Beer Blotter: Seattle based. World focused.

Stop by and taste BrewDog's rare and extremely potent beers at Birch and Barley

Its Thanksgiving week which means a short work week and snow for people in Seattle- a rare occurrence, I might add. This weekend I warmed up with some Firestone Walker Double Jack, Stone‘s 2008 Russian Imperial Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (unreal), The Bruery‘s Autumn Maple Strong Ale and Upright‘s 5 Rye Saison. But now for your week in beer!

Monday, November 22, 2010

BrewDog Night: Washington, D.C.

4:00PM-9:00PM @ Birch and Barley

Tonight, Birch and Barley will be serving the insanely potent Sink The Bismarck (a Quadruple IPA at 41 % abv) and Tactical Nuclear Penguin by BrewDog (Uber Imperial Stout at 32 % abv) in 1.5 oz. pours beginning at 4 PM! Come and taste these singular libations and discover that there is much more too them than hype!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Release Party: Seal Beach, California

7:00PM-10:00PM @ Beachwood BBQ

I recently had this beer in San Diego and it is out-of-this-world! Beachwood BBQ will be taping a keg of Firestone Walker‘s 14 as well as Union Jack, Double Jack, Velvet Merlin, Solace, Pale 31, and DBA.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Emerald City Brewing Co. Tasting: Seattle, Washington

6:00PM- close @ Jillian’s

Check out our article about this event. Emerald City Brewing Co. is new to Seattle, so get out and discover all the beers this brewery has to offer.

Thursday, November 25, 2010
HAPPY TURKEY DAY from bb.com!

What beers will you drink today?

Friday, November 26, 2010

Black Friday: Chicago, Illinois

10:00AM-12:00PM @ Goose Island Cylbourn

Join Goose Island on Black Friday for a special preview of the much anticipated Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout. The Goose Island Clybourn Brewpub will be tapping a few barrels of the Rare that morning at 10am. Once it’s gone, it’s gone and we expect it will sell out fast. Aside from this special tapping the only time you’ll see Rare Bourbon County Brand Stout on draft will be at select beer festivals and promotional Goose Island events in the future.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

HOPSGIVING: Barto, Pennsylvania

12:00PM-10:00PM @ Union Jack’s Old Congo Hotel

No cover- pay as you drink. Check the list. Its pretty amazing.

PORT HIGH TIDE
GREEN FLASH IMPERIAL
STONE RUINATION
PORT HOP 15
DOGFISH HEAD 90 MIN
NOGNE O
PLINY THE ELDER
BLIND PIG
SOUTHERN TIER UNEARTHLY
ROGUE XS IPA
GREAT DIVIDE FRESH HOP ALE
BEAR REPUBLIC RACER X
AVERY MAHARAJAH
VICTORY HOP WALLOP

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Freakin’ Firkin Sunday: Benton Harbor, Michigan

Roman's Pub in Milwaukee, WI

My excuse this week. A little thing called San Diego Beer Week. So much more about that to come, on Alpine Brewing, Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Stone Brewing Co., Allagash Night, Green Flash at Toronado and so much more. 

But now for your week in beer.

Skipping Monday. Sorry!! Re-coup day.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Smuttynose Rare Beer Night: Greenville, South Carolina

7:00PM-10:00PM @ Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria

Tonight, some rare Smuttynose beers will be on tap. The list includes:

-Rouge d’Shire (Short Batch #9)
-Vunderbar (Short Batch #11)
-Wheat Wine Ale // 2007
-S’Muttonator Doppelbock // 2008

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Dogfish head and Three Floyds Collab Release: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

8:00PM-10:00PM @ Roman’s Pub

Release of this super rare collaborative brew by Dogfish head and Three Floyds along with special tappings of DH Worldwide Stout ’09, DH Bitch’s Brew and bottle sampling so far. Poppaskull is described as an “Old School, German Brown Ale with Palo Santo Wood and Botanicals.”

