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Thanks for understanding.

Cheers,

-Evan

…Seriously though, I really do.

So February is a special month for lots of folks… Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, President’s Day sales, the Winter Olympics, etc, etc. But here in Oregon, we’ve got those all beat. I’m talking of course about Zwickelmania! Wait, what the hell is Zwickelmania, you might be asking? Well, I will provide two definitions in order to help you get a better idea of just what this interesting and long word actually means:

Long Definition: Oregon’s annual “Open House” beer festival. Rather then organizing an event outside at the park during the cold winter months, craft beer patrons take themselves on the road to over 40 Oregon breweries. Each brewery, for this one day, offers free beer samples straight from the source, a chance to meet and talk to the brewers, tours of the facilities, and in some cases serve a new beer or two specifically made for the event and not available anywhere/time else. The German term “zwickel” refers to the device used to pour a sample of beer directly from the beer vat. (photo further below). Zwickle + Mania = Beer Sampling Festival!

Short Definition: FREE BEER!

With about 30 Portland breweries participating in Zwickelmania this year it would be very hard for any one person to attend all of the tastings. (and they would be really sick if they tried) Luckily, the fine folks at www.oregonbeer.org put together a map, and even organized a shuttle (hosted by Rouge) to get people between some of the locations. The Portland beercycling team decided to play it safe and hand selected 6 breweries to visit. At 11 AM sharp we set out to sample, learn, and enjoy beer on this lovely Portland afternoon. Below is a short recap of our day. Cheers!

Breakfast of champions at Alameda Brewery

11 AM – Alameda Brewery

Our morning was off to a great start in NE Portland! Actually we were off to TOO great of a start and beat the brewer into the pub that morning. So, with no tour to check out we opted to sit at the bar while our nice bartender poured us what seemed like a dozen samples of the Alameda lineup, including some special seasonal brews. This was our first visit to Alameda, and we were definitely impressed. Across the board the beers were consistently enjoyable. Our favorite was definitely the Black Bear XX Stout.  This thick and creamy animal was especially enjoyable with it’s huge foamy head, as it was served on nitro. If you haven’t been over to Alameda yet, be sure to stop by for lunch or a happy hour. Good things are a brewing here! Mention that you were refereed by beercycling.com and you’ll get 100% off glasses of water, a free coaster, and no sales tax on your food!

Paul from Laurelwood Brewing pours us a hoppy India Pale Ale directly from the Zwickel.

12 Noon – Laurelwood Brewery

The next stop in NE Portland was the famous Laurelwood Brewery. Right as we walked in the doors, we knew we were in for a treat. A table full of chocolate was on display by the door. The brewers had taken the time to pair them with their beers to increase the excitement and enhance the flavor of each brew that were available to sample. Paul, one of the brewers, explained to us how pairing food and beers works, and how several local brewers were attempting to gain some visibility to this idea. Most people are familiar with wine and food pairings, but few are aware of just how well beer pairs, even with things like cheese (or ESPECIALLY with things like cheese, if you ask Paul). Of the 3 samples available by far our favorite was the “Beer-X”. This was a Belgium Strong Ale style that was brewed with cherries and aged in Bourbon barrels with champange yeast. A wonderful drink, and a shame it was only available in a limited run. (and also that we had to sample from a small plastic cup) The great thing about Laurelwood though, is that they are constantly experimenting, and any time you visit, there is a good possibility that something new is on tap to try out.

Garrett from Upright Brewing pours samples of their amazing “6″

1 PM – Upright Brewery

Next up was Upright Brewing in the Rose Quarter. This was a brewery that I was completely unfamiliar with, but saw their name on the Zwickelmania map, so decided to stop in and see what goodness they had brewing. I do have to say, this particular brewery isn’t the most accessible. Free parking is several blocks away, and we had to walk around the surrounding area a few times before we finally found the entrance. But even once you are inside, you still aren’t quite there. There is an elevator you’ll need to take down to the basement. Ah, but once we finally walked inside… Eureka! I have to say, we were most impressed with the charm of this underground dungeon full of beer tanks and tables setup for tastings. There was a nice open area, things didn’t feel too cramped, and it had a very social vibe. Garrett, one of the brewers, explained that Upright makes all French/Belgium-style farmhouse saisson beers (yum!). Their main beers were named “4″, “5″, “6″, and “7″ (in proper Belgium naming tradition) and all used the same type of yeast. Although the beers are styled with a European influence, all of the ingredients are from here in the North West US . Our favorite was the “6″, which was their dark rye ale. Pop in and try one out for yourself! I’d imagine this is a good place to visit before/after Blazer games, as the brewery is only a few blocks away from the Rose Garden.

