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The Beer Report: Brew Year's Resolutions

The final page on the 2011 calendar is turning, and we are looking at bright and shiny New Year.

And while many of us make personal resolutions this time of year, I am also making some resolutions for beer!

Here are a few:

I want to continue to see craft beer be more appreciated and accepted around the country. We’ve come a long way the past few years, and more and more people are beginning to appreciate all the wide ranges of flavors that beer has to offer. But about 90 percent of the beer consumed in the United States is still industrial macro brews. So there is definitely room to grow.

I want to see craft beer get more respect. Beer is as just as lovely with a wonderfully prepared dinner as wine — often even better. But there are still very few fine dining establishments that treat beer with the same respect they treat wine. And that needs to change.

Part of that is proper glassware — another resolution I want to work on in 2012. Glassware does make a difference in how the beer looks, smells and tastes. Just like wine.

These are all pretty lofty goals, and I hope we can achieve some success in them in the New Year. But my last resolution is perhaps the most important — and one I think we all need to work on all the time: Let’s try not to be too snooty about beer. Yes, it deserves respect and more attention. But it’s beer and beer is — first and foremost — a fun and approachable drink.

So raise a glass to the new year and all the fun we will have with beer!

Want to listen to it? Click on this link:

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Jan 06, 2012

This Week on Beer O'Clock!

Hey Southwest Portlanders! A new beer shop is in your ‘hood! It’s Uptown Market and not only do they have 500 different beers, they also have six rotating taps and even homebrew supplies. Talk about one-stop shopping! Meet the owners and get to know the place this week!

We also will be talking with Celebrator Beer News publisher Tom Dalldorf about a great new way to get your Celebrator on! (Hint, it’s all pixels!)

And our Beer of the Week is a new IPA from the award-winning Silver Moon Brewery in Bend!

Learn more about Uptown Market, Celebrator Beer News online and Hop Fury IPA this week on Beer O’Clock at 3 p.m. PT on Saturday. You can listen live on 101 FM in Portland, across the Pacific NW on the Radio NW Network or anywhere in the world on kxl.com.

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 29, 2011

The Beer Report: What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve?

Each week, I get a chance to talk about beer for about a minute on Saturday mornings on FM 101 in Portland. Here’s this week’s topic:

It’s not even Christmas — but already the next burning question looms: What are you doin’ New Year’s Eve?

Well, here are a couple of ideas for you!

The first one isn’t exactly on New Year’s Eve — it’s the day before — so that keeps you free for the big night!

On Dec. 30th, Roscoe’s on Southeast 81st and Stark Street is celebrating its 5 year anniversary with some amazing beers on tap. There’s a 5- year-old porter from Full Sail, Stone 2007 Old Guardian Barleywine, Boneyard’s Batch #1 Black 13 aged in bourbon barrels, Hair of the Dog Adam, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA and more. Some brewers will also be on hand to help celebrate. The official date, again, is Friday, Dec. 30, but a lot of the great beers will be on tap all weekend long!

On New Year’s Eve, Burnside Brewing is hosting a rare beer tasting that’s a fundraiser for the Pink Boots Society. That’s the nonprofit organization that supports women with careers in beer. The night culminates with a rare beer toast at midnight — you can get more details, including information on how to volunteer at the event, on my website, beergoddess.com

Here’s the audio version of the report if you want to listen to it:

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 24, 2011

Heard On Beer O'Clock -- Links for 12/17/11

It’s the Beery Gift Guide Edition of Beer O’Clock!

Duke Geren of FH Steinbart gave us some great ideas for the homebrewer or the wanna-be homebrewer, starting with homebrew kits that can get that fledgling brewer making his or her first batch of beer in no time! You can also give the gift of a brewing class. The comprehensive “Grain to Glass” class at Steinbart’s is half off with a coupon from Beer O’Clock! If your homebrewer also has a smart phone, there’s an app (two, actually) for that! They help with the brewing process, recipe development, etc.

Then BeerGyver stopped by our virtual pub with some more holiday gift ideas:

Buy your beer lover a piece of a real brewery: OneShare lets you own a share of the Craft Brewers Alliance, which is Widmer, Redhook and Kona breweries, for $45.

The Brooklyn Brew Shop Kit lets even those with limited space homebrew. For $40 you can get a 1 gallon homebrew kit that you can use on your stove.

PDX Pedicab offers a brewery tour by pedicab. Don’t worry in the winter time they have covered cabs and even offer Pendleton wool blankets. Rogue, Lucky Lab, Tugboat Brewing and Bridgeport are on the itinerary. On the trips you will learn the history of the brewery, learn about their brewing process and some other fun facts along the way. Samples of beer are included and discounts on select items. The tour costs $65 a person and a schedule is available on their website .

Bend Brew Bus by Wanderlust Tours. For $45 spend 4 hours, sample brews at 4 breweries in Bend, OR. You will also get a Bend Ale Trail passport and and once your passport is filled you will receive a swag Silipint, a cool unbreakable pint glass. Experienced guides will educate you on brewology 101 and and the natural and cultural history of the area. Some of the breweries you may visit include Deschutes, Good Life, 10 Barrel and more.

Full Sail brewer John Harris has made some fun chemistry T-shirts. Called “Bonds That Please”: http://www.bondsthatplease.com/, the shirts feature the actual chemical compounds of alcohol and caffeine!

Speaking of shirts, you can get the Occupy Pubs: A Glass Roots Movement shirts mentioned on the show right here.

And, of course, I can’t do a beery holiday gift guide without mentioning that a certain book, Craft Beers of the Pacific Northwest, written by Yours Truly would make a wonderful present! You can find it at Powell’s or buy directly from me and I will autograph it for you!

