brew review

The 15th Brew Review of the project was at Old Market Pub & Brewery on March 26, 2010. There were seven people to test the brews, including new comer ‘person whose name I can’t remember.’

The architect & I tested ten different beers – and we have, as per usual, some excellent comments. The parenthetical descriptions come from the brewery itself.

1. Maple Vanilla Stout

• The architect – Yum
• The gazelle – Yum
• Mr. Pi – Yum

(Original bunch, no?)

2. Hop On (A classic amber severely overhopped at the finish of the kettle boil)

• The architect – Good, I like it.
• The gazelle – Initial reaction: not as hoppy as I was expecting; later: better when not following the super delicious Maple Vanilla Stout.

3. Rat Dog ESB (A heavily hopped Extra Special Bitter)

• The architect – Not impresed.
• The gazelle -ehn.

4. Mr. Slate’s Gravelberry Ale (A smooth wheat beer spiked with raspberry)

• The architect – interesting; not bad for a fruit-flavored beer
• The gazelle – smells really good, the flavor is ehn.
• The stranger – she liked it!

5. Mr. Toad’s Wild Red (Made with 5 different malts and 3 varieties of hops)

• The architect – kind of boring
• The gazelle – I am so disappointed! The name was so awesome, and the beer is so not!

6. British Bombay IPA (Based on an original India Pale Ale recipe that was shipped to the Indian colonies)

• The architect – Good. Really good.
• The gazelle – Really good. (Again, we are so original)

7. Great White Wheat (Our semi-cloudy weizen (wheat) ale.)

• The architect – Pretty good. Interesting flavor.
• The gazelle -Fine. I’d drink it in the summer on my patio.
• Mr. Pi – tastes like a wit. Good.

8. Multnomah Village Golden (Our incredibly crisp, clear golden ale. Dry hopped in the keg with a huge bag of Oregon Hallertauer hops!)

• The architect – Pretty good.
• The gazelle – It’s a golden ale. ‘Nuf said.
• Mr. Pi – Could have been water after tasting the seasonal [maple vanilla stout]

9. Pacific Porter (A fine, smooth porter to cure the winter doldrums.)

• The architect – Pretty good (that’s how he felt about so many, apparently!)
• The gazelle – there are really good porters. This isn’t one of them.

10. Old Granny Smith (Green Apple Ale A crisp golden flavored with Granny Smith Apples.)

• The architect – Delicious!
• The gazelle – Surprisingly good.

As for the food

• Cilley - the bacon is excellent
• The architect – the ladies admired my wiener (he had the sausage)
• The gazelle – the burger was delicious
• The Ambitious one – the pita (on her gyro) was really good

After the sampling, Mr. Pi & I had the Maple Vanilla Stout (it tasted like delicious cream soda….and it’s the first time I’ve ever ordered a pint of the stout at a brew review – usually it’s too much for me). The architect had an IPA & a Granny Smith. I didn’t write down what others had – although I believe there was a Mr. Slate’s and at least one more Granny Smith.

I think the Maple Vanilla is gone now (so sad), but I will be stalking their website next winter to find out when it’s back. So good. One of the best surprising & new beers I’ve had on this journey.

Next brew review is at a New Old Lompoc – stay tuned for that review!

The night can be summed up thusly:

1) Great company

2) A’it food

3) BLAH beer

4) Decent service

Brew Review #14 took place at Mactarnahan’s Taproom on Friday February 5, 2010. I know that was over six weeks ago, but seriously, I didn’t even realize until today that I’d never actually finished writing this review. So – this should be great!

Present & reviewing: me (duh), the architect, Ms. Cilley, my kickass neighbors, my former office mate, a former co-worker of the architect’s, and A & L.

The architect & I ordered the double sampler to try everything that was offered.

And for the reactions! WOO!

Alehouse Amber

• The gazelle: blah; ech

Spring Fling

• The gazelle: ehn. (these are direct quotes taken from my scrupulous notes)

Slingshot

• The gazelle: ehn. (Again! The passion this beer inspires!)

