Beer and BBQ? Yes, thank you.

It's warm today.  A little too warm for the Pacific Northwest but nothing that a breezy bbq with chilly good beer can't cure.  And so K and I headed down to the Rogue Brewery's 19th Annual Bones and Brew situated down in Portland's lovely Pearl District. This year's beneficiaries were the Portland New Generations Rotary Club.

The "festival" itself seems a little sleepy, tucked away in the T zone of 15th St. and NW Flanders.  There were a few booths from local radio stations, organic dog food vendors and cigar shops.  A couple of restaurants who weren't participating in the actual cook-off.  Pretty much your usual fundraiser/street fair. There were Events scheduled at the Bones and Brew that included a Wings eating contest, a Kobe Bleu Ball eating contest, "Official" meetings and swearing in of Rogue Nation members and, of course, the $3,500 purse for the most delicious Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association smoke-off winners.  This is really what we were here for.

We've been indulging a quite a bit of BBQ and beer lately and I felt a need to focus more on the BBQ and less on the beer but I did taste a couple of delicious brews.

DogFish Head provided a delicious "hybrid" of some of my favorite styles.  Their Indian Brown Ale
has a warm nutty richness and is still quite refreshing.   ABV: 7.2%  IBU: 50

Was really excited to see the Widmer Brothers Prickly Pear Braggot, a no-longer-available Brother's Reserve from 2010.  Boozy, slightly sweet.  Mead-like but more effervescent.  A good beer that I may be more attracted to for homey back-in-Arizona feelings than true taste.  No, I take that back.  It's tasty.    ABV: 10%   IBU: 20

Bison Organic brought their Gingerbread Ale that would probably be tastier to me later in the year. A warm sweet Porter with hints of cinnamon and spice.  It was good, I just wasn't feeling it in the 89F weather, standing on the asphalt.  Next year, I recommend a few more tents over the dining areas.  Standing in the middle of the street juggling beer and meat tasters was brutal.  ABV: 6%

Let's talk about those tasters of meat.  Now, unless you've been chosen as a judge for a cook-off or smoke-off, don't expect to roll in, try everybody's wares and roll out fat and happy.  These people have serious business to attend to (smoking deliciousness) and will roll out the samples/for sale when they darn well have time and the notion to do so.  I believe many competitions forbid sampling until all categories have been judged.  The Bones and Brewfest officially allowed sampling on the second day or Sunday.  Be patient, grab a beer and circle like a shark until you see the vividly colored "Samples Here" sign go up.  Then leap on it.  Samples go fast and this is not for the timid.  Keep your attitude in check, be kind to other patrons and exceptionally kind to the sample giver and a good time will be had by all.

Now it was hot.  I was a little cranky but I still kept my cool as to not seem un-grateful for the wonderful bites of bbq.  One team that made remaining cool and having a good time super easy was the G2 Pit Crew.  Verl Green and his friends and family make you feel so welcome to the bbq tent and they were my number one pick for the Pulled Pork.  Tender, flavorful and needing no sauce or garnishment to make it so.

More deliciousness was to be had at The Big Swede's, Rockin' the Smoke, Dazed and Confused, and Woodstock Smokers but, Bad Bones BBQ took the prize (and my heart) with their Brisket.  It had a crusty

 black and sweet shell around a moist, smoky pink center.  They brought a sauce that was so well balanced and flavorful.  Smoky, spicy, warm, sweet.  OH!  It was fabulous and I hope the judges scored accordingly.















Didn't get to sample any chicken or ribs because by this time I was getting pretty full and over-heated.  Needed some cold water and shade and didn't want to catch myself whining about the heat to some poor pit-master who had been standing next to a smoker all day.  I was ready to call it a day and a good day at that.
I would have posted this earlier in the week but I fell into a food coma immediately afterwards (or maybe heat stroke) and was unable to focus long enough to get my happiness translated into coherent thought.