Dinner with Will and Mari Kemper
Things have just been crazy this past week, and I have not gotten around to writing about last weekends dinner with Will and Mari Kemper at the North Cascade Institute. It was a wonderful evening full of good food, good beer and good conversation. I will spare the details and just hit some of the highlights and share some photos.
If you get a chance take a look at the Institutes website. They are doing a lot of good things up there for kids, and events like this dinner really helps them with their mission.
I also recommend that you check out the Chuckanut Brewery the next time you are in Bellingham or see them on tap at you local pub.
Highlights:
- The location. The North Cascades are Beautiful, and the North Cascade Institute Learning Canter fits right in to its surroundings.
- The Kolsch ale served with fresh Veggie Brochette, Goat Cheese, and crackers. The Chuckanut Kolsch was light an crisp, and very easy drinking.
- Meeting and sitting with Don and Janet Webb from Naked City Brewery. They were very nice, and told us about their recent adventure in Chicago at the World Beer Cup and told us about all their planning for Seattle Beer Week.
- The Rauch lager served with Fresh Greens tossed in tomato vinaigrette, topped with seared Vashon Island Beef. The pleasantly smoked lager really brought out the flavor in the beef.
- Mari Kemper talking about opening breweries around the world, from Poulsbo, to Philadelphia, to D.C, to Mexico, to Turkey and back to Bellingham. (and other stops in between)
- Learning about the history of the Kolsch, Rausch, Schwarzbier, and Bock. Will is an excellent speaker, if you get the chance to hear him speak, go for it.
- The Shwarzbier served with Raspberry crusted wild Salmon with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus wrapped in a flaky pastry drizzled with a lemon sauce. The rich dark robust flavor of the Schwarzbier really paired nicely with the sweet Raspberries.
- Will Kemper talking about the importance of the ingredients in Beer, and Reinheistgebot the German beer purity law. Oklahoma may have stolen the Sonics but they have horrible water.
- The Bock served with layered chocolate mousse. Talk about sweet, malty, and rich.
- Talking to Will and Mari after the dinner. What a great couple.
- The nice moderate hike on Sunday Morning. It is beautiful up there.
- The friendly staff at the Learning Center.
Photos:
On Golden Kolsch - by DraughtE, 2010
Brewers Talking (Will Kemper and Don Webb) - by DraughtE, 2010
The Glass Matters - by LushC, 2010
Deer Butt- by LushC, 2010
Cheers,
DraughtE
FTC Info: This evening was paid in full by GoodBeerTrips.
SOLD OUT – Good Beer Hike 5K – Saturday, May 15th -SOLD OUT
*** We apologize, there are no spots available this year. Check us out in 2011. ***
***If you are still looking for something to do on Saturday, check out Hop On! 
***
I’m happy to announce that we have teamed up with UrbanBeerHikes.com to present the first ever Seattle Beer Week Good Beer Hike 5K!
On May 15th, we’ll be meeting at the Pyramid Alehouse in Downtown Seattle at 1:00pm for a pint and then head off on a nicely paced hike to some of Downtown Seattle’s best Brewpubs and Beer Bars. Put on your walking shoes, bring a raincoat, and come ready for an adventure. Some of our reservations are limited, so RSVP soon if you want to join us!
1:00pm – Pyramid Alehouse
2:00pm – Collins Pub
3:15pm – Pike Brewing (Brewery Tour!)
4:15pm – Elysian Fields
optional – Historic Triangle Pub
6:00pm – Hooverville.
* All hikers are responsible for their own beer, food, and transportation (be safe, take public transportation) to and from Downtown Seattle. Contact urbanbeerhikes@gmail.com or goodbeertrips@gmail.com for more info and to RSVP. Hope to see you there.
Transit Options:King County Metro
Sound Transit Community Transit Pierce Transit Washington State Ferries
Cheers,
Draught E
Birdsview Brewing – Concrete, WA (#209)
With the car packed up we were off on our weekend adventure to Lake Diablo and the North Cascade Institute night with Will and Mari Kemper. Not by chance, our route took us right by the Birdsview Brewing Company near Concrete Washington. We’ve been meaning to make it there for the past couple of years so we made sure to allow time for a quick stop.
