Whatchudrinkin? is a compilation of delicious beverages from around the globe. But mostly in my own backyard in beautiful Portland, Oregon.
Seven Grains and One Seed
HUB’s 7-Grain Survival Stout contains the usual barley and oats, some unexpected wheat. and is rounded out with amaranth, quinoa, spelt, and kamut. I think that adds up to eight grains total. Wait! Quinoa is a seed. Are all grains seeds? Are sunflower seeds also grains?
Let’s put that aside for a second and mention that Survival Stout also boasts a healthy dose of cold pressed Stumptown coffee. Coffee is a seed. There is a lot going on in this recipe, but the final result is a fairly straight forward stout. It’s fairly dry with subtle toasted notes and a hint of graininess, like wild rice. The coffee is gentle and the finish is smooth. All in all Hopworks did a good job combining unorthodox ingredients to make a fair facsimile of a classic stout.
Here are some great barbecue beers. Light, refreshing, but still a bit bitter, and dry. Perfect for manning the grill. Have one or two of four. I’ve had the HUB Lager a few times, and Fort George’s 1811 was one the first beers on Whachudrinkin. Deschutes Twilight is a summer ale with a nice crisp lemon flavor and a crisp finish.
Another bonus beer to end our brew night. I picked up a few bottles at the Hopworks Bikebar last week. I cannot give up the chance at limited release beers. It’s not in my nature. This Belgian dubbel style ale reminded everyone there of a red labeled Chimay Premiere. There is a hint of dried fruit and spicy yeast. The mouthfeel was absolutely perfect, bubble with a bit of a bite. The higher alcohol, eight percent or so, gives it a great dry finish. I have another bottle I’m going to hold onto a while to see what happens.
Yesterday afternoon, I visited Hopworks Bike Bar with my new buddy Valery. It’s a nice little location with a full tap list and a big patio. I had a mug of the IPA and we shared a pint of pretzels. The IPA was floral and bitter like jasmine or violet. There was a hint of crackers and white bread, crisp. I followed that up with a lager, which has the same crisp bread and cracker flavor. The bitterness is not light, but it’s dry and refreshing. Every sip left me wanting more. Valery had the Berliner Weiss. A traditional — if dying — German beer that is slightly tart. A wheat beer with a hint of raspberry syrup that even Sarah would like.
We’re at Hopworks drinking some beers after yoga. I had a HUB Lager followed by their Secession Cascadian Dark Ale. Both were very refreshing and interesting. The lager recently won the Willamette Week Pils Off comparing different pilsners from around the state. The HUB lager definitely deserves such distinction. It’s crisp and tasty with a little bit of bread and a healthy dose of bitter with a clean dry finish. It’s so nice. On the other hand I have never thought a black IPA sounded that great. Hops and black malts? At the same time? Actually pretty great. Definitely surprising, the dark smokey, burnt malt flavor melds perfectly with the bitter, grassy hop flavor. It has a porter like darkness and a great green hop flavor. Really interesting.
