My Oregon Craft Beer Month: Over

Well, the numbers below are what I have to show at the end of my Oregon craft beer month. Impressive? Nah. Fun? Hell yes!

Number of beers consumed: 47
Number of Breweries: 21
Weight Gain Loss: 5 pounds
Blog Posts: 31
Sunburns: 1
Lessons learned: Too many to count

My last beer of the month will be Black Butte XXI from Deschutes, bringing my beer total to 48 and the brewery number to 22. I’d like to thank everyone who followed the endeavor. To those who are relived that they’ll never have to see the beer month headline on the blog again: thanks for putting up with it, your scroll bar deserves a rest. Try not to celebrate to loudly.

You will find my all time Oregon Craft Beer Month favorites, a few kind words, a few reflections on the last month, and a full list of what I tasted… After the jump!

Whew, I’m looking forward to a cocktail. In some ways I’m relieved that I wont have to worry about drinking a unique beer everyday. Also, it will be nice not writing a blog post at 9 pm on a Sunday night.

It’s been strange that my buzz has come only from beer for the last 31 days. Interestingly, I’ve been drinking less this month than I normally do. It’s hard to binge when you’re trying to tease out the illusive flavor of banana in your beer. And that’s the take-home lesson for the kids: thoughtful drinking is safe drinking.

But I think it’s official, reserving my liver for the sweet elixir of Oregon beer has turned me into a beer guy. Well, at least way more of a beer guy than I was before. At the same time, my ability to drink the cheap macros may have been forever ruined. I’m a bit fearful to find out, but secretly elated at the same time.

This month I’ve learned that this state has some amazingly creative brewers. These people are artists of the palate, as much as any chef or vintner. They and their product deserve way more credit than it gets. Beer should be on your dinner table as often as it’s on the couch during the ball game, or at the pub during social hour. You can tell me you don’t like beer. I’ll tell you that it’s not that you don’t like beer, it’s just that you haven’t found a beer you like. Drink more and drink more variety. There is a world of craft beer out there just waiting for you.

Here is my top five from the month:

Heater Allen, Pils
Fort George, Vortex IPA
Hair of the Dog, Fred
Golden Valley, Geist Bock
Hopworks, Seven Grain Survival Stout

Thanks again to everyone who commented and made suggestions. You’ve been a huge help. Thanks especially to Lisa Morrison and the Oregon Brewers Guild. Here’s to Oregon Beers! Cheers!

The Full List:

Alameda, Festivale
Alameda, Klickitat
Amnesia, Desolation IPA
Bridgeport, IPA
Bridgeport, Haymaker
Bridgeport, Stumptown Tart
Caldera, Ashland Amber
Cascade Lakes, IPA
Cascade Lakes, Blond Bombshell
Cascade Lakes, Pine Marten
Cascade Lakes, Paulina Lake Pilsner
Collaborator, Saison
Double Mountain, Bohemian Pilsner
Double Mountain, Devil’s Kriek
Hair of the Dog, Fred
Heater Allen, Pils
Fort George, Divinity
Fort George, Spruce
Fort George, Vortex IPA
Fort George, Illuminator Dopplebock
Full Sail, Old Boardhead
Full Sail, Amber
Full Sail, LTD
Full Sail, Grandsun of Spot (through Randal)
Golden Valley, French Prairie
Golden Valley, Red Thistle Ale
Golden Valley, Geist Bock
Hopworks, DOA
Hopworks, Crosstown Pale
Hopworks, Organic Secession Cascadian Dark Ale
Hopworks, Seven Grain Survival Stout
Laurelwood, Free Range Red
Lompoc, Centennial IPA
Max’s Fanno Creek, Nit Wit
Ninkasi, Radiant
Ninkasi, Oatis
Ninkasi, Believer
Oakshire, Wheat
Rock Bottom, Eat a Bale o’ Hops
Rogue, Helles
Rogue, Dead Guy
Vertigo, Razz Wheat
Widmer, Hef
Widmer, Drop Top
Widmer, KGB
Widmer, Drifter
Upright, #7