The Big Woody - PDX

It's a sibling of the Little Woody Festival in Bend each year (produced by the same people). I don't know how exactly they will mimic the setup of Little Woody, but tastes are multiple tokens. Pricing seems quite a bit higher than my memory of the cost at Little Woody, but LW is in a parking lot and I'm guessing they've secured a larger indoor venue in Portland. The breweries bring good stuff (Ale Apothecary brought their lineup, Block 15 brought their rum BA Baltic Porter, New Belgium brought a sour aged in Leopold blackberry whiskey barrels, etc.) but it's not all one-offs like other Portland festivals. Maybe save your money and plan to spend an extra weekend in Bend next summer?

 

MercPerks offered a promo code for 50% off Friday tickets, no idea if they are still available:

For 50% off the Friday price, just enter promo code BIG2014

 

Someone on the event's Facebook page asked "How many tokens are tastes?"

The reply: "Beer taste will be one token. Whiskey will vary between 1-3 tokens. *Subject to change, but this is the goal."

No indication of pour sizes for beer or whiskey. I asked the question, and I'll post the answer here when I get a reply.

 

If tastes are 1 token, then John hits it on the head: 20 tokens is overkill when most beers are >10%. Last summer was my first Little Woody, but it was well organized and run IMO, with a couple of water stations, ample restrooms, and a decent selection of food vendors.

Hopefully they get De Garde brewing lined up for future festivals, as that seems to be the main brewery missing from an Oregon BA beer festival.

 

It still works. Just add friday tickets to your shopping cart and enter the promo code when you check out. You still have to pay a couple bucks in service charges, so total is $22.49 per ticket.

 

Beer pours are 2 oz., whiskey is 1 oz.

 

That makes sense. Ten tastes at 2 oz is just less than a bomber. Also, while there will be a lot of 10%+ bruisers, there will also be some sours and such, many of which will likely be much smaller. Seems to me like a decadent, but not insane or dangerous amount of beer (although 10 1oz pours of whiskey might be a little rough!). I was on the fence with this at the $40 price tag, but snagged my Friday ticket as soon as I found out about the 1/2 off deal. Hope to see some of you guys out there!

 

I'm still on the fence. Without knowing more about the beers pouring, the lineup isn't getting me all that excited.

 

One change I've heard (via Paul from Ale Apothecary) compared to Little Woody is that each brewery would only be bringing one or "at most" two offerings, so instead of bringing his full line he'll simply be pouring Sahalie. I'm sorely tempted to buy tickets for $20, and I'm sure I'd get my money's worth, but I'd also like to see a bit more info on who's bringing what.

 

Big Woody Beer Descriptions


1. Brewery: Hopworks Urban Brewing


Judged Beer Name: Army of Darkness

Big Woody Beer Category: Imperial stout

Underlying Style: Bourbon barrel aged Imperial stout

ABV: 11.1%

IBU:63

Description: Black as a moonless night, Army of Darkness emerges from the Hopworks cellar after 9 months in Bourbon Barrels. What was once a roasty, fruity, warming stout has become chocolatey and smooth. Caramel and Vanilla dominate the nose, while Bourbon barrels impart a mildly drying finish. Big, black and bold all around, this beer embodies darkness in the best way possible.


Beer Name: Boom Stick

Big Woody Beer Category: Double American Strong

Underlying Style: Deluxe Organic Ale

ABV: 8.9%

IBU: 38

Description: Alright you primitive screw-heads, listen up! You see this? This is my Boomstick! Let it blast your palate with big vanilla notes and intense caramel malts. Smoky aromas and warming bourbon heat lock in an epic battle with the big body on this amped up version of our Deluxe Organic Ale like the struggle between good and evil. One thing's for sure: this delicious beer will swallow your soul!!


2. Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.


Beer Name: Stone Cali-Belgique IPA aged in White Wine barrels

Big Woody Beer Category: 2

Underlying Style: Belgian Style West Coast IPA

ABV: 6.9%

IBU: 77

Description: This beer is indeed a complex and surprising combination of flavors. Stone IPA with the addition of a carefully selected strain of Belgian yeast adds unexpected layers of flavor and aroma. This version was also aged in a white wine barrel adding another layer of funkiness and dryness.


