Announcing the 16th Annual Pacific Northwest Brew Cup: Sept. 22-24

Courtesy of the Pacific Northwest Brew Cup

Astoria is a city known for its outstanding craft beer in a state regarded for craft brewing and stunning scenery. Both will be on full display at the 16^th annual Pacific Northwest Brew Cup taking place Friday, September 22 through Sunday, September 24 on the banks of the Columbia River in downtown Astoria, Oregon.

Beer lovers, music lovers, and food lovers all have a place at the PNW Brew Cup, which features 40 Oregon brewed libations on tap, local food carts, and three days of live music.

Freak Mountain Ramblers will be headlining the music stage on Friday night, with Sassparilla wrapping up Saturday, followed by Benyaro closing the festival on Sunday. The music stage will host 16 bands over the course of the weekend with the Columbia River in the background.

Throughout the weekend, guests will have the chance to chat with brewers as they vie for the coveted “Thar She Blows” prize for the first keg to blow. Festival goers will be voting for the “People’s Choice” choice award throughout the weekend. Festivities kick-off at noon on Friday, September 22 and continue through 4pm on Sunday, September 24.

The Pacific Northwest Brew Cup is a fundraising event benefiting the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association, whose mission is to encourage community involvement and investment in preserving the character of downtown Astoria while promoting its health and future. For more information about ADHDA, or to volunteer or sponsor the event please contact Executive Director, Sarah Lu Heath at sarah@astoriadowntown.com

 

For more information, please visit www.pacificnorthwestbrewcup.com and “like” us on Facebook: Pacific Northwest Brew Cup.

Fort George 3-way Collaboration with Reuben’s Brews & Great Notion Releasing June 2017

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

[Astoria, Oregon] Fort George’s 3-Way IPA has become a signal for the start of summer. Once a year Fort George extends an invitation to two breweries, chosen for their mastery in the art of IPAs. The goal is to come together, exchange knowledge, forge lasting friendships, and along the way create an IPA that everyone is excited to drink. That collaboration is then brewed, packed into a brilliant new 16-ounce can, and sent out for the pure enjoyment of the Pacific Northwest.

This year’s 3-Way IPA collaboration has been in development since last year. The owner/brewers from Reuben’s Brews (Seattle, WA) and Great Notion Brewing (Portland, OR) traveled out to the far-northwest tip of Oregon in early November. As is tradition, guests were treated to the completely unique Astoria experience. While details of that night remain hazy, everyone was up and ready to meet the following morning.

Beta Batches - Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Day two is when the real heavy lifting began. Hidden away among the aging barrels in the Lovell Building at Fort George, all three parties sat down to sample beer and pitch recipe ideas for this year’s 3-Way IPA. The general style was agreed upon: juicy, light in color, juicy & fruit-forward, extra juicy, with oats and wheat for a smooth, juicy mouthfeel. Hop varieties were recommended. Yeast strains were discussed. Each suggestion was offered with a corresponding beer sample. Trays and trays of glassware went back and forth from the Lovell Taproom until the meeting table was an obstacle course of crowlers and cans.

At the end of the day a consensus was reached. Azacca, X331 (now called Strata), Mosaic, and Citra were picked for the hop additions. And with months until the release date, multiple test batches were scheduled utilizing a variety of yeasts. Throughout the Beta IPA test batch process, seven small batches were brewed with hands-on participation from everyone. Copious notes were sent after every batch: subtle adjustments to temperatures, dry-hopping schedules, cuts in malts, can we make it more hoppy, CAN WE MAKE IT MORE JUICY?!? The participation among collaborators was unprecedented, and each batch was a chance to learn, refine, and perfect another pint.

Now it is mid-May and the fermenters are filling. This fruit-forward haze of Azacca, X331, Mosaic, and Citra hops plays on a balanced bassline of malt with a wicked unfiltered keytar solo. 3-Way IPA 2017 is a juicy collaboration that strikes a smooth, electric gold riff on a Vermont style. Look for 3-Way IPA releasing in Astoria for Memorial Day Weekend and throughout the Pacific Northwest beginning June 1st. Join all three collaborators at the following 3-Way IPA release parties:

Astoria 3-Way IPA Trolley Tour

When: Thursday, May 25th from 6pm to 9pm

Where: 39th Street Riverwalk Trolley Stop in Astoria

What: Your trolley ticket buys a tour on Old 300 for a private night along the Astoria Riverwalk including stops for hop-forward pints from Reuben’s, Great Notion, and Fort George. The final destination is the Captain’s Suite at Pier 39 for the absolute freshest 3-Way IPA you will ever get, canned only hours before at Fort George Brewery.

How: Tickets are $30 and space is limited. Reserve your seat at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fort-george-3-way-ipa-2017-release-party-ipa-trolley-tour-tickets-34286541970.

Portland 3-Way IPA Release Party

When: Friday, June 9th from 6pm to 9pm

Where: Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St.

What: Join Fort George, Reuben’s, and Great Notion as they kick-start Portland Beer Week. Live music from Portland supergroup Boys II Gentlemen plus plenty of taps from the collaborators including 3-Way IPA.

How: No cover. Robot costumes are optional, but highly recommended.

