Beer Blotter: Seattle based. World focused.

The Surly Goat in Cali. Pic courtesy of www.surlygoat.com.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Bruery/Dogfish Head Collab Party: West Hollywood, California

6:00PM-2:00AM @ The Surly Goat

And I am in shock….

Join us as we celebrate the future realization of these two fine brewery’s love child with special guests from both camps.

Featuring Such Bitchin Keg as…

Dogfish Head:

90 minitue IPA on Coffee Bean Randel (!!!)

Arpihop

Burton Baton

Festina Peche

Hellhound On My Ale – Imperial IPA

Midas Touch

Red and White – Imperial White

The Bruery:

Bierbauch

Cuir (3rd Anniversary Ale) 14.5% Get a cab!

Humulus Lager

Iniquitous Belgian-style Golden Ale

Salt of the Earth – Gose

Seven Grain Saison

The Wanderer – Sour Ale/Wild Ale (super limited / brewed for SF’s City Beer Store Anniversary)

Wednesday, June 17, 2011

Firestone Walker Night with Parabola 2010 and 2011: San Diego, California

5:00PM-11:00PM @ Urge Gastropub

This is your chance to taste two years of Firestone Walker’s Imperial stout Parabola side by side. I have a bottle of the 2011 aging in the cellar as I type.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Brewers Night with Emerald City: Bellingham, Washington

6:00PM-8:00PM @ Green Frog Cafe

The Green Frog welcomes Seattle’s Emerald City Brewing to Tha ‘Ham for a Brewers Night. Expect a fine selection of tasty quaffs and the chance to go home with some free stuff.

Friday, June 17, 2011- HAPPY BIRTHDAY DSR!!!!!

Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival: National Harbor, Maryland

6:00PM-10:00PM @ Waterfront

The three B’s: Beer, Bourbon and BBQ. I know a handful of people that would die to go to this event. So if you live in the area- GO!

Join us at the festival for a great day of beer sippin’, bourbon tastin’, music listenin’, cigar smokin’, and barbeque eatin’. Your admission buys you a sampling glass so you can enjoy an ALL-YOU-CARE -TO-TASTE sampling of beer and bourbon. Some of the best barbeque vendors are on-site if you get hungry all while enjoying seminars in the tasting theater and LIVE music all day.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Founders Fest 2011: Grand Rapids, Michigan

3:00PM-11:00PM @ Founders Brewing Company

Of course, you know how much bb.com loves Founders Brewing Co. This event is jam packed with beer, music and food.

Our street party: The 4th Annual Founders Fest is set to take place on Saturday, June 18th, 2011 from 3pm-11pm. This outdoor event is our biggest party of the year and features multiple local, regional and national live bands and entertainers, local food vendors, local arts and crafts, and plenty of Founders beer. Ages 21+.

A variety of local, regional entertainment will rock this year’s Founders Fest, with nationally-recognized GALACTIC of New Orleans as the event’s headliner. Other performers include former Jerry Garcia Band Organist MELVIN SEALS performing with TERRAPIN FLYER Chicago’s own Grateful Dead tribute, Michigan’s favorite global groovers THE RAGBIRDS, Boston’s own RUBBLEBUCKET, Lansing, MI based Americana group STEPPIN’ IN IT, and Grand Rapids’ own AB & COCONUT BROWN. Local DJ SPYDRE MURPHY, and a super-group of Founders Employees return as the FBC ALL-STARS round out the entertainment line-up.

Discounted advance ticket sales will again be available starting April 14th at Founders Tap Room, as well as online, via www.foundersbrewing.com through our friends at www.brownpapertickets.com. The event is limited to ages 21 and older.

Sunday, June 19, 2011**

** This event is also on Friday, June 17 and Sat, June 18

Washington Brewers Festival: Kenmore, Washington

Saint Edwards State Park

This is my favorite Washington beer festival. Its outside, has great food vendors and the line up of Washington beers is always impressive. Last year, the highlight of my day was Twangzister by Snipes Mountain Brewing Co. This year, I will be spending sometime in the Rootbeer garden, but I wouldn’t miss this for the world.

Washington Brewers Festival is the biggest and one of the longest running of the six beer tasting events presented by the Washington Beer Commission.

