BEERGUZZLER/FOOD KEEP IT IN THE CAN
PAYETTE BREWING MUTTON BUSTER BROWN ALE In the glass, this beer is a lovely cafe Americano in color with a decent head that fades quickly but leaves a nice lacing. The lightly toasted malt aromas are backed by hazelnut, freshbaked whole-wheat bread and a touch of caramel. The flavors open with creamy malt, colored by ripe fruit and toasted grain with a hop spike on the mid-palate. That light bitterness carries through on the finish. PAYETTE BREWING PALE ALE A hazy golden pour that’s topped by a thin head, this beer’s resiny hops come through on the nose with a light touch of citrus. More hops lead off on the palate, followed by light grain and the barest hint of malt. This brew is a leaner-styled pale that finishes with a crisp astringency. It is definitely one for the hop lovers. SNAKE RIVER OB-1 ORGANIC ALE A persistent mocha-colored head tops this brilliant mahogany pour. The nose is filled with grain-laced malt, while the flavor profile echoes those aromas. This brew is filled with sweet malt and grain, with a light touch of hops. Just for fun, I added an equal portion of the hop-driven Payette Pale Ale to the glass. The result was a nicely balanced brew that, to my taste, was rather appealing. No rules!
FOOD PATR IC K S W EENEY
While I love to fire up the grill, even in the dead of winter, Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the end of the summer barbecue season. And beer (especially in cans) is the appropriate adult beverage for this last hurrah. This year, why not keep the celebration local? Boise’s Payette Brewing recently began offering a couple of its signature brews in cans. And to round out the trio, I picked an organic ale from Jackson Hole, Wyo.-based Snake River Brewing, just across the border.
STARBUCKS OF CRAFT BEER With a new location and multiple beer fests, Brewforia aims for world domination HARRISON BERRY From the rust-colored arch above the entrance to Meridian’s new Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park, the campus looks like an airport, complete with a labyrinthine parking lot, saplingRick Boyd hopes to turn the Brewforia concept into a national franchise. lined thoroughfares and stylish new outbuildings. It’s a fitting place for Rick Boyd’s vision 10 rotating taps—and a 1,500-square-foot 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Payette Brewing for Barley Bros. and Brewforia to take off. kitchen. and Tablerock Brewpub. On Saturday, Sept. 1, the park will host the Its larger menu, back patio and open floor Boyd said he hopes to hold more beer Barley Bros. Traveling Beer Show, which feaplan are taking Brewforia into unexplored tures live music, a beard and mustache contest, festivals in the future, but he’s proceeding cauterritory. A new emphasis on food has allowed tiously in the wake of 2011’s Barley Bros. in vendor tents and a hearty selection of beers. Boyd and chef Ryan Hembree to take a moreAnn Morrison Park, after which the city and The $20 ticket to the event buys attendees acnuanced approach to pairing beer and food, Brewforia entered a billing dispute over damcess to more than 250 beers, as well as games though Boyd maintains that beer is still king. age to the park and the cost of city services. and live entertainment. “First and foremost, we are a beer store,” The city alleged that Brewforia owed Boyd hopes the success of Barley Bros. will he said. around $7,800 plus interest for damage to the enable him to hold similar festivals beyond Boyd is currently eyeing a third location in park lawn and police services. Boyd challenged Idaho and further his goal of turning Brewforia, which organized and funded the event, into how the city arrived at its bill, particularly how Spokane, Wash., which he hopes to open in six to nine months. it assessed damage to the turf and charges for a national franchise. “We’re thinking things could progress up police presence during the festival. Boise Parks “We’re in the infancy of what is becoming there pretty quickly,” he said. and Recreation officials said they didn’t want a major industry,” Boyd said about his master While Boyd says that individual differences the festival to return, so Boyd said he was takplan. “I compare it to Starbucks.” between Brewforia locations are a perk of ing Barley Bros. to Meridian. And beer festivals are Boyd’s way of being a young company, he concedes that his That lawsuit is still pending, but Boyd said ministering the gospel of craft beer. He has franchise plans may require him to enforce organized three previous Barley Bros. iterations he hopes to have the issue “resolved soon,” and that he expects to do smoother business in some uniformity. at Ann Morrison in Boise, Alpenfest in 2009, “I personally like there being a little unique Oktoberfest at Centurylink Arena in 2011, and Meridian. Boyd is working with Colin Moss, character to each store. The most important the Winter Ale Festival in McCall in 2011––as recreation coordinator of Meridian Parks and thing is that each store have a similar feel and well as the Ale Fort at Treefort Music Festival. Recreation, to ensure that the city’s relationMcKenzie Christensen, chair of the McCall ship with Barley Bros. doesn’t end in acrimony the right ambiance,” he said. Brewforia’s early expansion plans ran into and litigation like it did in Boise. Winter Carnival committee, said the Barley a hiccup when it opened a location in Bown Moss confirmed that the festival is Bros. Winter Ale Festival helped attract the Crossing in May 2011. The space wasn’t techrequired to carry a 21-35 age demonically a franchise, but rather a licensed facility $500,000 insurance graphic to the otherBarley Bros. Traveling Beer Show, policy, and he plans to owned by former employee Chris Oates and wise family oriented Brewer’s Dinner, Friday, Aug. 31, 4-9 p.m. his wife Kammie. In October 2011, Boyd and assess event damage carnival. The festival $60. Unlimited tasting, Saturday, Sept. 1, Oates severed ties, claiming they had differto the park in person included a local night, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., $20. ing visions for the space and the business was with its organizers. featuring Salmon River JULIUS M. KLEINER MEMORIAL PARK renamed Bier:Thirty Bottle and Bistro. “We do our best Brewery and McCall 1900 N. Records Ave., Meridian Despite any past setbacks, Boyd hopes to to make expectations Brewing Company, live 208-888-3579 very clear for the use of have his franchise program up and running by music and unlimited barleybros.net the end of 2012. He said he already receives all our parks, and we tasting of 100 different regular requests from potential franchisees. hold anyone accountbeers for $20. Boyd’s strategy is to use the Internet as a “We saw a dramatic increase in the number able who doesn’t meet those expectations. This forum where Brewforia locations can make event is no different,” Moss said. of carnival-goers the second weekend, which I rare brews available in 30 states, turning the While Barley Bros. made the move to Mecredit in large part to the new events, including disadvantage of a fractured microbrew market ridian, Brewforia opened a second location in the brewfest,” she said. into an advantage for his company. Eagle this month. Brewforia has also worked outside the Bar“Each franchisee will have access to beers At 4,550 square feet, the new Eagle localey Bros. brand. Ale Fort sold roughly 1,000 tion is larger than its Meridian counterpart to that are exclusive to their region, but that tickets at $25 apiece to attendees and featured people want in other parts of the country,” accommodate more customer seating, more unlimited all-local mini beers from Sockeye beers—between 60 and 80 beers per week on he said. Brewery, The Ram, Crooked Fence Brewing,
—David Kirkpatrick
32 | AUGUST 29 – SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 | BOISEweekly
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