Seattle 3-Way IPA Release Party

When: Saturday, June 10th from 5pm to 9pm

Where: Reuben’s Brews, 5010 14th Ave. NW

What: Reuben’s hosts the 3-Way IPA festivities, and they’ll have plenty of Great Notion and Fort George on tap along with 3-Way IPA. Live music mix from DJ Draft Punk.

How: No cover with a chance of a laser lightshow.

For more information about Fort George’s 3-Way IPA go to: fortgeorgebrewery.com/3-way. Available at Pacific Northwest venues starting June 2017 -- drink fresh and keep those cans cold-stored.

Stout Month At Fort George Starting February 1st

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Astoria, Oregon – January 16th, 2017 – It started with a simple enough idea: take a versatile, yet underappreciated style like stout, brew as many as your boss will allow, and put them on tap all at once. This was the idea Jack Harris, co-founder of Fort George, had over twenty years ago as a young brewer working for McMenamin’s Cornelius Pass Roadhouse.

“Nobody else was doing it,” Jack explains. “I certainly wasn’t paying any attention to marketing or filling niches, it was sort of dumb luck on my part that folks really responded to the idea of celebrating a variety of stouts during the cold, dark days of February.”

Throughout the years, as he moved from town to town, he took the stouts with him. “It’s the people I’ve worked with since then that have taken the idea and run with it. That’s what makes Stout Month such a big deal,” he continues. “It gets more sophisticated, elaborate, and popular every year.”

And now that he has his own brewery, February at Fort George is forever dedicated to Stout Month, a twenty-eight day celebration of the darker ales. Taps will pour invitingly black, overflowing with new stout releases each week, and all centered around the darkest single-day stout festival in the world — the Festival of Dark Arts.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Release the Stouts
Sit down for a heady pour or test your tongue on a blind stout taster tray. New stouts are on tap every week (with 19! from Fort George this year).
Released February 1st

• May The Oats Be With You – oatmeal stout
• Tuesday’s Lunch – roasted peanuts and blackberries (PB&J stout)
• Coffee Girl – brewed with Brasilian Santa Luzia coffee beans from Coava Coffee Roasters
• From Astoria with Love – Russian Imperial Stout
• Voluptas – fig & oatmeal stout
• Matryoshka – bourbon barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout
• Matryoshka with Cocoa Nibs (+bottle release)

Released February 8th

• All Seeing Pie – bourbon barrel apple pie stout
• Viva La Stout – Mexican chocolate stout
• Polish’s Black Walnut Stout

Released February 15th

• Kaiju Stout – plum and black tea stout
• Keg Nog – milk stout spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla beans
• Barrel Aged May The Oats Be With You – aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels

Released February 19th

• Matryoshka with Cocoa Nibs & Raspberries (+bottle release)
• Subtle Hyperbole – Candy Cap mushrooms, molasses, graham crackers, and cinnamon
• Dark Matter – oatmeal stout aged in Pinot Noir and bourbon barrels

Released February 22nd

• Nostalgia Trip – sassafras, sarsaparilla, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean (root beer stout)
• Kentucky Girl – Coffee Girl aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels
• Itsy Bitsy Stout – dry Irish stout.

Carnival of Stouts
Voted by Willamette Week Oregon Beer Awards as the Best Beer Festival in 2016, the Festival of Dark Arts is much more than a stout fest. It’s a full sensory immersion into art, craft, music, and macabre entertainment, with over sixty rare stouts all over the Fort George block. The event will sell out, but you can check www.festivalofdarkarts.com for full ticket, stout, and entertainment information. Buy tickets while you can or mark your calendar for next year – FoDA is always held on the Saturday of President’s Day Weekend.

When/Where:
Festival of Dark Arts
Saturday, February 18th, 2017
2pm to 10pm
Fort George Brewery Block
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon
Details:

• Live music with Hillstomp, 1939 Ensemble, Ryan Sollee (Builders and the Butchers), Máscaras, Three for Silver, and many more.
• Dark Art Gallery, glass blowing, iron forge, tattoo artists, ice sculptor, fire dancers, contortionists, etc. etc. etc.
• Pig roast, cigar tent, chocolate & coffee, and other stout pairings.
• 60+ rare stouts pouring all over the block. 

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Traveling Carnival of Stouts
Can’t make make it to the coast? Get a taste of Stout Month at these events around the Pacific Northwest.
Fort George Stout Month Night
Arch Bridge Tap House
207 7th St, Oregon City, Oregon
Saturday, February 4th – 5pm to 8pm
Tap list: Cavatica Stout, May The Oats Be With You, Coffee Girl, Matryoshka

Beer. Cider. Love.
Beer Belly
1205 SW Washington St, Portland, Oregon
Tuesday, February 14th – 5pm to 9pm
Tap list: Five Fort George beers (including Matryoshka, May The Oats Be With You, and Coffee Girl) paired with five ciders from Finnriver.

