More on APEX's 2 Year Anniversary Brother's Night

On Monday I posted about APEX's big 2 Year ANniiversary bash and promised to update you with more details. Now I have them:

First on Friday, May 18th from 5-9 PM APEX is having some sour and unusual beers. Firestone-Walker's "Sour" Jim Crooks will be on hand while pour some of his Agrestic, SLOambic and 100% Velvet Merkin.

Joining Firestone will be our local sour brothers from Cascade. Here's what we'll be pouring from them:

Agent de l’orange:  10.78% ABV

This live NW style sour is a Blender’s Reserve spiced blond quad that was aged in Makers Mark barrels for 16 months then spiced with orange peel and honey. Orange zest and herbal honey notes present themselves in the nose. Bright, tart orange peel, huge sweet malts and spices of cinnamon and coriander on the palate give way to a crisp orange finish that lingers. This could be just the thing to quench your thirst on that rare sunny day until spring. Servus!

Summer Gose 5.5% ABV 
This NW sour beer is a re-creation of a historic German wheat beer style that was nearly lost to time.  This light, slightly soured beer is spiced with coriander and sea salt.   Soft creamy wheat and spice greet you in the nose, while a light spice bite and hint of lemon cross the palate.  It finishes off with a soft lingering sour bite and just a slight dusty lemon note.

Rhubarb Crisp 6.5% ABV

This NW-style sour beer is a crisp, refreshing blend of beers that were barrel aged for seven to 12 months. Bright sweet notes of rhubarb and raspberries greet you in the nose. A light tartness of ripe berries and fruit sweetness intermingle on the palate, giving way to a light sparkling bite of rhubarb and slight nuttiness in the finish. Enjoy!

APEX owner Jesse McCann says "This should make for a hell of a Friday, but Saturday is going to absolutely blow your mind!"

It's our second anniversary celebration, all day and into the night from 11:30AM to 2:30 AM.  I won't tell you what I'm going to put on the tap, but if you remember last year's anniversary, you know that it's a lineup that's not to be missed. I'll be tapping between 30 and 50 rare beers that I've been working for the past two years to get for this event.

In addition, it'll be the worldwide debut of a beer I'm very excited about. Last year I asked my friend Peter Kruger, brewmaster at Bear Republic, if he'd be interested in making me a beer to commemorate our second anniversary. He graciously agreed to do so and I gave him  a few suggestions about what I liked best in my favorite double IPAs. He went to work on a recipe and the result is what he called the hoppiest beer they've ever made, Double Apex, a 10.1% Double IPA. An imperial version of their delicious Apex IPA. I can't wait to taste it!

Amnesia's 2nd Annual Single Hop Fest

One of last year's surprise hits was Amnesia Brewing's first-time Single Hop Fest. The small fest held at the N Mississippi Avenue brewery features all locally-made beers that use only one variety of hop. This year the fest returns to Amnesia on June 2nd with some new and returning beers.

Portland Fruit Beer Festival's Beer List and Behind-the-Scenes Making of Video

The full beer list for the 2012 Portland Fruit Beer Festival has been released alongside a behind-the-scenes, making-of style video for one of the beers, Laurelwood's 'Cascara Obscura'.

Expanding from 15 regular entries at last year's fest, the 2012 edition has 25 entries--24 beers and one hard cider. That number doesn't include the addition of a super-special batch of cider from Bushwhacker Cidery, Brooklyn Sour, that is limited to just 2 kegs. The list should please many, with its range from classic fruit beer flavors like cherries, to exotic offerings like papaya, to bourbon barrel-aged and sour beers. There will be something for everyone.

APEX 2nd Anniversary this Weekend

One of Oregon's best beer bars - APEX is turning 2 years old and is planning one hell of a 2 day party this Friday and Saturday. This poster gives you an idea of what to expect. More info as we get it.

Behind The Pint with the Hallertauer Hop Queen

Did you know there is a Hallertauer Hop Queen? Neither did I. When I first ran into her at the Brew Expo America trade show during the Craft Brewers Conference I thought she was just a pretty face at the German hop booth. Turns out on further investigation that not only is the Hop Queen the real deal and not just a sexy girl dressed up with a tiara and beautifully crafted hop scepter but a knowledgeable professional in the field of German hops. Each year a new Hop Queen is elected to represent their hop growing region and to act as a traveling ambassador along the lines of a more intelligent Miss America.

We met current reigning Hop Queen Veronika Springer at the Hop Growers of Germany booth showing off new varieties of hops beind developed in one of the biggest hop growing regions in the world. To be honest we had no idea Germany was doing so much with new hybrids and breeding. In addition to being able to touch and smell a few varieties they even had Victory Brewing brew a handful of beers with test varietals. Many of these beers were quite good including a Hefeweizen IPA hybrid and a Pilsner with a new kind of Hallertauer.