Intro: Any brewery has to have a standard lineup of quality beers that can appeal to the masses, but it is their special releases and seasonals that really lets the brewers shine and have a little fun. Full Sail has been featuring their Brewer’s Share special releases in their Hood River tap room since 2008, but this is the first year they are sharing with the rest of us via 22oz bottles. For 2012, they will be sharing recipes from four of their brewers. Each brewer will also get to choose a local charity to receive a portion of the proceeds from sales of their beer.
First up in the series is the Extra Special Barney from Barney Brennan, Brewing Supervisor.

Description: Pours a clear copper with medium head. Citrus hops pair with lightly sweet toasted malt in an aroma that comes through quite nicely. The flavor starts out with significant toasted malt that is matched with a bit of caramel malt and more citrus hops. The malt is moderately sweet to start in the taste, and a solid bitterness lingers for a bit, but it is just enough to balance things out well. It finishes fairly dry, and there is just a bit of astringency towards the very end. This beer does a great job of featuring both the malt and hop flavors without trying to pack too much in. It is extremely refreshing, balanced, and enjoyable from start to finish. Very well done by Full Sail. If I were in charge, I’d make this a year-round offering.

Verdict: Buy the hell out of it
Click here to see a list of select local bottle shops.
Brewery Website
Ratebeer Info
BeerAdvocate Info

Commercial Description/Press Release:

According to Brennan, this beer is a departure from the big, hoppy, Northwest ales. This Extra Special Bitter, a traditional English style ale, is brewed with attention to balance, highlighting both malt and hops. Five different malt varieties give the beer its orange hue, and caramel complexities. An English hop variety grown here in the Yakima Valley, Challenger, was chosen to complement the fruity esters in the aroma. It is the only variety used, meant to showcase its beauty. The pint first offers the interaction of the aromas of malt and hop, then the medium body and caramel flavors finish with a slight bitterness. Drinkable and quenching with an invitation to return for another taste. 6.5% ABV, 35 IBU

Brennan’s ESB was inspired by two things; a perfect beer moment and an aromatic highlight of the hop selection in Yakima. As Barney puts it, “First inspiration for this beer came during hop selection in Yakima. We had no intentions of purchasing these Challengers, but after rubbing and smelling them we could not resist a small purchase for something “extra special.” We really respect the opportunity to have such a strong connection to our ingredients and the harvest, and deeply value the freedom to follow our inspirations. The rest of the brew revolved around a personal, great beer moment. I was sitting on the deck at the brewery overlooking the river in the sunshine – drinking this beautiful beer we had created, balanced, aromatic – already looking forward to the second pint. I wanted to share a little glimpse of Hood River brewing life and happiness. Hopefully this ESB will be involved in some special moments for others.”

Press release:

Seattle, WA– This week KISW, in partnership with Elysian Brewing, donated $99,500 to Puget Sound Fisher House and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Fisher Houses to honor and assist our veterans and active military personnel. Thanks to the support of the KISW listeners, known as Rockaholics, and beer drinkers in the Seattle community, the two-year total donations to Fisher House total $193,547.

Two years ago, KISW’s iconic and #1 afternoon show, The Men’s Room, partnered with Elysian Brewing to create Men’s Room Original Red. The beer was an instant hit. Its tremendous success allowed KISW and Elysian Brewing to give something back to the community, and a partnership with Puget Sound and JBLM Fisher Houses began.

Since opening in 2008, the VA Puget Sound Fisher House has served over 2,400 families of veterans and active-duty military personnel. The Fisher House program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“KISW and The Men’s Room are amazed by the success of The Men’s Room Original Red and honored to support such a worthy charity. We love being able to give beer lovers across Washington a chance to do their part,” said Thee Ted Smith of The Men’s Room. “The Fisher House serves the families of those who have protected us and who have made tremendous sacrifices.” Entercom CEO David J. Fieldadded, “This is a great example of the power of radio. Congratulations to KISW, Men’s Room Original Red and Elysian Brewing for making such a difference in their community.”

