Category Archives: Ale

Alaskan White

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I give it a 10 out of 10!

Delicious is the word that comes to mind with this newly discovered brew from the last frontier. This Belgian-style beer has a nice smooth start a nice hoppy middle for a wheat and a wonderful smooth finish. I completely agree with their website that this beer is a “complex and delicate beer ” You can easily detect the wonderful citrus notes throughout. 10 out of 10. One of the best wheat beers I have had thus far. I would love to have this brew from a tap. The Alaskan White is found in our local area at Fred Meyer in the larger 22oz bottles or in a six pack. Of course I prefer this small craft brewery over the big three and this brew is far better than Blue Moon.

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

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For those reading from the midwest, you probably know. Bell’s Brewery from Comstock, MI has had an interesting history, to say the least. For everyone else, here’s a primer on their distribution efforts from a notable Michigan news source.

Sometimes in pop culture, “forks in the wall” are meant to stand for something larger. That’s how we learn. But, for Larry Bell, standing up to giants became his mantra. Better yet, he just makes giant beer.

Happy Hops enjoys the Two Hearted Ale, a 7.0% ABV IPA with bold flavors that is not of the overdone sweet hop character that eventually defines IPA’s of too strong a hop density. If you’re ever in the Midwest, or get a chance to visit the brewery, we think you’ll definitely enjoy. Now that baseball is again upon us, this is a very quaffable declaration for a baseball beer relatively available in the area.

They distribute to Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and of course, Wisconsin. So how did a Chicago dude get his hands on some? Well, luckily, a new distributor was found that would go to Chicago. So there.

And, as for standing up for what you believe in, I think we can learn something from this story.

CHEERS.

Organic Free Range Red

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The Organic Free Range Red from Laurelwood Brewing Co.

I recently stopped in at Beaches Restaurant & Bar in Vancouver, WA for happy hour. Not only was it feeling like spring, the restaurant is on the Columbia River, which made for a nice relaxing spot with great views. To add to the already great day, they always have a great selection of brews from around the area and some very tasty appetizers that are usually half off from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

I tried out their new lamb shank with some sort of delicious sauce (very, very good), which paired will with the Organic Free Range Red Crystal (my server) suggested I taste.

The brew was very fresh and had a sweetness to it as well making for a nice/smooth finish. Definitely made it easy to order another… especially since it was the happy hour special.

Beer: Organic Free Range Red
Brewer: Laurelwood Brewing Co.
Rating: Yes, I would order another one.

Deschutes Brewery – Portland, OR

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Greg and I had a chance to enjoy the Cascade Ale and Inversion IPA at the Deschutes Brewery in Portland, OR this weekend.

The Cascade Ale and Inversion IPA from Deschutes Brewery in Portland, OR. Photo: Greg Dawson

Here’s a quick overview of the two selections:

Cascade Ale
Light, crisp and refreshing with generous herbal hops and just a hint of caramel malt.
IBU’s 28 | Alcohol by Vol. 4.5%

Inversion IPA
Like its name suggests, Inversion IPA defies the ordinary, with layers of soft caramel notes and generous amounts of our favorite Northwest hops, for a bright, sunny citrus finish.
IBU’s 80 | Alcohol by Vol. 6.8%