Pacific Brew News Blog

Site Update

2009-06-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we've done it now... we've migrated Pacific Brew News to Wordpress. That means we're soon going to stop blogging here and put all of our content on our own site. We've migrated all the content on this blog and in a few months - after folks have gotten used to the new site - we're likely going to delete this blog. To see the updated site, which is still a work in progress, simply check out www.pacificbrewnews.com.

Thanks for your patience,
- The PBN Crew

Happy 2nd Anniversary Auburn Alehouse

2009-06-15T03:05:00.000-07:00

One of Pacific Brew News' favorite establishments is turning two in June - Auburn Alehouse. Longtime followers of PBN may remember us imbibing fine IPAs in the brewery whilst it was still under construction. We also recorded a podcast on the patio and talked extensively with owner/brewmaster Brian Ford. Now, we've been invited back by Brian to sit with him and celebrate his two amazing years in business.

Just how amazing? If you haven't yet been there, it may be hard to put into words. The place is busy night after night. Food there rocks and the beers - oh my - the beers are top-notch! In 2008, just months after opening, Auburn Alehouse won the People's Choice Award at the Raley Field Beer Fest - beating out 47 other NorCal brewers! The mayor of Auburn has brewed a batch of beer. The long-time brewmaster of the now-closed Elk Grove Brewing Company, Bill Woods, is now brewing there (and his Dead Man Red was brilliant!). In every way measurable, Auburn Alehouse has succeeded beyond anyone's expectations.

So, clearly, there's a lot to celebrate. We hope you'll join us and the AAH crew as we enjoy the second annivsary brew - Unobtainium (a big, west coast double IPA) - along with all the other festivities of the weekend. We hope to see you there.

When: June 21st
Where: Auburn Alehouse | 289 Washington St, Auburn Ca

More Info
www.AuburnAlehouse.com

SacBrew's "IPA Palooza"

2009-06-13T02:57:00.000-07:00

This is a quick update to let you know that Sacramento is going to be THE place for hop heads to be on July 22nd when Sacramento Brewing Co. hosts the first-ever IPA festival - IPA Palooza. Talking with Peter Hoey, SBC's Brewmaster, we've been assured you can expect to find beers not previously available in Sacramento. For certain all 24 guest taps will feature an IPA or Double IPA, on top of SBC's own Half Pint DIPA, Independence DIPA, Belgian IPA and house IPA! That's AT LEAST 28 high-hopped beers that will be flowing under one roof, right here in Sacramento.

As we learn more about the beers that will be available, we'll let you know.

When: July 22nd
Where: Sacramento Brewing Co.
Price: Pay per drink | Samplers also available

More info
Sacramento Brewing Co.

UPDATE: Bruery Night at SacBrew

2009-06-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Peter Hoey at SacBrew has confirmed The Bruery beers that will be on tap for Monday's event, along with a few more details.

First, Patrick Rue (owner/brewer) will be on hand at 6:00pm for the Meet the Brewer aspect of the show. If you want to say hello, get there around that time.

Second, the first THIRTY customers to order the complete sampler set can claim a Bruery class to take home - as shown in the image above. This is a wow glass to be certain.

Finally, the beers! Below are The Bruery beers that will be on tap on Monday.

Black Orchard (Belgian black wheat beer, or black wit)
White Zin (Cuvee Juene with our Zinbier, a Belgian blonde fermented with almost 1000 lbs of zinfandel grapes)
Virgin Papier (non-barrel aged version of their forthcoming anniversary ale)
Batch #1 Levud's (Belgian-style Golden Strong Ale)
Hottenroth Berliner Weisse (German-style Berliner Weisse with lactobacillus and brettanomyces to sour this very unusual, low alcohol wheat beer)

There will also be some bottles available for purchase to enjoy at SBC.

More Info
Original Post

The Bruery Comes to Sacramento

2009-06-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Bruery just celebrated its first year in business, which is based in Orange County, California. In that year the brewers have been praised roundly for making stunning Belgian-inspired brews like Orchard White and Saison Rue. To bring in the brewery's second year in business they're expanding the distribution of beers to include the Sacramento area!

An official release party is scheduled for this Monday (June 15th) at Sacramento Brewing Company, on the corner of Fulton and Marconi. The Bruery's owner and brewmaster, Patrick Rue, will be on hand with some special beers. If you're in the region, you're gonna wanna join the party and try some truly amazing beers. Now, here's the details.

When: Monday, June 15th 2:00pm-10:00pm
Where: Sacramento Brewing Co. (2713 El Paseo Ln.)
Cost: Variable, depending on what you buy. No fixed menu.

More Info
Sacramento Brewing Co.
The Bruery

PETE'S BRASS RAIL & CAR WASH

2009-06-07T21:21:00.001-07:00

Well...apparently the joke is pretty much on anyone and everyone that ever steps foot into Pete's Brass Rail and Car Wash located at 201 Hartz Avenue, Danville California. Pete's (there is no Pete) is a nice midsized neighborhood bar with 20 taps of all craft beer goodness and a full menu of typical and not so typical pub fare.
Terri and I stopped in at around noon on Sunday and found a couple seats at the bar. We pulled out our bar stools, she hung her purse on the conveniently placed hook under the bar top as I lifted my foot up to place it on the brass rail......nope....no brass rail either.....
The two bartenders were quick to throw us the food and beer menus claiming that "Looking at the tap handles won't tell you what's pouring".
They were right....The Stone IPA handle was actually hooked up to a Stone Pale Ale keg, The Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA was dispensing Speakeasy Untouchable Pale Ale and the Deschutes Mirror Pond handle filled a glass with Mirror Mirror Barleywine.
I stuck to reading the beer menu after that. Drakes IPA, Pliny the Elder, Red Rocket, Racer 5 stood out as did Pyramid's Imperial Hefeweizen, Russian River Damnation and surprisingly Rubicon's Purple Mia Bock. There were also tap handles for Tied House, Napa Smith, Widmer, Sierra Nevada and a couple more Drakes products.
I tried the Ale Smith Pale and Terri went straight for the Racer 5. As we sipped our first beers of the day we couldn't help notice how busy the place was becoming. The bartenders were trading jabs and insults between watching the A's and Giants games whilst simultaneously concocting some killer looking over-the-top spicy Bloody Marys. I asked if the place was always that busy and the bartender gave me a blank stare and said "It's slow so far".
We eventually had to nibble something and ordered a batch of garlic fries. The best part of those fries is that they're served with a little tub of Cayenne Mayonnaise which is apparently a house specialty. Creamy with a nice kick. Excellent.
After another couple of brews I finally found a little note on the bottom of the food menu that read "There is no Brass Rail, there is no car wash and who the hell is Pete?"
By then of course it seemed to all make at least as much sense as all the patron's names that were printed from top to bottom on the wall opposite our seats.
All the names represented customers that have tried at least 500 different pints of Pete's offerings over the years....... Deschutes Red Chair IPA was the latest beer to make the list...coming in at #1342. Only 496 more pints and I get my name on that wall. I wonder if there are any jobs and affordable housing available in the Danville area.

Gueneville/Santa Rosa Beer Tasting

2009-06-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our PBN friend and fellow judge, Todd, was in Guerneville and Santa Rosa a few days ago and sent back this update from his fact-finding mission – if anyone will be traveling in that area, looks like there are some great beers on tap as always:

The Beer Geek

Hello PBN:

I was lucky enough to squeeze in a 2 hour tasting at Stumptown Brewery in Guerneville and lunch on the way home at Russian River. Check out www.stumptown.com.

Stumptown was very unique and interesting. I met the brewer Peter and got a chance to sample a few of his beers. Here’s what they had:

1) Black Lager – Black color. Persistent tan head. Very smoky and roasty. Light body. Low hop bitterness, finishing a little wet. Interesting having such a strong aroma and flavor while still light and easy drinking.

2) Pale Ale – Made like a steam ale. Very creamy and smooth. Floral/citrus hop aroma. Won at CA State Fair in 2004.

3) Blackberry Wheat – Nice tart flavor with all the esters of a good wheat beer. Banana, spices, blackberry go well together. Refreshing beer while we sat in the sun.

4) XPort Ale – Made with a so-called “Strain 108” yeast from some Cal Poly professors. It was a Scottish Ale. Very sweet and malty. Yeast added banana and spices. Floral/citrus hops in there too. Very complex and very enjoyable.

They also had Racer 5 and a couple guest taps, but I stuck with the house brews.

At Russian River they currently had 12 beers on tap and I sampled them all:

1) Pliny the Elder
2) Blind Pig
3) Damnation
4) Salvation
5) Perdition
6) Little White Lie
7) Russian River IPA
8) Aud Blonde
9) Hop 2 It
10) Consecration
11) OVL Stout
12) Redemption

I brought home growlers of Pliny and Blind Pig. Need to get together for a pint since these are in high demand!

Cheers,
Todd

Chef's Table opens in Roseville

2009-06-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

There's now more hope for good beer in Roseville. The Chef's Table (www.chefdavidstable.com), located at 6843 Lonetree Blvd in Rocklin (right on the edge of Roseville) in the strip mall where Fitness 19 is located., opened last week. While created as a wine bar with small plate type food, it is owned and operated by David Hill, the former chef who provided the appetizer menu at Vino's. This is going to be a great place. As mentioned, food is served in small plates and currently covers a range of tastes such as scallops, calamari, spring rolls, and a charcuterie plate. Plans are for the menu to change as seasonal ingredients change. Wines are served by the taste, full glass, or bottle. And he has good beer! Currently on tap are Bear Republic Racer 5, Auburn Alehouse Scarlet Harlot, Deschutes Red Chair IPA, Anderson Valley Boont Amber, and Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat. The large refrigerator, still on the way to being fully stocked, is off to a good start with Russian River Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig IPA.

When I was there last Friday, I was able to enjoy a few beers with Sean, the original owner of Vino's, a good friend of David's, and current owner of Kona Café next door. Plans are starting to be talked about again for a pub crawl (Sean allways wanted to get one going), possibly pint nights, and other events.

It's been awhile since the closure of local favorite, Vino's, created a hole in the Roseville beer scene. The Chef's Table is off to a great start towards filling that hole. It will be great to know the Owl Club isn’t our only option for a small local "pub" with good beer. If you are looking for a place to have good beer while wine enthusisasts in your group enjoy good wine, uou have to check this place out!

Rubicon Brewing's Maibock Festival 5/23

2009-05-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

I had the opportunity to join the Beer Geek last Saturday for a visit to Rubicon Brewing in Sacramento for their annual Maibock Festival. Although not as many choices were available as last fall's IPA Festival and there were some bocks and doppelbocks mixed in, there were some very good beers to enjoy. The Beer Geek, having lived in Germany for several years, is very familiar with how a true Maibock should taste so tasting these beers with him made it even more enjoyable.

5 oz tastes of each beer could be tasted for $1.25 each and there were 8 beers available to try. After organizing our plan of attack, we moved quickly on to our Maibock adventure!

First off, was the Sierra Nevada Pale Bock. Not truly a Maibock, this beer had a lingering hop taste as well as sweetness and a slight alcohol burn. Thin for a bock, it was enjoyable but not a favorite. Next we tried the Mendocino Bock. Again not a Maibock but this beer had sweetness up front with some noticeable hop presence that didn’t linger. We also noticed a slight fruitiness as well. Very tasty.

Our third beer was also our first Maibock. Schooner Maibock, out of Antioch, CA, had a peppery character to it and was a little hoppier and had a little too much alcohol taste for a classic Maibock. Decent but not great. Following this was the Sudwerks Maibock from Davis, CA. Sudwerks has a reputation of doing German beer styles very well and their Maibock was no exception. Sweetness up front, only moderately hopped to balance the sweetness, this was a very good Maibock. True to style. Following Sudwerks, we tried the Great Basin Rock Maibock from Reno, NV. This was a little on the thin side but still tasty. It had a little less sweetness than the others and was slightly bitter in the finish. A little on the dry side too. After the Great Basin we moved on to Rubicon's Purple Maibock.This was sweet up front and slightly bitter in the finish. It was very creamy and the 6.8% ABV was well hidden. A fruity note was tasted as well. This was very good.

That was it for the Maibocks but two beers remained. The next beer we tried was the Anchor Brewing Bock. Dark in color with a burnt caramel aroma and a strong caramel taste, this was an excellent beer. Very enjoyable. Our final beer was the Weihenstephaner Doppelbock from Germany. This had a great caramel malt aroma and a tangy, tart taste from the yeast. Slightly bitter in the finish, there was some great lacing that lingered on the glass as we savored this classic beer.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed this event and look forward to it again next year. Rating the Maibocks only, by top beers were Rubicon and Sudwerks. If I rated all the beers together, I'd have to go with Weihenstephaner, Anchor, Rubicon, Sudwerks, and Mendocino.

Rick Rocks

2009-05-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

OK dammit....sure I know I might be a bit inebriated ....but that's not really the point here ...The point of these words is my good buddy Rick. As a number of you already know he brewed a beer in Chico at Sierra Nevada Brewing several many weeks ago ...not just any old beer...but a brew worthy of all us beer types. (He wrote a beautiful piece on the process for Draft Magazine)
This evening at the ever-lovin Owl Club Rick's brew was offered up for the Pint Nite special under the very interesting and somewhat thought provoking name of IDEA!!
Rick (and perhaps others) will be somewhat annoyed that in a nut shell I would refer to this concoction as basically a very hopped up Porter; BUT... honestly it is much more than that... with IPA, Stout AND Porter characteristics it came on as a beer that defies categorisation.... which ultimately may be the coolest thing of all........
So ya...I'll shut up now.....or almost ....just go seek it out (I hear they have it in Virginia!) and let us know what you think ....because as you all must be expecting at this point....It doesn't suck.

Belgian Beer Tasting & Dinner at BJ's in Roseville June 2nd

2009-05-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

Don’t think there are enough special beer events in Roseville? Well on June 2nd, BJ's Brewhouse will be holding a Belgian Beer Tasting & Dinner. If this is anything like the Winter Beer Dinner, they had it will be an event worth attending. For only $30, you get a 5 course dinner paired with the following beers.

Brugse Zot (Brouwerij de Halve Maan)
Nit Wit (BJ's)
Monk's Café Flemish Sour (Brouwerij Van Steenberge)
Petrus Aged Pale (Brouwerij Bavik)
Popperings Homel (Brouwerij Van Eecke)
Gulden Draak (Brouwerij Van Steenberge)
Troubador Obscura (Brouwerij de Musketiers)

Should be a good event. Let's get out and support this effort!

West Coast Brewfest (review #2)

2009-05-19T09:38:00.000-07:00

Posted by the Beer Geek

Well folks, here’s my quick review of this year’s West Coast Brewfest… the bottom line: a fun brewfest with lots of great beer. Yup, it was hot again (pushing 100 - we always seem to get a hot day for this event), but Sacramento’s Miller Park has plenty of shade, so it was doable. Seemed to be a few less breweries this year and another big crowd, so some of the lines were a bit long – but the folks pouring worked as quickly as they could and did a good job.

The great thing about beer festivals is being able to roam around and try beer you might not find in your area or might find only occasionally. So roam around I did… the BOS beer for me was Red Chair IPA from Deschutes… truly a delicious beer. Seemed like a ramped up Hop Trip – great aroma, full bodied, superbly balanced – a wonderfully “soft” IPA. This beer turned a lot of people - who thought they weren’t IPA drinkers - into IPA drinkers!

North Coast had their Le Merle Saison and Old Rasputin (on nitro) – both were superb; the Rasputin was very smooth and creamy – hard to believe it’s an imperial stout with such a high ABV.

Jever made its first appearance – a crisp, dry, hoppy pilsner that IPA drinkers might enjoy when they need something light and refreshing. Nice bitterness – typical northern German pils.

I also enjoyed Sudwerk’s Maibock (dang, I missed Great Basin’s Maibock – I hope they’ll be at the Rubicon Maibock festival next weekend), and when I needed to cool down with something light, Pyramid Curveball, Kona Longboard, and Lost Coast Great White all hit the spot nicely.

As Jeff mentioned, Sac Brew had a unique Belgian Quad (aged in port barrels) which was quite interesting indeed… we’ll have to keep an eye out to see if any becomes available at the brewery anytime soon.

As always, there were styles to make everyone’s palate happy. As usual, I’d concentrate on a particular style and go from tent to tent for head-to-head comparisons. I started with wit beer, then started climbing the ladder of hops and malt until I arrived at the strong ales. Every comparison was interesting. By the end of the day, I do have to admit going back to the Red Chair IPA a few times… this brew was recommended by The Hop Hunter, Big Mike, himself, after one of his recent fact-finding missions to Oregon – great recommendation - what a beer!

Finally, I also had a chance to chat with some of the other festival-goers and was surprised to hear that people were visiting from other parts of California as well as from out-of-State. I spoke with beer lovers from as far away as Oklahoma and Minnesota – comparing notes with them was a lot of fun.

Hope to see everyone at the next brewfest!

Cheers,

The Beer Geek

West Coast Brewfest

2009-05-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

West Coast Brewfest – Miller Park – May 16

Last Saturday was the West Coast Brewfest at Miller Park in Sacramento and I felt like I was having some sort of déjà vu experience compared to last year. Great beer but way too hot and way too crowded to be truly enjoyable. They’ve had truly bad luck with the weather the last two years as both days have been over 100 degrees but the organizers need to do something with the layout, or limit the number of people, to make this an enjoyable event. Lines, even for some of the lesser known breweries were often 6-8 people long, or longer.

Heat and crowds aside though, on to the beer. Given the high temperature I planned to focus on some the the lighter, summer weather beers so I never tried any of the stouts, etc., that were being poured. I did taste some excellent beers however. I truly didn’t have a bad beer all day. Some were better than others but none were bad. I also was limited to about two hours as my other responsibility as a dad required me to be at home for my daughter’s 12th birthday party later in the afternoon.

My BOS for the day had to be the Whoop Ass Wit from Great Basin Brewing. Matt, the brewer at Great Basin, said they were trying for a classic wit and didn’t add any additional spices like seeds of paradise, etc. He did a great job with this wit though as you could clearly taste the spice from the coriander as well as the citrusy orange taste. He also said that the most difficult job in making this beer was zesting all the oranges they used since they went with fresh orange rather than dried orange peel, etc. It was worth it Matt. Great job!

Honorable mention went to Sam Adams for their Imperial White, a beer that had both a Belgian dubble or tripel character to it, as well as the spicy wit character. At 10.3% ABV, definitely not a session beer.

My other honorable mentions had to go to Blue Frog (Fairfield) for their Frog in the Rye which had an excellent spiciness and full body from the rye, and Deschutes (Bend, Ore) for their Red Chair IPA, which had lots of hops in the aroma and initial taste but carried enough malt to make it well balance and drinkable.

Other beers I tried were as follows:

Alaskan White-very refreshing and clean but not much spice

Lost Coast Great White-again very refreshing but not much expected spice notes

North Coast LeMerle-very tart and an excellent example of a saison. Great summer beer.

Coney Island Albino Python-a spiced white lager, this had noticeable spice but a very dry finish

Great Basin Rock MaiBock-sweet maltiness with a definite hoppy finish. Very good.

One regret was that I missed Peter Hoey from Sacramento Brewing’s Belgian Quad. It was poured during the early VIP hour and I missed it. I heard it was outstanding however. Another regret was that by all time favorite Hefeweizen, from Blue Frog, wasn;t being poured. Typically a medal winner, it didn’t win this time. I’ll have to go to BevMo to stock up.

Again this has the possibility of being a great event. With less people or a more spread out layout, and less heat, this event could be memorable.

WEST COAST BEER FEST JUDGING RESULTS

2009-05-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Posted by The Hop Hunter

Just in - the 2009 West Coast Beer Fest results. The event is next Saturday, 5/16 at Miller Park in Sacramento.