“Every Fisher House relies on community support to fund programs,” said Cecile Bagrow, Director of VAPS Fisher House. “The partnership with KISW and Elysian is an amazing and unique example of that. We couldn’t be more grateful.” The Fisher House provides temporary housing to families of veterans and active service personnel while the service members are being treated at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System.

For more information about The Men’s Room Original Red, visit the KISW website at www.KISW.com.

It’s the end of the world as we know it! Come celebrate with us as we release the second of our 12 BEERS OF THE APOCALYPSE :: RAPTURE Heather Ale. This beer is heavenly balanced! Rapture will be available on draft and in bottles with labels featuring the artwork of comic artist Charles Burns from his weirdly apocalyptic Black Hole series.
TUESDAY, FEB. 21, 2012 from 6-9PM
@ ELYSIAN CAPITOL HILL
6:00PM – Party lifts off with tapping of Rapture Heather Ale
7:00PM – Entertainment Interlude> Survival Demo / Alien Autopsy
Throughout – Beer Blessings performed by Dick Cantwell and fellow Brewers
 
Make sure to bring your APOCALYPSE BEER SURVIVAL GUIDE to this event to collect your second survival stamp. If you missed the first party, don’t worry, we will have more guides available at this event. Fill your book with survival item stamps at our Apocalypse events throughout the year for an outstanding experience at our final End of the World Celebration 12.20.12!

More about RAPTURE Heather Ale:

February 21 will usher in RAPTURE, an ale of opulent proportions flavored with heather tips. Unlike the various Rapture events predicted by pseudoscientists and alarmist evangelicals, the beer will be very real and frankly delicious, combining the floral fragrance and slight bite of high country heather with Northwest Glacier hops in another 7% abv beer.

Brewer Skip Madsen

Congrats to American Brewing for a very successful first year of business!

Press release:

One Year Anniversary Celebration
Open House & Fundraising Event
Saturday, March 3, 2012 · 1 pm – 11 pm
Live Music · Snacks & Finger Foods · New Merchandise · Beer!

American Brewing Company is proud to announce that it will be celebrating its one-year anniversary by hosting an open house (21 and older) Saturday, March 3 from 1 pm – 11 pm at their brewery, located at 180 W. Dayton St., Warehouse 102 in Edmonds, WA. The tasting room will feature live music by local artists Steve Stefanowicz, a rock and blues acoustic performer from 2 pm – 5pm, and Third Train Running, an acoustic blues and folk band from 7 pm – 10 pm, as well as snacks and finger foods. Along with their great flagship beers, American Brewing Company will proudly present brewer Skip Madsen’s newest, a hearty Scotch Ale!

In conjunction with this celebration, they are incorporating a fundraising event for the Edmonds Food Bank. Bring a donation of canned goods and receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win American Brewing Company swag, while helping to fill the shelves of the local food bank. “We are currently feeding 1,800 to 2,000 people each week,” says Peggy Kennedy, Director of the Edmonds Food Bank. According to Ms. Kennedy, any donation will be greatly appreciated.

“We’ve accomplished so much in our first year of business” says owner, Neil Fallon. “I want to make this day a way to thank everyone who has contributed to our success.”

In its first year of operations, the American Brewing Company:

- Began bottling three styles of beer after just six months of operation.
- Was featured as one of the “buzz-worthy” up-and-coming breweries in the October, 2011 issue of Seattle Magazine.
- Took on three distributors in the Western Washington region, and is about to add it’s fourth.
- Collaborated with local celebrity chef Tom Douglas’s Brave Horse Tavern to craft an American Style Brown Ale, The Brave American, which won a Bronze Medal at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.
- American Brewing Company 22 oz bottle labels, designed by Taphandles in Seattle, received an American Package Design Award presented by Graphic Design USA.
- Was chosen as one of only 15 breweries from across the country to pour their beer in Washington, D.C. for more than 500 members of Congress and their staff at the Tenth Annual Autumn Capitol Hill Beer Tasting.
- Expanded their brewing capacity-twice-to keep up with demand.
- Began offering their beer at eight major chain stores in the Pacific Northwest.
- Was chosen to be a part of the first on-line Craft Beer Store, Beerjobber.com.

