5.5  |  10
Great Notion & Block 15  |  Peach Punch you in the eye  |  Ale, IPA, American, fruit  |  7  |  9.5





Great Notion  |  Guava Mochi   |  Ale, IPA, New England, fruit  |  7.2  |  7 
Great Notion  |  Guava Flow  |  Ale, IPA, Double, Fruit  |  8  |  9 
Great Notion  |  Oblivion 02  |  Ale, IPA, Double New England  |  8.2  |  8.8  
Great Notion  |  Full Grown  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10  |  9 
Great Notion  |  Peanut Brother   |  Ale, Stout, Milk, Imperial  |  9  |  8.5 
Great Notion  |  Blueberry Pancakes   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  10.5  |  10.1 [yes 10.1 on open-ended 0-10 scale]
Great Notion  |  Double Stack  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  11  |  9.5 

Had dinner at a nice little Italian place.


Then back to the Upper Lip
Boon  |  Oude Geuze Boon à l’Ancienne - vat 91 mono  |  Ale, Belgian Lambic  |  8  |  9  

And Baily’s to end the trip
Hair of the Dog  |  Cherry Adam from the wood  |  Ale, Old, English  |  10  |  9 

And what a trip it was.


Saturday, July 21, 2018

Beer Ten Thousand

Actually a lot more than 10,000; since April 20, 1997. This counting started in San Diego - during a company training meeting – and I had just created a Notion database to run on the Apple Newton. Original categories were Brewery, Name, Country, Type, From (served how), and score on a semi-logarithmic 0.0 - 10.0 scale.

Over the years migrated to FileMaker on PalmOS, then FileMaker for iOS. Added features like  a color chart and categories for aroma, mouthfeel, etc. over the years.

As noted before, since keeping track it’s been 361 breweries/brewpubs in 39 states and 26 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, 


Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, England Wales, France, 


Germany, 


Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, 


Malaysia, Netherlands, 


New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, 


and the USA. 


And as noted a lot more than 10,000 beers. And to be sure, there are some “repeats” as – for example – a beer could be on tap (1), cask (2), in a can (3), bottle (4), and at the brewery (5). It can also be the same vintage beer a few years later (6). So no, not 10,000 different beers.

The most from one brewery? I was surprised to see the local swamp Yankees at Black Pond Brews at 112 the most from one brewery.

Styles? Barleywine variants – a personal favorite – 289 different. 1,839 different IPA variants, and I was well-pleased to see 400 Porters and 958 Stouts of varying kinds from the mild Ale, Stout, Sweet (London) to the searing Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial. Only around 1,300 Lagers of varying types.

The beer I rated the highest? Westvleteren 12 at the monastery shop, fresh with bread and cheese from the monks as well. 11.0 / 10.0! 


In fact only 49 beers have ranked more than 10.0 over the decades.