1. Light Lager
1st - Blue Paddle, New Belgium
2nd - Longboard, Kona
3rd - Double Aught, Bear Republic

2. Dark Lager
1st - Oktoberfest, Sam Adams
2nd - Longshot Bock, Sam Adams
3rd - Double Bock, Sam Adams

3. Amber Ale
1st - Irish Red, Sam Adams
2nd - Red Rocket, Bear Republic
3rd - Green Lakes, Deschutes

4. Light Ale
1st - Cascade, Deschutes
2nd - Hefeweizen, Widmer
3rd - Curveball, Pyramid

5. American Pale Ale
1st - California Pale, Firestone Walker
2nd - Mighty Arrow, New Belgium
3rd - XP Pale, Bear Republic

6. English Pale Ale
1st - Double Barrel, Firestone Walker
2nd - Best Bitter, River City
3rd - English Pale, Sam Adams

7. India Pale Ale
1st - Racer X, Bear Republic
2nd - Racer 5, Bear Republic
3rd - Union Jack, Firestone Walker

8. Brown Ale
1st - Downtown Brown, Lost Coast
2nd - Brown Ale, Sam Adams
3rd - Peters Tribute Brown, Bear Republic

9. Porter
1st - Smoked Porter, Alaskan
2nd - Pugsley’s Imperial, Shipyard
3rd - Black Butte, Deschutes

10. Stout
1st - Obsidian, Deschutes
2nd - Double Chocolate, Wells & Young
3rd - Big Bear, Bear Republic

11. Wheat
1st - White, Allagash
2nd - Mothership Wit, New Belgium
3rd - White, Alaskan

12. Fruit Beer
1st - Raspberry Brown, Lost Coast
2nd - Orange Blossom, Buck Bean
3rd - Cranberry Wit, Sam Adams

13. Strong Ale
1st - Abyss, Deschutes
2nd - Barley Wine, Alaskan
3rd - Scotch Ale, Sam Adams

14. Mixed
1st - Summer Ale, Alaskan
2nd - Boston Ale, Sam Adams
3rd - Alaskan Amber, Alaskan

15. Belgian Ales
1st - Dissident, Deschutes
2nd - Abby, New Belgium
3rd - Tripel, New Belgium

16. Cider
1st - Pear Cider, Fox Barrel
2nd - Mulled, Fox Barrel
3rd - Gravenstein, Two Rivers

17. Other
1st - Albino Python, Shmaltz
2nd - Green Citrus, Sam Adams
3rd - Backyard Batch, Sam Adams

18. Imports
1st - Wee Heavy, Belhaven
2nd - Barbar, Lefebvre
3rd - Mahleur 12, De Landtsheer

Sad Day

2009-04-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

The rumors in my part of the world have been swirling for some time. Weeks ago I heard they stopped brewing. Then I was told by the brewer to come by to make sure I tried a special beer. A few days back I was there and saw a line of empty fermentation tanks and a brewery that looked more like a stage that had gone dark. Tonight the inevitable news came that my local brewery, Beermann's Beerwerks, was closing at the end of the week.

I must admit the news hit me pretty hard, not because it's surprising or unwarranted, but because this is the place I cut my teeth on with craft beer. It was at Beermann's where I met some of my closest friends. People at Beermann's taught me to homebrew, introduced me to the BJCP and in general opened the doors of the beer world to me. In a life where I now work full time around craft beer, you can say I owe a lot to this local brewery.

Add to that some of my favorite folks spent time working at Beermann's, people like my BJCP teacher and friend David Teckam, owner and brewer at Auburn Alehouse Brian Ford and two of the coolest cats I know - Andy Armstrong and Tim Spinelli. The place oozed with character, some good and some questionable. The beers were always good, albeit inconsistent. The people were always fun and you couldn't help but love seeing birthday boys and girls drinking a yard of beer on Besty, the brewery cow. There were nights of debauchery, evidenced by the panties still hanging on the antlers of the stuff dear head on the wall (as well as scandelous photos pasted on the wall). I also spent several nights that turned into early mornings with the brew crew, playing dice and drinking a month's supply in one sitting. God, those were great times.

The place was bigger than the building, too. When I worked for a major computer manufacturer they came by several times a year to pour beers for us cubical workers. They were at fund raisers, fairs and just about anywhere the community gathered - this was OUR brewery in Roseville. Man, just thinking about the gaping holes here makes me need another sip.

I don't know. The whole thing stinks! Andy and Tim are both stand-up individuals, passionate and personable. I sincerely hope they find work at another brewery sooner than later - closer than further. They've done the dirty work for years, have proven to be capable - they belong in the beer industry.

On a bigger scale, the local brewing scene seems even worse. The BJ's Brewery in Roseville has, for lack of a better word, shipped out the brewery operations to Reno and beyond. Citrus Height's Oasis closed. Roseville's Greenhouse organic brewery closed. Now we lose the one brewery that seemed most appropriate for Roseville, Beermann's. Hopefully the closures stop here and I'm happy we still have Mary's Pizza Shack and apparently Basic in the coming weeks.

To the folks at Beermann's - thank you! From all of us here at Pacific Brew News, thank you! You've been so kind to us all these years, kept us in good supply whenever we needed and always made us feel at home. Your loss is our loss, and when you close your doors on Friday there will be a whole mess of people that will miss everything you represent, everything you gave to us over the past decade. We wish you the best.

Some Stuff:

Brewery Tour | Beermann's Beerwerks from Rick on Vimeo.

Mirror Mirror at Pint Night at the Owl Club

2009-04-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

How good is Mirror Mirror, a barley wine from the Reserve Series at Deschutes Brewing? Judging by the comments, as well as my own opinion, I heard at the Owl Club on Thursday night, it’s outstanding.

Given a chance to taste Mirror Mirror from the only keg in Northern California prior to the official release date of April 27, beer lovers were out in force for the Owl Club’s pint night. Last bottled in 2006, Mirror Mirror, aged for 10 months in oak barrels, is really a 1st class barley wine. The aroma is defintely malt forward although there are some citrusy notes as well. With a slightly sweet taste up front followed more malt and finishing with a blast of hops, this beer is extremely well balanced. The 11.5% ABV is very well hidden (and dangerous). I didn’t really start noticing the alcoholic warmth until my second beer but by the end of that beer, I could feel the effects. One of the patrons was on his fifth Mirror Mirror and it was hard to believe he was still lucid and standing.

I only heard glowing comments all night about this beer and consider it to be one of my top five favorite beers of the past year. The Reserve Series at Deschutes, with Abyss, XX Porter, and Dissident leading off, sets a very high bar for beer quality. Mirror Mirror clearly continues with the tradition.

I also wanted to compliment Bianca at the Owl Club for continuing to bring in excellent beers for us to try. Pint Night on Thursdays has become a local favorite as she continues to get early releases and rare kegs for us. Pliny the Elder, Abyss, and now Mirror Mirror are just a few examples. If you’re near Roseville on a Thursday night, check out the Owl Club. The pint night special, and her dozen or so other taps, won’t disappoint you.

Merely a skirmish

2009-04-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

Written by; Mike Sober (The Hop Hunter)

Thursday night I found my way to the local Bijou to watch the premier of Anat Baron's documentary Beer Wars.

The basic premise of her movie is to reveal the goings-on behind the beers that occupy the shelves of American Supermarkets and the tap handles of your favorite local pub or bar.
The movie delves into the big Macro Brewers efforts to continue to dominate those spaces verses the more localized Craft brewers struggles to bring their products to the ever more curious and educated beer drinking public.

Another version of David vs Goliath..... and dare I say Good vs Evil?

Well it isn't really that clear....depending upon one's taste BUDs I assume ...pun nervously intended.

I'm uncertain when this movie will be available again for public consumption or if it's bound to go straight to the Discovery channel or DVD but when it does it will certainly be worth a look.

I found it educational and interesting throughout despite it's strange and somewhat creepy tendency to dwell too long into the everyday lives of a couple of the main characters.....Dogfish Head Brewer Sam Calagione and beer/caffeine entrepreneur and former Boston Brewing executive Rhonda Kallman.
I could go on and on about the film but considering I'm inherently lazy and I was in the theatre sitting next to DRAFT Magazine Beer Director and good buddy Rick Sellers (who was of course taking copious notes throughout the feature in his usual hard working manner)....I would rather direct you to the DRAFT Magazines News area for Rick's far superior and much more detailed account of the movie.
Really.... check it out ......off you go now......

Portland Spring Beer and Wine Fest

2009-04-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

Portland Spring Beer and Wine Fest

While visiting Portland last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the Spring beer and Wine Fest at the Portland Convention Center. This event, as it says in the title, is more than just a beer fest. With 44 breweries, 22 wineries and numerous seminars and cheese stands, there was something for everyone.

Kudos also go to the organizers as even though the line to get in looked daunting, it moved quickly and we were soon tasting beer. Costs were reasonable as I paid $5 for a tasting mug and $15 for 15 tasting tokens. This turned out to be more than enough as we were only there two hours and the tastes were poured generously.

Anyway, on to the beer. Having scoped out the map and list of beers being poured, my brother Mike, a beer enthusiast but first time brew fest attendee, started out with a couple of fruit beers.

First off, was the Lost Coast (Eureka, CA) Tangerine Wheat. This beer had a noticeable orange aroma, as well as a good citrusy wheat beer taste and a definite orange (but not too sweet) finish. This beer was enjoyable and would be great on a hot summer day.

Our second beer was New Belgium Mighty Arrow. A pale ale with honey malt and Amarillo and Cascade hops, this beer was kind of ho hum. Not bad but it didn’t stand out in either flavor or aroma.

Our third beer was supposed to be Lang Creek Brewing (Marion, MT) Mandarin Hefeweizen but they had all ready run out of this beer. Since they were pouring their Huckleberry and Honey Ale we decided to try it. This was a great tasting beer as the honey helped round out the flavor of the huckleberries. A little on the sweet side with a noticeable berry aroma, this beer finished dry and is only 3.2% ABV so several could be enjoyed in one sitting.

Next we moved on to Widmer’s Nelson O’Rye’lly. Since I am a fan of rye beers, I had high expectations for this one and we weren’t disappointed. This beer was billed as an IPA with rye. There was noticeable grapefruit from the hops but the spicy dry finish of a rye beer. Very good.

Next up was Calapooia rIPArian IPA-Albany, Or. I found this to be closer to a pale ale than an IPA. Again, another beer that was good but not great.

We moved on from there to the Ft. George-Astoria, OR., Quick Wit. The wit beer is one of my favorite styles and I found this to be a good example of the style with noticeable coriander in both the aroma and flavor. A little more bitter orange would have made this a truly memorable beer but it was quite refreshing.

Next was the Laurelwood Saison. After really enjoying the Laurelwood Workhorse IPA the night before, I looked forward to trying this beer. Saisons can be great beers with lots of tartness, earthiness and noble hops. Unfortunately, I found this beer to unexciting with little of the character I’ve had with other saisons.

Following the saison however, we had probably the most unique beer of the day. Duchese de Bourgogne is a Flemish Red Ale. My brother didn’t care for this beer which can be an acquired taste, but I found it to be quite good. Noticeable vinegar and sour apple followed by some sweetness, this was truly a complex beer with an excellent full mouthfeel.

Coming down the homestretch of our visit, we decided to search out a beer from a brewery I had always heard of but never tried anything from. Big Black Homo from Walking Man Brewing in Stevens, WA., turned out to be my best of show. A black Imperial IPA this beer was truly outstanding and one that made me think of the great hop hunter, Big Mike from PBN. At 100 IBUs, this beer had plenty of hoppy bitterness to it but was also combined with chocolaty malt. Unique but outstanding.

From Walking Man, we moved on to Bridgeport, one of Portland’s original breweries, for their Fallen Friar. This beer is a Belgian triple but combines pilsner and Pacific NW malt with Belgian yeast for a great version of the triple. Aged in bourbon and red wine barrels, and 8.2% ABV, this beer would be great on a chilly Portland night.

Our final beer was Astoria Brewing’s Bitter Bitch. This beer is an Imperial IPA and at 99 IBU, the hops didn’t disappoint. There was very little sweetness that can sometimes be found in lesser Imp IPAs but lots of citrusy flavor from the hops (mostly orange and grapefruit). Some pine notes were also noticeable.

My top beers of the day in order were Walking Man’s Big Black Homo, Bridgeport’s Fallen Friar, and Widmer’s Nelson O’Rye’lly. My brother Mike’s favorites were the Fallen Friar, the Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat and the Lang Creek Huckleberry and Honey.

All in all, this was a great event. It was well organized and in a venue large enough for the number of people attending. After last year’s heat and crowds at the California Brew fest, it was truly a welcome change. It was an event worthy of Portland's beer reputation!

The Shack

2009-04-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Typically traveling the freeways of Sacramento during weekday rush hours is a slow and painful proposition and last Thursday was certainly no exception. So naturally I did what any responsible beer enthusiast would do in that situation.....I found a good watering hole and waited out the gridlock.
Following a marvelous text tip from PBN founder and good buddy Rick my lucky destination turned out the be THE SHACK; which is located at 5201 Folsom Blvd in a vintage area of Sacramento just East of where the Business 80 and Highway 50 cross. According to Owner/Beer host Gary Sleppy this 193o's era building is the second oldest continuously running restaurant in all of Sacramento. Despite the somewhat garish Reggae inspired motif I immediately felt comfortable and at home in what is obviously a very popular destination for the local inhabitants.
The Shack's menu offerings includes the usual solid pub comfort food as well as gourmet dinner offerings that range from Rib eye steak to mussels, squash Ravioli, several salads and a very interesting and popular dish called Porky Pear. A sage and bacon wrapped pork w/Asian Pear pan sauce.
But of course it is the beer selection that impressed me most about the place....that along with Owner Gary's infectious enthusiasm, obvious beer appreciation and overall knowledge of his extensive inventory.
The Shack has 8 tap handles for draft beer and a walk in 'beer fridge' full of dozens of other styles from across the beer spectrum. The taps included...
Speakeasy Prohibition
Rubicon Brewing IPA
Oskar Blues Gordon
Grimergen Belgian Abbey
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Sudwerks Pilsner
Pabst Blue Ribbon
The bottle selection is far to extensive to list here..but some of the notables for me were
Russian River Pliny The Elder
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin
Alaskan Brewing Smoked Porter
Fire Stone Walker Union Jack IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Torpedo and Celebration
As well as the huge list of Belgians, German Hefeweisens, Doppelbocks and Octoberfests.
By the time I decided I'd better go check on the traffic situation and make my way home there was no more traffic....or sunlight left in the day.
I soon realized I'd spent over three hours on that bar stool, trading beers with Gary, talking to at least a dozen friendly patrons and enjoying the beer board above the entrance to the bustling kitchen area.
To say I recommend a visit to The Shack would be a gross understatement...I personally can't wait to take my wife Terri for a visit to soak up some local Sacramento neighborhood hospitality and suffer the beauty that is trying to figure out which beer I want next.
Of course.... like a lot of The Shacks customers......I could always just ask Gary.....he's sure to have some helpful recommendations.

Beer Tasting at WineStyles?

2009-03-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

Written by Jeff Barber

On Thursday, March 26th, WineStyles in Rocklin held their first beer tasting event. While attendance can be improved, it was well-received, good beers were poured, and it hopefully was the start of something new for the WineStyles monthly calendar.

Originally planned as a spring/summer beer event, the final lineup of beers was changed slightly based on distributor availability. A good variety of beers were still offered however.

The first beer we poured was Boulder Brewing Buffalo Gold. A lightly carbonated, easy drinking, golden ale, this was a good beer for those making the transition from macros to microbrews or maybe while mowing the lawn on a hot summer day.

Next up was the world-renowned Double Trouble Hefeweizen. Actually, this was my homebrewed hefeweizen, brewed in the German style with noticeable notes of clove and banana. As a home brewer, it was good to see people enjoying my beer.

Third was Sierra Nevada’s ESB. This was another solid entry from Sierra Nevada, meant to simulate the British extra special bitter style, it is brewed with both US and British hops and is unfiltered resulting in an enhanced aroma of malt and mouthfeel.

Next in line was Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale. This beer has always been a personal favorite and is brewed in the German Maibock style. Although an ale, instead of a lager, as true maibocks are, this beer has a prominent malty aroma and hearty flavor. A good mix of malt and hops with a slightly increased level of alcohol at 6.5% ABV.

Our fifth beer was our first entry from Mendocino Brewing, Red Tail Ale. This is an excellent example of an American amber. Full bodied with Cascade and Cluster hops, a slight citrus flavor is noticed. Personally, I prefer this amber over the more well-known, Fat Tire, as it has more flavor.

We then moved on to a unique version of an amber ale, Hazed and Infused by Boulder Brewing. This amber is both unfiltered and dry hopped. I really enjoyed this beer, especially the aroma, but heard some comments from some of the tasters that this beer was too bitter or hoppy. Hoppiness is an acquired taste.

Our next to last beer was Mirror Pond Pale Ale by Dechutes Brewing. One of the classic pale ales with lots of grapefruit and pine from the NW hops, this is a great beer for hop lovers. At 5% ABV, it’s also one that can be enjoyed almost as a session beer.

Our final beer was our only selection approaching a big beer. Eye of the Hawk from Mendocino Brewing is 8% ABV with a strong caramel malt flavor, a big mouthfeel, and enough hops to balance. It also is bottle conditioned resulting in natural carbonation and some richer flavors. This beer was the favorite of most of the people I asked.

This was a very enjoyable event that according to Francis, owner of Winestyles, will be repeated. It’s a good example of WineStyles efforts to expand their beer offerings. Their regular lineup is small but good with offerings such Sierra Nevada Celebration (almost gone), Bear Republic Racer 5, and Lost Coast Great White. When you get a chance, make sure and stop by and make sure you tell Francis you appreciate his efforts to make good beer available.

Airport Beer Guide

2009-03-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

Although it is proving extremely difficult... I sorta promise I will attempt to refrain from making any poor taste stereotypical cracks about airline pilots despite the following information.
For people that spend anytime at all in airports or flying about the country there is now a guide to help you endure all those delayed flights and boorish tourists.
Cheapflights has created the free Airport Beer Guide to help you locate a decent brew in some of the larger U.S. airports. And of course new meaning to Twelve O'clock High.....oh damn.....sorry.

"Big Beer Fest" at Beermann's in Roseville

2009-03-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

Written by Jeff Barber

On Saturday, February 28, a truly outstanding beer event was put on by Beermann’s in Roseville. Years in the planning and now commemorating the exit of Beermann’s head brewer, Mike Sutherland, a lineup of aged barley wines and other big beers were put out for everyone’s enjoyment, some aged since 2002, and they were enjoyed by all. In some cases, previous brewers at Beermann’s who had moved on, came back to enjoy barley wines that were brewed before they left such as with Brian Ford, now with the Auburn Alehouse.

Beermann’s is a small brewery that opens on Thursday and Friday afternoons for informal happy hours. The atmosphere is casual and often feels like you’re enjoying beer over at someone’s house. Saturday was no exception.

Where to start? Where we started was with the 2002 barley wines made with fruit. The first was brewed with raspberries. What was most surprising about this beer was that after 7 years, the aroma still had a noticeable smell of the berries. There was also tartness still present in the flavor and I thought I picked up some sherry character as well. This was a great beer and started the adventure off right

Up second was what turned out to be my favorite of a bunch of truly great beers. The 2002 Bourbon Barrel barley wine was brewed with cherries. The fruit provided some sourness and dryness to the beer but the malt provided great balance. While the cherries and barrel aging provided a great flavor, the lack of sweetness was unique to this offering. I found later that I was comparing the other beers I tried to this as my gold medal.

Following the 2002, we moved to the 2003 Strong Blonde aged in oak. This beer was dominated by the oak aging in both aroma and flavor. It was thinner than most of the others with noticeable alcohol but I enjoyed the variety, and in fact liked this beer quite a lot.

In order to be able to remain standing at the end, I chose to skip their 1000th brew, a double IPA, and their 2004 triple IPA. According to others I talked to, the Triple was outstanding but the double was still young (brewed a couple of months ago).

We then moved on to the 2006 version of their Bourbon Barrel Barley wine. This beer had a noticeable sweetness to it with some notes of vanilla from the bourbon barrels and a possibility of hazelnuts. A very good version of their barley wine,

After the 2006 Bourbon Barrel, we had the 2005 version. Heavier, with more vanilla from the barrels than the 2006, I preferred this version. There was a slight citrus note as well. Not a beer to drink several of but an outstanding barley wine!

Next up was the 2004 barley wine, Mr. Big. The version was never put into wood barrels and as a result, didn’t have the vanilla notes and wasn’t as sweet as the other two. Roasted malt was more noticeable in this version as well. This was another great example, especially for those who favor un-oaked barley wines.

We soldiered on and moved to the 2002 Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine. This beer was proof that the right beer can be aged for multiple years. Right up there in enjoyment with cherry version, this beer was more subdued than the others but still complex, as a good barley wine should be. Still sweet but more caramel-like than vanilla, this beer was exceptional.

This was great event enjoyed by all and well worth the $30 entry. People truly enjoy a lot of small breweries around the states and events like this are why. Rumors have it that Beermann’s is being sold. Here’s hoping the new owners keep up the good work done by Mike and his staff.

9th Annual Bistro Double IPA Fest

2009-02-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

By Mike Sober (AKA The HopHunter)

For the better part of the last decade The Bistro in Old Town Hayward California has been THE place for hop lovers to congregate on the first Saturday of every February. This years 9th Annual Double IPA Festival was the biggest and best ever and one can only imagine how next years version can hope to top it. But I'm getting ahead of myself......something very easy to do at an epic event of this scale.

