Portland's Holiday Ale Festival

Wednesday, Dec. 2nd 2009

Doppelbock [Doppelbock] • ABV: 14.0%
Samichlaus Bier is brewed only once a year on December 6th and is aged for 10 months before bottling. Samichlaus is one of the rarest speciality beers in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is the strongest of its kind. It is ideal for aging, and older vintages become more complex with a creamy, warming finish; perfect for the holiday season!

Vorchdorf, Austria • schloss-eggenberg.at • •

Barleywine [Barleywine] • ABV: 9.1%
This is the 11th vintage of Old Knucklehead Barleywine. A BridgePort brewery tradition since 1989, Old Knucklehead is described as a classic barley wine, "brewed with double amounts of malts and hops to create a formidable drink that is complex and full of character." The 11th vintage label features Fred Eckhardt, a Portland-based award-winning beer and sake writer who is identified as the dean of American beer writers for his role as being one of the first people in the nation to write about beer (he originally published in 1969).

Portland, OR • bridgeportbrew.com • •

Strong Blend [Specialty Beer] • ABV: 10.0%
JIM 2007 is collaboration between the Holiday Ale Festival's beer steward Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewer Alan Sprints. Made exclusively for the event, JIM honors the late Jim Kennedy, founder of Admiralty Beverage, a tireless promoter of craft beer and a major inspiration for many in NW beer circles. This is a blended beer made with Adam, Fred and Doggie Claws, some German Pilsner was added to dry it out a little, and a few special bottles were added as a toast to Jim: from Alan a 1989 Thomas Hardy's and a 1991 Rodenbach Alexander, and from Preston a 9 Liter bottle of 2006 St. Feuillien Triple. The blend was then barrel aged for 6 weeks.  This is the last keg of '07 JIM, consider this his retirement party!

Portland, OR • hairofthedog.com • •

Strong Blend [Specialty Beer] • ABV: 10.0%
JIM 2008 is collaboration between the Holiday Ale Festival's beer steward Preston Weesner and Hair of the Dog Brewer Alan Sprints. Made exclusively for the event, JIM honors the late Jim Kennedy, founder of Admiralty Beverage and a tireless promoter of craft beer and a major inspiration for many in the NW beer circles. This is a blended beer, made with Hair of the Dog beers Adam of the Wood aged 4 months in wet Elija Craig bourbon barrels, Fred of the Wood aged in new American oak, Blue Dot for hop nose and Doggie Claws to nicely round it out. Jim was remembered and toasted with a 2003 Samichlaus and 2007 Chimay Grand Reserve. It's a beer not to be missed and the Holiday Ale Festival is the only place to get it.

Portland, OR • hairofthedog.com • •

Wednesday, Dec. 2nd 2009

Smoked Beer [Specialty Beer] • ABV: 6.5%
The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked
Porter is produced in limited "vintages" each year and unlike most beers, may be aged in the bottle much like fine wine.

Juneau, AK • alaskanbeer.com • •

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 11%
To make its Curieux (French for "curious"), Allagash ages it Tripel Ale in Jim Beam barrels for eight weeks. Many new flavors and aromas develop; most notably, the beer picks up soft coconut and vanilla characteristics, and a hint of bourbon flavor!

Portland, ME • allagash.com • •

Belgian Strong Ale [Belgian Ale] • ABV: 12%
This is a sweet beer with a pleasant flavour of hops. The brewer uses a traditional process which consists of placing hops flowers in the vats where the beer rests for four to six weeks by which time it will have reached full maturity, giving it a very distinctive taste. Expect a warming, sweet, fruity beer with lots of character and nuance.

