Inside the Festival
Secrets of the barley wine festival from organizer Ian Roberts.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Mar 19, 2010 at 02:57PM
It occurred to me after I wrote about it yesterday that Hard Liver sounded a little overwhelming. All those barley wines! So I asked Brouwer’s GM/brewsky guru Ian Roberts to clue me in on the not-to-be-missed barley wines on tap.
Here is Ian’s list. When you hit the festival tomorrow, call it up on your iphone to ensure you get the most for your blood-alcohol-content buck.
1. Pike Brewing four-year vertical sample: try four vintages of Pike’s Old Bawdy barley wine side-by-side.
2. The 1996 vintage of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.
3. The Angel Share from Lost Abbey (two vintages will be available).
4. A special wooden firken of Port Townsend barley wine to be tapped at 3pm.
Be there before 1pm, however, if you’re interested in seeing the judges announce this year’s festival winners. (Ian says they are usually announced “by 1 or 2.”)
Anyone else getting thirsty?
Add a Comment »
Tags:
Beer,
Fremont,
Barley Wine,
Festivals
Boozefests
Brouwer’s Annual barley wine festival this Saturday, March 20.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Mar 18, 2010 at 10:03AM
Brouwer’s Cafe opens its big Belgian doors at 11am this Saturday, March 20 for the Hard Liver Festival, an annual tasting of barley wines. The festival lasts until there is no more barley wine to drink. What is a barley wine? It’s a really strong ale.
Three-ounce pours will go for $2, 6oz pours for $4, and 12oz pours for $6. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to attend, but I’m told the place fills up fast, so get there early.
A reminder about barley wines: they are boozey. Like, 8 to 12 percent ABV boozey. So just to be safe expect to get twice as drunk as you do drinking other beers, and plan accordingly. Full list of barley wines to be served is here.
Add a Comment »
Tags:
Tastings and Classes,
Beer,
Fremont,
Barley Wine,
Festivals
Brews News
The Fremont beerhall is donating sales to Haiti.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Feb 01, 2010 at 01:41PM
Tonight: Freak out that beer-loving blowhard at work by trying the newest beer from New Belgium (the Colorado microbrewery most famous for its Fat Tire amber ale) before he does. The new brew is called Ranger and features three kinds of hops: Cascade, Chinook, and Simcoe. It will be the first IPA from New Belgium to be sold by the six-pack.
Order one tonight, February 1, at Brouwers, and 100 percent of the sale will go to relief in Haiti. Brouwers offers a happy hour from 3 to 6pm every day and there are food specials, so go early.
Add a Comment »
Tags:
Haiti,
Beer,
Fremont
Good spirits
Seattle Sounders Steve Zakuani and James Riley signed autographs in exchange for donations.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jan 25, 2010 at 04:00PM
Sounders defender James Riley and his teammate signed autographs to help raise 20k for Doctors Without Borders.
Kevin Zelko, the founder of the Gorilla FC Sounders fan group, says the group’s event at George and Dragon on Saturday, January 24 raised over $20,000 for Haiti. Sounders players Steve Zakuani and James Riley signed autographs for a suggested donation of $5. Proceeds went to Doctors Without Borders.
Zelko says Gorilla FC, already known in the Sounders fan community for its community outreach efforts, will start organizing quarterly charity events benefiting different causes, check the web site for updates.
Find a list of bar events helping Haiti here.
Add a Comment »
Tags:
Haiti,
Fremont,
Seattle Sounders
Booze News
New York weighs in on drinking with the wee ones.
Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jan 20, 2010 at 04:00PM
Dogs are a frequent sight at some Seattle bars.
Should parents bring small children to bars? Risa Chubinsky thinks not. Her New York Times article from January 15 complained about young Park Slope parents who bring their tots out for drinks generated 362 comments (and counting) on the Times’ web site.
Writes Chubinsky:
No matter what breeders might think, bars are not family-friendly. If I am out drinking and sobbing about a bad breakup, I don’t want my cries to compete with those of an infant sitting next to me. If I go to the bathroom to correct my wayward mascara at the end of a long weekend night, I don’t want to watch a baby being wiped down on the soggy sink counter.
One commenter seconded the piece:
Adults have no rights anymore, only kids have rights.
Another disagreed, and had a suggestion for the writer:
There are probably bars for grouches and prudes also.
Then there were the commenters in the middle:
A yuppie complaining about yuppies. I don’t know which side to take.
It seems that city is divided. Around these parts, we hear more complaints about dogs at places like Summit Tavern on Capitol Hill and Norm’s in Fremont than kids at the bar. Strictly speaking, bars aren’t allowed to allow anyone under 21. But there are plenty of kid-allowing “restaurants” where drinking is the main activity—beer-guzzling destinations like Madrona Alehouse (where there are even toys in the back) and Naked City come to mind.
Does anyone care? And are Seattle parents bringing kids anywhere where they shouldn’t be?
Add a Comment »
Tags:
Beer,
Bar Etiquette,
Fremont,
Madrona,
0 Comments