Ben explains the brewing process on a group tour at Lucky Lab Brewing.

2 PM – Lucky Lab Brewing

Next up we decided to cross the river into downtown and check out Lucky Lab. This is another popular Portland brewery that I hadn’t visited before, but what a better occasion then Zwickelmania for my first time, eh? Right off the bat I liked the feel of this huge open bar area with incredibly high ceilings. Lucky Lab seemed to have a ton of patrons, most of whom were enjoying food (pizza, soups, sandwiches) at long bench tables. We started our brief tour with Ben, one of the brewers, who showed us their grain room and gave us a few samples. Our favorite was their Pale Ale, which had a very nice, balanced finish, and left me wishing for a bigger glass! We also got to sample a “premature IPA”, which I think was basically an IPA a few weeks prior to it’s normal finishing time. Interesting to see the difference that a few weeks of fermentation makes. This beer was gross, and not very drinkable, but it just goes to show how a master brewer knows when the time is right to set his baby free into the world. If you’re downtown NW Portland definitely go grab a pint at Lucky Lab!

Sean explains the art of fermentation. Adrienne and Sally listen attentively.

3 PM – Amnesia Brewing

Next up: Amnesia. This has always been one of my favorite breweries in Portland. One because of their great beer, and two because of their prime location in the Mississippi district with tons of outdoor patio seating. They are always grilling up sausages outside on the BBQ, and really, there is no excuse not to pop in for a beer and a snack when you are in the area. Sean, one of the brewers, gave us an extremely interesting and detailed tour. The brewing area is rather small, and right directly behind the bar. I found it amazing that they make so many beers in such a confined area. Samples of their Desolation IPA (our favorite) were plentiful and very appreciated!

Derrick knows how to make people smile, one glass at a time!

4 PM – Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant

Last but not least, my personal favorite brewery/bar in Portland: Lompoc’s 5th Quadrant. There is something about this place that makes everyone feel comfortable and warm. The food and happy hour specials are great here, and they always have the best amazing seasonal beers. It was a nice treat to get to walk back into the brewing room. And although Zwickelmania was winding down and we didn’t get a proper tour, we still got to sample several beers, including the limited release “Spring Bock”. This sucker was mouth-watering, and full of flavor. So much that I had to go back for a second sample, just to be sure Hands down, this was the best beer of the day! Lompoc is a must see for any local or tourist to the Portland area, and after a glass or two you’ll understand why the Portland Craft Beer scene is so darn exciting and why everyone gets so nerdy about it.

I want to give a HUGE Thank You to all of the brewers above, and everyone involved in Zwickelmania this year. You guys make “Magic in a Glass”. This is more then a business, it’s a public service to the entire city. Thank You!

Looking forward to next year! My only advice on how to make things better: How about a reusable Zwickelmania glass to sample from instead of drinking out of plastic cups?

Cheers!

-Evan

#1 Westvleteren 12 - 10 out of 10

What more can be said about this amazing brew that hasn’t already been said?  One of the rarest and tastiest brews on the face of the earth.  If you can’t make it over to the abbey cafe where it is sold exclusively, you can obtain it through shady internet sources for $75 per bottle.  A special thanks to the abbey cafe who replaced Pete’s broken bottle after a nasty bike spill.  Huge layers of creamy and full-bodied roasted chestnuts over a warm alcohol base.  It will open new dimensions in your mind…

#2 Cantillon Gueuze - 9 out of 10

In the mood for something different?  Try out this amazing blended Gueze from Cantillon.  Cantillon differs itself from most modern breweries by using a spontaneous fermentation method which allows wild yeasts from the air to create it’s delicious beers.  Aromas of fresh apples and cider dance across your nose followed by a sour apple blast on the tongue.  Don’t fret, as the blast quickly fades into a mellow champagne like finish.

#3 Westvleteren 8 - 9 out of 10

The little-brother of the holy Westvleteren 12, this little guy packs a whollop of flavor in it’s own right.  Long, caramelized brown sugar flavors linger and morph into a toffee finish.  Medium bodied and amazingly drinkable for such a high ABV beer, this is not to be ignored.

#4 La Trappe Quadrupel - 9 of 10

From the only remaining trappist brewery in Holland comes this orange beast.  Clear as a bell, sweet (but not cloying), and fruity.  This beer is easy to approach, but will knock you sideways like the punk you are at 10%ABV!  Bananas and Apricots mingle in this balanced beer.

