Beer Line Blog

Craft Beer Crosscut 8.20.18: A Flight of 7 Seas

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You can’t talk South Sound beer without mentioning 7 Seas Brewing. Founders Mike Runion and Travis Guterson opened 7 Seas Brewing in 2008, but a fire in January 2009 at the original downtown Gig Harbor address meant the two young beer makers and co-owners had to relocate. Popularity and growth forced them to move to a larger location back in downtown Gig Harbor. 7 Seas Brewing Co. now occupies the 11,000 sq. ft. former QFC grocery store with an 8,600 sq. ft. production facility and 2,400 sq. ft. taproom with long tables and outdoor seating in Gig Harbor AND an

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JUNE 19 2018: Urban Family Downpour IPA and Strangers On the Earth

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JUNE 19 2018: Urban Family Downpour IPA and Strangers On the Earth PREFUNK: The skies open with showers of Amarillo, Mosaic and Citra hops, thanks to Urban Family Brewing’s Downpour IPA, which is on tap at Peaks and Pints today. The Downpour of hops enhances this IPA into a highly drinkable offering of tropical fruit, orange and mango flavors. 1 AND 6:45 P.M. STRANGERS ON THE EARTH: There have been many works about seekers taking the 600-mile pilgrimage along Spain’s Santiago de Compostela Camino. Everyone from Shirley MacLaine and Paulo Coelho to Martin Sheen has weighed in

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.19.18: A Flight of ABV and IBU Sequence

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Can you imagine not having numbers? Look around you. They are everywhere, including the craft beer world. You often see numbers on tap lists and menus that are meant to help explain what a particular beer will be like, including alcohol by volume, or ABV. The standard measurement of the alcohol content of drinks is alcohol by volume, which is given as the volume of ethanol as a percent of the total volume of the drink. If a certain beer is tagged with ABV 12% or ALC. BY VOL. 12%, it means 12 percent of the liquid is alcohol. In

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TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, JUNE 18 2018: E9 Brewery and Primatologist Dwayne Johnson

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TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, JUNE 18 2018: E9 Brewery and primatologist Dwayne Johnson PREFUNK: In 1995, Dusty Trail converted the historic Engine House No. 9 bar into a brewpub, and brought back the Tacoma Brew, the famous Tacoma lager of 1888. Dick Dickens grabbed the reins in 2002, bringing in head brewer Doug Tiede. Heads turned and medals were hung. In 2011, X group purchased Engine House No. 9, with head brewer Shane Johns breaking the brewery off from the restaurant. Saisons and sours and gold medals followed. Saturday, E9 Brewery grabbed three gold medals, three silver medals and a bronze

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Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight 6.18.18: Pacific Northwest

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Cider vanished from the American landscape during Prohibition, when many cider orchards were burned to the ground by die-hard temperance advocates. Even after the repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933, cider never recovered. The nation, by the early 20th century, had turned to beer, and the apple crop reverted to eating apples — the kind used by hopeful kids to woo their teachers. Many heirloom cider apple varieties — the acidic, high-tannin bittersweets and bittersharps — simply vanished. Post-Prohibition, cider—when it was produced at all — was often made from eating apples such as the ubiquitous Red Delicious, which,

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Fancy Pants Sunday: Evil Twin Harlan’s Barrel Aged Even More Jesus

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Fancy Pants Sunday: Evil Twin Harlan’s Barrel Aged Even More Jesus Wine enthusiasts understand the importance that oak plays in the world of wine. From different equipment choices — barrels versus staves or chips — to decisions about oak sourcing as well as toast-level options, there are myriad ways that oak can affect the end result. French or American wood, bourbon- or rum-soaked casks, used Cabernet or Pinot Noir barrels — these are just a few of the options to consider when sourcing barrels for aging beer, with each imparting an individual identity and range of nuances to a brewer’s

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.17.18: A Flight of Father’s Day

