The Great American Beer Fest announced their 2024 winners today, and Oregon had quite a year. That news, plus some notes on the competition and the winners state by state.
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We have an election in a little less than a month and it has the potential to have a major effect on the economy, and by extension, the beer industry. While no one is talking about it, the election will easily have the biggest impact on the beer industry over the next four years.
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The Oregon Beer Awards convened their annual judging of fresh hop beers over the weekend and announced the winners today. Combined with about six weeks of sampling, I have a fairly good sense of where the state of the craft has landed.
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Google has a new AI-augmented organizational tool available called NotebookLM that functions as a project manager, collaborator, and research assistant rolled up into one. It may be the first really helpful AI application I've found.
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Five years ago I was in Krakow, Poland doing research for a book, when my health turned south. Thanks to the help of several wonderful people, I managed to get help.
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The story of Bass Pale Ale charts the course of English brewing over the past two centuries. To tell Bass’ story is to describe the rise of the most important brewing nation at the most important time in brewing history.
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The OLCC is requesting feedback for a task force that will shape a future beer tax. If you live in Oregon and care about Oregon beer--especially if you own a brewery--send them your thoughts. Find out more at the link.
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The Rose City Fresh Hops Fest, which Celebrate Oregon Beer was co-sponsoring with TrueWest, has been canceled. All is not lost, however! The Fresh Hop Pop-Up is in the midst of its ninth annual run at food cart pod at Prost Portland.
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One of the big fights of the 2025 legislature is already heating up: whether to make Oregon's beer tax by far the highest in the nation. Unfortunately, we may not have an honest discussion about what that actually means.
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A rivalry is developing in the world of fresh hop beer. Proponent of one team believe the best character comes from use on the cold side, others on the hot side. It's time to get to the bottom of the debate.
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Two recent news items point to a phenomenon that will reshape the beer industry over the next decade. Call it the reset, when the perceived value of breweries comes in line with their actual sales.
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If you found a new organization to promote Oregon beer, you gotta throw a party, am I right? Later this month, Celebrate Oregon Beer is delighted to partner with TrueWest on the Rose City Fresh Hops Fest.
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Hard hop water? Have we gone through the looking glass here? No: Great Notion's latest offering works because it’s flavored solely by Citra and Mosaic hops. It’s bright, effervescent, dry, and lightly hop-scented. What’s not to like?
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Tilray may not be the cuddly, half-baked owner 10 Barrel thought it was getting when the cannabis firm took ownership from Anheuser-Busch last year. Today we learned Tilray had fired 10 Barrel's entire, award-winning innovation brewing team.
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Decades ago, in a very different world, we called the beer made by small breweries "craft." It seemed to reflect the reality we saw in the marketplace. Thirty years on, it creates more confusion than clarity.
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A heartfelt thanks on Labor Day.
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Yesterday, Andre Meunier broke the news that Ruse would be opening a new location on the same block as Breakside Slabtown. That means that the four most hops-focused breweries in the city will be linked by a 1.2-mile south by southeast stroll. Let's investigate further.
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What makes a truly unique cultural beer event? It never hurts to have a knight or two, nor a giant copper cauldron bubbling over an open fire. Our researchers have been scouring the world, and these are the five best.
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Many products are untethered to place. Where was your car built? Where did that orange come from? No one cares. But in beer, “local” still matters. The question is, how near or far can you push the concept?
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For their 12th anniversary, pFriem and I collaborated on a cool obscure style, the Czech amber lager. The brewery's version is an authentic one, but instead of appealing to drinkers who like sweeter palates, this one is all about "adult flavor."
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