KLCC Microbrew Festival

Trafton B.

February 12, 2011 - 11:52 AM

I assume it's becoming common knowledge that I really like beer. I realize I run the risk of being stereotyped as a college kid when I say that, but it's not like that. When I say that I enjoy beer, I don't just mean I enjoy drinking it. I enjoy smelling it. I enjoy brewing it. I enjoy learning about it. I enjoy talking about it. And, yes, I enjoy tasting it. You can imagine my overwhelming excitement when I was told that Eugene was playing host to a beer festival. Did you hear that? A festival devoted to that beautiful, sweet, bitter, malty beverage. A festival for everyone that wants to celebrate succulent concoctions of malts, grains, barley, and hops. I was like a kid in a candy store.

Craft brewing is an up-and-coming business or trend in the beer brewing industry, but the industry itself has had a very turbulent past. At the turn of the 20th Century there were roughly 1,800 breweries in America, all of which were local or regional mom and pop style craft breweries. The 1920 killed the industry upon enactment of prohibition laws, and beer brewing didn't fully climb back into American culture until the 1950s. Within the next two decades the beer market became dominated by "The Big 3" as Coors, Miller, and Budweiser started marketing their beer and producing it on large scales that eventually forced their smaller microbrew competitors out of the business.

In 1978 there were only forty-five breweries in America, the largest of which was Anheuser-Bush, makers of common beers like Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob, Natural Light etc. Today Anheuser-Busch produces and distributes over 100 different domestic beers, import beers, specialty brews, non-alcoholic beers, and malt liquors. In 1965 Anheuser-Busch held only a 12% share of the beer industry market. By 1985 that number jumped to 37%, and in 2005 it was up to a staggering 45% share. That means that nearly 1 of every 2 beers sold in America is a product of Anheuser-Busch.

As the saying goes, ‘money is power,' and the beer business is no different. The power that these beer giants yield nowadays sure does make life difficult for small brewers who enjoy beer for it's taste rather than it's profit margin. Thankfully, that's where these microbrew festivals serve a purpose.

Last night the Lane Events Center was packed with representatives from 50 breweries serving over 100 beers! Of course you had the Eugene and Springfield locals like Oakshire, Ninkasi, Steelhead, Track Town, and Hop Valley. I tried to stray away from those booths, though, because I can get those anywhere around town. Ninkasi did have a couple new beers that aren't being sold yet, like their Unconventionale and the Dry Hopped Tricerahops Double IPA. There was also the normal crowd of well-known breweries from around Oregon, like Rogue (Newport, OR), Deschutes (Bend), and Bridgeport (Portland).

It's really tough to say which beer was my favorite because they were all delicious in their own regards. The Back in Black IPA from 21st Ammendment was particularly good, and I have to show some love for the only San Francisco brewery in attendance. Maui's Coconut Porter and Lagunitas' A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' were group favorites. My vote for best in show went to Block 15's Love Potion #9. It was difficult voting for a Corvalis brewery, but you really can't beat raspberry-chocolate porter. It felt like we were drinking a fine, chocolate dessert truffle.

My favorite part of the night, however, might have been seeing the few big breweries, like Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company) and Hoegarrden/Leffe/Stella Artois (Anheuser-Busch), who barely poured any glasses of beer. Seriously, they didn't have anyone waiting in their lines! There was absolutely no demand for the big named brews. It was hilarious! Moreover it made me happy to see that there's at least a small constituency of Americans that prefer quality craft beers. Hopefully that trend continues to grow in the next decade. If everything goes as planned, maybe my roommates and I will host a booth of our own at the KLCC Microbrew Festival in a few years. Knock on wood.

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The information included in this post primarly came from "Beer Wars," a documentary by Anat Baron about the beer brewing industry. Highly recommended.

The photo above (from left to right) shows Ross, Steven, Natalie, and Kevin enjoying their first brews on Friday night. Photo courtesy of Cam Norris.