The Doc has come out of hiding... just briefly...
As most of you know, the Doc doesn't get out much for Beer Festivals, he finds them to be repetitiously boring. The only saving grace of the entire year is the Holiday Ale fest. One of the few last bastions of the brewers art and beer innovation... or so it used to be?!
Hoping for some interesting Vintage/Limited beers or else it'll be quick trip.
Doc's thoughts for 2011 Holiday Ale Fest:
Same ol Shit!
(SOS)Alameda Brewing - Papa Noel's Moonlight Reserve
(SOS)Bison Brewing - Bbn. Bbl. Aged Chocolate Stout
(SOS)BridgePort Brewing - Vintage Old Knucklehead
(SOS)Cascade Brewing 2011 Sang Noir Barrel Aged NW Sour Style Ale
(SOS)Collaborator Hallucinator New Old Ale
(SOS)Deschutes Brewery Super Jubel Strong Ale
(SOS)Elysian Brewing Bye Bye Frost Strong Pale Ale
(SOS)Firestone Walker Brewing Vintage Velvet Merkin Imperial Oatmeal Stout
(SOS)Lagunitas Brewing 2010 Olde Gnarly Wine Barley Wine
(SOS)MacTarnahan's Brewing Barrel Aged Humbug'r
(SOS)Stone Brewing Oaked Stone Ruination IPA Imperial IPA
(SOS)Widmer Brewing Peppermint Paddy Porter Peppermint Porter
*There's 12 beers that could have been replaced with something else. I'm sure there's a huge selection of Holiday beers across this great nation of ours. What's the point in repeating these same beers...again and again and again!? Starting to feel like 21 st Amendments Watermelon Wheat's chronic appearance at the OBF!
NO Fruit! (Doc hates fruit beers!)
Breakside Brewery - Cranberry Biere de Table: Not a Fruit beer fan.
Buckman Botanical Brewery - Fruit Cake: See Above
Lompoc Brewing - Cherry Christmas: Ditto
Lucky Labrador Brewing Candied Scottish Holiday: Wow! More FRUIT!
"Not fan of the brewery!" Not likely to be good
Coalition Brewing - Lost Glove: Not a fan of brewery
Fearless Brewing - Mjolnir Imperial IPA: Not a fan!
Hazel Dell Brewpub - Goats Beard Double Bock: Not very likely to be good!
McMenamins High Street - Red Nose Rye: Yea, right?
Natian Brewery "HOLLA day" ale: Not a fan
Off the Rail Brewing - Belgian Triple: Not very likely to be good!
Rogue Ales - Rogue Creamery 75th: It's Rogue!
Seven Brides Brewing - Drunkel 2011: Not a fan!
Southern Oregon Brewing - 2010 Old Humbug: Wasn't good last year, so cant be better this year!
Vertigo Brewing - Left, Nut Brown Ale: Not a fan!
* Once again... We're beating a dead horse with some of these breweries.
SAME OL' STOUTS (The Doc picks "One" Stout a year to taste)
Columbia River Brewing - Drunken Elf Stout: Big Stout? Been there, done that!
Double Mountain Brewing - Formidable Stout: Oh... another one!
Gilgamesh Brewing - Chocolate Mint Stout '11: Ho hum... Chocolate and mint? How original is that?!
Laht Neppur Brewing - Russian Imperial Stout: Wow! Really? SEE ABOVE
Misc Grumblings
Ninkasi Brewing - Itty Bitty Critty-Small beer: A second runnings for the HAF?
Oakshire Brewing - Imperial Gingerbread Porter: Spiced Porter?! Pass. Overdone!
Upright Brewing - Biere de Garde/Provision Beer: Just not interesting enough.
Eel River Brewing - Barleywine Style Steam Lager: Really? Pass! Can you say Oxymoron? I knew ya could!
THE TASTERS!!
Bear Republic Brewing - Old Saint Chongo: Hoping this means "Tommy Chong" and will have been blessed by Maryjane!
Burnside Brewing - Barrel Aged Permafrost: "8.3% abv 77.4 IBU" Another over-hopped XMAS BEER? Worth a taste
Fort George Brewing - Kentucky Girl - Bourbon Barrel aged Coffee Stout: OK. Ill try one Stout!
Hopworks Urban Brewery - Kentucky Christmas: Good in past.
Laurelwood Brewing - Bonaparts Retreat: So vague, I'd have to try.
New Belgium Brewing - Rotating Lips of Faith: Good be great or not.
The Commons Brewery - Belgian Dark Strong Ale w/ Bbn.: I'll Give them a try!
Rusty Truck Brewing - Belsnickle's Strong Ale: I'll probably regret it, but I'll try.
THAT's 8 beers! Wow! My sampling list gets smaller every year! This could be the Doc's last year... doesn't he say that every year?
$25 might be Better spent down the road at Paddy's Bar and Grill!
A Scotch Whiskey Flight for $24 and a decent lunch Menu!
Check out the Doc's past HAF reviews:
2010
2009
2008B
2008A
2007
4 comments:
Interesting breakdown. There's a lot I agree with, but I have some questions for you:
- Lips of Faith "could be great", but Cascade Sang Noir is SOS?
- You're not a fan of Rogue, OK. But I usually enjoy their giant beers. Probably worth a taste.
- What's wrong with Coalition? They're doing great for a new brewery.
- What's wrong with big stouts? Good winter choice.
- I think the change-ups by Ninkasi and Upright are a good idea at a big beer fest like this.
But someone should start a committee to stamp out the use of mint in beer.
Just remember, Bill, this is the Doc's preference list. It may not be for everyone.
- Lips of Faith "could be great", but Cascade Sang Noir is SOS?
*Doc's had the Sang Noir. Had it and done with it. Not a huge fan.
- You're not a fan of Rogue, OK. But I usually enjoy their giant beers. Probably worth a taste.
*Nope. Corporate bullies and pigs. Oregonians should be ashamed they're in this state. ;-)
- What's wrong with Coalition? They're doing great for a new brewery.
* Beers boring and suck. Is that plain enough?
- What's wrong with big stouts? Good winter choice.
*I like a good Stout, but I can't sample 7 of them.
- I think the change-ups by Ninkasi and Upright are a good idea at a big beer fest like this.
*They should at least fit the theme of the event. Small bier and Bier de Garde do not.
-But someone should start a committee to stamp out the use of mint in beer.
*Not argument there.
What? No comment on my hatred of fruit?!
@Bill... REmember, I'm probably going to Paddy's and have Scotch Flight. Sounds much more interesting than these beer choices.
Read a great article on Breweries also being distilleries. Wave of future. Not just Rogue, but they are ahead of the game.
Re: fruit. Hey, if you hate fruit beers, I'm not going to try and talk you out of it. I probably lean more against them than for them, though I seem to have a weakness for cherry beers (odd, because the fruit itself isn't one of my favorites).
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