Corvallis, Oregon, is a graceful, seductive, sophisticated and humane version of the platonic form of a small Northwest college town. It offers a kinder, gentler vision of hippie populism and liberal social planning: artsy trashcans covered in ivy, preserved frontier architecture, little cafes with outdoor seating and a general atmosphere of quaintly unified purpose. The college town is also home to some of the state’s best breweries and cideries. The idyllic little city of Corvallis, which sits snug against the Willamette River about an hour and a half south of Portland, is home to the state’s agricultural college, which also
SOUTH SOUND PREFUNK SATURDAY, FEB. 10 2018: Block 15 Brewing IPA Party and Tacoma Love Show PREFUNK: Dec. 31, 2011, Track 7 Brewing Co. opened for business in Sacramento, California. It grew from 340 barrels of beer in its opening year to just under 1,200 barrels in 2013. That’s not surprising since 1,000 people showed up to the brewery’s opening day – causing a line out the door for three hours. At 4 p.m. today, Peaks and Pints welcome Track 7 to Washington state tapping six kegs with famous track 7’s off albums pumping out of our jukebox. Track 7
With tree-huddled mountain greenery and foggy windswept adventuring around every turn, there’s no denying that Northern California is giving the southern half of the state a run for its money when it comes to the tip-top trio of biking, camping and craft beer. Since Peaks and Pints is a craft beer bottle shop, taproom and restaurant, let’s talk craft beer. Northern California was the wellspring of the craft beer movement, which can be loosely traced from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco to Sierra Nevada Brewery in the young-at-heart college town of Chico, and then to the world. Indeed, Northern California
Until recently, fruit in beer, in America at least, has long been ridiculed, ridiculously branded as “girly” or heretical to beer’s “purity.” However, fruited brews form not only the historical foundation of fermented beverages, especially in Belgian brewing culture, but fruit-flavored craft beers are now a popular trend in American craft brewing, i.e., fruited IPAs. Beer made with peaches is particularly popular with brewers both traditional and innovative, and sipping on a peachy brew is a tasty way to hold on to that fleeting summer feeling. While much of the best examples of American peach brews are made on a very small scale —
When Jeff and Chris Althouse founded Oakshire Brewing Co. in 2006 they were the only employees, brewing Original Amber on a four-barrel system under the moniker Willamette Brewery. In 2008, Willamette Brewery became Oakshire Brewing. Today, Dan Russo is the lead brewer managing Oakshire’s collaborative production team of seven and overseeing the Pilot, Vintage and Core Seasonal programs, including the development of a series of fruited Open-fermented American Farmhouse Ales and four different offerings from their “kettle-soured” Sun Made Berliner Weisse line up. Tonight, Oakshire will be the guest host at Peaks and Pints’ Lodge Meeting, releasing its Heart Shaped
When most people think of lagers they think of pale, clear lagers with snow-white heads and a crisp, light flavor. But that wasn’t always the case. For centuries, dark lager dominated the scene in Central Europe until methods for kilning paler malts came along and we saw the introduction of amber lagers such as Vienna lager and märzen. Eventually, in 1842 Joseph Groll brewed a beer in Plzen, Czech Republic that was golden with that thick snow-white foam. Pilsner was born and the world hasn’t looked back. Today, Peaks and Pints takes a step back into pre-pilsner history to enjoy
