KLCC Microbrew Fest Eugene
Brewers Union's phalanx of hand pumps
Brewsville: Eugene, Oregon 13 February, 2010
Happy Zwickelmania! Don’t know what a zwickel is? Keep reading. First though a visit to the KLCC Microbrew Festival in Eugene.
A benefit for local radio station KLCC 89.7 FM, the KLCC Microbrew Fest combines two of my favorite activities, a beer festival and a record fair. Though admittedly in recent years CDs have been overtaking the vinyl at the event. (Full disclosure my CD player broke last year, and I have record players on all three floors of my house). The selection was pretty picked-over by the time I finished judging the homebrew competition (specialty and experimental category), and made my way through the festival floor. I still managed to score a couple Irish trad. Records. On the beer front I had the opportunity to try a good number of beers not found in Portland on a regular basis, including Wakonda Brewing’s Firthur, a pale ale brewed with fir needles. Named for the town in Ken Kesey’s Oregon Logger Odyssey Wakonda is located in Florence, the coastal town on which Kesey based the mythical Wakonda. Firthur named for Kesey’s famous magic bus matches resinous NW hops with actual Doug fir needles. The beer was a bit yeasty, but the hop and fir flavors melded well.
I also tried a few of the Collaboration beers. Every year Eugene brewers team up and make the same style to serve at the KLCC fest. This year 11 breweries in and around Eugene brewed “Belgian Rye Cascadian Dark Ales.” Sound like a mouthful? It was. The Chouffe yeast played off the hops in an interesting way in most examples and the rye backed up the dark malts of the CDA with a thick mouthfeel. Maui Brewing took part in the Collaboration brew this year. Belgian Rye CDA from Hawaii? Well yes, it is about as bizarre as feathers on a shark, but there is a Eugene connection. Scott “Spank Dog” Freitas formerly of the much-mourned Wild Duck brews at Maui. His take on the style was a little sweeter than most.
Brewers Union Local 180, from Oakridge got the benefit of serving its Collaboration Beer “Because We Can” on hand-pump like all of its house beers. The brewery is tucked away in the town of Oakridge, surrounded by national forest. Brewer Ted Sobel learned his chops in the North of England, and its evident in his beers. His Collaboration brew was a little on the heavy side for a CDA, and reminded me more of a porter. The brewpub in Oakridge offers five house ales on handpump, and guest taps on CO2. Sobel bought the old 3-barrel brew system from Hawks in Roseburg, and worked to make the building feel like an authentic English country pub. “Tannin Bomb” a 6.8% abv Old Ale tasted on the recent visit to the brewery had an aroma of prunes and dark plums, sweet dark toffee, and a raisiny finish with subtle notes of toast and a hint of warming alcohol. A truly English style beer.