BBC11 - Bridgeport Brewery

Firkin Around...Silverton, Oregon.

August 19^th Bridgeport BrewPub - Portland, OR

Upstairs pub in the Heritage Room

Tonight's trip is to "Beervana"; in other words, the Bridgeport BrewPub, located in Portland. Bridgeport is one of the early pioneers of craft brewing in the state of Oregon. Their brewery is setup in an old three-story tall, former rope factory (the historic Portland Cordage Company). The building dates back to the late part of the nineteenth century. Hand troweled brick along with hewn wooden beams are left exposed in the interior dining sections, creating an industrial yet inviting vibe.

Building leased April 11, 1984

Everything about the building was on a large scale. Across from a catwalk on the second story, there is an enormous clock hanging above the bar below. It is frozen in time at 04:11 and has the Roman numerals MCMLXXXIV, indicating the year 1984. I will go out on a limb to say the clock's time may indicate April 11th as the date of incorporation. This is based upon an article found on oregonlive.com that mentions an April incorporation date from 1984.

Also on the large side are the urinals in the men's room, which were described by some as everything from "open sarcophagi" to "vertical bathtubs." (Sorry ladies of #BBC11, you certainly missed that visual.) I've no pictures to show, but rest assured that these are definitely designed for a man-sized wee. And a good thing too, considering we were in a brewpub among some pretty great beer.



Speaking of beer - - - liquid libations were sampled at the large upstairs bar, where an array of Bridgeport's best selling brews were dispensed by the sample or by the pint. Bridgeport's IPA, Kingpin, Blue Heron, Porter, Hop Czar and Summer Squeeze are just a few to mention here.


Continuing on to the buffet dinner, there was plenty of tasty gourmet food to fill your plate. Mine consisted of fresh fish with pesto, a beef loin medallion, dark green garden salad, roasted potatoes, zuchinni and corn-on-the-cob, Rotini pasta salad and a thick slice of crusted bread. With some water and a beer, the course rounded out nicely. Simply as delicious as it looks.




Just as dinner wound down, we spied some "Beeramisu" a takeoff on an Italian dessert favorite, Tiramisu. The kitchen staff have their own recipe which includes Bridgeport's porter, chocolate shavings and espresso cake. Mmmmm, good!

Firkin Around

More photos here

Firkin Around the Bridgeport BrewPub !


Bridgeport BrewPub and Brewery
1313 NW Marshall
Portland, OR  97209
http://bridgeportbrew.com/
503.241.3612

Yuengling Brewery - Tampa, Florida

Firkin Around...Tampa, Florida.

America's Oldest Brewery - Since 1829

Tampa, Florida and the surrounding local area is home to some of the newest craft beer 'kids-on-the-block', with breweries such as Cigar City, Dunedin, Saint Somewhere, Peg's Cantina & Brew Pub and Tampa Bay Brewing Company to name a few. The list keeps growing, but hidden among these new and passionate breweries, stands not one of the oldest, but THE oldest brewer in America. Originally D. G. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Yuengling brews their tasty beers and ales in the heart of Tampa at the old Stroh's brewery. I might add with equal passion to the brewing and beer enjoyment process, as well.

Yuengling Brewery - Tampa, FL

Our guide Maureen took us on a one hour (plus) excursion through the inner workings of the plant. As the tour began, we learned that the Tampa brewery has changed hands several times. Beginning as Schlitz, and then as Stroh's, then over to Pabst and back to Stroh's again, before being purchased in 1999 by president Dick Yuengling Jr.  The 1999 Tampa facility purchase allowed Yuengling the ability to produce 1.5 million barrels a year. Do the math. At 31 gallons to a barrel, let's just say that is a lot of beer. Plans to further expand the factory are underway. As recent as 2009, Yuengling reached the 2 million barrel mark in overall annual production. And where does all the water come from to make that beer? There are four  artesian wells on the fifty-four acre location that descend to depths of 277 feet.

Active boil in mash tun

The aromas of malts in the mash tun wafted through the air as we ascended the stairs to the brew kettle room. An active boil  of wort was going on in one of the mashing units. Wort, also known as 'tea', is made from the malt and hot water addition. The splashing mixture in the tun was referred to as an 'angry boil'. That's the point at which the brew is actively bubbling as a stirring arm agitates the liquid. It takes 8 tons of grain and 241 barrels of water to mash a batch. I must say, the malt smell was very pleasing to the nose.