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Peaks and Pints would like to wish a happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! Today’s craft beer flight is dedicated to the fathers of Peaks and Pints’ very own employees, who have given the members of our team endless support and love, even after our bartenders maybe tested his or her father’s patience back in the day. Naturally, celebration tends to come in the form of craft beer for us, so we’ve picked five good ones to share with dad. Peaks and Pints has plenty of delicious sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts to pair with Craft Beer

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.16.18: A Flight For The Mutineers Band

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The Mutineers perform at Peaks and Pints in Tacoma’s Proctor District tonight. Photo credit: Clovis IV The Mutineers are a rock n roll band with country leanings and punk rock tendencies based in the Pacific Northwest. Formed in 2007, the band released two EPs in 2008 and an LP, Dirge to the Dance, in 2011. In 2016, the project scaled down to a duo and recorded Live at B-side in Portland, Oregon. They began touring in 2017 and have since performed over 120 shows across the U.S. Brian and Merry Mathusek draw on the influences of

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.15.18: A Flight of Double Mountain Brewery

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Founded on St. Patrick’s Day 2007, Double Mountain Brewery has a clear mission: “Make great beer for craft beer fans.”  Ever since then owner Matt Swihart (when not playing guitar in his band GreenNeck Daredevils) has worked hard to meet this mission, focusing on uncompromising beer quality, with ingredients such as two-row pilsner malts from British Columbia, Belgian yeast strains, fruit from Hood River orchards and Northwest hops. Famed for both their hoppy and sour fruit beers such as IRA, Vaporizer and Devil’s Kriek as well as the brewpub in downtown Hood River’s awesome pizza, family friendly atmosphere and live

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 14, 2018

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 14, 2018 When hiking our cooler save room in your backpack for these restocks and new craft beers. … 12TH ANNIVERSARY IMPERIAL IPA, Port Brewing: Every year, Port Brewing crafts a special IPA to mark their anniversary. To mark 12 years, the brewery has brewed a beast of a double IPA packed with a variety of oily hops for flavors of caramel malt, citrus and piney hops, orange, lemon, light grapefruit, mixed stone and tropical fruit and pine needles. It finishes with lingering lightly resinous pine, citrus hops and mixed

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Everybody’s Cow Punk IPA, Brewing Eclectic IPA and Beers Without Beards Week

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MORNING FOAM FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 14 2018: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the best YouTube videos of all time. … Last summer Everybody’s Brewing invited the forthcoming Grains of Wrath Brewing out to White Salmon, Washington to brew a collaboration beer. The result was a draft only collaboration release of Cow Punk IPA. Since that time Grains of Wrath opened and the beer that was a hit last year is set for a release once again. Friday, June 15, Everybody’s Brewing will release Cow Punk IPA for the first time

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.14.18: A Flight of Portland Beer Week

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On the 11th day of beer week my true love gave to me: beer fests, beer seminars, beer games, beer dinners and tons of other food and beer events across the city. Merry Portland Beer Week! Indeed, Portland Beer Week is back, and it’s as overwhelming as ever with all the events over 11 days, including the 7th annual Beer and Cheese Fest June 16 and Snackdown June 17. Portland Beer Week is an excellent way to sample a wide range of craft breweries and styles. But if the drive doesn’t sound appealing, beer fans can create their own diverse

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 13, 2018

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 13, 2018 When hiking our cooler save room in your backpack for these restocks and new craft beers. … BIBLE BELT, Evil Twin Brewing/Prairie Artisan Ales: A collaboration between Evil Twin and Prairie Artisan Ales, Bible Belt is a 13 percent imperial stout conditioned on cacao nibs, chili peppers, coffee and vanilla beans. The stout was first released in 2014 and combines Evil Twin’s Even More Jesus imperial stout (12 percent ABV) and the same spices and other adjuncts that are used in Prairie Bomb! imperial stout (13 percent ABV).

