I HAVE FOUND MY BEER FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER!

The beer is...Hell Or High Watermelon Wheat from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Fransisco! It just might be the perfect summer beer. I have been aching to try this beer ever since i started listening to Beer School, the beer podcast authored by John and Motor! I finally found it at
Belmont Station in Portland. I bought a couple watermelon wheats and 21st Amendment's IPA. And both beers come in cans!! Very exciting. At 4.9% abv, this is a perfect session beer for any summer activity, like maybe...a couple rounds of golf at the world renowned Long Beach Golf Course! Can't wait for that! Also, while at Belmont Station I had a Blind Pig IPA from Russian River Brewing Co. on draft. Very delicious. I wish I lived closer to the station. It's a wonderful place!















Listening to: Minus the Bear-Patiently Waiting, Stanley Jordan-Impressions, J Dilla-Workinonit, Sufjan Stevens-Chicago

I earned these beers!!

*Listening to: Derecho-Machiatto, Larrabee, After The Deception Passed, Secret Beat #5, The Dynamic, Leave It Behind (AK Remix)



So today I worked a 9 hour day in 95 degree weather. Let's just say I felt obligated to enjoy some fine craft brews tonight! I started the night off with Anchor Brewing's Liberty Ale! I forgot how great this beer is! It was the perfect beer to enjoy on a ridiculously hot evening. Great hop flavor and carbonation. This beer was actually first brewed in 1975 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere's legendary ride. Well in 2175 I'm going to brew a beer to commemorate the 200th anniversary of this beer!

The next beer I enjoyed was the Hop Devil Ale from Victory Brewing Co. in Downington, PA. I have always seen this beer around, but have never gotten around to trying it. Well, it was worth the wait. This hoppy, yet refreshing ale sits at 6.7% abv.

The 3rd beer of the evening is near and dear to my heart. Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale! This beer is absolutely delicious! Sour ales are definitely an acquired taste, that I have acquired. When I first tried this beer last fall I couldn't comprehend what I was tasting. I didn't like it. Now I can appreciate it for what it is. Amazing. The beer has a sour aroma, almost like vinegar. But the finish is an intricate inter-weaving of sweet and sour. Sour ales are great. This is your introductory sour ale. Go find it. Go drink it. Let me know.

Black Butte XXI: Another beer to add to the collection!

I picked up a bottle of Deschutes' Black Butte XXI tonight from By the Bottle in Vancouver, WA! I also got to sample it before I purchased it. According to the bottle, "Porter brewed with chocolate beans and coffee added with 20% aged in bourbon barrels. This robust beer sits at 11% abv. The beer had an intense coffee bitterness, but will definitely open up and mature with some aging.





And while I was posting this, I was enjoying a Green Flash West Coast IPA. One of my favorites!

Fort George Brewery, Astoria, OR, July 3, 2009

These are pics from July 3rd, 2009, when Shay and I ventured to Long Beach for 4th of July weekend. We stopped at the Fort George Brewery in Astoria, OR. This was the second time we had been there, but the first time we tried their food. Shay had a hamburger and I had some kind of chicken sandwich on flat bread. Both were delicious. I also had a couple Vortex IPAs, my favorite beer from Fort George. I love the fact that the craft beer culture has found its way to Astoria. Can't wait to go back!

Saturday Night, Ninkasi Night Cont'd...

So in between the Ninkasi beers I enjoyed a pale ale from Caldera Brewing Co. Another amazing canned beer from the folks in Ashland. Shay and I got Pad Thai for dinner and we ordered 3 stars, but I'm pretty sure we got 4 stars! It was so insanely hot, we couldn't finish it. My mouth was on fire, so it was hard for me to enjoy this beer, but I did anyway!









And last, but certainly not least, is the Tricerahops Double IPA from Ninkasi Brewing Co. One of my favorite IPAs!! This beer was already on my top 10 IPA list, but I think I am going to have to go back to that post and move it up the list! This succulent double IPA sits at 8.8% abv. This well crafted ale has a subtle sweetness to it, making it very enjoyable on a balmy summer's evening. As I sit here and finish the last few drops of this sweet nectar, I can't help but think...Ninkasi, just might be producing my favorite beers!!

Saturday Night, Ninkasi Night

Tonight I am enjoying a couple of "bombers" of Ninkasi's finest craft beers. I am starting off with their delicious Believer Double Red Ale. This DRA (Double Red Ale) sits at 6.9% abv. It is built upon a robust malt backbone, and supported by trusses of crisp hop flavor. This beer is extremely well-balanced and a great reason to publish a new post on your beer blog. 'Nuff said.

July Beer Escapades

Radiant Summer Ale, a seasonal release from Ninkasi Brewing in Eugene, OR is the perfect compliment to the rest of their stellar beer selection. At 6% abv the summer ale was extremely drinkable yet flavorful. I highly recommend searching this beer out this summer!
The next beer was an IPA from Caldera Brewing in Ashland, OR. This refreshing craft brew has a prominent spot on my top 10 IPA list! At 6.1% abv, this IPA has a prominent hop character yet deliciously drinkable. Caldera Brewing actually distributes their brews in cans, which preserves their freshness, ensuring that you get a fresh beer everytime! This beer and Hop Monkey from Laurelwood Brewing have been my mainstay IPAs this summer!