Double Mountain Brewery Blog

Party Redux: yeah we had fun.

Wow, what a great way to celebrate two years of biz. We had something like a thousand people show up on a cold and rainy Saturday in March. Matt packed the taps with a murderer’s row of fantastic beers. Great music in the big tent. Definitely a day and night to remember!

We’d like to thank all the people who helped us make the Anniversary Party happen, including the fine musicians in Chickweed, Jack Straw and The Quick and Easy Boys; our soundguy Marty Knowles; the dudes at Your Rental Center; and especially our staff, who threw down an enormous effort and made it all look easy…You rule! But most of all we want to thank everyone who came and brought their good vibes. We are very lucky to have such a great group of fans.

Here’s a few more pics, plus a little taste of video:

Also, check out the photos taken by our friends at Rediviva Magazine (www.redivivamag.com). You just might spy yourself gettin’ down. -Charlie

2nd Anniversary Party — Final Info

Here’s some final info in preparation for our upcoming 2nd Anniversary Party:

WHO/WHAT/WHERE/WHEN:
Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom
2nd Anniversary Street Party
8 Fourth Street (btwn Cascade & Columbia)
Hood River Oregon USA
Saturday March 14, 2009
Noon-11pm

BEER LIST:
1. Kölsch
2. Alpenbrew
3. IRA
4. Hop Lava
5. Standard Porter
6. Black Irish Stout
7. Das Boot (Dry-hopped Altbier)
8. Ardennes (Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale)
9. IRB (India Red Blend, Barrel-Aged)
10. FaLaLaLaLa (’08 Reserve)
and…
11. the premiere of some bourbon-barrel brown ale, aged at the brewery since summer.

MUSIC SCHEDULE:
3:00pm: Chickweed
5:30pm: Jack Straw
8:00pm: Quick & Easy Boys

FOOD MENU:
-salmon burgers and other goodies outside on the grill
-our regular pizza/salads/sandwiches menu, too.

WEATHER FORECAST:
-Variable, could be a bit chilly and/or rainy. No worries — we’ll be setting up a 40′x40′ tent out front in the street, with a 10′x20′ tent which will connect it to the garage. We’ll have several propane heaters around… but make sure you bring a sweater just in case.

FAMILY FRIENDLY:
Yep, kids are welcome until 8pm.

ACCOMMODATIONS:
The Hood River Hotel, within walking distance of the brewery, has discounted rooms starting at $89/night, which includes a breakfast voucher. Call them at 800-386-1859 and mention the Anniversary Party when you reserve. Almost all booked up. Other good options include the Hood River Inn and the Vagabond Lodge. For the most comprehensive list of lodging options, check out the Mt Hood Meadows website: “MHM Get Here Stay Here — Lodging Info”

Hope you all can make it! -Charlie

“Das Boot” Release Party at Saraveza Fri Mar 6th 5-8pm

Come join the staffs of Double Mountain and Saraveza as we tap the first kegs of a new Double Mountain specialty brew, and enjoy some seriously comfortable German-themed food goodies. The fun starts at 5pm with some free mini Sauerbraten pasties – get them while they last. We’ll also be raffling off some Double Mountain shirts and glassware throughout the evening.

The idea for “Das Boot: The Beer” arose at our company Holiday Party this past December. We piled our whole staff into the Jupiter Hotel, where much debauchery ensued, including a little session of ‘Pass the Boot’, better known these days (thanks to the great movie “Beerfest”) as ‘Das Boot’. “Beerfest” is the heartwarming saga of two German-American brothers who recruit a team of world-class beer drinkers to defeat their snotty native-German half-cousins at Beerfest — a raucous, high-stakes, underground drinking competition that takes place every year in Munich during Oktoberfest. The final tie-breaking event of the competition is called ‘Das Boot’… basically a chug race featuring 3-liter boot-shaped glasses and chants of “Das Boot! Das Boot!”

Anyway, I thought ‘Das Boot’ would be a fun name for a beer, a German-style beer…especially since I’m a sucker for double-meanings. One of my favorite movies of all time is the eponymous “Das Boot” (”The Boat”, in German), an epic 1981 film about a WWII Nazi submarine and its fearless crew. If you’re over 40 and saw a few flicks in college, you probably know “Das Boot”, the sub; and if you’re under 40, odds are likely that you’ve memorized every last scene in “Beerfest” by now…so there you go. Either way it’s all good. Matt gave me the go-ahead to cobble a recipe together and showed me the ropes in the brewhouse (it’s been almost ten years since I’ve brewed commercially), and together we knocked it out.

The result is a dark ale broadly in the style of an altbier, which is to say a brownish German-style ale that’s cold-fermented more like a lager, adding roundness. It’s a tad ‘bigger’ in every respect than most traditional altbiers — but that’s just how we roll. Brewed with Pilsner, Munich and chocolate malts, Kölsch yeast, and a variety of German hops; dry-hopped with whole Hallertaus for extra aroma. 6.2% ABV, 50BU.

About the food: Chef Spencer Lack has been delivering some killer eats out of Saraveza’s little kitchen since day one. For those of you unfamiliar with the pasty (pronounced pass-tee), it’s a pastry hand-pie with a savory filling — sort of a big Anglo version of an empanada. Terrific pub food. Spence is working on a Sauerbraten (German-style marinated beef) pasty that should prove a hearty complement to Das Boot’s malty richness.

Saraveza Bottle Shop & Pasty Tavern is located at 1004 N Killingsworth in Portland. Check’em out online at www.saraveza.com, or call them at 503-206-4252 for more info.

FYI there will be no chugging or submarine races of any variety… at least not officially sanctioned. But the first person who can correctly explain to me the numerous cosmic connections between “Das Boot” and “Beerfest”, beyond the boot itself…well that person might just be getting some free DM schwag.

Hope to see you there -Charlie