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TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 2018: Fremont Head Full of Dynomite v4 and Forest Beutel

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TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 2018: Fremont Head Full of Dynomite v4 and Forest Beutel PREFUNK: Fremont Brewing excels at hazy IPAs, especially commanding the actual opaque, dense colored quality of the hazy to bloom, making for an incredible visual treat. Lots of fruit flavor, especially in its Head Full of Dynomite series, which version four is on tap at Peaks and Pints. Head Full of Dynomite v.4 (6.8%) has a malt bill of 2-Row Pale, Rolled Oats, Flaked Wheat and White Wheat with Mosaic lupulin cryo powder, Centennial, Sorachi Ace and El Dorado hops for citrus and floral aroma

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.13.18: A Flight of Joe

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File Under: things that get you buzzed. Like many folks, you might be a slave to chemical rituals. Caffeine in the morning, and booze at night. In the name of efficiency, Peaks and Pints recommends combining the two at every opportunity. The pairing of roasted barley with roasted coffee is so natural; it’s almost surprising these stouts and porters didn’t catch on sooner. But coffee beers didn’t really start to percolate until the mid-90s, and even now they are far from a staple even among craft breweries. But almost no one argues with the inspiration — porters and stouts tend

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JUNE 12 2018: Big Sky Moose Drool Brown and Tibetan spiritual master

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JUNE 12 2018: Big Sky Moose Drool Brown and Tibetan spiritual master PREFUNK: Sure, the name is slightly revolting, but once you get past that, you are in for a treat. Big Sky Brewing’s Moose Drool Brown Ale is brewed with pale, caramel, chocolate, and whole black malts balanced with Kent Goldings, Liberty and Willamette hops. Hints of robust toffee and honey swirls around the nose mostly from the malt with a hint of spice added by the hops. On the tongue, brown sugar and chocolate blend perfectly finishing with a clean bitterness and slightly dry, but

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.12.18: A Flight of East King County

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Remember when Eats King County was nowheresville where yuppies pitched mansions in cul-de-sacs and bland, homogenous strip malls popped faster than mommy’s little helper was popped. The cul-de-sacs and strip malls are still there, along with much more opulent malls and enough outsize SUVs to make a Subaru-driving Seattleite feel like a Tonka truck at a big-wheel rally, but cities such as Redmond and Woodinville have come into their own with We Are The World neighbors and businesses of all shapes and sizes — including more than 100 wineries. Yes, there is still rural charm, especially in Woodinville, but there

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Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight 6.11.18: Northwest Cider

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During Prohibition, three-fourths of America’s apple orchards were cut down, and cider makers no longer had enough fresh fruit when the alcohol ban was lifted in 1933. With few exceptions, only culinary apples grown for cooking and eating fresh remained. Today, consumers are gravitating back to hard cider because it represents a sustainable, locally grown, gluten-free alternative to beer. While most consumers know the basics of beer or wine, the cider industry has to overcome some basic misconceptions such as how cider is made and what it tastes like. Hard cider is not brewed like beer; it’s fermented like wine.

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Fancy Pants Sunday: Against The Grain 70K

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Oh you fancy 70K! Fancy Pants Sunday: Against The Grain 70K There are many reasons to try a beer. Perhaps you’re a fan of the style. Maybe you enjoyed the beers made by the brewer at another brewery, or you heard positive things from a friend. Maybe it just sounds good. Or, as was the case with Against The Grain Brewery, the packaging caught your eye. Featuring irreverent and witty cartoon illustrations, Against the Grain’s bottles are full of attitude that jumps out at you on the shelf. In 2011, Adam Watson, Sam Cruz, Jerry Gnagy and

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.9.18: A Flight of Barrel Fermentation