More than 60 breweries (50+ from Washington state!) will be on hand to pour more than 200 craft brews in this annual pilgrimage of 15,000 to Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore, June 17-19.

Washington Beer is recognized everywhere as being high in quality and taste thanks to the energy and creativity of the craft brewers and abundance of fresh ingredients available right here in the evergreen state.

Established in July 2007 the Washington Beer Commission represents all 145 craft breweries in the state with a mission is to ensure that more beer enjoyed in Washington is made by its own craft brewers.

Support your local breweries and Drink Washington Beer!

Check out the event website for more details!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Pig Roast with Captain Lawrence: Stamford, Connecticut

7:00PM-10:00PM @ Coalhouse Pizza

On June 20th, join us at Coalhouse Pizza as we team up with Scott Vacarro of Captain Lawrence for a night to remember – an outdoor pig roast with live music!

Tickets on sale now – 203-977-7700. Food, beer, entertainment all included. The fun starts at 7pm.

On the menu … Crisp Crudite with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa, Spanish Green Gazpacho, Fresh Seasonal Summer Salad, Mexican Corn on the Cob, Slow Roasted Pork with Smoked Baked Beans, Espresso Stout & Buck’s Vanilla Ice Cream Beer Float.

This will be the first of four big outdoor events this summer and each are going to be great fun!

If you go to an event, want us to post about an event or just have something to say, leave a comment or email me at jess@beerblotter.com.

Cheers!

Pix courtesy of bloatedbelly.typepad.com. Thats one Happy Gnome!

Tuesday, May 9, 2011

Throwback Party: Seattle, Washington

3:00PM-12:00AM @ Elysian Brewing Company

Time to dust off the flannel and cardigans! We will be hosting a THROWBACK PARTY on our actual birthday MAY 10, 2011 @ ELYSIAN CAPITOL HILL. We are heading back to the 90′s with our clothes, music, and some original food menu items — not to mention our Retro Happy Hour with 1996 Pint Prices from 3-5pm that day. Look for special treats from the Cellar!

Wednesday, May 10, 2011

Girl Scout Cookie Beer Pairing: Rochester, New York

7:00PM-1:00AM @ The Double Windsor

Ok, not to be a cliche pregnant woman, but this sounds awesome. Speakeasy beers (for you non-pregnant folk) and girl scout cookies, I mean, yes!

Below are the pairings:

* Payback Porter and Thin Mints
* White Lightning and Samoas
* Double Daddy Imperial IPA and Tagalongs
* Prohibition Ale and Do-si-dos

Thursday, May 11, 2011

Smuttynose Meet the Rep Night: Jersey City, New Jersey

7:00PM-9:00PM @ Iron Monkey

Smuttynose on the rooftop of Iron Monkey.

Big A IPA
IPA
Old Brown Dog
Short Batch
Star Island Single
Summer Weizen

$12 Flights
$5 Pints

Friday, May 12, 2011

Goose Island Ales from the Darkside: St. Paul, Minnesota

5:00PM-7:00PM @ The Happy Gnome

Bourbon County Stout brewed by Chicago gem, Goose Island Brewing stands as Timperial Stout’s favorite beer….tonight, three very special kegs will be tapped and should not be missed!
2010 Bourbon County Stout

Bourbon County Stout Vanilla

Old Max – Brett-Aged Danish Stout

Bourbon County Stout Fruit – Cherry Bark (the only keg in existence)

Big John

Saturday, May 13, 2011

Dogfish Head Total Tap Takeover: Sarasota, Florida

3:00PM-11:00PM@  Mr. Beery’s

So many Dogfish head beers:

Tap List:

60 Minute IPA
90 Minute IPA
Rasison D’ Etre
Midas Touch
Namaste
Red & White
Black & Blue
Theobroma
Olde School
Burton Baton
World Wide Stout
Aprihop
Hellhound
Bitches Brew
Fort
Immort Ale
Indian Brown
Palo Santo Marron
My Antonia
Pangea

90 Minute IPA thru the Hopinator 1000 with Fresh Whole Leaf Cascade Hop
Palo Santo Marron thru the Infusinator 2000 with Caramel Chips and Vanilla Beans