The inaugural Double IPA fest in 2001 featured barely a dozen total entries and was held indoors in the Bistro's everyday bar area. This years extravaganza completely shut down the street South of the bar and included no less than 46 double IPA's.

As per tradition at this world class kickoff to San Francisco Beer Week all the beers are judged prior to the noon start and the winners announced half way through at 4:00pm or so.

When you sign up and pay for your taster glass and drink coupons you also get a double sided 8-1/2"x11" printout with every Brewery/Beer/Location/Brewer/ABV and IBU's listed in alphabetical order.

Every year I take notes, chart and evaluate all the beers I tried and in what order I drank them.....and every year I look back on it and marvel at how selective I had to be in my choices and how small a dent I put in the total.

This year I sampled 24 brews, a couple of them twice....which barely covers half of the field. These my friends are just some big ass beers.

I had my own favorites of course but ...... The official winners for 2009 were

GOLD - Pizza Port "Poormans IPA" - Carlsbad CA
SILVER - Triple Rock "IIMAXX Imperial IPA" - Berkeley CA
BRONZE - Bear Republic "Apex" - Healdsburg CA (A repeat medalist)
PEOPLES CHOICE - Russian River "Pliny the Younger" - Santa Rosa CA (For the second consecutive year)

My personal favorites included (in alphabetical order)
Auburn Ale House "Isotope PU240" - Auburn CA
Beach Chalet "The Baron" - San Francisco CA
Big Dogs "Hop Harvest Ale" - Las Vegas NV
Fifty/Fifty "Landslide" - Truckee, CA
Lagunitas "Hop Stoopid" - Petaluma CA
Pizza Port "Lou P Lin" - Solano Beach CA
Rogue "XSIPA" - Newport OR
Rubicon "REX IPA" - Sacramento CA
Seabright "Hopnoxious" - Santa Cruz CA
Sierra Nevada "Hop Secret 393" - Chico CA
Stone "Sublimely Self Righteous Ale" - Escondido CA

I suppose not mentioning Hopsickle, Hop 15, Torpedo,White Knuckle, Pliny the Elder,Double Daddy, Ruination, Double Trouble, Pure Hoppiness, Mach 10, 90 & 120 minute IPA, Denogginizer, Double Dog, Imperial IPA, Casey Jones Double, Quasar, Promised Land, Ale to the Chief,The Big DIPA, Steelhead Double, Moylander, Gordon, Hop Henge Experimental,Jersey Giant, Firkin Chico, and Bittersweet Lanny's RIPA would seem a bit of an oversight.....but nothing could be further from the truth........well maybe something could be further from the truth...like telling you I could drive home after all those beers. They tell me I had a good time and I know they're correct. I absolutely cannot wait for the first weekend of February in 2010.
Check out a few photos and judge for yourself......

Beer at Wine Styles?

2009-02-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

Written by Jeff Barber

Last night, my wife Becky and I visited one of her favorite places in Roseville, Wine Styles. Located out of the way, in back of the parking lot near Cabo’s on Lonetree Boulevard, wine is clearly their focus. They seem to do a great job with wine knowledge, variety, and price. This being a beer web site however, I’ll focus on their efforts with beer.

Although they still have room to grow and don’t have any draft beer, Francis at Wine Styles is clearly interested in expanding their bottled offerings. What was a pretty basic set of 5 offerings previously, now has evolved to Racer 5, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Lost Coast Great White and Downtown Brown, Smithwick’s, and Peroni’s, all at $4 each. I have had several conversations about beer with Francis and he is very interested in continuing to improve his offerings, with Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot possibly next. He also is planning on hosting his first beer tasting in March.

So if you are like me and have a wife who prefers wine and want to avail yourself of a place that has a very comfortable atmosphere, including and outside patio, a very nice wine selection, and the opportunity to enjoy a few very good beers, give Wine Styles a try. Let Francis know you’d like to see him continue to expand his beers.

The Greenhouse in Roseville

2009-02-05T16:26:00.000-08:00

Written by Jeff Barber

Recently my wife, Becky, and I visited the Greenhouse in Roseville, a still relatively new organic restaurant and brewery. Since Rick’s post about the Greenhouse was soon after it opened almost a year ago, I thought an update was due. Becky and I are always on the lookout for places that have outside seating and we were frequent customers of the Greenhouse, two generations ago as the still missed River Rock.

I have to say I was very impressed. Scaled down from its previous high-end existence as the Town Lounge, it still is a very comfortable place with a lot of dark wood, and the fore-mentioned out door patio.

The day we were there, they had eight beers on tap, all made on premises by Kevin Pratt, Brewmaster. The most impressive was their Belgian Golden Ale, a very tart, complex 8% ABV ale. I love Belgian strong ales and this was an excellent example. The alcohol is well hidden as well. Becky likes only very mild beers and she loved the Kolsch. Although a little too mild for me, it was very true to style. I also tasted their English Pale Ale, Summer Wheat (more like Belgian Wit), Bock, and Irish Red. All the beers were quite good with the Irish Red being the other standout (lots of bready and caramel malts with some good finishing hop bitterness).

The food also was excellent. Becky had the calamari and I had the shrimp tacos. The calamari was huge (enough for 3-4 people to share), crisp and delicious. The tacos were just a little on the spicy side with some very meaty shrimp.

Service also was good so if anyone is looking for a place to sit outside and sip a beer, or have a meal, in the most of the time beautiful Roseville weather, give The Greenhouse a try!

More Than Extreme Pizza

2009-02-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

-written by Mike Sober (AKA The HopHunter)

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of sharing a pizza and a couple of beers with Extreme Pizza owner Fred Munday. As soon as I walked in the place I could immediately see the thing that makes his location (1140 Exposition Blvd in Sacramento) differ from other Extreme Pizza locations I've been to ...... namely the tap handles and 22oz bottles for take home.

There was eight taps in all with no AB, Miller or Coors products in sight. Fred and his wife Margot opened up the place in October of 2007 with the idea of serving top notch pizza along with fresh local craft brews.

The offerings, which Fred explained usually lasted about a week on average before they rotated out, were Rubicon Pilsner, Beermann's Oatmeal Stout, Sudwerks Marzen, Rubicon IPA, Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA, Maylan's Kiltlifter, Stone Arrogant Bastard and Fox Apple Cider.

According to Fred's beer rotation spreadsheet the next round of beers would include Lagunitas Pils, Sudwerks Hefeweisen, Rubicon Irish Red (a PBN favorite) and Lake Tahoe Brewing's Nut Brown.

Although the selection of beers is impressive and worth every effort one could make to visit the this particular Extreme Pizza site; it is Fred himself that impressed me the most about my visit. Born in England and brought up in the old family ways of life that revolved around the local neighborhood pub he possesses an appreciation and knowledge of beer that is most refreshing to behold.

He is meticulous about the beer line and pint glass cleanliness (no sanitizer or soap residue) and the constant rotation of fresh brews with an eye towards setting his customers up with just the right beer for them.

As I sipped on my Big Daddy IPA and enjoyed a slice of the excellent "Kickin Chicken" pizza Fred excused himself and attended to two lady's that had tentatively approached the ordering counter. They inquired about a pitcher of Marzen but seemed unsure if it was the same beer they had enjoyed a few days prior. After asking them about their usual beer preference he offered them several samples including the Marzen, the Rubicon Pilsner and IPA to help insure that they invested in exactly the pitcher of beer that they came in for. It was indeed the Marzen.

I kinda cheated and looked ahead on the beer rotation sheet and found a number of gems that I plan to be back for ... including Stone Smoked Porter, Eel River Triple Exultrations and Anchor Porter. I also see Rubicon's ever popular Monkey Knife Fight, Beermann's Rip Roaring Red and Weed Brewings Lemurian Lager listing in the coming months.

So ya, if you are in Sacramento hungry for a great pizza (they make their own fresh dough and toppings daily) and a fresh local craft brew to go with it I recommend checking out whatever Fred has on that week.

It really does my heart good to see people breaking away from the old tired and stale approach to commerce and truly invest themselves with passion into providing excellent local products at reasonable prices.

Extreme Pizza
1140 Exposition Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95815
916-925-8859

BJ's Imported Winter Warmer beer dinner

2009-01-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

- Written by Jeff Barber

On Tuesday, January 20th, BJ’s Brewery Restaurant in Roseville held their Imported Winter Warmer Beer Dinner. Not having attended a beer dinner previously (and always wanting to), I rounded up my friend and beer aficionado, Jose, and drove over to BJ’s for what promised to be a night of good beer and good food.

What I noticed first upon arrival was the beer lineup. It was outstanding but more on that later. The size of the event created some difficulties (100-125 people) with the main shortcoming being was that it was very difficult to hear the brewer’s description of the beers. A microphone would have been very helpful. Kudos for trying but I just couldn’t hear. Also although it was difficult to have good conversations because of the noise at least we had Nick Walker, GM of BJ’s Natomas and his girlfriend Tina at our table. They are friendly people that Jose and I enjoyed talking to and getting their opinions about the beer. The other negative was that the beers were kept in ice until served from the bottle (except BJ’s own excellent Grand Cru). As the night wore on, the later beers were colder than they should be for optimal tasting.

Negatives aside, there were some positives as well. The servers at the event did a great job in general, getting the food to the tables while hot and pouring the beers. Extra praise goes to one of our servers, Claire, who did a great job as well as putting a bottle of each beer away for me for the picture above. The food also was good. Although BJ’s food isn’t fancy, it is typically consistently good and tonight was no exception. The beers stole the show though and now on to the beers.

Our first “course” was the aperitif, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome. While not the type of drink you would expect as an aperitif, this beer was a good starter for the evening. Very malty with caramel and biscuity tastes, it had very little hop and not much spice noticeable. 6% ABV. Not bad but not great either.

The first beer/food pairing was BJ’s chicken pot stickers with Fuller’s Vintage Ale. While I’m not sure this pairing made the most sense, the pot stickers were excellent (although we each only got one) and the beer, superb. I had never had this beer previously and found it to be sweeter than the Winter Welcome, slightly smoky, with notes of fruit and a nutty finish. Jose noted some taste of oak or something similar that made him wonder what this beer was aged in. This beer, since it wasn’t in ice as long, was the perfect temperature for enjoying. At 8.5% ABV, the alcohol was well hidden. Very enjoyable,

Next up was another beer I hadn’t tried, Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux. It was paired a garden salad with a balsamic dressing and was a great match for this beer. Being a big fan of Belgian beers, I had high hopes for this beer and wasn’t disappointed. It had an aroma of clove and fruity esters, creamy head with lots of lacing, flavors of banana, clove, and spice, and high carbonation. At 9.5% ABV, the alcohol was noticeable but not overwhelming. Another excellent beer.

Following the salad, came the pizza. This was BJ’s Sweet Pig pizza with ham, pineapple, and tomatoes. The pizza was deep dish style and was paired with Affligem Noel, another Belgian holiday beer. Both were very good. The beer was very malty with low hops and notes of clove, dried fruits, and nutmeg. I’ve enjoyed this beer before and enjoyed it here but would rate it behind the Fuller’s and Dupont offerings.

Next in line was what turned out to be my favorite beer of the night. BJ’s own Grand Cru (just released) was paired a Balsamic Glazed Chicken with fried onions and mashed potatoes. Both were quite good and the tartness/spiciness of the Grand Cru went well with the balsamic glaze on the chicken. The Grand Cru is almost orange in color with notes of banana, spice, and orange, and very complex. This was a great beer that I look forward to having more of.

The final beer/food pairing was the BJ’s big chocolate chip cookie served warm with chocolate ice cream and Ghirardelli chocolate, and the Ayinger Dopplebock. Again this was a beer I had enjoyed before and was a perfect match with the chocolate in the food. A little lower in alcohol than most of the others at 6.7%, this dopplebock’s aroma is of caramel malt and some maple syrup. The taste is raisiny in the beginning with notes of cherry and chocolate, and some roastiness in the finish. A very good beer for the winter.

So what did we finish with? Nothing other than Samichlaus, the world’s highest alcohol lager at 14% ABV. Reddish orange in color, this beer is very sweet and sherry-like. The head quickly dissipated and the aroma was of dried fruity, brandy, and alcohol. Flavors were molasses and dark fruit but the alcohol was pretty well balanced. A great way to end the night but a beer that even in a 12 oz bottle is meant to be sipped and shared.

Thanks to BJ’s for a very enjoyable evening, to Claire for her great service, and to Nick and Tina for the conversation. Final voting at our table for best beer was a tie with two votes for the Affligem Noel and two votes for the BJ’s Grand Cru,

Let’s have more of these events!

The Beer Geek's 2008 Quaff Notes

2009-01-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

- Written by Mark "The Beer Geek" Zahn

The past year really provided some fantastic brews. In the following few lines, I'd like to share with you some of the more interesting beers my palate enjoyed.

The Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse is a superb brew. Basically, it's a light-colored Weissbock with some big-time strength - something like 8%. Awesome banana-clove aromas and nice 'n hoppy too, with plenty of noble hops. This beer is a collaboration between Schneider-Weisse of Germany and the Brooklyn Brewery (New York).

The Black Butte XX Twentieth Anniversary Porter from Deschutes (Oregon) was absolutely delicious. This beer is a jacked-up version of the Black Butte Porter with massive amounts of roasted coffee and chocolate malts - aged in whiskey barrels, if I remember correctly. Extremely smooth with very little alcoholic warmth for such a high-octane brew (over 10% ABV).

Next on my list is Ommegang's Hennepin Farmhouse Saison (New York). A very refreshing beer perfectly suited for the summer months. Light, spicy yet sweet, fruity, citrusy... and on and on. There's so much going on in this Saison, I recommend you try it for yourself.

The Hop Trip fresh-hopped pale ale from Deschutes (Oregon) was once again fabulous. This brew is packed with fresh whole flower hops - the bittering is piney, citrusy, yet soft. A very enjoyable sweetness in the malt backbone. Truly a nicely balanced beer that is low in alcohol. Nice and rich with a beautiful crown when poured properly.

The next beer that was thoroughly pleasing in every respect, is Sierra Nevada's Torpedo (California). We enjoyed this IPA on tap at the Owl Club in Roseville - wow - went down like cotton candy. This beer is very smooth with a quite delicate balance of wonderful aroma hops and mild malt sweetness. The whole hops they put in that Torpedo contraption also give this beer a fresh piney/citrusy floral aroma & flavor. Extremely smooth for a 7% IPA.

Finally, I'd like to recommend the Allagash Four (Maine). This bottle-conditioned Belgian Quad is brewed with four different malts and four types of hops. It's very rich and complex with lot's of dark fruit flavors, some sherry notes, and some brown sugar flavors as well. The hop bitterness is mild with the flavors definitely leaning towards the malts. Remarkably smooth body for such a big beer. At 10%, the alcoholic warmth is there, but not overpowering.

If you get a chance to try these beers, let us know what you think. Cheers!

Pacific Coast Brewing Company

2009-01-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

- Written by Mike Sober (AKA The Hop Hunter)

During the Holiday season I spent a few days in the East Bay area and had the opportunity to finally visit Pacific Coast Brewing in downtown Oakland. As is somewhat evident in the photo, the Brewery is housed in a historic Oakland building dating from 1876 that is partially furnished with artifacts obtained from the Oakland Museum.

Despite the fact that we were drawn to the site strictly as a beer destination I found myself studying my surroundings for several minutes before I even looked for the beer menu. The Bar itself looks to be well over 100 years old and was reportedly an original piece from someplace called the Cox Saloon from Old Town Oakland. When I finally got to the beer menu I found it to be pretty impressive in it's own right. The PC brewery offered seven of their own beers as well as no less than sixteen guest taps, including Harviestoun Ola Dubh Special 30 Reserve from Scotland. A treat I would save until just prior to last call.

The house offerings included a Pale Ale, a couple of IPA's as well as a killer (Killer Whale they call it) Stout, Holiday Belgian Double and a Barleywine. Our group of seven ordered a couple of full samplers and found the beers to be solid with perhaps a slight bit of sameness to them that I suspected was a result of the pale malt extract that brewer Don Gortemiller uses as a base in all his beers. I particularly enjoyed the Blue Whale Ale which drinks like an Imperial IPA and according to the menu won a Silver Medal at the GABF way back in 1989. I have to assume that to have been in the strong Ale category. The Gray Whale Pale Ale seemed to be the most popular house beer at the table as I noticed several were being ordered after the sampler was dissected and turned back into mere glassware .

The Guest Menu was where I found a couple of gems that I just couldn't resist at all. Luckily since we rode BART to downtown Oakland ... resisting was just not something I was concerning myself with at that time. I obviously didn't try them all but I did my best to dent the list.....

Anchor Christmas Ale
Bear Republic Racer 5
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Full Sail Wreck the Halls
Pizza Port Belgian Style Quadruppel
Pyramid Apricot Ale
Russian River Blind Pig
Schmaltz Jewbelation Twelve
Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest
Sierra Nevada Ruthless Weiss
Stone 12th Anniversary Biter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Trumer Pils

The lineup also included Stella Artois, Lindeman's Framboise, Samichlaus Helles Bier 2007 and Houblon Chouffe.

At 14% alcohol the Samichlaus is reportedly the strongest Lager in the world and I would like to say I got around to trying some....but that would be stretching the truth a bit much.

However, it wouldn't be expanding the truth at all to say I'm putting PCBCo on my list of return destinations for 2009.

Perhaps I should mention that they also have a pool table, Internet access and a couple of dart boards for entertainment. Dart boards that were in little danger of being worn out by us late in the evening. I learned that one should never combine Belgian Style Quads and darts after midnight. Nope...don't recommend it at all.

What I do whole-heartedly recommend is making the effort to visit and hoist a few pints at Pacific Coast Brewing in Oakland.

Check out Mike's blog at www.thehophunter.blogspot.com

A New Column: Cheese! St. Andre

2009-01-12T22:20:00.001-08:00

Yes, this is Pacific BREW News, but given that many of us who like a good brew also have the capacity to take a moment to enjoy better food, I figured you wouldn't mind a diversion now and then. With that in mind we'll start doing some foodie items from time to time, with cheese reviews based on items sold by our local cheese monger - the thought is to cover one cheese a week until they've all been covered. Hopefully we'll be able to tie in a beer suggestion with each cheese and if you like the sounds of something, please try it and let us know what you think. Onto the cheese!

Saint-AndréThis is not a new cheese to us, having been introduced to it a while back with good friends of ours. The cheese has a pale, buttery appearance that is wrapped with a papery, grayish-white rind.The first taste is as sensuous as it is pungent, with grassy and mossy flavors that complement the tangy, bright tastes on the sides of the mouth. You cannot escape the buttery qualities of this cheese, from the look to the flavors and even the texture - this is fantastic smothered on crusty bread. Allowing this cheese to warm to room temperature changes the cheese substantially. As it softens the acidic and zesty notes become more pronounced. I'd go as far as to say the cheese vastly improves as it softens and warms, the aromas becoming more obvious.Now, we all know that pairing a good cheese with a good beer is divine, but choosing the right beer to go with the right cheese is challenging. Trying this made me long for a Belgian dubbel or even an aged barleywine. Oh, and I doubt you'd be unhappy with a bier de garde.
Finally, I just have to put this somewhere. In our tasting tonight Tracy mentioned that this cheese was the "duck of cheeses". She was talking about the fatty texture and overall richness of flavors and the more I thought about it, the more I agreed.

About the Cheese
Made in France
Uses cows milk with 75% butter fat

BJ's Winter Warmer Beer Dinner

2009-01-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

I made a quick stop in this past weekend to our local BJs brewery and restaurant for dinner and drinks with Tracy. While there I saw adverts for a Winter Welcome Beer Dinner coming up soon and I wanted to pass along the details for you.

Date: January 20, 2009
Cost: $30
Location: BJs in Roseville (Galleria/E. Roseville Pkwy)
What is it: Dinner with winter beers from Germany, England and the US.
Reservations: 916.580.2100

Sacramento's Newest Beer Joint?

2009-01-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

It's been just over a year since Manderes in Folsom opened with an impressive selection of taps, bottles and grub to satisfy an eager beer-loving population. Brent and David have, since then, won many honors and awards in the region. Given they were the only game in town for good beer, it wasn't a surprise. On Tuesday, however, they're going to get some serious competition from one of the region's old players - Sacrament Brewing Company.

Spear-headed by it's brewmaster Peter Hoey, SacBrew is starting a new program that involves doubling the taps and bringing in fantastic brews from around the world. To give you an idea of what you can expect, check out the list of brews you can find on Tuesday when their 12 new taps start pouring.

