
The 16th Annual
Holiday Ale Festival opens in just two days! If you've perused the
beer list, you've seen that lineup is unique. Most beers are one-offs created especially for the HAF. This incredible selection presents a problem (a high quality problem, though). Which of the many beers should you taste? Given the huge selection and the fairly high ABV% per serving, you'll need to make some decisions.
Some folks like to sample a wide variety of styles, while others like to sample beers within a given style. I usually preview the beer list, seek out a few favorite styles and then move on to new styles and unusual concoctions. There's no right answer. Taste whatever you like! However, to optimize your experience, I humbly offer three suggestions:
Hold the wickedly hopped (high IBU) beers for the end of your tasting session. An Imperial IPA can wreak utter havoc on your palate.
Save the highest ABV% brews for last. A few poorly timed barleywine samples will affect your taste buds and/or other faculties.
Water is a good thing. Drink plenty of it! I try to drink at least 4 ounces after every sample. Staying hydrated = more sampling. Food's also good—eat some.
If you'd still like tasting suggestions, I've compiled three tasting flights for your sampling pleasure. There's no science behind my selection method. These are simply the beers I'd like to taste. I noticed that 12 (29%) of this year's regular lineup beers are barrel-aged, so I gaven them their own flight. If you've never tasted a barrel-aged beer, don't miss this opportunity to sample a few!
OK, here's the rundown:
Flight #1: Holiday Beer Explorer. You want a sampling of different beer varieties. Nothing too crazy.
Beer | Brewer | Style | Why should you taste it |
Sang Noir | Cascade Brewing | Barrel Aged Sour Ale | You need to try a sour, so start with one of the best. |
Fruit Cake | Buckman Botanical Brewery | Herb/Spice Beer | Fruit cake in a beer!?! Say no more. |
Left, Nut Brown Ale | Vertigo Brewing | American Brown Ale | A malty, nutty beer made with six pounds of honey per barrel. |
The Nutcracker | Oakshire Brewing | Gingerbread Imperial Porter | You've got to try a spiced beer. Gingerbread! |
Red Nose Rye | McMenamins High Street Brewery & Café | Imperial Rye Ale | Brewers seem to be using rye more often. It provides a nice spicy and tangy flavor |
Papa Noel's Moonlight Reserve | Alameda Brewing Co | Olde Ale | Brewed in the English Olde Ale style. |
Little Brother | The Commons Brewery | Belgian Dark Strong Ale | This is your obligatory Belgian and it's bourbon barrel aged. |
Fozziwig | Rock Bottom Brewery | Traditional Mild Barley Wine | I've never heard of a "mild" Barley Wine. Live and learn. |
Stone Ruination IPA DDH w/ Apollo Hops and American Oak Chips Added | Stone Brewing Co | Imperial IPA | Prepare to destroy your taste buds with hops. Normally this would be last. But the next beer has mint… |
Peppermint Paddy Porter | Widmer Brothers Brewing Co | Chocolate and Peppermint Porter | One of two chocolate-mint beers at the fest. At this point, does it really matter? |
Flight #2: Craft Beer Geek. You only drink the unusual one-off stuff. This festival is made for you!
Beer | Brewer | Style | Why should you taste it |
Cranberry Biere de Table | Breakside Brewery | Belgian-Style session beer w/Oregon cranberries | Start with the lowest ABV at the fest. Farmhouse Ale with Cranberries. Ben Edmunds won't steer you wrong. |
Cherry Christmas | Lompoc Brewing Co | Sour Cherry Ale | Port & Merlot. Blend of four beers (w/ wild yeasts). More tart than sour. I tasted a pre-carbonated version of it. |
The Little One | Ninkasi Brewing Co | Traditional Small Beer- Second Runnings | Made from the second runnings from Critical Hit. Ninkasi created two beers from one! |
Provision | Upright Brewing | Biere de Garde | Aged in Oak and the only Brett beer at the festival. |
Bonaparte's Retreat | Laurelwood Brewing Co | Corsican Christmas ale | Made with chestnuts. No open fires allowed at Pioneer Courthouse Square! |
Kentucky Girl Stout | Fort George Brewery & Public House | Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Stout | Stout with coffee and bourbon. |
Drunken Elf Stout | Columbia River Brewing Co | Imperial Oatmeal Stout | Another coffee stout, this one with oatmeal. |
Old Saint Chongo | Bear Republic Brewing Co | Winter Chocolate Wheat Ale | Chocolate banana! No bananas were harmed during the making of this beer. The yeast provides the flavor. |
HOLLA-Day Ale | Natian Brewery | Specialty/Strong Ale | Made with the kitchen-sink of holiday flavors. |
Super Jubel | Deschutes Brewery | Winter Ale | An amped up version of Jubelale. |
Chocolate Mint Stout '11 | Gilgamesh Brewing | American Stout | The other chocolate mint beer at the festival. You can figure out why it's last. |
Flight #3: Barrel Madness. All of these have slumbered in a wooden barrel for some time. Hope you like Bourbon…
Beer | Brewer | Style | Barrel Type & Random Stuff |
Cherry Christmas | Lompoc Brewing Co | Sour Cherry Ale | Port & Merlot. Blend of four beers (w/ wild yeasts). More tart than sour. I tasted a pre-carbonated version of it. |
Provision | Upright Brewing | Biere de Garde | Oak. Blend of two beers aged for a year with Brettanomyces. |
Sang Noir | Cascade Brewing | Barrel Aged Sour Ale | Pinot Noir & Bourbon. DO NOT miss a chance to taste this for a buck or two. |
Barry White’s Voice in a Barrel | Bison Brewing Co | Dry Foreign-Style Stout | Bourbon. |
Barrel Aged Ink Blot Baltic Porter | MacTarnahan's Brewing Co | Barrel Aged Baltic Porter | Whiskey (Jack Daniels). The only Baltic Porter at the festival. |
Little Brother | The Commons Brewery | Belgian Dark Strong Ale | Bourbon (Heaven Hill). |
Laughing Boy Stout | Laht Neppur Brewing Co | Russian Imperial Stout | Bourbon. |
100% Bourbon Barrel Aged Velvet Merkin | Firestone Walker Brewing Co | Oatmeal Stout | Bourbon (Heaven Hill). Firestone Walker = must try. |
Kentucky Girl Stout | Fort George Brewery & Public House | Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Stout | Bourbon (Makers Mark). Infused with coffee. |
Old Knucklehead Barley Wine | BridgePort Brewing Co | Barley Wine Style Ale | Bourbon. |
Barrel Aged Permafrost | Burnside Brewing Co | Winter Strong Ale | Whiskey (Big Bottom). |
Kentucky Christmas | Hopworks Urban Brewery | Strong Ale | Bourbon (Buffalo Trace). The barrel aged version of Abominale. Very popular and rightfully so. |
You can
download a free PDF copy of the three tasting flights (including ABV and IBU details) and take it with you to the festival. There's even space for your tasting notes!
Have a great time at the festival! What are you most looking forwards to tasting? Do you have any beer festival suggestions?