Birdsview is the epitome of a family run business. When we were there, Bill Voight was in the brew room brewing up his next batch of beer, Kris Voight was at helm of the kitchen, and their daughter Jessie was our server and bartender. Looking at their website, it seems the entire family helps in the operations of the brewpub. It is even located on the family acreage, with the family house in the distant view. You have to love that commute.
They are located about 20.5 miles east of I-5on the North Cascade Highway (Hwy 20), just past the Beer Crossing Sign. It is an idyllic location in the upper Skagit Valley with picturesque mountain views. The building itself is pretty darn cool. It is basically a large log octagon (the pub), with a smaller attached log octagon (the brew room). At each corner there are large timber posts from witch timber extend up, all meeting at a high center window. It is finished with both externally and internally with wood cladding. There are plenty of tables and a small bar as well as TV’s to watch the Mariners on. They have a large outdoor beer garden that looks like it would be fun, if it were only sunny.
The menu is simple; sandwiches, burgers and salads, all made right in the small open kitchen. The burger was very good as was the black bean burger. They each came with a bag of chips and a delicious fresh made shortbread cookie.
We got their beer sampler. As we progressed from lighter to darker, the beers got better and better. It culminated in the Porter which was by far our favorite. So good we got a growler to go. By the way, they have a great growler exchange program.. If you bring them an empty growler that they do not already have in their extensive collection, they will trade you a full Birdsview growler for it. We just happened to have brought our newly acquired Odin Brewing growler, which they didn’t have, so we made the exchange. (Got to love FREE Beer)
Beer Sampler:
Witless (Belgian Witbier)– Light refreshing , and a little sour. There are hints of the orange, coriander and Belgian yeast. Ditsy Blonde – Light, sweet, with a hint of lime at the finish. Very pleasant Pilsner 152 – Light and malty, and on this occasion a little yeasty. Hefeweizen – Traditional German Hefeweizen with a sweet banana-like flavor that started of great, but finished slightly off. Pail – Light and refreshing with a well balanced malty and peppery hop finish. Not too hoppy, but enough to cut the mustard on my Burger. Amber Lushus (made with maple syrup) – a very light amber that was no light on flavor. It was sweet with just enough hops at the end to make it very drinkable. IPA – sweet and malty with a nice floral hop finish. Very drinkable and enjoyable. A very traditional IPA, not the uber hopped Northwest IPA’s that we are accustomed to. Sweet Brown Molly (brewed with Vienna Malt and Molasses) – pretty light for a brown yet it was malty sweet with a hint of hops. Nice. It’s Da Porter – Awesome! Dark, roasty, toasty, goodness, with hints of chocolate and toffee. Lights Out – Medium bodied, with a deep malt flavor and a spicy ginger finish. I liked it.
Before taking off, I ventured in the Brew Room, where Bill was brewing up his latest batch of Witless. We chatted for a few minutes about his 7BBl system and how he came into the brewing business. He started out as a home brewer, brewing 5, then 10, then 25 gallon batches of beer. He brewed so much he had to give it away. Finally he turned his passion into a full time job, and now he just can’t getaway.
Anxious to get to our final destination, we left Birdsview, swearing we’d come back soon to enjoy a beer on a sunny day in their beer garden. I will have to agree with their website, it is “The place to visit whether you are on the North Cascades Highway passing through the upper Skagit Valley, or seeking the perfect destination for a fun time out with friends.”
Cheers,
DraughtE
Whirling wort - by DraughtE 2010
The bar - by DraughtE 2010
Growler, Growler -by DraughtE 2010
Dreaming of sunny days - By DraughtE 2010
FTC Info: I traded and empty growler for a full growler, otherwise everything else was paid for by GoodBeerTrips. Come to Seattle, and I’ll buy you a beer.