Anchor Brewing - Christmas Ale
Bear Republic - Racer 5 IPA
Bear Republic - Jack London ESB
Brasserie d' Achouffe - Houblon Doubbelen IPA Tripel
Deschutes - The Dissident
Green Flash - Tripple Belgian Style Ale
Rubicon Brewing Company - Monkey Knife Fight
Russian River Brewing Company - Pliny the Elder
Sierra Nevada - Celebration Ale
Unibroue - Maudite

Keep in mind, this is in ADDITION TO the award-winning lineup of SBC brews:

IPA (7%)
Red Horse Amber
2006 Babylon Barleywine (10.8%)
Abbey Extra (5.0%)
Barristers Bitter (4.0%)
Bock (6.5%)
Brewhouse Lager (4.5%)
Hefeweizen (4.5%)
Old Pappy Bourbon Barrel-aged Wheat Wine (13.0%)
Russian Imperial Stout (8.0%)
Smokey's Imperial Red Ale (8.6%)

As if this weren't enough, Peter is also diligently working on a killer series of Pint Nights and Brewer Specials, the first will kick off on January 21st with Firestone Walker night where SBC will pour:

Double Barrel Ale
Pale 31
Union Jack IPA
Walker's Reserve
Nectar IPA - Cask

Following Firestone Walker Night will be evenings that feature 21st Amendment, Deschutes, Rubicon and some others that will likely be mentioned as they're announced.

With SacBrew's new face-lift to complement the great lineup at Manderes, we're certain to see a whole lot of great beer in 2009.

Sacramento: Oasis Closed

2009-01-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

I won't make this a very long post, but yesterday (Jan. 4, 2009) was the last day The Oasis was open to the public. They are working now on transferring beer and equipment to Sacramento Brewing's primary location in Sacramento, on the corner of Fulton and Marconi. While the writing has been on the walls for some time (it didn't take a genius to see there just weren't a lot of seats filled recently) it is still a sad day for me, due to the fact I'd made this a favorite local brewery over the last couple years.

So long Oasis, you served us well for some time.

To the locals: This is a warning shot for us I figure, time now to support our local brewers a bit more (remember, we just lost Elk Grove Brewing, too). Fill a growler, buy a pint, do what you can to get the freshest, high-quality beers you can. Of course, we have more than SacBrew to support, with breweries like Rubicon, Hoppy, Auburn Alehouse, Beermann's and more. We've got great beer in the region, easily worth our support.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

It was a fast-paced 2008 for us at PBN - and in the second half of the year that really impacted our ability to blog, record shows and update our website. I'm actually pretty bummed about the neglect I've shown you all, and this sight that I have been awfully partial to. I'm not the biggest fan of New Year's resolutions, but I do have a few goals for 2009 that I figured I'd share with everyone.

A weekly blog post worth reading: Often when short on time I've been known to throw up a press release or something pretty lame. This year I'm hoping that we at PBN can pool our collective mental resources to post one good, meaty blog a week. That would allow us to still put up the silly and off-hand posts we like to do while also giving you something worth following.
Increased homebrew coverage: I have a whole lot of homebrew ideas that I'd like to pass on - tips for equipment, ingredients and whatever else comes to mind. Realistically I think I could put one homebrew post a month up that would be of interest to you.
More Podcasts: Mark and Mike are pushing for it, so are many of you. I think I'll have to work with them to plot out the next few months worth of shows. I may even have to get The Beer Geek set up to record shows without me - in case I find myself overly busy.
More Regional Beer News & Spotlights: Between the three of us we go to a whole lot of bars, breweries and events. We have a whole lot of stories to share and I think I'll have to make sure to share some of these with you.
More Videos: Yes, I have a backlog of videos from brewery tours, events and homebrew adventures. It's long past due for me to put some of these up - likely in their raw, unedited form.

Feel free to keep us on our toes on this. I hope you all had a great 2008 and we all hope for the best for all of you in this new year. Cheers!

Summing up Pacific Brew News

2008-12-11T16:22:00.000-08:00

OK, this is seriously cool! This is a "wordle" that is made up of PBN's most frequently used words on Twitter. Also of note - the top five words I use on twitter are:

Beer
Good
Great
Day
IPA

I just love that I say IPA more frequently that, say, "dude" or "loser".

OC: BJ's Domestic Winter Warmer Tasting

2008-11-26T16:58:00.000-08:00

Just about to head out for the weekend, so won't do anything more than copy/paste the info for this event (I will say the beers look darn good).

Our Domestic Winter Warmer event in Brea is an annual tradition that beer lovers can't afford to miss. This is the time of year when American craft brewers have a little fun and give us their best by brewing something special. Some of these beers will be spiced, and many of will be on the extreme side in terms of gravity and hopping rate. So in the spirit of the holidays, you can expect quite a party on the palate!

Here is the festive lineup:
Alaskan Winter Ale
Anchor Our Special Ale
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi
Marin Hoppy Holidaze
Moylan’s White Christmas
New Belgium 2 Below
Pyramid Snowcap
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve
Rogue Yellow Snow
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Stone Double Bastard
Stone Imperial Stout
The Bruery Autumn Leaf
Widmer BRRRR
Where and when:
BJ's in Brea on Tuesday, December 2, 7:30pm

Admission:
$18 per person (pay at the door). Includes all beer samples, handouts and a souvenir glass. Must be 21 years of age. Designated drivers welcome at no charge.

For more info:
714/990-2095 (Brea)

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

From all of us here at Pacific Brew News we extend Happy Thanksgiving wishes. For us, we're grateful that you stop by now and then and have become a part of our lives. We're also thankful for our local brewers and this weekend we'll be sipping from some of the best around our neck of the woods: Auburn Alehouse, SacBrew and Rubicon. We'll also be making a beer of our own, with our closest friends.

We hope you also have plans that make the holiday festive and special. Drive safe.

Sacramento Beer Find: Original Pete's

2008-11-23T22:06:00.000-08:00

I've enjoyed Original Pete's pizza in my area for years; the crust, cheese and toppings all properly balanced. That said, this isn't a joint we hit up for sudsy refreshment -- at least it wasn't before we found ourselves at the Midtown location (on 20th and J).

We walked in the pizza restaurant and were immediately turned on by the warm, super-inviting bar made of stone with a wooden counter top. In fact we opted to go no further and staked our seats in front of the large flat-screen showing the Sacramento Kings battle valiantly, but to no avail. Behind the bar we could spy two beer-tap towers that each had six beers (that's 12 taps for those keeping score at home). On one tower were "standard" taps with the house brand - a pale ale and English IPA grabbed my attention. The other tower had Guinness and, read slowly now, Firestone Walker's Union Jack, Pale Ale, Double Barrel and the seasonal Oktoberfest. Are you kidding?!

I looked at the menu and realized this wasn't just an Original Pete's like I had closer to home, this was an Original Pete's "Brewhouse" (apparently the only one of its kind open right now, although their site says another will open soon in El Dorado Hills). Now I knew they didn't have a brewery in back and judging from the Firestone Walker taps, pictures of Matt hanging on the wall next to the brewery pictures, I was pretty certain I knew who was making their beer. Happily I found they too were fond of the Firestone Walker name, and on the inside of their menu they proudly admitted these beers with the Pete's name were brewed under the supervision and care of one of the world's top brewers (I'd be proud too, by the way).

With all the facts taken in it was time to get geeky about beer (OK, so I already had a pint in me by the time I found the FSW info in the menu). I feel like I shouldn't even have to say this, but the beers kicked ass. I won't get into full-on reviews here, but if you're the type of person who has the BJCP style guidelines on your iPhone or PDA, you could just read those while you're drinking these beers and simply check "yes" next to appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and overall impression. The shocker for me was how over-the-top enjoyable the Skinner's Horse IPA was -- the English IPA. The nose was bold with floral and cedary notes, it's flavor unashamed to settle in for the night with nutty sweetness and more floral qualities. What a gem of a beer this was, and at under $4 a pint I couldn't begin to complain. Of course I couldn't well leave without a pint of Union Jack, a beer that is quickly establishing itself as a "favorite" in my book.

There you are, a new-to-me watering hole that doesn't seem to get a whole lotta love on the interwebblogtubes. If you're in Midtown and need a quick pint, be sure to stop in and check it out on your own (feel free to let us know what you think). If you're in the mood for good pizza with friends while watching the game (whatever game that may be) sit in the restaurant area that is stocked with TVs that every seat can enjoy while taking on a pitcher or two.

I'd be remiss if I didn't show some fond appreciation for the man who turned me onto this little gem of a beer bar - Peter Hoey. Man, thanks!

You'll be interested to note that, according to Peter, there are frequent Cask nights here. I'm sure I'll be there sooner than later to see what this is all about.

Happy Birthday Tracy

2008-11-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

Today is my wife's birthday! You may not recognize the name or see her on the site too often, but she's a driving force behind Pacific Brew News and her photos help to tell stories I only have words for. Tracy is home today studying for her BJCP exam tomorrow morning. I have no doubt she'll do well on the exam, or that she'll make a fantastic beer judge.

For those who know her, join me in wishing her the happiest of birthdays!

Welcome to NorCal, Oskar Blues!

2008-11-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

So I've been hearing about this for some time and now have a few details to share. As you probably have read or heard, Oskar Blues will be finding its way into the Northern California market in the coming days and weeks. According to Marty Jones of Oskar Blues you will soon see their products on tap in the following locations.

The Shack
Limelight
Pinecove
Manderes
Brick Oven Pizza
Town Pump
Happy Viking

Also, to celebrate the brewery's presence in the region they have set up a few events.

Nov 19 - Oskar Blues Pint Night at Manderes
Nov 21 - Oskar Blues Pint Night at Town Pump
Dec 4 - Oskar Blues Punk Rock Event at Elixir - 10 PM-close - tastings in this downtown Sacto bar
Dec 8 - Happy Viking Pint Night - Yuba City, CA

Marty promises to keep us updated with more dates as they're solidified. As updates come I'll try to pass them along.

Happy Birthday: Peter Hoey

2008-11-18T09:53:00.000-08:00

Peter Hoey and Rick Sellers at SBC filling bourbon barrels

Today we stop for just a moment to wish a very happy birthday to Peter Hoey, brewmaster at Sacramento Brewing Company (as well as a reportedly good husband, father based on interviews with his lovely wife). Peter, in the past few years, has become a very close friend of mine and my respect for him as a brewer and person could not be greater. Peter, all of us at Pacific Brew News wish you the happiest of birthdays. To celebrate it only seems appropriate to stop in for a glass of Old Pappy (bourbon barrel wheat wine) and the obligatory IPA.

Peter and Patrick Rue of the Bruery on a recent trip to Sacramento

Cheers!Peter at the 2007 California Brewers Festival where he took Best of Show

Veterans Day Salute

2008-11-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

I hope you all can take a moment to stop tonight and lift a glass to the men and women who have served this country in our armed forces. For those in active service now, we salute you for the sacrifices you're making for your country. If you know someone serving now, take a quick moment to drop them an email saying thanks.

When I think of the things happening around the world and in our own country, I am nothing short of thankful and humbled to know we have the men and women we have in uniform protecting all that is American.

Thank you.

Brewmaster's Dinner with Denise Jones (Moylan's)

2008-11-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

I got this in my inbox this morning and thought I'd pass it along.

Brewmaster Dinner Series:
Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant
Dinner with Denise

When: Thursday, November 13th at 7:00pm

Where: Bar and Grill, 2233 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, CA

What: Join Moylan’s Brewery Brewmaster Denise Jones for the 2nd Annual Brewmaster’s Dinner. Pair a custom menu with house-brewed ales. See full menu below.

********

Reception
7:00 PM

A Trio of Passed Hors D ‘Oeuvres
poached white prawns with spicy tomato & pepper relish
Dungeness crab crostinis with tarragon aioli
smoked Point Reyes oysters
Moylans Brewery Extra Special Bitter

Dinner
7:30 PM

Marinated Niman Ranch Tenderloin of Beef
on a bed of arugula, fennel & orange with cilantro viniagrette
Moylan’s Brewery Oktoberfest Marzen

Banana Leaf Wrapped Pacific Rockfish
in Adobo sauce with vegetable filled pasilla pepper & queso fresco
Moylan’s Brewery White Christmas Winter Lager

Wheat Ale & Lemon Granita

Pan Roasted Quail
filled with a dried cranberries, wild mushrooms& spinach, sauce Bernaise
Moylan’s Brewery IPA

Walnut Bread Pudding
malted barley caramel reduction
A trio of Moylan’s Brewery Ryan Sullivan Imperial Stout Variations:
Bourbon Barrel
Espresso & Chocolate Infused
Fresh Raspberry

Price: $79.00
(inclusive)
Reservations can be made by calling Noonan's.

Here We Go Again

2008-11-07T08:13:00.000-08:00

I know it's patriotic to pay taxes and all, but... this is getting silly. In California we're a lot like most states in that we're a little light in the pocket and looking for ways to make a buck. Governor Schwarzenegger is proposing a list of items to bring in some moolah and among them is an increase of $0.05 in the State's excise tax (per drink) on all alcoholic beverages. I assume this is for drinks ordered in restaurants, but haven't found exactly what he's proposing and how deep it would go. That in mind, I think you who live in California should know.

Sacramento: Hop Trip Pint Night on Thursday

2008-11-04T11:51:00.001-08:00

Join the PBN crew at Owl Club on Thursday night for Pint Night! This week's beer is Deschutes' Hop Trip, their annual wet-hopped pale ale. The details are below for those interested.

$10= Shirt, glass and a pint of Hop Trip;
$5= glass and a pint of Hop Trip;
$4= pint of Hop Trip, no glass or shirt; and,
$3 Hop Trip refills for all of those who purchased a glass special.

Vote!

2008-11-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

While the link below is a humorous piece, I do hope you who are citizens of the USA and of voting age have taken the time to vote today. It's important.

Now, onto the fun stuff. If you're like me you're tired of the PAC ads, the Yes and No on everything ads, the robo calls and random knocks on the door soliciting your vote. Still, I hope you have time to watch one more election day video - for the most important election in the galaxy!

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Hoptoberfest in Review

2008-11-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Barber, Pacific Brew News

Like a kid in a candy store! That's the only way I can describe how I felt attending the Rubicon Brewing Hoptoberfest on Saturday where 21 IPAs were on tap. With me were my daughter and son-in-law, who as light drinkers would be in much better shape for the drive home to Roseville. Already at the event when we got there were PBN friends and hosts Mark, The Beer Geek, and Jeff Scammon, former owner of the Owl Club in Roseville and host of Wild West Radio.

Since Mark and Jeff were ahead of us in beer tasting when we got there, we quickly joined in. I ordered a taster tray of seven beers to get started. It was hard to choose so I started with a few reasonably lighter tasting beers and filled in the tray with beers I hadn't had before. I also have to say up front that Pliny the Elder was all ready out, much to my dismay.

The opening lineup, after brief deliberation, was as follows:

21st Amendment Harvest Ale
Anchor Liberty Ale
Marin Brewing Mt Tam Pale Ale
Elk Grove Brewing Hop Head Red
Sacramento Brewing Imperial Red
Santa Cruz Aleworks Saison Dubois
Bear Republic Apex

This flight was followed by:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Great Basing Ichtysaurus

First off, I'll just say we didn't have a bad beer all afternoon. Some were better than others and some fit their style better than others, but good beer as clearly in evidence. That said, my top ranking was:

#1- Bear Republic Apex IPA- WOW! This was outstanding. Strong dry hopped aroma (simcoe?), well-balanced, very creamy mouthfeel, good bitterness but not lingering. #1 for Mark and Jeff as well.

#2- 21st Amendment Fresh Hop Harvest - Noticeable piney hop aroma, flavor had some fruitness in it with some good malt backbone-could have had a few of these (my son in law's favorite), creamy

#3- Sacramento Brewing Imperial Red - Hops come out strong in the aroma, also well balanced, caramel sweetness in the initial flavor followed by the hop kick, some alcohol warmth as well (my daughter's favorite)

#4- Sierra Nevada Torpedo - Citrusy aroma, bready and caramel sweetness from malt balanced hop bitterness well but bitterness still was prominent, a hop milk shake!

Like I said earlier, all beers were good but to be honest I have to say that the one I didn't enjoy as much as the others was the Santa Cruz Saison Dubois. I love saisons but the level of hops didn't mesh well with the tart saison character and overpowered it a little. The Celebration and Icky both suffered from tired palate syndrome by the time I got to them. I have had both before and always enjoy them.

Kudos to the Rubicon for putting on a good event. It was well organized and by limiting everyone to 5-oz tasters, more beers were available later in the weekend (except for Pliny). Truly enjoyable!

Rubicon's 21st Anniversary Party: Hoptoberfest

2008-10-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sacramento's most iconic brewery has been serving excellent ales for 21 years, and this weekend to show their appreciation to its patrons for the years of support they will be bringing in a lot of well-hopped brews. If you're in Sacramento over the weekend be sure to stop in for a pint.

When: Friday & Saturday (10/31 & 11/1)
Where: Rubicon Brewing Company
2004 Capitol
Cost: Admission is free, you just have to buy your beer.
What's On Tap? Well, check it out below.

Rubicon Pilsner
Rubicon IPA
Rubicon Amber
Rubicon Stout
Rubicon Monkey Knife Fight
Rubicon Hop Sauce
Rubicon Rosebud
Firestone Walker Union Jack
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Elk Grove Brewing Company Hop Head Red
Triple Rock IPAX IPA
Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Auburn Ale House Isotope
Auburn Ale House Gold Digger IPA
Speakeasy Big Daddy IPA
Bear Republic Apex IPA
21st Amendment Fresh Hop IPA
Great Basin Brewing Co. Ichthyosaur Pale Ale
Santa Cruz Ale Works Hoppy Saison
Sacramento Brewing Company Imperial Red
Mt Shasta Brewing Mountain High IPA
Moylans Brewing Company Moylander XX IPA
Moylans Brewing Company IPA
Marin Brewing Company IPA
Marin Brewing Company Mt. Tam Pale Ale
Lagunitas IPA
Anchor Liberty Ale

Tempting, isn't it?

NPR, LDA, UVA, BAC, HooFest and More

2008-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

What's with all the acronyms? I don't know, but I heard on the radio this morning a story on NPR that was interesting and wanted to pass it along to you, my beer-loving friends. It's a story about Social Normalization and on-campus drinking at University of Virginia. It's an interesting program they have going on, and I'd love to know what some of you think about this. The story is about nine minutes long to listen to, but is more complete than the text. Check it out.

Things that interest me? The fact that UVA tries to teach students what alcohol poisoning looks like and what to do. The fact that DUIs are down. Education, not just policing kids underground. The fact that the university is trying.

Rick on WNPR's Faith Middleton Show

2008-10-20T00:14:00.000-07:00

Friday I was fortunate to be invited onto WNPR's Faith Middleton show, one of New England's most popular radio shows, to talk about all things craft beer. While on-air folks like Garrett Oliver and Sam Caglione called in while we sampled some fine beers from around the country. In NPR style the show is now online in mp3 format for stream and download listening. To hear it, check out this link.

It was a great time and I was honored to be part of the hour-long show.

Octoberfest in Sacramento

2008-10-17T19:16:00.001-07:00

I can't tell you how far behind in life I am, but a good hint is that I am typing this in Philadelphia. Tomorrow (Saturday 10/18) Sacramento Brewing Company is hosting their Octoberfest party at their Fulton/Marconi location. Here you'll be able to sample EIGHT German-inspired beers brewed by the award-winning SBC, along with brats, face paintings and everything needed to make O-fest all it can be. Stop in, sample the special brews and enjoy the day. Admission is free, you just pay for the beers/food. Brews start flowing at 11:00Am and the tents outside stop pouring at 7:30. If you haven't had your fill, you can then take the party inside.

I hope to see you there.

GABF Coverage

2008-10-13T00:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. To begin, I simply MUST say thank you for all the kind words said to me during the GABF this week. Next, you've noticed I didn't cover it here. Instead I kept a running blog on the DRAFT website and did a walking tour of the event with James Spencer of Basic Brewing. You can view the goods at the following locations.

GABF Video: Basic Brewing
GABF Blog: Getting There
GABF Blog: Day One
GABF Blog: Day Two
GABF Blog: Day Three
GABF Blog: The Morning After

In addition, DRAFT has created a series of brewer interview videos from the event, check these out too!

Sean, the Homebrew Chef
Mike, of Dark Horse Brewing
Patrick, of The Bruery
Rob, of Widmer Bros.
Brian, of Mad River Brewing
Jeff, of Tall Grass Brewing
Peter, of Sacramento Brewing
Matt, of Firestone Walker
Tess, of Boulder Beer Co.

Update on Elk Grove Brewer

2008-10-08T00:04:00.000-07:00

I read today that the long-time brewer at Elk Grove Brewery, Bill Wood, is now on the brewer's deck at Auburn Alehouse helping out with Brian Ford. This is good for everyone in the area because Wood is an accomplished brewer we didn't want to lose and Brian could use a hand - the guy works his ass off.