Squall IPA bottles
Vintage 120 Minute IPA bottles…

Sunday, May 14, 2011

Founders’ Flights and Bites: Chicago, Illinois

7:00PM-9:00PM @ Bad Apple

$30 will get you 5 bites and 5 beers by mid-west favorite Founders:

Cherry & Cheese / Curmudgeon

Pulled Pork Corn Arepa / All day IPA & shot of MBR smoked corn
moonshine

Citrus Scallop & Asparagus / Double Trouble

Oxtail Slider / Imperial Stout

Coffee Cupcake / Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Monday, May 15, 2011

Beer U: Inside the Craft Beer Industry: Escondido, California

7:00PM-9:00PM @ Stone Brewing Co.

You’re already well acquainted with the business end of the bottle, now you can get acquainted with the business! Join Stone’s craft beer evangelist and Head Blabbermouth Ken Wright for a truly enlightening evening. In between samples of craft brews, you’ll be treated to an insider’s view of the craft beer industry. Business talk has never been so tasty!

If you go to an event, want to comment about an event or want us to post an event email me at jess@ beerblotter.com or leave a comment!

Spend V Day with some amazing brews at Saraveza- Pic courtesy of portlandmercury.com

What was your beer of choice during the Superbowl? Perhaps something to represent the Mid-West? For us, it was homebrew all the way- Hop Chocolate. But now for your week in beer…

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Silver City’s Whoop Pass Double IPA Event: Seattle, WA

4:00PM-10:00PM @ 74th St. Alehouse

Silver City, a brewery located across the Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula, is coming to the city to show off their Double IPA, Whoop Pass. Stop by the 74th St. Alehouse and grab a pint.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Dogfish Head Night: Limerick, Pennsylvania

6:00PM-12:00AM @ Craft Ale House

Get Ready! Go! DOGFISH HEAD!

60 Minute IPA
75 Minute IPA – firkin
90 Minute IPA
**120 Minute IPA ’09
**Red & White
**Black & Blue
Sah’tea
Theobroma
**Midas Touch
Indian Brown Ale
**World Wide Stout
Raison D’Etre (being poured through Randall the Enamel Animal filled with …)
and maybe more.

I’ve double starred my favorites.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Heavy Seas Beer Dinner: Cambridge, Maryland

7:00PM-9:00PM @ Blue Point

For $60.00 you get a 5 course dinner paired with deliciously amazing Heavy Seas beers. Here is the menu- get ready to droooool.

he Menu (subject to change)

Heavy Seas Classic Lager paired with Oysters Bingo

Heavy Seas Gold Ale paired with Rock Shrimp & Corn Fritters, Smoked Paprika Aioli

Heavy Seas Marzen paired with Baked Ziti With Italian Sausage, Marinara and Parmesan

Loose Cannon paired with Loose Cannon Braised Short Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Root Vegetables

Siren Noire paired with Chocolate Bread Pudding, Caramel Anglaise

Friday, February 11, 2011

Chocolate Beer Craziness: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

5:00PM-8:00PM @ Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Check out Iron Hill Brewery‘s line up of chocolate inspired beers. Beer and chocolate, pretty much my two favorite things.

Overload Stout served on nitro
Shokolad Stout served on cask
Oompa Loompa Stout served on nitro
Cowabunga Porter
Bourbon-aged Cowabunga

Plus – complimentary chocolate treats from our kitchen for mug club members.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Pizza Port 2nd Annual Brewbies: Carlsbad, California

12:00PM-5:00PM @ Pizza Port Carlsbad

Pizza Port Presents its 2nd Annual Brewbies festival! Benefitting the Keep A Breast organization (a local breast cancer awareness organization)! Brewbies is a beer festival for boobies!! 25-30 local and regional beers February 12th, 2011 from noon to 5pm at Pizza Port Carlsbad. Buy your tickets online in advance for $25 or at the door for $30. Ticket includes (4)6oz tasters, collectors glass, I love Boobies Bracelet and (1) raffle ticket. Additional tasters and raffle tickets are $1 each. 100% of the proceeds are donated to breast cancer awareness.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Imperial Stout v. Imperial IPA: Plymouth, Massachusetts

12:00PM-5:00PM @ British Beer Company

This is a tough one- two amazing styles head to head- Imperial Stout vs Imperial IPA: a tag team match-up between Dogfish Head Bitches Brew and NE Brewing Co Imperial Stout Trooper vs Sierra Nevada Hoptimum and Dogfish 90 min IPA run through the Randall stuffed with fresh hops and grapefruit peel.

