Root Beer Roundup- The Dude Abides

So I’ve just been generally awful with updating my blog lately. That is really for two reasons. Reason #1: I’m a busy person. Well, not really, but I like to think I am. And I don’t know about you, but writing a blog post takes a lot out of a gal. I take a while to think about it, then think about it some more. Come up with witty little things that I don’t write down. Write the damn thing. Spend countless minutes trying to remember aforementioned witty little things. Then I read it. Tear it apart and edit. Then post. Then re-edit. I’m getting second thoughts about finishing this post just thinking about it. Reason #2 is a much tougher reason to deal with: SOBER SEPTEMBER. My husband and I decided that September was going to be a time to dry up, get our shit together and get back into some semblance of a shape. So I’ve been avoiding beer. But that spawned a great idea at the store the other night. ROOT BEER REVIEWS!

I like Root Beer a lot. When a brewery makes their own, I often will ask for it to be included in a sampler because I think there is a lot you can do with root beer. I’m also a big fan of anything that is made with sassafras, because I think we can all agree, sassafras just sounds like some badass you want to hang out with.

Creepiest Beer EVER!

I received a beer trade recently from a great blogger pal from DC, Lyrics, Libations and Life. Now, normally, I’m on top of my shit and get things out in the mail when I say I will. I’m not going to make excuses about how terribly important I am (but I am, trust me) but am going to take a moment to publicly apologize (for, like, the millionth time in my life) and say I’m an asshole. But my end of the bargain is currently on it’s way and filled with Oregon (and one Washington) goodness. I am also going to stop using parentheses…right…now.

My husband is away on National Guard business, or as I like to call it, much to his chagrin, Army Sleep Away Camp. It’s very rude and disrespectful of me, but I’m very proud of him and I find it funny. So, once again, asshole. Well, again, giving way to my asshole nature, I promised not to open any of the beer trade beers until he was back, but he ate the last ice cream cone, so I said “Screw you, I’m drinking this beer!”

VICTORIOUS

I ran by one of my fave bottle shops in town, 16 Tons to pick up some beers for some beer trades and because it’s been a rough couple weeks (not that I need an excuse to drink beer) and wanted something a little special for myself. I wanted something light and refreshing because its been ball sweat hot lately and something I’ve never had before. Enter Victory Brewing and Summer Love.

This what just what the doctor ordered. Lately summer has sprung in Eugene as it usually does every year right around July 4th. And, ok, so it’s only been in the high 80s but that’s hot for us PNWers and it’s humid here. Because this kind of weather is really only around 2 months of the year air conditioning is rare and my house is no exception to the rule. When you know you’re coming home to a 80 indoor temperature a nice crisp beer screams ones name.

More from Eugene Beer Week

Beer week and work do not go together. Events start while work is still in, events include a lot of beer, and events run into the evening. Brock and I had to pick what events we wanted to attend and still be good little worker bees during the day.

Tuesday:

Brock was starting to get a pretty nasty cold, so we sat Tuesday out.

The first bullet point was followed to the letter.

Going Bananas with Deschutes

I recently had the pleasure of having two Deschutes brews that I’d never had before. The Stoic and Malheur Wild Ale. What was really great about these two beers is that they were a) outside of my comfort zone and b) they were bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S, bananas.

Brock and I picked up a 22oz bottle of The Stoic on a trip to Albertsons. They were having some 30 or 40% off deal for microbrews, so we grabbed this and a couple others. The Stoic and other wax sealed beer confectionary is not typical for our local Albertsons, so I was pretty excited.

Am I Hops or Barley?!