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, FEB. 6 2018: 10 Barrel Dark Queen and Django Reinhardt PREFUNK: Jose Ruiz, a 10 Barrel Brewing brewer, created the 10 Barrel Dark Queen recipe, a take on a traditional German dunkel that showcases malt depth achieved by decoction brewing. Flavors of toasty bread crumbs and soft malt sweetness surrender to a subdued chocolate aftertaste that is light and refreshing. The 4.5 percent dunkel is one of five 10 Barrel beers on tap at Peaks and Pints today with a special 5 p.m. 10BArrelparty tonight featuring a snowboard giveaway. 1 AND 6:15 P.M. DJANGO: Django Reinhardt broke
10 Barrel Brewing Co. is a Bend, Oregon-based brewery with one simple mindset — brew beer, drink beer and have fun doing it, which it proves daily on its Instagram account. By regularly posting high resolution product photography, reposting user-generated content, Boomerang videos, action shots, lifestyle photography and more, this brewery keeps its Instagram following on their toes. Peaks and Pints hosts 10 Barrel Brewing at 5 p.m. tonight, pouring five of its beers and raffling off one of its snowboards, which has made many appearances on the 10 Barrel Instagram. We’ve chosen five 10 Barrel beers for our daily
Ahtanum was the first hop variety to come out of Yakima Chief Ranches breeding program Select Botanicals Group. Three families of hop farmers — Smiths, Perraults and Carpenters — founded Yakima Chief Ranches back in the late 80s. It was actually a Carpenter, Charles Carpenter, who first planted hops in Yakima Valley in 1868. He planted the hop rhizomes, taken from his father’s property, at his homestead in Ahtanum, the namesake of the hop. The Ahtanum hop is full of just as much history as it is flavor. Due to its low to moderate alpha acid content, the Ahtanum has
New Beer Saturday: Boulevard Brewing and others Founded in 1989, Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing Co. has weathered a variety of challenges to emerge, survive and prosper, including the 2013 acquisition by Duvel Mortgat, the 147-year-old family-owned brewery in Belgium that also owns Brewery Ommegang. It’s consistently in the top 10 ranking for craft beer in the U.S., thanks to its popular Tropical Pale Ale and Unfiltered Wheat Beer. Originally, Unfiltered Wheat Beer was filtered and clear but never caught on. Boulevard’s founder, John McDonald, who thought it should be unfiltered to begin with, decided there was nothing to lose and
Consensus is a funny thing. Ask most craft fans to name the best beer city in America, and they might tell you Portland, despite the fact that many — if not most — of Oregon’s best breweries are found outside the city limits, including the Willamette Valley, a landscape of rolling hills and farmland about 45 minutes southwest of Portland. Makes sense. Like regional winemakers, Oregon brewers benefit from the Willamette Valley’s rich agricultural basin. The Pacific Northwest is a major producer of barley for malt, and Oregon’s Willamette Valley is one of the top domestic producers of hops. With
You can’t explain triple IPAs to your grandparents and you can’t explain it to the religiously terrified and you can’t describe it to those who, no matter what you say, refuse to see such a beer style as anything other than some sort of freaky-deaky boozy Sam Calagione-worshipping Pliny-romp thing. Peaks and Pints hosts Washington Beer Blog’s Washington Hob Mob Triple IPA Roadshow today, which means we’ll tap a robust collection of triple IPAs brewed by Washington state breweries. We’ll pour 5- and 10-ounce pours of the craft beers mention below beginning at 11 a.m. until they’re gone. We’re also
In Your Mace craft beer! Photo courtesy of Dogfish Head MORNING FOAM FOR THURSDAY, FEB. 1 2018: A seven-taster flight of craft beer news, from the fluffy head all the way to the mace beer. … Tonight, 32 Washington state triples will be at Brouwer’s Café, kicking off the Washington Hop Mob Triple Roadshow — smaller triple IPA showcases that follow for nine days straight across Western Washington, from Vancouver to Snohomish and over to Yakima. Peaks and Pints will host Washington Hop Mob Triple IPA Roadshow’s Tacoma version from 11 a.m. to 11p.m. Friday, Feb.
