The bros at Widmer have been busy in the lab again brewing up another beverage to take up that precious real estate on the shelf of your fridge! This new beer is called Upheaval, and it is a Northwest style IPA that is the result of the Widmer brewer’s pursuit of creating the perfect IPA. Whether or not they have succeeded is up to you of course. This 7% ABV beer weighs in with 85…
As I’m writing this review, a magical dusting of snow is falling around the Portland area while a gentle wind is causing us northwesterners to zip our North Face jackets up tight. Like usual when anything other than rain falls from the sky, the city and surrounding areas go crazy. Schools shut down just at the word snow, cars wreck for no other reason than a few rogue flakes falling from the sky, and everyone…
As the reaping of the harvest comes to an end and Jack Frost prepares to drag his cold finger over the land leaving an icy layer of frost on all that we see, we still have to get through the day designated for taking pause and giving thanks for all the blessings that adorn our lives. Of the many things that bejewel your list of things that you are thankful for, I am sure that…
Whether it is Count Dracula talking about the “children of the night” and the music they make, or Ozzy Osbourne discussing the pros and cons of barking at the moon, the legends of werewolves have us all both intrigued and locking up our chicken coops at the same time. The duality of the persona of the werewolf is an exciting concept. The full moon exposing the savage nature of the beast within is an exciting…
As the emerald hue of our favorite gourds start to change into brilliant colors of vivid orange, we are faced with real challenges. We must arm ourselves with the tools necessary for vanquishing those who would haunt us and prey upon us as we idly wander the streets looking for one of two things: tricks or treats. Now, before vampires were bedazzled emo kids with a penchant for sniffing out awkward, off-putting teens, they were…
With day length increasing as the season progresses, and with even the shyest of flowers beginning to bloom, it is clear that the rejuvenation of our landscapes is arriving in the form of spring. This renewal which takes place every year transforms the barren into bounty and signals the rebirth of the nature that surrounds us. One part of this nature that I’m sure we are all appreciative of is hops! So as the hop…
As one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays, Passover is a Jewish festival which commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. Beginning on the 14th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar, Passover is in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and is celebrated for seven or eight days. During this time, nothing leavened can be eaten, which means no bread, beans, rice, anything that puffs up. Matzah crackers and bread…
It’s another great day for a beer review. Today I’m checking out another beer I received from The Original Craft Beer Club in the mail. If you’re curious about beer of the month clubs, check out my new beer of the month club reviews page. I’m going to be signing up to multiple clubs and seeing what each has to offer. Today’s beer comes from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company out of Akron, Ohio. This is my first…
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted up a beer review on Blog About Beer. I’ve been so busy writing my book on Oregon beers that I haven’t had much time to drink anything else. The book is done (although it won’t be available until March 2013) so I’m back in the saddle. Over the past few months I’ve been lucky enough to get beer each month from The Original Craft Beer Club. Each month they…
Oh the joys of mid-April. The stress of taxes have left many people reaching for a beer (ok, maybe something a little harder depending on your situation) to help take the edge off. Luckily for my wife and I we didn’t have to pay as much as we were expecting which is definitely a reason to celebrate with none other than beer. Since she is pregnant with our second daughter, it ended up being just…