Road to the Dark Arts
Watershed Pub & Kitchen
10104 3rd Ave NE, Seattle, Washington
Thursday, February 16th – 11am to close
Tap list: From Astoria with Love, Viva La Stout, Tuesday’s Lunch, Voluptas, Polish’s Black Walnut Stout, Coffee Girl

The Black & The Bitter
Beerworks
323 E Main St, Medford, Oregon
Wednesday, February 22nd – 6pm to 9pm
Tap list: Matryoshka, Beta IPA 12x (Test Batch for 3-Way IPA), and more

Fort George Stout Month Night
The Park Way Tavern
313 N I St, Tacoma, Washington
Wednesday, February 22nd – 6pm to 9pm
Tap list: From Astoria with Love, Viva La Stout, Tuesday’s Lunch, Voluptas, Polish’s Black Walnut Stout, Coffee Girl

Fort George Stout Month Cellar Night
Imperial Bottle Shop & Taproom
3090 SE Division St, Portland, Oregon
Thursday, February 23rd – 5pm to 8pm
Tap list: From Astoria with Love (2016), Bourbon Barrel Cavatica Stout (2016), North VIII (2015), Matryoshka (2017)

The Black & The Bitter
Cascade Locks Ale House
500 NW Wanapa St, Cascade Locks, Oregon
Saturday, February 25th – 6pm to 8pm
Tap list: Cavatica Stout, May The Oats Be With You, Beta IPA 12x, Suicide Squeeze *Special Edition IPA
Stout Month begins Wednesday, February 1st at Fort George Brewery. Bring your loved ones, your beloved growler, and your love of everything dark. Fort George promises you won’t go away light-handed.

For more information about Fort George Brewery and Stout Month, go to www.fortgeorgebrewery.com.

Fort George Brewing Releasing Barrel Aged Matryoshka Russian Imperial Stout From New Limited Release Sweet Virginia Series

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

Astoria, Oregon-
The brewers at Fort George received a new toy for Christmas, and they just couldn’t wait to open it. The custom 6-head mobile bottling line from Meheen was barely out of the crate before they started it up. This had been on their wish list for quite some time. And after well over a year of careful planning and barrel aging, the brewers were anxious to fill some bottles.

Matryoshka, a strong Russian Imperial Stout aged in Four Roses Bourbon barrels, is bottled, wax dipped, and ready to leave Fort George Brewery. The oak barrels filled with stout have been lining the windows in the Lovell Showroom for all of 2016 (historically used as an automotive showroom to display the latest model cars, now used to display future bottled beer releases).

“The name ‘Matryoshka’ is based on the idea of Russian nesting dolls,” explains brewer Dave Coyne. Dave not only manages the barrel program at Fort George, he also drew the illustrations for the labels. “Matryoshka is the first in this series. It will be followed up with smaller and smaller variations. Next is a version with cocoa nibs and finally Matryoshka with cocoa nibs and raspberries.” The first bottles were sold on Friday with the additional layers set for release by February, in time for Fort George Stout Month.

The Matryoshka releases are only the first in this new Sweet Virginia Series bottling project at Fort George. The mobile bottling line allows the brewers to do short runs of barrel aged and rare beers on a regular basis. Named after the small “Sweet Virginia” pub system, these brewer-developed beers have always been a source of innovation and experimentation on the block. But with many batches limited to a handful of kegs, most of these beers never leave the pub in Astoria.

“I’m looking forward to trying different styles, perhaps blending with different kinds of barrels,” Dave continues.  “Making the best barrel aged beers we can and having a way to share those with more people, that’s what is exciting to me.”

Due to the limited nature of the Sweet Virginia Series, bottles and draft may be hard to find outside of Fort George Brewery. Look for a new bottle release at the pub about once a month. Occasionally when the project allows, Sweet Virginia Series bottles may be available at bottleshops around the Northwest.

Matryoshka, in 500ml bottles and draft, is available at the brewery and in extremely limited supply around the Northwest starting this week. Variations of Matryoshka with cocoa nibs and raspberries will be available by February, exclusively on the North Coast. Look for future bottle releases, including a 10th Anniversary Barleywine and Bourbon Barrel Cavatica Stout, coming later this year. Fort George beer is distributed only in the Pacific Northwest.

Fort George Brewery.

Fort George Brewery Twitter 

Fort George Brewery Instagram

Fort George Festival of Dark Arts Tickets on Sale Starting November 29th

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Astoria, Oregon - Dark times mean dark beers. And there is no darker place than Fort George Brewery during Stout Month (AKA February). Every year the taps in Astoria pour black with new stout releases each week, anchored by the largest single-day stout fest in the world – the Festival of Dark Arts.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Tickets to the Festival of Darks Arts go on sale Tuesday, November 29th, the darkest day of the month. Those bearers will be granted entrance on Saturday, February 18th into a magical menagerie of dark art and macabre entertainment, all the while surrounded by the boldest collection of stouts ever assembled in one place. You’ll be amazed by iron, glass, ice, and chainsaw craftspeople. Live music, art, and artists will delight you. And over 60 rare and unique stouts will tempt all of your senses.

For more information and a link to tickets go to www.festivalofdarkarts.com. Entertainment and stout details will be added as they are confirmed. General admission tickets are all $40. A limited number of early entry tickets are available for $55, which will allow you into the festival starting at noon. All ticket holders will receive a Festival of Dark Arts Grimoire, a 2017 festival glass, and twelve drink tokens. Additional tokens will be for sale at the festival. You must be 21+ to attend this year.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

In an effort to maintain the intimacy of the event, tickets are limited. However, the North Coast will be filled to the brim. Buy your tickets and book your hotel rooms early, then prepare your palate for the overwhelming essence of Stout Month.

