Hello club members! While Brendon is away on paternity leave, I’ll be making a couple Beer of the Month selections. This month we’re featuring two breweries from the Pacific Northwest: Heater Allen and Holy Mountain.
Heater Allen is based in McMinnville, Oregon and specializes in German and Czech style lagers. They’re a family owned and operated business led by Head Brewer Lisa Allen and her father Rick Allen, who founded the brewery and serves as Master Brewer. Heater Allen breaks the difference between lager and ale brewing into three major distinctions: yeast, time and temperature. Lagers and ales are brewed using different yeast strains. Lager yeast produces fewer esters and yields a lighter bodied, cleaner beer. Lager yeasts function at lower temperatures and have longer fermentation times than ale yeasts and the lagers are generally aged for a few weeks once fermentation is complete. Lagers require a bit more patience, but in the case of Heater Allen, the wait is well worth it
Holy Mountain is located in Seattle, Washington and was created by Seattle beer industry vets Mike Murphy and Colin Lenfesty. Their brewery is focused primarily on oak-aged and oak-fermented beers and features four Oak Foeders and an extensive barrel program. Holy Mountain has always generated a lot of hype in Seattle and we occasionally get access to one or two of their beers in the Bay Area.
Cheers!
Chris Freeman
Interim Beer Nerd
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Location: McMinnville, Oregon |
The recipe for this beer is based off of Pilsner Urquell, though I find this a slightly richer, rounder style. Rick Allen famously brewed 17 batches of Pilsner in a row before settling on this recipe. Grain and cracker on the nose with a little citrus. Pours a rich, slightly opaque gold with a light, frothy head. The beer is clean and crisp with a touch of well integrated hop bitterness. A slightly toasty malt backbone rounds out a really nice interpretation of the Pilsner style. |
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Style: Czech Pilsner |
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Serving Temp: 38-45F |
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Pairing suggestions: Tacos, Fish ‘n Chips, BBQ |
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Location: McMinnville, Oregon |
Heater Allen’s Zwickelbier is an unfiltered Amber lager, made to emulate a famous German beer, Mahrs Brau’s Ungespundet. I had hoped to have both beers in the club at the same time, but unfortunately Mahrs is currently without an importer. The beer pours a burnt orange/gold with a creamy head. Toasted malt and a little bread on the nose. Malty and crisp on the palate with a light sweetness on the finish. |
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Style: Unfiltered Amber Lager |
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Serving Temp: 50-55F |
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Suggested pairings: Sausage, Cheese & Charcuterie |
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Location: Seattle, Washington |
The Goat is four grain Saison brewed with barley, rye, oats and wheat and then fermented with two Saison yeast strains in an oak foudre. It stayed in the foudre for three months before being bottled with Brettanomyces and conditioned for another four months. The Goat pours a pale, unfiltered, straw yellow with a light, airy head. Cereal grains, lemon and white pepper on the nose. On the palette very light acidity is followed by toasted grain. Brett is present throughout, giving the beer a rustic, earthy character and a dried out finish. |
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Style: Saison |
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Serving Temp: 40-50F |
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Food Pairings: Shellfish, Creamy cheese, Spicy Curry |
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