Friday, November 30, 2007

Some Thoughts on Brewfests

Portland's Holiday Ale Fest opened today. More on that Monday.

However, as the weekend approached people have been asking The Chick what her plans are and their reactions when told have prompted this post.

The reason is there seems to be a perception out there that brewfests are only for 'serious' beer drinkers. The chick finds this puzzling.

After all , the best way for new beer drinkers to expand their palates is by trying diffrent beers, right? And what better place to do that than an event the whole purpose of which is to offer samples of lots of diffrent beers?

Yes, 'serious' beer drinkers often attend these events. But guess what? Most of these people are passionate about what we see as a hobby and eager to offer advice if asked. Nobody is going to judge you or think poorly of you because you don't know enough.

Most of these events are also kid-friendly, often offering treats and entertainment especially for little ones. So really, why not go?

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Craft Time

Yes, I braved the stores on Black Friday and bought supplies for one of my favorite craft projects, which I now share with you.

I like to make drink markers, also knowen as wine markers, however if you get a large hoop they work equally well on beer mugs.

Supplies: wire hoops, usually sold in bead stores as earring hoops, colored beads and individual charms.

How it is done, string 2 or 3 of your colored beads onto a hoop, add a UNIQUE charms, 2 or 3 more beads and ta-da, a drink marker.

Why the Chick likes this project: When these are sold they are usually in sets of six or so, but what I like to do is make individual drink markers that are personalized to each individual in my circle of drinking buddies. I include these in cards, and then everyone has a very personal marker they can use at parties throughout the year. Of course, you can buy sets and pick through them for the right marker for each of your friends as well.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Holiday Beer Fun, Part I

ahh, the holidays. Okay we are not quite at the holidays yet. But they are creeping up quickly. And while there is a great deal of stress there are good things about winter too. Like holiday beers. I LOVE winter seasonals. With all their spices and the dominance of dark beers 'tis the season for me. Of course, this means there is a whole world of them to choose from.

This year I found a new to me chocolate stout from Ridgeway in England, the beer is called Lump of Coal. It is beautifully black with strong dark chocolate notes, I found it lacking in body, but the flavor is wonderful.

I have resolved to avoid the Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic. I make the mistake of buying this thinking that it can't possibly be as bad as I remember, and it always turns out to be as bad as I remember. So this year I will break the cycle. Really.

Rogue has also released this year's Santa's Private Reserve. I have to admit I have never really cared for this one. I was fond of the original St. Rogue Red that formed the base for this. But now Brewmaster John Maier is Dry Hopping the St. Rogue regularly, so the Santa's has been hopped even MORE, to the point where I think he may have overwhelmed the malts altogether.

Disappointments aside, I've also got a six pack of my favorite winter seasonal, Widmer's SnowPlow. Now, I love my stouts, and I like my cream stouts even more so this is a no brainer for me. I did a happy beer dance when I saw it in the grocery store. Note, the happy beer dance makes other people stare at you.

SnowPlow has a lot of body, creaminess of texture and complex roast grain flavors with just a hint of sweetness. I've had it fresh off draught and in bottle, and I can honestly say the bottle doesn't seem to harm its flavor much. On a 'this is cool' note. SnowPlow is actually a product of Widmer's Collaborator program where they work with winners of the Oregon Brew Crew's annual competition to create unique new beers.