Weekend of Beer
There are an amazing amount of beer events in the Puget Sound Region this weekend. You should check one of them out. Washington Beer Blog has a good report out on all of them so check them out!
http://www.washingtonbeerblog.com/
Cheers,
DraughtE
Saturday Night with the Kempers
Looking for something to do this weekend? How does spending the night at Diablo Lake and drinking beer with a Northwest Brewing legend sound?
As part of their Sourdough Speaker Series the North Cascades Institute is hosting a special evening with Will and Mari Kemper from Chuckanut Brewery. The night includes lodging, a beer social, and a gourmet meal paired with Chuckanut’s Beer. If that wasn’t enough, throughout the evening Will and Mari will tell stories from their lives in the craft beer industry. If you are interested, and you should be, they have 4 rooms left and the enrollment for registered guests is 35 of 40. Why not take this opportunity get out and relax with good food, good beer, and good people?
What: Will and Mari Kemper: A Celebration of Microbrewing in the Pacific Northwest When: Sat Apr 24 5pm – Sun Apr 25, 2010 11am Pacific Time Where: Lake Diablo, WA (map) Why: Why not How: Registrar via telephone (360-856-5700) or by e-mail at deb_martin@ncascades.org Cost: $95ppCheckout the details from their website:
When Will and Mari Kemper chose Bellingham as their new home, our corner landed one of the most accomplished entrepreneurial beer-brewing teams in the world. From the original Thomas Kemper Brewery on Bainbridge Island in 1984 to the opening of Old Town’s Chuckanut Brewery in 2009, their story traces the rise of craft brewing in the Pacific Northwest. Join us for a night full of beer history and lore, insider stories from the frontlines of the Northwest’s microbrewing revolution and a special multi-course meal created to showcase several of the Kemper’s best brews.
This special evening begins with a “welcome beer” and toast by Will and Mari on the lakeside deck of our dining hall before moving inside for a celebration of slow food and locally-brewed ales. Dinner will feature several delicious courses prepared by the Institute’s Chef Shelby Slater and paired with complimentary beers from the Chuckanut Brewery. Throughout this unique gastronomical experience, the Kempers will weave tales of their long personal history in the craft beer movement and introduce each beer in turn – what style it is, how it is prepared, its historical background and place in world cultures.
Will Kemper is a master brewer, chemical engineer, educator and graduate of the first Masterbrewers Program from the University of California at Davis. He has worked as brewmaster for Thomas Kemper, Aviator Ales, Norwester Brewing, Orange County Brewery, Mile High Brewing and many other breweries. The Kempersí started the first two Sierra Madre Brewpubs in Monterrey, Mexico in the late 1990s and opened up Turkeyís first brewpub in Istanbul in 2001. They have traveled extensively throughout England, Belgium and Germany, visiting breweries and gaining new information for their repertoire that they share today at the Chuckanut Brewery (which won the Best Small Brewpub of the Year award at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival). The Kempers support community sustainability by using as many local and organic products as possible, donating spent grains to local dairy farms and hosting local fundraisers and education events.
Cheers,
DraughtE
FTC info: GoodBeerTrips is not affiliated with the North Cascades Instute or Chuckanut Brewery. This is not a paid advertisement.
Fremont Brewing Company – Seattle, WA
Fremont Brewing Company is a rising star on the Seattle Brewery scene. Their Totonac Bbomb Barrel-Aged Strong Ale was not only our favorite, but the People’s Choice Winner for the evening session at this year’s Washington Beer Commission Cask Festival. With such success, it’s hard to believe that they tapped their first keg less than a year ago.
Located in a warehouse in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, they are primarily a production brewery. However, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday they roll up their doors and open their Urban Beer Garden. What is a Urban Beer Garden you ask? Well, it is simply a long table with keg benches surrounded by booths and bench seating reclaimed from the historic Red Door; right in the heart of the brewery. It is a very cool and relaxing place to enjoy a beer and meet with friends. Since it’s just a taproom, they do not server food. Although, they do offer free pretzels and encourage you to bring your own food. They even have a large selection of local delivery and takeout menus. Best of all, it is kid and dog friendly.
