Meet the Blogger

I write what I drink.
Sometimes it's reviews of breweries across the country; sometimes it's a commentary the way beer is produced, styled, and imbibed.

I started my brew-education during college in Eugene OR with the help of my hop-headed roommates Brandy Rodtsbrooks and Amy Gurzick.  Living in Eugene gave me access to Rogue Ales and Eugene City Brewery, plus a wide-range of craft beers from many of the eccentric bottle shops in town.  During my reign in Eugene, both Ninkasi Brewing and Oakshire Brewing opened, giving me a very joyous last few years in Track Town USA.

After my time in Eugene, I headed north to the big city, Beervana, Ptown, Beertown, Portlandia.  Portland has 37 breweries in the metro city-limits, more than any other city IN THE WORLD.  Needless to say, my time in Portland was a lot of fun.

Since my awakening to the wonder of craft breweries, I made a point to seek them out wherever I traveled.  However my beer travel writing really came to life when I met my husband Jonah.  Together we've explored Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and working on Alaska.  Alaska is where we're stationed now: Cordova AK to be exact. 

I have a lot of ideas for this site and I'm glad you'd like to come along for the journey.  Cheers!

What's in a name?

What's in a name?  That which we call a brew by any other name would taste as sweet.

Nano brewery, craft brewery, microbrewery: how can you keep them all straight.  For the average beer consumer, the distinction between these "types" of breweries doesn't matter much; as long as they make good beer, right?!  But let's try to get all these terms straight.

The largest term is craft brewery.  A craft brewery puts out annually less than 6 million barrels of beer a year.  Less than 25% of the brewery is owned by an "alcoholic beverage industry member": meaning it's independently owned.  The beers produced are innovative and mostly malt-based.  The term craft brewery is used to distinguish itself from a macro-brewery, like Coors (over 20 million barrels per year).  Sierra Nevada brews 780,000 barrels annually.

A microbrewery is a craft brewery with lower output, producing less than 15,000 barrels a year.  With trends moving to local beers, some say the bar should instead be at producing less than 50,000 barrels a year.  Ninkasi Brewing Company, for example produced 32,000 barrels last year but is considered a microbrewery by most.  Smuttynose Brewing Co is New Hampshire produced 20,000 barrels last year.  Allagash Brewing Co in Portland, ME produces 4,000 barrels a year.  Microbreweries are usually community-oriented and not largely distributed.

A brewpub is a pub or restaurant that brews on-site.  Pizza Port Brewing Co in California is a brewpub. 

A nano-brewery has less than a 4 barrel brew system.  They are also referred to as large-scale homebrewers.  Most micro and craft breweries started as nano-breweries; some stay small with no desire to grow.  Ambacht Brewing Co in Hillsboro, OR and Hess Brewing Co in San Diego, CA are both nano-breweries.

Leavenworth Ale Fest

 

 Leavenworth is a awesome little town, worth a visit even if there wasn't a brew-fest there this weekend.  In 1962 Leavenworth transformed itself into a mock Bavarian village, made more authentic by the surrounding mountains.  Is there a better place for an Ale-fest?  24 breweries will be attending, including small and large craft breweries.  Check out the website, they even have some tips for tasting!

March 2011 Review

Ninkasi Brewing Company Taproom - Eugene, OR
Naked City Brewery - Seattle, WA (But they didn't have any of their beers on tap!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Ninkasi in Bellingham

Hey B-hammers!  Ninkasi is heading up I-5 to pay you a visit.  Check them out.

Ninkasi Brewing Co Taproom Pics?

272 Van Buren Street, 

Eugene, Oregon 97402

(541) 344-2739

http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/

Does anyone have good pictures of the new Ninkasi Taproom?