Get ready, South Sound because San Diego is coming to the region. Well, their beer is, anyway. San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing Co. will be taking over Peaks and Pints taps tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. For 22 years, the boys down south at Ballast Point have been providing San Diego with craft beer before it was cool. Ballast Point founder Jack White opened a 150-square-foot homebrew shop in 1992. Today, Home Brew Mart occupies 8,800 square feet, including an expanded selection, expansive taproom and a dedicated homebrew classroom. While Ballast Point has since grown to seven locations and
February marks the eight-year anniversary for Stillwater Artisanal Ales, a brewery distinguished by its avant-garde brews and haute-couture labels, and the company’s founder, Brian Strumke, says he’s always looking to push himself further — in his goals or actual miles — to turn beer into art. Strumke is a nomad. Whether in Stratford, Connecticut at Two Roads Brewing or Baltimore, Maryland at Of Love and Regret, Stillwater functions as more of a living organism than a brewery, led by his wanderlust to go wherever the road, beer or art takes him. He founded the company in 2010 and currently hails from
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JAN. 30 2018: Firestone Walker Wookus and Wait For Your Laugh PREFUNK: Last year, Firestone Walker discontinued its Black Imperial IPA, Wookey Jack. Now there’s a replacement, the new black IPA Wookus. The fourth release in the brewery’s Leo v. Ursus Chronology, Wookus is brewed with Amarillo and Citra hops, just like Wookey Jack, but double dry-hopped it with Mosaic. Also, as with the original Wookey Jack, Wookus is brewed with five percent rye malt. The result is an imperial black IPA that has a big base of black malt and nutty rich brown malt but then
Being a great bartender is about far more than pouring magic — although that element is certainly important. But a bartender’s role behind the stick is also about spending time with those bellied up to the bar, whether they’re high rollers or gravediggers. And Jen Mahoney, who has been pouring beer at the North End Social Club on Tacoma’s Sixth Avenue since January 2016, deserves heroine worship for the way she straddles the line between professional and crony. She’s engaging, honest, genuine and knowledgeable but never snooty. And, she adores the North End Social Club, owner Justin Caillier and the
Track 7 Brewing Co. co-owner and brewmaster Ryan Graham, center, answers questions during the California Craft Beer Summit Sept. 10, 2015 in Sacramento. Welcome Track 7 Brewing to Washington state Was I listening to Track 7 “Sloop John B” off Pet Sounds when I stopped at Portland’s Great Notion Brewing on my way the California Craft Beer Summit in Sacramento Sept.10, 2015? Was I listening to Track 7 “She Said She Said” off Revolver when I stopped for lunch at Eugene’s Hop Valley Brewing that same day? Was I listening to Track 7 “Highway 61 Revisited”
TACOMA PREFUNK MONDAY, JAN. 29 2018: Pike Octopus Ink and Thor PREFUNK: The black IPA goes by many names: American black ale, India black ale and Cascadian dark ale (when most of the hops are American-grown Cascades). Hops are at the forefront, but the style can also have a modest malt signature because of the amount of black malts that are used to give it its rich black color. Pike Brewing’s Octopus Ink wraps itself around the hoppier side of the black IPA style. Dry hopped twice with Citra, Amarillo and Simcoe provides a toasted pine needle aroma and a
Originating in 2005 and held every year during January, Strange Brewfest Port Townsend is a showcase in deviance from any archetypical extreme beer festival. Where most thematic beer fests involve high alcohol and barrel-aged brews, Strange Brew delineates itself with a truly outré melange of beers that simultaneously capture the imagination and leave you scratching your head — pho beer, old fashion beer, pickle beer, baked beans beer and on and on. The 14th version was held this past weekend, melding a Western theme with wacky beers. It was “Home, Home On The Strange” with 60 strange brews and temperatures
Milk stouts originated in Europe in the 1800s. The style emphasizes a malty sweetness with hints of chocolate and caramel. They are sometimes called cream stouts or sweet stouts. Brewers intensified the dark, chocolaty malt body with lactose, the sugar in cow’s milk, hence why they’re more often called milk stouts. Brewer’s yeast can’t ferment lactose into alcohol, so it hangs around to give you a rich mouthfeel and a soft, creamy sweetness, balancing out the bitter and roasted qualities typical of its cousin stouts. Makes sense. Heating milk to very high temperatures, which also has the effect of caramelizing