Festival of Dark Arts
Date: Saturday, February 18th, 2017
Time: 2pm to 10pm (Early Entry Tickets at Noon)
Place: Fort George Block – 1483 Duane Street, Astoria, OR
Details: 21+ only. Tickets are transferrable but not refundable. Be forewarned: stout will stain your clothes. Dress appropriately.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Fort George Brewing To Release A Limited Draft Only Batch Of The Popular Java the Hop

Courtesy  of Fort George Brewing Co

Astoria, Oregon-

One of the more often requested Fort George seasonals, Java the Hop returns to Pacific Northwest taps starting October 20th. This unique IPA fuses two of the region’s most enjoyable pastimes – sipping great coffee and drinking hoppy beer. And when you’re brewing with a single hop + single bean, that satisfaction comes down to selection.

The Dark

From the beginning, Java the Hop has been a joint collaboration with Portland’s Coava Coffee Roasters. Owner Matt Higgins and his crew are expert tasters with vast experience hand-selecting beans from all over the world. For this batch they chose Los Nacientes, a Costa Rican coffee with notes of chocolate, nuts, and subtle fruit acidity. These were added to the secondary fermenter within 48 hours of roasting, to ensure maximum exposure to the aroma compounds.

“The whole beans float freely in the tank,” explains Fort George brewer Jason Palmberg. “We use something like a pool skimmer the brewery rigged up to fish them back out. It can be a little tedious. And from there the beans head to a local farm for composting.”

The Light

This year’s Java the Hop was brewed using Mosaic hops. An offshoot of Simcoes, Mosaics retain some of that strong, piney aroma from the mother plant, merged with juicy, tropical fruit traits.

“The last two Java the Hops used coffee that created a fruit forward nose,” Head Brewer Michal Frankowicz adds. “This time we wanted a bolder coffee to balance out all of the mango and citrus already present in the Mosaics.”

The Beer

Mornings are for coffee, evenings are for beer, Java the Hop is timeless. A minimal malt bill focuses your powers on the pairing - radiant and light, with huge coffee aromatics, a hint of chocolate roast (but not on the dark side), and a tropical hop finish. No mind tricks, just simple complexity.

Be on the lookout for more draft-only offerings from Fort George heading into 2017. This batch of Java the Hop is limited. Ask your favorite northwest pub to put it on tap while they can. May the Fort be with you.

Tick, Tick, Tick. It’s Time To Get Fresh IPA from Fort George

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

September 8th, 2016 - Astoria, OR

The Northwest is a special place for craft beer enthusiasts and late summer is a very special season. Fresh hops are harvested only once a year – you can feel it when the air turns sticky. And at Fort George the moment those hops leave the bine, that brew clock for Fresh IPA starts ticking.

Logistically it takes the entire brewery to make Fresh IPA. Tanks need to be empty and waiting. All brewers are on standby, rested, and ready for around-the-clock brew cycles. The truck driver eagerly checks his phone for the call – the hops are being harvested.

After a quick round-trip from Astoria to Woodburn, OR and back, the block oozes with the aroma of over a ton of wet Amarillos. Brewing non-stop until the tanks are filled, no hop is spared and no moment is wasted.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

How Fresh is Fresh IPA?
Plucked from the fertile hop bines of the Willamette Valley, packed into the tanks at Fort George Brewery, and delivered to your local pubs and bottleshops all within a fortnight – Fresh IPA is as fresh as it gets. Brewed with wet Amarillos from Crosby Hop Farm, fresh hops mean bold and unblemished hop oils, the essence of the Pacific Northwest sealed into every can.

When you break the seal you should expect pungent notes of orange and grapefruit. Pouring a pale yellow with delicate white lacing, Fresh IPA will envelope your tongue in a tangerine wave, calmly ebbing as you await that next sip.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing Co

Availability
Look for Fresh IPA in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho starting Thursday, September 15^th in 16-ounce 4-pack cans and on tap. 6.4% ABV – IBUs, who cares? Fort George is distributed exclusively in the Pacific Northwest.

Drink fresh, do not age, and buy it quickly. This limited release won’t last long.

Fort George Brewing's Regatta Block Party

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

Astoria, OR - Hoist the mainsail and set course for the Mouth of the Columbia and three days of festivities at the Fort. Astoria Regatta, Oregon’s oldest celebration in its oldest city, marks its 122nd anniversary with events on land, sea, and all over the Fort George block. Parades, fireworks, an outdoor movie, beer releases, and plenty of live music await you.

Friday August 12th
Take your pint outside for a courtyard showing of the cult comedy classic Strange Brew. Food, beverages, and special movie snacks will be available through the pub, eh? Bring chairs and blankets if you like – no tickets required, hosers. Movie begins at dark.

