ANOTHER Distilled in Oregon Bourbon!

Some weeks ago, while visiting Big Y Liquors in Eugene, I spotted another made-in-Oregon bourbon, C. W. Irwin. No age statement on the bottle meant that it was at least four years old (twice as old as Stein), and, at $28, $10.45 less expensive. Brought a bottle home.

Nose was recognizably bourbon in character, taste was caramel corn, butterscotch and a hint of rye. On the finish there was this slightly resiny thing going that had me wondering about barrel size and how long the staves had been seasoned.

Over the next couple of weeks, subsequent samplings showed progressively less of the resin character.

Efforts to reach the distillery owner, Brad Irwin, were not successful until late Monday, March 12. I conducted a brief interview, but backyard activities that and several more weekends (French drain project), busy work week (auditors coming on March 27th), and trip out of town the weekend of March 24 (wedding anniversary) got in the way of compiling notes and posting this report.

The Irwin bourbon (distillery name is Oregon Spirit Distillers) is a four grain whiskey (58% corn, 8% rye, 17% wheat and 17% malted barley). Distilled at 140 proof and entering the barrel at 125, it's put in 30 gallon barrels for four years. There might be some set aside for longer aging (Brad would neither confirm nor deny). Bottling proof is 80.

Choice of 30 gallon barrel is based not so much on the slightly higher ratio of surface area to volume (20% compared to a 53 gallon barrel) but on the capacity of Brad's still, which produces about 26.7-26.8 gallons of 140 proof spirit per batch. Bringing this down to 125 results in 30 gallons. The other reason is that it's a one man operation, and Brad finds the smaller barrels a lot easier to manage.

Barrels come from The Barrel Mill, a Minnesota outfit that plants four trees for every one it cuts (sustainability being an important factor when dealing with us Oregonians). The whiskey barrels use wood seasoned for three years and have a #3 char.

Storage is in the 4,000 square foot distillery building, which is unheated. The distillery is located in Bend. It's a little warmer there than in Joseph (location of Stein distillery). Barrels are stored in two-level racks.

Production is about 20 30gal barrels per month.

"C. W. Irwin" is Brad's older brother. The bourbon is named after him because "his initials sound better than mine." I refrained from asking Brad if his middle name started with an s.

In addition to bourbon, Irwin produces "Oregon Spirit" vodka ($27.95), a marionberry liqueur ("Black Mariah", $33.35), and a Genever type gin ("Merrylegs", $29.95). This last is made in an "oude genever" style, using a mash of 85% malted barley and 15% wheat, and is distilled at 160 proof.

I decided to try a comparison between the Irwin bourbon and something equivalent. There being no 4/80 bourbons around priced over $20, I picked up a small bottle of Jack Daniels Black Label ($23.45/750ml in OR). Side-by-side, I wouldn't say one is better than the other, just different. Like the Jack Daniels, the Irwin's youth-imparted strong character would work well with cola or in other mixed drinks.

Compared to other Oregon whiskeys, it's way out in front, being both older than any others that I know of, and costing less than most.

I guess my final take on it is that it's a competent four year old bourbon, something I'd take on a fishing trip. Some of this on the rocks would be pretty good after a hard day of pulling in big rainbows, so I'll be taking it with me when I head down to Diamond Lake in May.

OLCC Product codes:
0753B C. W. Irwin Bourbon
6754B Oregon Spirit Vodka
0188B Black Mariah Marionberry Liqueur
0752C Merrylegs Gin

Blue Sky

Since arriving here in early 2007, we'd been hoping to find a good Chinese restaurant here in Corvallis. Most we'd tried were acceptable, but only that.

Early in February Kathy had lunch at Blue Sky and was pleased with the food and service, so we had dinner there the following Saturday.

Located at the northeast corner of the strip mall anchored by Bi Mart on Philomath Boulevard, the interior is restrained and not burdened with the over-the-top faux Chinese decor that typifies many such establishments.

We arrived at 7:40pm and were seated a couple of minutes later. We gave our orders at 7:47. Our appetizers arrived at 7:53 and were served hot. We'd ordered Crab Rangoon, which was flaky and crisp and had a good, consistently smooth filling, and a pork filled steamed bun, which was also good, being neither too gooey nor too dry.

Our entrées arrived at 8:00. Kathy had ordered a mushroom and beef dish. The vegetables in this were fresh and the beef good, though the seasoning was a little milder than she would have liked. She also would have liked more snow peas.

I've encountered a couple of reviews of Blue Sky that criticized the vegetables-to-meat ratio (as in, not enough of the latter). Perhaps they've over reacted to this; there was more than enough beef, and not enough of the tasty snow peas.

Likewise my Mongolian Beef had a good ratio of meat to onions. The beef had a very pure flavor, almost steak like, and the seasoning was spot on (at least for me).

All in all we were quite pleased with the food and service. It's not the best oriental restaurant we've visited (that was in San Francisco), but definitely the best in Corvallis, and it's probably going to be our go-to choice.

Blue Sky also offers take-out and delivery. (541) 752-7528

Well, it's the real article! Genuine Bourbon, distilled in Oregon. Aged in the keg.

I've always hoped someone would produce bourbon and/or rye whiskey here in the Beaver State. Sure, there are some whiskeys made here. Best known is Clear Creek's "McCarthy's Single Malt", a three-year-old highly peated barley malt whiskey in the Islay style. House Spirits has produced a 2.67 year old unpeated malt. Then there's Rogue's "Dead Guy Whiskey", which spends a mere 30 days in the barrel and tastes like it too. But none of these are my preferred type of whiskey, and all are too young.

Yes, there are bourbons on the shelf that purport to be Oregon products. There's "Big Bottom Whiskey" and, from Bull Run Distillery (best known for its Medoyeff Vodka) we have "Temperance Trader".  Neither of these are distilled in Oregon, but are whiskey purchased in bulk from Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana, a mega distillery that produces no brands of its own, instead providing whiskey under contract for other companies (Seagram's Seven is made there).

So, three weeks ago, when I spotted Stein Bourbon at a local liquor store, my initial reaction was skepticism. Looking more closely at the label, it did, however, clearly state that it was "Micro-Distilled in Joseph, Oregon". I was tempted to buy it then, but decided to do a little research first.

I visited the Stein website and followed that up with an E-Mail exchange and phone call with Austin Stein. I learned that it was in 2006 that he and his wife Heather, owners of a 150 acre farm in NE Oregon, decided they wanted to get into the distilling business. Navigating the byzantine process of getting all the federal, state and local permits took a couple of years, so it was not until 2009 they constructed their distillery building and began production.

The Steins grow rye, wheat and barley, and - as much as possible - rely on their own harvest to produce their distilled products.

First on the market was their 100% rye vodka. This goes for $30.65, and it's reported to be a good one, with rye aroma and flavor detectable to those with keen senses. However, I can't personally attest to this, because I've never spent $30+ for a vodka, and don't expect I ever will. Fortunately for me, there are good rye vodkas on the market that cost a lot less.

The Steins also began producing bourbon using a mashbill of 75% corn (purchased from another local farmer) and 25% unmalted barley (starch-to-sugar conversion being done by enzymes), as well as a rye whiskey (75% rye, 25% corn). The Steins have two, five and ten year aging programs for these.

The two year old whiskeys were released in late 2011, and it's the bourbon that I found at the liquor store on Washington Avenue. Both whiskeys are priced at $38.75, which - let's face it - is a lot for a two year old whiskey.

So it took me a week to talk myself into buying one. Receiving my mid-month paycheck on the 13th, I felt flush enough to buy one the following Monday. 

The nose is a mix of corn and hay, and on the palate it's a bit rough around the edges, due to its (lack of) age. The high percentage of barley makes itself known, imparting a slight cereal element that reminds me of some Irish whiskeys.

Is it worth $39? Well, that's a personal decision, I guess. If you're someone who wants to "buy Oregon" and have the disposable income to do it, then its price is not out of line for Oregon whiskey. The McCarthy goes for $50, and it's my recollection that the House Spirits whiskey went for $45. Rogue charges $40 for the abominably bad Dead Guy.

Speaking strictly for myself, $39 for a two-year-old bourbon is too much. My frame of reference is very much a value oriented one, and there are a number of very good bourbons available that can be had for that price or lower.

