Blog July 7, 2012
Tired from late-night fireworks and a whole yard full of barbecuing friends and family, on July 5 Will and I drag our selves (actually, I’m the drag queen; Will has the unflagging pep of youth and energy drinks) up to Lisa Morrison’s studio space in the 6th Floor of the PacWest Building, 1211 S.W. Fifth St., Portland. We are there to be interviewed by the Beer Goddess herself, for her radio show “Beer O’Clock.” Lisa, running a temperature that day, tried to reschedule her interviews, but was unable to do it. We are sealed into a soundproof 10-by-6 foot space around which germs could easily move. Lisa greets us, a bit green around the gills, and assures me she is not contagious. “Famous last words,” I say.
In the studio, I sit behind Lisa’s engineer and watch with amazement as she transforms her low-energy sickliness into a radio personality. Her introduction is downright vivacious. She interviews Rick Like on the Pints for Prostate fundraiser as lines squiggle and lights flash across the screen of an impressive bank of recording equipment. And then, it’s our turn. We are asked to tell the world about our new publication, the Oregon Beer Growler. Will talks fast, I try to translate for him, and in a few short minutes, it’s all over. We’ve been interviewed by the Goddess.
You can catch our show today, at 3 p.m., or in a month or so online at http://beergoddess.com/beer_o_clock. I’ve listed the radio stations on her network, in case you’ve been living in a cave and haven’t heard the show. It’s a great place to tune into each week to catch the news about the growing Oregon craft beer scene!
Beer O’Clock is part of the Radio Northwest Network! Here’s where you can find Beer O’Clock:
KXL — 101 FM — Portland , KWRO — 630 AM — Coos Bay , KLOO — 1340 AM — Corvallis, KWVR — 1340 AM — Enterprise , KPNW — 1120 AM — Eugene, KFLS — 1450 AM — Klamath Falls, KCMX — 880 AM — Medford, KACI — 1300 AM — The Dalles , KTIL — 1590 AM — Tillamook, KYRS — 88.1/92.3 FM — Spokane.
-- Blog by Gail Oberst
Tired from late-night fireworks and a whole yard full of barbecuing friends and family, on July 5 Will and I drag our selves (actually, I’m the drag queen; Will has the unflagging pep of youth and energy drinks) up to Lisa Morrison’s studio space in the 6th Floor of the PacWest Building, 1211 S.W. Fifth St., Portland. We are there to be interviewed by the Beer Goddess herself, for her radio show “Beer O’Clock.” Lisa, running a temperature that day, tried to reschedule her interviews, but was unable to do it. We are sealed into a soundproof 10-by-6 foot space around which germs could easily move. Lisa greets us, a bit green around the gills, and assures me she is not contagious. “Famous last words,” I say.
In the studio, I sit behind Lisa’s engineer and watch with amazement as she transforms her low-energy sickliness into a radio personality. Her introduction is downright vivacious. She interviews Rick Like on the Pints for Prostate fundraiser as lines squiggle and lights flash across the screen of an impressive bank of recording equipment. And then, it’s our turn. We are asked to tell the world about our new publication, the Oregon Beer Growler. Will talks fast, I try to translate for him, and in a few short minutes, it’s all over. We’ve been interviewed by the Goddess.
You can catch our show today, at 3 p.m., or in a month or so online at http://beergoddess.com/beer_o_clock. I’ve listed the radio stations on her network, in case you’ve been living in a cave and haven’t heard the show. It’s a great place to tune into each week to catch the news about the growing Oregon craft beer scene!
Beer O’Clock is part of the Radio Northwest Network! Here’s where you can find Beer O’Clock:
KXL — 101 FM — Portland , KWRO — 630 AM — Coos Bay , KLOO — 1340 AM — Corvallis, KWVR — 1340 AM — Enterprise , KPNW — 1120 AM — Eugene, KFLS — 1450 AM — Klamath Falls, KCMX — 880 AM — Medford, KACI — 1300 AM — The Dalles , KTIL — 1590 AM — Tillamook, KYRS — 88.1/92.3 FM — Spokane.
-- Blog by Gail Oberst
North American Organic Beer Festival June 29-July 1st 2012
Lisa Morrison, John Foyston, and Chris Crabb, saving the world one beer at a time.
The reclamation of the earth is quickly happening. For the last hundred years we went to any means, both high and low, to feed the greatest amount of people. This took a great toll on the earth and the sea to do this, and while a great many lives were saved, there was a price to pay. Now we begin to repay that debt by putting back the value into the soil and the water.
As Rainer Maria Rilke said, “Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” When we come together to support that cause of giving back to the world that has nourished us, we let our voices be known.
And what better way for our voices to be known than in the style of a joyous afternoon with drink in tow, hand in hand with our fellow man?
This weekend marks the 7th annual North American Organic Brew Fest, the largest organic brew festival in the world. The NAOBF takes every measure to ensure that all festival aspects leave the smallest carbon footprint possible. From the director Craig Nicholls and media spokesperson Chris Crabb’s media release;
We have taken this festival beyond simply serving organic beer and cider. You’re
drinking your beer from a reusable and compostable cornstarch glass made
from domestically grown corn by a zero-waste, solar-powered company. Our
food vendors use compostable serving ware and follow stringent sustainable
practices. Our electricity needs are met with a combination of biodiesel and
solar generators. And our volunteers are wearing organic cotton and hemp
t-shirts, and drinking from BPA-free water bottles.