Saturday August 13th
The courtyard offers prime seating for the annual Regatta Grand Land Parade at noon, followed by a Cornhole Tourney. Sign up begins at 1:30pm and there is no cost to enter. Stick around for BBQ, craft beer, and a solid lineup of live music with Malachi Graham, Snowblind Traveler, and The Bond Street Blues Band. Fireworks over the Columbia River cap the night, best viewed upstairs from the pizza cathedral.

Sunday August 14th
Live music continues at Fort George just as the Astoria Sunday Market begins to wind down. Enjoy bluegrass by Cascade Crescendo, roots-blues-pop from Will West & The Friendly Strangers, and the psychedelic soul-jazz sound of Scott Pemberton Trio. Extended Sunday music starts at 2pm and ends at 10pm.

Regatta Beer Releases
One of the more memorable beers from Stout Month 2014, Dark Matter will be released in the Lovell Taproom. This complex Imperial Oatmeal Stout aged in both Bourbon and Pinot Noir barrels is available on draft for a limited time only. Fort George will also tap Operation: Cannot Possibly Fail – a new IPA the brewers crafted specifically for the Great American Beer Festival 2016. Judge both of these beers for yourself before they arrive at GABF.

All ages are welcome, friendly leashed pets are allowed outside, and there is never a cover. The Regatta Block Party at Fort George may be on land, but it certainly won’t be dry.

Hours:
Friday, August 12th – 11am to Midnight
Saturday, August 13th – 11am to Midnight
Sunday, August 14th – Noon to 11pm

Fort George Brewery
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 325-PINT

Fort George Releasing New Vortex Variety IPA Pack

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing CO

Astoria, Oregon - Five fantastic new twists on Vortex IPA, the popular flagship from Fort George Brewery, launch this summer. After almost seven years of R & D, the owners are finally giving the thumbs up. Way up.

“If I could do twenty Vortexes I would,” said co-owner Chris Nemlowill. “But we settled on these variations so we wouldn’t break the brewery.” Although no more Vortex styles are planned until February 2017, a seasonal variety 24-pack will be on store shelves this winter.

“Sourcing high-quality ingredients, and at these amounts, is a nightmare,” added business partner Jack Harris. “But I have to say, one taste of these new Vortex beverages makes it all worthwhile.”

Look for four-packs of 16-ounce cans in stores soon. Until then, here are the official descriptions from the brewery:

"Tropical Fruit” Flavored Vortex - Musky, soft buttery undertones of papaya with a pineapple punch to the palate. Hand-harvested in Vietnam, the organic fruit ripens in open cargo ships on its trans-Pacific voyage. Brewed with whole fruit in the fermenter, natural flavorings in the bright tank, and up to 10% real fruit juice added to the finished product. Also available pulp-free. 6.5% ABV

Vortexican - Trump couldn’t build a wall high enough to contain this flavor. Brewed with poblano and habanero peppers foraged from the wild fields of Texas and roasted in the Fort George wood-fired oven. IBUs? No idea. But it’s packing over 300,000 Scoville Heat Units. Now that’s a spicy Vortex! 8.3% ABV

Not Your Mother’s Damn Vortex - An herbed/spiced malt beverage just in time for summer. Reminiscent of that classic diet cherry cola you remember as a child, yet smacking enough sass for the big kids. Made with all natural stevia, cherry, and cola flavorings - available starting in June and until Fort George receives a cease and desist letter. 7% ABV

Gluten-Free Non-Alcoholic Vortex - For those teetotalers with gluten sensitivity, Fort George has the perfect beer for you. This non-alcoholic IPA is full-bodied, hop forward, and gut friendly, containing over 15 billion live L. acidophilus & B. bifidum probiotics per 16-ounce serving. Locally sourced sorghum, millet, and corn make it hearty enough for the most seasoned craft beer drinker. How do the brewers do it? Nobody knows. And we aren’t asking. 0.0% ABV

Dirty Vortini - Fort George’s first foray into the canned cocktail space is a doozie. Take two parts Vortex IPA and one part distilled Vortex IPA -- add imported Moroccan Meslalla olives to the bright tank and gently stir in over a gallon of brine per barrel...never shaken. Whole olives are added inline to each can. Watch for pits. 14% ABV

Fort George is distributed exclusively in the Pacific Northwest. For locations near you, check the Fort George beer finder at www.fortgeorgebrewery.com/beerfinder/.

Fort George Brewery
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 325-PINT

Fort George Brewing Releasing A Special Edition Suicide Squeeze IPA

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing CO

Suicide Squeeze IPA *Special Edition Strikes in April

Astoria,OR - To make something for the pure joy of it. That was the mission at Suicide Squeeze Records as they emerged from the 90s Northwest rock scene. Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, the lineup has grown from regional indie rock bands into a diverse international array of artists. And yet that core tenant remains.

Co-owners Jack Harris and Chris Nemlowill took a similar approach when they founded Fort George Brewery. Rather than adapting to style guidelines or industry standards, they opened the public house with a goal to brew the best beer you’ve had today. And starting in early April that beer is Suicide Squeeze IPA *Special Edition.

Suicide Squeeze IPA is back with an updated look. For *Special Edition the can has gone gold, and Grammy nominated Seattle artist Jesse LeDoux has enhanced his iconic snake design with thermochromatic ink. “The snake dies when the can is warm and comes alive when it’s cold,” Jesse explains. “If someone hands you a can with a lifeless snake, you may want to ask them to chill it out for a while.”