From the get go, we have thought Fremont’s beer has been top notch. Everything has been well balanced, true to the style, and very enjoyable. On tap this evening was the following: (Courtesy of http://www.fremontbrewing.com/)
1. Solstice Pale Ale: Our Summer Seasonal launch! Be among the first to enjoy our summer offering. An easy-drinking, gorgeous pale, made with primarily Amarillo hops. Not quite as light as Miller High Life but thirst-quenching nonetheless. $4/pint. 2. Little Woody: Universale Pale, aged on medium-toast American oak. $5/pint. 3. Abominable Ale: roasty, chocolatey, malt flavors balanced by subtle hoppy spice. Special price: 12 oz goblet for $4.00! 4. Nitro Universale: Creamy head Universale — yummy! $5/pint 5. Universale Pale: the intergalactically world famously tasty ale that begat the Empire of Fremont Brewing Co., $4/pint. 6. Interurban IPA (Draught or Cask): Our eminently drinkable session-style IPA, with Chinook, Centennial, and Cascade hops. $4/pint. (Cask $5/pint)
This was our second visit to the Urban Beer Garden, and Malti’s (our newest family member) first brewery visit. Although she barked at the other dogs when she fisat saw them, she did pretty well, enjoying all the attention from the kids and the belly full of treats.
Joining us for the evening were Dave, Mandy, and Link who were on their third stop of an Urban Beer Hike. We met a few of their friends and had stimulating conversations about our beer adventures, past and future. Most of the attention though was paid on the four legged ones, Link giving hi-fives for treats, and Malti doing her best to look cute.
LushC began the evening with a Solstice Pale Ale, and followed it up with a Little Woody. The Solstice was a nice golden color with a thin white head, and well carbonated. It had a piney hop aroma, a sweet malt flavor, followed by a strong piney hop finish. LushC liked it, thinking it was well balanced and enjoyable. The Little Woody was amber in color with a thin white head. My opinion was that had a sharp, tingly initial taste that mellowed to a nice floral hop and slight oak finish. LushC thought it was nice that the Oak was not overpowering and once again enjoyed this offering from Fremont Brewing.
I went straight for the Nitro Universale Pale, followed by Cask IPA, and then another Nitro. The Nitro Universale Ale was amber in color, with a thick creamy head and a mild hop aroma. It had a nicely balanced malt and hop flavor, with a lingering floral hop finish. It was very smooth and drinkable, a very nice session beer, very reminiscent of Hales Cream Ale. The Cask IPA was a cloudy light orange, with a thin white head. The aroma was sweet and citrusy. It was sweet and peppery with a citrus hop finish. More carbonated than you’d expect in a cask conditioned ale, but overall a very good beer.
After a few hours of hanging out it was time to go. The Urban Beer Garden was just the prescription I needed to remove stress from the crazy work week. I encourage every beer lover to stop by, grab a beer or two, and relax.
Prost,
DraughtE
Malti's first brewery - by DraughtE - 2010
Malti's backup, had to stay and protect the home
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FTC Info: GoodBeerTrips není spojen s Fremont společnost vaření. Preclíky byly zdarma, ale pivo koupil GoodBeerTrips. (GoodBeerTrips is not affiliated with Fremont Brewing Company. The pretzels were free, but the beer was purchased by GoodBeerTrips.)
Maritime Pacific Brewing was part of my first Good Beer Trip in 1992. Back then, they just poured you samples in the office next to the Brewery and sold bottles to go. A few years later they open the Jolly Roger Taproom right next door adding great food to go with their excellent beer. It was perhaps one of our favorite spots to go for a beer in Seattle, but because it was so small and often crowed, we didn’t make it there too often. Therefore we were excited to hear that they were moving to a new and larger location. Lush C was on hand in February for their Grand Opening, but I was unable to make it. (see Dharma Bums post) Last Sunday, it was finally time for me to visit the new Jolly Roger Taproom.