In addition to being able to sample from over 70 organic brews and ciders, there comes a great front for relaxation in the form of a circulating band list as well a beautiful view from the park (as well as in its patrons). Though it may rain or shine, I can assure you that there will be a comfortable spot on the lawn, ample bicycle parking, and a host of great people welcoming you in for a delicious pint.
Visit this weekend at Overlook park and check out www.naobf.com for more details!
Cheers.
Posted by Will Oberst-Cairns
As Rainer Maria Rilke said, “Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” When we come together to support that cause of giving back to the world that has nourished us, we let our voices be known.
And what better way for our voices to be known than in the style of a joyous afternoon with drink in tow, hand in hand with our fellow man?
This weekend marks the 7th annual North American Organic Brew Fest, the largest organic brew festival in the world. The NAOBF takes every measure to ensure that all festival aspects leave the smallest carbon footprint possible. From the director Craig Nicholls and media spokesperson Chris Crabb’s media release;
We have taken this festival beyond simply serving organic beer and cider. You’re
drinking your beer from a reusable and compostable cornstarch glass made
from domestically grown corn by a zero-waste, solar-powered company. Our
food vendors use compostable serving ware and follow stringent sustainable
practices. Our electricity needs are met with a combination of biodiesel and
solar generators. And our volunteers are wearing organic cotton and hemp
t-shirts, and drinking from BPA-free water bottles.
In addition to being able to sample from over 70 organic brews and ciders, there comes a great front for relaxation in the form of a circulating band list as well a beautiful view from the park (as well as in its patrons). Though it may rain or shine, I can assure you that there will be a comfortable spot on the lawn, ample bicycle parking, and a host of great people welcoming you in for a delicious pint.
Visit this weekend at Overlook park and check out www.naobf.com for more details!
Cheers.
Posted by Will Oberst-Cairns
How much beer it takes to tap a keg, and other NAOBF stories
Lisa Morrison, AKA The Beer Goddess, occasionally becomes impatient with mere mortals, and for good reason. They need beer to function. Morrison just needs beer to make events come to life.
“It takes a lot of beer to tap a keg,” she sighed, resident dimples creasing her cherubic face. She pointed to the empty bottles lining the landing steps of the refrigerated truck trailers that housed the dozens of kegs and taps for the North American Organic Beer Festival, the event for which she was acting tour guide for a gaggle of goofy media types, like myself. Workers hammered and clanked in the background, fueled by whatever was in those bottle. We were all sampling the beer that had made it to the taps, not much minding that about half of the taps were not online until just minutes before the public hoards stormed the gates. Having managed a few shows in my lifetime (I was the stage manager of my 5th-grade spring concert, handing out paper flowers to fellow performers), I imparted my wisdom: The audience won’t see the glitches in the show. They’ll all be drinking, I said. I wasn’t referring to my 5th grade audience, of course, whose members were super critical and the cause of several psychoses I maintain today, albeit, privately. I sort of wish that audience had been drinking a bit more. But I digress. NAOBF 2012 was fabulous and fun. No thanks to the media pre-event, which got me started on good beer very early in the day, by 3 p.m. I was laying rope lasso traps in the grass near my seat, trying to snag passersby, without much success. What’s really weird though is that several people sitting near me joined in the fun, baiting the trap with beer cups and drink tokens and urging people to step in the trap. Probably the highlight of that whole trapping business was that I actually caught Otis Heat, one of a line-up of great musicians at the NAOBF, but then had no idea what to do with him and in fact was totally surprised at his willingness to be caught. I needed time to think! Meanwhile, he wandered off in search of a guitar. |
I was too easily distracted. So much to drink, taste and do!
I breezed through my 10 token tastes with the greatest of ease, and then dipped into my son’s and husband’s stash. Alphabetically, the Oregon beers I loved included Alameda’s Yellow Wolves of Thailand, Captured by Porches Invasive Species, The Commons Haver Bier/Oat Saison Deschutes Green Lakes Amber, Fort George’s Spruce Budd Ale, Hopworks Rise-Up Red, Lompoc’s Cluster Fuggles, Laurelwood’s Deranger Red Ale, Logsdon’s Seizoen, McMenamins Oak Hills Altbier, Mt. Emily’s Heifer-Weizen and Red Ale, Natian’s AAA Amber Ale and Summer Ale, Oakshire’s Farmhouse Ale, Terminal Gravity’s Organic Rye, and Two Kilts Imperial IPA and maybe some others from Oregon and other states. No dogs in that list! It was a good day, and one that ended with a designated driver dropping us off at a hotel where, eventually, the beautiful day became part of my dreams. Meanwhile Lisa and the other staff and volunteers of the NAOBF including Chris Crabb and founder Craig Nicholls were doing the more serious work of exposing beer drinkers to sustainable practices in beer-production, forcing the eternal question: will my corn-based compostable cup dissolve if the IBUs are too high? Or better yet, is a beer with a 95-99 percent organic classification 50 percent more likely to taste awful? I know the answer to that: 100 percent NOT likely. Posted by Gail Oberst 
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Mid Valley Pairing Event
It is certainly true that beer goes with food. In this day and age, wine no longer dominates the forefront of people’s mind when it comes to pairing food and drink. Even the average beer consumer can certainly see that there is no better brother to cheese or fish, in the liquid family, than that of beer. In the Willamette Valley, we can certainly see that truth in the form of The Mid-Valley Pairing Event held on June 24th at the Willamette Heritage Center.
