Anderson Valley's 15th Annual Legendary Boonville Beer Fest (in Pictures)

Loaded up and hitting the road.

First stop: Caldera Brewery in Ashland, OR

Caldera's gleaming brewhouse. The second tank on the right is filled with Hop Hash!

Angelo and the Oakshire crew are ready to roll.

The magnificent Mt. Shasta.

Obligatory stop at In-N-Out in Redding, CA.

The Oregon caravan is almost there!

Time for a beer with the Marin brewers.

Camp Eugene (Oakshire's Missing Link and Ninkasi Double Dry Hopped Tricerahops on tap).

Angelo, Lucas, Matt, King C, Amy, 2 friends, and Paul repping Oregon.

Found a jawbone down by the creek, loving nature.

Playing in the creek, not deep enough for a good swim though.

Travis showed up in his newly modified Element.

The hydraulic grill!

Uncommon Brewers made the trip up from Santa Cruz.

Russian River and Washoes at the campground.

Nice old car in beautiful Anderson Valley.

Time to head to the fest (Double Mountain representing OR again).

Break for some quick holes on the brewery Disc Golf course.

Camp Moonlight.

Matt and Bryan from Oakshire with the Homebrew Chef Sean Paxton.

Triple Rock is pouring beer and loving it!

Troy Potter bolstering excitement for Eugene beer!

I had to run and hide shortly after taking this picture, no mullet for me today!

Saw this guy on the way out enjoying a cigar and corndog.

Clear Lake, CA.

Stopped at Sierra Nevada on the way back for some beer and lunch: Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Bigfoot, and Ghidorah Double IPA

A little snow in May coming back over the CA-OR border pass...

and then a rainbow outside of Eugene, OR, what a trip!

Happy Birthday Fred!

Just a quick post to wish Fred Eckhardt a happy 85th birthday today. Fred is an inspiration to a multitude of beer drinkers and beer writers around the world as well as my inspiration for writing this blog.  See you a Fred Fest this Saturday. Cheers!

Birthday cake from Fred Fest '09 

A tip of the hat to Jeff at Beervana for reminding me about Fred's Birthday.

Be Excellent to Each Other.

Sasquatch gets verrry thirsty.

Ty Conner and Quentin Falconer

The Quick and Easy Boys and live art.

Eugene Hilton, where a corny keg makes a great doorstop.

The Eugene Hilton just beyond the Markets

The inaugural Eugene Beer Week was anchored by the 9th annual Sasquatch Brew Fest in Eugene, OR this past weekend. I got an early start and will fill in the details of Eugene Beer Week as they become available but I would like to give this incredible fest it's fair due first. We began the trek from our motel to the Hilton, passing through the famed Saturday Market consisting of handmade crafts and many talented individuals. The Farmer's Market located across the street presented bounties of the spring along with many wonderful aromas. I picked up some dried Cherry Bomb and Smoked Habanero peppers from Crossroads Farms to turn my chili up a notch.

Raise your hands if you are feeling Sassy!

Maritime Pacific sharing space on Hopwork's Jockey Box

Sasquatch was moved from its outdoor location at Kesey Square to the Eugene Hilton last year amid space concerns. The decision allowed the organizers to move the festival up a month to May since weather was not a concern (fortunately). This date is better suited to commemorate the passing of Glen Hay Falconer. At the brewer's dinner this year, Hopunion made a huge announcement as they presented a check for $50,000 to the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. Many of the beers at this year's festival featured the proprietary Falconer's Flight blend including Maritime Pacific's Decompression Ale, Seattle Beer Week's 2011 Commemorative Beer. This beer was created by Corey Blodgett, a past winner of the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation Brewing Scholarship Program.

Terry Bucher and Kirk Studach

 Hops were a central theme at the festival which also featured live music, a silent auction, raffles, food, and a homebrew competition. Best of show for the homebrewers went to Justin Lang and Bill Nave for their Bad Intel IPA. Hopunion showed their generosity again by offering a trip to Hop School as their prize. Randy Scorby seemed to place in every other category and the local homebrew club, Cascade Brewers Society, showed well with Terry Bucher and Kirk Studach placing multiple beers. On the professional side, some favorites included the aforementioned Decompression, Lompoc's Peregrine Imperial IPA, and Block 15's Millenium Falcon (featuring Millenium and Falconer's Flight hops).

This cast was ergonomically designed to fit the Sasquatch sample glass.

Hops (how did Colin and Malachi slip in all the pictures?).

Feeling Sassy!

All night...

Press Release: North American Organic Brewers Festival Announced

North American Organic Brewers Festival to serve up more than 50 organic beers,  

cider and kombucha at the nation's most earth-friendly beer festival  

With a motto to "Drink Organic, Save the Planet, One Beer at a Time," the North American Organic Brewers Festival will host its seventh annual event June 24 through 26 at Portland's Overlook Park.  More than 18,000 beer lovers are expected to gather at the event, billed as the nation's most earth-friendly beer festival.

 

Designed to raise awareness about organic beer and sustainable living, the NAOBF serves up more than 50 organic beers from 34 different breweries around the nation. There's also an organic cider and an organic kombucha.  Styles run the gamut from Belgian Whites to Cascadian Darks, offering something for every palate.  There's also live local music, organic food, sustainability-oriented vendors and non-profits, a soda garden with complimentary Crater Lake Root Beer for minors and designated drivers, and a children's area.  The NAOBF is a family friendly event, and minors are welcome with parents.  

Festival attendees sample beer from reusable and compostable cornstarch glasses made from domestically grown corn by a zero-waste, solar-powered company. Onsite composting and recycling stations are provided for festival waste and are supervised by recycling czars.  Food vendors are required to use compostable cutlery and plates and employ sustainable practices. Electricity needs are met with a combination of biodiesel and solar generators. Volunteers wear organic cotton and hemp t-shirts, and all event signage is reusable.

Event hours are Noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission into the event is free.  The purchase of a $6 reusable, compostable cornstarch glass is required for tasting beer, as are tokens, which sell for $1 apiece.  A full glass of beer or cider costs four tokens and a four-ounce taste costs one token; select beers cost double tokens.  Patrons receive a $1 discount toward the tasting glass with a validated MAX ticket, a ticket from the onsite bike corral, or three cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank. The festival benefits the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and the Oregon Food Bank.

   

Why an organic beer festival?  Studies show that the world's population currently consumes 30% more natural resources than the Earth's ecosystems can replenish. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, commercial agriculture is accountable for 70% of the pollution in our country's rivers and streams. Genetically modified ingredients can be found in nearly every grocery store.  The NAOBF believes that education and exposure leads to awareness, and awareness can translate to passion.  If everyone becomes passionate about sustainability, as a whole we can make the planet a cleaner and healthier place for all of us to habitat.  If the conversation starts with an organic beer, that's even better!   

For more information visit naobf.org.