ML Interest Tag: ale

Date Night: Autumn Beer Suggestions

by Erin Lem

Autumn sure is packed with fun kids events, but that doesn’t mean you (mom and dad!) have to sit on the sidelines. Nothing screams grown-up fun more than a road trip through the Bay Area to visit some great breweries and taste delicious autumn-themed beers. Our friends at 7×7 have put together fabulous suggestions on places to try tasty brewskies that will make you feel the Fall Spirit in the best way possible. Sit, relax, and drink up…. adults need their treats, too.

Just as seasons vary from one part of the country to another, so do regional seasonal beers. In the east, the local brewpubs are all about pumpkin ales this time of year. On the west coast, we have the succulent orange squash as well, which is the subject of a future blog, but right now it’s the end of our hop harvest season and time to enjoy beer bittered with fresh or “wet” hops. We asked the experts for their tasty suggestions for autumn brews.

Dave McLean, brewmaster and owner of Magnolia and the owner of Alembic Bar, explained the concept of fresh hopped beers. “Hops are very fragile when picked and need to be carefully dried to preserve them for use throughout the year. Fresh hop beers eliminate the drying step and are made using just-picked hops that are taken from field to waiting brew kettle in as short a time as possible, before any degradation might occur. This usually means getting them from the grower to the brewer in less than 48 hours.” He adds, “Since the hops aren’t dried, the flavor profile manifests all of the hops. Essentially, none of the most volatile flavors and aromas are driven off during processing.” Dave notes that Magnolia still has a limited quantity of their wet-hopped beer, High Time Harvest Ale, available, but expects that it, like the season itself, will soon be gone.

To finish this 7×7 article, click here.

Written by Scott Mansfield

This is our weekly guest post from our friends at 7×7, a site that keeps you up on the best of SF. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a fantastic Date Night idea each week. Be sure to check out their blog for hourly doses of the best of SF.

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Date Night: The Best Beers in Seattle

by Erin Lem

It’s easy to fall into a rut of a routine. Dinner at your usual place, your favorite entree, off to an evening movie and then back home. The date night cycle. Thankfully, Seattle Magazine is here to save you from the same old same old with their Best Beers in Seattle roundup. Now you have an excuse to try a new bar, request a new beverage, and be your very own food critic. Or, go hunt some of these down in the 6-pack variety for a lovely autumn beer-tasting afternoon at home. What a fabulous excuse to support local.

Washington brewers produce a wide variety of delicious beers that span virtually all beer styles. Our favorite picks are from the styles that are most common around here and represent a range of beers—light, heavy, low alcohol, high alcohol, etc. For your drinking pleasure, we provide two or three suggested beers: one that is common, one that is less common, and one that is an exceptional representation of the style.

Ales

PALE ALE
Based on a traditional English style, a style of ale that has been commonly brewed in Britain for more than 100 years, pale ale describes a broad spectrum of beers that can be sweet or dry, bitter or floral, or any combination of those characteristics. Pale ales range from 5.0 to 6.0 percent alcohol content and are usually dark gold or copper colored.

Expect to find: Manny’s Pale Ale, Georgetown Brewing
Crisp, clean and smooth, with a hint of citrus and a snappy hop finish

Take it up a notch: Dick’s Pale Ale, Dick’s Brewing
A mild, lightly hopped ale with a touch of residual sweetness

Impress your bartender: Universale Pale Ale, Fremont Brewing
A hop-centered pale ale with herbal qualities and a dry, drinkable finish

IPA
According to legend, brewers in late-18th-century England created a beer specifically to endure the long and tumultuous voyage to India, increasing the alcohol and hop content to help preserve the beer. Modern IPA is strong (6.5 to 7.5 percent alcohol content) and very aggressively hopped, but otherwise has nothing to do with the legend. There is wide variation within this very popular beer style.

Expect to find: Boundary Bay IPA, Boundary Bay Brewing
Balanced floral aromas and citrus overtones

Take it up a notch: Breakaway IPA, American Brewing
A malty IPA with plenty of dry hopped flavor to balance the sweetness

Impress your bartender: Trickster IPA, Black Raven Brewing
A light fruit, citrus and piney hop aroma with a full hop flavor

PORTER
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Porter is a dark, rich and flavorful style of ale that is generally not as strong as it looks. The alcohol content is typically between 5.5 and 6 percent, putting it on par with many beers sporting a much lighter appearance. The use of darker grains, such as roasted barley and chocolate malt, lend porter its intimidating hue.

Expect to find: Profanity Hill Porter, Schooner Exact Brewing
Flavors of chocolate and walnuts, along with subtle fruity notes and a hint of cherry

Take it up a notch: Pacemaker Porter, Flyers Brewing
A robust porter with notes of roasted barley, coffee and bittersweet chocolate

Impress your bartender: Coal Creek Porter, Big Time Brewing
A light, malty porter with a slight sweetness and a higher alcohol content (6 percent)

Check out the rest of Ales (Hefeweizen, Stout, Amber Ale, and Winter Beer), Lagers, and Belgians over at the full article, and mix things up!

This is our weekly guest post from our friends at Seattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.