TACOMA PREFUNK THURSDAY, JAN. 25 2018: Unibroue Belgian-style ales and flower lovers PREFUNK: Unibroue has long set the standard for Belgian-style ales in Canada. Yeast is a large part of the story, providing secondary in-bottle fermentation and contributing typical fruity and spicy flavors. Unibroue founders André Dion and Serge Racine took beer-brewing techniques used by Trappist monks of Belgium and brought them to North America. After acquiring La Brasserie Massawippi brewery in Lennoxville, Quebec in 1990, the Quebec team brewed their first abbey ale. A few years later, they were shipping their beer internationally. Even after Sleeman purchased Unibroue in
The BJCP divides Belgian Strong Ales into dark and golden subcategories, but these two are combined for our beer flight today: Craft Beer Crosscut 1.25.18: A Flight of Belgian Strong. For this reason, the beers in this flight can be anywhere from yellow to dark brown in color. Blond versions tend to be similar to tripels and have a fruity and spicy hop flavor. They tend to be paler, lighter, and drier than their tripel counterparts. Dark versions are similar to Abbey dubbels and are more malt oriented than the blonde versions. They tend to be sweet, often flavored with
TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 2018: Midnight Sun Arctic Devil Barleywine and Sportsmen’s Show PREFUNK: Consider Midnight Sun Brewing’s 13.5 percent Bourbon Barley-Aged Arctic Devil Barleywine. Yes, the one on Men’s Journal’s list of the “12 Best Barleywines in the World.” Indeed, the one named No. 8 Best English Barleywine on BeerAdvocate. Seriously, the cognac-drenched candied apricots, caramelized brown sugar, dark fruits cellared for rich flavors, soft vanilla notes and malty booze. This stellar barleywine sits in Peaks and Pints’ cooler ready for you and your friend next to our fireplace. NOON TO 8P.M. WASHINGTON SPORTSMEN’S SHOW: It’s winter, and
The phrase “everything but the kitchen sink” comes from World War Two when everything possible was used to contribute to the war effort — all metal was used for the U.S arsenal. The only objects left out were porcelain kitchen sinks. Does anyone still have a porcelain sink? Anyway, “everything but the kitchen sink” can also apply to brewing craft beer. How do you think black wheat beer became a thing? Or an imperial American lager? How about a cherry rauchbier? Spiced Belgian India brown ale anyone? There are craft beers floating around that makes us believe the brewers threw
TACOMA PREFUNK JAN.23 2018: Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin and Two-Stepping PREFUNK: Its coffee, roasty, dark chocolate character defines Firestone Walker’s Velvet Merlin. Aged for about a year in retired bourbon barrels, including those from Heaven Hill and Four Roses distilleries, and it’s transformed into Velvet Merkin. After the aromatic opera of charred oak, buttery vanilla and roasty, chocolatey goodness — thanks to Roast Barley, English Dark Caramel, Medium Caramel, Carafa malt and oats — it would be hard for any flavor to live up to. Merkin makes an attempt, with sweet toffee and vanilla bean followed by definite alcohol notes
There’s nothing quite like a good porter; Peaks and Pints can recognize one almost by its aroma alone. These dark, often full-bodied beers have something of an attitude thanks to their caramel and chocolate tones. The origins of the style are traced to the 1700s, when it was a favorite beer of the porters who worked the shipyards in London. In the U.S., the porter style nearly vanished in the years following Prohibition, as light-bodied lagers appealed more to the masses. Homebrewers and small craft beer makers helped revive the style. Today, Peaks and Pints salutes porters in the beer
Dry hopping is the process of adding hops, usually in secondary, to a beer (in the fermenter or the keg) typically but not always, at the rate of quarter to half ounce to per gallon. The result, if done appropriately, is a pleasingly huge burst of hop aroma, which also affects how the beer tastes as much of what humans taste in beer actually comes from our sense of smell. Since the hops are not boiled there won’t be any oil extraction, and therefore will not be contributing to the beer’s bitterness. Double dry-hopping, DDH, is the addition of hops