Although much larger, the new location captures the charm of the original location. As you enter you can’t miss the very cool metal Jolly Roger Flag on the wall directly in front of you. They’ve done a great job keeping with the pirate theme with flags hanging from the rafter, and rope looking lights on the wall. Don’t forget to look down, because you might miss the pirate map painted on the floor. With the added space they now have a much larger bar, with flat panels over head to watch games. They have very good pub grub including sliders, fries, deep fried pickles, excellent smoked onion rings, and a deep fried bacon.
Their beer has always been top notch in my opinion. Back in the day, I used to love drinking their Flagship Red along with the sausage spaghetti I used to make. (I’m not sure why I haven’t tried this in a while.) I look forward every year for the release of the Jolly Roger Christmas Ale and am also a big fan of their Nightwatch Porter.
On this visit I started off with the Islander Pale Ale. The menu describes it as, “Light blond in color with gentle malt flavor and subtle hop character. Islander is a blend of malted barley and wheat with Yakima and Czech Republic Hops. (5% ABV)” I found it to be a darker blond with a thin white head. The aroma was sweet and florally. It is light bodied with a slight malt flavor followed by a dry floral and pine hop finish. I liked it, but thought it was a little dry for my taste in a session beer.
I followed it up with the same thing Lush C went for at first, the Salmon Bay ESB on cask. The menu says, “A true English style bitter that is rich in malt hop flavor and aroma. Brewed with no less than 4 types of malt and English and Yakima hops. (5.5% ABV” It was a cloudy amber with a lingering cream colored head and had a sweet malt aroma. The flavor was a sweet and malty; very smooth and pleasant leading to a nice bitter hop finish. Lush C said, ”It’s good, makes me think of Nomar Garciaparra. It hits me hard like a big fighting salmon, a perfect accompaniment to a Red Wings game.” (Where the heck did that come from?) I liked it too, but it did not remind me of Nomar, and look forward to enjoying this beer again.
If you make a Beer Trip to Seattle make sure to check out the Jolly Roger Taproom, you just might like it.
Cheers,
DraughtE
FTC Info: Goodbeertrips purchased everything they ate and drank, so there.
(photos to come)
Trip to the Fridge: Deschutes Black Butte XXI
It was an anniversary of sorts for Lush C and I, so what better way to celebrate than with a Black Butte XXI from Deschutes Brewery. What an amazing beer. I can see why it is so highly coveted and rated. It’s not something I’d drink a lot of, but it is perfect for after dinner sipping. It is like fine port, dark chocolate and coffee all in one. The many flavors in every taste continue to expand as you savor it. The roasted malt, vanilla and bourbon barrel sweetness is nicely tamed by the bitterness from the chocolate and coffee. Surprisingly, the alcohol flavor is hidden in this 11% ABV beer. If you can still find it, get it, and enjoy it.
On the Bottle:
XXI. What does 21 years of hardcore experimentation look like? Witness this imperial version of our Black Butte Porter. Three types of chocolate malt. Three varieties of northwest hops. Cocoa nibs from the Dominican Republic. Locally roasted Ethiopian coffee. Painstakingly aged in bourbon barrels. Joyous abandon in a bottle. After 21 years we recognize the safe path, we just refuse to take it.
GBT’s Take:
Color – Black
Head – Tan
Aroma – Sweet, Bourbon, coffee, chocolate
Body – Medium Bodied, lighter than it looks and you would think
Flavor-Sweet bourbon and vanilla, dark roasted malt, coffee and chocolate, and a hint of smokiness
Finish – Like a fine port.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
DraughtE
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FTC Info: Dieser Bär wurde von GoodBeerTrips gekauft.
Trip to the Fridge: Deschutes Red Chair NWPA
I had a real rough day at work today, and when I got home it was time for a beer. To my delight I opened the beer fridge and found a 6-pack of Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale waiting for me to try.
Red Chair is the newest member of Deschutes seasonal lineup replacing Cinder Cone Red. Fans of the Bend, Oregon Brewery may remember this beer appearing last year as Red Chair IPA. Nonetheless, it was new to me and I liked it. There was a near perfect balance between the caramel malt and the citrusy hops. There’s not a ton hops, but I think there is enough to please the average IPA drinker. It is very quaffable, but beware it is 6.4% ABV. I found it so easy to drink that I couldn’t stop at one, and struggled to stop at two.
