1900% increase in Oregon Beer Tax, HB 2461 Gets a Hearing

(From the Oregon Brewers Guild)

The Oregon brewing industry is facing a nearly $50 per barrel increase on beer taxes – an increase of over 1900% – which would make Oregon beer taxes the highest in the country. If House Bill 2461 passes, it could result in the loss of up to 3,400 Oregon jobs and devastate an industry that currently supports 5,200 direct and 10,000 indirect employees.

If you oppose this excessive and unfair tax increase, here are five simple things you can do to make your voice heard:

1. Email the House Revenue Committee –Use the sample letter below and email the members of the House Revenue committee members at http://tinyurl.com/crw2gj .

2. Attend the hearing – On Monday, February 23^rd, the House Revenue Committee will be holding a hearing at the state capitol to address House Bill 2461. If 100 Oregon beer enthusiasts attend the hearing it will send a strong message to legislators that Oregonians are clearly against this legislation. Visit http://tinyurl.com/ahhhhu to get more details about how to attend the hearing and carpooling options.

3. Make your voice heard – If you won’t be able to attend the hearing and rally at the capitol on Monday, call or email your representative and members of the House Revenue Committee to let them know what you think about the proposed tax increase. You can send your message directly at http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/.

4. Get social – The Oregon Brewers Guild has created several social networking applications devoted to connecting consumers opposed to House Bill 2461. These groups are a vital online community and help spread the word when news and events happen. We’re on Facebook (http://tinyurl.com/d6x6sn ) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/NoNewORBeerTax ). Sign up. Tell your friends.

5. Sign the petition – The Oregon Brewers Guild is collecting signatures for an electronic petition against HB 2461. This might seem self explanatory, but the more signatures we’re able to collect, the bigger the impact on legislators. You can sign it here http://bit.ly/8rB0Y. After you’ve signed it, you can generate additional support by sending a link to your friends and posting the URL on websites and/or forums.

Sample Letter

Here is a sample letter that you can send off to the House Revenue committee, your legislator legislator or send out to your e-newsletter or blog. Please feel free to add in your own experience where it talks about how the tax will affect you directly.

Monday February, 23^rd 2009

To: Chairman Phil Barnhart

Members of the Oregon House of Representatives Revenue Committee

RE: HB 2461

Oregon is in the middle of an economic crisis, facing major budget deficits and the potential loss of thousands of family wage jobs. Now, more than ever, the public is looking to our government to provide strategic and smart leadership to turn the economy around.

It is neither strategic nor smart to raise the beer tax by more than 1900%; in fact, it would be unwise and harmful to the economy to approve any increase in Oregon's beer tax.

The craft brewing industry has been extremely good for Oregon. Oregon breweries directly employ more than 5,200 people at a family wage; 2,300 of those jobs were created in the last 5 years. For every 1,000 barrels of Oregon brewed beer consumed in Oregon during the past 5 years, more than 30 jobs were created.

This green and entrepreneurial industry - which is built on uniquely Oregon advantages such as agriculture, people, and lifestyle - contributes $375 million to the Oregon economy every year. It does this without receiving state tax breaks or subsidies, while continuing to pay tens of millions of dollars in existing excise taxes.

The proposed 1900% tax increase – from the current tax of $2.60 a barrel to $52.21 - would be the single biggest tax increase on beer in US history, giving Oregon the dubious distinction of having the highest beer excise tax in the country. (Insert information about your Oregon craft beer experience here.)

Any tax increase, and especially the proposed House Bill 2461, would devastate what has been an incredible economic success story for the State of Oregon. At this time and in this economy, our state cannot afford to put more people out of work and harm an industry that is serving Oregon - which is exactly what a tax increase will do.

Sincerely,

Name

Title

This is one reason I love spring time! (Press Release)

Deschutes Brewery Celebrates Spring with Cinder Cone Red

(February 18, 2009 – Bend, OR) Why change a good thing? This concept is more than evident in this year's release of spring seasonal Cinder Cone Red, now in its sixth year as part of Deschutes Brewery's seasonal line-up. Deschutes Brewery, best known for its flagship beers Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter as well as innovative Reserve Series beers like The Abyss, is always looking for ways to improve and amplify its beers, but the intense flavor and bitterness of Cinder Cone Red have proved to be a tried and true favorite.

"Just like grapes and wine, each year the hops we use to brew have slight flavor variations that can affect the final product," says Deschutes Brewery's Principal Brewer Jimmy Seifrit. "We're all really excited for this year's Cinder Cone Red because the Tettnang and Amarillo hops we're using smell amazing, so although we're using the same recipe as previous years we're eager to try the final product."