#5 Troubadour Obscura - 9 of 10

A dark brown Belgian ale with huge alcohol.  This big boy is frothy, completely solid-colored, and has a huge body.  Get ready to take a big whiff and then wrap your lips around obvious coffee and sugar flavors.  This is a beer for sleigh rides and surviving long winters.

#6 Quintine Blonde - 9 of 10

Served in a straight-side brandy snifter, this cloudy blond ale  is the Marilyn Monroe of beers: blonde, big, and busty!  A grass and pine hoppines is balanced with butter and cream on the tongue.  Cryptic notes suggest being lost in a flavor-forest while drinking.

#7 De Dolle Bros Stille Nacht - 8 of 10

Their name translates to “The Crazy Brewers” for good reason.  Their beers are wild, crazy, and unpredictable.  You may have a variety from De Dolle that you deem the worst beer in the world, swear off the brewer, then suddenly find yourself cozying up to a different brew from them the following day.  Overpowering, alcoholic, and biting may sound bad in description, but in practice this is a beer to be experienced rather than drank.  At 12% alcohol and wearing a bow tie on the packaging, beware letting this amazing beer into your mouth!

#8 Troubadour Blonde - 8 of 10

This classic-tasting Belgian blond has a huge frothy head with a creamy and buttery finish.  As one of the most balanced beers we had on our trip, this one is a great relief after some of the other big boys.  This one leaves you with a pleasant film in your mouth to remember it by.

#9 Westvelteren Blonde – 8 of 10

OK, OK.  We know you are getting bored of hearing about Westvelteren by this point, but seriously folks, we don’t make up the rules!  This is another fantastic beer from this unreachable brewery.  Pale golden in color and medium in body, this is a classic Belgian blonde.  Yeasty banana aromas loft up from it’s huge head.  This beer is a great complement to the other brews from Westvelteren.

#10 Westmalle Dubbel - 7 of 10

This is a trappist beer that you can get in the United States, and get it you should!  Served in a chalice, this amber beer is medium bodied, malty, and easy to drink (at least compared to some of these others).  The Belgian yeast is subtle in the aroma, but present in the finish.  This is a literally beautiful beer, and recommended over the trippel from Westmalle.

And now for a special bonus rating, I present you with…

THE WORST BEER IN BELGIUM

Don't even think about asking for this beer at "De Bier Temple"

#412312441 Barbar – 0 of 10

With some sort of African-inspired packaging and a name that makes me think of Elephants, I think this is a beer that could kill Dumbo.  Tiny bubbles disappear, leaving it foamless and naked.  You stare at it, take it up to your lips and then are assaulted with a offensive yeasty and grassy taste.  Served ice-cold to mask it’s hideousness, you would think that this is some sort of session beer for Belgian teenagers to drink at parties.  It might work for getting drunk, but the finish on this beer sticks on your tongue for eons, preventing it for being a good beer for large quantities.  Watch out for Barbar, because he is one angry elephant!

-Joel Bennett

http://evancohan.smugmug.com/Travel/Beercycling-2009-Europe/

Cheers,

-Evan

Charming.

Cityscape

We loved Bruges! Here were some of the highlights:

• We galloped all around town looking for this place that sold “3 Euro Spaghetti” . (a great deal for a traveller’s wallet!) Once we found it we were told there were “no seats tonight”. Hmmm… no seats? The beercyling group found a table and sat down anyways. Moments later we were prompted kicked out. No spaghetti for us! Had to settle for some of Pete’s Brussel sprouts:

Chowing Down with some late night Sprouts a la Pete.

• Beer heaven – Well, I guess you could say this about most any city in Belgium, but yet again, we were overwhelmed at the selection of beer cafes and bottle shops available. You’d think after two weeks of drinking beers we’d be sick of  it! Ha! Yeah right! Best bar: ‘t Brugs Beertje (below). Best bottle shop: De Bier Tempel.