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Fermentation, at its most basic, is the process by which yeast eat sugars found in wort and convert them into alcohol. There are two major places where fermentation can occur during the brewing process: in stainless steel tanks (the most common) or in wood vessels such as barrels, foeders or puncheons. Beer aged in barrels will absorb some of the various chemical compounds present in the wood, such as lactones (floral aromas and flavors), phenolic aldehydes (vanilla), and the simple sugars (caramel). When the beer is first in the barrel, it will begin to absorb very strong caramel and vanilla flavors,

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.3.18: A Flight of Deschutes 30th Anniversary

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This summer marks 30 years since Californian Gary Fish set up Deschutes Brewery in downtown Bend on Bond Street, back when Bond Street was a much emptier place. Deschutes has since grown to become one of the United States’ representative craft breweries, distributing from coast to coast and making Bend synonymous with beer in the minds of many. Named after the Deschutes Rover, Deschutes was Central Oregon’s first brewery. Fish hired John Harris (founder of Ecliptic Brewing Co.) from McMenamins. Legislation and a growing provincialism for locally crafted beers soon turned the microbrewer of Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.7.18: A Flight of Hefeweizen

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The hefeweizen has been around a long time. Some beer historians say it was brewed as far back as the 11th century. In German, hefeweizen (pronounced HEH-feh-vite-zen) means yeast wheat, so called because the beer is traditionally unfiltered, leaving the tiny particles of yeast sediment to turn the golden beer cloudy and turbid. It may be this suggestion of solidity that leads Germans to occasionally refer to hefeweizen as bottled bread. The beer style can have a variety of flavors including clove, vanilla, apple, banana, even bubblegum. They have low amounts of hoppiness. Hefeweizens are made with more than 50

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TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 2018: Avery Plank’d Imperial Porter and Bradley Palermo

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TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 2018: Avery Plank’d Imperial Porter and Bradley Palermo PREFUNK: Avery Brewing’s Nuttiest Professor, Expletus and Tweak has a new sibbling in Peaks and Pints’ cooler: Plank’d. A new addition to Avery’s experimental one-and-done Barrel Series, Plank’d is an imperial coconut porter aged for three months in rum barrels. It hits the tongue with coconut and rum then fades into a long chocolate finish. Oh, and it’s 16 percent ABV, which is why this description is so short. Let’s try to write a couple event suggestions for today. … 7 P.M. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE: The

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.6.18: A Flight of Tripels

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Though strong Belgian pale ales have existed for centuries, the “tripel” name wasn’t used until the Trappists monks at Westmalle Abbey changed the name of what they’d call Superbier, their heaviest pale ale, in 1956. The Flemish Dutch word for triple, tripel suggests three times malt and strength. Much of tripel’s mystique comes from the innocent deep golden color, soft maltiness and customary, intriguing yeast stamp. That is followed by a sucker punch in the range of 8 to 9.5 percent ABV, a combination that offers culinary-quality complexity rivaling any darker brew. The burnished golden color, sometimes glinting of orange,

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Washington Brewers Festival, Silver Moon F-Cancer and Reuben’s Good Hair Day Pale

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MORNING FOAM FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 5 2018: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the epic beer toss. … Washington Beer Blog has the details on this year’s Washington Brewers Festival over Father’s Day Weekend at Marymoor Park in Redmond, including the new rules and the participating lottery-winning breweries. Returning for a fourth year, Silver Moon Brewing will again lead the charge for cancer prevention, education and research with its annual “F* Cancer” campaign. Benefitting the American Cancer Society West Region, the campaign aims to raise funds through the sale of Silver

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.5.18: A Flight of 3-Way IPA Breweries

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Astoria’s Fort George Brewery has brewed 3-Way IPA since 2013, featuring two different craft brewery collaborators every year. This year, Holy Mountain Brewing Co. and Modern Times Beer shared ideas and techniques with Chris Nemlowill of Fort George Brewery, and after 6.66 people brewed six batches, presto(!) — the final 2018 Fort George 3-Way IPA. Peaks and Pints will host the Fort George 3-Way IPA release party for the South Sound tonight. In conjunction, Peaks and Pints presents an all-day flight of the three, 3-Way breweries that we call Craft Beer Crosscut 6.5.18: A Flight of 3-Way IPA Breweries. Holy