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 17, 2011

The Beer Report: Gifts for the Beer Geek

Each week, I get a chance to talk about beer for about a minute on Saturday mornings on FM 101 in Portland. Here’s this week’s topic:

‘Tis the season to really start finishing up those holiday gifts you need to get. Well, when it comes to the beer lover in your life, we’ve got you covered — or maybe you want to add a few of these ideas to your own wish list for Santa!

First stop: Why give a wallet when you can give a beer wallet? Mindy Humphrey is a Vancouver crafter who is making very useful items out of old cardboard six-pack holders! Not only does she make wallets, but she also makes luggage tags, belts, purses and other items. You can pick from the ones she’s made or even send her a six-pack holder to create something special just for you. You can find her stuff on etsy.com.

Another fun idea is the De-Cap-N-Catcher. Thanks to strong magnets, this sturdy bottle opener sticks to anything metal and it also has a magnet beneath the bottle opener to catch all those caps before they litter the ground. Locally made in Portland, this bottle opener is at home on the side of a fridge or on the side of your RV at the next tailgater or campout. Find it at The-Opener.com

We’ve got a host of other great gift ideas for the beer lover in your life — from homebrewing kits to great beer geek gadgets — this week on Beer O’Clock. So join us this afternoon in our virtual pub for a fun hour of celebrating great beer!

Listen to the radio report here:

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 17, 2011

Great Gift Idea: Occupy Pubs!

Looking for a fun gift idea for the beer lover in your life (or to add to your own wish list for Santa)? Here’s one that is both fun and timely: T-shirts, stickers, PJs and more with the missive “Occupy Pubs: A Glass-Roots Movement!”

The design made the New School’s beer geek gift guide (Thanks, Ezra)! Yours Truly came up with the statement and my friend, Brandy, who is taking silk-screening classes as part of her art degree she is pursuing, had her hubby, a graphic artist, do the design. I think his work is brilliant and perfectly captures the sentiment. After all, a lot of what our country stands on today was developed by our forefathers in public houses before the American Revolution!

Check out the full lineup of Occupy Pubs wear at this Cafe Press store!

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 14, 2011

How To Find Beer O'Clock On iTunes

I’ve had quite a few folks email me saying that they can no longer find Beer O’Clock on iTunes. What happened was KXL.com got an upgrade and it changed the URLs for everything.

But never fear! You can still celebrate Beer O’Clock any time you want to through iTunes. Just follow these instructions:

Go to the Podcast page on KXL.com: http://www.kxl.com/pages/podcasts/
Find the Beer O’Clock window — about mid-page.
Click on the little iTunes button to the right of the Beer O’Clock title. Or use this link to get there.

That’s really about it! Thanks for the emails — and feel free to drop me a line any time. I love to “talk beer.”

Cheers!

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 14, 2011

Heard On Beer O'Clock -- Links for 12/10/11

This week in our virtual pub, the Homebrew Chef Sean Paxton tempted our tummies with some great holiday gift ideas or treats to share with guests. Try some of these out!

Hophead IPA Peanut Brittle

St. Remy Roca

Russian Imperial Stout Truffles

Homemade Vanilla Bean Infused Tripel Eggnog

We also spoke with Lisa Lavochkin of the new bottle shop in St. John’s, Barrel.

And our Beer of the Week is the Migration Pale Ale — stop by Thatcher’s, 7901 SE Stark St., on Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. to give it a taste and enter to win a trip for two including airfare to Vegas!

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 10, 2011

The Beer Report: Christmas Beers

Each week, I get a chance to talk about beer for about a minute on Saturday mornings on FM 101 KXL. Here’s this week’s topic:

When you’re at all the holiday parties this time of year, what do you drink? Eggnog? A wintry cocktail? Mulled wine?

Why not a nice frosty Christmas beer? While cracking open a can of the cheap stuff might still seem unclassy for a fancy holiday party, Christmas beers are unique and special enough to fit right in. And while the beers are quite a trend right now, they’ve actually been around for centuries.

Just like a lot of traditions we enjoy this time of year to celebrate the season, Christmas beers and winter warmers are made with special care — think of them as Christmas presents from brewers as a special thank you for all the support through the year.

Unlike a stout or an IPA, Christmas beers are not a particular style — but can range in color, flavor and even alcohol strength — so that makes them even that much more fun to try — each one is a holiday surprise!

Many of our local and regional breweries offer special Christmas beers and we even get some from other countries — check them out while you have a chance, because just like the season, these beers come and go all too quickly!

And speaking of Christmas — join us on Beer O’clock the next few weeks for holiday ideas from Christmas cooking to beery gifts!

Here’s the audio if you want to listen to it:

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 10, 2011

This Week on Beer O'Clock!

It’s that time of the month! Homebrew Chef Sean Paxton joins us this week with some great ideas for holiday treats that you can make for gifts and guests that are made with — you guessed it — beer! Truffles, beery peanut brittle and more. It might make you want to eat your radio!

There’s a new bottle shop in Portland! Barrel is located in the St. John’s area. We will be talking with owner Lisa Lavochkin about her new store and her plans to bring great beer (and wine) to north Portland and beyond.

Our Beer of the Week comes from Migration and brewer Mike Branes will be joining us with the story behind the beer — and we have news on how you can enter to win a trip for two to Vegas just for ordering a full pint of Migration’s tasty Pale Ale.

Plus, Carl Singmaster of Belmont Station shares his tasting notes on some new beers that have hit the shelves and we have our curated calendar of events!

Join us in our virtual pub this week: 3 p.m. PT on FM News 101 KXL, the Radio NW Network or kxl.com!

Posted by Lisa Morrison on Dec 08, 2011