Fort George Brewery Magnanimous IPA release party
At this point Fort George Brewery’s Magnanimous IPA might be considered a modern classic in the winter seasonal beer genre. With most winter warmer beers falling into either the dark and malty, strong and hoppy, or spiced categories, the Magnanimous IPA falls into both hoppy and spiced by showcasing pacific northwest hops in an IPA base spiced with locally grown grand fir tips that serve to both accentuate and transform the green fresh flavors and capture the aromas and flavors of christmas trees.
On Saturday, November 19th Oregon City, Oregon’s great beer bar/bottleshop Arch Bridge Taphouse hosts the official Magnanimous IPA 2022 release party with a Fort George tap takeover. Arch Bridge is a fitting spot to host a Portland-area release party because of their long relationship with former Fort George brand ambassador Tim Ensign and his wife Jana who live in the OC and grow the grand fir tips used in the beer at their Earth & Sky farm.
“Over Countless events, celebrations and far too many beers we became friends and I have been lucky enough to spend many delightful evenings at Earth and Sky Farms (we've even managed to score a couple of their elusive Christmas trees!)” says Arch Bridge taphouse owner Gene Gligorea. “When this beer was first released as a seasonal I think we were initially intrigued by the fact that the tips were harvested in Oregon City, but after the first time we poured it, it quickly became one of our favorite Seasonal releases. It really captures the essence of the season while still being a great tasting beer.”
Earth & Sky farm is just a short drive from Arch Bridge, every year brewers, friends, and volunteers visit to hand harvest hundreds of pounds of the tips. “Think quintessential, Pacific Northwest evergreen meets quintessential NW IPA. What could be better? In the spirit of magnanimous celebrations, we were thrilled to be asked to host this sought after seasonal release party,” comments Gene, who himself has been out to harvest tips on more than one occasion.
“Getting to enjoy a beautiful tree farm, and knowing that what you're doing will be enjoyed by thousands of people across the northwest is pretty cool. The last time I went I brought my daughter, and she keeps asking when we can go make Christmas Tree beer again!”, and so it’s time to try this years harvest in celebration of winter and the holidays.
Taplist:
Magnanimous IPA: A Fort George Collaboration with Earth & Sky Farm of Oregon City. A bounty of hand-harvested fir tips is infused into each pint. First, we lined the mash tun with generous amounts of Oregon Grand Fir. Then we brewed a Northwest Style IPA with the piniest hop blend we could imagine. The result, a noble blend of piney hops and fresh evergreen aroma.
Bananaza: A very small batch barrel aged release. This 15% ABV Imperial Stout was aged in bourbon barrels and conditioned on Thai bananas, cacao nibs, and coconut.
Etymology Barleywine: A blend of an American style barleywine aged in bourbon barrels (Etym), and an English style barleywine aged in bourbon barrels (Ology), (Etymology).
2020 Matryoshka BBA Imperial Stout: This series begins with a strong Russian Imperial Stout
Fort George’s From Astoria With Love: – which is transferred to barrels and carefully placed in the Lovell Showroom to age. Matryoshka is aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for an entire year, stacking layers upon layers of elegant complexity.
Consider the Bramble: Small batch fruited quick sour series conditioned on blackberries & lemon zest.
Dismal Nitch Dark Lager: Dismal Nitch is named for the purportedly darkish, depressing cove where Lewis & Clark were stranded in 1805. But anyone who has been here knows how the water sparkles, birds skipping through streaks of sun bleached driftwood, how the dense fog curls its fingers around each tree limb, glinting, dispersing, reforming in a complex and beautiful homogeneity. And beyond and behind all that the gentle but persistent hum of tide winds through the steel braces of the Megler Bridge. Perfect place for a dim, bright, dense, light, dark, lager.
Cathedral Tree Oak Fermented Pilsner: A beer that pays reverence to the timeless lager style, Pilsners. Fermented entirely in 500 Liter oak puncheons, to incorporate Old World methodology and provide a mellow tannic structure that lends a full mouthfeel and support for classic German noble and modern hops. Finishes crisp, clean, and refreshing as any Pilsner should.
Suicide Squeeze IPA: Packed with Mosaic, Amarillo and Citra Hops and front-loaded with 2-row barley paired with deep cuts of specialty malt, this Northwest IPA is masterfully balanced.
Crysknife Hazy IPA: This IPA distinguishes itself with a bit of biscuity English malt called Maris Otter, giving it a stronger malt character than most modern IPA’s while still packing a big tropical, peachy, and citrusy hop profile. As fruity as this beer is, it still has a mild bitterness to round it out and prevent it from being overly sweet. A collaboration with Our Mutual Friend Brewing and named for the knife made from the tooth of the sandworms in the Dune novels. Mostly because we’re nerds. But also because these hazy IPAs have become one of our favorite styles, never to leave our side, like a trusty knife.
Power Cycle: Waimea hazy pale: Is your beer not tasting quite right? Are you feeling out of sorts? Just try a Power Cycle. This rotating pale ale series will focus your attention on one dominant hop flavor, while balancing the experience with a working network of malt & hop additions.
Fort George Magnanimous IPA release party + tap takeover
4pm – 7pm Saturday, November 19th
Arch Bridge Taphouse, 205 7 th St., Oregon City, OR 97045