Thursday, November 18, 2010

VictoryBrewing Night: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

8:00PM-10:00PM @ The Devil’s Den

Join us as we tap a selection of beers from Victory Brewing Company.

Victory people will be on hand pouring the following -

On Tap:

-Yakima Glory (Black IPA)
-Harvest Ale (Wet Hopped Pale Ale)
-Golden Monkey (Tripel)

On Cask:

-Storm King Stout (Russian Imperial Stout)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Dissedent Release Party: Portland, Oregon

5:00PM-12:00AM @ Deshutes Brewing Co.

Event details were too epic to reiterate.

For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 2010 The Dissident, wait no more! After almost 2 years in isolation our distinctive sour brown ale has finally been bottled. Our only wild yeast beer, brettanomyces and lactobacillus impart its characteristic sour taste. Lavished with whole western Washington cherries – pits and all – It’s our wildest, most extensively pampered beer.
Alcohol By Volume: 10.0%
International Bitterness Units: 25

We have very limited bottles available.

Our Bend and Portland Pubs will begin selling 22oz bottles of The Dissident after 11:00am on 11/19 and there will a 6 bottle limit per person. Check out the special dinner menu with 3 specialty food items paired with different sour brews including The Dissident, our Benderweisse, a sour cherry wheat and a sour cherry porter (Portland Pub sour brews may vary).

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Hair of the Dog’s 17th Anniversary Celebration: Portland, Oregon

10:00AM-8:00PM @ Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.

To celebrate 17 years of brewing, Alan Sprints, owner and head brewer of Hair of the Dog will be having a release party for Batch #2 Matt and the seasonal Doggie Claws. Check out our write up of this event here.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Alligator and Allagash Beer Dinner: Blue Island, Illinois

2:00PM-6:00PM @ Maple Tree Inn

In honor of this amazing brewery, Allagash and some delicious gator, I present a unique menu and a beer pairing not to be missed.

First course:
Maple Tree Inn’s famous “Swamp” Alligator Soup paired with Allagash White

Second course:
Fried Alligator Po’Boy with Cajun fries paired with Allagash Tripel

Third course:
Alligator & Andouille Sauce Piquante paired with Allagash Black

Tickets on sale now at the Maple Tree Inn — $35 in advance; $40 at the door (if tickets remain). Limited seating only!

If you go to an event, want me to post about an event or just want to tell me a beer related story, email me at jess@beerblotter.com. Cheers!

Home of the Great Pumpkin Beer Fest- T minus 5 days.

Written by Jess R.

A low key weekend began with a Dogfish Head Punkin Ale at Whisk(e)y Bar (my new favorite, local watering hole), several Firestone Walker Union Jack IPAs, a New Belgium/Elysian Trip III and several Fresh Hop beers (it was a rough week at work, ok). Other beer highlights include Port Brewing’s Old Viscosity, an imperial stout worth a moment of silence and a couple of tall boys of Rainier. And now for your week in beer.

Monday, October 11, 2010

” I Love New York” Beer Week Begins: New York, New York

All week @ the Spring Lounge

Start spreading the news, its All New York, all week, with beer from Brooklyn, Ommegang, Captain Lawrence, Ithaca Brewing Co., Greenport Harbor, Coney Island, Sixpoint, Southern Tier, and more. Check out www.beermenus.com for details on the special events this week.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Green Flash Night: Whittier, California

7:00PM-9:00PM @ The Bottle Room

Not only will all patrons receive discounts on beer, the first 36 guests will receive a complimentary Green Flash Brewing Co. pint glass with the purchase of a regularly priced draft (minus $1 for LA Beer Week). From there, bring your pint glass in and receive a $1 off Green Flash drafts until the kegs are kicked. Green Flash flights will be available–4-4 ounce pours for $11. Expect some special Green Flash beers not available elsewhere to the public.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Avery Rumpkin Release: Boulder, Colorado

6:00PM-9:00PM @ Avery Brewing Co.