One of the best deals in town for your birthday is a trip down to Rogue Ales. As a member of Rogue Nation, one receives a ridiculously large birthday beer and a free t-shirt. If you’re feeling crazy and adventurous you can hit up both Rogues in Newport, then hit a third in Eugene before heading in. My birthday was on Monday, so we settled with a modest trip to just the local Rogue. Some great things about Rogue (besides birthday swag): Trivia night with Mr Bill at the Eugene location every Friday at 8pm. Get there early or you’re going to be without a seat. A ridiculous number of Rogue and Rogue partner beers on tap. They do have Bud and Coors but if you order that the bartender will ring a special bell resulting in you being booed, and things may be thrown at you. These taps are essentially just booby traps. Another booby trap: the bathrooms. Labelled simply “hops” and “barley” you’ll hear a few panicked cries nightly of “Am I hops or barley?!” Every Rogue location has a picture of Mo Niemi of Mo’s World Famous Clam Chowder. And she is naked and in a bathtub.

St Patty’s Festivities

St Patty’s has always held a special place in my heart. Not because I’m a good Irish gal, but because it is two days before my birthday. It makes me feel like the whole holiday of drunken foolishness is just for me. Typically the party continues on for two more days into my birthday. As I find myself growing into a grouchy old woman, however, I’ve been trying to pretend my birthday doesn’t exist. My mom is a totally awesome lady, however, and forced me to go get lunch on St Patty’s to celebrate my birthday. We went down to Falling Sky, the newest brewery in town (check out the photos of this place, it’s seriously beautiful and quintessentially “Eugene”). They had some issues with brewing equipment and finally had their own beer on tap and they have some seriously good eats. I had a delicious corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich and we got a flight of all seven of their beers to split. I forgot my phone at home so I don’t have pics, sorry. My favorite was a tie between the bitter and the IPA. Tasty stuff.

Texas Doesn’t Mess Around

As promised, I’m finally getting to some of the good stuff. Over the last week, I’ve had a lot of reason to drink beer, celebrate, all that good stuff. Having a beer trade shipment, St. Patty’s and your birthday all roll into town the same week(ish) are a recipe for a lot of beer drinkin’ and not a lot of writing. So I’m going to jam together some notes on a lot of beer in a couple posts. Hold on to your hats.

Firstly, I received my lovely care package from the Lone Star State sometime last week. Monday, possibly Tuesday? Again, it’s been a long week. That night my husband and I decided to crack open the two bottles of Rahr & Sons Iron Thistle.

A delicious wee heavy from Rahr & Sons poured into my new Franconia glass that I got as a bonus from a beer trade!

Ink Heart- A Cascadian Dark Ale, or is that a Black IPA?

Laurelwood, a great microbrewery out of Portland, OR recently released a new Cascadian Dark Ale. If that throws you off, CDAs are also referred to as Black IPAs or IBA (India Black Ale). Here in the Pacific Northwest, CDA is becoming the most relevant, and argueably the better name for this type of beer. Here, in an article from craftbeer.com, Eugene’s own Matt Van Wyk, of Oakshire fame,  discusses the difference (or lack there of) in these beer types. I have to agree with Matt, I think CDA is a better definition for the beer type. It really doesn’t taste like an IPA, unless all you taste in an IPA is some hop bitterness. A CDA, in my mind, is some hoppy(har, har) balance between porter and IPA and is becoming an increasingly relevant style here in the Pacific NW (Cascadia), thus deserves it’s own name, rather than just being shoved in the corner as an off shoot of another beer style.

On to the good stuff- Ink Heart, the newest release from Laurelwood is a CDA that boasts a unique hop balance. A liberal use of aroma hops give off wafts of citrus and there are some sweet fruity notes as well. It poured a nice, robust dark brown with a little off white head. It drank smooth and the citrus hop notes were amplified by a nice level of carbonation. I thought this was a nice drinkable beer. It smelled great and tasted good too.

I really like Laurelwood's vibrant labels. Oh, and the beer is good too!

A Late Valentine’s Day Treat

Brock returned from his three week trip to Thailand with the Oregon National Guard at 2am today. What better way to celebrate a late Valentine’s Day that with Boulevard Brewing’s Chocolate Ale? I was a little hesitant at first, but at about 8 bucks a 750mL bottle, I thought, why the hell not? Who doesn’t like chocolate? This is the first of Boulevard’s offerings I have tried, but I had heard good things and this beer lived up to my expectations from reading some posts on beer advocate and the bottle itself.