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 4, 2018

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock June 4, 2018 When hiking our cooler save room in your backpack for these restocks and new craft beers. … 70K, Against The Grain Brewery: This is essentially Against The Grain Brewery’s 35K Milk Stout recipe doubled: double roasty, double chocolatey, double creamy, double delicious. Then, the Kentucky brewery aged it in Angel’s Envy Bourbon barrels for notes of rich molasses, brown sugar, bourbon, roasted malts, dark sugars, oak and coffee with a bitter finish. 13.1%, 750ml CITRA ASS DOWN, Against The Grain Brewery: As the name implies, this Imperial IPA’s

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Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight 6.4.18: Washington State

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In Europe, cider (or cidre, or sidre) is shorthand for an alcoholic beverage of fermented apples. In Britain it’s dry as the humor. France likes a dash of sweet, while Spanish versions run stringent and musty. In America, George Washington’s troops received rations of it. John Adams reportedly drank a tankard of it for breakfast each morning. Cider apples and their fermented juice were prevalent on American homesteads. Then Americans departed farms for cities, German immigrants introduced beer culture and ultimately Prohibition took a collective axe to cider orchards across the country. It’s not surprising that craft cider has taken

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TACOMA PREFUNK: SATURDAY, JUNE 2 2018: Epic Big Bad Baptista and Oleg Noleg

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Oleg Noleg performs at The Valley tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook TACOMA PREFUNK: SATURDAY, JUNE 2 2018: Epic Big Bad Baptista and Oleg Noleg PREFUNK: Epic Brewing thrilled imperial stout fans when it created variations on their Big Bad Baptist, an imperial stout made with coffee beans and cacao nibs, including Big Bad Baptista with vanilla, cinnamon, Mexican coffee roasted by Blue Copper and Solstice Chocolate cacao nibs. It’s luxurious to say the least, with a pleasant warming sensation generated by the cinnamon and alcohol. Peaks and Pints tapped Big Bad Baptista this morning. Enjoying the

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.2.18: An Epic Flight

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Until somewhat recently, the great state of Utah had fairly strict liquor and beer laws — only beers under a certain ABV were permitted to be brewed. But when the laws changed in 2008, entrepreneurs David Cole and Peter Erickson were able to pursue their longtime dream of opening Epic Brewing — a strong beer microbrewery in Salt Lake City, Utah like those found in their home state of California. Having started an international aquaculture company in Utah in 1992, Cole and Erickson were no strangers to food and drink (and the art of making them well), so when they

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TACOMA PREFUNK FRIDAY, JUNE 1 2018: Ninkasi Whiteaker Series No. 2 and Big Business

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While barbershop promo photos and tongue-in-cheek song titles like “Diagnostic Front” might paint a lighthearted picture, bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis of Los Angeles two-piece Big Business will rock your face off at Alma Mater tonight. TACOMA PREFUNK FRIDAY, JUNE 1 2018: Ninkasi Whiteaker Series No. 2 and Big Business PREFUNK: Northwest of downtown Eugene, Oregon, the Whiteaker neighborhood has long been a must-stop on devout beer lovers Eugene pilgrimage, thanks to Ninkasi Brewing, which planted its flag here in 2007. The brewery honors its neighborhood with a “Whiteaker Series” of beers, which “Series

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Craft Beer Crosscut 6.1.18: A Flight of Sticky Hops

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Hops are a resinous, sticky green flower (and from what Snoop Dogg taught us, so too is that sticky icky icky — weed). The hops used in brewing are the flower of a climbing plant that’s a member of the hemp family. They grow on bines (not vines) that can reach more than 16 feet tall. The hop flowers contain lupulin, a sticky substance that contains essential oils, bitter acids and resins, and that is released when boiled. Hops are added during the brewing process and play an important part in balancing the flavors and aroma of the beer, as