Outer yard processing area

Moving to the outer yard, we observed the area where trains haul in grain to the site.  It is moved into storage hoppers and silos until needed for making the beer. Maureen pointed out that this area is also used to reclaim the natural CO2 that forms from the fermenting process of beer. The carbon dioxide is brought into the building, processed and reused later. Additionally, the spent malt grains are dried out and re-purposed to farmers as feed for cattle. Recycling at its best.

The bottling/canning line was next. There is a vast array of high speed moving conveyors that take glass bottles and metal cans through sanitizing, filling and capping/topping stations all around the plant. 

We learned that the original bottles in Pennsylvania were filled by hand at the rate of five bottles per minute. The modern facility can produce 900 in that same minute. We were reminded that the folks back then bottled beer by hand and they were also likely to be enjoying a brew or two while doing so. Maureen figured that this may have attributed to the low bottling numbers! (wink)

Government Room Holding Tanks

On to the 'government room' where each of these tanks holds 1160 barrels of beer. The beer lies in wait for full approval, so it can then be bottled, canned or kegged. What you see here is 401,940 gallons of total storage. If you are doing the math in your head again, allow me to help. This room represents 4,287,360 twelve ounce glasses of beer. It is estimated that it would take 51 years of continuous drinking at one twelve ounce glass per minute, to empty. Thank goodness we can share with a few million friends!  Yuengling's beers are produced at three breweries; the other two breweries are located in Pennsylvania. Currently their products are distributed up and down the east coast of the United States with plans for future distribution expansion.

Yuengling Black & Tan

The government room may be a great room, but in my opinion, the tap room is where it's at! We were treated to a couple samples of their finest on draught.

In conclusion, this brewery has been making a go at beer for nearly 200 years. That is quite a feat, but it is dwarfed by the fact that it has survived five generations of family run operations. All with a passion for their beer and brewing processes. A sixth generation is poised for a run at greatness. Dick Yuengling's four daughters are all interested in buying into the family business when it's their turn. Cheers to the Yuengling family and their great line of beers and ales!

Firkin America's Oldest Brewer!

The Sign Says It All

Yuengling Brewing Company

(Tampa Brewing Location)

11111 N. 30th Street

Tampa, FL 33612

(813)-972-8529

giftshop@yuengling.com

www.yuengling.com/breweries/tampa

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SanTan Brewery & Pub

Firkin Around...Chandler, Arizona.

Glimpse of the outside brewery ops

A good tip from a fellow Twitter friend led me to SanTan Brewing while on vacation in Arizona. I was looking for some of the local fare and flair in microbrews. The fact that it was also a pub with food...BONUS! We pulled in for a lunchtime bite to eat and a beer or two. Crossing the street from the parking lot, I was able to look inside the brewery as a forklift was loading some of their kegged beer onto a truck, for the upcoming beer festival, Arizona Beer Week 2011. Darned the luck, we are leaving for home a week before the event begins.

What's going on...

Where the magic happens

Moving inside the entryway to the brewpub exposes a rough, but clean industrial interior that shows off wood and brick walls with exposed ceilings. The colorful chalkboard gives you the skinny on the daily offerings of  available beer. Looking half way into the room, a wall with large windows gives a glimpse into the brewer's area at the holding tanks of beer. You can gawk all you want and watch the brewing, in any of the various stages of processing.

What'll ya' have?

It's safe to say that the beer on tap covers the spectrum when it comes to choosing one of your liking. From light hefe's to pale ales, IPA's, amber, stout and even seasonal special ales are all available for dispensing from the bar's taps. In fact, it is a full service bar for those wishing a little something more than a beer. I happened to spy a bottle of my very favorite (and hard-to-find) Irish whiskey on the top shelf.

Superb flight on a crazy cool flight paddle

Tullamore dew - IMHO sign of a good bar

The ladies favorite from the sampler? The seasonal offering...Sex Panther! A barley wine featuring a caramel, chocolate and nutty flavor along with a high ABV. According to the description on their website, "It has bits of real panther in it...so you know its good!"


Lunch is served

Stuffed mushrooms

Appetizers and lunch orders were placed right after the flight, by our server, Oscar. The stuffed mushrooms with a raspberry sauce were wonderful. My club sandwich was a whopper, completed with a side salad and a pickle wedge. My choice for a pint was the Hop Shock I.P.A. which complimented the sandwich, wonderfully. I had a great time enjoying the food and the brewery fresh beer. The wait staff and bartenders were very friendly and accommodating to us on our visit.  