Oh, how good is Wood? He recently brought home a gold medal from this year's World Beer Cup. Not a shabby pick-up for Auburn Alehouse. This may not be the most comforting news for those in Elk Grove, but hopefully you all can come up sometime and enjoy a pint of something brewed by someone familiar.

So Long Elk Grove Brewery

2008-10-07T09:06:00.001-07:00

I've known the business was struggling for some time, but in today's Sacramento Bee I see that Elk Grove Brewery has officially folded. This place made several great beers and the brewer there is a top-notch guy. We wish him and the staff at EGB the best.

From the Bee

In Elk Grove, one of the hardest-hit communities in the region, a longtime business folded over the weekend: Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant in the Old Town business district.
While the brewpub was hurt initially by extensive construction in the neighborhood, which curbed access to the site, ultimately the economy put the business under.
The Correa family, which bought Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant in 2003, had to "turn it over to the bank and walk away, unfortunately," said the brewpub's attorney Matthew Eason.
The brewpub was hurting long before the credit crunch became front-page news. But the lack of financing is crippling those businesses that are trying to get off the ground.

Unibroue Night @ BJ's Brea

2008-10-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

I got this in my email tonight and wanted to pass it on. If you're in SoCal you may want to figure out a good way to get here for this event.

BJ's BEER APPRECIATION NIGHT:
THE BEERS OF UNIBROUE

Our topic for next Tuesday’s Beer Appreciation Night in Brea was originally “Great Craft Beers of Canada”. My plan was to feature the beers of Unibroue, which I consider to be the best brewer of Belgian-style ales outside of Belgium. This craft brewery located in Chambly, Quebec, is dedicated to traditional Belgian brewing methods and brews a range of unique and creative beers. I had some concerns about what else from Canada to pour because I figured they would pale in comparison to the wonderful beers of Unibroue. But my concerns went away when Unibroue’s sales rep Michael Smith told me how many beers he could secure for our event. More than enough to make it an All-Unibroue Beer Appreciation Night! Thanks to Michael, we’ll even be lucky enough to taste several vintage Unibroue Anniversary Beers from his personal stash and the brand new commemorative beer Quatre-Centienne!

Here's the delectable Unibroue lineup:
Blanche de Chambly
Don de Dieu
Ephemere Apple
Maudite
La Fin du Monde
Chambly Noire
Trois Pistoles
Terrible
Quatre-Centieme

…and FOUR Anniversary Beers (we’ll keep the vintages a surprise)!

BJ's Brea
600 Brea Mall
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 990-2095

When: Tuesday, October 7, 7:30pm
Cost: $18 per person (pay at the door).

Includes all beer samples, handouts and a souvenir glass. Yes, everyone gets a collectible Unibroue beer glass to take home! Must be 21 years of age.
Designated drivers welcome at no charge.

Toronado Wet Hop Harvest Beer Night '08

2008-10-03T00:33:00.000-07:00

Just a quick head's up. Toronado, San Francisco's legendary beer bar, is hosting its annual Wet Hopped Harvest Beer Night on October 15th. This event features an array of beers made from the freshest hops harvested in 2008, including several "estate" hop brews made with hops grown on the brewery property.

When: October 15 at 6:00 PM
Cost: Admission is free, just pay for the drinks
Where: Toronado in San Francisco (Haight and Filmore)
www.toronado.com

Vote

2008-10-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Stepping away from beer for a moment to pass on something a lot more important. According to this, some states in the USA have a Voters Registration Deadline as early as October 4th. Please, register and vote.

Bear Republic Night @ Rubicon

2008-09-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Left to Right: Rich (Ricardo) Norgrove Jr., Glynn Phillips, Rich Norgrove Sr.

This week we celebrated the long-awaited Bear Republic pint night with Rich and Rich Norgrove both in attendance (Jr. coming directly from Yakima Valley for his hops selection of the year). This was the first of what Rubicon's owner, Glynn Phillips, hopes will be a running series of events that celebrate the cooperative spirit of the brewing community, a trend I'd love to see fly around the country. If this doesn't mean much to you, think about it for another minute.

Do you know of any business in your town that specializes in making a great product that would not only carry a competitor's product, but invite the people of the competition in for a night-long celebration and meet-and-greet with said competition's fan base? I don't. Perhaps this is a new wave of brewer collaboration, a move we've seen when brewers will make a batch of beer with their friends in the industry - like Isabella Proximus, Collaboration Not Litigation and the Mikkeler/Stone/Alesmith project. Rubicon is clearly not the ground-breaking company in this regard, either. Stone has been bringing in brewers to their facility for some time. That said, this just isn't something I see everyday.

About the Beers

The samples, eight Bear Republic beers

Bear Republic brought eight beers to Rubicon along with pint glasses and shwag for prizes. Among the beers were three offerings that were new to the PBN crew (who was there in full force): Double Aught, Mach 10, Rebellion. Rounding off the list were Racer 5, Red Rocket, Apex IPA, Big Bear Stout and Pete's Brown.

If you haven't been to the brewery you may not know of Apex, their IPA that is a touch bigger and bolder than Racer 5. The hops were a bit resinous and sticky, but also had a lot of flavor you hope for in an IPA.

Rebellion is a beer I think they were trying to pass off as a Pale Ale, but one sip made it clear this was yet another well-crafted IPA. Using only Simcoe hops the beer was bitter, peppery and featured a slightly oniony aroma. Yeah, it was good.

Double Aught was their twist on the American lager, but came across mostly as a big-bodied pilsner. The hops were bright, spicy and floral and at 4.2% ABV was a beer you could enjoy all day. They didn't it, but I think the name must be a take on the street name for Coors - Double-O. If that is the case, well... that's funny.

Mach 10 was their double IPA of the day. We didn't have time with Norgrove to figure out the difference of intent from this brew and Racer X, but they are clearly different animals. This brew was big in alcohol (8.7%) with a bit more fusel notes than expected. Still, in Bear Republic fashion this brew was full of hop flavors and bitterness.

The rest of the beers are a bit more common, so I won't get into them. If you haven't tried them, you can likely trade for a sample somewhere if they're not sold in your location.

Props

Rich Norgrove Sr.

Before calling it a night, Rich senior was presented with a 3-liter bottle of Rosebud, Rubicon's old-ale that is brewed once a year. The bottle was signed by the entire staff and the presentation proved to be a very classy gesture by Phillips and the gang at Sacramento's oldest brewery.

History

Did you know that the first six batches of Bear Republic beer were brewed at Sacramento's Rubicon brewery? Yup.

Along those lines. There's been a rumor around Sacramento that Racer 5 was actually Rubicon's IPA. Just to be clear, that is entirely false. It ain't even close. But, to be fair, when the IPA category was introduced in the GABF, Rubicon won the first two gold medals! To this day they are the only brewer to win back-to-back golds in that category.

Also, Norgrove Jr. found his appetite for better beer while he went to school in Sacramento at - you guessed it - Rubicon Brewing. It was great seeing his facial expressions as Rich (Ricardo) retold the stories of his younger days in Sacramento drinking beers that the local legend Phil Moeller made. For those up on your local beer history, you can figure out just how long ago that was.

Extra! Extra!

As mentioned, Norgrove had just returned from his hop selection in Yakima. The news? Things are definitely looking up, but this year looks to be a little tight for American brewers. Sounds like things will be exponentially improved in 2009. Oh, with the declining dollar American hop growers have been selling a whole lot more hops to big European and Asian brewers who have one thing on their mind: Alpha Acids. In case you're interested, many American brewers look for a whole lot more.

People

The turn-out for Rubicon's pint night was outstanding! Thanks to all of you who made the event a success.

SNR People's Choice

2008-09-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

The votes are counted and people in the Sacramento region have spoken via the Sacramento News and Review. Here are the beer-related results for the area.

Best place for a beer
1. Streets of London Pub
various locations, www.streetsoflondon.net
2. Rubicon Brewing Company
2004 Capitol Avenue, (916) 448-7032, www.rubiconbrewing.com
Best brewpub
1. Rubicon Brewing Company
2004 Capitol Avenue, (916) 448-7032, www.rubiconbrewing.com
2. Brew It Up! Personal Brewery & Grill
801 14th Street, (916) 441-3000, www.brewitup.com
3. Sacramento Brewing Company
2713 El Paseo Lane, (916) 485-4677; 7811 Madison Avenue, Citrus Heights; (916) 966-6274; www.sacbrew.com

NCHF: The Dinner

2008-09-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

You ever been camping with people who really like to cook? My mom is one of these people and when she "camps" she usually brings along an array of cookware used to make wonderful breakfasts and dinners. I know others as well who pride themselves on camp cooking. Nothing, however, compares to what Sean Paxton pulls off.

You may have read about The Dinner elsewhere and already understand that the meals are elaborate, well thought-out and above all, delicious. What isn't talked about a whole lot is Paxton's "kitchen". To be frank, there isn't one. Instead Sean has a few outdoor burners, a nice smoker for meat and odd-and-ends put to good use. To state this mildly, it is not an optimal cooking environment. Still, year after year Paxton pulls off a meal that leaves nobody wishing there was just a bit more, no complaints are heard about the meal or the beer.

To that end, allow me to talk about the beer at the NCHF Dinner. I was fortunate enough to be able to talk to several brewers who contributed beer for the dinner this year (Shaun O'Sullivan of 21st Amendment, Peter Hoey of SacBrew and Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker) and every one of these brewers were honored to have their beer poured at a Paxton dinner. By the way, this was not an easy event for Matt or Shaun to drive to - the commitment in the commute alone should impress anyone. OK, now perhaps I can talk about the beer...

Paxton spends a whole lot of time agonizing of the beers he is selecting for this meal and brewers are asked months in advance if a certain beer will be available. What's he looking for? Well, much like chefs on TV boast about their painstaking efforts of finding the best food at farmers markets, Paxton chooses only the best beers around. He isn't guessing either. He's tried the beers, knows the brewers and talks in advance with the brewers to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Additionally, what Sean does that is unique in his dinners is a prominent use of selected beers in every dish he serves. Again, this isn't an accidental step in his efforts, but a deliberate, thoughtful ingredient of choice. He wants the flavor of the beer to be detected in his dishes and for people to reevaluate the way they look at cooking with beer. To that end, Sean is successful. Already this week he's been asked for recipes for his dishes - recipes he's happy to share.

Perhaps the biggest key to his dinners' success is Sean Paxton, himself. This weekend was my third Paxton dinner and every meal, every dish, excites the audience not just because the appearance, taste and aroma, but because Paxton makes the dishes exciting. He'll walk you through the thought process of each dish and the beer pairing. He also invites contributors to talk about their beer (Hoey and Bryndilson articulated well the beers they brewed and why they worked so well with the dishes). This isn't a meal where you sit back and get served and walk away with only a full belly. Sean's enthusiasm drips on every word he utters, just as much as it drips off every bite taken. He isn't just a cook, he's more than a homebrewer - Sean Paxton is a true beer evangelist and time spent at his table only strengthens the diners' love of good beer and great food. If you haven't been to a dinner yet, keep an eye open for your shot - he gets around.

Other Notes

No, I didn't discuss the meal plate-by-plate. There was no need to I figured after reading posts by JJ at The Thirsty Hopster and Jesse at Beer and Nosh. You want to learn more about the dishes, that's all you'll need.

My beer of the night? Firestone Walker's unblended, unfiltered pale ale. All I know is I was still drinking this beer at 4:30AM with Sean, JJ and Matt.

Photo of Shaun O'Sullivan courtesy of Peter Hoey at Sacramento Brewing Co.

NCHF: What More Can You Ask For?

2008-09-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend saw me attending the Northern California Homebrewers Festival, a gathering of homebrewers from across the region all toting along their homebrew and food items to share with each other. I don't know how many attend this event, but it isn't a huge attraction for beer enthusiasts.

From left to right: Pete Slosberg, founder of Pete's Wicked Ales, Steve Wagner, President and Brewmaster at Stone Brewing, me, Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker, JJ of The Thirsty Hopster, Pete of Sacramento Brewing, Peter Salmond of SBC's Oasis and Sean Paxton the Homebrew Chef. Photo courtesy of Peter Hoey.

There is way too much that happened over the weekend to fit into one post, so here are just a few quick hits.

I am a lucky son of a bitch. Being there and seeing familiar faces along with new drove it home just how happy/lucky I am to have great friends at nearly every beer event I go to - around the country. Seriously, it's humbling.
There isn't a festival in Northern California that shows the diversity in beer styles as well as you'll find here. Big, mild, hoppy, malty, meads with fruit or plain, barrel aged, wild, tame - you name it, it was likely here. It was so cool to try, in order, a peach mead, well-hopped IPA, Berliner weisse, Flanders red, English mild and a 100% brett beer! That was just the tip of the iceberg too.
Reminds me. I wish there were more Berliner Weisse beers on the market in the summer.
Chile beers don't have to suck.
If you can't make Sean Paxton's legendary dinner, don't worry. If you bring along some good beer and some food you can typically find people around the campground Friday night interested in sharing what they brought along. This is a great way to meet new people, try new beer and kick the weekend off right.
Be careful though. This year saw a sickening sight as a fellow homebrewer fell into a ravine in the dark, resulting in a compound leg fracture and some worrisome moments. Lesson: bring a flash light.
The festival location is as beautiful as you can hope for. A large grassy area surrounded by rolling hills and a plethora of dragonflies can't be beat when sipping beers with origins from around the world.
Homebrewers can cook, and not just Sean - although, well, I'm not sure we can call what he does homebrewing or cooking. It seems to be something a tad bit more complicated. I guess it isn't a surprise for me. As someone who has been known to make my own beer, I feel confident in a kitchen and generally feel like I can make a good meal.
People - you can't go there and not appreciate the diversity there is among us. Sure, we all have one thing in common (our fondness for beer), but from there you see just about everything humanity has to offer (OK, not a lot of prohibitionists represented here). Man, you people are awesome.
It is apparently possible to set up a tent at 4:45 in the morning, even if you've been drinking for nine hours or so.
It may not be possible to do so without waking your neighbors.
If you wake the neighbors, they'll quickly forgive you if you share a beer with them at some point during the weekend.
No, I didn't set up a tent - I found the back seat of my car worked just great.
I predict that sometime in the next five years, Peter Hoey and Sean Paxton are going to collaborate on something that will blow people away. The way the two of them approach beer and food is so cerebral, geeky and passionate that I can't imagine anything they do together being anything less that spectacular.
Speaking of this duo - Hoey brought two blends of a beer they brewed together, Old Pappy bourbon barrel wheat wine. One blend was 17% barrel, the other was 30%. One sip, no - one wiff of the 17% barrel (83% stainless, lest you think that's an ABV) told me I was fortunate to live in Sacramento.
Be inspired. Be amazed.
Brynildson brought Porabola in a bottle too. I had to have a seat and some quiet time to fully appreciate the complexity of that beer. My goodness.
There is something to be said about driving to a place you don't plan on driving away from after a night of drinking. People imbibed on beer and mead from the morning hours with their breakfast till way beyond sunset. Yes, driving for many stopped being a legal option right around lunch time. The good news was their tents were only a short hike away.
To add to that last point, no there's nothing wrong with that.
The speakers here are inspiring. I know a thing or two about beer and brewing, but to learn in-depth geeky things about water and mashing was, well, impressive. Wagner also did a great job detailing the history of Stone and took questions with grace. If you didn't make the speakers booth this year, plan on resting your feet and engaging the brain next year, if only for a little while.
To add to that last point, it was quite interesting to learn about how chlorine and chloramine will impact your mash differently. Chloramine sounds as if it may be better for pipes and water supplies, but not so good for brewing. Gonna have to rethink my water supply.
Furthermore, seems like the water content readings homebrewers want from their municipal water agency aren't all that helpful. If I understood right the readings you get may not be more than a single day's testing - and sorry to say, it seems they don't really care about how water impacts our mash so long as there is nothing biological in the water. I guess that's not a horrible thing.
This isn't a scavenger hunt where the person who tries the most beers wins a prize. My first year I didn't realize this. My third year I could easily spot those who were learning the hard way - like I did.
I love it when brewers get geeky.
I love it when brewers just sit back and drink a beer too.
I need to brew a batch of beer sooner than later.
What was up with the talk like a pirate day carryover into Saturday?
I'd love to read something from Peter Hoey where he talks about some brewers inability to hop a beer properly. I believe the rant started with something like, "hoppy and bitter aren't the same thing". This, of course, came up after trying Mike McDole's Pliny Light - a beer that was certainly properly hopped.
The unblended, unfiltered pale ale Matt brought from Firestone Walker was a thing of beauty, and quite low in alcohol. Made me realize that I a lot of beer enthusiasts miss out on a whole lot when their focus is on extremes.
Watching Shaun O'Sullivan's face as he watched his cask ale abused (shaken, turned upright, then sideways, then upright again) while placing it on the stand was priceless. Sorry Shaun, I know it hurt you to see that, but from where I was sitting it was damned funny. Don't worry, all you reading at home, the beer was great.
You can't say enough about the fervor many homebrewers have about their hobby. Some know their history in and out, others can tell you the chemical reasoning for their brewing techniques and a whole lot can can tell you, accurately, the subtle differences in different malt and hop and yeast varieties. If you are willing to learn, to ask questions, you can't help but walk away from this knowing more than you did when you left the house.

Just a few random thoughts from a weekend I wish didn't end. A big thank you to those who make this event possible each year. This is an example of what a homebrew festival can be.

Sour Night @ Sacramento Brewing Co.

2008-09-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sour Beer Night, Come in, Pucker up

It isn't enough that Sacramento Brewing Company won a medal for its Imperial Stout at last year's GABF, and it isn't enough that SBC took a medal home from this year's World Beer Cup in one of the competition's deepest styles (Amber Ale). No, since that's happened Peter Hoey and the SBC team has brought in some barrels (bourbon, wine, port) and is doing some pretty wicked experiments with them, the first of which will be released this winter: Old Pappy, a bourbon barrel-aged wheat wine. Other barrels use strange, exotic yeast strains from around the world (California, Colorado, Belgium) in order to make what promises to be outstanding sour beer. Hell, apparently not even that is enough.

Peter Hoey has told me that he now has kegs of New Belgium's Eric and Deschutes' The Dissident with plans of tapping them both on the same night for a wild experience in sour ales we don't see too often around these parts (yet, waiting for his barrel-aged beers to mature). Now, what the heck are these beers all about anyway?

New Belgium's Eric is part of the brewery's Lips of Faith program that allows employees there to brew a batch of beer. This is a sour ale aged on peaches! I've had this only once and am certainly excited to hear it will be on tap locally.

Deschutes' The Dissident is a Flanders Brown Ale matured more than a year in barrels. This is a pretty special beer and I promise you won't see it around in our region for very long. This beer won't be as sour as Eric, but if you're new to the style it'll certainly grab your attention.

While both the Dissident and Eric will be available at both locations, you'll have to make it to their Town-and-Country location to participate in Pint Night.

Details

Date/Time:
Monday, Sept. 22 starting at 5PM

Locations:
Oasis (Madison/Sunrise) and SacBrew locations (Fulton/Marconi)

Price:
Admission is free, just show up.

$4.75 gets you either the Dissident or Eric served in a wine glass (8-ounce pour)

$10 (estimated; only at Fulton/Marconi) gets you Eric in a New Belgium-logo stemmed glass that you get to keep! (very nice, by the way; 16-ounce pour)

Fresh Liberty @ Toronado

2008-09-09T18:32:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you saw the July/August issue of DRAFT or not, but it featured Anchor Liberty as the PICK (a beer I considered appropriate for our All-American issue). Well, the only thing better than Anchor's Liberty is an Anchor Liberty kegged the same day you enjoy it on tap. The folks at San Francisco's world-famous Toronado understand this, and on Wednesday September 10th they will be pouring "Kegged-Today" Anchor Liberty at a "special" price (read "good"). I seriously doubt I can make this event, but if you live nearby, it may just be worth stopping in for a pint.

More Info

Kegged Today Anchor Liberty Night

Description:
Come try a keg on the day it was born! Anchor Liberty
delivered fresh from the brewery on kegging day.
Special pricing all night.

Location: Toronado, 547 Haight, San Francisco, California
Time: 5PM
Admission: no charge
Contact Phone: 415.863.2276

Follow-up on the Jordan Family Farm Hops

2008-08-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was on hand to help finish the first-ever hop harvest on Jordan Family Farms, and I am happy I was there. The farm is truly a family operation that mostly sells mandarins, but also has various fruit trees spattered around their property. Scott is the owner and is passionate about his farm, his family and his community - people like this you can't help but hope for the best. Joining us yesterday was Brian from Auburn Alehouse, Steve from Placerville Brewing Co., Brian from River City Brewing, Mike and Mark from Pacific Brew News, members of AAH's Mug Club and a few homebrewers from the region hoping to get some fresh hops of their own to take home. It was a good day.