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.31.18: A Flight For Teachers

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Teachers and school staff do some of life’s most important work. Yet they are underpaid and don’t get the community support they deserve. Peaks and Pints has many educators as patrons at our bottle shop, taproom and restaurant. We hear firsthand how hard they work and how tough their jobs can be. Smarter Balanced tests, Common Core standards, Smarter Balanced tests, anti-testing sentiment, using these scores to determine who can or can’t graduate, social media bullying — craziness. We also know that while teachers appreciate apples and pencils, what many of them really like is a good craft beer. We’re

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.30.18: A Flight of Orange

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Plunking a slice of orange on the side of a glass of beer is a distinctly American tradition — one Peaks and Pints wishes would kindly die. Not only do oils found in the peels of these fruits hinder head formation and rob you of precious aroma; they’re unnecessary. Brewers are already skilled at incorporating orange flavors right into a beer, using the fruit to harmonize with similar notes found in hops or to spice up smooth wheat. Tired of all that peeling? Get your daily dose of Vitamin C with five orange-y craft beers in our flight today, Craft

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, MAY 29 2018: Everybody’s Brewing On That Dust IPA and slam poetry

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TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, MAY 29 2018: Everybody’s Brewing On That Dust IPA and slam poetry PREFUNK: Remember when Austin Powers came out of the cryogenic process, which took a while to comp … compl… complete, the International Man of Mystery underwent laser cutting, the warm liquid goo phase, reanimation, cleansing and evacuation — all in that order. That last one just took a long time. Yakima Chief Hop Union’s innovative cryogenic process doesn’t take as long, and there isn’t a warm liquid goo phase, but the results are delicious craft beers. Using YCH Hops’ innovative cryogenic process, lupulin glands are separated

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.29.18: A Flight of National Biscuit Day

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Today is National Biscuit Day. Yes, fake food holidays are stupid, but biscuits are not stupid, and therefore Peaks and Pints will drink a lot of them. Indeed. We speak of Biscuit malt and biscuit notes in craft beer. Biscuit malt is aptly named for the biscuity flavor it imparts. It’s also sometimes described as a “saltine cracker” flavor, which Peaks and Pints thinks is more fitting than “biscuit.” Biscuit malt is a relatively recent type of malt made possible by the invention of the first drum roaster in the early 1800s during Britain’s Industrial Revolution. It’s produced when germinated,

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SOUTH SOUND PREFUNK MONDAY, MAY 28 2018: Occidental Hefeweizen and Crocodile Seandee

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SOUTH SOUND PREFUNK MONDAY, MAY 28 2018: Occidental Hefeweizen and Crocodile Seandee PREFUNK: The German Beer Purity Law — Reinheitsgebot — is two years past its quincentennial: 500 years of absolutely nothing but barley (or wheat), hops, water and yeast. Not so much as a spruce tip or cacao nib may defile anything called “beer.” Occidental Brewing’s brewmaster Dan Engler mostly brews beers in the spirit (if not the letter) of the Reinheitsgebot. Opening in 2011 in Portland’s St. Johns neighborhood, Occidental makes some of the best German-style beers in the Northwest, including their authentic Bavarian Hefeweizen. It’s hefeweizen makes

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Peaks and Pints Monday Cider Flight 5.28.18: A Flight of Apples

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Cider is almost exactly like wine, except that it’s made with apples instead of grapes. Good cider very rarely tastes like apples. A lot of the commercial, industrial, processed cider that uses concentrate and lots of sugar tastes like apples or green apple Jolly Ranchers. Finer cider should taste of other fruit, and it should have earthy characteristics. The hallmark of a good cider is that doesn’t taste like kids’ apple candy, just like good wine doesn’t taste like concord grapes. Today is Monday, which means Peaks and Pints pours a flight of cider. It’s also Memorial Day. Take time

