My Favorite Oregon Craft Beers From 2013

‘Tis the season for year-end lists and seriously, who doesn’t enjoy reminiscing about those great things that’ve populated our lives over the past 365 days? I tend to specifically revel in the year-end music lists, as I generally create one each year as well, but this will be my first attempt to conjure from the mists that lurk in the back of my noggin those beers that made Oregon proud, in turn, making the year even tastier.

Taking into account the fact that this state continues to flourish in the realm of artisan brewing, which now features 153+ breweries, picking the best new beers and standouts in this crowded scene can become difficult and quite expensive if you really want to try them all. While I tried my darnedest to accomplish this goal by attending 10+ festivals this year, most for the first time, even I have my limits.

If there was one style that Oregon’s brewers focused on this year, it’s been within the terrain of Wild or Sour beers created from the barrel-aging process. I’ve never had so many fruit-infused, wild yeast Belgian, and bourbon, whiskey, chardonnay, port and/or rum barreled beers in my life. And there were so many of them this year to try that it’s a shame I can’t include them all below. Here are three beers conjured by Oregon’s excellent cadre of beer cooks that really blew up my skirt in 2013…

Swill Beer – 10 Barrel Brewing

 Head R&D Brewer Tonya Cornett hit it out of the park once more this year, continuing her wildly popular “Crush” series of beers (Cucumber Crush, Apricot Crush, etc.) in creating Swill Beer, a grapefruit-infused Berliner Weisse with soda added. The blend, falling into the German Radler style, is fresh, effervescent, sweet, and sour. Its unique flavor and mouthfeel create a mini wonderland for the tongue. It was one of the best regarded and most consumed beers at the Oregon Brewers Festival and seemed to be everywhere during the hot summer months.

Cherry Diesel – Cascade Brewing

Cascade’s Imperial Stout gets a dose of sour cherries and vanilla beans, and then it’s aged in Bourbon barrels for five months. Cherry Diesel is brewed with chocolate and roasted malts, organic blackstrap molasses, Belgian candi sugar, and then blended with spiced cherries. I just had this beer Friday evening at Portland’s Holiday Ale Festival and it blew my mind. Known for their barrel-aged sour beers, Cascade has become a force in the state, crafting high-end, fruit-forward offerings unlike any you’ll find anywhere.

Currant Event – Deschutes Brewery

A one-time offering, Deschutes created Currant Event, a sour Imperial Baltic Porter, just for Portland’s Fruit Beer Festival. Kettle soured with their house lactic culture, it’s made with black currants, and then cask conditioned with pureed raspberries. While the notion of drinking a sour porter may not appeal to everyone, it really grabbed my attention and was my favorite beer at the festival. Most know the consistent everyday beers that Deschutes churns out, almost nationwide, yet the more limited seasonal and special releases are a whole ‘nother animal… one you may want to adopt and pet and hug and love.

Honorable mentions:

Barley Brown’s Beer, Pallet Jack IPA (GABF Gold for IPA)
Burnside Brewing, Ivil Krushu Imperial Baltic Porter
Deschutes Brewery, Fresh Squeezed IPA
Logsgon Farmhouse Ales, Citra Fresh Hopped Seizoen