The Stein bourbon is also available in "white dog" (unaged) form, as "Steinshine Corn Whiskey", for $25.80.

The Steins also produce a light rum ($21.95), made from brown sugar. Some has been diverted to barrels that previously held bourbon, and will be released as an aged rum in a couple of years.

Using a neutral spirit base (made from wheat), they also make four liqueurs, a blackberry, a raspberry, a huckleberry, and even a rhubarb (!).

The vodka, whiskeys, and rum are all 80 proof. The liqueurs are 40 proof.

I'll probably get some of the rum before summer, and I'm intrigued by the rhubarb liqueur. But as for the whiskey, I think I'll wait for the longer aged versions. I plan to be first in line when the five-year-old bourbon and rye are released in late 2014, and likewise (probably leaning on a walker) when the ten-year-old versions are released in 2019.

Odds are against anything other than the Stein vodka and bourbon being stocked at local liquor stores, but you can always order the other products. Here are the OLCC product codes:

7395E     Stein Blackberry Liqueur       $23.50
6308E     Stein Huckleberry Liqueur     $24.85
7397E     Stein Raspberry Liqueur          $23.50
6842E     Stein Rhubarb Liqueur              $23.50
0241B     Stein Rum                                          $21.95
0580B     Stein Straight Bourbon           $38.75
0581B     Stein Straight Rye Whiskey   $38.75
7408B     Stein Vodka                                     $30.65
0610B     "Steinshine" Corn Whiskey         $25.80

Stein Website

Note: the title of this article is a paraphrasing of a Rooster Cogburn line from the book "True Grit" (I don't believe it appeared in either of the movie versions). The original line is: "Well, it's the real article! Genuine, double-rectified bust head. Aged in the keg."

Holiday Gift Guide for the Whiskey Enthusiast

Earlier this week I posted this to the www.straightbourbon.com online forum (in the Paraphernalia section), and was encouraged by someone (who shall remain nameless and therefore blameless) to repost it here. SB.com (as its called by its members) has an active membership that's over 99% male, and the original version of this was formulated for that population. For the blog I felt I should make at least a nominal effort to make it gender-neutral, so I dug out my Ronco® PC-O-Matic and started stuffing the post into the feed hopper. It started to run a little rough while on the third item, and seized up completely on item #4, requiring complete disassembly and cleaning with powerful and highly caustic solvents.

Anyway, here it is, and hopefully not rendered too banal.

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Your friends and relations want to know what you want, and you really need to come up with a list. After all, you've already received enough "whiskey stones" to repave your driveway, and enough Jack Daniels BBQ sauce to cover a blue whale.

Well, we at Epicureans in Whiskeyland (located just south of the North Pole, on decidedly thin ice) are here to help. Our crack team of webcrawlers spent an entire morning (except for ten minutes when he had to help a pesky client) plugging improbable combinations into Google and reviewing the results. We think we've come up with some selections that should please even the most jaded whiskeyphile.

Half a Bottle of Whiskey Bumper Sticker 

$5 from Cafe Press

Nothing perks up a vehicle more than an amusing bumper sticker (not to mention enhancing the resale value) and this one is bound to elicit friendly responses from fellow motorists. In fact, that one behind you is flashing festive red and blue lights...oh wait...better pull over...hopefully he won't spot your...

Got Bourbon? Tote Bag - $18 from Cafe Press

He's not going to take your word that it's just groceries, so you'll just have to let him examine the contents. After he's found nothing but Fruit Loops, Twizzlers and liter sized bottles of YooHoo, he'll probably still want to see your driver's license, so you'll need to reach for your...

"Let's Get Hammered" Wallet
$34.50 from Cafe Press

If he hasn't already decided to give you a breathalyzer test, he will now!

Bourbon Thong Panties - $12.50 from Cafe Press

Just the thing for the little lady in your life! (or for you, if you're a lady)(and, in case she/you isn't/aren't so little, available up to Size 12). The question is: how do you eat bourbon? Add mass quantities of Sure Gel? The only way this will make any sense is if you can convince her/yourself to start referring to her/your, um, special place as her/your "bourbon".  For you guys, good luck with that. For you ladies, tell your man this while modeling these for him. If he looks confused, ask him, "Well, you're a Real Man, aren't you?" If he still looks confused (let me guess - he's a global warming skeptic, isn't he?) then maybe it's time to trade him in on a less clueless model.


Scotch Whisky Aroma Kit - $150 from Scotchwhisky.net

You say you just don't get Scotch. Don't pick up any of those subtle aromas described by John Hansell or Jim Murray? Then this is the sure cure for your malt-challenged proboscis. Those with a particular interest in Islay malts will be pleased to learn that included are "Rotting Seaweed", "Rancid Iodine", "Dead Mackerel" and "Seagull Poop".


Fee's Pickle Brine - $6.95 from Barsupplies.com

You're a hip urban sophisticate, so you already know that the "pickleback" is all the rage. You want to be able to have 'em at home, but it's such a pain having to buy all those jars of pickles just to get the brine (and what to do with all the pickles?). Fee's Brothers has the solution! Keep this 4/5 pint (huh?) bottle handy and you'll always have a ready chaser for that shot of 20 year old Pappy van Winkle.


Whiskey the Clown mask - $37.95 from Costumes4less

Now you're all set for your neighbor's big annual holiday costume ball. Of course, if they greet you with, "Oh, you came as yourself," then it's probably time to call the local AA chapter and inquire about the next meeting.


Scotch & Water Pet Dish - $20 from Cafe Press

Getting tired of Old Blue's annoying habit of barking at his reflection in that stainless steel bowl? Chuck that chunk of scrap metal and get him one of these. Fill it with water, add a few drops of yellow food coloring, and your guests will be wondering. Could that really be Scotch? Is it single malt? If not, should we report him to the SPCA? If so, I wonder if I could sneak a sip? Is anyone watching?


Irish Whiskey Cheese - $21.99 (was $29.99) from Figi's

Mmmmm..."delightfully enhanced with the finest single malt Kilbeggan Whiskey". Having just read a post from someone who'd just tried some Kilbeggan and reported "this bottle might end up down the drain," I have to wonder if this represents an effort to get rid of a bad batch, as in, "Oh what'll we do with this, now? Ah, we'll be mixing it with cheese and selling it to the Americans! They'll buy anything, they will!"


Flashing Whiskey Glass - $4.75 from Amazon

Bourbon is brown and, let's face it, brown is so...beige. Get a set of these and you've got a party in your glass! Multicolored LEDs add a visual element to the aroma and taste of your favorite whiskey. Who needs a Christmas tree when you've got this?


Jack Daniels Gumball Machine - $98.50 from Amazon

A stylish addition to any room of the house, and functional too. Fill with Koppers Chocolate Whiskey Cordials and you're set. Just the thing for guests with children; they'll form memory associations that will guide them well in adulthood. It's a Good Thing.


Carpe Bourbon Yard Sign - $19 from Cafe Press

Put one of these in your front yard and the whole neighborhood will be talking! Maybe they'll even forget about you being on the Sex Offenders Registry.


So, if you've been Nice this year perhaps you'll find a number of these items under the tree. Christmas evening you could be sitting in your easy chair, with a couple of flashing whiskey glasses on the end table by your side, one filled with 20 year old Pappy van Winkle and the other with Fee's Pickle Brine. Curled up next to you is your Significant Other, and one of you is wearing item #4 (or maybe even both of you). Through the front window comes a joyful noise and a warm glow...yes, it's the Home Owners Association setting fire to your Bourbon sign.

Truly, could it get any better?

Happy Holidays!
 

Two Books on Wine

I recently completed reading a couple of books and decided to post my thoughts on each.

The first is Thomas Pinney's A History of Wine In America - From Prohibition to the Present. This is a massive (532 page) scholarly (136 pages are footnotes and source citations) work, and is directed at those whose interest goes well beyond the simple enjoyment of wine itself. Pinney presents a high level view (as in, you're in the International Space Station and equipped with a 60 power telescope) of the American wine industry from the onset of Prohibition up to 2005 (the book's publication date). It's pages are replete with statistics, details of legislation and enforcement, descriptions of industry association efforts, corporate activities, and marketing trends, and those hoping for information about the early histories of their favorite California, Oregon and Washington wineries will be sorely disappointed. Illustrative of this is that because, prior to 1965, the majority of wine produced in the USA was inexpensive sweet wine, the existence of a handful of wineries making quality table wine is mentioned only in casual passing.

