Hopellania Archives - Hop Hellion

Top 10 Beers of 2018

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Please note these beers appear in no particular order (i.e. are not ranked) and include beers I drank for the first time in 2018 (they didn’t necessarily have to be released for the first time in 2018). This list was way harder to put together than I thought it would be. After perusing my Untapped check-ins for 2018 I had a list of around 40 excellent beers that I then had to whittle down to this. Hopefully I included some of your favorites. Enjoy!

Barrel Aged Motherland Russian Imperial Stout by Hopworks Urban Brewery: Hopworks is a consistent favorite of mine and this beer is a bourbon barrel aged version of one of their regular seasonals, the Motherland Russian Imperial Stout, which they released in cans for the winter season. It has the rich flavor of the original with the added punch of the bourbon to make it a boozy delight. Even my husband, a noted hater of bourbon, loved this beer.

Best Bitter by Porter Brewing: This entry is indicative of both my love of this beer and my love of this newcomer to the Central Oregon Brewing scene. My love of beer first presented itself in the UK so I have a soft spot for cask beers and Porter Brewing of Redmond, Oregon does cask beers exceedingly well. In fact, I need to make a return visit to try their ESB.

Way Too Fresh (2018) Fresh Hop Imperial IPA by Crux Fermentation Project and Bale Breaker Brewing Company: To put it simply, when I first checked in this beer on Untapped I wrote: “I am in love with this beer.” This excellent seasonal from two wonderful PNW breweries is what all fresh hop beers should aspire to be.

Anything Gold Brut IPA by Three Magnets Brewing Company: Many craft beer drinkers quickly lost enthusiasm for the Brut IPA trend that stormed the craft beer world in 2018, but I was not one of them. I’ve always loved a good dry IPA so this was a trend I couldn’t help but be on on-board with. This led me to drink a lot of Brut IPAs and this one was my favorite. Dry, tart, and smooth-if you haven’t hopped onto this trend yet, this is a good one to try if you can find it.

Seeds of Infinity by ColdFire Brewing: I was already a fan of ColdFire Brewing when I walked into their tap room in Eugene, Oregon but when I tried this Foeder aged Brett Saison I was well and truly hooked (probably because Foeder, Brett, and Saison are all words that grab my attention when they appear on a tap list). I had a glass there and took a bottle home, and it was delicious both times.

Mod Pod IPA by Fremont Brewing: One of the icons of the Seattle craft beer scene, Fremont Brewing consistently makes great beer and their new Mod Pod IPA is no exception. In fact, this beer has quickly become one of my favorite IPAs full stop. If you haven’t tried it, go find some. You won’t regret it.

Vesper by Holy Mountain Brewing: This table beer is light and funky, just as a good table beer should be. I visited Holy Mountain Brewing’s tap room (located in Seattle, WA) for the first time this year and they make a lot of good beers but this low ABV darling is the one I remember the best. Often it is hard to find excellent beer that is low ABV and if nothing else Vesper shows that it is possible, and then some.

Lemon Crush by 10 Barrel Brewing Co.: Okay, story time: I am a member of a craft beer social group called the Central Oregon Beer Angels and one of this year’s events was a sour tasting put on by 10 Barrel Brewing, led by famous sour master Tonya Cornett. During the event we did tastings of the different entries in the brewery’s kettle sour series, Crush, to help them decide which new flavors should go into their Crush variety pack alongside their already popular Raspberry and Cucumber Crush. While they were all pretty tasty the Lemon was my favorite and I obsessed about it for several months until I was able to get it in the variety pack. This beer won’t do it for everybody but it you like a subtle sour, I highly recommend it.

Marryin’ Berries by Ex Novo Brewing: Originally brewed for the assistant brewer’s wedding, this gose with marionberry and raspberry was my favorite beer of the summer. It was just the right combination of sour and fruity and I probably bought more bottles of it than I should have.

