the goodist

A Few Worth Trying at PIB

The Portland International Beer Fest is hands down my favorite beer event of the year. Big domestics and internationals make up most of the taps and scare the Bud swilling riff-raff away (well, compared to OBF anyway). Stopping by after work last night for a one hour speed round before last call, I came away surprised both at what I liked and didn't like this year.

Review: Paradox Macallan - the $1/ounce beer

Long have you tempted me twelve dollar beer, those teasing glances from your black chalkboard, daring me to explore your dark depths, I can't resist any longer, I must taste you. And so it went as I finally mustered up the courage to abandon thrift the other night at the Moon & Sixpence - my favorite neighborhood brew joint. I walked the gold-gilded beer and three glasses through the rain and out to the patio like a soldier returning with the spoils of war. Amy, Erin and I proceeded to ceremoniously explore what lies within this heart of darkness.

Review: Lagunitas Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas introduced this new UNLIMITED release (meaning we should be able to find it year round!) last year, but just recently in 22oz bombers. I tried it at the PIBF last summer and swooned, so I was knee-slapping-thrilled to see at my local gas station (xoxoxo pdx).

This monster packs in 5lbs of hops per barrel - for a hop-head it's like looking into the monolith in '2001' (it's full of stars!). The Lagunitas site sums it up nicely:

"So Hoppy that it threatens to remove the enamel from one's teeth."

Read on for The Goodist's impressions...

Beer Review: Palo Santo Marron

I really gushingly love Dogfish Head, they're masters at creating absurdly strange beer that always succeeds in being really tasty at the same time. By strange, I mean being approached by molecular archeologists to recreate alcoholic libations found in ancient tombs (see Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, and Theobroma - which I can't wait to try). This is strange, bold, impassioned, artisan beer and right up The Goodist's alley, so it goes without saying that I had high expectations when I saw Palo Santo Marron taunting from the beer cooler.

Review: Old Woody

My favorite style of beer is a big huge American style ale with lots of bitter hops balanced with lots of sweet malt to keep things balanced. When done right it's a complex revelation of goodness. Old Woody by Fish Brewing is technically modeled after the English Strong Old ale style, but it has the feel of an American Strong Ale with all those hops. It was my favorite overall beer when I began down the path of beer nerdery 7 or so years ago, but it abruptly disappeared from store shelves, leaving my heart just a little emptier these last few years. You can therefore imagine my elation when a recent Belmont Station newsletter heralded the arrival of the 2008 vintage of Old Woody. I had my secretary clear my calendar and arranged for a face to face post haste.