So it's not a book for the neophyte wine lover, or even for people who consider themselves knowledgeable on the subject but whose interests lie in the production, procurement and enjoyment of contemporary wines. Instead, this is a book for those oenophiles who have an independent love of history, and is thus able to satisfy both passions. I'm in that category, and am hoping to read Pinney's previous work, A History of Wine In America - From the Beginnings to Prohibition (pub 1989) (rumor has it that there's a copy under the Christmas tree). In fact, my only criticism of the book is that it devotes too much space (two chapters) to contemporary wine production efforts in states east of the Rockies (where the winters are too cold or the summers too wet to grow Vitis vinifera, the only species that can produce truly excellent wine), and not enough to Washington and Oregon (13 and 10 pages respectively). I'm sure this is due to an effort to be as encompassing and comprehensive as possible, but it just seems wrong to devote page space to wine production in Iowa at the expense of a proper treatment of a region (the Willamette Valley) that is producing Pinot Noir that's the peer of anything coming out of Burgundy. I don't think that this is a case of bias on my part; I suspect anyone who loves good wine would feel the same way...even if they live in Iowa.

In an entirely different genre is Natalie MacLean's red, white and drunk all over (2006). This book is written in a humorous, self-effacing style, and keeps the wine geek jargon to a minimum. It's easy and fun to read, not the least bit intimidating, and a good choice for someone just getting into wine. Those with more extensive knowledge will also find interesting content, such as Ms. MacLean's visits and interviews with winemakers (both Old World and New), critics, and other industry professionals. While reading her account of her evolution from neophyte to expert, I frequently found myself reminiscing about my own journey along that same path, and I expect others who've been into wine for a while will have a similar experience.

Toward the end of the book Ms. MacLean puts in a plug for her web site, www.nataliemaclean.com. At that time it was free, but nowadays it's $25 per year to get "full" access. I decided to signup for it, mostly to see how it compared in value to Robert Parker's site (www.erobertparker.com, $100 per year). As it turns out, for one quarter the cost, MacLean's site offers considerably less than one quarter the content, but I suppose it's a good alternative for those who aren't quite ready to pony up the cash for the Parker site. One thing that limits the usefulness of MacLean's site is that she lives in Canada (Toronto I believe) and the selection and prices in the state stores (operated by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario) vary from those here in the USA, particularly for those of us on the west coast.

Nonetheless I highly recommend the book, particularly for beginners. It's educational without being snooty, and lacks the stigma associated with Wine for Dummies or The Idiot's Guide to Wine. It being now five years after publication, you can get it for only $9.58 from Amazon, and at that price it's a bargain.

Wineopolis

Arriving in Corvallis at the beginning of 2007, my first priority was to find a place to live. I found a decent rental house and had myself moved in by midday Saturday January 6th, and went out to buy a good Oregon Pinot Noir to celebrate. My first stop was Avalon, but the less-than-friendly reception I got from the (now departed) salesperson led me back out the door in search of an alternative. Two blocks away, at the Water Street Market building on the NW corner of Monroe and 1st, I discovered Wineopolis.

I found the proprietor, Jerry Larson, to be both friendly and knowledgeable, and I purchased two bottles of 2004 Pinot Noir, each from a local winery. Since then I've been a frequent customer.

Jerry has been active in the Corvallis culinary scene for a long time. He operated the Tower of London restaurant from 1980-1985 (the site is now the McMenamins at Harrison and 3rd), and put together the wine program for the First Alternative coop in 1989-90. He opened Wineopolis in June of 2005.

The store favors wines from producers (both domestic and foreign) that can be characterized as "agricultural" rather than "industrial".  These are small-to-medium sized wineries whose products convey a sense of place (roughly equivalent to the French term terroir), rather than trying to conform to a modern style proselytized by contemporary critics such as Robert Parker (who favors wines that are highly extracted, high in alcohol, and low in acid; these can be great by themselves but often do not pair well with food).

Although there are a few wines in the $50-60 range (typically vineyard-designated Oregon Pinot Noir), most wines in the store are priced between $10 and $20. Jerry has tasted every one of them and can vouch for them all, the result of good relationships with local winery owners, distributors and Portland-based direct importers. Every Saturday a white and a red are available for tasting; these are usually in the $10-12 range.

Jerry believes in educated consumers, and will give you a good bit of information about any bottle you're considering. Most people appreciate this, but there are exceptions. I've met a one-time-only customer who complained that he was simply not interested in all the details, and just wanted a good recommendation. His view was that "it's the salesman's job to be the expert, and all I want is to rely on his expertise." There is nothing wrong with this perspective, and I suggest to Jerry that he should consider it a compliment when encountering a customer who wants his recommendation but not all the supporting data.

Jerry is also very good at recommending food and wine pairings. I know from personal experience that he's an excellent cook, and have come to rely on his advice when looking for wines to match a menu.

The store currently carries about 500 different wines, mostly from Oregon, Italy, France, California and Washington, with a small number from Spain and Portugal. Jerry has phased out Australian offerings; "No one seems to have noticed or cared." Over the next month, preparing for the holidays, he'll be increasing the selection and inventory.

There may be greater selections at some places in town (e.g., Market of Choice), but you won't get the personal attention you'll get at Wineopolis. There is no substitute for that, and your chances of getting a good wine are a lot better.

Hard Times Distillery - Update

Some of you may recollect that one of my first posts was about Hard Times Distillery in Monroe. Since the time I posted that article it's been a rough road for the owners, Dudley Clark and James Stegall. Difficulties with funding, with getting parts for their custom stills, and other obstacles kept them from attaining production status until last autumn.

As I originally reported, it had been their plan to make vodka from rye. Insufficient funds prevented the acquisition of some equipment needed for that, so they fell back on a simpler solution: sugar. They describe their product as being based on "an old moonshine recipe" a statement which is, in fact, completely accurate.

There's a lot of confusion about the term "moonshine". There are a number of small distilleries around the US that are selling unaged whiskey as "moonshine". These are corn whiskies, or ones that use a bourbon mashbill of corn with rye and barley malt. These are not really moonshine for two reasons. The first is that "moonshine", strictly defined, is any illegally produced spirit. So if they produced it legally, it's not moonshine.

The second reason is that most modern moonshine is not produced from grain but from sugar. Why? Because the easiest and cheapest way to make alcohol is with sugar, warm water and yeast, and if your goal is to make money, this is what you do. The extra bother of converting starch to sugar is viewed as an unnecessary expense by most moonshiners. Some will add a measure of converted hog chow (85% corn meal and 15% ground soybeans) to impart some "corn whiskey" character, but the soybeans add a rather funky element to that. While still living in Florida, I sampled some sugar/hog chow moonshine and it was, frankly, pretty wretched stuff.

Most moonshine is produced in simple pot stills, which are capable of producing spirit no stronger than about 80% alcohol by volume (ABV). That which is made from sugar is known as "sugar jack" and it smells and tastes more like rum than anything else.

Hard Times Distillery is equipped with a column still and their "Sugar Momma" vodka is, like all vodka, distilled at 95% ABV. At this level of distillation it's usually the case that very little of the aroma and taste of the original fermented product survives the process. For example, although I'm pretty attuned to the aroma of rye (being a fan of rye whiskey), I can just barely smell the rye in Sobieski vodka.

So when I finally sampled some "Sugar Momma" I wasn't expecting much in the way of aroma or flavor. Man, was I in for a surprise. The stuff exudes a distinct bouquet of brown sugar, similar to a lot of rums. Although it lacks the additional exotic aromas of finer rums, it also lacks the medicinal alcohol character of the not-so-fine ones. On the palate it's extraordinarily smooth, and has a richness uncharacteristic of vodka. Seriously, if you're a rum fan, this is your vodka. When the weather warms up a bit more, I'm going to try this in a Mojito.

Sold only in Oregon, for $14.95, it's already developed a following in Eugene and Corvallis. Dudley tells me that they "can't keep it on the shelves." Indeed, when I recently visited Big Y Liquors in Eugene I noticed it was sold out.

