Beer of the Day: Twin Plunge Double IPA

•05/17/2013 • 1 Comment

As we continue with our Beer of the Day series for American Craft Beer Week, we land on Standing Stone’s Twin Plunge Double IPA. This long-time customer favorite outsells all our other house beers, and for good reason! This ale is dry hopped twice with Cascade, Centennial and whole-leaf Amarillo hops, giving it fresh, citrusy hop flavor and aroma. While most Double IPAs are also extremely bitter, this IPA balances well with sweet maltiness and a full-bodied mouthfeel.

We want to commemorate this brewery staple with photos of the Twin Plunge Double IPA being enjoyed over the years. And we want to send a big “thank you” to all our customers and employees who faithfully return for this beloved beer over and over again.

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Beer of the Day: Amber Ale

•05/16/2013 • Leave a Comment

In celebration of American Craft Beer Week, we continue our daily beer feature with a look at one of Standing Stone’s long-standing brews, Amber Ale. Our Amber is a customer and employee favorite, and what’s not to like about this approachable ale? It can be described as a “crowd-pleaser,” or a “middle of the road” beer which gets its name from the rich amber hue derived from crystal malt. Ambers are perfect for those looking for something not too heavy or full-bodied, yet who still want lots of flavor and some hops. And our customers aren’t the only ones who like this beer: our Amber won the bronze medal at the Lallemand Brain of Brewers Contest in 2010._GEO9478_edited-1

About the Beer

Ours is a medium bodied copper-colored ale with caramel-malt flavor, moderate hop bitterness and just a hint of fruit. 6.0% abv, 38 IBU

Malt

  • Organic Crystal-60
  • Two-Row
  • Munich
  • Crystal-15
  • Acidulated

Hops

  • Bittering=Nugget
  • Aroma=Cascade, Liberty

Food Pairings

Amber Ales are known for their ability to pair well with a wide range of foods, particularly grilled or spicy items. Have an amber when you are trying to tone down the heat in spicy foods like our Thai Curry or Ginger Teriyaki Ribs. The subtle maltiness and mild hop finish of our Amber Ale also make it the perfect pint with our wood fired pizzas.garlic pizza

So, while American Craft Beer Week is the perfect time to try a new specialty craft ale like Hop Night, it’s also a good time to rediscover the classics. Amber Ales have found a home in most Northwest brewpubs because they are not overpowering, complement a variety of foods, and are a great introduction to other craft ales.

Join others celebrating American Craft Beer Week around the country tonight at The Nationwide Toast! You can simutaneously  raise a pint of your favorite ale with other craft beer lovers at 5PM Thursday right here at Standing Stone.

Beer of the Day: I Heart Oregon Ale

•05/15/2013 • Leave a Comment

All week long, in honor of American Craft Beer Week, we’re highlighting a Standing Stonebeer at alpha beta hops beer everyday. Today we pay tribute to I Heart Oregon Ale, a menu staple that made its appearance a few years ago when we were looking to create a replacement for our long-time IPA. This Pale Ale boasts a pleasant bitter finish with a lighter color and body, giving us a brew for hop heads and pale-beer lovers alike.

The I Heart Oregon Ale is named for the origin of all its ingredients! We’re fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest where fresh hops are abundant, and Oregon specifically is home to lots of quality hop farms that focus on sustainable and organic growing practices. The hops in this beer come from both Alpha Beta Hop Farm right here in Ashland, Oregon, and Goschie Farms in Silverton. Goschie in particular was one of the first hop farms in the nation to be certified Salmon Safe, and we’re thrilled to source our ingredients from an operation with truly high standards for land management and harvesting.

About the Beer

Oregon-grown barley lends a golden color to this beer. Cascade hops from both Willamette and Rogue Valleys provide distinct citrus and floral aromas. Medium bitterness finishes with hints of lemon and grapefruit. 6.0% abv, 45 IBU

Malt

  • Oregon Select Two-Rowalpha beta hop farm

Hops

  • Bittering = Nugget
  • Aroma = Cascade
  • Dry = Cascade

Food Pairing Suggestions

This light bodied, slightly bitter ale pairs great with spicy foods. Anything with lemon will help highlight the finish of I Heart Oregon Ale. For a fun experiment, you can also try spiced desserts, like Carrot Cake or Spice Cake. Here are a few suggestions from our menu:

  • Fish Tacos
  • Red Thai Curry
  • Calamari
  • Tortilla Chicken Salad
  • Spicy BBQ Chicken Pizza

Finally, we think this beer pairs great with an afternoon on our patio. If you’re looking for hoppy flavor and aroma from a beer, but want a lighter body than a traditional IPA, I Heart Oregon Ale is your ticket to an enjoyable pint outdoors.

