Dry and bready, with a light coffee flavor. Great dark beer flavors without the heft. 4/5 stars.
I would be remiss after describing my adventures at the farmhouse brewery if I didn’t also give an account of said establishment. So, here’s the scoop on Wolves & People.
I really like this place. I’ve told you about my adventure to Syracuse, and how I fell in love with the burgeoning farmhouse brewery scene in upstate New York. Oregon does not (yet) have the same laws as New York that make agritourism a viable industry (at least for beer…), but we’re starting to get the ball rolling. W&P is a big part of the fight to make that happen, too. I honestly can’t wait until there are little brew-grow operations popping up all over the state, allowing everyone the ability to appreciate where the delicious ingredients come from while we sip the end product!
Meanwhile, I have W&P in my backyard to tide me over. The brewery is situated on the ground level of a historic barn. In the loft is a haunting piece of art called Soulboat by Larry Kirkland (see below). I haven’t seen the piece in person, but every time they put up a picture on social media I’m mesmerized.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?) once COVID hit the brewery moved their serving and seating entirely outdoors. Before that, there was a cramped tasting room sharing a corner of the barn (with the bathroom) that was unoccupied by the brewing equipment. Now, the short passageway into the barn for toilet access is lined with barrels of beer waiting to be released to eager mouths. In the inevitable wait for the loo, it’s nice to gaze longingly at the labels detailing beer that may be still months (or longer) away from consumption. The service window is situated at the midpoint of the long side of the barn, with a (new) pergola covering a patio adjacent, and a tent with a fireplace and gas heaters nearby for winter. Picnic tables and plastic Adirondack chairs are scattered across the remaining ground between the barn and gravel parking lot, with corded wood setting a perimeter for the seating area. Hazelnut shells adorn the ground, which enhances the feeling of the surrounding orchard setting. Filbert (or hazelnut?) line the parking and seating areas, and the views extend up into the surrounding Chehalem Mountains. It is truly fortunate that COVID-19 pushed the serving area entirely outdoors, because this scene can only add to the enjoyment of W&P’s amazing beer.
The beer itself is a work of art, too. Each recipe is thoughtfully crafted to capture the terroir of Oregon, incorporating ingredients from the farm at every stage. Water comes from the well onsite, yeast is cultivated from the orchard, grains and hops are harvested from the surrounding fields. Recipes tend to have a twist that makes them uniquely W&P, whether it’s dropping local hazelnuts and foraged truffles into the stout or fermenting a saison with yeast foraged by the farm’s honeybees. Every beer manages to do exactly what W&P set out to do, capture the essence of Oregon and the Willamette valley.
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A Beer a Day 