3. Brewery: Three Creek Brewing Co.


Beer Name: Sex Panther

Big Woody Beer Category: Stout

Underlying Style: Foreign Stout with Cacao nuts aged in Panther Creek Pinot Noir barrels

ABV: 6.5%

IBU: TBD

Description: Illegal in 9 countries, this irresistible export stout smells of desire thanks to aging in Panther Creek Pinot Noir barrels and the addition of raw cacao nibs. A formidable scent of oak, red wine and chocolate confirm that 60% of the time it works every time.


4. Brewery: Deschutes Brewery


Beer Name: 2012 Super Jubel

Big Woody Beer Category: #1

Underlying Style: Imperial Winter Warmer

ABV: 10%

IBU: 65

Description: This is a super-duper version of our dark, malty celebration ale known for its layered flavors and beautifully balanced hopping. It pours deep garnet in color, with notes of chicory, earth, spice and fruit. Super Jubel is made with the same recipe as our Jubelale but with an increased amount of malt to create a stronger beer for the most festive time of the year. We aged 100% of it in Oregon Pinot Oak Cask to create a super smooth experience.


5. Brewery: McMenamins Edgefield Brewery


Beer Name: Night Court Barleywine

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental Beer

Underlying Style: Barley Wine

ABV: 10.5%

IBU: 99

Description: The Night Court is a year old English style barley wine that has been aged in the Edgefield Distillery’s Three Rocks Rum American Oak Barrels for two months with vanilla beans that have been steeped in coffee liqueur. As it has aged, this behemoth has mellowed into a malty, full bodied ale that balances its heavy rum, vanilla, toffee, oak, coffee and banana flavors quite well. It’s a very complex, boozy, and potentially overwhelming beer that has enough depth to occupy any refined palate.


6. Brewery: Crux Fermentation Project


Beer Name: Tough Love Imperial Stout

Big Woody Beer Category: 1

Underlying Style: Imperiac Stout – Bourbon Barrel Aged

ABV: 11.5%

IBU: 70

Description: Constructed with dark roasted malts, malted rye, and

Oak-smoked wheat, and then banished for 9+ months in Kentucky bourbon barrels. The aging process smooths out the edges on an otherwise bold statement.


7. Brewery: Oakshire Brewing


Beer Name: Brandywine

Big Woody Beer Category: 2

Underlying Style: AmericanBarleywine aged in used Brandy Barrels

ABV: 10.1%

IBU: 80

Description: Brandywine is our 2012 Barleywine, called Ol’ 2 Planker that was aged for one year in used Brandy Barrels. Layers of fruit, oak, mild vanilla, and sweet wine intertwine with the bold malty flavors of the Barleywine. The hops have faded leaving a complex malty elixir.



8. Brewery: Widmer Brothers Brewing


Beer Name: Downward Spiral Imperial IPL

Big Woody Beer Category: 2

Underlying Style: Oak Aged Imperial India Pale Lager

ABV: 9%

IBU: 84

Description: Downward Spiral is an imperial version of our Hopside Down India Style Pale Lager that was aged on new oak spirals. This bold, wood-aged beer is an aggressively hopped, cold-fermented brew that brings together the clean, crisp finish of a lager with the hop character of an IPA, balanced by distinct oak flavors and aromas.


9. Brewery: 10 Barrel Brewing


Beer Name: El Capitan

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental Beer

Underlying Style: Pumpkin Beer

ABV: 9.5%

IBU: 70

Description: We brewed this imperial pumpkin beer, jacked it up with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla and aged it in Jamaican rum barrels. Full bodied and packing a serious punch. Drink up!


10. Brewery: The Ale Apothecary


Beer Name: SAHALIE

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental

Underlying Style: Apothecary, This beer is brewed in a manner to avoid current beer style categorization, intentionally.

ABV: 10%

IBU: 30

Description: SAHALIE is the flagship brand of The Ale Apothecary, where old world brewing practices meet current brewing innovation, influenced by wine and champagne production. SAHALIE is mashed, fermented and condition in oak barrels. Fermentation last 6 months or more by our unique blend of brewery microorganisms, some which arrive through the mountain air where our brewery resides. Made of barley and wheat malts, along with a reserved amount of cascade hops, the beers character is developed by our unique brewing process utilizing oak barrels over stainless steel whenever possible.


11. Brewery: Silver Moon Brewing


Beer Name: Barrel Aged Elf Brew

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental Beer #4

Underlying Style: Experimental Ale

ABV: 5.5%

IBU: 20

Description: Elf Brew is an American light ale aged in used French Pinot Noir barrels for 18 months. Inoculated with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and left to mature on tart cherries and Pacific Northwest lavender.


12. Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company


Beer Name: NBB <3’s Leopold (NBB loves Leopold)

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental Beer #4

Underlying Style: Barrel Aged Sour Ale

ABV: 9.5%

IBU: Negligible

Description: Barrel-Aged Sour Ale cellared in Leopold Brothers Blackberry Whiskey Barrels.


13. Brewery: Trinity Brewing Co.


Judged Beer Name: Red Swingline

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental #4

Underlying Style: Primitive/Sour IPA

ABV: 4.1%

IBU: 100 originally, but aged for 5-6 months, so IBU’s drop by packaging

Description: It is a Hybrid of American and Belgian. Brewed with Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra Hops. Dry hopped in barrels with a Brettanomyces and Lactobaccillus presence. Hints of coriander and tangerine zest and aged in French Oak Chardonnay barrels.


Other Beer Name: Le Capitaine

Big Woody Beer Category: Experimental #4

Underlying Style: Saison Regal

ABV: 10.4%

IBU: 12

Description: This a Blonde “Super Saison” with pumpkin, candied endive and cacao nibs. Brewed with Saison Yeast and Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus. It is aged in French Oak Chardonnay barrels and aged on “Buddha’s hand”.


14. Brewery: Sasquatch Brewing


Beer Name: Vanilla Bourbon Crème Ale

Big Woody Beer Category: 4. Experimental Beer

Underlying Style: Cream Ale on light toast oak chips soaked in bourbon.

ABV: 6.6%

IBU: 32

Description: This Vanilla Bourbon Crème Ale starts as non-traditional Cream Ale with additions of Special Roast and Honey Malts to give it a supportive backbone. After fermentation we add our special blend of bourbon soaked light toast American oak chips and vanilla bean. The result is a smooth, subtle beer with the warmth of wood and bourbon and a hint of vanilla sweetness.


15. Brewery: Mazama Brewing


Beer Name: Nightside Eclipse

Big Woody Beer Category: #3 Porter/Stout

Underlying Style: Baltic Porter or Imperial Porter

ABV: 7.7%

IBU:

Description: Many beers are aged in a wooden vessel; very few are fermented directly in oak. Nightside Eclipse is one such rare exception. We believe that this process integrates barrel character much differently than post-fermentation aging. Nightside Eclipse was brewed into just drained, charred American oak barrels provided by our neighbors at 4 Spirits Distillery. It is fermented with a blend of lager and neutral ale yeasts. The beer has spent 3 months in the barrel – just long enough to harmoniously weld vanilla, oak and spice from the barrel to the smooth chocolate, coffee, and light roast character of the base beer, without either beer, barrel, or acidative notes totally dominating the flavor profile.


16. Brewery: Rouge Ales & Spirits


Beer Name: Rye Strong Ale

Big Woody Beer Category: Strong Ale with Rye

Underlying Style: Experimental

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 73

Description: Made in Oregon White Oak Rogue Big Ass Barrels. 7 ½ feet tall, 6 ½ feet in diameter producing 1,500 gallons of Rye Strong Ale.


17. Brewery: Elysian Brewing Co.

Beer Name: Barrel Aged Dragonstooth Stout

Big Woody Beer Category: Porter/Stout

Underlying Style: Stout

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 36

Description: The award winning Imperial Oatmeal Stout takes on a new dimension as they combine Dragonstooth taken from barrels that once held whiskey from Seattle's Westland Distillery and Spokane's Dry Fly, and some former Bourbon barrels from Claremont and Buffalo Trace. Malts: Made with 10% rolled oats, roasted Barley, Crystal, Munich and chocolate malts. Hops: Bittered with magnum and finished with Cascade and Centennial.

 

Hmm... I might go just for the Blackberry Love... Although, if I go to another festival where that beer is advertised but doesn't show up, I'm going to be pissed.

 

Sounds like a fun event! I wish it was THIS weekend instead, then I could attend this AND the GABBF the next weekend :0)

 

What is GABBF?

 

I just tried to use the promo code and it said it was not valid. I guess that means the discounted tickets are sold out (or I'm just dumb which is very possible) Anyone else tried recently?

 

Thanks, kind of a bummer. $20 I can do but $40 and my wife gets a little stabby.