Craft Brewing Comes Ashore
October - November 2010
Oregon’s Hop-Laden Ales Evoke The Northwest
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE SUDS – or the suds scene – emanating from Oregon? Chances are if you’re sipping a tasty brew with a picture of snow-capped mountains, it was bottled just across the Pacific, to the east.
Not only are there world-class beers coming from Oregon, but touring, seeing the evolution and yes, tasting, are all a part of the experience. All you need is a plane ticket to PDX, an appetite for hops and an inquisitive palate.
There are currently 35 breweries in Portland, more than any city in the world. Bridgeport (one of the first craft breweries in Oregon, started in the early 1980s) still churns out its original lineup of craft brews -Pintail Ale, Blue Heron Pale Ale – in addition to adding seasonal ales to the mix at its signature brewery and pubs.
Full Sail Golden Ale founder Irene Firmat headed 45 minutes south to the sleepy mountain town of Hood River, Ore., to set up a brew pub on a hillside overlooking an internationally renowned windsurfing location.
“With every batch, the hops are different, the reactions are slightly different. People around here seemed fine with that,” says Jamie Emmerson, brewmaster and part owner of Full Sail.
With 30 percent of the world’s hop production coming from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Washington’s Yakima Valley, Oregon was poised for pilsner greatness.
Full Sail cranks out its share of seasonal brews – many of which will be released in the coming weeks. Wassail is brewed in the old ale style of heavier, dark malt and lends to the British style of hop-laden brews. In early November, Full Sail releases its “Wreck the Halls” holiday brew, a dry-hopped IPA that Emmerson calls “big, chewey and flowery with sticky flavors.”
Three hours south of Portland, the sleepy mountain town of Bend is where Gary Fish decided to root his Deschutes Brewery. Originally opened as a restaurant with homemade beer for his customers, Fish garnered such a following for his brews that he built a full-scale production plant five years after opening.
Deschutes’ assistant brewmaster, Paul Arney, thrives on the dynamic aspect of beer and people’s openness to experimentation.
“Craft brew enthusiasts are always looking for something new. If you put out something different, it’s going to get attention,” says Arney, who has garnered a cult following with his Mirror Pond and Black Butte Porter – both of which are available in Hawaii.
Deschutes has turned heads in recent years with hop-heavy suds like “Hop in the Dark,” “Imperial Stout Abyss,” and the once-in-a-decade “Jubel Ale 2010.” The Jubel is aged in Pinot barrels, and really pulls high malt and caramel notes, while the barley base and golden hops provide a smooth finish.
Deschutes’ “Dissodent,” which uses sour cherries from the Willamette Valley, boasts 10 percent alcohol amid deep-red color, fruity acidic and tart aromas. It comes out once every two years; this year’s run will release in November.
Fresh on the scene in Portland is the 3-year-old Hopworks, which can tout something no brewery nationwide can: They produce high-quality beer and food with the least environmental impact and the most sustainable practices.
Brewmaster and owner Christian Ettinger repurposed a 1948 building following LEED guidelines, uses all renewable power and offsets operations by participation in reforestation efforts.
Hopworks’ beer style is mostly influenced by Ettinger’s stint in Cologne, Germany, during college.
“I fell in love with the integrity and clean character of German beer,” says Ettinger. “We use organically grown malt from British Columbia that has a honey-like flavor. It’s delicate, and makes for a different IPA than all the others out there.”
This year, Ettinger and his crew of highly technical brewers will release their all-organic line, including “Fest of Fury,” which uses fresh hop flowers in a lager-style ale. Hopworks’ fall seasonal “Abominable” is a full-bodied IPA with big malt flavor and 7.5 percent alcohol. The most hearty release this fall is its Baltic Porter barley wine, which is bourbon barrel-aged, and comes out at 8 percent alcohol, brimming with chocolate, coffee and molasses notes.
