Welcome to Beervana
Beer expert Jeremy Storton breaks down how to drink Oregon beer—from what type of glass to use, to which food beer pairs well with.
Jeremy Storton
Black Butte Whiskey
Jeremy Storton reviews a collaboration between Deschutes Brewery and Bend Distillery that begat a whiskey based on Black Butte Porter: Black Butte Whiskey.
Beerlandia Podcast with Tamara Logsdon from Wyeast Labs
Beerlandia columnist and cicerone, Jeremy Storton, heads to Hood River to find out what’s bubbling in the mind of Wyeast Labs Tamara Logsdon
Enviro-Breweries for a better world
written by Jeremy Storton I sat typing away at my keyboard one wintry day at a local brewery. A beautiful, brilliantly clear pale ale with a rich head kept me company and served as my muse. My calendar said January, but the sunny, 60-degree temperature outside suggested late spring. “If this is climate change,” I thought, “I could get used to this.” I discovered the world of beer in college. Despite my best efforts, I also graduated with a degree in environmental studies, examining the intricate, web-like relationship of all things that make up an ecosystem. For me, the two were completely unrelated, until I had an epiphany last October. A flurry of reports came out warning that climate change will affect barley production, thus driving beer prices higher. All the old college lectures, visits to farms and time spent learning about beer were a jigsaw puzzle, and these warnings…
The Beauty of Beer Cocktails
written by Jeremy Storton | photos by David L. Reamer I found a path less traveled in Beerlandia recently. It began with a muddled slice of orange, Angostura bitters, a Bordeaux cherry and a tablespoon of cherry juice instead of sugar. The aromas began wafting their magic as I stirred in 1 ounce of rye whiskey. In order to make a whiskey old fashioned, ice cubes and soda water ought to have come next, but that wasn’t the plan. Instead, I poured half a can of cold pale ale into the glass. With one swift stir of the bar spoon, I entered the esoteric world of beer cocktails. With one swift stir of the bar spoon, I entered the esoteric world of beer cocktails. The idea of mixing beer with spirits was anathema to me until I realized I was just being a stodgy beer snob. Then I…
Beerlandia: Oregon Brews Traveler
written by Jeremy Storton My foot begins to tap anxiously and I keep looking at my watch. I don’t look at the time, but the date. This is how my beer wanderlust begins. Many of us need to take occasional breaks from the humdrum of our lives, or discover some perspective that will improve it. Perhaps we seek adventure or need to affirm what we have is still pretty good. Nonetheless, the road calls and distant lands beckon. This is the premise for wine-tasting weekends or unspoken trips to Vegas. For me, the thirst for good beer experiences is unquenchable. My wife and children are often my companions as I drag them to another brewery for lunch. They wait patiently while I gab with another brewer about process, flavors and beer culture blah-de-blah. They are good sports and usually get a glass of wine or ice cream, respectively, out of…
Beerlandia: How to Cellar Beer That is Exceptional
Wondering how best to cellar beer? There are five simple rules to follow. written by Jeremy Storton | illustrated by Allison Bye As legend has it, British lords would age a batch of barley wine made when a baby was born, then drink it when the lad turned 18. These days, we know fresh is best, but there is still a time and place for something old and something brewed. Cellaring a beer has five simple rules. 1. Keep bottles upright to allow yeast to settle and to minimize surface area oxidation. 2. Keep bottles away from sun and fluorescent light, which will create off flavors reminiscent of skunk or propane. 3. Keep bottles at a steady, even temperature, around 50 degrees, to allow good flavors to evolve and harsh ones to mellow. 4. Stronger beers can store longer, but plan on saving the beer up to five years, unless advised…
Autumn Beer Is Best Sipped Around A Fire
Hello Autumn Beer: As fall arrives, grilling and beer don’t need to take a back seat written by Jeremy Storton Although the dog days are behind us, visions of summer’s splendor flash across our memories like a late-night highlight reel. Lulled by warm days, many of us continue to push the outdoor barbecues in the evenings. But the chilly nights confirm that summer is indeed over. The days of summer salads and lagers may linger behind us, but a change of season invites a different, equally splendid experience. In fall, I find myself sitting fireside, wrapped in a blanket and tending to the various meats, veggies or paella grilling over the coals. Sometimes there is wine, but there is always beer. For me, there is something that excites my palate about pairing dark and brooding malty beers with the crackle of fire and the sizzle of steak. My goal is…
Hops at the Rogue Farms
A look behind the scenes at Rogue Farms written by Jeremy Storton The sun had not yet risen to its peak in the late summer sky, but it was already getting warm. From far off I could see the unmistakable outline of hop bines reaching into the sky like beanstalks. The faint smell of tractor diesel and hop resin greeted me when I arrived. I came to Rogue Farms in Independence to witness, firsthand, a hop harvest and see where my beer comes from. Somehow I found myself staring nose to snout with two pigs named Voo and Doo, named for the Portland doughnut shop that made bacon maple bars famous. And to think, none of this would exist without Rogue Nation’s desire to dare, risk and dream. Kyle Ward, the farm’s tasting room manager, walked me through rows of hops that stood 20 feet tall. As if introducing me…