For an in-depth look at what has occurred over the past year at American Brewing Company, please visit their blog site http://americanbrewing.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/one-year-anniversary-celebration/

Last year’s grand opening event was such a blow out success that they are hoping the extended hours will allow for everyone to stop by and join in the celebration.

Here are a few breweries and a brief description of what they’ll be offering to visitors:

Schooner EXACT Brewing – They will be offering brewery tours, sampling sour beers and vertical flights of Hoppy the Woodsman

Valholl Brewing – Will be tapping a special firkin and pairing beer with local chocolates.

Fremont Brewing – Pouring some special beers and offering brewery tours.

You can see a map here that will list all of the participants, as well as what they are planning (as that info becomes available).

Also,  if you will be anywhere near Oregon this Saturday, I’d highly suggest checking out the agenda for their statewide Zwickelmania.

There are five total rounds for the competition, and the third round will be taking place this weekend in Seattle. Boundary Bay IPA will be taking on Hop Ride IPA from Tenaya Creek Brewery in Las Vegas, NV. Hop Ride beat out Bowser Brewing Electric City IPA and Laurelwood Workhorse IPA in the first two rounds, while Boundary Bay bested Harpoon IPA and Pagosa Brewing Single Hop. The winner of this matchup will move on to face the winner of Port Wipeout IPA vs. Crossroads Outrage IPA. The final round will be held on March 4 in Buffalo, NY.

You can see the full results and track the remaining rounds at the competition website.

Here are the other fourteen Washington IPAs that entered the competition, along with their results:

Naked City Athena IPA – lost to Marin Brewing Three Flowers IPA in 1st round
Black Raven Beak Tweaker IPA – lost to the Brew Kettler Production Works White Rajah IP in 2nd round, beat Boston Beer Whitewater IPA in 1st round (Samuel Adams)
American Brewing Breakaway IPA – lost to Santa Fe Happy Camper IPA
Diamond Knot IPA – lost to Pelican IPA in 1st round
Two Beers Evolutionary IPA – lost to Fat Heads Head Hunter IPA in 1st round
Scuttlebutt Gale Force IPA – lost to Rochester Mills Seeing Double IPA in 1st round
Big Time Icculus Pale Ale – lost to Pelican IPA in 2nd round, beat Willoughby Brewing Moonshadow IPA in 1st round
Ice Harbor IPA – lost to Michigan Brewing High Seas IPA in 2nd round, beat Schmohz Brewing IPA in 1st round
Elysian Idiot Sauvin – lost to Widmer Spiced IPA in second round; beat Harmon Point Defiance in 1st round.
Silver City Indianola IPA – lost to Cigar City Jai Alai IPA in 1st round
Fremont Interurban IPA – lost to Hoppin’ Frog Hoppin’ To Heaven in 1st round
Fremont The Sister – lost to Moylan’s Harvest IPA in 1st round
Redhook Long Hammer IPA – lost to High Water Hop Riot IPA in 1st round
Harmon Point Defiance IPA – lost to Elysian Idiot Sauvin in 1st round

Yep, I ate some of that chocolate (thanks, Jeanne!).

If you are looking for a last minute Valentine’s Day present for that beer-loving man or woman in your life, chocolate beer can be the perfect gift. You can either take your valentine out for a beer to try some on draft, or you can get them a bottle to enjoy at home.

I’m sure that I haven’t caught all of the available chocolate beers and events, so please let me know what I’ve missed.