Barley is the major grain used in beer making. Malting is the process of preparing the barley for brewing. Barley that has been malted is referred to as “malt.” The basis for nearly every beer recipe, base malts compose the majority of the total grain bill. They are usually the source of most of the starch-bursting power in any recipe, due to their higher diastatic power. This provides them with the high levels of enzymes needed to convert complex starches into fermentable sugars. As the bulk of the malt in any recipe, this also means that base malts are the
In 1988, Jeff Lebesch was riding his bike through the villages of Belgium, most likely a little wobbly as he visited brewery after brewery in search of inspiration. When he returned to the States, with the help of his marketing-savvy wife, Kim Jordan, Lebesch launched New Belgium Brewing Company in 1991 with a beer whose name you probably already know: the Fat Tire. Five years after opening in Fort Collins, Colorado, former Rodenbach brewer Peter Bouckaert was brought on to launch New Belgium’s sour program. Since then, New Belgium has continued to expand its sour beer production, including the well-loved
The Palisade, named for an American hop variety that is related to the German Tettnanger, is a proprietary hop owned by Yakima Chief. It is an extremely vigorous hop, unlike Tettnanger, with rather high yields. When harvested early in the season, Palisade has a gentle, pleasant aroma that blends well with beers having a delicate flavor profile, but when harvested later Palisade becomes rather aggressive and pungent. On average, Palisade shows a range of tropical fruit aromatics and is sometimes reminiscent of mango, with notes of apricot and freshly cut grass. Today, Peaks and Pints feature Palisade hops in our
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JAN.16 2018: Lost Coast Tangerine and Hedy Lamarr PREFUNK: “Tangerine, Tangerine, living reflection from a dream” so says Led Zeppelin. We have no idea what that means, but we do know this: a delicious tangerine craft beer is currently pouring from Peaks and Pints’ Western red cedar tap log. For those of you who want a light and cheerful beer, Lost Coast’s Tangerine Wheat is your best bet. This candy-scented wheat beer is crisp, clean and refreshing. 1:30 AND 6:15P.M. BOMBSHELL — THE HEDY LAMARR STORY: Hedy Lamarr, born Hedwig Kiesler, was known as the world’s most
According The Oxford Companion to Beer, “the term ‘brown ale’ can easily be confusing, or at least not much more useful than the term “red wine.’” That confusion, however, is part of its allure, as the style leaves brewers plenty of room for interpretation. The brown ale has origins in 17th century England, where it was a name given to a dark-colored, mild ale. The American Brown is a style that home brewers have helped define over the past 30 years. The contemporary American Brown is flavorful, balanced and medium bodied, with more overall character than its early English cousins.
A flight of beers is a wonderful thing — it’s a sampler platter, speed dating, a master’s class and a family reunion all wrapped into one. The concept is simple. Hang out at Peaks and Pints bottle shop, taproom and restaurant in Tacoma’s Proctor District, and choose a selection of 5-ounce brews to try back-to-back. In most cases, we suggest the beers are tasted from least bitterto most bitter as to not blow out your taste buds. Scanning Peaks and Pints’ taplist today, we suggest the following flight, but you can choose your own from our 28 taps. Lost Coast’s
In May of 1989, John Maier arrived in the small Oregon coastal town of Newport just in time to create Rogue Ales brew #1. Twenty-eight yeas and more than 20,000 brews later, Maier still rides his bike daily over the Yaquina Bay Bridge to the brewery where he continues to create innovative brews that have garnered international acclaim. One of the pioneers in the craft-brewing world, Rogue consistently puts out award-winning beers year after year, winning gold in national and international competitions. One of the founding principals of Rogue is to remain a one-off, small in size but large-in-reputation unique
Put down the cupcake, and release the lever on the soft serve. National Glazed Doughnut Day is finally upon us and you bet your bottom dollar we’re going to be celebrating at Peaks and Pints. Indeed. The one. The only. The classically glazed doughnut is a go-to for the morning masses — because it’s very sweet. Here is where OUR true selves shine through: there is nothing much better than a glazed doughnut, and there is not much better than an IPA. Put the two together and we have the Holy Grail. The combination of craft beer and sweet doughnuts