In all there were 13 varieties of hops pulled off the field yesterday, the most productive plants being the Cascades and Clusters. Several varieties did very poorly in their first year, some looked good but didn't offer much to pick from, but overall the brewers agreed it was a good first year for the farm. One brewer was fresh off his trip up to Yakima for Hop School and was able to offer some very interesting commentary and tips for the volunteers.

Below are a few pictures from the day. If you'd like to see the entire album from yesterday's harvest, click here.Brian Ford of Auburn Alehouse

Harvesting Cluster Hops

After harvest, drinks were in order

An appropriate image: AAH's IPA in a bed of hops.

Glass by River City, beer by AAH. River City did bring a keg up as well that was greatly appreciated, a harvest wheat beer.

Happy Labor Day America

2008-08-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

We at Pacific Brew News hope you all have a great holiday weekend, hopefully you're able to get a three-day weekend out of Labor Day. For those who are driving and partying, remember the cops are all out in force to make a point, so be smart about the driving to drinking ratios.

For those living in the Northern California, the cops have come out and said they're increasing their patrols around Folsom Lake this weekend, as well as the major freeways (80, 5, 50). In fact, here's the statement from California AVOID's website (which I found shockingly informative).

The following is a partial list of specialized DUI enforcement:

Friday August 29:
DUI / Drivers License checkpoint to be held in the City of Davis at Richards and Olive Drive.
Lodi Police Department to conduct Saturation Patrol, from 7 pm – 3 am
Escalon Police Department to conduct Saturation Patrol, from 7 pm – 3 am
Sobriety Checkpoint to take place in Ripon, from 7 pm – 3 am
The CHP will place all available officers on the road to assist AVOID allied agencies in removing intoxicated drivers from County roadways.

Saturday August 30:
Saturation Patrols to take place in the Cities of Livingston, and Los Banos.
DUI Checkpoint hosted by the UC Davis Police Department
Multi-Agency Saturation patrol to be held from 6 pm – 2 am. Participating agencies include Lathrop Police Department, Tracy Police Department, Ripon Police Department, and Stockton Police Department.
The CHP will place all available officers on the road to assist AVOID allied agencies in removing intoxicated drivers from County roadways

There will also be an increased presence in Placer County and I'd expect Yolo as well.

Sacramento Summerfest

2008-08-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

In Sacramento the options for beer festivals are astounding, especially this time of year. With that in mind I'd like to throw this out there, the Sacramento Summerfest that benefits the Alzheimer’s Association’s Sacramento Memory Walk. No, this isn't just a beer festival, you'll also be able to sample wine and sample food from area restaurants, browse local art and listen to live music.

It's Sept. 6th at Sacramento's Miller Park, from 1-5PM and admission is $25 in advance, $30 the day of the event.

If you're in the area and are looking for something to do, check this out. Not only is it a good cause, you'll also find some good beer judging from the list of participating brewers I was given.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Hoppy Brewing Co.
Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
River City Brewing Co.
Binding Brauere USA
Blue Frog Grog & Grill
Brew It Up
Sudwerk
Elk Grove Brewing Co.
Czechvar Lager

For more information please check out their website, http://www.acteva.com/go/summerfest

Drunken Driving Fatalities Down in 32 States

2008-08-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Some more good news that seems to follow suit with a survey released a couple of weeks ago. According to the AP drunken driving fatalities are down in 32 states! California saw the most dramatic drop, followed by Texas and Arizona. North and South Carolina experienced the largest increase in the country.

Mayor's Marzen

2008-08-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Often it seems that whenever a politician is associated in a story about beer it's of them taking a stand against the beer industry, or just saying something stupid about alcohol in general - sometimes it's nothing more than a politician getting caught with his pants down. Today's story, however, is not the case.

I first made my way to Auburn Alehouse a few months before they had opened (along with Mike and Mark of PBN, of course). On that first trip it was hard to not notice the proximity of the brewery to Auburn's city buildings, the heart of all things local in the city. We'd asked about how that was, if the city was giving Brian a hard time with permits and licenses. Well, it turns out the folks that work for the city were making a fuss over AAH, but it was mostly them stopping in to interrupt construction to find out when they could get a cold beer with lunch! Yes, it goes without saying that the city of Auburn (which includes the City of Auburn) has embraced their new brewery, not a chore when someone like Brian is on the brewdeck.

All this leads me to the point of the post. A couple weeks ago Brian had a special guest brewer to lend a hand in the making of Auburn's Octoberfest. This guest was none other than the Mayor of Auburn - Keith Nesbitt! According to Brian this wasn't just a photo opportunity for the Mayor, in fact I don't even think there was a press presence during the brew. No, it seems that Nesbitt helped with hauling ingredients and even mashing out - and apparently he enjoyed the work too!

Given that Octoberfests and Marzens are essentially the same beer (German amber lagers) Brian decided to call the beer Mayor's Marzen - “mayorzen” (unofficial at this point, I believe). I hope that the Mayor will return to pour the first pint, it seems like the right thing to do after all.

So, here's to a good collaboration between brewing and politics. Personally, this is story I'd love to see played out around the country.

Hop Harvest Pics and More

2008-08-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today I was in attendance as the first crop of hops were harvested from Penryn's (California) Jordan Family Farms. I was invited by owner Scott Jordan as well as Auburn Alehouse owner/brewer Brian Ford to take pictures, lend a hand and hang out for this special occasion. It is believed that Jordan has the third largest hop farm in California, but before you get too excited know that there is only a little more than an acre of hops here.

To read my DRAFT story from the day, check it out on the official website.

To view pictures of the day, just click here.

In Pictures: Sacramento Brewing Summer Dinner

2008-08-27T17:17:00.001-07:00

Last night was the Sacramento Brewing Company's Brewmaster's Dinner and it was outstanding. This was the third dinner we've been to and my personal favorite, the portions were spot on and the beer pairings were exceptional. I think my favorite food/beer pairing was the first dish of seared ahi tuna on a mustard sauce, paired with Independence double IPA. That said, there wasn't a stinker in the meal. Enjoy the pictures below taken from the dinner, August 26th.

Chef Rodriguez put on an awesome show for those in attendance.

Chef talking with Oasis head brewer, Peter Salmond

Dessert: Banana's Foster with Hefeweizen

Soup with fresh oyster

The crowd

Left: Peter Salmond Right: Peter Hoey

SBC Owner, George

Filet Mignon with Sac-Squatch

Seared Tuna

A happy couple, enjoying their meal

Peter Salmond caught with his mouth full

Brewmaster Peter Hoey addressing the crowd

Peter and Peter - two great brewers, great people

Collaboration Stories

2008-08-26T17:26:00.001-07:00

I received this from Todd Ashman, head brewer at FiftyFifty Brewing Co., a few weeks back and have wanted to provide more of a commentary with it. Realizing now that I won't have the time, I figured it was better to share it was is - it's pretty cool.

Three Craft Brewers Spread Collaboration
In the Brewing Community

For a number of years, Todd Ashman had the idea to formulate an interesting and unusual beer, share that recipe, and conduct tastings of the various interpretations. This collaboration would serve to demonstrate that just as each brewer has a distinctive brewing style, each brewery also has attributes that make it unique; the local water supply, brewing equipment and ingredient sources all contribute to the distinctive character of a beer. Todd found that special beer in Concentrated Evil: a strong, dark, Belgian-style ale that was originally brewed at Todd's home base, FiftyFifty Brewing Company in Truckee, California. Concentrated Evil is made with a variety of unusual ingredients including raisins, exotic sugars and aromatic spices. The complex array of flavors and moderately high level of alcohol make this an enjoyable beer. Todd chose fellow brewers Zac Triemert and Matt Van Wyk to participate as he has worked with both gentlemen in various capacities.

Zac Triemert, Co-President and Co-Founder of the newly established Lucky Bucket Brewing Company, holds a bachelors degree in microbiology and a masters degree in brewing & distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Zac is the winner of numerous national and international brewing awards. Zac is also a member of various committees for the Brewers Association and a member of their Board of Directors. Zac’s newest venture is opening Nebraska’s first craft distillery. Operations for The Sòlas Distillery begin next spring. When asked about this project, Zac stated: “Concocting this collaboration beer with two brewing friends continues to be a terrific amount of fun. We all plan to put our own unique spin on what is already a great beer. After these beers have sufficient time maturing in wood, the tasting events will be a kick.”

Matt Van Wyk is Head Brewer for Flossmoor Station Brewing Company in Flossmoor, Illinois (Todd Ashman's alma mater). He attended the renowned Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois in 2001. Matt was formerly a science teacher and previously worked at three other Chicago area breweries. Matt is the recipient of several regional, national, and international brewing awards. In 2006 he was awarded the Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year and Flossmoor Station was named Small Brewpub of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, Colorado. “It is an honor to be asked to participate with these two great brewers in this collaboration project. It just shows what a great industry we work in where cooperation is often more valued than competition. Crafting a beer with Todd and Zac has been a great experience,” said Matt.

Todd Ashman began his long brewing career in 1987 as a homebrewer. After completing a craft brewers apprenticeship program, Todd brewed professionally in New Mexico, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2004 Todd joined the Brewers Supply Group division of Rahr Malting as Staff Brewmaster. In 2007 Todd returned to brewing and his native California as Brewmaster for FiftyFifty Brewing Company. He has received numerous regional, national and international brewing awards. Many of those awards have been for beers that utilized unusual and unique ingredients and/or processes. Todd's thoughts: "I’ve been thinking about working on a Collaboration for sometime now. I really wanted to work with a couple of brewers that knew each other and I’m really glad that Matt and Zac signed on to try this out. These guys have amazing brewing talent and the end result of our Collaboration will not only be fun for our customers at our respective breweries but especially fun for folks at the 2008 GABF. The chance to try our respective beers under one roof will be great!”

Told you it was cool.

Results: Cal. Brewers Festival

2008-08-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

The California Brewers Festival has been around for a number of years and is put on by the local Rotary club. In fact the judging for this event features many Rotary members, mingled in among beer judges (mostly members of the Gold Country Brewers Assn, a local homebrew club) and whatnot. It's a fun enough place to judge, it's laid back and the food is always good. The results are incredibly varied from year to year - last year's Best of Show was Sac-Squatch by SacBrew, a strong Scotch ale, this year is Blue Moon... slightly different.

Below are the results of the judging portion of the event. The actual beer festival will be Sept. 20th at Discovery Park, but I unfortunately won't be in attendance as I'll be at the Northern California Homebrewers Festival, having just finished a legendary Sean Paxton dinner.

Results!

Best of Show
Blue Moon, a Belgian White Ale

Runner-Up
Juniper Ale by Rogue, entered as a Pale Ale

Third Place
Peligroso 07 by Blue Frog, entered as a Wood-Aged Ale

Amber Ales

Red Horse, Sacramento Brewing Co.
Red Head, Brew Brothers
Sac-squatch, Sacramento Brewing Co.

Light Ales

Honey Beer, Beermanns Beerwerks
Big But Blond, Elk Grove Brewing Co.
Pale Ale, Napa Smith

Specialty

Peligroso 07, Blue Frog
Bourbon Barrel Stout, Beermanns Beerwerks
Oud Bruin, River City

American Pale Ale

Juniper Ale, Rogue Ales
Tipperary, Moylans
XP Pale Ale, Bear Republic

English Pale Ale

Bachelor ESB, Deschutes
Double Barrel Pale ale, Firestone-Walker
Youngers Special Bitter, Rogue Ales

IPA

Mountain High, Mt. Shasta
Racer 5, Bear Republic
India Pale Ale, Blue Frog

Stout

Obsidian, Deschutes
Steelhead Export Stout, Mad River
Cream Stout, Sam Adams

Porter

Black Butte Porter, Deschutes
Holiday Porter, Sam Adams
Mocha Porter, Rogue Ales

Lagers

Boston Lager, Sam Adams
Doppelbock, Sam Adams
Noddy Black Lager, Buck Bean

Wheat

Blue Moon White, Blue Moon
Hefewiezen, Blue Frog
Wheat Beer, Napa Smith

Brown Ale

Hazelnut Brown Ale, Rogue Ales
Hemp Ale, Humbolt
Brown Ale, Sam Adams

Fruit Beer

Apricot Wheat Ale, Pyramid Ales
Cherry Wheat Ale, Sam Adams
Kriek Ale (Cherry Ale), Mt Shasta

Strong Ale

Imperial Red Ale, Rogue Ales
Abyss, ,Deschutes
Steelhead Double IPA , Mad River

Top Brewery
Sam Adams - 6 awards

Sacramento: Vote for SNR's Best Of 2008

2008-08-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry I didn't get this up sooner, but the Sacramento News and Review's annual "best of" voting is underway now. This is a pretty big deal in the region and to get awarded from this means a bit more than some other local honors. If you've got a few minutes please cast your votes for your favorite places and people. In particular (related to this site) vote for your best place to have a beer, best brewpub and best place for a drink after work. Voting closes 8/27.

California State Fair: The Beer Report

2008-08-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

I've been to the California State Fair twice this year in a tradition Tracy and I have had going for eight years. We like the fair, mostly we like spending time in the livestock area and milling around the the farm stuff, but we also like the exhibits and even indulge in the fair food annually. Of course there's the beer too.

One of my first-ever beer festivals was at the California State Fair. Each year they'd award the craft brewers of the state and immediately following there would be a small, unadvertised beer event that was cheaper to enter than it was to buy a large Bud. It was good fun, but so under-achieving. Well, they're trying to fix that and this year they moved the beer fest out by the horse racing track, advertised it in one of our local papers and tried to make it a big thing. It sort of worked too.

The Brewfest was under a large tent and admission was an additional ten dollars (above the fair admission fee), which bought revelers ten three-ounce beers and an itty bitty souvenir glass. There wasn't much in the way of organization under the tent, just a bunch of tables around the outside and a few picnic tables in the middle. I wasn't a big fan of the ticket system they had for folks to get their beer, a bracelet with ten little squares that were to be ripped off by the pourers each time a beer was handed out. These little bracelets must have seemed like a good idea on paper, but in practice they were a nightmare that most stands had little patience for.

The beer at the fest, however, was top-notch. Green Flash was there with a couple taps and the rest of their lineup in bottles. Auburn Alehouse continued to impress the locals with Brian's new batch of IPA and a baleywine. Valley Brewing was even in attendance with a couple of bottled products, a sour stout and their grand cru. Obviously there were more brewers represented, but these are the few that come to mind. (Note: I'd be remiss not to mention FiftyFifty's beers - Todd Ashman's products are always a treat).

In all the event was good with a lot of room for improvement, and the improvements should begin long before the main event. Each year it seems the competition for the State Fair gets messier - the results take too long to get to the brewers and the political rift in the local beer judging scene is an embarrassment to the region. If this is to be a great event the judging and communication must improve, otherwise I'm just not sure why brewers would continue to send in their beers and pay the fees. Given that it is the State Fair I do hope the organizers figure this out sooner than later - I think this should be one of the best competitions in the country, it just isn't right now (not even the best in the region).

ALSO

If you plan on making the fair in its last week, don't be too disappointed that you missed the event. This year, for the first time I remember, there are a number of better-beer options for those so inclined. Behind the California Dept of Forestry's forest fire area is the Craft Brew booth where you can buy glasses of Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Racer 5, Red Rocket, Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere, Anderson Valley and several other craft beers. The cost is a buck more than a glass (albeit a bigger glass) of Miller or Miller Lite served next door, but if you're at the Fair I assume you plan on some price gouging. There's also a nice English pub area where you can get Guinness, Boddingtons and other European imports - again, a buck more than Miller, but these seemed to have large glasses.

Other Attractions

I admit, I have been going to the fair for years primarily to see the livestock shows. Most of the judging for the livestock has wrapped up for the year, but that's always a good thing to see - especially for those who judge beer (I have a whole rant about this). In all it's a good event that my wife and I enjoy attending. Maybe next year you can plan a trip that coincides with the Brewfest.

L Wine Lounge Inaugural Brewmaster's Dinner

2008-08-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

First, thanks to Dan Scott for pointing me to this event. Sunday (8/24) the L Wine Lounge Urban Kitchen will host its first-ever Brewmaster's Dinner, featuring Chuck Silva of Green Flash Brewing Company who will be up for the State Fair. If you're in Sacramento and have any interest, please find the details below.

WHEN
Sunday, August 24th
6PM Arrival; 6:30 Seating

WHERE
L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen
1801 L Street Suite 50
Sacramento, CA 95814

PRICE
$65/Person

MENU
~ Amuse Bouche ~
'Fish Tacos'
Prawn & Pepper Salpicon Petitaco
Beer: West Coast IPA

~ First Course ~
Braised Pork Belly, Fried Evergreen Tomato,
Cheesy Potato & Pan Jus
Beer: Hop Head Red

~ Second ~
Trippel Battered Halibut, Crispy Pommes Anna,
Preserved Lemon Butter, Fennel Frisee Salad
Beer: Trippel

~ Intermezzo ~
Honeydew Sorbet, Prosciutto, Orange Zest
Beer: Le Freak

~ Third ~
Grilled Marguez Sausage, Toasted Couscous,
Leeks, Peach & Harissa Oil
Beer: Imperial IPA

~ Dessert ~
'Ice Cream Float'
Ginger Ale, Mango & Green Flash Stout Sabayon

Beer: Stout

Reservations call (916) 443-6970

California State Fair Brewfest

2008-08-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (Friday) is the Brewfest at the California State Fair. This year's a bit different than years past in many ways, most notably that it's by the horse track and actually advertised a little, they're hoping for about 1,000 people. I just received the list of brewers who are slotted to be there tomorrow, so check it out.

Cost: $10 - all you can drink, on top of State Fair entry fee (also $10).

Brewers

Anderson Valley Brewing
Auburn Alehouse
Bear Republic
Beermanns Beerworks
BJ's Restaurant & Brewery
Black Diamond Brewing
Blue Frog Grog & Grill
Brew It Up!
Drakes Brewing Co
Eel River Brewing Co
Fifty Fifty Brewing Co
Firestone Walker Brewery
Fox Barrel Cider Co
Green Flash Brewing Co
Hoppy Brewing Co
Jack Russell Brewing
Lost Coast Brewery
Marin Brewing Co
Mendocino Brewing Co
Moylans Brewing Co
River City Brewing Co
Sacramento Brewing Co/Oasis
Schooners Grille & Brewery
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co
Stone Brewing Co
Sudwerk P. Hubsch
Trumer Brauerei Berkeley
Valley Brewing Co.

Hope to see you there.

Drinking in a Down Economy

2008-08-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

There's a rule made popular by Modern Drunkard that says "if you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to drink in a bar. Go to a liquor store." This is a rule I generally believe in and try to live by. But events over the past several weeks have me asking questions about this.

On my way back from New York I was in a bar wasting time. The server was an outspoken man, in his mid-twenties, and while I was there enjoying my beer and burger he started chatting. In what was a horrific moment he began to complain about customers over the past several months who weren't tipping the amount he was used to. I was mortified, this sort of conversation is so completely inappropriate I finished my one drink and food, left a not-so-generous tip and left, certain I'd just be another point of evidence that people today are cheap because of gas prices and the economy in general.

Then there's been the other bars since then, the empty ones. I think most people understand Rule 28 and don't want to be the dick that orders his or her drinks, at happy hour price, and leaves with little tip left. I was curious enough at this that I've spoken with some bar owners to get some feedback, opinions, and right about now I admit I'm a bit befuddled.

Is it cool to cheap on a tip? Hell no. But is it so bad that we stay at home to drink bottled beer bought at places with shitty service and marginal quality? I guess I'm thinking about the owners of the bars more than I am about the servers, and maybe that's where my argument goes south, but I just can't help but think it's better to drink and be "cheap" (or economical) than it is to stop patronizing your local watering hole - be it a bar, brewery or pub. Is it cool to just order drinks, cut the food (eat at home), and call it a night?

I know where you're sitting this must just seem like an absurd post, but I'm really trying to wrap my head around things. I don't claim to have the answer and don't want to be used as an excuse for being cheaper than you need to be. If you can spare the buck, leave the buck... but then it all goes to pot for me.

I'll be thinking about this topic for some time, it's just the way my brain works. If you have thoughts or different perspectives, I'd love to hear them. For now I am leaning to supporting the bar to the extent possible (reasonable), especially if it's a small place that provides good beer and good service - it's a shame every time one of these closes because people stopped coming in.

I have to close with the reality check. If you're counting pennies to make rent or pay bills, then hopefully the answer is clear - it's only beer.

Beer Podcasts

2008-08-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

It seems like every month a new conversation is struck on the most popular beer forums where people are looking for the best beer podcasts. As a semi-podcaster that's been around for a few years, I feel like I can help a bit with the quest.

