Peaks and Pints has hosted 291 different daily craft beer and cider flights since we opened on this date in history in 2016. That’s 260 more than the number of glassware we broke. The number of times our electronic menu screens malfunctioned is 280 times less than the number of flights we served. The Grit City Sirens burlesque troupe has performed in our bottle shop 289 days less than the magic flight number. Our chalk “A” frame sign sat outside overnight 283 less days. A helium balloon as been trapped on our ceiling 256 less days. But, Peaks and Pints has been thrilled 74 more days than the number of flights we served. We count our blessings daily. We are overwhelmed by the support from the community. So, here we are on our one-year anniversary day with a flight to create. After some serious thought we thought we’d present a flight from the folks who run the joint. Please stop by Peaks and Pints, give us a hug and enjoy Craft Beer Crosscut 11.1.17: A Flight of Peaks and Pints.
GoodLife Sweet As Pacific
6% ABV, 18 IBU
Peaks and Pints co-owner Robby Peterson prefers a crisp, cold pilsner. Then, he found GoodLife Brewing’s Sweet As Pacific pale wheat ale. The Bend brewery used three light malts and Pacifica hops from New Zealand for this popular ale. It has a lot of citrusy hops, but the best characteristic is a honeyed sweetness that sticks to your lips, or in Robby’s case, his magnificent beard.
Unibroue A Tout Le Monde
4.5% ABV, 22 IBU
Kitchen Manager Lindsay Giantvalley arrives to Peaks and Pints first daily. She cranks the kitchen radio and preps for the day, listening to a wide range of music, including the occasional metal. Currently, her favorite beer gives nod to one of metal’s best, Dave Mustaine. The frontman for Megadeth hangs with Unibroue Brewmaster Jerry Vietz. The two friends brewed À Tout Le Monde, a refreshing and artisanal Belgian style dry hopped saison named after a hit single from the Youthanasia album, the song was a departure from the traditional sound of thundering double kick drums, amps on 11 and Mustaine’s angry “through-the-teeth” vocals.
Firestone Walker Nitro Merlin Milk Stout
5.5% ABV, 27 IBU
Nitro beer was originally popularized as a way to mimic the classic British cask ale experience, which is known for delivering a thick creamy head and an ultra-smooth mouthfeel with less carbonation. When a nitro beer is poured, it is pushed through a dedicated “sparkler” nozzle on the tap that sheers the liquid and knocks the nitrogen out of solution. Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Velvet Merlin oatmeal stout transforms into a mindblowing mouthful when it becomes Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, at least to Peaks and Pints Office Manager Jess Madsen. Nitro Merlin is her favorite beer. She digs the milk sugar in the Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, which is similar to adding cream to dark roasted coffee, but it’s an oatmeal stout with ribbons of French silk chocolate and mocha latte richness.
pFriem Pilsner
4.9% ABV, 38 IBU
Visually, the pFriem Family Brewers Pilsner may be the lightest beer we’ve ever seen. It pours with a delicate green tint, a fluffy white head, and a crystal-clear complexion. Pastoral aromas of flowers and meadow grains combined nicely with a typical maltiness pilsner scent. The taste is the best part, according to Peaks and Pints co-owner Justin Peterson, with a deep dryness at the back of the mouth and the faint minerality that’s so crucial to a pilsner. Peterson calls pFriem Pilsner “highly drinkable,” and perhaps dangerously so — with its lovely frontend and low carbonation; one of his favorite beers goes down easy as a breeze.
Wingman S’mores Porter
8% ABV
Peaks and Pints co-owner Ron Swarner chose Wingman Brewers’ S’mores Porter for this special beer flight as he had several guest brewing days at the Tacoma brewery, including brewing two collaboration beers with the Tacoma brewery. Peaks and Pints opened with the Wingman’s Perfect Proctor Porter on tap; our bottle shop’s first collaboration with Wingman based on the legendary Bert Grant’s Yakima Brewing Co.’s recipe for Perfect Porter. This past summer, Peaks and Pints brewed another collaboration with Wingman, S’mores Porter, which we canned. Peter Brown, Wingman Brewers lead brewer on the S’mores Porter, sang campfire songs as both ownerships stirred Pale, Chocolate, Victory, Black and Carafa Type 2 malts in the mash tun. As Cascade and Saaz hops boiled the campers tossed in an endless stream of marshmallows and Honey Maid Graham Crackers. The dessert porter sports a tingly, medium mouthfeel, followed by roasted malt, graham cracker, cocoa and marshmallow with long chocolate finish.
