The Brewers Festival is one of the highlights of Portland summers. It’s still going on, but I did all my tasting Friday night, as I though I’d be out of town for the weekend. I also volunteered to pour on Thursday night (the calmest and most “serious” night). The oddest thing you have to endure about Thursday is that you haven’t actually been able to try the beer you’re pouring, since Oregon forbids servers to drink on the job. However, you do get to finish off any beer that’s still in the pitchers at the end of the night.

Of the 72 beers, I tried 22. Here’s a short list of what I liked and didn’t. After thinking though these, I saw that Jeff’s Hot Tips on Beervana were much different for some of the same beers here. So, you’ve just got to try them and make up your own mind.

In general, I like a lower alcohol (4-5%) beer with crisp flavors, particularly aromatic hops.

Liked:

  • Hopworks Urban Brewery Portland OR Hopworks Organic IPA — There was a lot of buzz before the festival about this one, so I was probably biased. It was the first thing I tried, and was excellent. A nice lighter summer drink, well balanced, with a crisp and clean hop flavor shining though.
  • Bison Brewing Berkeley CA Organic Chocolate Stout — I found this to be rich and chocolately (and Jeff found thin and astringent)
  • Alameda Brewhouse Portland OR El Torero Organic IPA — a nice aromatic IPA
  • Collaborator Portland OR Rawkin Bock — quite flavorful, not necessarily balanced, and not my style, but good.
  • Deschutes Brewery Bend OR 19th Anniversary Golden Ale (Belgium Style Strong Golden Ale) — one of my favorite breweries, and an excellent balanced golden ale
  • Fearless Brewing Co Estacada OR Fearless Scottish Ale (Scottish Export) - well balanced, malty, and tasty
  • Max’s Fanno Creek Brew Pub Tigard OR Farmer’s Daughter (Belgian Saison Golden Strong Ale) — I poured near this one, and quite a few people didn’t like it. Saisons, like all Belgians, are a real anomaly in the beer flavor universe, but I found this to be an excellent example of the style. The brew pub opened just a few months ago, so I’m going to have to go try it out now.
  • Ninkasi Brewing Co Eugene OR Believer (Double Red Ale) — a bitter full red ale, well balanced, but not my style
  • North Coast Brewing Co Fort Bragg CA PranQster Belgian-Style Golden Ale — It’s hard to judge a beer this big, as is the Vertical Epic. These were huge, flavorful, and perhaps cloying, but they were properly brewed in the Belgian style.
  • Stone Brewing Co Escondido CA Stone 07/07/07 Vertical Epic (Saison/Belgium Farmhouse ale) — see previous
  • Amnesia Brewing Portland OR Dry Hopped Dusty Trail Pale Ale — a nice pale ale with a good fresh aromatic hop flavor. Note to brewers– including “dusty” in the name of your beer is a bad idea.

Didn’t:

  • Hazel Dell Brewpub Vancouver WA Red Zone (Pale Ale) — more of a red ale than a pale ale, too sweet and heavy
  • Elysian Brewing Co Seattle WA Prometheus IPA - I found this to be strong and the flavors muddy, but Beervana Jeff was impressed by it
  • Boundary Bay Brewery Bellingham WA Galena Single Hop Pale Ale — Galena is usually used as a bittering hop, so this didn’t have the bitter/aromatic balance that I like to see.
  • Siletz Brewing Siletz OR Spruce Ale - “tree” is not a beer flavor. This was just gross.
  • Flying Fish Brewing Co Cherry Hill NJ Bourbon Barrel Abbey Dubbel - Recipe: take one bottle of Duvel, and one bottle of cream soda, mix. Again, gross.
  • Standing Stone Brewing Co Ashland OR Standing Stone Double IPA - too strong and too sweet
  • Oregon Trail Brewery Corvallis OR Oregon Trail Wit - first wit I’ve had where the coriander really popped out, and I don’t like it. Tasted like the beer had been sprinkled with pepper before sipping.