AN IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE AGED IN RUM BARRELS. Stop by Avery Brewing Co. (where the magic happens) and experience the release of what sounds like am amazing, seasonal brew. Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with pumpkin puree and a blend of five spices. Aged in extremely fresh Gosling’s Rum barrels for six months. Consume fresh and often, preferably with a pumpkin pie and/or s’mores.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Unibroue Beer Tasting: Cincinnati, Ohio

6:00PM-8:00PM @ Catskeller

Just $10.00 and you get beer from Unibroue paired with small plates. What a deal! The menu reads as follows:

Maudite: with bruchetta
La Fin Du Monde: with bacon scallops
Ephemere: with brie and apricot phylo
Don de Dieu: with smoked turkey club with feta cut in fourths
Terrible: with sharp cheddar quiche
Trois Pistoles: with rich chocolate brownies

Friday, October 15, 2010

Cleveland Beer Week Begins: Cleveland, Ohio

From the website:

The second annual CLEVELAND BEER WEEK will take place from October 15-23, 2010. A celebration of craft and import beers, CLEVELAND BEER WEEK features plenty of tastings, dinners, activities and more at more than 100 venues throughout Cuyahoga County and beyond. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the world of craft and imported brews at CLEVELAND BEER WEEK.

This beer week will not disapoint with participating breweries such as Hoppin’ Frog, Thirsty Dog, Great Lakes Brewing Co. and more. As if you weren’t excited enough, 12 breweries who participated in the largest known collaboration of its kind in the world, creating six brews. Family members have already agreed to mail us a six pack. Oh man! For more information, visit the event site.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Great Pumpkin Beer Fest: Seattle, Washington

(Saturday and Sunday) 12:00PM – the beers get tapped and the place shuts down @ Elysian Brewing Co., Capital Hill Location

I know we already did a write up about this event, but I am so damn excited, I had to mention it here- click here for details about the event from bb.com. Expect a crowd, a well-deserved crowd of people thirsty for pumpkin beers from Elysian, Russian River, Jolly Pumpkin and so many more. Sour pumpkin beers, pumpkin stouts, spiced ales and possibly beer brewed in a pumpkin. Also, get there early and you might get a sweet little taster glass (at least we did last year).

Sunday, October, 17, 2010

Farmhouse Ale Dinner: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

5:00PM-9:00PM @ The South Philadelphia Taproom

All you can eat harvest foods and beers for $50.00 (includes tax and tip). Featured beers include: Ommegang Hennepin, Sly Fox Saison Vos, Saison Dupont, St. Feuillien and more!

If you go to an event, want to talk about an event or a beer you had at an event, leave a comment or email us at beerblotter@gmail.com. Cheers!

The keg ring for Registration Ale, Russian River's unknown grog (Photo: BeerNews.Org)

Some of you might know that the writers of this blog are huge Russian River Brewing fans. We love the hoppy ones, we crave the sour ones. Vinnie Cilurzo makes a damn good beer.

Russian River Brewing has been the topic of discussion on this blog on several occasions. But none was more read and reviewed than our post on the 2010 release of Pliny the Younger, Beer Advocates, previous #1 beer in the world. (now #2)

Last spring, Vinnie sent some specialties to Philadelphia, including some of that delicious Pliny the Younger. Because the beer had not been registered with the state, officials raided bars that had it on tap and confiscated the goodness.

This is not going to happen again.

With Philly Beer Week in full bloom, Russian River made sure that their beers were registered this year. In fact, Vinnie is even poking a bit of fun at the ridiculous raid that probably resulted in a bunch of state troopers getting drunk on amazing beer that they didn’t even enjoy.

BeerNews.Org published a story that Russian River has registered “Registration Ale” and will be pouring it this week. From their site:

Earlier this spring, Russian River Brewing and a host of other breweries were caught in the middle of some controversy in Philadelphia. Officials raided some beer bars for unregistered beers and some brews were confiscated as a result. For Russian River Registration Ale, Vinnie Cilurzo made sure to properly register this one with the local liquor governing body. He asked me to keep this a secret back in April and I obliged. Not sure if it is new or a re-label of an existing beer in the catalog as he was pretty tight-lipped about it. People can enjoy it on tap around the city this week.