The Chandler Club

It would be nice to return again during the evening to enjoy more of the SanTan beers as well as some of the live band entertainment they also have on hand. Or maybe, I could go back to get a tour of the brewing operations. Lunch, dinner or after hours, it's sure to be a great time.


Any time or any way that you choose to visit should provide to be fun affair. I know that the next time I'm in the area, it will be one of my destinations of choice.

A Firkin oasis in the desert! 


San Tan Brewing Company
8 South San Marcos Place
Chadler, AZ 85225
480-917-8700
www.santanbrewing.com

Cocoa Beach Brewing Company

Firkin Around...Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Cocoa Beach Brewing...C'mon in!

5...4...3...2...1, blast off for the space coast of Florida!  Don't miss the opportunity to see a real microbrewery and pub in action on the east coast of Florida.

On your next visit to Daytona or Orlando, spend a day at beautiful Cocoa Beach. Grab some SPF and sunshine, even go for a swim in the surf. Visit the shops along North Atlantic Avenue and then end your day with a wonderful libation at the Cocoa Beach Brewing Company.  It's just minutes, make that steps away, from the sunny sands of Cocoa Beach.

Tidy taps, trickling terrific tastes

Snug and cozy, this beach side bungalow has been transformed into a fully functioning microbrewery and pub. The selections are varied and the service is warm and friendly.  On this trip, I was able to meet with President and Owner, Chris McCall.  He explained how they brew on premise in the back part of the building.  He went on to discuss how Cocoa Beach Brewing is also keging brews for the local distribution reach, along the east corridor of the state. Bottling of selected favorites is also available for purchase at the brewery as well as local liquor stores and shops in the area.

Pale Ale and a shot of Dirty Blonde

We sampled some of the CBB local wares, including the Pale Ale, the Dirty Blonde Ale and everyone's hands down favorite of the night, "Not Just Some Oatmeal Stout".  All were tasty and enjoyed with gusto. Visit their website at the link below for a full lineup of the ales on hand. As for the building the pub is housed in, it has gone through a complete renovation to transform it into a local dispensary of sensational suds. The front room has a fireplace, big screen television and is accompanied by plenty of comfortable seating.  The second room has been converted into a tap room with bar front seating.  There are also some large and copious high-top tables - - - all there to get your beer-comfort on. Backgammon boards will inspire you to enjoy your beers over a little friendly competition and conversation. Spartan and small does not mean it isn't comfortable, inviting and cozy, by any stretch. Being that the brewery is within ear and eye-shot of the NASA launchpads, one wall sticker proudly proclaims, "Brewing Doesn't Take a Rocket Scientist...(But we have them anyway)." Be sure to sign their guest book while there; they are always looking for new friends and beer lovers!

...oh yes, it is!

This is a place you surely want to visit. After all, you're a beer lover, aren't you? I was joined on the trip by my daughter, son and future son-in-law, topping off a great Thanksgiving Day weekend, while visiting the area. A first trip for all, but definitely not the last!

Firkin Around at the Cocoa Beach Brewing Co.

Firkin Suds and Surf!


Cocoa Beach Brewing Company
150 North Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931-2960
(321) 613-2941


www.cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com




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BBC 2010 - Boulder Beer Brewery Tour

Firkin Around...Boulder, Colorado.

One of the original cradles of craft brewing (43rd brewing license issued in the United States), Boulder Beer began operations in 1979 and has continued to thrive to this day

Some of the Boulder lineup

Queuing up in the wrist band line, (must be over 21), I noticed the line at the bar was longer, than for the food. I zigged to the chow line while the others zagged to the tap handles. There were yummy chicken fajitas with all the trimmings, complete with black beans and guacamole waiting for all us hungry beer bloggers. A scoop of rice, a little hot stuff, viola'…done! Now off to the bar!

All that, and a Singletrack Copper Ale!

