Hellshire Day 2015

March 14 was Oakshire's annual release of Hellshire, its signature barrel-aged beer that's a bit different every year. It also marked the 2nd Hellshire Day, a local gathering that's quickly turning into one of the best local beer festivals in town.

Hellshire Day most obviously compares to Fort George's excellent Festival of Dark Arts, which I wrote about in more detail here. Its focus is also primarily on strong dark beers - but Hellshire's conceit is that all the beers it's serving are barrel-aged in some capacity.

The weather wasn't great - most of the available beer was being served from a tent behind Oakshire's public house, and it was raining pretty much the entire afternoon - but spirits were unquestionably high, as there were many excellent beers to choose from.

Those seeking great food didn't have to go far, either. Oregon Wood Fired Pizza was there slinging pies alongside Kun Fusion's excellent blends of Asian, Latin, and Mediterranean cooking.

Thanks to attending with a bunch of friends who were happy to pass around their samples for the benefit of everyone, I was able to try a small amount of a large number of the festival's beers.

Some highlights:

Logsdon Oak Aged Seizoen Bretta. This saison is so refreshing, lively, and tasty. The beer poured hazy due to keg issues, but the flavor was thankfully unaffected. And the oak aging adds another welcome layer of wooden complexity. This was made all the more special by its lightness and the fact that it wasn't a stout.

New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve. Speaking of, this was one of my favorite stouts at the fest. It's made with the sort of coffee I like - sweet and roasty, but still balanced enough to be enjoyed by a non-coffee-drinker like me.

Hair of the Dog Bourbon Matt. At first taste, this imperial stout is far too hot and alcohol-spicy. Then it mellows out into an incredibly decadent caramel whiskey finish that I had to sample several times to be sure I wasn't imagining things. Probably the best use of a bourbon barrel among all the fest's beers - and that's saying something.

Haymarket Clare's Thirsty Ale. Whiskey and raspberries in a stout? It sounds like madness. But amazingly enough, this beer works really well. The acidity of the raspberries balances delicately against the woody caramel of the whiskey. I'd have been happy to drink this beer exclusively.

Cigar City Hunahpu's Imperial Stout. This is the beer everyone was hoping to try. There was a constant line to get a sample from the moment it was tapped until the keg blew. And why not? Cigar City's known for their excellent barrel-aged beers. This one wasn't to my taste, though. It's undeniably complex - cinnamon, whiskey, roast, malt sweetness all vie for attention. But to me, the cinnamon and spice dominated the beer's profile, making it more interesting than good, in my opinion.

I was really pleased with Hellshire Day. The Oakshire crew and other organizers did a fantastic job putting together a wide variety of beers, diverse both in origin and in style. I hope that next year's features better weather!