Who knows what’s in that keg – who cares. That beer is golden. I hope that everyone in Philly enjoys – it cost them $75.00 to get that puppy registered.

City Tap House in Philly, PA. "Great Food- Craft Brewed"

Is it really Monday again? Sure enough we had a weekend excursion..where to? Wenatchee, WA along with Cashmere, Leavenworth and Ellensburg.  Along the way we drank Deschutes Hop Henge and Jubel at the Applewood Grille, enjoyed a German brew at Munchen Haus in Leavenworth and stopped at Iron Horse Brewing Co. for some IPA, Hefe (6%!!) and Biere De Garde.  Always a good time. Now, for times to come….

Monday, June 7, 2010

Bell’s World Record Draft Event: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

7:00PM-11:00PM  @ City Tap House

31 different and rare beers on tap tonight, all from Bell’s Brewing Co. Oh man….this event is amazing. Fresh Hop Slam and Golden Funk, Kal Haven Brett Rye Ale, Black Note and Sparkling Ale, Oracle, Wheat Love, Deb’s Red, Q Falls Lager, or Bourbon Barrel Hell Hath.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

3rd Annual Belgium Beer Festival: Queens, New York

6:00 PM- 4:00AM @ Sunswick 35/35

Can’t get to Belgium? Then just go to this event: 5 rotating Belgian beers on tap. Six specialty bottled beers will also be available. The menu will feature Belgian-inspired dishes, such as Belgian cheese plates, waffles, fries, and salads. Check out Brugze Zot, Saison Dupont, Westmalle Trappiste Tripel and more!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Meet and Greet with Great Lakes Brewing Co.: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

6:00PM- 8:00PM @ the Devil’s Den

Owner of Great Lakes Brewing Co., Pat Conway will be here to discuss and enjoy his beers with you. GLBC, out of Cleveland OH, makes amazing brews, ranging from Blackout Stout to an unbelievable Christmas Ale. Their American style IPA, Commodore Perry and their Burning River Pale Ale are also not to be missed.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Victory Beer Dinner: Purcellville, Virginia

7:00PM-9:00PM @ Magnolias at the Mill

This $80.00 dinner will be worth every penny….6 courses (including a greeting beer) will be paired with Victory Brewing Co. beers.  8 beers will be tasted including Old Horizontal Barleywine and Wild Devil!!! Enjoy!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Allagash Night: San Diego, California

5:00PM-8:00PM @ Downtown Johnny Browns

The beer line up for the Allagash Night will include: Curieux, Victor, Victoria, Confluence, Wit, Interlude, Odyssey, Fluxus 09′, Four and Dubbel. Also, enjoy some smoked brisket with a Curieux BBQ sauce! Check out Johnny Browns for brewer nights in the future.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Monthly Brew Day: Anthem, Arizona

9:00AM-5:00PM @ Hops and Tannins

If you don’t have room at home or want to get out to meet other home brewers, this is the event for you! Equipment is available for purchase at the store. But feel free to bring your own equipment to this event. You will have access to electricity, running water, a workbench area and use of two propane burners on a first come, first served basis. As a part of “buy here, brew here”, an area to store fermenters will be provided in shop if needed and access on Saturdays to transfer/rack, and bottle. For more information, call 623-551-9857.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Sunday Funday with New Belgium Brewing: Fort Worth, Texas

2:00PM – 5:00PM @ Ginger Man

New Belgium beers on tap, money spent will go towards The Ryan Family YMCA Step Up for Kids program. Give back on a Sunday while enjoying brews from NB. If they have Eric’s Sour Ale on tap- get it!

That’s it, that’s all. Email us at beerblotter@gmail.com or leave a comment if you want to discuss an event, want us to post an event or just want to talk about beer! Cheers!