Two Beers Brewing founder Joel VandenBrink, left, and Peaks and Pints co-owner Justin Peterson meld minds on Proctor Peaks IPA brewing day. Photo credit: Pappi Swarner TACOMA PREFUNK THURSDAY, JAN. 11 2018: Proctor Peaks IPA Release Party and American Idiot PREFUNK: To celebrate its first year in business, Peaks and Pints is excited to release a special India Pale Ale in collaboration with Two Beers Brewing Co. tonight. Coming in at 6.7 percent ABV and 60 IBUs, Proctor Peaks IPA will be pine (naturally) and dank on the nose and palate featuring Warrior, Chinook, Columbus and
Early American agriculture paved the way for producing new crop species, some intentionally and scientifically and others effortlessly through Mother Nature. The Galena hop is a wonderful combination of the two: a cross between the Brewer’s Gold hop and open pollination. Developed from the USDA breeding program in Idaho in 1968, this all-American hop was released to the market a decade later. It is prized for being an excellent high alpha variety, which is perhaps why it is the most widely grown hop in the U.S. The Galena is used primarily as a bittering agent in beers, widely producing clean
A wine connoisseur loves the complexities and subtleties of a good glass of wine — a balance of sweetness, bitterness, acidity, and real body — which a good beer also sports. Fermentation-driven flavors found in craft beer are just as exciting as those found in wine. Craft beer can be just as elegant, just as refined, just as explosive and just as flavorful — especially if it’s aged in spent wine barrels. Our Craft Beer Crosscut 1.10.18: A Flight of Pinot Noir highlights four craft beers aged in Pinot Noir wine barrels — plus Fullerton’s 2015 Three Otters Pinot Noir
Witch Mountain TACOMA PREFUNK WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10 2018: Give Blood Get Beer and Witch Mountain PREFUNK: The Cascade Regional Blood Services hosts a blood drive program titled “Give Blood Get Beer” — a program where if you donate a pint of blood you will receive a pint of beer. Enter fast talking announcer guy: “’Give Blood Get Beer’ is a theme for a series of Cascade Regional Services blood drives that enable local restaurants and pubs to support our community’s blood supply in a unique and fun way. Peaks and Pints, a bottle shop, taproom and
TACOMA PREFUNK TUESDAY, JAN. 9 2018: Rhinegeist-Melvin Experimental J-Hole and the arts PREFUNK: Cincinnati, Ohio brewery Rhinegeist teamed up with fellow lupulin lovers at the GABF medal-winning Melvin Brewing in Alpine, Wyoming, to brew Experimental J-Hole (7 percent), a hop-happy red IPA, which pours from Peaks and Pints’ Western red cedar tap log. El Dorado hops play first chair here with candied cherry notes; Simcoe hops add bass notes of resin, pine and blood orange; and Centennial hops tie everything together with medium notes of citrus. 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. THE DYNAMIC AMERICAN WEST: Drawing from Tacoma Art Museum’s Haub
Rye has been a part of the brewer’s tool kit since at least the Middle Ages. Bavarian Germans have been making roggenbier — a style similar to the German wheat beer, but made with rye instead of wheat — for at least that long. “Rustic” is one descriptor that has been applied to the flavor of rye in beer. It brings sharp, almost bitter spiciness with softer, bready undertones. Imagine the crust of a freshly baked loaf of rye bread crusted with cracked black pepper. In this country, any rye beer brewing that may have occurred was quashed by Prohibition,
To celebrate its first year in business, Peaks and Pints is excited to announce its special India Pale Ale release in collaboration with Two Beers Brewing Co. Proctor Peaks IPA will be released at Peaks and Pints Thursday, Jan. 11, along with other Two Beers and Seattle Cider draft delights. The Peaks’ ownership brewed the pine and dank IPA at South Seattle brewery naming it after the peak in which the Tacoma bottle shop, taproom and restaurant sits atop. Proctor Peaks was so designated in 1883 by Tacoma founding father Allen C. Mason, who named it after topping the 370-foot
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like pineapple-and-ham pizza and those who are pitied by the first group. Granted, the idea of eating pizza with pineapple on it sounds a little funky — until you try it. Once you do, the gates of understanding open and the pizza-delivery vehicle drives straight through to the brain’s pleasure center. The same can be said about pineapple flavored craft beer and cider. After the fist sip, the gates of understanding open and the beer-delivery vehicle drives straight through to the brain’s pleasure center. Much of the credit or