Hard Times is working to increase production, and if it continues to do well, the profits can be plowed back in to the business and we will, hopefully, see rye whiskey being produced before the end of the year.

"Sugar Momma" is sold here in Corvallis at the liquor store on Washington Avenue, and served at Block 15.

Easy to Find Fine Wine

If you're looking for really good wine, there's no substitute for visiting one of Corvallis' specialty wine stores. There you will get the benefit of the staff's expertise, who can find you the right wine at the right price.

Nonetheless, I've been repeatedly asked for recommendations for wines that can be found at local grocery stores, such as Safeway and Fred Meyer. In fact, just a few weeks ago I took a call from a friend who was in the wine section of the Philomath Boulevard Safeway. She was buying the ingredients for a dinner party and wanted a recommendation for a Cabernet or Merlot. I suggested going to a wine store, but she replied, "I don't have time. I have to finish getting groceries here and head home to start preparing. Can you recommend anything that I might find here?"

I suggested the Louis Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon. She checked the shelf and replied, "They have the 2007. Is that okay?". I replied that it was. She later informed me that she and her guests had been pleased with the selection.

Recognizing that many of you likely will find yourself in a similar situation, I've decided to provide a list of wines you can find at most grocery stores. None of these are great wines, typically getting scores in the 88 - 91 range from publications like The Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate. If you want something better, then you'll just have to bite the bullet and go to a specialty wine store.

Another thing about these is that they are pretty consistent from year to year, so I won't include recommended vintages. These wines are made by high production wineries, which can draw on a lot of vineyards for grapes. Those in California and Washington can even use up to 25% grapes from a year other than the listed vintage, or outside the designated area. This gives them a lot of flexibility and allows them to maintain a fairly constant flavor profile (for example, the Ste. Michelle "Eroica" Riesling has gotten exactly the same score - 91 - from The Wine Advocate for the last four vintages).

Whites
Kendall Jackson "Vinter's Reserve" Chardonnay - $11-12
Kendall Jackson "Grand Reserve" Chardonnay - $17-18
King Estate Pinot Gris - $14-15
Ponzi Pinot Gris - $15-16
Gallo Family Vineyards Pinot Gris - $9-10
Chateau Ste Michelle "Eroica" Riesling - $20-22

Reds
Benton Lane Pinot Noir - $21-22
Argyle Pinot Noir - $22-26
Ponzi Pinot Noir - $33-35
Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir - $35-37
Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Vyd Merlot - $19-20
Kendall Jackson "Grand Reserve" Merlot - $24-25
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County - $12-14
Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - $23-24
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - $24-25

Sparkling
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut - $17-18
Argyle Brut - $24-25

Finally, if you happen to be at Costco, look for wines from a Chilean winery, Montes Alpha. Their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are all both good and moderately priced.

My Favorite Beers

I subscribe to that school of thought that argues that there is no such thing as "best", at least in the sense of a specific product being the "best" of its type. To the degree that there is any such thing as "best",  it exists as a ordinal category, as in, "Old Woodchuck and Very Special Fitzboggin are among the best Bourbons."

At the core of this argument is the premise that all such evaluations are subjective, and based on parameters that will vary from person to person. In whiskey, some people like them really old, but others will dislike the intense wood character of something that's been in a barrel for 25 years. The two will thus never agree on the "best" Single Malt Scotch.

So rather than present a list of what I consider to be the "best" beers, it's better to describe them as my favorites, and to mention some of the subjective factors that influence my choices. Some of these factors, in fact, have nothing to do with the gustatory qualities of the beer itself.

One is what I call the bother factor. For example, two of the most impressive beers I've ever had are Orval Trappist Ale and Trappistes Rochefort 10, both from Belgium. Both are unfiltered and have a lot of sediment (they're not just cloudy; they have crud in them). After bringing them home, you have to let them sit undisturbed for a day or two, then carefully decant them into a glass, taking care to cease pouring as soon as you see solid stuff reaching the top of the bottle. Sometimes (okay, most of the time) this is just too much bother.

Another factor is availability. Any beer I have to drive to Wisconsin to get is never going to be a favorite, nor is one which is only seasonably available. For example, I like Deschutes "Red Chair NWPA" more than Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but the former is only available from January through April. If it's September and I'm in the mood for a Pale Ale, only the ones I can actually get are contenders for "favorite".

Lastly there's an affordability factor. A favorite beer is one which I can afford to buy a sixpack and share with friends. The aforementined Trappistes Rochefort is $7.50 for an 11.2 oz bottle, which works out to $45 for a six pack. For that amount of money I can buy a four sixpack assortment of the following:

Victory Prima Pils
Type: Pilsener style lager
Traditional ales are made using top-acting warm fermenting yeasts, but in the early 1800s German brewers started using bottom-acting cool fermenting yeasts to produce lager beers, which are lighter bodied and crisper than traditional ales. In the city of Pilsen (located today in the Czech Republic) a style of lager was produced which used Saaz Noble hops, and beers made in that style are known as Pilseners (also spelled Pilsner). For years my favorite was Pilsner Urquell (which is, in fact, made in Pilsen), but after trying the Victory product all I can say is "buy American!" Prima Pils is a beautiful yellow-gold, with aromas of grass, citrus and floral hops, with sweet malt joining these on the palate. Right now the only place in town that sells it is Corvallis Brewing Supply; price is $11.10 per sixpack.

UPDATE (July 9, 2012): Sadly, this is no longer carried by the distributor here in the Pac NW. I wish I'd known that when I was California last month, I would have brought back a case.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Type: Pale Ale
It's been called "a classic among American beers" and is certainly the standard setter for pale ales, which is pretty impressive for something produced in this volume and having near universal availability. Golden orange color, with aromas of grain, yeast, hops and citrus, crisp and tangy on the palate with a clean, dry finish, this is a reliable "go to" pale ale. It's available year round and frequently priced below $7 per six pack at your friendly neighborhood grocery store. Kathy likes to mix it with Deschutes "Obsidian" Stout for a "black and tan".

Stone IPA
Type: India Pale Ale
My favorite style of beer, IPAs were invented by the English but brought to perfection by American craft brewers. These are hoppier than Pale Ales, and there are a lot of good ones available, many of which have fans who wouldn't hesitate for a moment to tell me that the Stone Brewing product is not as good as their favorite (Ninkasi "Total Domination" being one and Dogfish Head "60 Minute" being another). Nonetheless, for me this one has a slight edge. An intensely hoppy nose, with hints of grapefruit, is followed by a perfect balance of bitter hops and sweet malts on the palate. The 22oz bottles are widely available, and you can can get 12oz sixpacks ($11) at University Market at 1149 Van Buren and at Market of Choice. NOTE:  Stone's "Ruination" double IPA offers nearly identical aromas and flavors and is only slightly stronger (7.7% ABV versus 6.9%) and is not worth the extra expense, in my opinion.

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Type: Specialty Ale
Although beeradvocate.com classifies this as an IPA and ratebeer.com as an Imperial/Double IPA, I think the brewery's own designation ("Specialty Ale") is more accurate. To me, it's not hoppy enough to be an IPA (although it is hoppy), and the addition of rye to the mostly malted barley mash adds a flavor element that an IPA lacks. Deep red in color, with complex aromas and flavors of hops, citrus, rye and malt, it makes me think of toasted rye bread with a thin spread of grapefruit marmalade. It's my favorite American beer, and worth the $5+ asked for a 22oz bottle. Available at University Market, Market of Choice and Corvallis Brewing Supply.

Ayinger Celebrator
Type: Doppelbock
Bock beers are lagers, and are traditionally made in the winter or early spring. The Ayinger is an exception, being made and imported year around. For reasons lost in the mists of antiquity bock beers usually have a picture of a goat on the label, so doppel (double) bocks often have two (my sentimental favorite, Leinenkugels "Big Butt", depicts two mountain goats charging one another). The Ayinger is one of the best of its type. Dark brown in color, with scents of malt and molasses pushing aside those of the hops, it's a smooth, rich, almost creamy beer. Sold in fourpacks for about $10, you can find it at Corvallis Brewing Supply, Market of Choice and University Market.

