More Old Jubelale

Last month I wrote about a 2008-2010 mini-vertical of Deschutes Jubelale.  I had found the 2008 to be starting to show signs of age, though the oxidation wasn't totally unpleasant.

A couple weeks later I got around to cracking a 2005, 2007, and a 2009 when some friends were over for dinner.  Bucking the trend, the 2005 was the clear taste favorite -- absolutely beautiful.  None of the papery oxidation notes, still nicely carbonated, and full of winter-warmer flavor.  The 2007 was not as flavorful, but probably a little nicer than the 2008.  So maybe this wacky Jubelale aging experiment is worthwhile afterall.

Now, the Jubel 2000 that came out on Thursday at the Holiday Ale Fest had lost all of its oomph.  On the one hand, you never expect the best from a 10-year-old beer; on the other hand, I thought this was a double-batch Super Jubel like the Jubel 2010 that came out early this year, and I would have expected some flavor to survive.  There wasn't even really much alcohol apparent.

Wallace and I were commiserating about the decrepit Jubel 2000 at the fest, and he mentioned that a friend of his also cellars Jubelale and had found that one year's stood out above the others -- by his recollection it was the 2004, but when I told him my bottles of 2004 were undrinkable after a single year, he thought it might have been the 2005 or 2003.  I suspect the 2005, since the bottle we had the other night was so good, but if any of you out there have a tasty 2004, I'd like to hear about it.  Maybe I just have a bad batch.

3rd Anniversary

Photo Credit: http://www.nobbieneezkids.com/

Today marks the 3rd Anniversary of It's Pub Night!  The first post went up Dec. 3, 2007: a pointer to some scribblings I did on a friend's blog about the Fresh Hop beers of 2007.

The content has been flagging a little in the last few months as I juggle an insane workload in the real world.  I plan to keep on blogging, though I have to say that what I hoped to accomplish with this blog is now being done more completely and better than I ever could by those two heavyweights Angelo and Ezra.  And the strong crop of Portland bloggers that have come along in the last year or so makes it even easier for me to sit back and relax -- the scene is being covered very well without any help from me.

There's no official celebration; just carry on enjoying good beer and good company.  Thanks to my old friend Lee for letting me get a taste of blogging years ago on I Love Beer, and thanks to all you beer people for the good times.

Holiday Ale Festival 2010, Day One

In my Monday preview of Portland's Holiday Ale Festival, my first piece of advice was to bring water, because there hadn't been drinking water or even mug-rinse stations in past years.  This year I noticed a mug rinse counter on my way out of the festival.  It's at the east end of the tent under the exit sign.  I didn't follow my own advice, though, and bought a bottle of water for $1 at the festival.

Water is one thing.  What about beer?  For one thing, the temperature situation is much better than last year -- the beers are not being served ice cold.  Last year's weather was partly to blame, but I think they just got their act together better this year.

I was only at the festival briefly yesterday, and used 2 of my 10 tickets on a taste of Firestone Walker 14 (mmm....).  But I have a couple of recommendations for you from my 8 other tickets (in addition to my earlier beer recommendations):

• Collaborator/Widmer Aegir's Cauldron: Very rich, dark brew with nice notes of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla.  Didn't seem like a Baltic Porter as labeled, but delicious.
• Lagunitas Brown Mashuggana: A "digestif" meme about this beer that apparently Charles started is right on the money.  If a shot of Amaro Averna dropped into a strong Lagunitas barleywine sounds good to you, you'll love it.  Nice herbal flavor, appealingly sweet, nice hop finish.
• Eel River 2009 Climax Noel: This is a big, rich, double red.  It started off strangely medicinal to me, but as it warmed up I really liked it.
• Firestone Walker Barrel-Fermented Porter: Good beer for pacing yourself -- under 6% ABV.  A very flavorful, roasty porter.
• Widmer Black Dynamite:  I only had a sip of Charles' sample, but the lemon and peppercorns really came out in the flavor, without clobbering you.  I'm going to try more on my own dime today.

My two slight disappointments from yesterday were Stone's Smoked Vanilla Porter and Lucky Lab's Pavlov's Imperial Stout.  They were both OK, but not as good as I'd hoped.  Sometimes I love Pavlov's, sometimes it doesn't hit me, though it sure looked beautiful in the mug.  The Stone was also drinkable, but a little tame on any kind of flavor.

Hey, where is Rogue at this festival?  No beer, and they aren't even there with pizza and condoms like they always are.  You can't tell me Buckman Village's Ginger Beer is the best they can do for a big winter beer.

There are two three exciting special tappings today (Thursday the 2nd) that you should not miss:

• Deschutes Jubel 2000: Not Jubelale -- Super Jubel like the Jubel 2010.  Only 10 years older.
• Cascade Sang Noir 2009: My recollection of this from last year is that it was much funkier than this year's version.  I liked it then, but I like the 2010 more than my memory of the 2009.  This years also seems to have more cherry taste.  So it will be interesting to try them side-by-side.
• Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus 2005:  Preston must have been a very good boy in 2005, because he's wheeling out another keg of this massive 14% doppelbock from Austria.  Maybe you remember it from HAF 2008.  It's a stunner.

The special tappings cost 2 tickets for a sample, and they happen at 2 PM in various locations:  check this map.

Have fun and maybe I'll see you there!