Beer Adventure: Fort George Brewing. Astoria, OR. Aug. 13.

Aug. 13: Beer Adventure: Fort George Brewing, Astoria, OR.

 

This was a glorious day. My kids and I and my mom and sister went to the top of the Astoria column and threw balsa wood planes, ate the best fish and chips available on the planet at the Bow Picker (a boat that has a frier on it -- a genuine hole in the wall, but what a find!), and then tried a sampler at a new brewery. Perfection.

I Tried:

1811 Bicentennial Lager: rougher than most, but in a good way. Pale yellow color. Earthy and deep bitter. Pleasantly mild and sweet. Good balance of malt and hop. Lager that is fermented at room temperature rather than chilled. (8/13/2012)

Divinity: Wheat and Ollalaberry. Subtle, sweet and fruity. Very refreshing with just enough fruit to be interesting without being overwhelming or annoying. Cloudy complexion. 5.1% ABV Very good beer. (8/13/2012)

Sunrise Oatmeal Pale: Cloudy and honey colored. Earthy piney with a nice deep bitter and a hint of sweet. 5.5%(8/13/2012)

Nut Red Ale: Really more of a brown. Nice amber brown color. Slightly toasted with a hint of sour. Like a light colored porter. Very tasty. 5.9%(8/13/2012)

Vortex IPA: Their best seller, but not their most impressive. Sweet and bourbonny with a mild bitter. But too much sweet. Dark honey color and hazy. 7.7% ABV. Interesting. (8/13/2012)

Working Girl Porter: Sour with a hint of blue cheese. Brewed with coffee from a local roaster (made with their Working Girl Blend). Good porter color; dark but light comes through. Too much of the sour. 4.6% ABV. (8/13/2012)

Cavita Stout: High alcohol at 8.8%. Black and dark. The alcohol dominates too much and detracts from the malts; not good in a stout. The roased flavor does not come across. (8/13/2012)

Down 5 Lager: Bright citrus flavor with a hint of orange. Light hazy blonde color. Finishes with very little aftertaste. Decent, but not as interesting as the 1811. (8/13/2012)

Aged Cavita: Cavita aged in Makers Mark barrels. Slightly sour with a nice burnt flavor. Much better than the original. Full and complex. (8/13/2012)

South: Yeasty Belgian aged in Pinot Noir barrels. Made with raspberries. Clear dark honey blonde. Very tasty. FG does a nice job with fruit influences. (8/13/2012)

Roscoe IPA: Earthy hoppiness. Slightly sweet with a hint of orange. (8/13/2012)