The Winter Ale that inspired Ecliptic Brewing’s John Harris

It’s hard not to get excited by the modern craft beer industry, with thousands of breweries around the country cranking out small batches of hyperlocal, high-quality beer. This is a reality that the pioneers of the industry would’ve had a hard time imagining when they were practically begging consumers to try beers that were dark or hoppy or far too boozy when compared to mass-produced watery lagers. Yet, in the swirl of excitement that comes with being a beer lover in our current era, it’s easy to overlook the beers and brewers that made this all possible. But many of these beers are classic for a reason, and while they may not be as attention-grabbing as the latest hazy juice bomb from your local brewery, their continued availability is a testament to their influence and their timelessness. In our monthly column The Beers That Made Us, we talk with brewers about the beers that have made the biggest impact on them in terms of their personal taste and love of craft beer, as well as how it inspired their personal approach to brewing. Hopefully their perspective will inspire you to take your own trip down beer memory lane. 

You can’t talk about the pioneers of craft beer without mentioning John Harris. For over three decades, Harris has been putting his stamp on the industry. Starting at McMenamins in the 1980s, Harris moved on to become the brewmaster at a little Bend, Oregon startup called Deschutes in 1988. Among his many creations at Deschutes was Black Butte Porter, the mega successful beer that brought this dark and roasty style to the masses, as well as Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Obsidian Stout and Jubelale holiday ale. From there he moved on to Hood River’s Full Sail Brewing, helping them scale production and become the juggernaut they are today. With such a major hand in these iconic beers and brands, one might think Harris would rest on his laurels. Instead, he founded Portland’s Ecliptic Brewing in 2013 where he has since continued to brew both modern and classic styles of beer that regularly win approval and praise from drinkers. Given his impressive pedigree and his own role in crafting many of the beers that other brewers think of as influential, we were excited to ask Harris about one of the beers that made the biggest impact on him.    

Beer: 

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Your first time:

John Harris: 1985 on tap at Blue Moon Tavern in Portland. Later that night I found it in a store and bought all that was on the shelf. Blue Moon still exists in NW Portland. It’s a McMenamins pub and one of the first places to support what was then called microbeer. I was not a brewer yet. I started brewing in 1986 for McMenamins.

What makes it special:

John Harris: It was one of the first beers, other than Anchor Liberty Ale, that was heavily dry-hopped and led to others being inspired to do the same. It was basically the first red IPA long before that was even a thought. I was told by the brewers that it was amped up in color for the holiday season. Strong in bitterness and hop flavor. Loaded with CFJ 90. That was the experimental name for what became Centennial. Some of us called these Super Cascades back in the day.

Why this beer is influential:

John Harris: For most all brewers who craft beer daily, it’s a classic favorite beer.

Why beer drinkers should pay attention:

John Harris: It has a secret ingredient in it called Caramel Malt. It gives beer a red color and sweet malt flavors, which you do not see much anymore. Tastes have moved away from caramel malt. I still enjoy it, [though] I won’t say it’s missing from IPA. 

How this beer inspired your brewery:

John Harris: [At Ecliptic, we are] only inspired by the use of heavy dry hopping. It was 1985 [and there were] not as many hop varieties then as now by a long shot.

The Beers That Made Us is a monthly column exploring brewers favorite underappreciated or simply classic beers that they find essential drinking. Read past entries into this series with Russian River Brewing founder Vinnie Cilurzo, Chuckanut Brewing founder Will Kemper, Cloudburst Brewing brewmaster Steve Luke, Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints, The Alchemist founder John Kimmich, and many, many more.