Oakshire Hellshire Party

Nathan and his wife, Emily.

Here is an awesome guest blog post from my friend Nathan!  Beer drinker, woodcrafter, and all around fun guy.  Hopefully you’ll see more of his writing around BiteSize Brews!

On March 14, 2015 Oakshire Brewing in Eugene, OR will be releasing their 5th annual Hellshire Beer. Each year they change their recipe, nevertheless one thing remains the same. They barrel age the HELL out of it. This years release will be an imperial stout aged in Knob Creek Bourbon barrels.

Oakshire Brewing began in 2005 in Eugene, OR and boasts a 15 barrel system, in which they brew both seasonal beer and a year round line up.  Brewmaster Matt van Wyk has been with the company from the start, and gained national recognition when he won Small Brewpub Brewmaster of the year at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.

For the second year in a row, Oakshire is commemorating their Hellshire beer with Hellshire Day and Barrel-aged Festival. This year’s festival features some of the leading players in the game. While the beer list for this anniversary party has not yet been released, the breweries have. As a stout fan, I could not be more excited for what is coming to Eugene. The extensive list can be found here.

Below I have listed some of the breweries that I am excited to try, and remember the beers have not been finalized. These are just the breweries, and the beers that I have enjoyed by them:

• Crux Fermentation Project: A Bend, OR based brewery whose tough love stout is wonderfully rich and full.
• Stone Brewing Company: From our neighbors to the south, San Diego. Stone knows how to push the envelope in their one-offs.
• Three Floyds Brewing Company: Based out of Munster, Indiana.
• Goose Island: The Chicago, IL based brewery is known best for their highly regarded Bourbon County line.
• Perennial Artisan Ales: Based in Saint Louis, Missouri
• Firestone Walker: A California based brewery. There might not be a better blender of barrel aged ales.
• Fremont Brewing: Based in Seattle, Fremont is making waves with their barrel aged Kentucky Dark Star Oatmeal Stout and Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale.
• Crooked Stave Brewing: This Denver based brewery is known for Wild Ales and Saisons.
• Cigar City: If flying to Florida and standing in line for 10 hours for Hunahpu’s Day is not your cards, then come to Eugene and get a glass of Hunahpu without the wait.  (Or the plane ticket).
• Logsdon Farmhouse Ales: Known for their Saison Bretta and Peche and Brett, this brewery out of Hood River knows a thing or two about barrel aging some funky beers.
• Block 15: From Corvallis, OR they are known for their IPA, Sticky Hands, but also for their Barrel Aged Stout, Super Nebula.
• Breakside Brewing: After winning gold in the American IPA category at the GABF there might not be a hotter brewery in Oregon.
• Deschutes Brewery: The second largest brewery in Oregon knows a few things about barrel aging with their offerings of The Abyss, Mirror Mirror, and the Dissident.

These are just some of the breweries that I am excited to try at Hellshire Day!

What are you folks looking to try? I hope to see you down in Eugene on March 14th.