Laurelwood Workhorse (bottled)?

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Orca, Apr 13, 2012.

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  1. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I remember seeing something a while back that they were no longer bottling this - had some a little more than a year ago and remember thinking it was a straight-up good, solid brew. Two-pronged question:
    1. Is it true this is no longer available anywhere in bottles, or is it at least seasonal?
    2. If they are no longer bottling it at all, why the %&* not? It's one of their best-reviewed beers and I gots to have another taste.
    Cheers!
     
  2. guajolote

    guajolote Maven (1,325) Sep 12, 2008 Oregon

  3. maltmaster420

    maltmaster420 Initiate (0) Aug 17, 2005 Oregon

    You can get growlers at their pubs, but otherwise no bottles.
     
  4. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    So did Laurelwood contract significantly or refocus distribution only locally or something? I remember late 2010, early 2011 there were cases of their beer (including Workhorse) all over Seattle; now I think I generally only ever see Free Range Red and/or the Espresso Stout, maybe occasionally Gearhead... Can't recall seeing much of anything on tap either.

    EDIT: Or maybe they expanded too fast, thus the hop shortage and inability to sustain supply?
     
  5. Sarlacc83

    Sarlacc83 Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2008 Oregon

    Laurelwood does some strange things. They opened up a pub in Battleground but shut down the public house and pizza place in PDX which leads me to guess they're playing a game of "Go where we're wanted." Thus, if they weren't getting much a reception up north, they retreated to safer confines.
     
  6. HuskyinPDX

    HuskyinPDX Initiate (0) Jan 23, 2011 Washington

    They closed their place on NW 23 in Portland and it was always packed. I thought Gearhead was a temporary filler till they got the hops in for Workhorse.
     
  7. hopburster

    hopburster Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2011 Washington

    Loved Workhorse, miss it dearly. Don't really care for Gearhead.
     
    ellswrth likes this.
  8. MADhombrewer

    MADhombrewer Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2008 Oregon

    I don't want to be "conspiracy guy" but all this hop shortage/gearhead/workhorse only at pub stuff happened right after Chad Kennedy left. If the OP starts a petition I will sign it. They also won't fill a corny of it for those that want a constant fix. I am lucky enough to live close to the pub so I can swing over for a pint or growler. It is weird though since Workhorse was their, well...workhorse.
     
  9. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Sure, I'll start a petition but I don't know what good it'll do. I kind of wondered about that "hop shortage" explanation too, I mean what kind of hops were they using? Plenty of other beer has come out over the past year containing every variety of hops under the sun...
     
  10. maltmaster420

    maltmaster420 Initiate (0) Aug 17, 2005 Oregon

    Per their website: Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade, Columbus, and Nugget.
     
  11. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I see Gearhead all over Seattle. Hell, the Fred Meyer in Auburn always has it.

    With that said, I miss Workhorse so much. It's one of my favorite IPAs of all time.
     
    hopburster likes this.
  12. ramnuts

    ramnuts Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2009 Oregon

    The only thing better than Workhorse was Imperial Workhorse! With Green Mammoth out this year, I doubt we'll see Impy WH in 2012. I'm anxious to see what Chad is cooking up with his new brewing operation in Bend....
     
    hopburster likes this.
  13. Docer

    Docer Initiate (0) Nov 20, 2008 Washington

    There was going to be a lot of sewer work done on 23rd, which would have dramatically dropped the amount of revenue to the pub, so they made a business decision to close it down. I thought it was odd too since they just had remodeled the place. But it was looking to be a great loss soon after. The Battleground spot is nice, and I think it was a good move. Plus I think it was fairly reasonable to open up shop there unlike many spots in Oregon. With Chad leaving, that made more room for loss of revenue. They want to focus on distribution and expansion, but at a more safe and conservative rate due to the economy and saturation of the market currently. One must look at how they can continue to satisfy their local base, as well as make it the slightest bit profitable to bottle and distribute.. which is quite hard and expensive for many. Either way, it has all been a set back for them and us. But a business must play it safe, and I understand that.
     
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  14. Boozecamel

    Boozecamel Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2011 Canada (BC)

    I rated the Workhorse really highly and now it isn't bottled I realise how I took it for granted. Gearhead is ok, but doesn't hold a torch to it.

    No workhorse at the airport either is annoying.
     
  15. yeasterbunny

    yeasterbunny Initiate (0) Aug 25, 2007 Oregon

    Hi, don't mean to intrude, but for those of you still on this thread, wanted to straighten out the facts and why we did what we did. My name is Vasili, or notChad, whichever you like.
    When I took over at LW, last July,we had about a month of hops left to make WH at the current production levels. Had a few choices, stop all distribution immediately and maybe have enough in the pubs until new hop crop came in, change the hops and call it Workhorse, which is a terrible idea, or keep producing that month, use the time to make a different IPA with the hops we did have in large supply (Gearhead), and get the story out there about what was up. We did the latter, and I could have the best reasons in the world for why we couldn't make WH, it doesn't make any difference to the WH faithful. We PO'd lots of people. I don't wish that scorn on my worst enemy.
    Anyway, new crop came in and contracts were filled. We immediately made WH again. We had a few choices, make WH for distribution and run out again in August, go through all that again, meanwhile not making anything else with Simcoe/amarillo all year, or produce enough for the pub, so there is somewhere where you can always find it and meanwhile use the excess sim/AMA for beers like Organic Green Mammoth, which we are bottling, or Organic Deranger whic we will be bottling later this year, as well as some of the seasonals. We chose the latter.
    Our contracts dramatically increase next year on these hops, so I see no issues distributing it in 2012. While Gearhead is a solid IPA, it isn't and was never trying to be WH. I was trying for a more British (caramel malt) interpretation as well as being lower ABV. I want to thank you for drinking our beers and for whatever is left of your patience, and hopefully in the meantime we will make some imperials, seasonals, as well as our core beers that you will enjoy for what they are rather then not like them for what they are not. Wait, that's a double negative. Anyway, feel free to write me at the brewery if you have any questions about what we are up to. Love talking beer! All the best vasili@laurelwoodbrewpub.com
     
  16. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Thanks Vasili for all the info. Obviously there's a lot of love for Workhorse so we sure hope you can get it back out in wider distribution soon. Cheers!
     
  17. Arbitrator

    Arbitrator Pooh-Bah (1,955) Nov 26, 2008 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Good to hear, Vasili! I was wondering why you guys concentrated on making shittier beer for an extended period of time.
     
  18. morimech

    morimech Grand Pooh-Bah (3,779) Nov 6, 2006 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Sorry for the slight derail. But what does the date on the bottle mean? Is it a bottle on date or a best by date? I emailed the brewery a couple weeks ago and never got a response.
     
  19. Sarlacc83

    Sarlacc83 Initiate (0) Mar 2, 2008 Oregon

    You probably shouldn't drunk post.
     
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  20. djbreezy

    djbreezy Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2008 Washington

    If they have haters they must be doing something right.


    I *think* it's the bottled on date because the brewery typically has super recent ones and my local Fred Meyer in Vancouver usually has 4 month olds ones. :wink:
     
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