First Brew!!!!

 Megan and I decided to attempt to become homebrewers. We started with a extract Porter that we purchased at Hops and Berries! What an experience, more on it later!!!

GABF

GABF 2011. What a great time on a Thursday night in late September. This event sold out in less than a week!! Had a blast with Megan and was able to try many top notch brews! Stuff that might be too expensive, seasonal, rare or hard to get or just something worth trying.

Had my fair fills of Abyss '11. Maybe 3? Heck there was no line, and it's easily one of my favorite brews. Was very impressed with Cigar City out of Florida, Ballast and Alesmith from Cali, Short's in Michigan (very unique styles), Troegs in PA, and Olde Hickory from N. Carolina.

Favorite tastes: Hunahpu's, Sculpin, The Event Horizon, Black OPs, Goose Island BCBCS, Knuckle Sandwich, and BORIS.
Honorable mention: Victory at Sea, Double Simcoe, Flower Power, Armored Fist, Oil of Aphrodite, Duck Rabbit Barleywine, Alesmith Wee Heavy
Had many other great beers!!!! Then also missed many, to many for 4 hours!! After awhile your sense of taste just isn't the same anyway.

Had the opportunity to get a photo with Sam from Dogfish Head and also with the owner of Alesmith Brewery out of San Diego who Beer Advocate ranked the #1 brewery in the US.

Three Floyd's

Baker City to Beervana to Bend!

I want to say we visited 21 breweries in 13 days?! Barley Brown's in Baker City, Full Sail, Double Mountain and Big Horse in Hood River, Laurelwood, Hair of the Dog, Hopworks, Cascade, Lucky Lab, and Burnside in Portland, Rogue in Newport, Ninkasi, Oakshire, Eugene City, and Hop Valley in Eugene, Deschutes, Boneyard, Bend, Silver Moon, and 10 Barrel in Bend, and finally (but the hidden gem of the trip) Beer Valley in Ontario, not Canada but OREGON!
TOP 5:,
Laurelwood, HOD, Hopworks, Deschutes, Beer Valley (no specific order)
Honestly other spots were just as much fun: Belmont Station, Horse Brass, Beer Mongers, Bier One, food cart, OBF, the Brew Stein, etc..
Although you can get Deshcutes anytime, still visited the place 3 times in a day and a half! Great food and close to 25 taps, all their own brew! Laurelwood, visited twice; happened to be the first and last brewery we visited. Got lost both times!
more later.....?

Oregon Pics



Full Sail patio overlooking the Columbia River, amazing view and fun watching the wind surfers!




Great little brewery in Hood River




Very tasty brew at Hair of the Dog in Portland





Oakshire Brewery in Eugene



Finally, the pouring is over and time for a drink



Great Divide 17th Anniversary Party

Final hauls before summer?

Lost a 6 pack of New Belgium 1554 to John in New York for a fantasy baseball bet! Sucks, but made it fun. Ended up costing I think $8.50 for the beer + $13 for the shipping= $21.50 for a 6 pack of 1554 to give you an idea of how expensive this hobby can be. I still believe it beats going out for dinner and drinks, cost wise. I plan on taking a break, with Megan going back to Chicago end of month. We also will be taking our summer vacations to Illinois and Oregon in July/August. Have some other fun events planned as well!! Expecting to receive 3 packages this week.
Thursday received a package from Rob in Boston. This is my second trade with Rob!! I guess a regular now? I sent him a 6 pack of Avery IPA and 6er of ODell IPA. Still awaiting the ODell Hiveranno to ship out. In return, a 4 pack of New England Gandhi-Bot (Megan's favorite!), 6 pack of Leatherlips IPA ***1/2(very nice summer session beer: IPA at 5%) from Massachusetts, Allagash Odyssey Ale Aged in Oak Barrels, and extras- New England 668 Belgium style Gold Ale**1/2 and St. Arnold Divine Reserve #11 (DIPA)*** out of Texas. I believe it is one of the oldest breweries in the US.?
Friday package #2 from Nate in Chi-town. I sent 2x Ghost Face Killa's and 3x Myrcenary. (these last 2 trades today have outdone any expectations!). He sent 3 bombers- Three Floyds Blackheart English IPA**1/2, Troegs Flying Mouflan*** (double up today) and Flossmoor Pullman Brown***. All wants! Thanks Nate.
Package #1 Probably my #1 trader and only my second repeat trader, Vince from Philly. Usually kills my wants. Something about Philly and Colorado that have some good stuff to share, otherwise unavailable. Flying Mouflan!! Founders extras-Backwoods Bastard, Imperial and Breakfast Stouts, yummy! S. Tier Jahva, Smuttynose Baltic Porter *** from NH, Pretty Things American Darling **1/2 out of MA Pale Lager , AleSmith IPA ***out of CA (Top 10 Want), Big Black Voodoo Daddy Double Imperial Stout out of PA, Troegs Java Head***, Ballast Sea Monster Imperial Porter and Long Trail DIPA **1/2 out of Vermont. All these beers were from my wants!! And quite diverse areas and styles as well. You can tell this guy has done this before and get a feeling he is this kind to everyone and the type of person that makes the trading so much fun.