A New Favorite

Last night we did a very uncharacteristic thing for the McDs, we opted not to go to a beer fest, the Fresh Hop Tastival at Oaks Park. Instead we hit Fire on the Mountain for the most delicious wings on the planet and even though being stuffed, decided to stop by The Beermongers on the way home.

It had been too long since our last visit but as always, we were welcomed back with open arms and a chalkboard full of interesting choices on tap. With it being fall, Mag ordered up an Oktoberfest from one of the newest Portland breweries, Occidental, and with me being me, I couldn’t pass up the black IPA. I am in agreement that they are not black IPAs, but CDAs, however that’s the official name of the beer.

Beyond the pull of a black IPA/CDA, it was also from Uinta, which is a new-to-this-market brewery, out of Utah of all places. To date I’ve only Punk’n, and while it was fine, it didn’t knock my socks off. However, I’ve continued to hear good things about their other beers and I’m always interested to try something new.

The imperial pint poured black as night and the aroma hinted strongly that I was going to be pleased with my selection. Taking my first drink, “pleased” was an understatement to the degree of saying bacon tastes fine. No, bacon is one of the most delicious foods and this beer, Dubhe (pronounced Doo-bee) Imperial Black IPA, is one of the most delicious black IPAs ever. Not only does it offer the strong hop hit of an IPA, but it’s also a full bodied beer that coats the mouth and lingers. To get something this intense I would suspect there would be a corresponding sweetness that would make it difficult to get through. Not so. What made this pint last so long in front of me was that with each drink I savored it and enjoyed the aftertaste nearly as thoroughly.

The cherry on top of it all was that not only did The Beermongers have this on tap, but in bottles, too! Of course I had to take a couple home with me and as I was preparing to write this morning, the thought did actually cross my mind to crack one open. It’s that good.

Monster Mash Preview

October starts on Saturday and with October comes Halloween. In anticipation of the season New Old Lompoc will release this year’s version of Monster Mash on Friday. Last night I had the opportunity to preview it and sample six other beers.

Those familiar with Monster Mash know that it’s a seasonal brew generally only available for a few weeks each year. Described as, “an Imperial Porter featuring strong chocolate and roast flavors with a touch of fruit,” this beer weighs in at a healthy 8.1% ABV. The oak notes are present in both the aroma and flavor and without the heavy sweetness often found in imperial brews, it’s a drinkable imperial. We were also treated to an aged Monster Mash, brewed in 2009 and bottled in 2010. I always enjoy side by side comparisons and found this one to offer greater berry/fruit aroma than the “fresh” version.

Monster Mash Release Party

Friday, September 30 4:00 – 11:00 pm
New Old Lompoc Sidebar
3901 N Williams Ave

As much as I enjoyed the two versions of Monster Mash, it was a couple of the other beers that stood out for me the most. The first was actually the first beer I had upon arriving, Steaming California. Anchor Steam produces the most recognizable steam beer but it’s not something I’ve ever been a fan of. NOL’s version, however, is clean and easy drinking. Maybe it’s the combination of Cascade and Cluster hops that I enjoy so much that overshadow the use of an American Pilsner yeast strain, something I would typically dislike.

The second beer was again something I didn’t anticipate being a fan of. 2008 Mon Cheri, “a Belgian-style golden ale brewed in January 2008, featuring a mild fruitiness and a complex spicy character,” is probably one of the very few Belgian-style golden ales I’ve ever enjoyed. My first impression, the aroma, struck me as significantly more boozy than 6.4% ABV but it proved to be easy drinking and I’d agree with brewer Bryan Kielty that it has aged well.

Both Flamingo, Condor Pale Ale barrel fermented with sour cherries, and Bierz Brown, a dark brown ale with a malty body and strong chocolate and roast flavors, weren’t quite there for me. I wanted Flamingo to be bigger, heavier and more full-bodied, but it is what it is, a pale ale of 5.2% ABV. Bierz Brown, the first brew by Irena Bierzynski, was poured off the brite tank and I found to be a bit thin in body. Those minor criticisms aside, neither was bad, and I suspect they will be enjoyed by many, just as I enjoyed the C-Note Imperial Pale Ale. Can’t go wrong with the seven “Cs” of the hop world and 100 IBUs!

Thanks go out to the Lompoc Crew and Chris Crabb for an enjoyable tasting!

A Look Inside the Beer Fridge

It's been a while since I've given you a look inside my beer fridge. If you remember the pre-move-to-Portland pictures, you'll see this is a considerable downsize.

The top shelf and about half of the door are filled with Oregon beers: Rogue, Golden Valley, Full Sail, Widmer, Block 15 with the bottom shelf and some of the door filled with one of our Minnesota favorites, Surly.

What's in your fridge?