Deschutes Obsidian
Type: Stout
Guinness popularized stouts, which are dark ales made with heavily roasted malt, but try this one and you'll never go back to the Irish product (the sold-in-USA version of which is actually brewed in Canada). The Deschutes product is a classic example of its type, with distinctive chocolate and coffee aromas and flavors and a super-smooth presence on the palate. It's a little hoppier than its stablemate, the likewise excellent Black Butte porter, and for that reason I prefer the stout. Available almost everwhere, and frequently on sale for less than $6 per sixpack.

Piraat Ale
Type: Belgian Double IPA
The Belgians make IPA mostly for export (the locals find them too hoppy), and they make them strong (the Piraat is 10.5% ABV). I discovered this one quite by accident some years ago when I was buying beer for our annual Pirate Theme Halloween Party. Upon trying it I thought hey, this is really good. It's got that fruity thing going that many dark Belgians have, but without the pesky sediment. Being an IPA, it's got a lot of hops, but the bitterness is balanced out by the sweet malt and the fruit element. A rich, smooth character make it dangerously approachable (don't forget about the 10.5% alcohol content!). The funky old label (with the pirate) is being replaced by a less entertaining one, but fortunately the contents are unchanged. Look for it at Corvallis Brewing Supply. It's not cheap, costing $5 for a 11.2oz bottle and $10 for a 22oz, but it's just the thing for getting into a pirate state of mind. ARRR!!!!

Leinenkugel's Classic Amber
Type: Amber Lager
No, not a great beer. In fact, according to most of the hop-heads on beeradvocate.com and ratebeer.com, not even a "very good" beer. Mild hop and caramel aromas and flavors make it a decent quaff, and for me, that's good enough. Leinie's is the brand that is interwoven into memories of time spent at my grandparent's cottage on Popple Lake, ten miles north of Chippewa Falls, the town where the brewery is located. We'd fish in the morning, clean 'em, have lunch, spend the afternoon playing horseshoes or just sitting, looking out at the lake. The blue water and sky, the scent of spruce and fir trees, a cold bottle of Leinie's in my hand. It will always have a place in my heart, and thus a place in my refrigerator as well. You can find it at Albertson's on Kings, for about $8 per sixpack.

UPDATE (July 9 2012): The Corvallis Albertson's no longer consistently carries the Classic Amber, but usually has some variety of Leine's, typically a seasonal offering. At present it's the Summer Shandy.

As my grandpa would say, Skol! 

del Alma

Last night (September 24, 2010) saw the "soft" opening of del Alma, the successor to Loca Luna. With the departure of Adam Kekahuna, the restaurant has acquired a new chef, Mitchel Rosenbaum, formerly of La Mesa Grill in Las Vegas.

The cuisine is now a more traditional Latin one, which is probably for the best; I suspect that Kekahuna's "Pacific Rim/Latin Fusion" style was just a little too "out there" for Corvallis.

The wine list offers a good selection of whites, most moderately priced. The selection of reds may be a bit too heavy with Oregon Pinot Noir and is deficient in moderately priced Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet/Merlot blends. From Washington's Columbia Valley there is Little Bear Creek's Cabernet/Merlot blend for $32, but the other four wines of this type range in price from $63 to $96. There are plenty of good lower priced Cabernets out there, such as 2007 Louis Martini Sonoma County, 2006 Robert Mondavi Estate, and 2006 BV Rutherford, and with three beef and one lamb entree on the menu, the folks at del Alma should consider adding these or comparable wines.

We selected a moderately priced ($28) Tempranillo, the 2000 Anciano. This was a bright, fruity wine with more body than a Pinot Noir, and it worked well with our entrees (beef and lamb), though a Cabernet would have been better.

After being seated, we were brought bread with three dipping sauces. The bread, baked on the premises, was excellent, crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. The three dips were a olives/mushroom chutney sort of thing, a puree of yellow bell pepper and garlic, and a seasoned bean puree. All were good.

Appetizers are found under the Tapas section of the menu. I ordered the Dungeness Crab, Shrimp, and Spinach Empanada ($8; see photo above). My first bite was of the Empanada alone and the pastry seemed a little dry, but I discovered that adding a bit of the salsa to the fork resulted in a perfect balance, with a delightful combination of flavors. Kathy ordered the Florres Relleno de la Calabaza ($10), this being a fried squash blossom stuffed with Dungeness crab, peppers and cheese. This was likewise excellent.

The menu lists three salads and two soups. We didn't try any of these; perhaps on a future visit.

The entrees range in price from $16 to $29. There is only one vegetarian item, the El Bosque, a mushroom ragout, and the restaurant should consider adding at least one more so that vegetarian customers don't have to order the same thing every time.

Kathy's entree was the Borrego Borracho "Drunken Lamb" ($24), this being a braised shank served with tequila soaked apricots and vanilla whipped sweet potatoes. The apricots turned out to be few and far between, too few for the "drunken" description to apply to the entire dish, and the lamb was served medium rather than the medium-rare that Kathy had ordered. Nevertheless it was tender and flavorful, and the potatoes were creamy and subtly flavored.

I ordered the Beef Short Ribs ($24; see photo). These were excellent, moist and tender, with a distinctive "roast beef" flavor, but something went wrong with the accompanying wild mushroom tamale, because the contents were dry, powdery and unpalatable. Fortunately Kathy's serving of potatoes was a generous one and I took a small helping of those.

For dessert Kathy ordered the Classic Flan ($8), which was supposed to be served with almond cookies and whipped cream but instead came with slices of papaya. Nonetheless, it was very good. I had the cheesecake ($8), which was perfect in texture and flavor.

Except for the powdery mushrooms in the tamale and, on Kathy's entree, the scarcity of drunken apricots and the slightly overcooked meat, (all of which can hopefully be chalked up to opening night issues), it was an excellent meal. Del Alma is off to a good start, and will hopefully only get better.

Del Alama Website

Corvallis Brewpubs - Conclusions

Having visited and reviewed all four brewpubs here in Corvallis, I think I've reached some conclusions about their respective strengths and weaknesses. Here they are:

Old World Deli/Oregon Trail Brewing
Ambience: Acceptable, but the industrial chic motif is just too weird
Service: Non-existent
Food: Acceptable
Premise-brewed beer: Acceptable

McMennamins on Monroe
Ambience: Very good, striking interior and surprisingly quiet even when at/near capacity
Service: Good
Food: Not Acceptable
Premise-brewed beer: Acceptable

Block 15
Ambience: Good when at half-capacity, TOO LOUD when full
Service: Good
Food: Good
Premise-brewed beer: Very Good to Excellent

Flat Tail Brewing
Ambience: Good when at half-capacity, a bit loud when full (also the music can be turned up too high)
Service: Good
Food: Good
Premise-brewed beer: Acceptable

It doesn't take a statistical analysis to determine that Block 15 is the winner here, and it's certainly my personal choice. I just wish they could do something about the sound level.

Flat Tail Brewing

Our series of Corvallis brewpub reviews completes with this one for Flat Tail Brewing. Located on First Street at the old Fox and Firkin location, the interior has been considerably spruced up since its F & F days (the bathrooms are much nicer). The walls are painted a muted blue and the wainscoting dark reddish-brown, an interior that, on its own, would seen more appropriate to a more formal restaurant. The large number of historical OSU sports photographs and flat panel televisions thus seem an afterthought, a sports bar overlay onto a room that was meant to be something else.

The interior is acoustically live, and when the place is at (or near) capacity it can be loud. Most of our visits have been when it’s not full, and then it’s fairly pleasant. During our most recent visit (late August of 2010) the music was too loud, but the weather was nice so we sat outside (one can only hope that management would have respected a request to turn down the volume had we decided to stay inside).

We’ve always been pleased with the service, although I’ve heard some negative reports from others. On our most recent visit our server was reasonably attentive and prompt.

We’ve also been happy with the food there. On a previous visit I’d had the St. Louis style “Brew BQ” ribs. These are good, but not impressive to someone raised in the Deep South (and no better than the ribs at the Corvallis Ruby Tuesday). The burgers are good too. On our most recent visit our party of five ordered just appetizers. The fried oysters were excellent, and the fried onion rings and “Brew Skins” (fried potato skins with shredded beef and sour cream) were both good. The Hummus Plate featured fresh veggies and tasty flatbread. Overall, I’d say the quality of the food is a half-step ahead of Block 15.