At the famous 't Brugs Beertje with Brian from Upslope Brewery in Boulder, CO

Pete contemplating his choices at De Bier Tempel

• French Fry War! – So apparently there are two very famous french fry stands in Bruges. (sorry, no pictures) The stay open extremely late and cater to the drunken swarms of bar goers. Everyone has their opinion on which cart sells the best Fry’s. Well we tried both, and yes, they both win Eating French Fry’s in Belgium is so much fun! You get to decide between literally dozens of dipping sauces. Come on, let’s catch-up (ketchup) America! Our favorite: Samurai Sauce.
• Brewery Tour of “De Halve Man” – Most of  you will recognize the logo on this beer. This was a very informative tour about traditional brewing techniques in the area. Pete asked lots of very challenging questions, and I think won over the heart of the otherwise bored tour guide lady. She even conducted the tour in three languages. Not too shabby!

hEVANly Suds

The two days in Bruges few by and soon we found ourselves on a train headed back to Brussels. So sad to be off our bikes after they treated us so well! We found ourselves with one last day off. Time for some more beer exploration in Brussels! Here’s a quick recap:

• Took a Brewery tour of the very hard to find La Cantillon, a maker of traditional Gueuze and Lambics. Amazing, one of a kind beverages are created here using a crazy process known as “spontaneous fermentation”:

Pete had to work for his Gueuze tastings

• As if we didn’t have enough favorite beer cafes already, we found another splendid one: Moder Lambic. This places rocks, not only for the charming decor, and selection, but for the amazingly knowledgeable waiter who is literally a walking encyclopedia of beer. At several points he actually laughed at what we thought we knew about beer and repeated the lines, “let me introduce you to the REAL Belgium”. Needless to say, he turned us on to several amazing beers that ended up being highlights of our trip.

Out bartender guarding his treasures at Moder Lambic

• We ended up being offered to meet up for a drink with some locals who, supposedly, were Belgium royalty of some sort. (We were referred to them us through a mutual friend) Being our last night in Belgium we decided to take them up on the offer. In our heads we were expecting the full red carpet treatment, court jesters, crowns of jewels, and fancy men riding horses… haha. Nothing of that sort But we did spend a few hours with them; almost an entire family of really great, interesting locals who paraded us around the main square in the rain in and out of a few bars. (even with a little 8 year old child in tow).  We shared a few stories from our travels and then called it a night.

And that’s it! From there Joel headed back home to Ventura, CA, I headed over for a few days in Madrid, Spain, and Pete headed up for a few days in Amsterdam. The trip was a huge success. I’d highly recommend beercycling as a travel adventure to almost anyone. With a little bit of planning and a healthy positive attitude, you can do your own similar trip, and even do it low budget like us Feel free to contact me (evan@beercycling.com) if you have any questions or know anyone interested in planning a trip. I’d love to help!

Last but not least, we had to bring home some presents, right? We were feeling a little scared of damage to the bottle during the airplane ride. So beers were wrapped, wrapped again, and again, and so forth. Proud to report we got several beers back to the States with no casualties!

Airplane-proof beers!

 Stay tuned for one final BLOG entry with a link to all of the photos!

Cheers,

-Evan

After several long hours on the bikes, and what I like to call a bad case of “rain crotch” we were presented with an epic front row view of the North Sea. Miles and miles of beach stretched along the longest boardwalk I’ve ever seen. What seemed like hundreds of skyscraper beach apartments lined up alongside us. Only one thing was really weird about it: There was NOBODY there. I mean, we’re talking ghost town here. It turns out we were the only ones in the entire country crazy enough to spend a cold autumn day on the beach in the rain. So, the beercycling team did what it does best: Enjoy the moment with a cold beer.  I ( Evan)decided to take things a little further and suddenly ran into the ocean naked (picture has been removed from the post for your protection).

 Our destination that night was the ocean-side town of Oostende. We arrived into town freezing cold and ran into the first bar we could find to get out of the rain. The locals enjoying their mid-day drinks didn’t seem too keen on a table full of Americans sharing their bar. We inadvertently caused a huge commotion when we closed the front door to warm up. Whilst mid-stream in the bathroom a fellow bar patron filled me in on the details:

“The guys at the bar, they say this is Bullshit! They say the door should be open, not closed! Bullshit they say”, the dark haired middle-aged gentlemen explained. 

I didn’t quite know what to say. I zipped up and said, “Sorry! We didn’t know. It’s OK, you guys can open the door!”

“It’s bullshit! Buuuullshit!”, he added again, apparently making sure I got the message loud and clear.

Shortly later, door closed, reeking of cigarette smoke, and after refusing a dance by the resident bar fly, we were happily on our way. We couch surfed that night with the lovely Barbara who, as with all of the other Couch Surfing contacts, was an amazing host. She humoured us with some funny stories, and even shared a few of her unique startling pick up lines.

A friendly game of hearts with Barbara

 Next up: Brugge! Stay tuned!

-Evan

Castle in Gent

Our travelers are ready for a day on the town.

We explored the town square and castles while Evan slobbered over the amazing photo opportunities.  As night fell, we split up to explore different parts of the city and found that the curved streets and non-parallel layout became a confusing mess.  Search parties were formed and we were eventually able to retrieve all our beercycling compatriots before being locked out of the hostle like Luke and Han on planet Hoth.