This is not the same session IPA from 2014 – the brewery has remastered the recipe in a big, big way with a solid 7.2% ABV. Artfully cut like a 7” vinyl, *Special Edition pops with Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra hops. Front loaded with organic 2-row barley and layered with deep cuts of specialty malt, Suicide Squeeze IPA presents the craft audience a balanced, full sensory experience.

On Friday, April 29th, Porchlight Coffee & Records in Seattle hosts the Suicide Squeeze IPA release party. Musician Michael Nau will be performing songs from his new LP, Mowing, for the first time in Seattle. Doors open at 7pm with music starting at 8pm. And join the after-party, with more Suicide Squeeze IPA *Special Edition on tap, at The Pine Box around 10pm.

Look for Suicide Squeeze IPA *Special Edition in 16-ounce four-pack cans and draft starting April 13th. Fort George Brewery is distributed exclusively in the Pacific Northwest.
Suicide Squeeze IPA *Special Edition Release Party & Snake Handling
Porchlight Coffee & Records
Live music from Michael Nau
Doors open at 7pm
1517 14th Ave.
Seattle, Washington
After-Party
The Pine Box
10pm
1600 Melrose Ave.
Seattle, Washington

Stout Month At Fort George Brewery

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

The Pacific Northwest Is About To Get Dark

Astoria, OR - February is forever Stout Month at Fort George Brewery. The shortest and darkest month is the perfect time to showcase the immense variety within this style. For lovers of rich, dark beer there is no better place than Fort George in February, pint glass in hand.

The Stouts
Every Monday starting February 1st, new Fort George specialty stouts will be released at the pub. Grab a pint, fill a growler, or sample a blind stout taster tray. At least eight unique stouts will be on tap in every location at the brewery.

February 1st 
Coffee Girl - Imperial Coffee Stout
Viva La Stout - Mexican Chocolate Stout
From Astoria with Love - Russian Imperial Stout
Murky Pearl – Oyster Stout
Blonde Stout
Long Dark Winter Milk Stout
Granola Bar Stout – Honey, Almonds, and Raspberries

February 8th 
Polish’s Black Walnut Stout
Kentucky Girl - Coffee Girl Aged in Bourbon Barrels
Voluptas Stout - Oatmeal and Fig Stout

February 15th
Tuesday’s Lunch - Roasted Peanut and Blackberry Imperial Stout
Almond Milk Stout

February 22nd
North VIII - 1yr Aged Russian Imperial Stout
Dirty Chai Stout

The Music
Enjoy live music every Sunday at 8pm during Stout Month. The upstairs at Fort George hosts a wide range of artists - never a cover.

January 31st - Wilkinson Blades - American Rock - Portland, OR
February 7th - The Lowest Pair - Sultry Country Duo - Minneapolis, MN & Olympia, WA
February 14th - The Donkey’s - Music for the Independent Soul - San Diego, CA
February 21st - Cedar Teeth - Northwest Roots Rock - Colton, OR
February 28th - Redwood Son - West Coast Americana - Redwood City, CA

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

The Festival of Dark Arts – Saturday, February 13th – Noon to 10pm
Fill your senses and satiate your darkest stout desires. Yes, it is a stout fest with barrel-aged and specialty one-offs from 45 breweries including Barley Brown’s, Block 15, Boneyard, Breakside, The Bruery, Deschutes, Ecliptic, Evil Twin, Firestone Walker, Fremont, Gigantic, Perennial Artisan Ales, pFriem, The Commons, Trinity, Upright and many, many more. But, it’s also a magical menagerie of art and music, craft and creation spread out over an entire city block.

Main Stage – Upstairs Live Music
Noon - The Resolectrics - Rhythm & Blues - Portland, OR
2pm - Skamokawa Swamp Opera - Historical Rock Opera - Skamokawa, WA
4pm - Jackson Boone and the Ocean Ghosts - Cosmic Rock - Portland, OR
6pm - The Builders and the Butchers - Awesome Rock - Portland, OR
8pm - The Thermals - Power-Pop - Portland, OR

Make way for wandering minstrels, belly dancers, and burlesque shows. View demonstrations from ice sculptors, tattoo artists, and wood carvers. Warm yourself by the iron forge and glassblowing furnace, or watch fire dancing in the courtyard. Vendors and craftspeople will be located throughout the block, and everywhere you go the stouts will follow.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

Check the website at www.festivalofdarkarts.com for updates and tickets. Hurry, the event is almost sold out.

The Traveling Carnival of Stouts
Fort George wants to share the stout love. Experience a taste of Stout Month on these nights around the Pacific Northwest. And check the event page at www.fortgeorgebrewery.com for new and updated Stout Month happenings.

