Brew Detective | From Astoria With Love

From Astoria with love, a place where happy can be had. No really, Astoria's awesome, don't tell anyone as the world gets hotter and dryer. Before tragic fires had engulfed the west coast in a haze of scorched earth, we booked a physically distant reservation outdoors in the sun with a shade structure.

Remember the sun? Clear Skies? Or just taking a big breath of fresh air? Our memories do, but I'm sure as shit longing for some outdoor time. Hopefully the heroic fire fighters can combat the destruction, and perhaps Mother Earth and Her climate we lend their aid. This time around I'm becoming more changed, almost too hyper aware. The west is ablaze and there's no going back. Perhaps for me as well. Below I'll reminisce about lighter times, different times.

Our late lunch was tasty. First up was mixed garden greens and veg, before moving on to wood fired pizza and another pint. We finished with a glorious slice of carrot cake, oh the cream cheese frosting. Way to go Fort George. Our early evening Pilsners along the river at Buoy were assisted by a friendly marine mammal. The frequent visits were so cool, as was the personality of this amazing sea lion. I'm super thankful for this day. Now to the beers... 

Fort George
Jealous Butcher - Side A - Pilsner - 4.5%

Their new "45 Series" aims to spotlight local musicians, while also assisting local vinyl pressing plants. Awesome! Seriously. I was all in on this idea, not-to-mention doing the same beer twice, but different — Side A and the B side. Both offerings were brewed in 45BBl fermenters. As unfiltered Germanic Pilsners go, this was boss. Brewed in collaboration with Von Ebert Brewing and Jealous Butcher Records in Portland, the Jealous Butcher Pilsner was not playing around. Of course I scored a four pack and a 45.

Jealous Butcher - Side B - Pilsner - 4.5%

The B side is a different version of the aforementioned Side A. This Jealous Butcher was dry hopped with Simcoe and Citra hops. The added spice was nice, real nice, but I'm gonna keep dropping the needle on Side A. By the way, Califone playing "Crazy as a Loon" is also boss. Who doesn't like John Prine songs? Side A wins on both accounts.

Song Bird - Sour Blonde - 6.5%

I wanted Song Bird on draft rather than out of the bottle. This sour blonde is brewed in collaboration with Alesong Brewing. Agent M's initial reaction, "real tart." This mixed culture blonde was conditioned on a thousand pounds of peaches and aged in wine barrels for 7 months. Timely to say the least. I was glad I was able to enjoy it fresh from the source.

Sunrise - OPA - 5.2%

Some seriously herbaceous vibes were emanating from this pale ale. The bitterness, which was almost resinous, sacrificed some of the traditional smoothness other pale ales possess. Sunrise OPA is based on the first beer ever brewed at Fort George, pretty cool.

Buoy
Czech Pils - 6.2% | 35 IBU

A classic take on a standard, Buoy's Czech-style Pilsner never disappoints, especially in person along the Columbia. Saaz hops bring this beer to life. Clarity is unmistakeable, so too is the beauty of the surrounding nature. It's best to enjoy beer while allowing oneself to soak it in, to not be in a hurry. Thanks for checking in. I hope everyone's being safe, sensible and kind. Do the right thing.

Cheers,

80choices

Brew Detective: Astoria

On March 7th the world felt different. Maybe because it was. I'm glad we took the opportunity to enjoy Astoria. The Norblad supplied us with some much needed R&R. Our corner room captured beautiful light, dappling the cozy apartment-like setting. Minimalism and comfort softly drapes the energy of where you are over you. The Norblad is also located across the street from Fort George's barreling and bottling warehouse. Did I mention how much I dig Astoria?

We settled in at Buoy Beer Co., lucking in to the best window seat. Sunlight was beaming through big puffy clouds. Marine life casting energetic sounds into the air.

Possessing traits of bitterness and slightly resinous, my first pint was brewed solely with Eureka hops. A light amber hue lit the glass. Damn it was good.

My partner in crime had the Growler Guys IPA (6.6% | 58IBU) — a local taproom collaboration. This flashlight yellow ale resembled the outer edges of a daffodil. Its summery nose accentuated by a bubbly finish; unlike any IPA I've tasted. A collection of hops were generously used during the boil and again in dry hopping. After fermentation an array of citrus was added, melding with the hop profiles. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but I liked it. Craft beer pairs superbly with fresh fish and chips.

With our appetites satiated we reconvened at The Norblad for a little NBA and some BIG napping. The Blazers were still playing at the start of March. Damn I miss basketball. After powering up on rest and round-ball we moved through the cool, moist night over to Fort George. I fancy being at one of my favorite breweries.

I started with a Fanzine IPA (6.7%). This delicious nectar had recently hit shelves in PDX, but I'd been waiting to get it fresh from the source. As soon as you smell this IPA you want to drink it. Awesome aroma pushes through a cloud-like head. Below lies a crisp ale with resounding clarity. 

