My shelves are stocked with new beer selections. From Pelican, two summer beers have arrived. Surfer’s Summer Ale, an English-style Ale with Glacier hops and Golden Promise malt. Balanced and refreshing. The Ankle Buster Ale is a Belgian-style Ale with nugget hops. With an herbal hop character, fruity and spicy yeast aromas, this brew is stimulating and delicious.

Stone Imperial Russian Stout is back. Big, rich, thick and lovely. Packs a punch at 10.5% ABV while well balanced and smooth. Also from Stone, Belgo Anise Imperial Stout, brewed with anise, oak chips and Belgian yeast. With a strong anise flavor, you’ll need a taste for black licorice for this Stout. Fortunately, I love licorice!

Out of Salt Lake City, we now have two from the Uinta Brewing Co. Crooked Line Series. Detour Double I.P.A. a solid, well-done effort, and Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale. I adore this one and its many layers of flavor. Like a fine wine, this is a beer you sip slowly all evening.

Remember, July is Oregon Craft Beer Month. Our state brews some of the best in the country, and it’s always nice to support local vendors. I have over 30 Oregon beers in my set, something for everyone. Stop in and help celebrate Oregon’s bounty.

July tasting schedule:
• Friday, July 1, Ninkasi Brewing Company
• Thursday, July 7, Pelican Pub & Brewery
• Friday, July 8, Hop Valley Brewery
• Friday, July 15, Hopworks Urban Brewery
• Friday, July 22, Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
• Friday, July 29, Alameda Brew House

All tastings are from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

July is Oregon Craft Brew Month! For your sipping enjoyment, your Willakenzie Market offers quite a lineup of Oregon craft beers.

Portland areas brewers include: Alameda, Bridgeport, Hair Of The Dog Brewery, Hopworks Urban Brewing, Laurelwood, Lompoc and Widmer.

Eugene/Springfield area brewers include: Eugene City Brewery, Hop Valley, Ninkasi and Oakshire.

Bend brewers include Deschutes and Silver Moon.

Then there’s Pacific City’s Pelican, Carlton’s Fire Mountain, Ashland’s Caldera, Central Point’s Walkabout, Silverton’s 7 Brides, Salem’s Pale Horse, Hood River’s Full Sail, McMinnville’s Heater Allen, Newport’s Rogue, Klamath Falls’ Klamath Basin, Redmond’s Cascade Lakes, and Enterprise’s Terminal Gravity

Come on in and try something new, or grab an old favorite. And be sure to check the Market of Choice Events page for upcoming tastings! It’s good to be a beer lover in Oregon!

Cheers!

Lots of fun things in the beer department these days. Calderas Ginger beer is here! Nice hints of ginger without over powering the beer taste itself.

I still have some of Widmer’s Brothers Prickly Pear Braggot on the shelf. This is a very ancient style of beer brewed using honey and fruit, almost a Mead with malt.

Goose Islands Matilda has also arrived - a very solid Belgium-style ale. Another fun one is Cuvee du 8eme from Switzerland. This one is amber-brewed with cocoa powder – those Swiss love to add Chocolate to everything! It’s very complex, with a nice component of bitterness (almost like a Flemish Sour) from the cocoa powder. Definitely a beer to sip and ponder.

So come on in and look around, I’m sure you’ll find something to enjoy!

I love the winter beers that fill my shelves. I find them much more interesting and satisfying then the light, easy to quaff summer beers, refreshing though they may be.

Winter beers don’t really have set rules, as Michael Jackson says in “The Beer Hunter,” “winter beers are as much a state of mind as a style.” They do tend to favor maltier flavors over hops, giving them a richer and fuller taste. It’s not uncommon for spices to be added, as well.

The Belgian and British seem to do a splendid job with winter beers, although we do have some fine examples closer to home.
Anchor Brewery puts out Merry Christmas Ale, which is always high on my list. So is Anderson Valley’s Winter Solstice. Lauralwood, in Portland, brews Vinter Varmer, which is fun. Alameda Brewery, also in Portland, makes a very good old ale style, Papa Noel.

As you can see, there are lots of delectable beers to choose from while curled up next to the fire, listening to the rain.