Cinder Cone Red combines the typical flavors associated with red and amber ales and takes them up a notch with unexpected hop varietals and profiles. The addition of Tettnang and Amarillo hops give this beer an earthy and spicy characteristic with bitter orange, citral and tanic flavors that play off the caramel notes from the malt. Cinder Cone Red owes its distinctive red hue to a delicious combination of crystal malts and blackened barley. Cinder Cone Red takes its name from the cinder cone, also know as "Red Hill," on the northern side of Bend's Mt. Bachelor. Cinder Cone's tell tale red and brown soil is first seen when spring's warmer weather begins to melt the mountain's snow pack.

Although the brewery has received many requests for Cinder Cone Red to become a year-round offering, for the time being its release will be limited from March until May, when Twilight Ale arrives. Cinder Cone Red will be available in 6-packs, 12-packs and on draft at the Portland and Bend Brew Pubs, as well as at restaurants and pubs throughout the Western United States.

5.4% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
55 International Bitterness Units (IBU)

Food Pairing:
The brewery team recommends pairing Cinder Cone Red with Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Brown Butter Cream Sauce and Fresh Sage.

About Deschutes Brewery:
Overlooking the wild & scenic Deschutes River in Central Oregon, Deschutes Brewery has brewed a family of craft beers since 1988. Starting as a small brew pub serving locals their favorite beers in downtown Bend, Deschutes now sells beer across the western U.S. and has a second brew pub in Portland, Oregon. Over the years, Deschutes has maintained its commitment to innovation and exceptional quality with flagship beers such as Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter, as well as new additions like The Abyss and Hop Trip. For more information about Deschutes Brewery and its award winning craft beers please visit www.deschutesbrewery.com.

S.O.B. Newletter (I love these guys!)

Southern Oregon Brewing Company Newsletter
Vol. 09-0213

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Personal message from S.O.B.

Since I have your attention, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each
and everyone of you for your support over the last 15 months. We could not have
come as far as we have without you! We would also like to throw out a little challenge
for you to consider. In the next few weeks we would like to ask you to do a couple
of things for us. First, send this newsletter to 2 people who you think might like
craft beer and might like to be on this email list. This is how you help us spread
the word and allow us to keep making your favorite S.O.B. beers. The other favor
I would like to ask takes a little more time and effort. Next time you go into
a bar, restaurant or store ask for and S.O.B. If they don't have it, talk to the
bar or store manager and ask them to get it. If they have one of our beers but
don't have your favorite, ask them to get your favorite. This activity helps to
support us as a local business, helps us create new jobs in your community, and
helps reduce the carbon footprint by promoting local beers. Thanks for your help
and I look forward to seeing you the next time you come in to our tasting room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this issue

Economic Stimulus Package
Have Dinner at the Brewery
Cascade Lakes Relay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Southern Oregon Brewing Company
Economic Stimulus Package!
a.k.a. February Specials

Keg Sale: S.O.B. Pale
13.2 gallon kegs usually $125.00
Now $100.00 for the rest of February, while they last.
Fine Print: In brewery/dock sales only
S.O.B. Logo Pint Glasses
Usually $5.00 a piece
Now $6.00 gets you a pint of your favorite S.O.B. beer and a logo pint glass
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Food at Southern Oregon Brewing Company
Have you thought about coming to the tap room at S.O.B. and then changed your mind
because we don't serve food? We now have a solution. The Pita Pit, one of Medford's
newest restaurants, will deliver their delicious, fresh flatbread sandwiches, salads
and other goodies directly to your table in the S.O.B. tap room. Now you don't
have an excuse. Just ask our staff for a menu, make the call and your Pita Pit
meals will be on the way. As always, you can bring other food into the tasting
room as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cascade Lakes Relay and S.O.B.
Southern Oregon Brewing Company is very proud to announce that it is the official
beer sponsor of the second annual Cascade Lakes Relay. This is our first big sponsorship
deal and we are really excited about it. Most of you have probably heard about
the Hood-to-Coast Relay? Well this is better! This 216 mile relay traverses the
Cascade Mountains from Diamond Lake to Bend, Oregon through some of the most beautiful
wilderness this state has to offer. As a member of a team that competed in last
year's inaugural run, I can tell you it is an amazing experience that tests you
to your core while you giving you a sense of accomplishment that is hard to explain.
Rugged terrain, extreme elevations, 11 of your closest friends and when you reach
the finish line, you are rewarded with a celebration of food, music and beer! Sound
like fun? You need to run it to understand. Check out their website for info and
pictures from last year's race. I challenge you to put together a team and have
the time of your life! By the way, you don't need to be an Olympic athlete to
do this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Woodshed Red!
Our spring seasonal has been brewed and is in the final stages of conditioning before
it is ready to be bottled and kegged the end of the month. Expect to see this well
balanced Northwest style Red Ale, which is generously hopped and carries a clean
malt finish, to debut in our tasting room by the end of February. It will be available
in finer restaurants, bars, and stores throughout the state in early March. Woodshed
Red will be a limited release beer and once it's gone.....it's gone!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beer Northwest and Vindalho in Portland are teaming up for our first ever beer pairing
dinner!