Brewery Description:
Red Chair NWPA is named after the oldest operating lift at Mt. Bachelor here in Central Oregon. And just as the locals line up for that fabled mountain ride, they flock to our Bend brew pub whenever it goes on tap. One thing we’ve learned, “when the brew pub talks, listen.” For the past two decades, the serious beer fanatics down there seldom miss when we’ve hit on something truly special.
What makes this copper colored beauty so wildly popular? As a debut Northwest Pale Ale, it’s an adventure all its own. It has a plush body with satiny caramel flavors derived from seven varieties of malt. Yet, despite it all, it remains a hop-forward ale with that distinctive citrusy punch. Just minus any mouth-puckering bitterness.
GoodBeerTrips Take:
Color: Clear, Amber
Head: Thick white
Aroma: Floral and citrus hops
Body: Medium bodied and well carbonated
Flavor- Smooth malt
Finish- Citrusy hops, and a little dry
If you like IPA’s and hoppy Pale Ales give this beer a try, you just might like it. It’s only available January to April, so you may be able to find it on sale soon.
Cheers and enjoy,
DraughtE
FTC Info: Esta cerveza fue pagado por GoodBeerTrips.
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Huntington Beach Beer Co. – California (#207)
Occasionally, my job helps me out in my quest to find good beer and sends me off on business trips. Crazy, I know. Lately it hasn’t been too often, so it has been fairly manageable. This week I got to make a quick business trip down to Southern California with my coworkers Mylace and WineD. Unfortunately, Lush C was unable to join me.
HBBC- by DraughtE, 2010
After an afternoon flight we checked into our rooms at the Huntington Beach Hilton. We met up with WineD’s nephew SchuckShack, another beer geek, who came to join us for dinner. For some wild reason I was allowed to pick the dinner place, and I targeted the Huntington Beach Beer Company (HBBC). Located in downtown Huntington Beach, it was only a short walk from the hotel along the Pacific Coast Highway. To our delight, it was street fair night in Huntington Beach. Main Street was blocked off to vehicles and the street was full of people making their way through the vendors, food stands and street entertainers. Following SchuckShack, we quickly found our way to the brewery. (I thought I walked quickly to get find beer, but even I couldn’t keep up with this man on a mission)
HBBC is located in a great second story location right above Main St, only one block from the famous Huntington Beach Pier. The interior was mostly brick and it was dimly lit. It had a definite sports bar feel with lots of Flat Screen TVs throughout. Behind the long wrap around bar you could see the stainless steel tanks of the brewery. They had a great outdoor patio area that was perfect for people watching on the active street below. They serve typical pub food with lots of burgers, stone fired pizza, fish tacos, etc… Our service wasn’t so great, as our waitress seemed very cranky. For those with little ones, they are kid friendly.
I only had the time to try a couple of their beers. To be honest, I wasn’t super impressed. They weren’t bad, they were just pretty ho hum. The Brickshot Red didn’t look so red in the dim light outside. It had a very sweet aroma, almost like cool-aid. Luckily it didn’t taste like it smelled, leading me to believe the sweet smell came form the glass. The first taste was pretty good, as you could really taste the caramel roasted malts. The finish was kind of bitter, but not from the hops, as there was only a slight hop presence. It was a passable beer, but I don’t think I’d get it again.
Next up was the Golden Bear Brown Ale that is described by the brewery as, “dark with a malty lightly caramel flavor and a fruity ale aroma”. They nailed the color and the aroma. It had a nice roasted malt flavor, little to no hop flavor, and was a bit thin. It was smoother than the Brickshot Red and pretty well balanced. It didn’t have enough depth for my palate, but I’d still drink it again.
I had hoped to return to try their Irish Stout, but that just wasn’t in the cards, maybe next time.
Cheers,
DraughtE
FTC Info: The Beer was paid for by GoodBeerTrips.
Good Beer Trips 