Four Devils by Monkless Belgian Ales: Fun fact about me, when I see the phrase ‘Belgian Strong Golden’ on a tap list I tend to order it. When I see those words on the tap list at Monkless Belgian Ales (probably the best brewery in Bend, don’t @ me) you know it is something special. While it is draft only and will probably be hard to find, it is too delicious to not include on this list, so you’ll just have to make the trip to Bend to try it.

Honorable Mentions

Burgundia by Seven Brides Brewing: A delicious Flanders red from Silverton, Oregon’s dearly departed Seven Brides Brewing.

100% Brett Dissident by Deschutes Brewery: I love Deschutes’ Dissident series and this is one of their best. I found it randomly on tap at a restaurant in town and this Flanders Oud Bruin was a delicious surprise.

Total Blackout Fresh Hop CDA by Hopworks Urban Brewery: A fresh hop take on the Cascadian Dark Ale they brewed for the eclipse. An unexpected pairing that was oh so good.

Quality River by Ancestry Brewing Company: This IPL was another great hot weather beer I discovered this year and turned out to be indicative of the quality (hah, see what I did there?) of Ancestry’s overall brewing program.

Sounds Like Summer by Sunriver Brewing Company: Sunriver Brewing is so good at making beer that sometimes it feels like there’s some kind of witchcraft going on. This seasonal summer pale ale was no exception with basil and lime flavors that made it perfect for sultry summer weather.

There you have it, my best beers of 2018. Did I miss any? Any I should try in 2019? Let me know @hophellion on Twitter.

Fri
01 ^st

How to Remove Beer Bottle Labels

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As any craft beer fan knows the art featured on many of the bottles can be really cool and often worthy of display. But what do you do if you don’t want a bunch of empty bottles sitting on flat surfaces around your house? (I have done this and it gets very, very dusty). One thing you can do is remove the labels from the bottle to frame, make into coasters, wear on your head, whatever you want. This is what I decided to do (not the wearing on my head, but the taking the labels off the bottle thing) and below are some instructions so you can do it to.

1.Fill a large pot (I use a stew pot) and fill it two thirds of the way full with warm water.

2. Place the pot on the stove on high heat and heat until it is just shy of boiling (full boil can harm some of the labels).

3. While the water is heating fill bottles about halfway full with warm water, so they will sit on the bottom of the pot instead of floating to the top. I tend to do about three at a time but feel free to do as many as will fit in the pot you are using.

4. Once the water in the pot is just shy of boiling turn off the heat and place the bottles into the pot.

5.Set a timer for 15 minutes and let the bottles sit in the water and have a nice bath.

6.After the 15 minutes is up remove the bottles from the water and place on the counter to cool.

7.Once they have cooled for a few minutes dump the water out of the bottles and dry the outside with a clean cloth.

8.Now comes the tricky part: removing the label. A word of warning, not every label will come off nice and easy. Some will dissolve in the water. Some will tear as soon as you try to pull them off. Some will flop onto the counter as soon as you pull the bottle out of the water. It’s a game of trial and error. For most labels however, the hot water dissolves the glue enough that you should be able to start at the corner of the label, slide your fingernail under it, and gently pull until the label starts to detach from the bottle. It also works well to start detaching the label from both ends and pulling the label off towards the middle. Each bottle and label is its own special snowflake so often you’ll just have to try your best and see how it goes.

9.Once you have detached the label I suggest pasting it (you often won’t need any glue as some of the adhesive that kept the label on the bottle will still be present) on a piece of card stock or other heavy-duty paper. Beer bottle labels are often flimsy and this will give you a sturdier final product to do with what you will.

10.Now comes the fun part where you decide what to do with your newly separated labels. I’m a fan of breaking out the Mod Podge and making a collage but do whatever you want, I’m not your boss. Have fun! Be creative! And if you make anything fun post it on Twitter or Instagram and tag it @hophellion and share with the class.

Till next time-Prost!

