Earthday Sale Recap
by Beeraroundtown ~ April 27th, 2009. Filed under: Events.Alan writes: “I started the Brewery to teach people that Beer could be more than just something to drink, and everyone who came seemed to share that goal.”
This really sums up the day, the Portland beer community at its finest. I arrived at the sale a bit after 7:00 this Saturday to a line of about 30 people, bundled up in the cool April morning air, sipping beers for warmth, all in far to good of spirits for an early Saturday morning. Is there any more fitting image for a brewery named Hair of the Dog?
It was great to see the familiar faces toward the front of the line, I think the earliest arrival time I heard was 4:00, maybe there will be some tents at the next sale. The “table” was already in full effect, 40-50 beers create the spread, some Voodoo donuts and home-made breakfast treats lined the edge of the table. Fresh bacon anyone? how about a breakfast casserole? fresh bread? You won’t go thirsty or hungry on this day.
As the tables of bottles grew so did the crowd, or is that vice versa? The “table” was swarmed on this year, a ring 4 people deep, like drones guarding their queen, I managed to sneak a few pictures over the top, but failed on getting a good picture of the full bottle magnitude of this event, only the “early table” picture below. I decided to stand back and share a few other bottles with friends to avoid the frenzy. Luckily there was no shortage of beer, bottles pass throughout the crowd, only a few sounds of breaking glass with the obligatory “awwww” from the crowd, although I think someone ended up getting cut from a bottle breaking in their hand or something, I’m sure there was a doctor in that crowd somewhere.
early table
The first thing that really stood out this year were the tents set up outside. Instead of having the line roll into the brewery to pay they had a few tents and a table set up outside to prevent the U-turn bottleneck after purchase. Also, passed around were yellow tickets that listed the items for sale and the pricing, these were filled out ahead of time and handed to the cashier with payment. The check out process while picking up my groceries this weekend took about twice as long as the dock sale process. Yellow card, thank you, cash, thank you, beer, thank you, done… back to the tasting table for you. Big thanks to Alan, Preston, family, and friends for streamlining this operation. Long gone are the days of the guy who gets to the checkout stand that painful blank look… what’s Fred? …what’s Adam? what can I get for $15?
Bottles in hand I was then able to head back to the less crowded “table” to try a few more excellent beers that people had brought. Some of the highlights of the day for me were: Cascade Brewing Sang Royal, Barrel Aged Old Toad, Russian River Beatification, two people’s homebrews for the upcoming Cheers to Belgian Beers, and Boulevard Saison Brett. In the end it was another great showcase of what makes this town special, good brewers, good people, good times.
See you all at Cheers to Belgian beers next weekend and Fred Fest the weekend after that.
April 27th, 2009 at 9:37 am
I thought the new purchasing process went pretty smooth too. It was funny because no one was going inside to get samples! I think people thought they weren’t supposed to go into the brewery.
NO Cameo shots of the Doctor here! ;-}
April 27th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Sir Wort A Lot,
I went inside for the samples. The fresh Blue Dot is certainly a delicious treat. I was disappointed with all the stray glasses we discovered while cleaning up. It’s not too much effort to bring the dirty glass back to the bar folks!
Since I know most of the people in these Pics I can now deduce who you aren’t.
April 27th, 2009 at 10:07 am
*grumble* Curse the allure of time-and-a-half! It fogged my brain of any weekend plans until it was too late… another event lost to the slaves of employment. *shrug*
Portland Cheers to Belgian Beers is going into my phone right now… I shall not miss another!
-anónimo
April 27th, 2009 at 10:09 am
This was my first dock sale at HotD and I freakin’ loved it! I can’t wait for the next one — November right?
Derek, it was great chatting with you a little more.
Sorry, I had to duck out right around 10:30 after my purchase, I think my girlfriend’s patience was just about empty by that time after getting there around 7:30.
Have fun at the Cheers to Belgian Beers Fest guys, I’m super jealous. I’ll be in Boston for the next two weeks.
-Matthew
April 27th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
With the release of the Flanders Red next November, people should be thinking 4 a.m. I’ve heard extremely grand things about his beer – Dr. Wort, did you get a zwickel pull from this? (Yes, before you bludgeon me with my inferior beer knowledge, I know you wouldn’t sample from the barrels with a zwickel)
I’ve been going to the sample sales for maybe a decade – I use it as an opportunity to expose my friends to the full gamut of Alan’s offering, and to give them a feel for the spirit generated by Alan & his brewery (god knows, they have drunk enough Fred/Adam etc. from my stash).
The beer table thing shows how many others get that same vibe. That is our best evidence of this being beervana.
(Now to finally bring something for the table in November).
And Dr. Wort, seems you were right about the tip jar. About 5 of those 14 dollars you counted were mine. I was dismayed to find that I couldn’t break a $10 at 11 a.m.
April 27th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Patrick,
Zwickel smickel…. ;-}
I have had multiple samples of HOTD’s Flanders Red over the past year. Samples are directly from the Barrel. The Flanders Red should be bottled and sold in November, as far as I know!? I’m not 100% sure, but this beer may be blended, but I really can’t say or know more than that. Nor do I want to make any major comments on any samples that I’ve had, for that reason. What I have had is sour within style…. That’s all I can say. ;-}
April 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Did anybody else get a sample of Adam from the Wood or the Bourbon Barrel Fred?
Alan was just standing there for like 5 minutes waiting to give out samples with few takers…… See DR WORT’S blog for a little more info…
April 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Bo,
Good to see you at the event, to bad you’re going to miss Fred Fest, but at least you might get to catch a Bosox game!
Doc,
I think I left before those samples came out, I left pretty quickly after purchase to get some lunch and get back home for a nap before some friends came into town. I was glad to see Alan had some time to get away from the counter and try some of the pot luck beers as I was leaving. Did you get to try the old Adam from the wood? it was a big smokey monster of a beer. Hopefully he pours some of that bourbon Fred at Fred Fest, sounds really good.
Patrick,
I hope 4am doesn’t become a common arrival time, especially in Nov, man it will be cold.
April 28th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Adam from the Wood? Yea. Alan was serving some right from the barrel…