On Draft

Naked City Brewery & Taphouse – They will be tapping a limited amount of two chocolate beers, Schokoladen Weizenbier and Choco Train, for Valentines Day. They will be on tap when they open at 3pm and when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Airways Brewing – Airways will be serving their Triple Chocolate Stout paired with mini chocolate cupcakes (made with their Starliner Stout) and an assortment of toppings at their Airways Beer & Bistro located in historic downtown Kent. 11am to 9pm.

In Bottles
Look for these bottles at your better beer retailers around the area.

Rogue Chocolate Stout – This is probably my favorite beer from Rogue. Ebony in color with a rich creamy head. The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bitter-sweet finish.

New Belgium Cocoa Mole – I had a taste of this beer for the first time a couple of weeks ago and loved it. But, it is definitely a love-it or hate-it kind of beer. Say Hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor to our Cocoa Molé. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying, “¡Olé for molé!”

Dogfish Head Theobrama - Theobroma is a celebration of chocolate, the food of the gods. This Ancient Ale is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras that revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions.

Boulevard Chocolate Ale - Chocolate Ale is full of surprises, beginning with a glowing amber hue. The aroma is given over to earthy, fruity cocoa, with just a hint of hops. Smooth layers of dark chocolate intertwine with threads of caramel, vanilla, and nutty malt as the flavor warms and rounds to a bittersweet finish.

Southern Tier Choklat Stout – The Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, unfolds a complex web of mystery around a beverage known as xocoatl (ch-co-atle). At Southern Tier, we’re not surprised that hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya depict chocolate being poured for rulers and gods. Even through the many voyages of Columbus, the mystical bean remained nothing more than a strange currency of the native peoples. Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses & renew the power & interrelation of history in every bottle.

 Young’s Double Chocolate Stout - Chocolate malt and real dark chocolate are combined with Young’s award winning rich, full flavoured dark beer to craft a satisfyingly indulgent, but never overly sweet experience.

The perfect chance to visit will be when Hopworks Urban Brewery makes the trip up I-5 from Portland for a Brewmaster Dinner on February 24. The complete menu can be found below, but the dinner will feature five courses, each paired with one of Hopworks’ beers. Hopworks makes some of the best beer in the Northwest, and this event is sure to be gratifying. Christian Ettinger, Thomas Bleigh and Jaime Rodriguez of Hopworks will be joining Trellis chef Brian Scheehser for the event.

A reception with passed hors d’oeuvres kicks off at 5:30pm, and dinner commences at 6:30pm. The cost is $75 + tax and gratuity. Seating is limited; please call (425) 284-5900 for reservations to the Hopworks Urban Brewery Second Annual Beer Pairing Dinner. Those who reserve seats at the dinner are eligible for a discounted stay ($119) at the Heathman Hotel on the night of the dinner. The event is presented to you by Washington Beer Blog, and Kendall Jones will act as emcee for the evening.

Menu (so far):

Trellis Restaurant & Hop Works Urban Brewery
Brewmaster Dinner
February 24, 2012
5:30pm
Mini Bites
Butler passed during the reception
Hop Works Lager and Pale Ale
***
Wild Prawns and Bone Marrow Bruschetta
Micro Salad
Galactic Imperial Red
***
Grilled Quail
Farm Foraged Bean Ragout
Deluxe Organic DOA
***
Ace
***
Painted Hills
Boneless short Rib
Rich Vegetable Broth
Sessions Cascadian Dark Ale
***
Hazelnut Flourless Chocolate Cake
Dark Helmet Schwarz Bier

About Trellis
Housed in the luxurious Heathman Hotel (www.heathmankirkland.com) on Seattle’s eastside in Kirkland, Wash., Trellis is a 90-seat restaurant and bar that features wine country-style cuisine under the direction of executive chef Brian Scheehser, who was featured at the famed James Beard House in New York City as part of its Best Hotel Chefs in America series in 2008. Trellis features a richly appointed environment that is comfortable and warm with food and drink that celebrates small scale, artisan products at the height of their seasonal quality. Trellis’ rustic, farm-fresh, robust menu characterizes wine country restaurants and evolves with the seasons, always using the best of the current harvest as a foundation for its farm-to-table philosophy. Much of the produce on the menu is grown in Scheehser’s local five-acre garden at the South 47 farm in Woodinville, Wash. A wine list with more than 200 selections features the best that California, Washington and Oregon vintners have to offer as well as an extensive international collection. Heated outdoor seating is available. For additional information, visit www.trellisrestaurant.net.

