332: Sang Noir (and 12 Other Holiday Ales)

Editor’s Note: I am sure the long-time readers will be shocked, but I have again fallen behind in my blog posts. With good reason, I must say. Actually, two reasons, both of which will be revealed sometime this week, I think, after which I promise to catch up on posting beers 318 – 331. Prost!

Photo by Matt Wiater of portlandbeer.org.

Sunday afternoon, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a “media” “preview” of this year’s Holiday Ale Fest, held nearly annually in downtown Portland since 1995. I say “media,” because clearly bloggers are not real journalists, right? Oh, that’s right, I actually did go to journalism school. And I say “preview,” because I got to try 13 of the 47 beers that will be on tap this year. I’d call that more of a “normal quantity” than a “preview,” but hey, let’s not dawdle with grammar when there’s beer to discuss. First up, my official beer for the day.

Beer Name: Sang Noir
Brewer: Cascade Brewing
Price: FREE (media preview, ‘member?)
Sampled: November 28, 2010
Rating: 5/5
Notes: Booyah! That’s a sour ale. Cherries and some bourbon at the end. Similar to a cherry cordial with pie cherries and some vanilla. Very tart, though. Must try.
ABV: 9.5% abv
IBU: 9 ibu
OG N/A
TG N/A
Serving Type: Growler (it will be on draft at the festival).

The rest of the beers …

While the Sang Noir was my favorite of the 13 I tried, I’ll give you a quick run-down of the others. I mentioned in the above review, “now, that’s a sour.” That’s because I tried Sang Noir immediately following Bear Republic’s Ebeweesner Scrooge, which I wasn’t that into. It’s made with smoked malt, which was an interesting idea, but not terribly well-executed. We tried a bottle, which might be quite different than the draft version, so I will probably try this again at the fest. My notes:

Ebeweesner Scrooge: 6.5% abv, 35 ibu, 3 stars
Band-aid in there with the tartness. Smoke is hidden, but there for sure. Includes “spank,” which is a wild spontaneous beer blended in. Should try.

Other “Should Try” Beers

• Lost Glove, Coalition Brewing: 8.5% abv, 72 ibu, 4 stars
  Spruce-y – maybe a pouring error (it followed a coffee porter in our tasting). Tastes like hop-scented water! Actually quite a nice IPA, I’d say. Supposedly there’s only one IPA at the fest (Old Grogham from Natian, below), but this is one. Good, too. Drink early.
• Papa Noel’s Moonlight Reserve, Alameda Brewing: 8.5% abv, 40 ibu, 4 stars
  Some tartness and very faint smoke. Pie cherry filling and creamy, somewhat mocha quality. Some raisins, but mostly milk chocolate-y malt.
• Paddler’s Porter, Columbia River Brewing: 8.4% abv, 46 ibu, 3 stars
  Smells just like chocolate milk. Like a not-sweet Imperial Chokolat (Southern Tier). Very good but very chocolate. This is a “5″ on the chocolate scale. Drink last, but fun.

Must Try

• Figgy Pudding, Olde Stock, Block 15 Brewing: 11% abv, 44 ibu, 5 stars
  Huge raisin-y, figgy thing going on – very buttery (in a good way) flavor, mellow toffee and caramel. There is an Old Stock thing going on – thicker though. Must try.

  Due to the limited availability of this one, I would have encouraged you to try this even if it wasn’t great. Which it is. I found it mellower than the bottled version, though Ritch seems to disagree. I’ll have a review of the bottled version up shortly.

• Old Grogham IPA, Natian Brewing: 8.5% abv, 86 ibu, 4 stars
  Wow, Hoppy. Bitter creme brulee. Big vanilla and cream. Rum is where all that vanilla came from (the beer was aged on rum-soaked oak staves). Very good. Great big hop aroma, too. Must try.

  Interestingly, Natian’s Honey Red Ale was one of the most critically-panned beers at OBF this year, but I think they’ve found their stride in this beer. Good stuff, very original.

Maybe Try

• Moore Holiday Ale, “Preston” Brewing: 7.5% abv, 32 ibu, 4 stars
  “Overboiled” big grainy pilsener brewed as Collaborator. “NW Maibock.” Nice fine carbonation – bitter honey and smooth with good Saaz hop linger. Somewhat IPA-like.
• Franc’ly Brewdolph, Lompoc Brewing: 7.6% abv, 50 ibu, 4 stars
  Smells wine-y and oak-y – not unlike the inside of a wine barrel. Cloudy and rust-colored. Very yummy. Has a fruity/boozy quality, but not in a bad way. Nice pepper.

Meh.

There were a few beers I just wasn’t that into. They weren’t terrible, but I wouldn’t waste a ticket unless the line was short.

• Cranberry Saison, “Gilgamesh Brewing: 5% abv, 15 ibu, 3 stars
  Cidery smell, grapefruit color. Very light and crisp with some roasty/bready aftertaste. Definitely start with this (if you’re going to ignore my sage advice) – might seem watery after bourbon stouts.
• Nor’Easter, Migration Brewing: 10% abv, 30 ibu, 2 stars
  Not much maple aroma or flavor. I think if you knew it was there you might pick it up. Faint. Creamy and syrupy – “Corn Syrup” might be safer guess.
• La Nina Coffee Porter, Vertigo Brewing: 6.3% abv, 20 ibu, 3 stars
  Tastes a hair bit like a thin espresso stout from Oakshire, but maybe not quite as good. Good aroma – coffee, yes and Toll House chocolate chips.