Local Brew Pub makes top 25 in the world

Draft Magazine's list of the world's 25 best beers of 2008 includes Kiwanda Cream Ale from Pelican Pub and Brewery in Pacific City.

A tasting panel chose three other beers from Oregon. The Abyss from Deschutes Brewery in Bend; Adam from Hair of the Dog Brewing in Southeast Portland and Apricot Ale from Cascade Brewing in Raleigh Hills.

That's a nice cross section of Oregon's 70-odd brewing companies: Deschutes is Oregon's second-largest brewery; its annual production of 5.6 million gallons. Hair of the Dog is one of Oregon's smaller specialty breweries at about 15,500 gallons a year. Cascade Brewing (Raccoon Lodge Brew Pub) and Pelican are brewpubs.

Kiwanda Cream Ale is easily one of the best light-bodied beers in the country and is bright, flavorful, and wonderfully easy to drink.

The Abyss, a Russian imperial stout is rich with roasted malts, chocolate notes and fruity fermentation qualities, all made more complex by its time on wood. Oak kisses the profile for an all-around rich experience. Deschutes celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008 and put out several commemorative brews, including this oak-aged imperial stout.

Adam, an Old ale drinks from first taste to swallow, the flavors magically work in unison, with chocolate and toffee beginning the show before giving way to subtle notes of pepper and citrus. It has an assertive hop bitterness that lasts into the aftertaste, along with toffee notes.

Apricot Ale is a Fruit beer, an intense apricot aroma races out of the glass. The flavor is sweet but not syrupy, with apricot flavors from beginning to end. This is everything a masterfully crafted fruit beer should be.

Not a local brew, but with ties to Pacific City is Pliny the Elder by Russian River Brewing Company. This Imperial IPA is crafted by Vinnie Cilurzo in Santa Rosa, California. Vinnie is Chenin Carlton's brother. Both kids choose careers in the booze business as Chenin and her husband Sean run Twist Wine Company, a tasting room in Pacific City where they pour their varieties of wine they make in Dundee, Oregon. They also pour this beer and other fine micros they find interesting. Pliny the Elder is a compelling hop story, from the name (a nod to the first-century philosopher who gave hops their Latin name) to the aroma and flavor profile. It begins with a light, bready taste that quickly gives way to citrusy, peppery hops, stiff bitterness, and an aftertaste filled with grapefruit, pineapple, and pepper. Vinnie also had a hand in the making of Isabelle Proximus by Lost Abbey Brewing, a Wood-aged beer, This is a collaborative effort brewed at Lost Abbey with help from Avery’s, Vinnie's Russian River, Allagash’s, and Dogfish Head’s brewers. This beer displays an incredible level of acidity, though it’s still able to exhibit complex flavors that range from lemon juice to leather. It is dry throughout, sour and highly effervescent. We expected nothing less from a collaborative project by five of the most talented brewers in the country.

See the entire Top 25 here.

Here at The Craftsman B&B, we do like beer, we always have Guinness Stout, Red Stripe and other local micro brews available for our guests.  We do specialize in our Eola-Amity Hills and Yamhill-Carlton District AVA wine list.

So what ever you like, wine, beer or both, come to Pacific City and enjoy them.  Remember, we are the only B&B within walking distance to all the restaurants, pubs and dive bars in Pacific City.