Your first stop (perhaps your only) would be to check out www.beersafari.com. Here you'll find a collection of some of the best beer podcasts all under one feed. Who's there? To begin there is the pioneer in beer podcasting, the Good Beer Show, along with popular shows like Craft Beer Radio. Heck, there's even a great food/beer show called My Life as a Foodie. These podcasts and many more are delivered to your computer and you only need to subscribe to one feed. How cool is that?

Notable shows not on Beer Safari include Basic Brewing Radio (and Video) and The Brewing Network. Both of these shows are great, informative and entertaining - be sure to check them out as well.

Roseville (Calif.) DUI Crackdown

2008-08-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

The city I live in is not the City of Angels, but it ain't a bad town. The streets are generally safe,drug use is about the same as any other city in America and crime isn't much of an issue - mainly idiots being idiots. That said the city of Roseville has seen an increase in the number of alcohol related accidents over the past few years, even as general traffic incidents have declined. I for one don't exactly buy into the numbers they tout, seems like any time there's a fender bender and the driver has had a drink in the past few hours it become 'alcohol related' - maybe I'm just seeing things funny though.

Regardless, Roseville has built up a pretty good case for needing to crack down on drunk driving... well, driving by those with a BAC of 0.08% or more anyway. Their grand idea? DUI Checkpoints, and lots of them. For some time now the local news outlets get press releases from the Roseville Police Dept. announcing a checkpoint coming up - so be careful. Most recently (Saturday) the RPD teamed up with law enforcement officials from FOUR other agencies (other local Police Dept. and County Sheriff's Office) to do one of these high profile stops. The results?

Cars Stopped: 2,500
DUI Arrests: 11

Forgive my ignorance for a few moments, but this seems absolutely ridiculous! I don't know exactly how many law enforcement officers were involved in this spectacle, but I suspect it was too many. Is this what we've come to expect from our law enforcement, a group of uniformed officers who set up camp and wait for the bad guys to come to them?

Oh, if you've not seen a DUI Checkpoint before, or been through one, they're pretty hard to miss and can often be seen many many blocks before you are confronted by a cop. Lights, more lights, with a bit of light added to make it safe. It's no wonder the arrest count was low.

Maybe the cops just don't know. As someone who goes to many bars around the country I've figured out that if there's heavy law enforcement in an area near the bar in question, the early-out folks are very quick to text a buddy in the bar pointing out just where a checkpoint is located. Within a few minutes, word gets to the barkeep and most patrons. It may sound bad for the dry folks, but it's just the way it works.

Don't get me wrong, I don't like drunken fools behind a wheel of a big metal moving object, but I also don't think the folks nabbed at checkpoints are the people I'm most worried about. No, instead I worry about the people who can't drive straight and have troubles remembering where that damned brake pedal is. Ironically, I've seen quite a few of these in my city with nary a cop to see it. These people may be sopped in alcohol, but they know it. They see cars stopping ahead, they get off the road... at least that road.

So, what to do? We can't encourage cops to come into bars and pull folks out who've been enjoying the juke box and beers all night - although they're trying to. We can't throw out our liberties to catch people that may or may not need to be caught (I do have issue with the 0.08 BAC limit, by the way) - what about the 1489 sober drivers this weekend? There simply isn't a cut and dry fix for the solution, but I do think we need to have a national conversation about this - along with the drinking age - and figure something out.

Quick story. I had a boss once from Norway. Apparently there the rules are rigid and the penalties swift. That said, there's also a touch of common sense. As it was told to me if you blow over the country's quite low BAC limit, but maybe just by a bit, you're allowed to sit for 30 minutes and blow again. If you're still over that limit, then you're in trouble - the thought being if you can be under 30 minutes later you weren't all that drunk to begin with. Now what if we kept the nation's .08 limit and instituted such a ruling? After all, my breathalyzer (yes, I own and use one) tells me in the instructions that I need to stop drinking 20 minutes before using to get an accurate test.

I don't want to seem to be disrespecting police, I honestly admire the work they do and am happy someone is there in those rare instances I need them. If anything I would like to see them allowed to police my city, not stand guard on a busy corner to administer a breath test for motorists that just want to get home.

US Roads a Bit Safer

2008-08-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note you might find interesting, something newsy I haven't seen too much mention of this week. Roads in the United States are safer today than they have been in a decade. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the number of traffic fatalities is down by a noticeable percentage. What about alcohol related accidents?

Fatalities in crashes that involved a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent, the legal limit, declined to just under 13,000 deaths in 2007, a 3.7 percent decrease.

According to the same report overall fatalities are also down about 3.9%.

Sacramento Brewing Summer Beer Dinner

2008-08-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Tracy and I have been to a couple of Sacramento Brewing Company's beer dinners and have been impressed each time. For one, there's just no getting around the fact that Peter Hoey makes great beer. Add to that these dinners start with the beer and you have a good thing going. Peter works with SacBrew's head chef Rodriguez and together they develop a menu that perfectly complements the theme of the dinner (summer in this case) and the beers served. It's worked well in the past and this menu looks just as good. Check it out.

When: August 26, 6:30 PM
Where: Town and Country location (Fulton and Marconi)
Cost: $60 per person

Menu:

Seared Ahi Tuna
Sashimi grade ahi with a mustard curry sauce and asparagus tips
Independence Ale

Squash & Sweet Pea Soup with Fresh Oysters
Puree of yellow squash and fresh sweet peas garnished with a fresh oyster
India Pale Ale

Hearts of Artichoke Salad
Artichoke with baby spring mix, fresh mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes
Pilsner

Filet Mignon Marinated in Scotch Ale
Garnished with foie gras and swiss chard served aside potato ravioli
Scotch Ale

Bananas Royal
Caramelized bananas served with mango ice cream and chocolate
Hefeweizen

Things that Annoy Me - 2nd Installment

2008-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Beer Goggles. Man I hate that name and today they're in the news again (not they, I suppose, it's not a noun). Yes, to everyone's shock it has been scientifically proven that people become more attractive after a few drinks. I put this in the same category as testing how slow ketchup pours, common sense topics that are fun to discuss over a beer, but not something I really want money spent on to research.
Anyway, my annoyance. Beer still has this frat-boy image that is often deserved. The party crowd with funnels and kegs and half-naked co-eds makes for a good image for a lot of people in the media I suppose, but it irks me to no end. Why can't we call this booze blinders or something less about beer.
Statistics. In the news today it was revealed that traffic fatalities in the US were down 3.9% from last year (and at a ten-year low). Buried in the news was a bit about alcohol related traffic fatalities, turns out they were also down 3.7% compared to last year. It certainly doesn't annoy me that fatalities are down in the US, but I didn't see anything in there about talking on cell phones, texting, eating or sleeping. I think we all know that driving when we're numb is a dumb idea, that's been drilled into our brains.
The "turn-key" brewery. I've written about it before, but damn if these aren't still popping (pooping) up in my area. A disgrace to the word beer and the craft of making beer, these are the systems that allow bar owners to just dump powder into a vessel and add water - in a week you can call it beer and sell it for dirt cheap. Disgusting.
Brewery T-Shirts. No, not the shirts themselves, but the ones people where for breweries they've never been to. It's not even that so much, but when I ask about the brewery I get looks from these people like I'm the idiot, it's just a shirt. If you wear a shirt for a brewery you haven't been to, that's fine, but if someone asks if you've been to the brewery don't treat them like idiots for being curious and trying to strike up a conversation.
Myself. The other day I found a beer video on YouTube, a how-to-homebrew series by a guy who likes his homemade beer. I was quick to judge it, pointing out to nobody in particular the flaws in the guy's thinking. It didn't take too long for it to dawn on me that I was being a dick, I'm good at that. Instead of just being happy that the guy was happy with his beer and willing to share his passion with others, I was that douche that wanted to criticize. I became, for a moment, the guy that annoys me. I've seen others do it in bars, criticize someone for ordering the wrong craft beer (no, not just macros) or for taking notes (somehow we have gotten to a point where we distrust people who appreciate a drink enough to want to keep notes). It's not a healthy thing to do and I hope I can get to a place (and stay there) where I can just appreciate others enthusiasm for beer and life in general. Who am I, after all, to tell them the thing they are enjoying isn't right enough?

Just a few things on my mind. In general, life is great and I could not complain even if I wanted to.

Hometown Love

2008-08-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

This has been an exciting year for beer lovers in the Sacramento area. Among the statewide woes that seem to settle in our region (the state's capital), a few regional brewers have made life here a bit more fun. First there was the 2007 GABF when both Sacramento and Rubicon Brewing companies took home some hardware, a feat that we're still proud of in the area. Then there was this year's World Beer Cup when Sacramento Brewing added to its medal collection with a good showing in the amber ale category (in case you don't know, that's a huge category). Next came the Raley Field Beer Festival where the newish brewpub, Auburn Alehouse, won the people's choice award over several brewers that have a greater reputation. Finally, at last weekend's Bistro IPA Festival, Auburn Alehouse followed things up with a top-three finish for it's Gold Digger IPA (a beer we at PBN have enjoyed since before AAH was even opened!).

I know sometimes it seems like I'm just pimping my hometown brewers here and on our show, but I can't be more proud of the guys in the region who are working their asses off to make damn good beer - beers that are recognized in some of the biggest competitions. To be near breweries like Rubicon, Sacramento and Auburn is an absolute joy. If ever you find your way to the region, make sure you stop and enjoy the world-class beers brewed right here. Sure, they don't have an international following quite like other NorCal brewers, but I have a feeling that could change if folks like Scott Cramlet (Rubicon), Peter Hoey (SacBrew) and Brian Ford (Auburn) keep brewing around here. Guys - thanks for all you do.

Rick on CW 11 Morning Show

2008-08-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I was privileged to make a quick trip to New York to represent DRAFT for a quick spot on CW 11's Morning Show. In case you have not seen it, the segment was posted online and I've embedded the code here for your viewing pleasure.

Hello Blog

2008-08-03T00:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a whirlwind of beer, travel and people these past three weeks and I still don't have a proper baring on all things, but know that life is good. Where have I been? Well, there was a family gig in Oregon a few weeks back, a memorial service for a cousin that was actually a great farewell. Then a trip to Phoenix where work was done and memories were made - turns out there's some really great people in Phoenix. Next was a trip to the Oregon Brewers Festival in Portland, and I just know I don't have the words or time to express just how great that was. In a couple of days I'll be seated on a plane flying to New York, where I'll have a brush with as much celebrity as I'd ever hope for - a TV appearance where I get to talk about beer, one of life's greatest passions for me. I clearly don't have the space here to provide adequate information on all things beer in the places I've been, but do hope to provide Cliff Notes for the weeks past.

Southern Oregon

While the circumstances for my visit weren't good or beery, I learned that my big brother has a knack for beer - good beer - and I was happy to learn from him for a bit. Several months ago he told me about Medford's newest beer shop (bottles) called Bear Creek Beers. It's right next to the creek and across the street from Chip Wright's (iconic karate gym in the city where I actually took lessons once upon a time). The store isn't huge, but what is there is worth finding. In fact, this newish shop may just be the best beer bottle shop in Southern Oregon these days, right up there with Ashland's "Market of Choice". I picked up some Aprihop from Dogfish Head, a six-pack of Victory brews and a collection of beers from Oregon (Ninkasi, Caldera, Deschutes). If you're in the region, you'll be happy to check the place out and drop a few bucks on beers you won't find anywhere else.

In an attempt to show the little brother up, my big bro brought bottles of Deschutes' BBXX beer to a family gathering. As beers go it wasn't all that much to write about, but sitting there with family and friends in the rural parts of the state - it may have been the most perfect beer imaginable. Funny how that works, isn't it? Jason also brought with him bottles of Twilight and together the family made a night of Deschutes brews while sharing stories and catching up. For this I feel obliged to put a word of thanks out in the interwebs to the folks in Bend - seems your product and my family are somewhat inseparable when it matters most.

Phoenix

The trip was hot, but the people and beer made it all tolerable. I know I've written about the place before, but if you find yourself in Phoenix you'll certainly want to check out Papago Brewing (in Scottsdale). I made my obligatory trips to the bar while visiting and walked away even more impressed than ever. To begin, sitting at a bar alone isn't always a fun experience, but the staff on hand at Papago seem skilled at making the best of it all. Their jobs are made a bit easier, I suppose, by the selection of beers available for patrons, with a load of taps and hundreds of bottled products to choose from you'll be sure to find something to meet your beer needs. While there I was sure to enjoy some sour ales, a few "American" IPAs brewed in Europe and a selection of IPAs from Arizona - not a stinker in the bunch! I was also happy to make new friends at the bar, folks who loved a good beer as much as they enjoyed making new friends. Seriously, for a friendly and beer-happy experience, Papago is a good choice.

Portland

Really, what more can be said about the Rose City? The weather was perfect on the last full weekend of July. The people of the city were more than friendly, genuinely happy that their town hosted the Oregon Brewers Festival. Hell, even the cabbies were into the beer scene! On our way to Hair of the Dog for Alan's open house the cabby says (about Hair of the Dog beers), "I love that you can have one beer and take a nap", summing up perfectly the way a full bottle of one of the big beers makes you feel.

I think I've learned that OBF, for as great as it really is, is really a great excuse to see one of the best beer drinking cities in the world. Outside the event there were side parties put on by brewers, beer geeks and even strangers newly acquainted at the Fest. Popular hangouts were close to the event, Kells and McCormick & Schmick's were packed. If you didn't mind walking a few more blocks good times were also found at Higgins for great food and great beer, Dan and Louis' for fresh oysters and Black Butte Porter and pretty much anywhere where food and beer were available.

In all the past few weeks have reinforced the notion that beer people are good people, I am genuinely honored to call so many people in this industry my friend.

Saturday Sips at Auburn Alehouse

2008-07-12T17:23:00.000-07:00

Today Tracy and I drove up to the Sierra Nevada foothills to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for the week, there is simply nothing better than fresh produce bought directly at the farms. Once loaded with groceries we stopped in at Auburn Alehouse for a bite and a beer (the IPA there is great). We chose to sit at the bar so we could catch the repeat of today's Tour de France and while there noticed a handmade sign by their top-shelf liquors: "Glenrothes Flight - $25". We quickly inquired about the curious sign and were informed that for the price we could try three Glenrothes Scotch whiskys (Reserve, 1991 and 1987). Being that the '87 typically goes for 32 bucks a glass at the brewery we didn't take long to determine a mini-tasting would be in order.

They were line up in front of us and we made quick order in assessing the aroma, carefully nosing the glasses and jotting notes before moving on to the actual tasting portion. What follows is our findings.

Glenrothes Reserve
This Scotch is a bit unrefined, rough around the edges with its intense alcohol heat burning the nose. Beneath this we found orange, honey and ginger spice, quite disjointed. The flavor was good with lots of orange and spice throughout. There was very little wood in the flavor, which surprised us, and was also without any smoke character.

Glenrothes 1991
There's no two ways around it, this was our favorite of the three offerings. To begin, the whisky had an incredibly well-rounded aroma (not at all harsh) with subdued notes of fresh cracked pepper and orange zest. This was very smooth too, the up-front honey sweetness reminiscent of a dry mead and only a touch of wood detected. If there were a bottle of this available, I would not hesitate to pick it up and share it with friends.

Glenrothe 1987
Choosing the '91 over this was difficult, there just wasn't anything wrong with this whisky. The aroma was a touch more subtle, but had more peppery spice to it. The taste, however, was just a bit out of balance in comparison, the spice coming through in a big way, leaving the orange peel notes wanting just a bit. Overall there did not seem to be enough difference to warrant the added cost for this vintage ($32 vs. $18 a glass). Perhaps that should be reworded - the 1991 was a better value for our taste.

I've since looked up the prices online for a bottle of '91 and '87 and found that the '91 goes for about 70 bucks, whereas the '87 sells goes for more than $80 (750 ml). Each bottle is hand labeled with the distillation date as well as the bottling date, with an approval signature too.

Additionally, each Scotch is made with Speyside malt - something I knew little about before an online search explained it a bit. This is from Scotchwhisky.com:

Speysides are essentially sweet whiskies. They have little peaty character (although some have a whiff of smoke) and their salient characteristic is estery - typically, this aroma is compared to pear-drops or solvent (nail varnish remover, particularly). They can be highly perfumed: scents of carnations, roses, violets, apples, bananas, cream soda and lemonade have all been discovered in Speyside malts.
They take maturation in sherry-wood well and can be rich and full bodied, medium and light-bodied.

That explains the lack of smoke (peat) in the whiskys. If you're in the area it certainly won't hurt to stop in and see if this flight is still available. If not, you might as well pull up a stool and enjoy the wonderful beers made by Brian Ford, starting with his pilsner in this summer heat.

Reminder: Int'l Brewers Day Next Friday

2008-07-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

I'm certain most of you have read about this already, perhaps on Jay Brooks' blog or in The Session a few months back - consider this a reminder. Next Friday, July 18, is the first annual International Brewers Day, a good time for beer enthusiasts around the world to celebrate those who make the beers we love. Of course, the easiest way to do this would be to honor your local brewer with a visit, kind words over a cold pint, but there's a lot more options out there.

Email may be the quickest method, as well as the most impersonal. Consider finding your favorite brewery's website and click the contact link. Typically there'll be some way to email the brewery (info@, beer@, brewmaster@). Send a quick email saying thanks, or whatever it is you want to say. Jay actually has an idea for hugging as many brewers as you can. While at first blush this sounds cheesy, why the heck not? Peter, Scott, Brian - you don't mind a man hug, do you?

There's so many ways to convey your appreciation - find the method that works best for you. I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this, myself. I'll be certain to let you know what I figure out.

I love this idea and hope it takes hold. If the word gets out this year - if we all do our part - I think Jay is right to believe this could grow into something grand (the official site mentions the idea of "meet the brewer" days around the world - that sounds superb!). If you do participate, I'm certain Jay would love to hear what you did, where and who with - I'm not giving out his email address or anything, but I'm sure he'll have a blog entry on this - post there. Oh, pictures - bring your camera. Personally, I'd love to see and hear about the most outrageous display of appreciation from a beer enthusiast to a brewer.

Prizes?

In fact, I'll mail out two copies of the American Brew DVD as prizes to get you thinking. The first DVD is for the most creative expression of appreciation I hear about. The second DVD is for the person with the most brewer hugs. I know. This isn't fair for all of you who don't live near a number of breweries. These are not PBN prizes, you won't need to email or post here to be considered. However, you will have to make a posting somewhere - I suggest www.brewersday.org.

Sorry, but the DVDs will only be mailed in the US and Canada.

So with that, I urge you to put your thinking caps on and do something/anything to show your appreciation for a brewer near (or far from) you.

Russian River's Bottles

2008-07-10T17:02:00.000-07:00

The first bottles of Blind Pig and Pliny the Elder were delivered today to accounts in the Bay Area. This shipment includes bottles of Pliny that were bottled this morning and Pig that was bottled yesterday, according to Vinnie. What's that mean? If you're one of the lucky SOB's that lives near one of these bottle shops, you'll be able to buy the freshest Pliny and Pig offerings you can hope for.

According to Shaun O'Sullivan's tweet, he found his sample at Ledgers in Berkeley.

Vinnie says this was a small shipment and that next week would see a larger one. Sorry for those around the country, I didn't ask when you can expect to see these bottles in your neck of the woods. Heck, I didn't even ask when I'd see it here in Sacramento.

California State Fair Craft Beer Results

2008-07-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

Below are the results for the 2008 California State Fair Commercial Craft Brew competition. The fair runs August 15 through September 1 and will include a winner's reception featuring a number of award-winning beers. The awards reception/beerfest is tentatively scheduled for August 22. Admission to the beer reception is pretty cheap, but you do need to pay for parking and fair admission to attend.

Best of Show
Drake's Blond, Drakes Brewing Co.

Best of Show Honorable Mention (in order)
None the Weisser, Pizza Port
Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, Stone Brewing Co.
Ruby Black, Pizza Port

Amber Hybrid Beer
1st El Oso, Bear Republic Brewing Co.
2nd Lug Nut Lager, Skyscraper Brewing Co.
3rd Real McCoy Amber, Mammoth Brewing

Amber/Dark Lagers
1st Bad Santa Dark Lager, The Brewhouse
2nd RC Vienna, River City Brewing Co.
3rd Smokey's Amber, Lager Bayhawk

American Amber Ale
1st Manifesto Pale Ale, Fifty Fifty Brewing Co.
2nd Stony Face Red Ale, Hoppy Brewing Co.
3rd 49er Red Ale, Gold Hill Brewing Co.
HM Calico Amber, Ballast Point

American Barleywine
1st Olde Scoutter, Bear Republic Brewing Co.
2nd Old Blarney Barleywine, Moylan's Brewing Co.
3rd Old Prospector Barleywine, Auburn Alehouse
HM Bigfoot, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
HM Double Bastard Ale, Stone Brewing Co.