Join us February 23rd at 6:30pm for a reception with champagne lager; the multi-course
dinner, expertly paired with Northwest craft beer, will begin at 7:15pm. Interact
with chef David Anderson (featured in the current issue) and get to know the Beer
Northwest crew while satiating your appetite for traditional Indian food with a
Northwest flare.
Tickets are $60 and include beer pairings and gratuity. Seating is limited and reservations
are required.
To reserve your tickets call Vindalho at 503.467.4550 or visit their website
Vindalho is located at: 2038 SE Clinton St., Portland


Menu
First Course: Reception
Spicy Potato Samosas with creamy mint chutney
Lamb Kofta meatballs in a tangy red sauce
Spicy Masala Chicken Wings with tamarind yogurt chutney
Paired with: Krait Prestige Champagne Lager
Second Course: Appetizer
Black Pepper and Curry Leaf Prawns
Paired with: Laughing Buddha Mango-weizen
Third Course: Entrée
Pork Vindalho with Saffron Pullao and Crispy Shoestring Potatoes
Carlton pork shoulder braised with chiles, garlic, and vinegar
Paired with: Southern Oregon Brewing Porter
Fourth Course: Dessert
Orance spiced chocolate mousse with a crisp coconut tuile
Paired with: Cascade Brewing Cuvee du Jongleur
Reserve your spot now!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Contact Information
Tom Hammond
President/Founder
Southern Oregon Brewing Co.
541-776-9898 (phone)
541-776-7878 (fax)
541-941-2273 (cell)
www.sobrewing.com
Make Amazing Beer!
Have Fun!
Take Care of Your People!

Southern Oregon Brewing Company | 1922 United Way | Medford | OR | 97504

Mirror Mirror Returns! [Press Release]

Mirror Mirror Returns to Reserve Series

(February 6, 2009 - Bend, OR) Mirror Mirror, the flavorful brew that officially kicked off Deschutes Brewery's landmark Reserve Series, will be returning to store shelves this April following extraordinary consumer requests and feedback. First released in bottles in 2006, Mirror Mirror is an oak-aged barley wine that has been in production at the brewery for more than 10 months. Mirror Mirror is an inspired version of the brewery's flagship, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, which has been doubled up to barley wine strength, yielding a rich malt base with hints of raisin and oak tinged with the slightest citrus hop aroma.

After its initial release, the brewery kept a small stash of Mirror Mirror in storage, sending a few kegs to a variety of events and festivals and pouring it at its pubs from time to time, where consumers discovered this unique beer, and a loyal following was born.

Eventually, the brewery's stockpiles of Mirror Mirror were depleted, but consumer demand and requests for this groundbreaking beer - not to mention the brewers’ desire to brew it again - ensured another brewing. Although this will still be a limited release, the brewery hopes that every Deschutes fan, old and new, will get a chance to discover this amazing brew.

In true Deschutes fashion, Mirror Mirror has a unique hop character compared to other traditional barley wines. Innovative hop techniques were used to infuse the beer with layers of exotic flavors and aromas. The result isn't hop overload, but instead a layered complexity that will undoubtedly pique the interest of even the most advanced palates.

"This year's brewing will have a more layered and refined oak presence," says Brewmaster Larry Sidor. "I'm really looking forward to this version of Mirror Mirror because it is not only an advancement for this beer, but it also shows the evolution of our knowledge related to barrel aging and how the whole Reserve Series has developed."

All Reserve Series beers, including Mirror Mirror, are available in wax-dipped 22-ounce bottles with a suggested retail price of $11.99. Mirror Mirror will be available on draft at the Portland and Bend Brewery and Public Houses, as well as a few select establishments while supplies last.

11% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
30 International Bitterness Units (IBU)

Food Pairing:
The brewery team recommends pairing Mirror Mirror with skirt steak in a caramelized shallots red wine jus to balance the strength of the brew.

Cellaring and Tasting Notes:

• Best if consumed after December 2010.
• Best served at 50-55 degrees (not quite room temperature).
• Very complex with high viscosity and multiple layers of flavor.
  

About Deschutes Brewery:
Overlooking the wild & scenic Deschutes River in Central Oregon, Deschutes Brewery has brewed exceptional handcrafted ales since 1988. Starting as a small brew pub serving locals their favorite beers in downtown Bend, Deschutes now sells their craft beers across the western U.S. and has a second brew pub in Portland, Oregon. Over the years, Deschutes has maintained its commitment to innovation and exceptional quality with flagship beers such as Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter, as well as new additions like The Abyss and Hop Trip. For more information about Deschutes Brewery and its award winning craft beers please visit www.deschutesbrewery.com.