The same cannot be said of the beer brewed on the premises. Eight different varieties are available, ranging from a Pilsner to a Stout. You can try all eight with a sampler “paddle”, but be forewarned that if the bartender is sloppy with this, then many of the small glasses will be sitting in a pool of beer, and you’re going to drip a lot of that onto your lap. The beers themselves are competent, but neither complex nor compelling, and many have a slightly sour character that is likely due to the strain of yeast used for their brewing.

Also available are “Guest Tap” beers from other producers, these being Calapooia, Oregon Trail, Oakshire and Ninkasi. I’ve only tried a couple from the first (which were okay but not memorable), am not impressed by any from the second except for the Ginseng Porter, have tried none from the third, but have been impressed with everything I’ve tried from Ninkasi. The next time I’m at Flat Tail I expect I’ll order that, assuming it’s available.

If Flat Tail wants to be the preeminent Corvallis brewpub they need to improve their beers and provide some sound absorbing techniques in the dining area (and turn down the music, please).

Flat Tail website.

Maker's 46

As those of who've read my Guide to Bourbon know, most Bourbon distillers produce a range of products, using different recipes and bottling these at different ages and proofs. The one exception is Maker's Mark who has been bottling only one product since 1959, that being their six-year-old, 90 proof, "wheat recipe" Bourbon.

It's a controversial whiskey among the Bourbon cognoscenti, not because it's bad (it isn't; most would give it a B+) but because it has a market share considerably larger than one might expect for a Bourbon that's merely very good. It achieved this position via brilliantly successful marketing plus aggressive legal action intended to protect its trademarks (most notably the dripping red wax which seals every bottle of MM). Among those who adhere to the principle the race should go to the swiftest there's a feeling that market share should be based on the merits of your product and not on the skill of your marketing and legal departments. Although this is an admittedly naive view, it's one that's been frequently expressed in online bourbon forums.

Whether in response to these mutterings or, more likely, to provide existing MM drinkers with an up market option, last year the company decided to look at ways to produce something a little more distinctive. The traditional approach would simply be to age it longer (for example, 10 to 23 year old wheat recipe bourbons are sold by Weller, Van Winkle and Old Fitzgerald), but the company wanted to get something to market a lot sooner than that. Basically, they wanted a short cut.

So MM went to their barrel supplier, Independent Stave, and asked for their advice. I'm sure the folks at IS were aware of a little device known as an infusion spiral, but because that was invented by a rival barrel company, The Barrel Mill, they weren't about to use that. Instead they came up with a rather labor-intensive procedure of draining the whiskey from the barrel, removing the barrel head, drilling shallow holes into the sides of the barrel, stringing staves of toasted French oak onto dowels, fixing the stave/dowel assembly into the holes, replacing the head, and refilling the barrel with the whiskey. The bourbon then spends another three months in the barrel before bottling. They tried dozens of different combinations of stave characteristics (number of staves, level of toast) and aging periods and the one they like the most was #46, and this is the basis for the whiskey's name, Maker's 46.

So how is it? Well, it's definitely better than regular Maker's Mark. It's got the signature MM caramel and vanilla, and adds a hint of cinnamon. You can pick up a little extra oak, but unfortunately there's a bit of oak tannin on the finish, rather like an insufficiently aged big Cabernet. I give it an A-, and get validation from Malt Advocate editor John Hansell, who gave it a 90 in his review.

Is it worth the $35.95 that it costs here in Oregon? In my opinion, no. For $31.50 you can get twelve year old Very Special Old Fitzgerald, a wheat recipe bourbon that is considerably more complex and refined. The hot-rodders like to say, "There's no substitute for cubic inches," and I think a similar principle applies to whiskey: there's no substitute for barrel time.

Of course, there are many people who make their choices on the basis of brand loyalty, and for long-time drinkers of Maker's Mark, the new 46 offers something special for those special occasions. To you I say, enjoy.

Willamette Whiskey Society

Inspired by my friend Steve's success with his Tallahassee Whiskey Society, I'm thinking about doing something similar here.

The TWS meets once a month (first Tuesday) at a local bar or restaurant, reserving a table large enough to accomodate twelve people. Each session is devoted to whiskey of a particular type (Single Malt Scotch, Bourbon, etc). The Society Coordinator (that would be Steve in TLH and me here) provides a "starter" flight of three whiskies; cost to partake of that is $10 (payable to the coordinator, who bought them). Additionally, participants are encouraged to bring a bottle of something in the same category, the rule being that it isn't one that's available at the bar in which the session is taking place. Any food that's consumed is ordered off the establishment's menu.

A more formal alternative would be to reserve a room (say the banquet room at Loca Luna) and have the Society provide the full flight of whiskeys (probably five or six). Small servings of complementary foods would be served. This would be more expensive (likely upwards of $50 per person) because the Society would have to pay for the room, the whiskey and the food.

So if you're interested, drop me a line (E-Mail address available via my Profile page) and let me know which of the two alternatives you prefer.

Cheers!

Block 15

Block 15 is the third establishment to be reviewed in our series on Corvallis Brewpubs. Though having been in business for slightly more than two years, they’ve developed a strong following, and unless you arrive at an off time (say, 2:30pm on a weekday) there’s a good chance you’ll be waiting for a table.

The décor is what I’d call “rustic-modern”. It’s clean and you can tell that it’s a relatively new establishment, unlike some of the other local taverns which are, frankly, a little beat up. Unfortunately, scant effort has been devoted to sound absorption, and it can be quite loud when it’s busy. The serving staff is young and many of them sport piercings and have done interesting things with their hair, but I’ve found them to be friendly and fairly prompt (although some customers have reported problems when the place is at or near capacity).

This is not an establishment that aspires to provide haut cuisine, and the menu reflects that. There are sandwiches, burgers and similar fare. We’ve been there on a number of occasions and two of the appetizers I’ve enjoyed are the Magic Mushrooms, these being cooked mushroom caps stuffed with cheese and a small amount of sausage, and the Hog Wings, pork riblets with the bone protruding far enough to make consuming them a less messy affair than, say, eating chicken wings (I recommend you order them with the sauce on the side).

We’ve been generally pleased with the entrees we’ve ordered, the sole exception being a meatball sandwich that contained far too much dried oregano. The French fries have consistently hit the sweet spot between too oily and too dry.

Of course, the main draw at Block 15 is the beer brewed on the premises. The standard offerings include the Glo Golden Ale, which is light colored, not too malty or hoppy, with a hint of butterscotch on the nose, and it’s a good choice for those who prefer typical American lagers. The Ridgeback Red is darker, with a slight orange peel aroma, and sweet, flavorful malts providing enough character to balance the hops. The Alpha IPA is very nice, with a strong citrus and herbal nose, a good malt presence on the palate and a mildly bitter finish, and is my personal favorite, though I admit to a fondness for IPAs (like me, they are full-bodied and bitter). Their most popular beer is the Aboriginale, which takes a middle path in color, malt and hops, but still has enough character to be interesting. The Printmaster Pale Ale, flavored with Amarillo hops, is intensely hoppy, with a strong citrus and pine nose, slightly astringent on the palate and offering a very crisp finish. Finally they have the Nebula Oatmeal Stout which, like most of its genre, has distinct notes of chocolate and, being a stout (as opposed to a porter) enough hops so that you can feel confident that you’re drinking a beer and not a chocolate flavored soft drink (I admit I’m not fond of stouts and porters, which, unlike me, are rich and sweet).

I’ve also tried the root beer, which is not particularly carbonated but has a much stronger sassafras aroma and flavor than anything you’re going to get out of a bottle.

In addition to the year-round beer offerings, at any given time there are about a half-dozen seasonal brews. These vary widely in style, ranging from light wheat beers to double stouts. Some have been memorable, and some not.

The one constant is that all the brews are well-crafted products, and reflect owner Nick Arzner’s passion for brewing. The food is merely good (better than you’ll get at Old World Deli/Oregon Trail Brewing or McMenamins), but the beer is excellent (far better than what you’ll get at OWD/OTB or McMenamins).

In short, at Block 15, it’s about the beer.

Block 15 web site.