Monday, February 14, 2011

My Beery Valentine: Portland, Oregon

5:00PM-9:00PM @ Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern

Brewpublic’s 2nd Annual My Beery Valentine offers a variety of unique, specialty, and one-of-a-kind craft beers with sweethearts and sweettooths in mind.
Pouring on this night:

* Block 15 Love Potion #9

* Cascade Chocolate Raspberry

* Double Mountain Bonne Idée Avec Kriek

* Fort George Bourbon BBL Cavatica

* Fort George Murky Pearl Oyster Stout

* Ninkasi Vanilla Oatis

* Oakshire Heart Shaped Box

* Upright Blend Love

Saraveza will also feature special treats courtesy of Sugar Pimp to pair with these delicious brews.

This event is open to the public. No tickets sold, just show up. It is recommended that you arrive early. For full descriptions of the beers listed, visit  http://brewpublic.com/events

If you would like us to promote an event or want to comment about an event that you went to, please leave a comment or email me at jess@beerblotter.com! Cheers!

No Brouwers? Something went wrong there.

Washington Beer Blog reminded me that Draft Magazine put out their annual 100 Best Beer Bars this week. Thanks for the reminder, Kendall. Now let me go spend two unproductive hours ogling it!

Draft Magazine is a nationally published magazine focused beer culture. They have been around since 2006, sometimes featuring celebrities on their covers. All in all, its not the nerds guide to beer. Its more of a sassy celebration of all things barley pop.

Don’t let my description drive you away. Draft Magazine is good. In fact, all 3 of the Beer Blotter writers are subscribers. We enjoy the fact that Draft presents a global expose on happenings in the beer world. Its really a good way to locate beer venues from around the world.

Just this week, Draft released its annual Top 100 beer bars list. This list is sorted geographically into 4 regions. I was afraid that they were attempting to force options for each of these regions, but it appears that the selections are not equally divided (for example, the Northeast has many more than the South).  So, it appears that the choices are without prejudice.

In scouring the list, I was very pleased to see places like Avenue Pub (New Orleans), Apex (Portland), Blind Lady Alehouse (San Diego) and our very own Monk’s hole – The Stumbling Monk (Seattle).

But, one cannot peruse the list without finding their own list of absentees. While less deserving pubs made it (i.e. Cooter Browns (New Orleans), Green Dragon (Portland), McNulty’s Bier Markt (Cleveland)), some of the nation’s most celebrated beer venues are missing.

While that absentee list will differ for each of us, here are my Top 5 Absentees:

1. Brouwers Cafe (Seattle) –  They must have pissed off a Draft Magazine writer. Many of us know that Brouwers can sometimes rub the wrong way (and its been stated by commenters here on the site), but there is no better selection of ale in the NW. Brouwers routinely procures 60 taps of rare beer, one of the best bottle lists in the country and an unprecedented number of unmatched in-house beer festivals (See Sour Fest, Hopfest, Big Wood, and Hard Liver). Again, they must have pissed someone off.

 

2. Bangers & Lace (Chicago) – This might simply be too early for Draft to call this place a winner. But, Bangers & Lace has quickly ascended to the top of the Chicago beer world. Presenting an unmatched selection of rare beer, along with phenomenal food, B&L deserves a spot. Guest writer For Whom the Bell Toales agrees that this is the #1 beer venue in Chi-town.

 

3. Small Bar (San Diego) – Ok Ok, they got it mostly right. Hamilton’s Tavern, Blind Lady Alehouse, and O’Brien’s Pub should all be on the list. But, Small Bar gives that Top 3 a run for their money. Mixing a spectacular beer selection with epic food and spunky surroundings, I think it deserved a spot above many of the LA selections.