Tomorrow’s Beer of the Day: Amber Ale

Beer of the Day: Hop Night

•05/14/2013 • 1 Comment

_DSC3186_edited-2In celebration of American Craft Beer Week, May 13th-19th, we’re highlighting a different Beer of the Day all week long, and Tuesday we honor Hop Night.

Hop Night vies with another one of our rotating specialty beers (Milk & Honey Ale) for the most requested brew of Standing Stone employees and loyal customers. Its dark, rich body, hoppy aroma and spicy mouthfeel make this one of the “bigger” beers we brew, and beer aficionados all over the Northwest love the Cascadian Dark Ale variety this beer is modeled for.

To celebrate this favorite brew during American Craft Beer Week, we asked a few of our coworkers what they love so much about Hop Night and other Cascadian Dark Ales:

“I love that it combines the earthy, malty notes of Stout with a nice hoppy, tropical fruit finish.” ~ Mike

“I wait all year for Hop Night. Its seriously the ONLY IPA I drink.” ~ Chelsea

“I love that I can pour my coworker (and FRIEND!), Chelsea, a proper pint post-shift, rather than watch her mix Steel-Cut Stout with I Heart Oregon Ale in an effort to create this favorite. Welcome back Hop Night!” ~ Gina

“It’s amazing with a Reuben, but it stands great on its own, too. That’s why its good to have two – one with and one without food.” ~ Rachel

Come in and decide for yourself what you think about this Black IPA. And when we’ve tapped out of the batch and it’s gone ‘til next time, consider trying a “Wolfhound.” It’s a customer creation (thanks, Fred) mixing half Steel-Cut Stout and half Twin Plunge Double IPA, to make a rich, malty, hoppy combo.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Beer of the Day: I Heart Oregon Ale.

Beer of the Day (and Latest Specialty): Hardtail Ale

•05/13/2013 • Leave a Comment

Tune up your taste buds for our latest specialty beer, dedicated to Southern Oregon’s great mountain biking terrain, the annual Spring Thaw bike race, and this week’s Go By Bike Week celebration: Hardtail Ale._GEO7638_edited-1

Hardtail is a category of mountain bike that features front suspension and no rear suspension, as opposed to a dual or full suspension bike. With all the mountain biking enthusiasm in our brewpub (thank you, David Conley), we thought it would be appropriate to honor our patrons and friends with a namesake that credits their love of cycling outdoors.

This beer comes at an especially appropriate time as the annual Spring Thaw Mountain Bike Festival returns to Ashland next weekend, May 18th and 19th. The cross-country race on Saturday and downhill races on Sunday draw crowds from all over the Northwest. In it’s 22nd year, this festival is one of the longest-standing bike festivals in the state of Oregon, and we’re proud to be involved the last few years as a sponsor. For those of you signed up, check your packets for a $5 gift certificate to Standing Stone and grab a pint of the Hardtail to reward yourself after the race!

This week, we also celebrate Go By Bike Week, an event sponsored by goRogueValley. All_GEO0187_edited-4 week long, bike lovers can pledge to commute by bike for opportunities to win prizes and discounts, as well as join in the daily activities all around Southern Oregon. Tuesday, May 14th we’re hosting a “happy hour” for the occasion with free appetizers on the back patio from 4-6pm for anyone commuting by bicycle. There’s lots of parking on our large bike rack out front, so two-wheel over to socialize with other bike lovers and celebrate cycle opportunities in our community.

About the Beer

This light golden ale has mild spicy aroma and biscuit-like flavor. The light body and mouthfeel make this beer a refreshing finish to a day spent on the trails or simply relaxing outdoors. 4.5% abv, 18 IBU

Malt

  • Organic Two Row_GEO9585_edited-1
  • Organic Munich
  • Acidulated

Hops

  • Bittering: Organic Magnum
  • Flavor/Aroma: Organic Sterling, Willamette Valley

Food Pairing Suggestions

This light bodied ale will pair great with seafood, breads or spicy foods. While hearty and heavy foods would overpower the lighter palate of this beer, dishes with citrus and fresh ingredients let this ale shine through. Here are our suggestions from our menu:

  • Fish Tacos with Salsa Trio
  • Calamari
  • Grilled Cheese with Stout Cheddar
  • Fish and Chips
  • Caesar Salad

Whether you’re an avid biking fan or lover of light-bodied ales, we hope to see you enjoying the Hardtail Ale while it lasts. And to all you Spring Thaw riders, we look forward to cheering you on next weekend!