About Hopworks Urban Brewery
Hopworks Urban Brewery and Hopworks BikeBar are Portland’s first Eco-Brewpubs offering handcrafted organic beers and fresh, local ingredients. The brewpubs are sustainably-built and operated buildings with a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Hopworks is 100 percent renewably powered, “cradle to gate” carbon neutral and features sustainable components including composting, rain barrels, a pervious paver parking lot and hand dryers. The company makes every effort to protect “our” future with a thoughtful alternative.

The 20-barrel brewery produces 8,500 barrels a year and provides its restaurants with ten different HUB organic beers on tap and two cask ales at all times. Hopworks beer is available on draught and in bottles in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. For more information, please visit HopworksBeer.com or follow on Twitter @HopworksBeer.

Local breweries will be on hand, as well as a few choice imports, and some will be bringing their own versions of beer made with chocolate. Pike will be pouring a XXXX Cocoa Cherry Porter brewed just for the occasion on their new pilot brewing system.

Just a few of the participating businesses include Fran’s Chocolates, Theo Chocolate, Lazy Boy Brewing, Fremont Brewing, Finn River Cidery, Naked City Brewery, Woodinville Whiskey Co., Mistral Kitchen, and Macrina Bakery.

More info from Pike:

FOREPLAY BEFORE THE BIG DAY: On February 12, 2012 Pike again gathers together top producers of beer, wine, spirits, and mead, along with select local restaurants and specialty food producers, to make ChocoFest 2012 the best ever. We will feature local producers, and for the sake of comparison, represent some of the best imported, too. This year we will open up thebrewery, one floor below the Pike Pub, in order to accommodate greater numbers of enthusiasts.
BENEFIT FOR FARESTART: Proceeds from the event will benefit FareStart, a culinary job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. Over the past 19 years, FareStart has provided opportunities for nearly 5,000 people to transform their lives, while also serving over 4.5 million meals to disadvantaged men, women, and children.
CHOCOBREW FEST: We are inviting local breweries to brew and serve their own versions of beer made with chocolate.Pike will offer XXXX Cocoa Cherry Porter, specially brewed for the occasion in our new pilot brewery.
WINE, SPIRITS, MEAD, CIDER, RESTAURANTS, BAKERS, and CHEESE MAKERS: We have invited more wineries, distilleries, and cider makers, and even a meadery, along with restaurants, bakers and artisan cheese makers, in order to make 2012 Chocofest the best ever.

 

A SWEET HISTORY: Our goal from the beginning has been to expose food lovers to the natural harmony of chocolate and beer. Many people are unaware of this exquisite combination, and there’s no better time to expose them to it than around Valentine’s Day. Wine marketers first promoted chocolate and wine many years ago, so there is often moreawareness of this pairing. Spirits, too, marry beautifully with chocolate, but until recently, we had but a few local spirit producers. With a substantial local chocolate culture and an abundance of great breweries, wineries, distilleries, and even a meadery, in 2008 we decided to have a festival. Pike ChocoFest was born and it was a hit from the very beginning.
 

Each year ChocoFest has had more participants, more guests, and has been more fun. The first year ChocoFest occupied only the two levels of our Museum Room, and in years two and three, in an effort to accommodate more guests and create better traffic flow, we added the Naughty Nellie Room, as well as our IPA level, to the event floor plan. This year

we are including the Pike Brewery.