 

4. Brew Kettle (Strongsville, OH)  - Draft picked one of the many Cleveland suburb favorites – Buckeye Beer Engine. But, I think they got the wrong one. The Brew Kettle blends an incredible draft lineup (thank god for the connection with Founders), house made ales, and some spectactular bar grub. Get drunk enough? Go brew a batch in the back. Beyond that – its just a cool dark place to grab a beer.

 

5. New York’s Forgotten Trio – Ginger Man, Mug’s Alehouse and d.b.a. (NY, NY) – They picked a lot of NY spots. I can understand that its pretty tough to run into your editor’s office and say we picked the Top 100 – 20 of them are in NY. Its a tough job to pick between the excellent spots in NYC. In my mind, they got the top 3 on the list – Rattle N Hum, Blind Tiger and Spuyten Duyvil. Those three are iconic, and the three places that I spend the most time while in NY. But, the above three all deserve a shot at the list. The Ginger Man is just a few blocks from Rattle N Hum – many would say its the cooler bar. Mug’s is tucked away in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. But unlike the uber-hipster crowd at Spuyten Duyvil, you will find comfort at this grog spot. d.b.a. is the lone East Village fave. d.b.a. has been pouring beer for a long time and has an excellent wide spread selection.

I will say, writing the Top 5 absentees was pretty tough. All in all they did a great job finding the appropriate bars. The Top 100 is a worthy list and you should take a glance.

What else is missing!?

Pic Courtesy of mybeerpix.com!

Week 50 of 52
Port Brewing Co./Lost Abbey

155 Mata Way, Suite 104
San Marcos, CA 92069
(760) 920-6121

Friday: 4pm – 9pm
Saturday: 12pm – 6pm
Sunday: 12pm – 5pm

Bottle Sales & Growler Fills Only
Hours for bottle sales and growler fills only (sorry, no tasting flights or pints):

Wednesday: 1pm – 6pm
Thursday: 12pm – 6pm

Closed
The tasting room is closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Rank: 4/5

Type of Establishment: Brewery/Tasting Room/Barrel Aging Facility

Visit: After a trip to Alpine Brewing Co., my hangover started to subside. As one of my favorite breweries, I was so excited to visit Port Brewing Co./Lost Abbey during our SoCal trip.

Beers on Tap (at time of visit):

Under the Port Brewing Co. label:

Santa’s Little Helper

Mongo Double IPA

Wipe Out IPA

Under the Lost Abbey label:

Red Barn Saison

Judgment Day

Devotion

Witch’s Wit

Bottle List:

Most of their regular bottles (and occasionally special releases) are available for purchase in the tasting room. Prices range from $4.99 to $12. There is a 10% discount for full case (12 bottle) purchases.

Food Options:

None. This is purely a place to drink beer.

Bar Opinions:

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this brewery. With two labels brewed by the same man under the same roof, I wasn’t sure which label, if either, the ambiance and decor would favor.

The overall ambiance reminded me of a Southern California, laid back attitude. The place has a garage door that remains open providing lots of fresh air and sunlight. In this warehouse, you feel close to where the magic happens and you even have access to the barrel aging room.

A brief description from the brewery’s website sums up the decor and provides essential beer drinking information:

Belly up to our 42 foot bar or one of our barrel tables and enjoy 20 taps of fresh Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey beers. The tasting room offers individual tastings as well as (semi) structured flights of our beers. Tasters are $1 each per 4 ounce glass; Tasters are also available in pint-sized portions for $4 to $5 per glass based on the beer (some special releases may be more).

Yes, $1.00 tasters. A great way to try several, if not all of the beers on tap on any given day. Today we were greeted by a lively, ball busting bartender, who was very informative and even gave us a taster of the one year old Red Poppy. Red Poppy is Lost Abbey’s Kriek and is aged for two years before distribution. It is so damn good.

We each ordered a Mongo Double IPA and also got a taster of Santa’s Little Helper. All of the beers we had here were top notch. The people that work there love the beer, are passionate about the mission of the brewery and are willing to share this love with just about anyone who pulls up a barrel.

Despite my hangover symptoms, I was in heaven, sitting in the place where these beers that I cherish and enjoy so much are brewed. It is a wondrous feeling, to be so close to the origin of something that brings you such pleasure. I enjoyed the simple decor, the breeze from the open door and the beer that never, ever disappoints!