July 24, 1999 -- The Oregon Brewers Festival is the largest beer fest in North America in terms of attendance, and at the start of Friday's session, it appeared as though this year's edition would be no exception to the rule. The sun was shining, the grass of Tom McCall Park, where the fest takes place, was soft and green, the nearby Willamette River was clear and cool, and the early bird beer aficionados appeared ready to do some tasting. Truly, when the weather co-operates, this is most idyllic fest.

There are 72 breweries present at the 1999 OBF, each pouring a mandated one draught beer, usually the brew that the brewer wants most to showcase. My task was to try as many as I could, in modest portions of course, before I left town on Sunday. And, of course, share the highlights with World of Beer readers.

My first beer was fittingly a Portland brew, the McMenamins Kon-Tiki Kolsch, a very enjoyable beer but one that belied its style, lacking as it did the textbook delicacy of a German kolsch. That was followed by the Red Zone pale ale from the Hazel Dell Brewpub of Vancouver, Washington, which was likewise enjoyable with its fruity, appley, raisiny body, but also not of too interesting complexity.

The first excitement of the day was stirred by the Rogue Imperial Pilsner, from Newport, Oregon, a massively hopped beer of 8.8% alcohol and way-over-the-top intensity. To call this beer a pilsner is akin to calling Mount St. Helens a campfire.

Tasting continued with the very chocolaty and earthy Montana Nut Brown ale of Whitefish Brewing of Whitefish, Montana, and the more pedestrian Great White Beer, an orangey, perfumey, but unexpressive Belgian white from Lost Coast Brewing of Eureka, California.

I quite liked the Bully Porter from Boulevard Brewing from Kansas City, Missouri, a balanced, lightly peachy, chocolaty brew, and the raisiny, tannic Idaho Pale Ale from Pend Oreille Brewing of Sandpoint, Idaho. What really caught my attention, though, was the fabulously balanced, fruity-floral Woodstock India Pale Ale from Portland Brewing of the host town. How much? I enjoyed a full pint with my ribs at the Portland Brewing brewpub later that night, and loved it!

More tomorrow...

For more OBF tasting notes, please see:

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