Sometimes people forget that we’ve got two breweries, the production facility at 51st and Sandy and the original brewhouse at Pizza Co.  Though much of the beer line up is the same between all of our locations, Pizza Co has a few unique styles of their own like 40th Ave Amber and Wry Pale Ale. Brewer Paul Bergeman leads the effort to bring some very cool new beers to the Portland brewing scene. Last week Paul and fellow brewer Hans Gauger spent the day brewing Altenburg smoked lager. The two were also bottling a Framboise that has been fermenting in oak barrels for the last two years. Chad and Paul filled those same oak barrels with a new beer  which will be ready sometime in early 2012. On top of all that Paul has just released Organic Deranger Imperial Red, with Himmelbrau Helles coming out this Wednesday. Sounds good to me.

Micah Bell

You are looking at the bung that’s sealing in 60 gallons of our
as-of-yet unnamed bock in the second of our two Heaven Hill Bourbon
barrels.   

Tell you what, getting in close and taking this picture smelled great.  And I’m not even a bourbon drinker.

The brewers tasted a sample yesterday and decided that it needs another two or three weeks, at which time it will be blended with the remaining bock, so as not to overpower the flavor with bourbon.  In this beer, subtlety is key.

On the other hand, the Olde Reliable Barleywine that’s in the other barrel will not be blended.  Expect big flavor from this one.  Never mind what I said before!  Begone subtlety!