Wednesday, February 3rd – 6pm to 9pm
10th Annual Ground Hogs Day Festival
Brooklyn Park Pub
3400 SE Milwaukie Ave.
Portland, Oregon
Fort George Stouts paired with whiskey

Tuesday, February 9th – 8pm to 11pm
Fat & Stout Tuesday Celebration
Twilight Cafe and Bar
1420 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, Oregon

Wednesday, February 17th – 5pm to 8pm
Traveling Carnival of Stouts
Chuck’s Hop Shop Greenwood
656 NW 85th St.
Seattle, Washington
Several Fort George specialty stouts on tap

Thursday, February 25th – 5pm to 9pm
Traveling Carnival of Stouts
Parkway Tavern
313 N. I Street
Tacoma, Washington
A variety of Fort George specialty stouts on tap

February Stout Month
Fort George Brewery
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103
503-325-PINT

Fort George IPA & Indian Cuisine Brewer’s Dinner

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

 Featuring Beers from the 3-Way IPA Collaborators for 2016

You can imagine preparing for a 3-Way IPA requires quite a bit of finesse. This summer seasonal is built to be the best IPA that Fort George and a couple of good friends can brew. But first many questions must be answered. Which hops should be used? What’s the target OG? Where to throw the first 3-Way IPA release party? And does this can color match my hat? Before any test batches can be brewed or events can be planned, bread (or more specifically naan) must be broken.

Join Fort George on Wednesday, January 20th for the annual IPA & Indian Cuisine Brewer’s Dinner. This intimate night features five courses of wood-fired fare paired with six IPAs from the breweries in the upcoming 3-Way IPA collaboration. It’s your chance to rub elbows with the brewers, offer up your three cents about this year’s beer, and all the while gorge on spicy Indian food and hoppy IPAs.

IPA & INDIAN CUISINE
DINNER MENU

INTRO BEER

APPETIZER
ROTI BREAD 3-WAYS
PICKLED MANGO, CORIANDER PEPPER CHUTNEY,
PANEER & MUSTARD GREENS

SALAD
RADISH GREENS, ROASTED GOLDEN BEETS, PICKLED POMEGRANATE,
GOURD SEEDS, MINT, FENNEL, AND A POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE

SOUP
LENTILS AND RUSTIC CUT CARROTS WITH YOGURT

ENTRÉE
LAMB WITH CHICKPEAS AND SWEET GOURD
WITH TOMATO CURRY BROTH

DESSERT
ROSE PETAL AND CARDAMOM KULFI
ROLLED IN CRUSHED PISTACHIOS

Reserve your seat online at store.fortgeorgebrewery.com or by calling the pub at (503) 325-PINT. $65 saves a single seat, or reserve two or more for $60 each. Seating is very limited. Intro beers will be served at 6pm. And look for test batches of 3-Way IPA 2016 (A.K.A. Beta IPA 11) starting in March.

Wednesday, January 20th - 6pm to 9pm

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

Fort George Brewery
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103

Tickets For the 2016 Fort George Festival of Dark Arts On Sale Starting Saturday

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing CO

November 11th, 2015 - Astoria,OR - Get tickets for the 2016 Festival of Dark Arts starting Saturday, November 14th at www.festivalofdarkarts.com. This one day carnival of stouts is the centerpiece to Fort George Stout Month, a month long celebration of the darker ales. Ticket holders will be granted entrance into a magical menagerie of dark art and macabre entertainment, all the while surrounded by the boldest collection of rare specialty stouts ever assembled in one place.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

Mark your calendar for February 13th. The Festival of Dark Arts begins at noon and ends at 10pm, pouring all over the Fort George campus in Astoria. You’ll be greeted with live music, roaming entertainment, and over 60 unique stouts on tap. Behold artisan demonstrations from the iron forge, tattoo artists, glass blower, ice sculptor, and stout servers. Delight in the fire dancers, tarot card reader, tintype photographer, belly dancers, and much more….all with stout in hand.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

 All festival information can be found at www.festivalofdarkarts.com. Entertainment and stout lists will be added as they are confirmed. Stout tasting tickets are $40 (plus service fee). These entitle the bearer to entrance, a festival glass, and 12 tasting tokens. Additional tokens will be available for $1 each at the festival. Admission only tickets for non-drinkers and minors are $10 (plus service fee). Please purchase wisely - all sales are final and there are no upgrades on the day of the festival. Children under 5 do not require a ticket.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

In an effort to maintain the intimacy of the festival, only a limited number of tickets are available. However, Astoria will be filled to the brim. Buy your tickets online, book your hotel rooms, then prepare your palate for the overwhelming number of stouts it is about to receive.

Festival of Dark Arts
Saturday, February 13th, 2016
Noon to 10pm
Fort George Brewery
1483 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103

Festival Inquiries:
festivalofdarkarts@fortgeorgebrewery.com

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

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Fort George Brewing Releasing Winter Seasonal "Magnamious IPA" That Blends Hops With Grand Fir Tips

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

October 26th, 2015 - Fort George is only a week away from releasing this year’s winter seasonal, Magnanimous IPA brewed with a bevy of Grand Fir trimmings from Earth & Sky Farm. But this collaboration has roots going back many years. The story begins with Fort George sales manager Tim Ensign.

Fort George sales manager Tim Ensign

“I started working with Fort George in 2007 while manager of Mountain People’s Distribution,” Tim recalls. “We met Fort George owners Chris Nemlowill and Jack Harris, loved their beers, immediately hit it off, and soon began distributing Fort George draft around Oregon. Ultimately I ended up joining the brewery, eventually becoming sales manager."