Leuze-Pipaix, Belgium • br-dubuisson.com • •

Thursday, Dec. 3rd 2009

Doppel Weizen [Wheat Bock] • ABV: 7.5% • IBUs: 20
Face Plant is a top fermented, unfiltered dark wheat bock beer and serves as a worthy counterpart to Bayern's famous Doppel Bock Lager.  This is the brewery's only decoction brewed beer, melding five types of malt (Wheat, Pilsner, Caramel Munich and Chocolate).  The beer also surprises with its complex flavor and perfectly balanced sweetness thanks to German Hallertauer Perle hops. Tapped by the Brewer from a real wooden keg with a hammer and a spigot.

Missoula, MT • bayernbrewery.com • •

Soured Baltic Porter [Baltic Porter] • ABV: 9%
Cascade Brewing Barrel-Select Baltic Porter is blended from 2006 Bourbon barrel-aged Porter and 2006 French oak barrel-aged Porter and has undergone a lactic souring process in the barrel. Rich round malt flavors of toasted toffee, coffee and dark chocolate provide the foundation for a range of hop flavors. Vanilla and Bourbon mingle in the sweet malt finish. This ale is available only at the Holiday Ale Festival.

Portland, OR • raclodge.com • •

Coffee Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 8.5%
Da Grind Buzz Kona Coffee Imperial Stout is an assertive, rich and hearty dark stout complemented by freshly roasted 100 percent Kona coffee. Course ground dark roast 100 percent pure Kona coffee beans were added to the brew during the aging process. The beans were grown and harvested by Cornwell Estate in Holualoa. The brewers were able to watch freshly harvested beans being roasted before transporting them to the brewhouse and adding them to the batch. The beer will be served on nitrogen, giving a smooth, creamy mouth-feel that complements the roasted coffee flavor.

Kailua-Kona, HI • konabrewingco.com • •

Imperial IPA [IPA] • ABV: 10.0%
Ho Ho Homo Erectus is a special version of their award winning Double/Imperial IPA aged in Jamaican Rum barrels (that were previously Kentucky Bourbon barrels). Why? Why not!?! What says *Holiday Spirit* better than Rum? The barrel-aging rounds off the sharp edges of hop bitterness and accentuates the maltiness and caramel notes, while adding some oak flavors and a good bit of booziness from the rum soaked staves. 10% ABV. Tasted with the Brewer a little while back, tastes great. The hops have faded a bit, bringing the barrel notes forward. Just a quarter barrel, this one won't last long!

Stevenson, WA • walkingmanbrewing.com • •

Thursday, Dec. 3rd 2009

Winter Warmer [Seasonal Ale] • ABV: 5.5%
Every year since 1975 the brewers at Anchor have brewed a distinctive and unique Christmas Ale, which is available from early November to mid-January. The Ale's recipe is different every year—as is the tree on the label—but the intent with which it is offered remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life.

San Francisco, CA • anchorbrewing.com • •

Barrel-Aged Porter [Porter]
This dark, rich porter was aged for three months in Bourbon Barrels, providing it with its Bourbon nose, lots of vanilla and chocolate flavor, and a touch of roast. This beer is only available at the Holiday Ale Festival.

Portland, OR • newoldlompoc.com • •

Russian Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 11.6%
Rogue Imperial Stout, considered the high end of stouts, is made of Two-Row Great Western Harrington & Klages, Hugh Baird XLT-80, Black, Munich and Chocolate malts; Willamette, Cascade and Chinook hops; rolled oats; and two secret ingredients. Unfiltered and unfined, this beer is best when aged for at least one year.

Newport, OR • rogue.com • •

Black Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout [Stout] • ABV: 9.0%
Widmer started with its cult classic KGB as the base beer, then added local black raspberries at a rate of 14 lbs per barrel throughout fermentation. The result is an almost purplish opaque color with a beautiful brown head, a combination of fruit and chocolate in the nose, a coffee-like roastiness and a nice hop bitterness.

Portland, OR • widmer.com • •

Friday, Dec. 4th 2009 

Friday Limited Release Beers were announced on Twitter / Facebook. 

 Saturday, Dec. 5th 2009

The Saturday Limited Release Beers were announced on Twitter / Facebook.