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Eclectic Family Fun in Portland's Hawthorne District

by writerredtri

The Hawthorne District begins at the Hawthorne Bridge and runs all the way up to Mount Tabor—some 60 blocks. (Most of the action is concentrated between 30th and 42nd.) It’s a jumping off point to several other neighborhoods, like Buckman, Ladd’s Addition and Richmond. But it has a character all on its own. Many people think of Hawthorne as a modern-day Haight Street. It’s definitely a laid-back place with a bohemian vibe—and a street that your family can have fun exploring again and again.

When to go: There’s not a bad time to visit, and there’s always something cool happening including the Hawthorne Street Fair on August 26, 2012 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Scavenger hunt: The Dollar Scholar has got to be the best $1 store anywhere. You’ll find useful things, like a spatula. But you’re here with the kids, so put down the tweezers and check out the great gag gifts: rubber chickens, and oddities like the ooze-filled sticky balls you can throw at walls. And, yes, you may regret that whoopee cushion or fake poo purchase tomorrow, but hey, it’s only $1. You’ll find more rubber chickens at The Monkey King, a Chinese import store that contains a mish-mash of Chinese knick-knacks, art, ceramics and decorations. Pick up a Lucky Cat and then head to The Gold Door to explore an amazing global art collection. You’ll need to supervise the kiddos here, as there are some very nice items, particularly jewelry. But there’s plenty of stuff they’ll love looking at—like Day of the Dead skeleton dolls.

Just for kids: In the heart of Hawthorne, Kids at Heart is a wonderful independent toy store with a wide variety of unique educational and developmental toys here—none of that plastic stuff you can find at the big-box stores. Step outside and a wonderful smell will lead you to the nearby Waffle Window. While this is not a just-for-kids venue, it will bring out the kid in anyone, old or young. Sweet or savory, these waffles are amazing. Try a Ham and Cheese or Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped Waffle any time of day. They even have waffle sundaes with homemade ice cream.

Time to eat: There’s not a shortage of casual restaurants on this street. Get the best fish and chips in PDX at Hawthorne Fish House. It’s casual, and has great service. If you have a dog, the whole family, fur or no, can dine together at the Lucky Labrador Pub. Enjoy sandwiches or bento and handcrafted ale with your pooch on the back patio. Kids + dog + beer = perfect PDX family outing.

Visit a landmark: For generations, the Bagdad Theatre and Pub’s neon sign has made it a Hawthorne District icon. You can eat in the casual pub or kick back in the theater and enjoy a slice of pizza and handcrafted ale during the show. Admission is $3; $1 for 11 and under; free for 2 years and under. You’ll find lots of all-ages events on the calendar.

Run and play: Could there be a park more awesome than Mt. Tabor? It’s built on an extinct volcano. It has wonderful views of Portland. It’s filled with people playing and dogs running. A playground horseshoes, tennis courts, volleyball, and picnic tables—it’s a park lovers dream come true. You’ll find it way up at the tippy top of Hawthorne, around 60th street.

Dress the part: Come as you are, even if that means you’re wearing a superhero outfit. You’ll fit right in. Be sure to wear some comfy walking shoes, because there’s over 50 blocks of fun to explore.

Need to know: Free parking is plentiful on side streets.

Cost of trip: It depends on whether you go with the fake poo at The Dollar Scholar or the blue topaz pendant at The Gold Door. So, it’s really up to you, but you can have a day full of fun and a wonderful lunch for not a lot of cash.

Online: thinkhawthorne.com

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Explore: Washington Park Arboretum

by writerredtri

Seattleites, it’s almost your day (or season) in the sun. The Washington Park Arboretum offers many activities for families to enjoy the great outdoors. Start at the Graham Visitors’ Center where you can pick up a trail map and plan your attack.

Heading south from the visitors’ center, Azalea Way offers easy walking, wandering by two ponds where kids can spy on turtles and count dragonflies. Explore the many trails that branch up the hill and look for a gazebo or exotic maple trees with peeling paper bark. Or, cross the Wilcox Footbridge (pictured) to find a small tot-lot for the kids to climb on.

A delightful Japanese Garden is located at the south end of the park. An entrance fee is required ($5 for adults, kids under 5 are free), but for an extra dollar, you can get a baggie of kibble to drop in the water for the colorful koi to fight over. Lots of turtles and ducks (and amazing plants) here too!

Head north from the visitors’ center to walk by the aptly-named Duck Bay and cross a bridge to Foster Island. Look for the beach logs that have been chewed by beavers, and listen for frogs as you walk along these quiet trails. Then brace yourself for the thrilling—if noisy—walk under the 520 bridge. The trail continues along Marsh Island as a series of boardwalks and floating bridges with canoes paddling under them.  If you can manage to walk quietly, you might spot a heron.

Keep walking and you will reach the Museum of  History and Industry, located beyond the north end of the arboretum. Walk through Seattle history; there is something at MOHI to interest visitors of every age.

For a different adventure, explore this area by canoe or rowboat. Rentals are available at the UW Waterfront Activities Center, where they also provide lifejackets and advice on how to safely cross the boat traffic at Montlake Cut.

Hungry? On the Montlake side of the arboretum, grab sandwich, a snack or a cup of coffee at Fuel, or if you’re ready for dinner, stop at the Montlake Ale House for beer, burgers and a kid-friendly play pit. On the Madison Valley side of the park, walk up to The Essential Baking Company for a fresh and yummy lunch, or treat yourself to ice cream at Scoop du Jour in Madison Park.

—Karen McHegg

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