McMenamins on Monroe

The second in my series of Corvallis brewpub reviews is devoted to McMenanmins on Monroe. Located next to the OSU campus, at 2001 NW Monroe street, it caters to a mostly college crowd and for this reason Kathy didn’t see much point in trying it. Nonetheless it is a brewpub and if this series is to be comprehensive then I have to include it. Last week Kathy went camping with her friend Barbara, so I invited Barbara’s husband Mike to join me there.

We arrived at 7pm, an hour after the end of Happy Hour (3-6pm). It was still close to capacity and we had to go up to the second floor to find an unoccupied and clean table. It’s a voluminous place, with a large ground floor and a second floor about half the area as the ground floor. The second floor is open on its south side, balcony style, stopping well short of the street-facing window wall. The east wall features a large example of pop art, a “tree” of pipe work with the branches topped by bathroom sinks.

The noise level was surprisingly low. Much of the floor area is carpeted, and the high ceiling helps as well.

Our server was a pleasant young woman named Kaitlin, and she was consistently attentive during our visit, so I’ve no complaints about the service.

To drink, I ordered the “Brewery Taster”, this consisting of five regular offerings (“Hammerhead” pale ale, IPA, “Ruby” raspberry ale, porter and “Terminator” stout) and one seasonal (“Copper Moon” ale). These arrived after five minutes or so, and I tried the “Ruby” first. This was a little cloudy, with a slight pink/orange cast. There is a distinct raspberry nose, with a little yeast. The raspberry is less pronounced on the palate, and that, with the low hop level, give it a slightly sweet character. The mouthfeel is thin and the finish short. The “Hammerhead” was also a little cloudy, had a subtle nose of floral hops and caramel, and was only lightly hoppy on the palate. Again, it seemed a bit thin and watery. I had higher expectations for the IPA, but this turned out to be not all that different from the Hammerhead, and did not have the extra hops that I expect in an IPA. The porter was a typical example of its type, with distinct chocolate and coffee aromas and flavors, while the “Terminator” stout did not have the extra bitterness I expected, with the coffee notes being more pronounced than the chocolate. The “Copper Moon” had a citrusy nose, was not particularly hoppy, and had a light body that gave it a refreshing character.

Overall, I was not impressed with the quality of the beers. All seemed watery and short on hops. This seemed odd, because I’d had the IPA on a number of occasions at the other Corvallis McMenamins (the one on Harrison) and remember it being better.

The menu lists mostly burgers, sandwiches and pizza. Not being in the mood for any of these, I ordered the grilled wild salmon. Mike ordered the ale-battered fish & chips. These arrived after about ten minutes. The salmon was dry and tough, and the rice that accompanied it was dry, gummy and inedible. The braised greens, on the other hand, were fresh, not overcooked or bitter. Mike’s fish was okay, not over or undercooked, and his fries were only slightly greasy.

For dessert I had the black and tan brownie. Served warm, with ice cream, this was pretty good, the chocolate being quite rich.

In addition to beer, McMenamins has their own line of wine and spirits. I haven’t tried many of these, but if memory serves, the Black Rabbit Red and the Syrah are both decent. I’ve also had the brandy, and it’s not bad either.

I decided to follow up on the beers, visiting www.beeradvocate.com to get some other’s perspectives. I found a lot of variability in both the descriptions and ratings of the various McMenamins brews, to the degree that I found myself wondering are we all talking about the same beers here?

The thing is, the McMenamins beers are brewed in dozens of different locations around Oregon and Washington and there are bound to be variations. Different fermenters and the varying skill and professionalism of the individual brewers are going to result in variability in the beer. Based on the reports I read, most of the McMenamins brewpubs are producing better stuff than the local one. I don’t know why this is the case, but perhaps it’s the mostly college student clientele, of whom the brewpub management may believe has not been drinking beer long enough to know the difference.

McMenamins on Monroe website.

California Olive Oil

The first article posted to The Corvallis Epicurean described our experience with a California olive oil, the organic extra virgin oil from B R Cohn. My motivation for trying this was due to reading an article which revealed that a lot of imported olive oil, particularly those bottled in Italy, may not even be olive oil.

We were quite pleased with the B R Cohn, and have gone through a couple of bottles of it, but at $15 for a 375ml bottle (equivalent to $40 per liter), it's a bit pricey.

Since posting that article I've been making an effort to educate myself on the subject. Here's a few key points:

• With olive oil, the fresher the better. Both the flavor and antioxidant value are at their peak within the first six months of harvest/pressing. Less than a year old is still good, but over the course of the second year the oil will degrade significantly.
• Because of their lower acidity, extra-virgin oils tend to last a little longer.
• The enemies of olive oil are light, heat and air. It should be in bottles of opaque or colored glass (brown is better than green) or metal. Once you get it home store it in your refrigerator; it will turn cloudy but will revert to clear after reaching room temperature. After opening a bottle, try to finish it within two months.
• If you want to buy imported oil, look for estate bottlings. These should have the harvest date printed somewhere on the label. Estate oils, however, may cost more than you want to spend on an everyday oil.

With the estate bottled imported oils, you may find that many of them are too old; it takes a long time for them to find their way to the store shelf, and they may have spent time in a warm ship's hold or hot warehouse.

Which leads us back to California oil. If you still aren't convinced, I'll offer two more reasons:

For the conservatives: You want to keep your money in the USA, don't you? Purchase products made in the USA, by companies operating in the USA, employing workers who are citizens of the USA? (I'm sure at least some of them are).

For the liberals: You want to buy local, don't you? Minimize the carbon footprint and all that, right? Well, California is as local as you're going to get, given that efforts to produce olive oil in Oregon have not been spectacularly successful.

Although a relatively young industry, California oil producers are characterized by that same competitive spirit that drove American winemakers and beer brewers to create products that are the peer of the best imports. Oils from Apollo, Pasolivo, Stella Cadente and California Olive Ranch have more than held their own against imported estate oils in international competitions. This last mentioned company is the biggest domestic producer, and in addition to their gourmet bottlings (such as the Arbequina that was the top pick in a comparison published in the September issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine), they offer an "everyday" oil priced at $10.49/500ml (which is $20.98 per liter).

Another good everyday oil is made by Bariani, a family-owned company whose certified organic oil is made using traditional methods. It's a little cloudy, being unfiltered, but appearance is, after all, less important than aroma and flavor.

Armed with all this new knowledge, last week I dropped by First Alternative Food Coop (the one on SW 3rd) to see if they might have any of these. At first glance things seemed promising; they had several different California oils, including the highly regarded Apollo. Unfortunately, closer inspection revealed that nearly all of them were from the 2008 harvest or earlier, meaning they were way past their prime.

There was one exception, that being a good supply of Bariani, all of it being from the 2009 harvest (there was a single liter bottle from 2008). The 500ml bottles were priced at $12.39 and the liter bottles at $22.99. I bought one of the 500ml bottles, and we tried it when I got home. Although lacking the intense olive character of the B R Cohn, it was nevertheless very fresh and clean, and we'll be using it as our everyday oil.

Fortunately all of these producers sell direct (via their web sites), and we plan to order some soon (before the weather turns hot). I expect we'll start with the Apollo "Mistral" and the California Olive Ranch "Arbequina". As soon as those come in you can be sure I'll post our impressions here.

Glenmorangie Original 10yo Single Malt Scotch

I thought I'd post a feature on this whisky, because this month the OLCC has it on special, marked down from its usual $39.95 to $37.95. At either price it's a good buy, being only a few dollars more than premium Scotch blends such as Johnnie Walker Black Label (normally $37.95 but this month $33.95) or Chivas Regal (normally $34.95 but this month $29.95). Those few extra dollars get you a significantly better whisky.

It's a longtime favorite of mine, one I like to share (gave a bottle of it to my daughter's BF for Christmas). I feel it's a good choice for someone who's never tried a SMS (Single Malt Scotch), being only moderately peaty (an unpeated one like Glengoyne would be unrepresentative of most SMS, while a peat monster like Laphroaig might scare them away for good). The nose offers floral aromas, along with spicy oak, and the palate is treated to caramel, honey, vanilla, oak and just enough peat that you know you're drinking Scotch, not Irish. The finish is long and sweet.

Don't take just my word for it. John Hansell, editor of The Malt Advocate magazine, gives it a score of 93 and Jim Murray, author of The Whisky Bible, gives it a 94. The significance of this is that these two frequently disagree, partly because Murray favors younger whiskies and Hansell older ones.

