Yeah, It is Going to be Portland, Portland, Oregon!

Portland, OR

It has been a long time in coming and it wasn't what I thought it would be but I am going to Portland, OR. It will be May 15-17. Well actually it is Astoria, OR and I am going with 46 other craft brewers and their guests on a three day view into how craft beer is brewed. It should be really cool. (And yes, Eric Stone, I am making time for you, though it may not be very much by your own reckoning.) Stay tuned as we get closer to the date.

Happy National Beer Day!

Today is the day! April 7, 1933 was the day that Prohibition ended and we could return to producing beer. Lots of beer! But when you consider the effects of two world wars, Prohibition and the Great Depression in 30 years, it's amazing we had an industry we could bring back at all. Cheers!

Procrastinator Batch #3 - Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes

Procrastinator Batch #3

Sour, but oh so good! That is what is going through your head after drinking Procrastinator Batch #3 by Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes of Switzerland. What is really weird is that this drink is of a rare type called an eisbach. The eisbach is a brew that has been left past it point of maturation and is considered overdone. But it is served so cold that it actually has an extension to its life. So it turns out to be really sour rather than hoppy. It makes for a really interesting drink because the strength of the sour is present through out the drink.

Procrastinator does just the same thing and it is sour noticeable throughout the beer. But this drink has a lot of flavor from a mixture of fruits and berries. At first the taste is rather confused because there is so much going on, but then is starts to straighten itself out. It rights itself about half way through and then it is like liquid gold before finishing with a sour end. It is a total beverage.

Now this is when I layout the particulars for the Procrastinator Batch #3, like ABV and IBU, but these don't appear to have been any calculated for the beer. Strange, but I can accept that these will remain a mystery.

But if your brewery will carry this brand, go ahead and get a pour. If you like sours, you will not be disappointed. Think I will go back for a second one...

Skal!
Brian

Rocky Road by Smuttynose Brewers

Rocky Road by Smuttynose Brewery

Chocolate ice cream, marshmallows and walnuts. Can't ask anything more from Rocky Road ice cream manufactured by Dreyers Ice Cream of Oakland, CA since 1928. Yep, those brown and white striped containers (Edy's is the brand name on the East Coast of Dreyers) have had magical ice cream goodness in them. As a native son of Oakland, I have to say that Dreyers is a thing of beauty. Smooth, creamy, and crunchy all at the same time, Rocky Road has become one of those flavors that stands up and says "I am here. Come and get me!"

So I am going over the bill of fare at Birch & Barley preparing to order my dinner, and there it is - Rocky Road from Smuttynose Brewer of Hampton, NH. This is the first dessert stout from Smuttynose and they have picked a thing of beauty. (Still not sure that they have permission, but we will leave that one for the lawyers.) With a chocolate nib over a stout body, marshmallows and amaretto among the malt and hops, this comes pretty close to a perfect combination.

Rocky Road is a 7.3% ABV and a 25 IBU. Malt consists of North American 2-Row, Munich 10L, Carahell, C-120, Carastan, Brown Malt, Chocolate Malt, and Roasted Barley. The hops consist of Magnum (bittering) and Bravo and Sterling (flavoring). Yeast is American Ale and other flavors are cacao nibs, Fluff, and Amaretto soaked oak chips.

So glad to see Smuttynose Brewers reaching across the aisle and grabbing Rocky Road. It may be their first dessert stout, but I don't think it will be their last.

Skal!
Brian