Beer

March 15, 2013

Go Green (and Black and Tan) for St. Patrick’s Day

We dug up the vintage pub signs above on Ye Olde Internette, but whether you’re here in our hometown of Seattle or residing in the Mother Country, we’re betting your plans include a favorite Irish pub for this Sunday’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Avoid getting pinched by winsome lasses at the bar (or don’t—whatever you’re into) with our favorite green gear from the Nordstrom Men’s Shop. Click each item to shop:

One of our Men’s buyers, Dan Drewes, took a moment to suggest some recreational activities for the holiday. Here’s how to branch out from the standard-issue stout, if you’re so inclined:

1. The Other Champagne of Beers. “Guinness is the natural choice, but you can always opt for elevating the classic Irish stout with some champagne as a Black Velvet.”

2. Go Halvsies. “You can also go with the classic Black and Tan: a Guinness layered over some British Bass Pale Ale—or keep it Irish by layering it over a Harp Lager.”

3. Made by Monks. “Smithwick’s is a good Irish red for a nice caramel-malty beer. Their story dates back to the 13th century.”

4. Across the Pond. “Boddingtons is a good English ‘pub ale’ or pale ale to sip on if you’re not looking for something as dark as a Guinness—and is popular for the holiday despite its non-Irish roots.”

5. Irish Americans. “Plenty of American craft-brewers have tried their hands at Irish beers, too—like Victory ‘Donnybrook Stout’ out East and Moylan’s ‘Danny’s Irish Style Red Ale’ for us West-Coasters.”

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November 30, 2012

5 Winter Beers Worth Toasting

Whether you’re trying to surprise a holiday-party host with something special (and don’t know your way around a recipe) or simply want to cozy up fireside with your significant other and something stronger than hot cocoa, a cold-weather cold one can be man’s best friend. We tapped brew connoisseur Walker Pruett to present a few favorites. Read on for his top 5—and don’t forget something stylish on which to rest your glass.

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‘Tis the season, now that pumpkin beers are waning, for my favorite beer seasonal of all. Many breweries’ best beers come out in celebration of the winter holidays, and nothing salves the psyche on a dark, cold winter’s night like one of these hearty and luscious brews. Here are my top picks (in no particular order) for seasonally appropriate imbibing:

Sierra Nevada ‘Celebration’
6.8% ABV (alcohol by volume)
An archetype of the special beer for special occasions, ‘Celebration’ is hop-forward and balanced. It is technically superb and eminently satisfying, giving hop-heads something to look forward to among the spiced and malty milieu that dominates the holiday beer landscape.

Anchor ‘Our Special Ale’ (aka Christmas Ale)
5.5% ABV
This highly anticipated release from one of the progenitors of the American craft-beer movement is fun because it’s a surprise every year. ‘OSA’ features a perennially changing recipe of secret malts, hops and spices, yet it consistently delights. This year’s iteration carries aromas of allspice, with subtle vanilla and wintergreen; flavors are of dark toffee and smoky black pepper. These elements act beautifully in concert to deliver a refreshing winter draught.

New Belguim ‘Frambozen’
6.5% ABV
Frambozen’s fleeting appearance makes me a little giddy every year. Nowhere else can you find this combination of tart raspberry flavor against a sturdy caramel malt backdrop. Imagine your favorite raspberry pastry baked to perfection, but in spritzy liquid format. Thirsty yet?

Brasserie Dupont ‘Bons Voeux’
9.5% ABV
It’s no coincidence this seasonal Belgian gem comes in a champagne wrapper, as the quaint farmhouse brewery isn’t much more than spitting-distance from the Champagne region of France. The beer is lively and succulent, with underlying hints of sweets and spices. It makes an excellent stand-in for holiday toasts.

Samuel Smith ‘Oatmeal Stout’
5% ABV
We’re lucky enough to be able to drink this delicious tipple from one of England’s most heralded breweries all year long. Oats in the mash make this beer silky on the palate, while roasted malts contribute pervasive semi-sweet chocolate notes. The result resembles a liquid dark-chocolate ganache, though it’s light enough that a whole pint isn’t too tall an order.

By Walker Pruett, brewer and beer enthusiast living in Portland, Oregon. When in Portland, be sure to check out PDXBEERCALENDAR.COM for a full listing of Portland’s daily beer events.

[Intro illustration via Bearden Beer Market. Beer images: Sierra Nevada via The Full Pint; New Belgium via Better Beer Blog; Anchor, Brasserie Dupont and Samuel Smith's via the breweries' official sites.]

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Click For More: Adult Beverages, Anchor, Beer, Brasserie Dupont, food & drink, how to, New Belgium, PDX Beer Calendar, Portland, Samuel Smith, Sierra Nevada, Walker Pruett, Winter

September 1, 2012

Cans, Man: 6 Beers for Backyard BBQs

Daniel Drewes, one of our online buyers, recommended six of his favorite top-shelf, small-batch beers for Labor Day weekend—all of which come in handy aluminum cans.

Once a sure sign of low-brow beers (no disrespect, cheap beer holds a place in our heart too), cans are suddenly a fast-growing movement in the craft brewing industry, which has traditionally stuck to bottles. Now, with options like the six below, even brew connoisseurs like Daniel can grip an all-American aluminum can with confidence.

Best part? They’re practical. The thin metal blocks light better than glass, gets colder faster in a cooler, and eliminates the risk of broken glass when things get rowdy (and isn’t that the goal?) at your barbecue, campsite or tailgate party.

1. New Belgium ‘Shift’ Pale Lager. “My new favorite session beer [lower alcohol volume]. Some good hop flavor, but a nice day-drinker to round out summer and start fall tailgates.”

2. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. “One of the most widely distributed craft beers—it’s my old standby when I’m at a bar that doesn’t have a more diverse selection. I love a good hop flavor, and this one’s mild enough to be a good session ale.”

3. Fort George ‘Sunrise’ OPA. “Fort George is a great new brewery out of Astoria, Oregon. They make a great oatmeal pale—the oatmeal gives it a nice creaminess for a pale ale, while it still has good hop aroma and bitterness.”

4. Oskar Blues ‘Old Chub’ Scotch Ale. “This Colorado brewery makes great canned beer. Old Chub is a sweet, caramel-y scotch ale with a big malt punch, perfect when you feel like rich flavor that’s not dominated by hop bitterness.”

5. Fort George ‘Vortex’ IPA: “A great Indian pale ale with generous hop flavor and a nice note of grapefruit. Perfect for hopheads (like me), who like their beer brutal in bitterness.”

6. Sixpoint ‘Sweet Action.’ “This Brooklyn brewery says it best on their website: ‘The original Sixpoint style—hard to define, but perhaps that’s why people love it. Part pale ale, part wheat, part cream ale—all Sweet Action.’”

[Photos courtesy of New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Fort George, Oskar Blues, and Sixpoint breweries.]

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June 14, 2012

Dad’s Day: There’s Still Time

Attention slackers, ingrates and procrastinators: You are not alone. In fact, we created our ‘buy online, pick up in store’ feature just for you.

Just click this link: Last-Minute Dad Gifts. Then, enter your ZIP Code in the ‘Store Availability’ filter to see what items are stocked at Nordstrom stores near you.

Here are some favorites from our Home department, that are available for pick-up at selected stores. (You’ll find tons of clothes, accessories and shoes for Dad under the above link as well.)

Don’t forget the card! And the strong coffee and pile of bacon Sunday morning.

Areaware iPhone dock