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

In 2009 Tim and his wife Jana purchased some land in Oregon City and named it Earth & Sky Farm. With the many Christmas trees already growing there, they immediately became part-time farmers. “When you walk through the Grand Fir forest, the smells can be wonderful and intense, much like our favorite IPAs,” Tim notes. That aroma became the inspiration for this year’s winter seasonal. A recipe was written, Grand Fir tips were gathered, and the brewery worked on test batches all summer, fine tuning each one.

Grand Fir Trimmings

"After tasting the pilot batches, we are really excited to see those cans filled,” Tim explains. “This beer has a solid backbone, coming in at 7% ABV. It would be a great IPA all on its own, but the addition of Grand Fir adds a complex pine character that complements the citrus flavor of the hops. And the aroma is phenomenal."

Fort George Brewery presents to you Magnanimous IPA. Bestowed with generous amounts of hand-harvested Grand Fir trimmings and bountiful additions of Simcoes and Chinooks, Magnanimous IPA offers a noble blend of lush piney hops and fresh evergreen aroma. Look for 16-ounce four-packs and draft arriving at northwest locations starting November 2nd. Fort George beer is distributed only in the Pacific Northwest.

Magnanimous IPA release parties:

The Hop & Vine
1914 N. Killingsworth Street
Portland, Oregon
5pm - Saturday, November 7th

Pint Defiance
2049 Mildred Street W.
Tacoma, Washington
All Day - Saturday, November 7th

Courtsey of Fort George Brewing

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Fort George’s Fresh IPA Returns to the Pacific Northwest

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

October 1^st, 2015
For Freshest Release – Use Immediately

The call came in. Fresh hops were ready. Without delay, the Fort George truck was dispatched to Yakima where it was loaded with over a ton of dank, wet Mosaics. As you can imagine, the aroma on the drive home was amazing.

In just 48 hours from harvest, the brewers at Fort George had packed the tanks with wet hopped beers. Fresh-hopped versions of The Optimist and Suicide Squeeze IPA were bubbling away in the Sweet Virginia pub system. And in the Lovell Brewery, enough Fresh IPA to provide the Pacific Northwest their wet hop fix. Well, at least until this limited batch runs out.

“It’s definitely a lot of work in a very short period of time, brewing a fresh hop beer on this scale,” explains Fort George lead production brewer Mike Frankowicz. “But all of us are excited about how it turned out, and really looking forward to enjoying a few.”

And Mike is excited for you to try a pint as well. So eager, he drove an extra truck filled with Fresh IPA cans to Portland this morning. From vine, to brewery, to beer, to can, and into your hands in just two weeks - that’s how fresh Fresh IPA is.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewing

Fort George Fresh IPA is like beer in 3D, without those silly glasses. Using wet hops means extra hop oils make their way into the can. Fort George seals in that freshness, creating a time capsule of hop aromatics - pure canned triumph. When you crack the seal you should expect resin, citrus, and fruit to flood forward, along with an earthy complexity.

Fresh IPA releases at the pub in Astoria today, October 1st at 4pm. And thanks to Mike, 16-oz four-pack cans of Fresh IPA will be available in Portland starting tomorrow, October 2nd. Look for draft only small batches of The Fresh Hopped Optimist and Fresh Hop Suicide Squeeze releasing at Fort George Brewery on Tuesday, October 6th. Fresh IPA will be available on tap and in cans across the rest of the Pacific Northwest starting next week. These limited release fresh hop beers won’t last long. Get them while you can. 

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Fort George Brewing Releasing Squash Buckler On Wednesday

 

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

Press Release:
Summer only recently ended, which means of course it’s time for decorative sweaters, holiday shopping, and winter seasonals. But not in Astoria, not at Fort George. The brewers know that you can’t rush a good beer. And while pumpkin beers seem to somehow hit the shelves earlier and earlier, Fort George Brewery and Organically Grown Company are just getting started - here’s why.

Squash Buckler begins with the gathering of the fresh crop of sugar pumpkins by Organically Grown Company and their community of local farms, sometime around early September. Whole pumpkins are then sliced and diced, roasted in the Fort George wood-fired oven to caramelize the sugars, and then placed in the boil of this autumn seasonal. There are no additional flavorings or spices. Squash Buckler simply packs rich organic malts and fire-roasted pumpkin into a deep amber ale.

Be the first to get bottles of Squash Buckler on Wednesday, September 30th in Astoria, also known as #BurgerWednesday at Fort George Brewery. The kitchen is preparing a special pairing of wood-fired elk burgers topped with a chanterelle mushroom & onion confit, basil aioli, and served on a fresh brioche bun with a side of fire-roasted seasonal vegetables.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

Squash Buckler in 22-oz bottles and draft will be available in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho starting Thursday October 1st. Get it quickly - this small-batch release won’t last long. Fort George beer is distributed only in the Pacific Northwest.

Slow down and enjoy the bountiful harvest that the Pacific Northwest provides, and brews.. For more information about employee and grower owned Organically Grown Company check their website at www.organicgrown.com.

Courtesy of Fort George Brewery

 www.fortgeorgebrewery.com
1483 Duane Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 325-PINT