First course: corn and potato chowder with chicken and bacon, locally sourced, with a side of focaccia. A tasty combo for sure. As the slow night drifted along we devoured deliciousness. M had the rock fish sandwich with jalapeño jam and a mixed green salad. I went total glutton and took down the Fort George burger with Tillamook cheddar and a side of pickled garden vegetables. The pickled cauliflower in particular was amazing. 

We closed the night by spiraling upstairs to take down our favorite cast iron, chocolate chip cookie with vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream. This dessert is a must have. The up-stairs portion of Fort George serves an entirely different menu focused on their brick oven. I washed down the baked goodness with a 12oz. Positive Contact IPA (7.4%).

The cool night turned cold as we breathed in a mixture of river and sea air. After a brisk walk we ambled to our room, ready to swallow us in until morning. We nestled in to a warm and inviting bed. Morning slowly unwound, eventually landing us in Street 14 Café down the block. Post brunch we scored a woven basket at Chariot Home and M grabbed up a Zine from Short Wave. Later we stocked up at Fort George and Blue Scorcher Bakery. We had an adventure in mind.

Making our way across the Columbia to explore various hamlets along the southern Washington coast was a great diversion. There were some pretty cute hideouts. As we drove back through Astoria we made sure to support Astoria Co-op, which is in an awesome new building on the east side of town. With fresh made burritos and munchies we made our way home, relishing in a wonderful weekend getaway.

Cheers to the good times,

80choices

Brew Detective: From Astoria With Love

Sitting along the southern bank of the Columbia River delta, looking north at the tree-heavy topography of Washington while nursing a cold one, is how you take in a Saturday sunset. The local co-op fueled us with edible calories as we rediscovered the small shops and boutique hotels. After exploring we ambled toward Buoy for a pint along the water.

Buoy 
Enjoying a delicious beer above the waterline outside is the best kept secret at Buoy. M went for a beautifully clear and crushable Cream Ale. Excellent customer service allowed her to test drive before going all in. I elected the single hop IPA which helps support the local animal alliance by donating a dollar per pint. El Dorado IPA's tend to be in my wheel house and this was no different, crisp and clear with a bitterness ever so perfect. This west coast IPA's characteristics are reminiscent of a hop-heavy pale ale. I thoroughly enjoyed the flickering moments of the late afternoon sun as the river's shipping lanes made space for massive container ships. Craft beers with my favorite person on earth kept everything tick tock.

Cream Ale | 5.7% | 19 IBU _____ El Dorado Single Hop IPA | 6.7% | 65 IBU

Fort George 
Later in the afternoon we went to the top floor of Fort George. The secret's out; Astoria is a dope beer town. We started out with a couple of Germanic inspired offerings. Lager in the Rye had an earthy, grain-like summer feel. The rye aided in the makeup of the body while keeping it crushable. Rye's an adult lager to say the least. Agent M went for the Cathedral Tree, a barrel fermented pilsner. Such creativity added a lot of complexity and a slight murkiness. Glowing with a lantern-like yellow this soft skunky pilsner is sunshine in a pint glass. Considering that we both went for session style ales, I was stoked to pick up on the many differences that the brewers were capable of achieving. Once again customer service was superb. We were offered to try anything multiple times and felt comfortable spurring conversation with questions. 

Lager in the Rye | 4.7% _____ Cathedral Tree | 4.8%

M went for Crysknife, a hazy IPA, with her final choice. The deep golden hue was opaque. Apparently this batch was brewed in collaboration with Mutual Friends Brewing in Denver. My notes included; the smell, down the hatch and all day yo. Every year since opening Fort George crafts an IPA with hops grown by local community members who then donate those hops to the brewery. I was struck by this idea. Why don't more breweries encourage this interaction? Aptly named the Co-Hoperative Fresh IPA. Co-Hop looked and tasted traditional with a unique color sparked by transparency. Agent M's take was in tune with seasonal change, "it's a holiday beer, a winter IPA," she' crafty and cool. The night ended with a delicious cast iron cookie and vanilla bean ice cream. Do yourself a favor and order one of these every time you're at Fort George, you should probably grab a pint to go too.

Crysknife | 7.2% _____ Co-Hoperative Fresh IPA | 6% 

Blue skies, sunshine and the power of the Columbia delta are both true and heavy. The bait has been set, now take the hook. Beautiful late summer days never hurt either. Enjoy craft beer responsibly. From Astoria with love.

80choices

Brew Detective: Comet IPA | Buoy

Buoy is keeping us all afloat with their tasty beer. A new single-hopped IPA hit shelves locally and I scored one. It pours a beautiful caramel-gold and has great clarity. I'm really digging the brewing companies that strive for proper carbonation, it's spot on in the Comet Single Hop IPA. I also appreciate a good malt balance when the hop profile may need a little taming. 

Comet hops are said to yield dank, citrus and tropical fruit notes, others will point to grapefruit. I personally got a whole lot of the dank mixed with a formidable bitterness, which is why the malt component is so clutch. I always look for Buoy beers at my local grocer and you should too. Enjoy craft beer responsibly this holiday season. Cheers!

Comet IPA | 6.7% | 65 IBU

eightychoices.