Pike ChocoFest is a great way to enjoy a romantic, delicious, and sensuous evening at Pike, and feel good about it! Plus some participating vendors will have products available for sale if you’re looking for the perfect valentine gift.
Cost: $30, with proceeds benefiting FareStart

For reservations and information: Tara (206) 812-6604 | tshuttleworth@pikebrewing.com

Click here to see some of our confirmed vendors .

Details from the Washington Brewers Guild:

(Seattle, WA) February 8, 2012- After several years of hiatus the Washington Brewers Guild is pleased to return as the presenting sponsor of the Washington Cask Beer Festival on Saturday, March 31st at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion.

Washington Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a community of Washington State brewers, advance their common interests through the legislative process and promote the quality and value of their beers. As the major fundraiser of the Guild the Cask Festival will raise much-needed funds for the organization to support its mission to support the brewing community in Washington State.

This year’s Cask Festival will continue its tradition as one of the region’s premier beer festivals and showcase Washington brewers’ exceptional talent in the form of cask-conditioned beer. The event started out over a decade ago as a small cask beer tasting organized by a handful of Guild member breweries in an attempt to introduce the artistry of the traditional brewing method that originated in England. Today the sold-out event attracts more than 1,500 cask aficionados from all over the region every year and its success is a powerful indication that more and more consumers are learning to appreciate craft beer, and cask-conditioned beer in particular.  In addition to the impressive lineup of more than 70 fine cask-conditioned beers masterfully brewed by Washington breweries the Cask Fest will also return with a fan favorite, the Herbert’s Legendary Cask Festival Alewhich will get a slight facelift this year. The Herbert’s is a special collaboration beer brewed in honor of late Bert Grant, a legendary Washington beer icon. Each year a different host brewery invites fellow Washington brewers to brew the beer based on the recipe that has been passed on from one host brewery to the next and it has been a must try among the devoted Cask Fest fans for many years.

The Cask Festival will host two sessions, one from noon to 4pm and a second session from 5:30pm to 9:30pm on Saturday, March 31st. Admission is $35 in advance or $40 at the door if tickets are still available. Separate tickets are required for each session. Admission includes a commemorative tasting cup and up to 25 sample tastes. Tickets are available online at www.washingtonbrewersguild.org and at select ticket outlets. The event is expected to sell out so advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. This is a 21 and over only event.

WASHINGTON CASK BEER FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 31, 2012   12-4pm & 5:30-9:30pm   Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion

DATE

Saturday, March 31, 2012

HOURS
Session 1- 12-4 pm

Session 2- 5:30-9:30 pm

Separate ticket required for each session

LOCATION
Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion
305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA  98109

ADMISSION      

$35 advance tickets or $40 at the door if still available. Admission includes a commemorative tasting cup and up to 25 sample tastes.

Must be 21 years old or older and have a valid ID to be admitted.

Designated driver admission is $5 and available at the door only.

Tickets are on sale online at www.washingtonbrewersguild.org and at select outlets

BEERS
Washington Cask Beer Festival is a major highlight of the Pacific Northwest beer festival scene. The event features more than 70 one-of-a-kind cask-conditioned beers from the region’s most innovative microbreweries. To stay true to the tradition of cask-conditioned beer the Festival requires brewers to naturally condition the beer in a firkin or other vessels without artificially introducing CO2. Poured by gravity the result is smooth ale with a thick creamy head that brings out subtle, nuanced flavors.

HERBERT’S LEGENDARY CASK FEST ALE

Also serving is Herbert’s Legendary Cask Festival Ale, a special cask beer brewed collectively by the Washington brewers in memory of Bert Grant, a legendary Washington beer icon. This year’s Herbert’s will get a slight facelift and will be brewed at Diamond Knot Brewing in collaboration with other participating Washington brewers. Herbert’s will be available at the Cask Festival as well as select pubs prior to the event.

BENEFICIARY
Washington Brewers Guild is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build a community of Washington State brewers, advance their common interests through the legislative process and promote the quality and value of their beers.