Draught Pale

• The gazelle: ick
• The archict: NASTY!
• L: Pisswater
• A: This reminds me of that scene in Waterworld where they drink their own urine.
• The neighbor: it’s like drinking out of an open butthole
• Cilley: Yucky.

Crystal

• The gazelle: Blech.
• Cilley: it’s okay.
• A: not good at all.

Snow Cap

• The gazelle: not bad
• A: pretty good (you can see that we were just relieved to have something that didn’t suck!)

Macs Amber:

• The gazelle: compared to everything else, this is drinkable.

Haywire

• The gazelle: not bad for Hefe

Brewers Hand (imperial hefe)

• The gazelle: surprisingly good
• The architect: this is my favorite. Of the beers here.
• The neighbor: I like it.

Thunderhead

• The gazelle: the most boring IPA in existence
• The architect: it’s alright
• The neighbor: it’s good.

I didn’t record any food reviews, although I did write down that at one point, the neighbor said, “You just can’t win with sausage.”

The food was fine. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t mind blowing. It was food.

I drank a pint of the Brewer’s Hand Imperial Hefe, and didn’t hate it. BUT, I will be pleased to move on! A couple of new “M” breweries have opened recently, so we’ll have to re-visit the “Ms” again, but for now, I’m moving to a new letter!

Brew Review #15

Date: Friday 3/26/10
Time: 4:30 – whenever
Location: Old Market Pub & Brewery
Specifically: 6959 SW Multnomah Blvd.

Old Market is a little stingy with their happy hour – it’s over at 5:30 on Fridays – but they have a number of their own beers on tap, and a decent sandwich & pizza menu. You non-beer drinkers are not left out! They do also have liquor, so you’re covered.

Brew Review #13 was at the McMenamin’s Barley Mill pub in SE Portland. I have to admit to not being very excited about this review, as McMenamin’s beers, while not bad, certainly, are seldom anything to write home about. I chose the Barley Mill pub because it is apparently McMenamin’s oldest pub – and I’d never been there.

The evening started off, as always, with the sampler tray. I wanted to be fair.

1. Ruby

• The architect: better than the hammerhead
• Amy: Bleh, my least favorite McMenamin’s beer
• JunkMiles: my favorite beer probably EVER!
• Cilley: a little flat tonight, otherwise fine.

2. Hammerhead

• The architect: not as good as the IPA
• Amy: It’s alright. Barely.

3. IPA

• The architect: Really good, tasty, especially good this time
• Amy: Better that usual!

4. Porter

• The architect: I like it, but I’m not really a porter kind of guy.
• Amy: Thick but not bad.

5. Terminator Stout

• The architect: Not as good as the porter (this rating system seemed to be a theme for him that night!)
• Amy: I didn’t like it until I poured in the rest of the Ruby. Rubinator is gooood.

6. Nut Brown (Seasonal)

• The architect: I think it’s okay.
• Amy: not nearly as good as usual, too malty-sweet.

Other beers, not on the taster tray

Nitro Nottingham

• Mr. Pi: I like it; there’s enough flavor to overcompensate for the nitro

Nebraskan Bitter

• Lori: My favorite beer (she didn’t clarify if it was her fave McMenamin’s or her favorite of ALL TIME!)

The verdict: Meh.

I drank an IPA & a Nebraska Bitter; the architect stuck to IPAs, Mr. Pi had his Nottingham, Lori had the Nebraska Bitter and Cilley & JunkMiles stuck to Ruby.

Other comments from the night

Pros:

• The Morroccan coffee was tasty (according to Cilley.)
• The decor is funky & fun

Cons:

• Too many babies!
• Also, I am not sure if the waiter came & announced when happy hour was ending, which always makes me like waiters a LOT more.

And now for the photographic evidence!

The next brew review will be at MacTarnahan’s Taproom. (I am so looking forward to moving on to the next letter of the alphabet!)

This place fills up, so let me know if you’re coming so I can save space for you.

February 5, 2010.
4:30 – ???

MacTarnahan’s Taproom
2730 NW 31st
Portland Oregon, 97210

Happy hour is from 3 pm – 6 pm, and includes $3.30 pints, $4 wines, and food specials for under $4.

Hope to see you there!