News Ticker

I don't know that any of the following items deserve a post themselves, so how about an omnibus news post for the weekend. Incidentally, I spent a couple hours tasting the new lineup from Cascade (Rac Lodge) last night, and I'll get that out in the next few days. Definitely an item or two that should be on your "must buy" list. Okay, here goes.

Southern Oregon Brewing will soon be available in bottles. I learned this from Mike at Green Bottling, who sent a label along a sentence or two marveling at what a big, professional place SOB is. Porter, Gold, and Pale Ale, all headed to a store near you.

Rogue has two news items, one cool and one slightly odd. First, the odd. Somehow, Rogue managed to get sole rights to brew the official Oregon Sesquicentennial beer. No info on what kind of beer it is. Maybe they got the nod because they have the access to the most home-grown ingredients; anyway, that's what they're touting in the press release. (I am slightly uneasy about an "official" Oregon beer. Seems like everyone should get a shot at brewing up their take--and it would be a hell of a lot of fun to see what they would come up with. Missed opportunity.)

The second thing is unequivocally cool, though: Dead Guy Whiskey. As you know, whisky is just distilled beer, so why not go all the way. The bottle looks a whole lot like the beer, so you shouldn't have trouble spotting it.

The Brothers W have re-released one of their best seasonals, now a year-round and restyled "Drifter Pale Ale." You may recall it was their "W" beer from a couple years back, made with Summit hops and all orangy and tasty. Seems that program is a way to test the commercial prospects of a beer, and I am delighted to see this come back as a regular. (In fact, I believe I shot an email off and requested just that, so probably you have me to thank.)

That's all the news that's fit to print.