I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Over a month and a half late, I'm beginning to feel like Ward. Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest on the 27th of October. We arrived early enough to be within a half-block of the doors. This year's fest seemed less crowded than last year's. The middle row of booths was removed and replaced with seating. Overall I think this was an improvement, there's still more than enough variety and it's far less crowded. As with other fests the notes are more general, abbreviated and are probably to be trusted less as the fest progresses. 715. Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout Beer Stats: Brewery: Brewery Ommegang Alcohol: ?  read more »

Diner: I'll start with the foie gras terrine and spaetzle salad, then I'll have the salmon tartare for my main course and the Guittard chocolate souffle for dessert. Server: Shall we pair the foie gras with a nice Tokaji, the salmon with ros Champagne and a lovely Port to finish the meal?  read more »

Last year there were three major arrivals in the San Francisco Bay Area for lovers of fine beer: THE TRAPPIST in Oakland, easily one of my favorite bars going; THE MONK'S KETTLE in San Francisco's Mission District, a place I'm sorta on the fence about due to their high prices & limited seating; and  read more »

Someone pointed out that I hadn't posted anything since last month, but unfortunately I haven't been feeling the writing groove lately (and thus, no ranting and raving), and to be honest there hasn't been much in the way of new arrivals. That all changed today when we got several new beers, including 5 from from Snoqualmie Falls Brewing in Washington that have never been distributed in Oregon before.

New Imports:

Gouden Carolus - Triple: We've had this on tap a couple of times in the BierCafe, and it's always been well received, so I was pretty thrilled when they finally decided to bring in the bottles. Clear golden color, and topped with a billowy white head, this brew is almost as pleasant to look at as it is to drink. Fruity yeast character, light bready malts, and a long spicy finish characterize this beautifully made triple. One ratebeerian commented that it pairs well with Tillamook cheddar, and it would probably make a great accompaniment to most other "non-stinky" cheeses as well.  read more »