in other words february4 Another Round: More Words of Wisdom About Beer By Scott Laird Oregon Breweries Guidebook – I re- cently stumbled upon a book, Oregon Brew- eries by Brian Yaeger, that is a must read for all beer lovers, espe- cially anyone interested in drinking beer brewed in Oregon. Yaeger has written what appears to be the definitive and most compre- hensive guidebook for Oregon beer that includes 190 breweries and brewpubs all across the state. Oregon, often referred to as “Beervana,” is glorified around the world for its prolif- eration of brewpubs, breweries, and qual- ity of beer. Our state is hailed as ground zero for the U.S. microbrew revolution that was launched by the Mc- Menamin Brothers at their Hillsdale Brewery in 1984. Yaegar cap- tures all this and more in his all-encompass- ing tome. A cross be- tween a travel guide, a directory, and a field guide, and chock-full of interesting facts, information and descriptions, Yae- ger’s compendium is designed with the content arranged geographically with a map showing the location of each entry. It’s like a hiking trail guidebook for beer lovers! Yaeger discusses the prevalence of beer culture in Portland, how to best design a “beercation” around Oregon, and focuses on the many innovations that Oregon craft brewers have built a worldwide reputation around. Each brewery is given one to three pages, and in addition to their physical address, phone number and web page listing, write ups include de- tails like a history of the business, the property where they are located, stories about the owners, the beers they make and the food they serve, or whatever else Yaeger found interesting. Yaeger goes a step further and provides the opening date, names of the brewers, annual pro- duction in barrels, his favorite brew, and more interesting fac- toids about each list- ing. In addition to the write ups for indi- vidual breweries, Yae- ger has also compiled lists of beer festivals (by month), bottle shops and taprooms, cheesemakers and ci- deries around the state, and coffee roasters in Portland. He even in- cludes a list of “Brew- eries to Come,” noting that when he started his project there were 150 breweries in Or- egon, by late 2014 there were close to 200, and that he expects there will soon be 250. Yaeger lives in Portland and is also the author of Red, White and Brew: An American Beer Odyssey. He covers beer for Portland Monthly, Willamette Week, and DrinkPortland and has a Mas- ter in Professional Writing from the Uni- Morrison Remodeling, Inc. • Custom Home Construction • Home Additions • Finish Carpentry • Kitchen & Bath Remodels • Ceramic Tile Work • Commercial Tenant Improvements versity of Southern California (his thesis was on beer!). He and his wife run Inn Beervana Bed & Beer in Portland (Inn- Beervana.com). While the brewery scene in Or- egon remains constantly changing, Yae- gers guidebook was published in 2014 and appears to be fairly accurate and up to date and makes a great compan- ion as you wander the state in search of more beers and a better beer experience. It will soon be available at the Vernonia Library. Check it out! More Beer to Try – Here’s a nice va- riety of styles and flavors of beers you might want to try to find and give a taste: Full Sail Wassail – This limited release seasonal winter ale is dark red in color. It’s mellow and easy drinking with hints of caramel, and a nice blend of malt and hops. Brewed for the holidays, hurry, you still might find some on the shelves. Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA – With a strong citrus front, a distinct fresh hops 2016 9 middle from the hops being squeezed di- rectly into the bottle, and a slightly bitter finish, this brew rated high during our tasting. Deschutes Red Chair NWPA – This North West Pale Ale was rich amber col- ored and lightly hopped. Crisp, refresh- ing and very drinkable. Widmer Steel Bridge Porter - Very dark in color, this porter was somewhat sweet and kind of smoky with a very distinct flavor. The winner of Widmer Brothers annual homebrew competition, this limited release Collaborator beer is only available in the Portland area. Laurelwood Tree Hugger Porter – Brewed with 100% organically grown malt this is a personal favorite. A good solid porter without any frills, Tree Hug- ger is available on tap at the brewpub on Sandy Blvd. in Portland but Laurelwood only bottles it occasionally—we were recently lucky enough to grab some. My “permed” mullet man is still looking fine at 40... Happy Birthday Babe! Columbia County Chapter OREGON HUNTER’S ASSOCIATION 11th Annual Fundraiser Saturday, February 27, 2016 C olumbia C ounty F airgrounds 58892 Saulser Rd., St. Helens, OR 97051 Raffles, Games, Live Auction, Silent Auction, Wall of Guns, Ladies Table and Children’s games with great prizes! Ph: (503) 429-0154 Jim Morrison, Jr. MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net General Contractor Vernonia, OR 97064 CCB# 112057 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured Vernonia’s Creekside Adult Foster Home, LLC Long Term Residential Care Medicaid and Private Pay Accepted Adult Day Care and Respite Care also Available Call for a visit and walk through. Vicki Perry Lonnie Perry Owners/Providers 5:00 p.m. Doors Open • 6:30 p.m. Dinner Served Raffles / Auction after Dinner Web Site: http://columbiachapter.webs.com • E-mail: columbiacountyoha@yahoo.com For more information contact: Matt @ 503-396-5265 or Randy @ 971-225-8013 Francis @ 503-369-5426 or Frank @ 503-201-7495 Mariolino’s Pizza & Grill Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner Daily Specials We have ice cream! Cones-Shakes-Sundaes 11847 Keasey Rd. Vernonia, OR 97064 Phone: 503-429-3040 Fax: 503-429-1442 vcp345@frontier.com Serving Vernonia since 1970 721 Madison Avenue, Vernonia (503) 429-5018