Dochter van de Korenaar, de   |  Embrasse, peated oak aged   |  Ale, Belgian Strong, Dark  |  10.0%  |  10.5 / 10.0
Emilesse  |  Imperial Russian Stout Peated Bowmore barrel  |  Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial  |  11.0%  |  10.5
Het Anker  |  Gouden Carolus Classic  |  Ale, Belgian Strong  |  %  |  10.5
Hof Ten Dormaal  |  Brew No 3  |  Ale, Belgian Blonde  |  12.0%  |  10.5
Lindemans  |  Cuvée René Oude Geuze Lambic Ale  |  Ale, Belgian Gueuze blend  |  5.5%  |  10.5
Oskar Blues  |  Ten Fidy barrel aged  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  %  |  10.5
Radberger Braufactum  |  Braufactum Arrique 2012  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  13.5%  |  10.5
Saint-Bock Brasserie Artisanale, Le   |  Naufrageur Double IPA  |  Ale, IPA, Double  |  8.0%  |  10.5
Trinity  |  Red Swingline  |  Ale, IPA, sour   |  4.1%  |  10.5
Westvleteren  |  8  |  Ale, Belgian Trappist Dubbel  |  8.0%  |  10.5
Westvleteren  |  Trappist Westvleteren 12 from 2001 (in 2011)  |  Ale, Belgian Trappist Dubbel  |  %  |  10.5
Wicked Weed  |  Black Angel Cherry Sour  |  Ale, Sour  |  5.6%  |  10.5
Anchor  |  Wild Princess  |  Gruit  |  4.2%  |  10.2
Cantillon  |  Bruocsella 1900 Grand Cru  |  Ale, Belgian Flemish Sour  |  5.0%  |  10.2
Cantillon  |  Kriek 100% Lambic  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek Lambic  |  5.0%  |  10.2
Deschutes  |  Mirror Mirror  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  11.2%  |  10.2
Het Uiltje  |  Joost mag het wetenl  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  11.0%  |  10.2
Smuttynose  |  Rocky Road  |  Ale, Stout, American  |  7.3%  |  10.2
Ale Apothecary   |  Therapy Ferret  |  Ale, Wild, American, fruit  |  8.7%  |  10.1
Allagash   |  Midnight Brett Wild Ale  |  Ale, Wild  |  7.3%  |  10.1
Avery  |  Mephistopheles Bourbon  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial aged in bourbon Barrels   |  16.4%  |  10.1
Boulevard  |  Collaboration #6 barrel aged blend  |  Ale, Strong, American  |  12.5%  |  10.1
Carton  |  Sundae  |  Ale, Stout, Russian Imperial  |  10.0%  |  10.1
Dark Horse  |  Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead the 5th Imperial Stout  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  11.0%  |  10.1
Drie Fonteinen  |  Doesjel  |  Ale, Belgian Lambic (blended)  |  6.0%  |  10.1
Drie Fonteinen  |  Oude Geuze Golden Blend  |  Ale, Belgian Lambic (blended)  |  6.0%  |  10.1
Fremont  |  Rusty Nail 2017  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  12.7%  |  10.1
Henry & Fran  |  How to Reimagine the World Gose  |  Gose, fruit  |  5.8%  |  10.1
Hill Farmrstead   |  Aaron  |  Ale, Barleywine, American  |  %  |  10.1
Hof Ten Dormaal  |  Barrel aged Project No 11 aged in Armagnac barrels   |  Ale, Belgian Strong, Dark  |  12.0%  |  10.1
Hoppin’ Frog   |  Northern Hoser Exposure barrel aged  |  Ale, Barleywine, Canadian  |  15.0%  |  10.1
Kenai  |  Gummi Bear Tripel  |  Ale, Belgian Tripel style   |  9.0%  |  10.1
Mikkeller   |  Nuclear Hop Assault  |  Ale, IPA, Belgian Double  |  8.0%  |  10.1
Omnipollo  |  Hypno Poma  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  11.0%  |  10.1
Omnipollo & Buxton  |  Yellow Belly Sundae  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  %  |  10.1
Sierra Nevada  |  Hoptimum 2015 whole cone imperial IPA  |  Ale, IPA, Imperial  |  10.4%  |  10.1
Sierra Nevada  |  Narwhal 2014 barrel aged (in 2015)  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  12.9%  |  10.1
Sierra Nevada  |  Narwhal Imperial Stout Barrel Aged   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  12.9%  |  10.1
Smuttynose  |  Blueberry Short Weisse  |  Ale, Wheat, Berliner Weisse mit schusse  |  4.9%  |  10.1
Smuttynose  |  Smoked Cherry Short Weisse  |  Ale, Wheat, Berliner Weisse mit schusse  |  4.9%  |  10.1
Stone / Julie Goldenburg / Monkey Paw  |  24 Carrot Golden Ale  |  Ale, Spiced  |  8.5%  |  10.1
The Answer brewpub  |  Cherry Popsicle   |  Gose  |  3.5%  |  10.1
Tired Hands  |  kämə,serē   |  Ale, IPA, Tripel, Spiced  |  11.0%  |  10.1
Tree House  |  All that is and all that ever will be  |  Ale, Stout, Milk  |  6.5%  |  10.1
Tree House  |  King Jjjuliusss  |  Ale, IPA, Double, California  |  8.4%  |  10.1
Tree House   |  Double Shot Burundi Mpanga Kirema   |  Ale, Stout, Coffee, Double  |  7.6%  |  10.1
Tree House   |  Double Shot Costa Rica Montes de Oro  |  Ale, Stout, Coffee, Double  |  7.6%  |  10.1
Treehouse  |  Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known  |  Ale, Stout, Milk  |  7.9%  |  10.1
Willimantic  |  Barrel Blended Sour Raisin Old Ale  |  Ale, Old, Sour  |  9.7%  |  10.1

