NW Beer Monkey & The World Action Foundation

NW Beer Monkey supports World Action Foundation, a Portland 501(c)3 charitable organization, in their plans & projects....Check them out at this link!!!

http://wafweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/can-you-help-with-donations-for-our.html

NAOBF 2011 ~ Another Great Year!

I can not get over the fact that another Organic Beer Fest is over....I need to start a countdown on my calendar for next year. It is, by far, my favorite fest of the year!!

This year brought out many old favorite beers and a few new ones...some of my favorites were Upright Brewing's 'Reggae Junkie Gruit', Fort George's 'Spruce Budd Ale', Alameda's 'El Torero IPA' and an old favorite from Laurelwood with its
'Green Elephant Organic IPA' which showed up when another keg blew...which made me smile....

The fest also had some great music this year...my favorite band from the three days was, hands down, a Portland group called 'Fruition'. They blew the stage away with their own brand of hippie inspired blue grass...it was fantastic!

Plew's Brews: It's Beertastic!

Plew's Brews, as you can see from my last two posts, is a place I have wanted to go and finally made it! It is just a bit off my beaten path for me...I haven't lived in North Portland for years!
The place is a fantastic stop...and it will make me go off the beaten path again soon.

It was tidy yet gritty in a great way. There is the smell of a building with history mixed with the smell of incense and great beer. There is no shortage of Bob Marley banners and random great art. I headed to the men's at one point and found the "Pisser" down a long hall. I loved it all....the whole place reminded me of something fantastic from my distant college days.

Plew's says about itself: "Plew's Brews is Hop City where it's all about the beer, and people who know beer, and people who love local, artisan, hand-crafted brew served family style. We serve the region's finest, from smaller, local breweries. Taste the best beers in the Pacific NW for only $3 a pint. Or get your growler filled for just $7. - Open daily: noon—last call"

I got my growler filled and even bought a cool handmade burlap growler bag for $10...that way my thumb didn't have to do all the work getting that beer home!

My friend David has recommended the place over and over and I see why! Will I recommend the place? - YES!

Find Plew's in St. Johns at:
8409 N. Lombard The High St.
St. Johns, OR 97203
Tel. (503) 283-2243

St Peter's Organic English Ale

Today I decided to try St Peter's Brewery Organic English Ale. This is a really great English ale...great malt flavor with some nice hops. The taste lingers on the tongue in both a soft and subtle earthy malt and the taste of lemon rind and bitter hops. The ABV is 4.5%.

The brewery says: "Water is extracted from our own 300’ deep borehole and combined with Soil Association accredited light malted barley from Norfolk. Organic hops provide the distinctive palate. The yeast used is St. Peter’s own single strand variety. The result is a delicate, clean, crisp, lightly carbonated, traditional English Ale with a full ‘citrus hop’ aftertaste. This lovely beer won the Soil Association’s (organic certifying organization) top prize in 2002 and a silver medal in 2006."

This is a great ale and the fact that it is organic makes it even better and makes me start thinking about the NAOBF! (Is it Summer yet?)

My advice is buy this beer and give it a try soon!

Fish Tale: Organic India Pale Ale

I love this IPA...is it Organic...a lighter yet very satifying beer with wonderful hops and an almost floral (in a manly way!) finish.

This beer always reminds me of fantastic sun filled afternoons at the North American Organic Brewer's Fest up in Overlook Park! - I tend to consume many pints of this IPA over those wonderful Summer days!

Fish Brewing describes this IPA as "...a medium-bodied beer with a rich golden color. The organic pale and crystal malts lay down a firm malt body. This provides the backbone for an assertive hop profile featuring organic Pacific Gem. The moment the Mighty Fish Brewers sampled this pungent and resinous New Zealand hop, they knew it would be perfect for their Organic I.P.A. The result: A Cascadian treasure."
I have to agree it is a treasure!
The stats on this brew are an ABV of 6.7%, an OG of 1.061 and the IBU as 42.

Organic Nation: What's Organic About Organic Beer?

Eel River Brewing: Organic Brew

I normally try and focus on the small very local brewers but, there are times when the brewery that has grown still retains its integrity.

Eel River Brewing is located in Fortuna, CA and is the first Certified Organic brewery in the country and they take that very seriously! However, they aren't all work and no play which is proven out by their motto "Be natural; drink naked."
They have won medals in competition dating back to 1996.

Eel River Brewing are regulars at brewers fests here in Portland with a variety of great beer and they are also available at many stores bottled these days.
One beer that was featured at the North American Organic Brewer's Fest in 2009 was the Acai Berry Wheat. This is a light refreshing beer and only 4% alcohol by volume and a gravity of 10.0 P.

The brewer describes it as "A light-bodied wheat ale brewed with organic acai berries from Brazil, and a flavorful mix of four other organic berries. Acai berries boast high antioxidant properties too, so drink on!"

According to WebMD "the acai berry is an inch-long reddish, purple fruit. It comes from the acai palm tree (Euterpe oleracea), which is native to Central and South America. It is a relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark purple fruits...

Acai contains several substances called anthocyanins and flavonoids. Anthocyanins and flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that help defend the body against life's stressors. They also play a role in the body's cell protection system. Free radicals are harmful byproducts produced by the body. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants may interfere with aging and the disease process by neutralizing free radicals.  By lessening the destructive power of free radicals, antioxidants may help reduce the risk of some diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."

I finally found this ale in 22 oz. bottles here in the Portland area at the Beaverton Fred Meyer. They have a newly remodeled and expanded selection of micro-brew. It was very impressive for a main stream store. So, credit where credit is due!

The Acai Wheat is a really nice brew for guests this holiday season who maybe aren't into the heavy stouts or the hoppy IPA...or even for a hop lover who just wants a light refreshing beer as a change of pace!

- William