The "Original" bottling is of whisky aged exclusively in ex-Bourbon barrels, and thus avoids the problem that often afflicts SMS wholly or partly aged in ex-Sherry barrels, which is taint from too much sulfur (the Spanish Sherry producers treat barrels with this prior to shipping them to Scotland, the intent being to inhibit mildew). It's thus a very reliable whisky, and there's no need to be up-to-speed on batch characteristics, as is the case with some sherried malts such as Aberlour a'bunadh.

If $38 still seems like a lot for a bottle of whisky, consider that a year ago this went for $52. The economy has put a big dent in the sale of high-end liquor, and prices have been coming down. If you're driving down to California soon, you'll discover you can get it for even less there, as low as $35 (BevMo).

In  fact, the only SMS that I've had that I thought was noticeably better is Highland Park 18yo, and that goes for $92. That amount of money will get you two bottles of the Glenmorangie Original, plus $16 in change.

Sybaris

We've dined at Sybaris in Albany a number of times since late 2007 and have always enjoyed the experience. Our most recent visit was this last Friday, May 28.

Located at 442 1st Avenue NW, it’s easily reached from Corvallis via Highway 20 (cross the bridge, turn right, down three blocks on the left). The décor is semi-formal, and the dining room features a wood burning fireplace (we were lucky and got a table adjacent to it). Although the dining area is acoustically live (brick walls, painted concrete floor), the low density of tables limits the number of patrons and this, combined with a high ceiling covered with acoustic tiles, keeps the volume down to a pleasant level, making it a good choice for a romantic outing. The ceiling is painted black, and small embedded spotlights are arranged to match well-known constellations.

The wine list has grown considerably over the last several years, and now lists 15 whites and 37 reds, many of which are moderately priced selections. Oregon wineries are well represented, and the 2006 Territorial Pinot Gris ($21) caught my eye. Having had the 2008 version on several occasions lately this provided an opportunity to confirm my belief that the 2008, though good, is not as good as the 2006, so we ordered a bottle. The good news is that I was right; the bad news is that I know of no place where one can still buy the 2006.

Bread arrived right away, served with butter actually soft enough to spread (thus avoiding one of the most common restaurant sins). There wasn’t enough for the amount of bread served, so we had to request more.

Entrées are changed monthly and are generally reasonably priced (only one exceeded twenty five dollars).

For starters, I ordered the queso fundido and Kathy the cream of asparagus soup with dungeness crab (each was $8). These arrived after about 7-8 minutes. Kathy's soup was excellent and artfully presented, with a mound of crab at the center and the soup poured in from a small teapot by our server. The tortilla chips that came with my order were warm and crisp and obviously freshly fried. I asked about this and was told that these came from a Salem supplier, delivered to the restaurant uncooked and fried there prior to serving. Unfortunately the queso fundido had been overcooked, the cheese having separated out into hard, inedible globs immersed in oil, and I had to send it back.

This was an interesting contrast to the queso fundido at Loca Luna, which uses several varieties of cheese and includes bits of chorizo sausage but which is served with chips fresh only from the bag. In an ideal world one could get Loca Luna queso fundido served with the Sybaris chips. Oh well.

Although we skipped salad on this occasion we've been pleased with the salads on previous visits.

For our main courses, Kathy ordered the pulled smoked duck on asparagus fried barley and I the asparagus-dungeness crab ravioli with a sauté of crab and asparagus. These arrived after 20 minutes. Kathy's duck was served warm, was very flavorful, and was a generous helping (being the entire duck). Wanting to save room for dessert we requested a box for what she didn't finish (unfortunately we experienced a senior moment at departure and left it behind). Likewise my ravioli dish was served adequately warm but was a little bland, so I accepted our server's offer of fresh ground pepper. The raviolis themselves were mostly flat pasta with a tiny pocket of crabmeat, and I ended up cutting them into strips and treating them like noodles. Fortunately there was a generous pile of crabmeat at the center of the dish, mixed with fresh asparagus and topped with crisp, tasty strands of fried carrots.

Being in a chocolate mood, for dessert we ordered the hazelnut chocolate cake and the chocolate lava cake, the latter served with a small dish of salted gelato. Both cakes were excellent (the former being a classic example of death-by-chocolate) but the gelato was way too salty.

Service was good, though not as attentive as it might have been. There were two servers for about ten occupied tables, several of which had parties of four.

Our bill came to $79. They left off the queso fundido (which they needed to do) and the lava cake (which they did not need to do, because it was fine without the accompaniment of the salty gelato).

All in all, it was another enjoyable visit to one of our favorite restaurants, and as usual we told ourselves that we should get over there more often. Albany may be ten miles from Corvallis, but we remind ourselves that in Tallahassee it was ten miles to the other side of town.

Sybaris web site.

High Pass Winery

We first visited High Pass Winery in the late spring of 2009. Their wines impressed us, particularly the whites and the 2008 Rosé of Pinot Noir (one of the two best we’ve ever had) and we left with a mixed case, including four bottles of the Rosé. I should have bought more, because it was all sold by the time I returned in August.

High Pass is the creation of Dieter Boehm, who escaped from East Germany in the early 1980s and found his way to Oregon. He started his vineyard in 1985 and spent ten years selling grapes to other area wineries before his own winery became operational in 1995.

In addition to the typical varieties found in most Oregon vineyards, Boehm has planted a couple of unusual German grapes, Huxelrebe and Scheurebe. Both were created by German viticulturalist Georg Scheu in the early 20th century. Huxelrebe is a crossing of Chasselas and Muscat, while Scheurebe is a crossing of Riesling and a now unknown wild grape.

Our most recent visit was on May 22, 2010. Eight wines were available for tasting, poured by a friendly, personable hostess named Carolyn. We were keen to try the 2009 Rosé of Pinot Noir ($10), so she poured this one first. It had aromas of melon and strawberry and good acid balance, but was not quite as fruity as the previous year’s vintage. Despite this, it’s the best 2009 Oregon/Washington Rosé I’ve sampled to date, the others being the Territorial, Syncline and Evesham Wood, and sweetens the deal by costing less than any of these ($13, $15.95 and $13.50 respectively).

Next was the 2008 Riesling ($12). A crisp, balanced wine, it has a typical Riesling nose of flowers, honey and a hint of diesel fuel. This last shows up in a lot of Rieslings (the 2008 Territorial has it as well), and is not considered a flaw by many Riesling fans (from the Wikipedia article on Riesling: “While an integral part of the aroma profile of mature Riesling and sought after by many experienced drinkers, it may be off-putting to those unaccustomed to it…”). I will admit that it’s something to which I’ve never been able to embrace, but that’s just me.

The 2008 Pinot Gris ($13) features peach and apple aromas and a tangy presence on the palate. The 2008 Scheurebe ($14) has a Riesling like nose, adding a bit of melon and subtracting the diesel fuel, and is likewise a crisp, refreshing wine.

We next sampled a trio of Pinot Noir bottlings. The 2006 Zauberberg Vineyard ($30; Boehm’s own vineyard) is a big wine with a black cherry nose, medium-full body, good acid balance and peppery tannins on the finish. The 2005 Walnut Ridge ($19) had a nose of red cherry and red licorice and a polished mouth feel. The 2003 Walnut Ridge ($15) was similar, with a somewhat more intense nose and richer body. Both are good choices for current drinking and are outstanding values.

Last but not least was the 2003 Late Harvest Scheurebe ($20 for a 375ml bottle). Made in the style of a German beerenauslese, this sweet, rich dessert wine is redolent with aromas and flavors of honey, currant and grapefruit (no longer available is the equally interesting 2003 Late Harvest Huxelrebe).

Not available last weekend was the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, a new varietal for High Pass. This will be introduced Memorial Day weekend, and we’re hoping to find time to go down and try it.

The winery’s web site offers directions for reaching it, but coming from Corvallis I think it's better to choose Territorial Highway (rather than 99W) at the fork in Monroe. Continue south for several miles, then right (West) on High Pass Road. After several miles take note of Lavell Road forking to the right, but stay on High Pass. After another mile Lavell rejoins High Pass and immediately off that junction (like, a dozen yards), on Lavell, is the entrance to the winery (the Google map at the winery web site places the winery several hundred yards up Lavell, which is incorrect).