Fortunately, most of the Boulder lineup makes its way to my sunny home base in Florida.  Hazed & Infused and Mojo can be found on our liquor store shelves. One brew  I hadn’t heard of was Straightline Copper Ale; so good and a great choice! It went especially well with the spicy food.  The tap room was packed, so some of us cool kids went out on the patio to dine in the chill night air. Laughter and good conversation ensued as we enjoyed the food, beverages and each others company. Speaking of spicy things and conversation, one very heated topic on college football came up. Both sides agreed to disagree and it was great fun to watch unfold. Not naming any names…

Original copper mash tun and grist hopper

Back inside, a tour was gathering in the front room that contained two old copper mash tuns.  Our guide and "Marketing Tool", (I ain't making that up, get one of his business cards and see for yourself), Dan Weitz took us through the back workings of the brewery.  We walked by some of the more modern tanks and bottling lines, until we reached the refrigerated holding room. It was amazing to see how so much brewing equipment was literally packed into one space! Without a doubt, it was a marvel of modern engineering.

We thanked our hosts as the buses began pulling up at the front of the brewery to whisk us away to Pearl Street for our ‘pub crawl’.

Since 1979

Another great Colorado microbrewery tour! Big props and thanks to the wonderful folks at Boulder Beer for making the evening something very memorable.

Hazed and Infused neon sign

Firkin Original Microbrewery!

Boulder Brewery 
2880 Wilderness Place
Boulder, CO 80301
303.444.8448

www.boulderbeer.com


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BBC 2010 - Oskar Blues Brewery Tour

Firkin Around...Longmont, Colorado.

     Oskar Blues hosted a dinner and brewery tour for the bunch of us tonight at their Longmont facility. As our bus turned the corner at Oskar blues I spied a pickup truck that could have been mistaken for a rolling can of Ten Fidy. This is going to be special I thought aloud, to no one in particular.

We were welcomed by the staff as we exited our buses at the Lyons facility. We walked straight into the brewery where an area is sectioned off to serve as a bar and gift shop. The rest of the building is the brewery, in all of its stainless-steel working splendor!

"The Beer Wench"& me

Some of Oskar Blues lineup

An area left of the taproom was reserved for our dinner buffet, within the main brewery area.It included shredded BBQ, chicken wings with several types of dipping sauces. There was a mac & cheese...to die for. The gumbo was oh-so hot and spicy. Coleslaw, meatballs...so much food. All good and hot and plentiful. Nearby, a jockey box with Dale's Pale Ale and Old Chub was setup for quenching your thirst.

Fermentation line

All around us lay the business end of a fully operational fermentation and canning plant for beer.  It's as if they locked us kids inside the candy store! After we noshed and quenched our thirsts, the tours began.  The first thing I noticed was a skateboard lying on the ground near one of the work areas. Must be the quickest mode of transportation around the facility, I thought! You won't see that in a conventional beer processing plant. It shows the unconventional and irreverent atmosphere that is prevalent at Oskar Blues. I'd call it a young at heart attitude, and would take it over stuffy and stodgy any day. Sometimes it pays to break the rules.

Empty cans awaiting filling

Easy transportation

Speaking of the rules, we were given an insight on their Ten Fidy Imperial Ale, as to the origins of the name.  Many think it has something to do with the ABV percentage, but it was explained that they broke a formerly held 10 to 1 ratio for ingredients that the industry had long adhered to as an undeniable rule.  "F#c$ the industry, Do It Yourself" was the rally cry and Ten FIDY became the name.

Evolve!

Unconventional brewer but outstanding beer! 

Firkin canned!

Oskar Blues Brewery 
1800 Pike Road # B
Longmont, CO
303.776.1914

www.oskarblues.com

 

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Orlando Brewing Company

Firkin Around...Orlando, Florida.