Mon
05 ^th

Confessions of a Craft Beer Addict (Welcome!)

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What is this?

Welcome fellow craft beer nerds! My name is Alex and I am self-proclaimed craft beer aficionado. This is a blog for other lovers of craft beer and people who are interested in finding out more about the people and places associated with this industry. Hop Hellion is the result of my desire to tell the stories behind craft beer, why it is important to people and communities, and how these people and places affect the craft beer they produce.

Who am I?

I’m Alex and I’m a craft beer addict. It’s been primarily a personal obsession that’s been going on for about ten years now. I also work in the industry as a business analyst for a startup that does supply chain and sales analytics for craft breweries and wholesalers. I live and work in Bend, Oregon (a craft beer mecca) and when I’m not geeking out about craft beer I can be found writing (my other great passion). I am also an author and you can find out more about that here.

What can you expect?

There are several things you can expect from Hop Hellion. First, you can expect to find stories about the individuals who populate the craft beer industry. You will find the origin stories of brewers, brewery owners, bartenders, reviewers, and the many other people who have devoted their lives to craft beer and find out what it is about this industry that drove them to it in the first place. Second, I will take you with me on visits to places with ties to craft beer. This could be a place that inspired a beer (such as Mirror Pond, the inspiration for Deschutes Brewery’s famous pale ale) or it could be a trip to a specific place where we explore all of the craft beer stories it has to offer. I love travel and I love beer and there are many places in this world where the two intersect in interesting ways. Third, you can expect to see stories about important news and trends in the craft beer industry as well as any other beer related nonsense I feel like writing that day. In addition, I am creating Hop Hellion in the spirit of inclusivity so if you’re looking for beer reviews or waiting for me to judge certain breweries you’re going to be waiting a long time. That’s not my style and I think all aspects of the world of craft beer can teach us something.

Still with me?

Fantastic! I’m excited to have you join me on this adventure to discover the people and places that create and love craft beer. Be sure to follow the blog and you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Untapped. Have suggestion of places and people I should talk to? Let me know on Twitter or through the contact form. Happy reading! Prost!

Tue
30 ^th

My Top 10 Beers of 2017

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2017 was a shitty year in many ways but it was a good year for beer and below I have listed my top ten. Please note, that these are the top beers I drank in 2017, they didn’t necessarily debut in 2017. Also, these do not appear in any particular order (i.e. they are not ranked) and come primarily from the Pacific Northwest since that’s where I live and the beers I have access to.

Matryoshka With Cocoa Nibs & Raspberries by Fort George Brewery (Astoria, OR): This is the dessert beer to end all dessert beers. I have loved Fort George for a long time (their Vortex IPA is a constant contender for my favorite IPA) but this beer is next level. If you love chocolate with raspberry find a bottle of this-you will not be disappointed.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Noggin Floggin by Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland, OR): Bourbon is my favorite liquor and as such I have a serious predilection toward bourbon barrel ages beers. I sampled this one evening in December at Hopworks’ Vancouver location and the beer list described it thusly: “2009 BA Noggin Floggin – Our Organic Noggin Floggin Barleywine Aged For 7 Years In Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels Until Absolute Perfection Was Achieved.” An accurate description indeed. This beer is delicious, perfection even, but it is a lot. It comes in a snifter and I would be very impressed by the person who could drink more than one.

Sun Made Cranberry by Oakshire Brewing (Eugene, OR): Of the northwest breweries who have a Berliner Weisse as one of their core brands, Oakshire’s are my favorites. Their Berliner Weisses are on a seasonal rotation, and last years included Raspberry, Cucumber, Blackberry, and Cranberry varieties. I have enjoyed them all but I am including the Cranberry as it was their fall release and was a nice break from the usual fall seasonal one sees. And it you live in the PNW and see a six pack of Oakshire Sun Made next to 10 Barrel’s Crush, pick the Oakshire.

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Hopellania

Honorable Mentions