From four local craft breweries, three local food venues, and one cidery came 11 food and beverage pairings that have a substantial impact on the local culture. There came within the crowd a mix of both old and young alike. If they came for the atmosphere of the historic location, the varying bands of high skill, or the brewer and chef resolve… who can say? It is certainly true though, that a good time was had by all.
I was privileged enough to partake in four of these pairings; choosing one such pairing from each local brewery. These breweries were Seven Brides (Silverton), Oakshire (Eugene), Gilgamesh (Turner), and Pale Horse (Salem). For the providers of food I had Venti’s Taphouse, Continental Delight, and Loustic Catering.
The first pairing I had was Oakshire’s Line Dry Rye, pale ale, paired with a braised pork masala over fried pita from Venti’s. First off, this was a fantastic pairing. The citrus from the hops and from the fruit in the masala complimented each other. The slight bitterness from the hops gave the slight heat from the food a good kick-up and vice versa. The bitterness also helped to cut through any of the sweetness of the sauce. There was a solid golden body within the brew here and this accentuated the pita bread and the breadiness of the noodles.
The second and third pairings I had were the Gilgamesh’s flagship Mamba with the shrimp Madagascar from Continental and the Pale Horse Hopyard Dog with Loustic’s Cassoulet. The Mamba is a hopless brew with tangerine peel, honey, and black tea beer. It was paired with a creamy dish cooked with wine. The Hopyard Dog was paired with a Cassoulet made with kidney beans, bacon, and spiced sausage was made popular in France.
The last pairing I partook in was a true and iconic classic. The Seven Brides Weizenator dopplebock put together with a skewered pearl onion and bratwurst dish from Venti’s. The dopplebock gave great notes of raisins and a rich dark fruit flavor. The saltiness of the meat put off a fantastic compliment to the fruit. The saltiness of the mean, the spiciness of the onion, and the sweetness of the brew came together to form a perfect union to be etched in the history books. I was reminded of the autumn leaves and threatening snow.
For those who love a multi-course dinner of food and beer pairing, there could be no greater joy than choosing your own path in consumption. This being the first year that this event has been hosted I can only hope that we will see many more of its kind, and many more brew dishes to come.
Posted by Will Oberst-Cairns, Oregon Beer Champion
From four local craft breweries, three local food venues, and one cidery came 11 food and beverage pairings that have a substantial impact on the local culture. There came within the crowd a mix of both old and young alike. If they came for the atmosphere of the historic location, the varying bands of high skill, or the brewer and chef resolve… who can say? It is certainly true though, that a good time was had by all.
I was privileged enough to partake in four of these pairings; choosing one such pairing from each local brewery. These breweries were Seven Brides (Silverton), Oakshire (Eugene), Gilgamesh (Turner), and Pale Horse (Salem). For the providers of food I had Venti’s Taphouse, Continental Delight, and Loustic Catering.
The first pairing I had was Oakshire’s Line Dry Rye, pale ale, paired with a braised pork masala over fried pita from Venti’s. First off, this was a fantastic pairing. The citrus from the hops and from the fruit in the masala complimented each other. The slight bitterness from the hops gave the slight heat from the food a good kick-up and vice versa. The bitterness also helped to cut through any of the sweetness of the sauce. There was a solid golden body within the brew here and this accentuated the pita bread and the breadiness of the noodles.
The second and third pairings I had were the Gilgamesh’s flagship Mamba with the shrimp Madagascar from Continental and the Pale Horse Hopyard Dog with Loustic’s Cassoulet. The Mamba is a hopless brew with tangerine peel, honey, and black tea beer. It was paired with a creamy dish cooked with wine. The Hopyard Dog was paired with a Cassoulet made with kidney beans, bacon, and spiced sausage was made popular in France.
The last pairing I partook in was a true and iconic classic. The Seven Brides Weizenator dopplebock put together with a skewered pearl onion and bratwurst dish from Venti’s. The dopplebock gave great notes of raisins and a rich dark fruit flavor. The saltiness of the meat put off a fantastic compliment to the fruit. The saltiness of the mean, the spiciness of the onion, and the sweetness of the brew came together to form a perfect union to be etched in the history books. I was reminded of the autumn leaves and threatening snow.
For those who love a multi-course dinner of food and beer pairing, there could be no greater joy than choosing your own path in consumption. This being the first year that this event has been hosted I can only hope that we will see many more of its kind, and many more brew dishes to come.
Posted by Will Oberst-Cairns, Oregon Beer Champion