We’ve had occasion over the past couple of years to become better acquainted with Corvallis, and about a year ago we discovered the First Alternative Co-op, which is a locavore-type grocery that emphasizes environmental sustainability and has a couple of locations. Here’s the “about us” intro:

First Alternative is cooperative grocery store with over 10,000 Owners. We stock high quality, natural, and organic products in our stores, with an emphasis on local growers and producers. Since opening in 1970, we have aspired to be a model for environmental sustainability through our purchasing and workplace practices. Anyone can shop at the Co-op, and anyone can join!

We really like the company and try to make it a point to stop at a location when we visit. Last year, as it turns out, was First Alternative’s 50th anniversary, unbeknownst to us at the time—until we found the 50th anniversary collaboration brews on the shelf. The Co-op partnered with 2 Towns Ciderhouse and Block 15 Brewing, both local of course, to offer a specialty cider and a barleywine. Naturally I had to pick them both up to try.

(I’ll note also that First Alt also partnered with at least one winery to produce 50th anniversary red and white wines, though we didn’t try any of those.)

So here are those reviews, finally! Yes, these were released in 2020 and we drank them in January of this year, so I’m behind the ball on getting these reviews posted. It’s been a weird year, as you all well know.

2 Towns Barn Dance 50th Anniversary Cider

This 5.5% ABV cider from 2 Towns was made with apples sourced entirely from local orchards. It’s a traditional cider (no added fruit, spices, etc.) that tends toward sweet, which is right in 2 Towns’ wheelhouse (even though the cidery crafts excellent fruited ciders as well). The description says:

2 Towns Ciderhouse is proud to partner with First Alternative Co-op to present this locally sourced and produced celebratory cider. Cheers to 50 years!

Crafted with heirloom apples sourced from our favorite orchards within 50 miles of the Co-op, Barn Dance’s fruit forward profile exemplifies the bounty of the Willamette Valley.

Appearance: Clear, bright brassy golden color, rather pretty. A bit of fizz to it.

Smell: Tart apple, honey and beeswax, floral notes, crabapples, some rustic notes like hay, grassy chaff.

Taste: Semi-sweet with a tart ping of acid running through the middle; apple juice sweetness, gooseberry, honey, white wine, grapes.

Mouthfeel: Crisp, semi-petillant, nice sweet finish.

Overall: Really good, enjoy this, a nice acid pop to a well-balanced semi-sweet cider that isn’t cloying.

Block 15 Valley Gold 50th Anniversary Barleywine

The brewery and the Co-op were planning ahead: this Golden Anniversary Barleywine was bottled in December of 2019 for its 2020 release. It’s a big American-style barleywine with 11% alcohol by volume; no info on the IBUs. True to form from Block 15, it goes big on the hops, but even so, this would be a good beer to lay down for awhile to see how it ages.

Appearance: Warm orange-amber color, mostly clear, rich and ample off-white head with great lacing. Initial foam-up made me think it could have been infected, but no.

Smell: Big caramel-sweet maltiness with a touch of candy-sugar alcohol, and an earthy nose of hops (even after a year). Subtle honey and wildflower notes, some leather, graham cracker, spicy alcohol. As it warms it gets fairly floral and estery.

Taste: Grainy, floral, boozy, malt syrup, hop bitterness that’s earthy and spicy. There’s a spiciness from the alcohol as well, prickling but not fusel-y or inappropriate. Honey, caramel, burnt sugar, yarrow, herbal cough drops, toasty grains. Lots of complexity here, a lot of flavors going on.

Mouthfeel: Pretty full bodied, with a nice sweetness going just shy of cloying as it coast the tongue, and a touch of alcohol heat into the finish.

Overall: A big and bold and complex American barleywine, Block 15 leaned into the hops on this one but it’s a nice sipper.