The following day we set out on bikes for Westvleteren, the meca of beer lovers.  For those who do not know, one of the seven remaining abbey breweries is located in this city and the beer that they make is considered the best beer in the entire world.  Take a minute to read this link from beeradvocate.com on the Westvleteren 12 and you will see what I mean.  It pours dark, with notes of toffey, roasted grains, and raisins.  It finishes smooth and quick, and at 10% alcohol it packs a punch!  It is served exclusively at the cafe across the street from the abbey, and is restricted for sale anywhere else.

Blocking our way to the beer was another round of pouring rain, though we would not be stopped.  After tasting the beer at the abbey cafe we biked to a remote town to stay with a Belgian farmer named Wim.   Hot soup, Ginever, and great conversation awaited our arrival.  Best of luck to Owen, another traveller we met at Wim’s house who graduated Brown University and is now touring Belgium to begin a beermaking career.  Also, sorry to Wim for Evan’s watch which fell behind his shower.  I hope every time it beeps on the hour Wim remembers us fondly!

On Saturday we set out from our Hostle in Antwerp towards the picturesque city of Gent.  After our defeat at the hands of the sea-captains near Dole (see Evan’s previous post) we were looking forward to what we understood as a straightforward ride.  Long, but straightforward.

Antwerp to Gent

As we left the furious winds began.  It blew in our face.  It blew hard.  It blew rain.  It beat us down and pushed us around.  Like yesterday, it seemed that nature wanted to keep us in Antwerp.  We resorted to biking as a Tour De France team, which is to say that we had the most rested rider up front to take the brunt of it whilst the other two rode inches behind.  We stopped of for a brief lunch by the highway (click picture for video).

By the time we reached our last straight-shot on the highway we were absolutely beat and wet as dogs.  As we pulled on the highway leading to Gent, our last leg, we were honked at by a car full of people saying the Dutch equivalent of “ARE YOU CRAZY!?  YOU WILL DIE ON THIS HIGHWAY!”  No bikes allowed.  And even if they were you wouldn’t want to ride there unless you wanted to die.  We wandered into town, dismayed that there is no direct path.  A 10 minute train was our only option, which after the day we had was a welcome change.

Arriving in Gent around 8pm, we needed to find a place to sleep and rest our legs.  As it turns out, all the hostles are full.   Despite the Dutch objections of her well-dressed husband, a drunk lady offers us her house while we sit curbside in the dark.  We refuse, hoping not to be murdered in our sleep.  At 10pm, we found a couchsurfing.org contact and found his home.  Dirk turned out to be a delight to stay with.  We stayed up way later than we should have discussing Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith, The Gutter Twins, and more obscure artists while he poured us Duvel, Palm, and more in the proper glassware.

On Saturday we set out from our Hostle in Antwerp towards the picturesque city of Gent.  After our defeat at the hands of the sea-captains near Dole (see Evan’s previous post) we were looking forward to what we understood as a straightforward ride.  Long, but straightforward.

Antwerp to Gent

As we left the furious winds began.  It blew in our face.  It blew hard.  It blew rain.  It beat us down and pushed us around.  Like yesterday, it seemed that nature wanted to keep us in Antwerp.  We resorted to biking as a Tour De France team, which is to say that we had the most rested rider up front to take the brunt of it whilst the other two rode inches behind.  We stopped of for a brief lunch by the highway (click picture for video).

By the time we reached our last straight-shot on the highway we were absolutely beat and wet as dogs.  As we pulled on the highway leading to Gent, our last leg, we were honked at by a car full of people saying the Dutch equivalent of “ARE YOU CRAZY!?  YOU WILL DIE ON THIS HIGHWAY!”  No bikes allowed.  And even if they were you wouldn’t want to ride there unless you wanted to die.  We wandered into town, dismayed that there is no direct path.  A 10 minute train was our only option, which after the day we had was a welcome change.

Arriving in Gent around 8pm, we needed to find a place to sleep and rest our legs.  As it turns out, all the hostles are full.   Despite the Dutch objections of her well-dressed husband, a drunk lady offers us her house while we sit curbside in the dark.  We refuse, hoping not to be murdered in our sleep.  At 10pm, we found a couchsurfing.org contact and found his home.  Dirk turned out to be a delight to stay with.  We stayed up way later than we should have discussing Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith, The Gutter Twins, and more obscure artists while he poured us Duvel, Palm, and more in the proper glassware.