Celebrating Craft Beer & Biking Events May 13th-19th

•05/08/2013 • Leave a Comment

As we roll through the month of May we tap into several local, regional and nation-wide events that celebrate lots of the things we love! We already saw the kick-off of the Saturday Growers and Crafters Market in front of Standing Stone on Oak St. We now have our favorite local growers and producers just steps away every week through November. We also cheered a group of seven Standing Stone runners last weekend who participated in the Avenue of the Giants. It’s an annual race in Humbolt Redwoods National Park, with 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon events. Next week, we raise our glasses and celebrate two more events, American Craft Beer Week and Go By Bike Week, May 13-19th.20130503-largemap

American Craft Beer Week is organized by the Brewer’s Association (BA) and encourages craft breweries, beer sellers and beer lovers around the country to join in festivities and promote our talented American microbreweries. Last year the BA saw record participation with all 50 states holding special events and 35,000 beer lovers following in the Facebook community. Every year we mix it up and participate in new ways – here’s what on deck for the 2013 celebration:

• We’ll highlight a new beer every day! We have five beers we keep on our menu year-round and two seasonal specialties on tap for the occasion. Ask for a free taste of the beer-of-the-day, and check out our specials board for flavorsome food and beer pairing ideas. We’ll also feature each beer-of-the-day on our blog, writing all about ingredients, flavors, pairings and more.

• We’re raising our glasses for the nation-wide toast on Thursday, May 16th at 5pm. AcrossIMGP7515_edited-1 the country, participating breweries and independent beer lovers are invited to take a moment to cheer our unified appreciation of craft beer. Join us with either a free sampler of beer or your own pint and show your dedication to quality American beer.

• Brewer Larry Chase will host three sessions of brewery tours and tastings on Saturday, May 18th. Come in for a walk-through of our brew deck and try a couple of our house-made beers on tap. Tours are scheduled for 12pm, 1pm and 2pm, and there’s no need to sign up – just jump in to the group.

We’re also supporting goRogueValley.org’s Go By Bike Week, a local celebration in the middle of the League of American Bicyclist’s National Bike Month. During Go By Bike Week, several local businesses in Southern Oregon are offering both early morning coffee_GEO9159_edited-2 and snacks, and “happy hour” free food gatherings for anyone commuting by bike. We’re setting aside the outside patio from 4-6pm on Tuesday, May 14th for all bike commuters and supplying appetizers for hungry appetites. We’ll have lots of Standing Stone employees joining in and riding their bikes to work all week. Visit goRogueValley.org for the full schedule of local events and pledge to ride for the opportunity to win discounts and prize drawings.

There are plenty of opportunities to join us in the fun this month, so mark your calendar with any of our upcoming events and celebrate craft beer, bike commuting and thriving communities in our valley and across the country.

Fresh Return of Saturday Growers & Crafters Market in Ashland

•05/01/2013 • Leave a Comment

GRK53239_edited-1The arrival of May brings with it our beloved seasonal weekly neighbors, the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market. Every Saturday, the first weekend in May through the first weekend in November, from 9am-1pm we are fortunate to have fresh goods and produce right outside our front door on Oak St. in Ashland, OR!

Our menu and specials board highlight fresh and seasonal ingredients from local farms and suppliers this spring, and shopping out front on our street makes buying these goods even easier. Right now, we particularly love mushrooms and nettles from Mushrooms All Year, Rapini from Fry Family Farm and Radishes and Rutabaga from Barking Moon Farm. Also, we’re thrilled to see Standing Stone’s own Cameron Meeks at Myriad Mycology, offering education and radishes barking moonproducts all about medicinal mushrooms.

According to the Rogue Valley Growers “In Season” webpage, here are some of the foods and goods you can expect to look forward to as the season progresses from late spring to early summer: radishes, peas, basil, strawberries, asparagus, honey, arugula, onions, lettuces and fresh-cut flowers. You’ll also find great wood-crafted and ceramic items to purchase for gifts or entertaining.

To celebrate the season we will be selling our own farm-fresh eggs on Saturday mornings starting in June. Already, we have more eggs from our pasture-raised hens than we can possibly use in the kitchen, and we’ve been selling crates to Mix Sweet Shop down the street so they can use free-range eggs from Ashland in their delicious desserts and pastries. We’re designing our own egg carton label and boxes are on their way, so expect to see eggs for purchase inside our front doors in the next few weeks.IMGP7601_edited-4

With sunny mornings ahead, we encourage you to make a day of wandering outdoors and journey from the Growers and Crafter Market to the Lithia Artisans Market along the creek behind the plaza. Both outdoor events present plenty to browse and enjoy, offering a great overall taste of Southern Oregon. After you finish, be sure to stop by Standing Stone for a beer and food on the patio to take in the good weather and look over your new stash of irresistible market goods, and feel great knowing you’re supporting a vibrant and talented local community.

 
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