The trip to Orlando Brewing started with an email. Several fellow bloggers were contacted to see if they were interested in a private brewery tour and sampling session.  Well, heck yeah! I'm always up for a trip to O-town and quite frankly, I had not heard much about this particular brewery.  That was about to change. What I did know was that Orlando Brewing is a USDA certified organic brewery. This means they have to adhere to a strict review of their ingredients by government regulation in order to carry the 'certified organic' labeling.   The word organic can cause confusion with some people. Sometimes it may even make the uninformed a bit skeptical, conjuring up images of tree hugging crazies.  Well, nonsense. Get that notion out of your head.  The Orlando Brewery uses selected hops and malts that are free from synthetic chemicals, irradiation and sewage sludge. The farmlands typically have been run this way for a period of three or more years to be considered organic. Strict, regular reviews and inspections are also necessary to be sure that the laws are being adhered to at the sites. It all makes for a purer brew, albeit a bit more expensive due to the nature of the synthetic free conditions in which they are raised. All in all, it can make for a better beer. The Orlando Brewery was founded in 2002 and opened in April of 2007.  It was fashioned after Fritz Maytag's pioneering spirit in craft brewing. Their first offering was a Pale Ale. The brewery founders have used word of mouth advertising, "...to educate the public about organic brewing, one pint at a time." President John Cheek, General Operations Director Stan Richards and Brewmaster Ed Canty are just some of the brains behind the operation.   On with the show Gene pours while we sample Director of Brewery Sales Gene Lohri was our guide through the brewery. He greeted us outside under the canopy next to the funky and psychedelic school bus. We were whisked away to the side of the building and into an open loading door.  A table of wonderful looking dips, breads and snack chips were waiting on tables. One of the delicious dips was made using their porter! Brewery line Mash/Lauter Tuns Brewery founder and president John Cheek, met us at the table with a beautiful pitcher of their flagship and best seller, "Organic Blonde". Our tasting session began with Gene explaining the finer points in organic beers and also noting about each beer we sampled.  My tasting notes ran as follows: Organic Blonde - Made with Breiss organic malts and hops from Yakima, WA.  The beer has light malt aromas with slight hops nose and taste. They use Munich barley malts and Hallertauer hops. The art of the perfect pour Pale Ale - Breiss malts and Cascade hops are balanced and present in the aromas and the taste. Delicate citrus floral  notes detected on the nose. This beer is brewed at 68/F and cellared at 38-45/F. A super sessionable beer at 5% ABV. Brown Ale - This malty and roasty brew has a creamy head and nutty taste. A Florida Gold Medal winner, this year for 2010. Red Ale - A 2008 Florida Gold Medal winner, this super Red Ale features Carapils and Breiss malts and is also available in bottle. I had this by the pint before the tour. Simply great flavor and fresh. European Pilz - Tight, crisp and satisfying.  Uses Centennial and Saaz hops to achieve the old world style of pilsener beer. Flight samples and tasting notes Blackwater 'Dry' Porter - A deep, dark colored porter with roasted chocolate flavors.  Just a hint of vanilla for fun. Savory rich start and a drying finish on the tongue. Check out InnTheKitchen.com for a few hints on how to use this porter in a reduction sauce or "Biramisu" dessert. Olde Pelican English Pale Ale - A beauty at 5.9% ABV. Done in the English style of pale ale with Carapils malts. Easy drinker. Marzen - We were lucky to be at Orlando Brewing during October, so what better way to celebrate than with a sample of their Octoberfest style lager. It was phenomenal and done nicely with a balance of hops and malts, the way a good Marzen should taste. And oh, so fresh! Pompous Ass IPA - The name says it all. A punch of hops flavor gives this IPA and outstanding taste. BOOYAH! Great people, great brewery Orlando Brewing's Tasting Room Cheers to Gene and John for being such gracious hosts in opening up their brewery to the FLAbrew Crew!  Their hospitality was top notch. After our tour of the brewing facilities, we all wandered back into the tasting room and had a few more of the beers on tap.  Many of them are available in unfiltered versions on tap and were all quite good.  The unfiltered beers are only available in the tasting room, as the bottled versions are filtered. Also available on tap are beers from other brewerys, served right alongside the Orlando Brewery taps. We learned that Orlando Brewing makes twenty different beers that include styles such as a The Current Tap Offerings Doppelbock, Hefe-Weizen, Maibock and Barleywine. These are all brewed on premise in one of their various brew lines which includes a 30bbl system (roughly 1000 gallons)  recovered from the Dominican Republic in 1992, and a 5bbl system formerly of some Florida area brewpubs once located in Daytona and Winter Park. Although I have attempted to capture the essence of our tour in words and pictures, you need to go see for yourself first hand just how dedicated and committed the folks at Orlando Brewing are about their craft. Orlando Brewery Beer Awards Leave your preconceived notions at the door.  Come and taste what a difference organic brewing can make in a beer.  Orlando Brewing is easy to get to in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida. Stop on by and check out their award winning organic style brews for yourself. If you should find that you burp during your visit, don't worry.  As Gene explained during the tour, "That's not bad manners, that's just good beer!"

FLAbrew crew with hosts John & Gene

Firkin Organic Brewery!

Orlando Brewing Company
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL 32806
407-872-1117

www.orlandobrewing.com







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