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock May 26, 2018

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Peaks and Pints Craft Beer Cooler Bagging: In Stock May 26, 2018 When hiking our cooler save room in your backpack for these restocks and new craft beers. … 1918 DUBBEL CENTENNIAL, Atwood Ales: Atwoods Ale’s family farmhouse was built in 1918. This beer marks the Blaine, Washington brewery’s 100th batch, brewed in March of 2018. To celebrate the “hundreds” of accomplishments of both their farmhouse and their brewhouse, the Atwood family brewed this “dubbel centennial” abbey-style ale, using Belgian and Skagit Valley malts, their estate-grown Centennial hops and a fresh pitch of Trappist ale yeast. The result is a

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TACOMA PREFUNK SATURDAY, MAY 26 2018: Tacoma Brewing Cigar Box Cedro Deluxe before weirdness

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TACOMA PREFUNK SATURDAY, MAY 26 2018: Tacoma Brewing Cigar Box Cedro Deluxe before weirdness PREFUNK: Brett IPA? Casual drinkers will wonder who or what Brett is and, tasting the beer, shrug and smile. Nerdier beer fans will recognize the name as a shortened nickname for Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain. But that’s confusing, too; haven’t we all learned that Brett beers are barrel-aged, funky and dry? But Brett IPAs taste of none of those things; in fact, Tacoma Brewing Co. brewed one aged on Spanish cedar, Cigar Box Cedro Deluxe. The 7.2 percent ABV IPA is bright and sharp with

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.26.18: A Flight of Saisons

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“Saison” is the French word for season. This style of farmhouse ale was created before mechanical refrigeration was used in brewing. Saisons were intended to provide refreshment to thirsty farm workers on hot days, thus the farmhouse connection. Because the style emerged as a seasonal beer, often brewed in the winter and made without temperature controls, the original characteristics of the style were all over the board. In the funky world of sours, wild ales, and farmhouse ales, you never quite know what you’ll get once Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and all their microscopic friends finish their wort buffet. Brewer and drinker

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.25.18: A Flight of Darkness

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So what makes a dark beer dark? It all comes down to the malts. Though all beer relies on malts (cereal grains that have been allowed to germinate, then dried to halt the germination process), dark beers are unique in their use of black and dark malts. These grains are heavily roasted to achieve the characteristic color as well as the caramelized, toasty flavors we love. The blanket term “dark beer” encompasses everything from classic styles like schwarzbier (a dark German lager) to the relatively new and trendy black IPAs. The most familiar dark beers, however, are generally billed as

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SOUTH SOUND PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 2018: Stone VirtuALE IPA and Rod Cook album release

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Rod Cook showcases his new album, UNCOOKED, at The Spar tonight. Photo courtesy of Facebook SOUTH SOUND PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 2018: Stone VirtuALE IPA and Rod Cook album release PREFUNK: With the release of Stone VirtuALE IPA, Stone Brewing is the first to put to use INCOGNITO, a brand new proprietary technique for processing hops. The resulting Citra and Mosaic extracts highlight different qualities of the otherwise familiar hops. While hop extracts have been around for years, new processes for separating the lupulin from the plant material offer new layers of complexity for brewers to

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Craft Beer Crosscut 5.23.18: A Flight of Down Under

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American craft breweries began seriously researching Southern Hemisphere hop varieties last year because many hops varieties grown in the United States are becoming more expensive and more difficult to get as the craft-brewing industry expands and more consumers embrace craft beer. The main Australian hop regions are the states of Tasmania and Victoria; the main varieties grown there are the high-alpha varieties Millennium and Super Pride. Together these two varieties amount to almost one-third of Australian hop production, followed by Pride of Ringwood and Topaz, which together account for roughly one-quarter. The other varieties of note are Nelson Sauvin, Victoria,

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