But not all were good. Here’s the worst beers I’ve had. And hey, no offense, you may have had an off-day, and for example the Goose Island and Gärd der dicke Fisch was “infected”

Anheuser Busch   |  Bud Light Lime  |  Lager, American Pale Lite  |    |  2.0 / 10.0
Budweiser  |  Select 55  |  Lager, Light  |    |    |  2.0
Darwin Brewery  |  Flag Porter  |  Ale, Porter, Brown  |    |  2.0
Great Dane  |  Extra Pale Ale  |  Ale, Pale, IPA  |    |  2.0
Mectezuma Brewing  |  Sol  |  Lager, American Pale  |    |  2.0
Miller Coors  |  ZIMA  |  Fruit  |  5.0%  |  2.0
Pabst  |  Old Milwaukee  |  Lager, American  |  4.6 %  |  2.0
Portland Brewing Co.  |  Haystack Black Porter  |  Ale, Porter, Robust  |    | 2.0
Rickard Molson  |  Dark English Style Porter  |  Ale, Porter, English  |    |  2.0
Rogue  |  Chipolte Ale  |  Ale, Amber  |    |   2.0
Witnica   |  Boss Green Beer  |  Ale, Blonde  |  4.2%  |  2.0
Witnica   |  Boss Honey Dark Beer  |  Ale, Brown  |    |   2.0
Nethergate Brewery  |  Dirty Dick's Audit Ale  |  Ale, Bitter, Special  |  8.0%  |  1.5
Goose Island   |  Bourbon County Stout   |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |    |  1.0
RJ Rockers  |  Fish Paralyzer  |  Ale, Belgian  |    |   1.0
Schmieriger Lachs  |  Gärd der dicke Fisch  |  Ale, Barleywine  |  10.2 %   |  1.0
Solibra  |  Mamba  |  Ale, Cream   |    | 1.0

So how was 10,000? Number 9,999 was from a friend, a nice Belgian Cream Ale
Parable  |  Belgian Cream Ale  |   Ale, Belgian Cream Ale Style  |  5.1%  |  8.0 / 10.0

Then for 10,000 we sort of decided on a barleywine from the Czech Republic, picked up this summer on vacation. It was 420 Korunas, or a whopping $19.12; it was purchased along with some Cantillon.
Matuska  |  Barrel Aged Barleywine   |  Ale, Barleywine, English  |  13.5%  |  8.2 / 10.0


Later that day, got up to Beer 10,008
Perennial  |  Abraxas  |  Ale, Stout, Imperial  |  11.0%  |  9.0
OEC  |  Experimentalis   |  Ale, Sour, Fruit  |  6.5%  |  9.6
Omer Vander Ghinste  |  Kriek des Jacobins  |  Ale, Belgian Kriek Lambic  |  ?%  |  9.0
Otter Creek  |  Berner  |  Ale, IPA, Double  |  7.0%  |  7.6
Tilquin  |  Gueuze a L'ancienne 2015  |  Ale, Belgian Gueuze blend  |  6.4%  |  9.3
Down the Road Beer  |  Feyborn berliner weisss peach   |  Ale, Wheat, Berliner Weisse, Fruit  |  4.5%  |  4.0
DuPont & Lost Abbey  |  Deux Amis  |  Ale, Belgian Saison  |  ?%  |  8.0

Ad Astra.