Who knew there was good beer in a can?

The snap of can opening beats opening a glass bottle. It's definite. The sound is the prelude to refreshment, whether it's a coke or a beer. More and more that can opening can be a beer an interesting beer, better than a national macrobrew (same beer, different tap, right?).

I've been looking for an excuse to get a sixer of craft-brewed cans--a hike, short bike ride, movie at a theater that doesn't serve beer--but nothing has come up. Too hot lately for little adventures, and maybe trying a new beer shouldn't need an occasion. Or, maybe the occasion was working on (another) Sunday afternoon. Good as any other reason.

I had read about the Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale, and had my hand on the cans before I noticed Caldera's Ashland Amber. Figured to keep it in the state since it's Oregon Craft Brewers month and I didn't/chose not to go to the Oregon Brewer's Fest (1. Forgot to ask for Friday afternoon off, which is when I usually go; 2. It's too hot; 3. I'm lame). What a great surprise--the beer is great. I can't remember drinking it before, but it's a nice amber with a crisp, fresh taste. This will be a good ski lift beer, but also good for kicking back and watching So You Think You Can Dance (die Evan die!). I think there is a negative stereotype for canned beers, but wonder if enough good beers go to cans if we'll use fewer bottles? I wonder if cans are cheaper?

Brave new world. Great beer from a can. Get yourself some goodness.

This Week in Malt Liquor (TWIML): Steel Reserve Triple Export

4 men decided to kick-off this semi-frequent feature with a brief history of malt liquor. First marketed to middle-class white in the 50's, malt liquor is by definition any type of malted beverage with an alcohol content by volume greater than 5%. Technically this puts many micros in the malt liquor category. Them ain't our focus. We're focused on the get-fugged-up-quick-and-cheap varietals (props, N.Mailer), generally those that use sugar or syrup during the fermentation process to increase the alcohol content.

The 24 oz. can of Steel Reserve 211 claims it is "Slow-brewed in limited batches...we believe this to be one of the very best beers in the world." From this hyperbolically-adorned vessel we poured small samples.

First reaction--Gabe: "This is the most piss-colored beer I've ever drank." Luckily it only underwhelms. Not nearly as bad as we thought it would be. There is a syrupy quality, very much, as Mike described, "like a pinot gris." Actually, he couldn't believe that it was malt liquor. I thought it might be good as a base for a spritzer. When adulterated with diet Sierra Mist it was indistinguishable from a cheap bottle of Trader Joe's most middling white. I think the true killer app for this brew is a brass monkey. This would make a powerful good mimosa-style orange beverage.

Bryan's reaction was perhaps the most nuanced. The 8.1% ABV put him in the mood for water skiing. "Kind of refreshing, somehow, and would get you drunk fast, so perfect for boating. It's like drinking while dehydrated in the sun, without the sun."

Next in the proverbial chute: Camo or any label that features an animal. Cat, Bull, Bear--any of these will do.

Beer and Ice Cream

This sounds delish.

http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com/2009/07/oatmeal-stout-and-heath-bar-ice-cream.html

via bOINGbOING.net, of course.

Deschutes Brewery Inversion IPA

I like IPA's. A lot. For whatever reason, it took Deschutes a while to come up with a recipe that could hold its own against all the other northwest IPA's. For years, my favorite IPA was BridgePort's. It now seems bland and watered down. Over the past couple years it seems as though there was a race to make the biggest, baddest IPA in the land. The most hops, the highest IBU count, the highest ABV, etc.. I mean, everyone and their brother was making an imperial IPA. I think Inversion strikes a nice balance between the base model IPA (BridgePort) and the myriad of extreme versions. Inversion has an immediate hop flavor that makes you take notice, halfway through the pint, you can't taste much else. Not that that's a bad thing. The flavor has a nice citrus and resin note you want in a full figured IPA, it keeps the 6.8% ABV in check nicely. I think Deschutes has done this one right, to me, it's exactly what a NW IPA should be.

I give it a solid A.

-Gabe

Sessions Black -- First Taste

Bought a half rack of Sessions Black while I was at Belmont Station reserving my keg (of C-Note Imperial IPA) for Saturday. Really nice--the kind of beer that you could drink all summer. Lots of porter taste but without the heaviness or bite. Nice new edition from Full Sail.

Schwidel Alt - Vertigo Brewing

Being the relative beer virgin of the group, my posts aren't going to be nearly as in-depth (i.e. elitist) or provocative (i.e. snobbish) but hopefully I can provide some insight for the more amaturists beer-drinkers that may happen upon our blog.

So last night after work I met some coworkers for the Hillsboro Tuesday Summer Street Fair. It was pretty much what you would expect. What I didn't expect was finding a fairly decent beer at the Venetian Movie Theater and Restaurant where we decided to have dinner.

As always, on the semi-rare occasion I want a beer, I asked what the seasonal beer on tap was and it turned out to be the Schwindel Alt from Vertigo Brewing. I understand that this brewery is fairly new and based here in Hillsboro where I work. Here's the website:

So this was a German alt style beer whatever that means. I call it a brown ale. It was kinda like Alaskan Amber to me which I like. I guess that would make it an Amber Ale though, so I really don't know. Stacey said it was "sunset bronze" colored. I am going to go with that.

So I'm already bored of writing this and I haven't even got to how the beer is. I'll make it short. It was good. It had a creamy head (that's what she said) and a good balance. It wasn't super exciting or complicated in its taste, but that's how I like my beer. Easy to drink with no aftertaste. It was just slightly sweet (bit o' honey?) but otherwise pretty standard for a darkish ale. I will be interested to try the other offerings from Vertigo Brewing. Not a big fan of the symptom, but becoming a big fan of the brewery.

Final Grade = B+

--Bryan