American Brown Ale
2nd Albion Amber, Marin Brewing Co.
3rd RC Brown Ale, River City Brewing Co.

American IPA
1st IPA 395, Schooners
2nd Racer 5, Bear Republic Brewing Co.
3rd Moylan's IPA, Moylan's Brewing Co.
3rd Union Jack IPA, Firestone Walker
HM Apex, Bear Republic Brewing Co.

American Pale Ale
1st Pale Ale, Schooners
2nd Drake's 1500, Drakes Brewing Co.
3rd Mt Tam Pale Ale, Marin Brewing Co.

American Wheat
1st Crystal Wheat, Pyramid
2nd Wheat Beer, Sierra Nevada
3rd Hefe Weizen, Beermann's

Belgian Strong
1st Saucerful of Secrets, Firestone Walker
2nd Belgian Tripel, Faultline Brewing Co.
3rd-T Bishop's Tripple Trippel, Main Street Brewery
3rd-T Brussels Blonde, Sacramento Brewing

Belgian/French Ale
1st 2 Live Cru, Newport Beach Brewing Co.
2nd Quad, Marin Brewing Co.
3rd Tiburon Blonde, Marin Brewing Co.

Blonde Ale
1st Mission Street Blonde, Firestone Walker
2nd Honey Brew, Beermann's
3rd Big, But Blond, Elk Grove Brewing Co.
HM Curve Ball, Pyramid

Brown Porter
1st Pete's Brown, Bear Republic Brewing Co.
2nd London Porter, Jack Russell
3rd Old Grind Porter, Etna Brewing Co.

Cider & Perry
1st Black Currant Cider, Fox Barrel
2nd Apple Cider, Fox Barrel
3rd Pear Cider, Fox Barrel

Cream Ale
1st Cream Ale, TAPS
2nd American Ale, Schooners
3rd Kolsch, Fifty Fifty Brewing Co.

Dry/Foreign/American Stout
1st San Quentin's Breakout Stout, Marin Brewing Co.
2nd Velvet Merkin, Firestone Walker
3rd Gragoon's Dry Irish Stout, Moylan's Brewing Co.

English Barleywine
1st Stone Old Guardian Barleywine, Stone

English Bitter
1st Double Barrel Ale, Firestone Walker
2nd Hitman Gold, Valley Brewing Co.
3rd English Amber Ale, Black Diamond
HM Dude of York, Dale Bros

English Brown Ale
1st Downtown Brown, Lost Coast Brewing Co.
2nd English Red Ale, Schooners
3rd Hemp Ale, Firestone Walker

English India Pale Ale
1st Cap'n Boomer's IPA, Jack Russell Brewing Co.
2nd Epic IPA, Mammoth Brewing Co.
3rd Organic India Pale Ale, Santa Cruz Brewing Co.

English Pale Ale
1st ESB, Brew It Up
2nd Stone Pale Ale, Stone Brewing Co.
3rd White Water Pale Ale, Jack Russell

Fruit Beer
1st Apricot Ale, Pyramid Brewing
2nd Raspberry Brown, Lost Coast Brewing Co.
3rd Pommegranate Wheat Ale, Moylan's Brewing Co.

German Wheat Beer
1st/1st HM BOS None the Weisser, Pizza Port
2nd Hefeweizen, Sacramento Brewing
3rd Sudwerk Weizen, Sudwerks

Helles/Maibock
1st Maibock, Brew It Up
2nd RC Maibock, River City
3rd Pale Bock, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Imperial India Pale Ale
1st West Coast IPA, Green Flash Brewing Co.
2nd White Knuckle, Marin Brewing Co.
3rd Stone Ruination, Stone Brewing Co.

Irish Red Ale
1st Celtic Amber Ale, Sacramento Brewing
2nd Danny's Irish Red, Moylan's Brewing Co.
3rd Jeremiah Red, BJ's - Oxnard

Kolsch
1st/BOS Drake's Blond, Drakes Brewing Co.
2nd Kolsch, Faultline Brewing Co.
3rd BJ's Blonde, BJ's - Oxnard

Light Lager
1st Condor Pilsner, The Brewhouse
2nd Sudwerk Lager, Sudwerks
3rd Lincoln Lager, Beermann's
HM Longshoreman Lager, San Pedro Brewing Co.

Old Ale
1st Eye of the Hawk, Mendocino Brewing Co.
2nd Old Headbanger Ale, Valley Brewing Co.

Pilsner
1st Wingman American Lager, Skyscraper Brewing Co.
2nd Sudwerk Pilsner, Sudwerks
3rd-T Pilsner, Faultline Brewing Co.
3rd-T Summerfest, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
HM High Country Pilsner, Mammoth Brewing

Robust/Baltic Porter
1st/3rd HM BOS Ruby Black, Pizza Port
2nd-T London Porter, Faultline Brewing Co.
2nd-T Toddy Coffee Porter, Blue Frog
3rd Double Nut Brown Ale, Mammoth Brewing

Russian Imperial Stout
1st Green Flash Double Stout, Green Flash Brewing Co.
2nd Drake's RIS, Drakes Brewing Co.
3rd Russian Imperial Stout, Sacramento Brewing

Scottish Export/Strong Ale
1st 90 Shilling Scotch, TAPS
2nd Scotch Ale, Brew It Up
3rd Sacsquatch Ale, Sacramento Brewing

Smoke/Wood Aged Beer
1st Decadence 12 Cuvee Speciale, Valley Brewing Co.
2nd Bourbon Barrrel Stout, Beermann's
3rd Peligroso 2008, Blue Frog

Sour Ale
1st Bob's Old Woody, Main Street Brewery
2nd Krieken Cluster Funk, Schooners
3rd Sour Blonde, BJ's - Roseville

Specialty Beer
1st/2nd HM BOS Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, Stone Brewing Co.
2nd Le Freak, Green Flash Brewing Co.
3rd-T Donner Party Porter, Fifty Fifty Brewing Co.
3rd-T Wild Cat Sour Coffee Stout, Valley Brewing Co.
HM Vendication, Schooners

Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer
1st Organic Winter Warmer, Bison Brewing
2nd Aye! Aye! Aye! Chili Beer, Sacramento Brewing
3rd Grand Cru 8, BJ's - Oxnard

Sweet/Oatmeal Stout
1st Oatmeal Stout, Sacramento Brewing
2nd Loamy Trowel Cream Stout, Hoppy Brewing Co.
3rd Oatmeal Stout, Brew It Up

Traditional/Dopplebock
1st Lobotomator Dopplebock, The Brewhouse
2nd Dopplebock, Mammoth Brewing
3rd Bock Lager, Elk Grove Brewing Co.
3rd Imperial Dopplebock, Eel River Brewing Co.

Witbier/Saison
1st Brother Levenion Saison, Ballast Point Brewing Co.
2nd Summer Seasonal White, Mendocino Brewing Co.
3rd Wine Country Wheat, Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Happy Independence Day America

2008-07-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Pacific Brew News wishes Americans everywhere a safe and fun Independence Day. For the rest of the world, we'd like to wish you a happy and safe fourth of July.

If you're in Sacramento, make it to Sacramento Brewing for some Independence Ale, Peter's double IPA that is certain to satisfy. Out of the area? Enjoy some good American craft beer.

7.4 Million Pints Worth Cheering

2008-06-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

I received this press release from my friend Glynn Phillips, owner of Sacramento's oldest producing brewery - Rubicon. Last year Rubicon celebrated 20 years of brewing, this month they celebrate their 3,000th batch.

A Tiny Bit of History
When the Great American Beer Festival introduced the American IPA category (1989), the gold medal went to Rubicon Brewing. They followed this up with a second gold medal in the same category in 1990. Their IPA is still great, a treat for those who live in the region, but clearly the style has evolved.

On to the press release:

Sacramento, Ca (June 28, 2008)- The Rubicon Brewing Company proudly
announces the release of its 3000th batch of handcrafted beer. This
milestone batch is a double India pale ale that has appropriately been named "Hop Sauce".

Hop Sauce is a new recipe for the Rubicon Brewing Company and includes ten different hop varieties: Summit, Columbus, Chinook, Cascade, Vanguard, Glacier, Goldings, Bravo and Sterling. It has been double dry hopped, and ten pounds of New Zealand Mouteka hops were added to the serving tank for the final hoppy touch. In a time where the shortage of hops is forcing hop prices through the roof and causing most breweries to get creative with their recipes, the Rubicon Brewers, Scott Cramlet and Al Griffin, decided to go over the top and use every hop variety they could get their hands on. The result “...is a great Double IPA with huge flavor and aroma, brewed in true handcrafted Rubicon style,” says Glynn Phillips, owner, Rubicon Brewing Company.

So let's do the math... if each ten-barrel batch brewed generates 310
gallons, or 2480 pints, and there has been 3000 batches brewed, that means
that over the past 21 years, the Rubicon Brewing Company has produced
7,440,000 pints! That is a staggering figure in light of the fact that most
microbreweries manage only half that production quantity in a lifetime.

The Rubicon Brewing Company would like to thank their loyal customers for the chance to go this far and still be going strong. The Rubicon is a
favorite Midtown Sacramento institution and for over 20 years has provided
handcrafted beers and great food, served in a casual, friendly atmosphere.
If you haven’t been by yet, or it’s been a while… Go by and try the Hop
Sauce or any of their other fine brews, and see for yourself the difference
experience can make.

Pacific Brew News would like to than Rubicon for keeping our collective thirsts' quenched all these years. Soon there will be an update for their 21st anniversary celebration, called Hoptoberfest. This event will be more like an IPA festival than anything, cause for hop heads all over Sacramento to rejoice.

Hopsickle: So Good Even Cats Love It

2008-06-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Bubby from Brain Gravy posted this picture today and I couldn't help but love it. With his permission I now get to share it with you.

Kevin Pratt: Brewer at Greenhouse Restaurant

2008-06-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post about Greenhouse Restaurant I mentioned I didn't know who the brewer there was. Turns out it is none other than Kevin Pratt, one of the world's few Grand Master Judges for the BJCP and manager at Folsom's homebrew shop, Brewmeister. In his free time he also heads the Gold Country Brewers Association, the Sacramento region's oldest homebrew club, serving at President. Just for fun he's also the Assistant Continuing Education Director for the BJCP. Somehow the guy still finds time to drink a beer or two and can be seen, on occasion, at the region's great breweries. I've drank with him, judged with him, sat on the board of directors for GCBA with him and even sat in a class or two that he led for BJCP preparation. I don't know a lot more about Kevin's resume, but the guy clearly knows a thing or two about beer making.

According to Pratt, he will begin brewing the organic set of beers very soon (days, not weeks). He's tweaking his own recipes based on organic ingredient availability, and hops seem to be a major pain in butt right now (imagine that). The beers will mostly be English in style, a preference set forth by the owner, but at this point it is a wait-and-see game for us chomping at the bits to try new, fresh beers. Luckily, it sounds like an unfiltered wheat beer is not far away from being ready.

Tidbits: If Greenhouse is unable to source all the organic ingredients they need (dark roasted malts, hops) they seem to have a plan. Beers with any non "organic" ingredients will simply be called "Natural". Brews served there called "Organic" will be 100% organic. If your a local and are concerned about the organic-ness of your beer, you'll be happy to hear Pratt and the gang at Greenhouse are doing their best to deliver.

Cherries, Beer and Good Cheer

2008-06-27T08:44:00.001-07:00

Last night Tracy and took a break from the norm to help Scott Cramlet, head brewer at Rubicon Brewing for the last 19 years, remove stems from cherries. The fruits came from a farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills and are of the Montmorency variety, the tart cherries. These are for Scott's High Mountain Cherry ale, the brew that brought home a gold medal at last year's GABF for the sour ale category. The labors Scott is taking now will take a few years to mature into the beautiful beer that won last year, but he's been around long enough to appreciate that.

Scott holds the tart cherries in one hand and old, dried hop flowers in the other. These hops contribute very little flavor and aroma (none, really) and are only used as a preservative. The hops are from the 2000 harvest - when they were cheap.

The back door at the Rubicon.

Tracy removes stems from the fruit.

We stemmed four boxes that night, leaving the rest for Scott and his crew. In all there were more than 500 pounds of cherries processed.

Scott has been doing this for several days.They are a pretty fruit, but not a cherry you want to eat on its own - very dry and tart.

Is there a better way to celebrate such an event than an old bottle of New Glarus' Belgian Red? Check out that bottle, it's been around for a long time in Scott's cellar. It was exceptional.

Cherries in the five-gallon bucket.

It wasn't all work. Scott was showing us how much air was in the yeast from a beer he was filtering. If you don't think it's funny, I suppose you had to be there.

Stems on the left, cherries on the right. I'm sure you knew.

Again, this was actually a pretty good time. Scott was also generous enough to provide us his freshest IPA available, straight from the fermenter. I don't understand why the general public is afraid of hazy beer, the flavors in the unfiltered version were amazing.

Celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month

2008-06-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

I received a list of events that will move Oregon Craft Beer Month along and wanted to pass it to you. If you're in the region, stop in at one of these parties and lift a pint in celebration of the state's great beer scene.

Oh, just so you know, this is a long freaking list of events. For individual day events, scroll down to the bolded "kick-off party" at Horse Brass on July 1.

More info @ www.oregoncraftbeer.com

Oregon Craft Beer Month
JULY 1, 2008 – JULY 31, 2008

July 1st - July 31st
Eight Guest Taps from Oregon Craft Brewers
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
Daily, Monday - Friday 11am to 2:30am, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 2:30am
503-232-2202 • www.oregoncraftbeer.com
Come and enjoy Oregon craft beer all month long, from the smallest to the largest craft brewers in the state.

July 1st - July 31st
26 Rotating Oregon Craft Beers
McCormick & Schmick’s Harborside Restaurant & Pilsner Room, 0309 SW Montgomery, Portland
11am to 12am daily
503-220-1865 • www.mccormickandschmicks.com
Come and meet Oregon brewers from around the state and enjoy a rotating selection of Oregon Brewed beer all month long while visiting the home of the Full Sail at Riverplace.

July 1st - July 31st
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Brewery Tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Full Sail Brewery Tours
Fully Sail Brewing Co., 506 Columbia Street, Hood River
Daily at 1, 2, 3, 4pm
541-386-2247 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Get a behind the scenes glimpse into the world at Full Sail Brewing Co., as the team opens their doors to tours running at four convenient times throughout the day, every day during the month of July, as they celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
Daily 4pm Distillery Tours. Sunset views of Yaquina Bay Bridge and Pacific Ocean. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Wolf Eel Café, 2820 SE Ferry Slip Road, Newport
541-867-3474 • www.rogue.com
Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Distillery Tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours. Oregon Brewer’s Fest tokens, mugs, and t-shirts available.

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Root Beer tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours. Tours of Pier 39 Historic Hanthorne Cannery Interpretive Center

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Brewers on the Bay
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Daily 3pm Brewery tours. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
10 Oregon Beers + 25 Track Town and Rogue Ales on tap. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
Daily 4pm Distillery Tours. Sunset views of Yaquina Bay Bridge and Pacific Ocean. Free Rogue Nation Sign Ups. Bathroom Tours

July 1st - July 31st
Standing Stone Celebrates Oregon Craft Beer Month with our new chef Eric Bell.
Standing Stone Brewing Co., 101 Oak St., Ashland
541-482-2448 • www.standingstonebrewing.com
Chef Eric Bell will be featuring food specials made with Standing Stone Ales.

July 1st - July 6th
Free Rogue Bus shuttle!
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Free Rogue Bus shuttle to the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field.

July 1st
Kick Off Party for Oregon Craft Beer Month
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
5pm
503-232-2202 • www.oregoncraftbeer.com
Come and meet the Brewers of the Oregon Brewers Guild at the Kick Off Party for Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st
Rogue Ales Releases John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock,” Latona Ale
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
5pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
To kick off Oregon Craft Beer Month, there will be a Firkin tapping of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale.

July 1st
Rogue Ales Releases John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
5pm
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
To kick off Oregon Craft Beer Month, there will be a Firkin tapping of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s special “John’s Locker Stock”, Latona Ale.

July 1st
Lompoc Brewing Company's Lompizer release party
Oaks Bottom Public House, 1621 SE Bybee Blvd, Portland
4 pm to 6 pm
503-232-1728 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Lompizer is Lompoc Brewing's craft beer salute to light ales and lagers. A great way to kick off Oregon Craft Beer month.

July 1st
New Beer Release: Washoe Weizen
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
All Day
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
A traditional Bavarian style hefeweizen brewed in anticipation of the Intergalactic Washoe Tournament.

July 1st
Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from breweries including Bend Brewing, Siletz Ales, Klamath Basin Brewing, Big Horse Brewery in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 1st
Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged, different every week
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til the taps run dry
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 1st
Meet the Brewer - Alameda Brewhouse
Green Dragon Bistro and Brewpub, 928 SE 9th Ave, Portland
6-9 pm
503-516-0606 • www.pdxgreendragon.com
Meet Eric Wathen and Max Skewes from Alameda Brewhouse as they bring four beers to the south side.

July 2nd
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 3rd
Rock Bottom Brewery Celebrates the Return of the Blitzen Belgian Triple
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Back in the mix, Blitzen Belgian Triple will be available at the Rock Bottom Brewery in conjunction with the Oregon Craft Brew Month.

July 3rd
Ninakasi Beermaker Dinner at Bel Ami
Bel Ami Restaurant, 1591 Willamette St., Eugene
6:30 pm
541-485-6244 xt-3 • www.midtownmarketplace.com/belami.html
Ninkasi Brewing Co. and Bel Ami team up for a 3 course, multi item beermaker dinner. Cost is $50.

July 3rd - July 6th
Rogue Ales and Art in the Vineyard Festival at Alton Baker Park
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
11am-11pm daily.
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Art in the Vineyard Festival at Alton Baker Park. Featuring live music, crafts, and Track Town and Rogue Ales.

July 4th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 4th
Fort George Brewery Hold 4th of July Parking Lot Party
Fort George Brewery and Public House, 1483 Duane St., Astoria
6pm
503-325-PINT • www.fortgeorgebrewery.com
Join us as we celebrate the nation's birthday. The city of Astoria puts on a display of fireworks on the waterfront which will be viewable in our parking lot celebration!

July 4th - July 6th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call for tickets or more information.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
Begins at 11am daily.
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
Begins at 11am daily.
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th -July 7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
Begins at 11am daily.
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 4th-7th
Rogue's Annual 4th of July Garage Sale
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
Begins at 11am daily
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
Annual 4th of July Garage Sale featuring great deals on Rogue ales, wearables, and other merchandise.

July 6th
Hopworks Urban Brewery Intergalactic Washoe Tournament
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
12pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Play the game that’s sweeping up and down the west coast beer scene - WASHOES! The game is a cross between horseshoes and skeeball and played with 1 inch washers. Teams of 2 will compete for the title of “Intergalactic Washoe Champions”. Whether you’re a seasoned washoe vet or a newcomer, everyone will have fun! As always – we recommend you ride your bike or tri-met. Early registration at the Hopworks hostess stand.

July 7th
First Anniversary Missed Opening and Grand Re-opening Party
Green Dragon Bistro and Brewpub, 928 SE 9th Ave, Portland
4pm to close
503-516-0606 • www.pdxgreendragon.com
Stop on by for a shuffleboard tournament, some food specials and a few other surprises up our sleeves. On tap, something from Bend Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing’s Total Domination IPA and 18 other unique drafts.

July 7th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 8th
Lompoc Brewing's Secret Beer Vault with Geraldo Brewvera
Hedge House, 3412 SE Division St., Portland
4 pm to 6 pm
503-235-2215 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Expert Beer Hunter Geraldo Brewvera has discovered a secret beer cooler at the Hedge House. Geraldo plans to open the vault and expose all its secrets and contents to the public for consumption.

July 8th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 8th
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 8th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's New Beer Release: Bourbon DOA + Bourbon Barrel Day
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
3pm - close
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
All the Hopworks bourbon barrel aged beers on tap at the same time! Kentucky Christmas, Bourbon IPA, Bourbon DOA, and possibly another?! Beers tapped at 3pm.

July 8th
Meet the Brewer and the Beer - Full Sail Brewer's Share Series
Full Sail at Riverplace, 0307 SW Montgomery, Portland
5 to 7pm
503-222-5343 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Come celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month and kick off our latest Brewer's Share series beer with Full Sail brewer Greg Lizama.

July 9th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 9th
Double Mountain Pils Premiere Party
Henry's 12th Street Tavern, 10 NW 12th Ave, Portland
5pm
503-227-5320 • www.henrystavern.com
Come celebrate the Portland debut of Double Mountain Pils, a true lager for the summer season. Meet the brewers and join the raffle for Double Mountain t-shirts and glassware.

July 9th
Hopworks Beer and Oregon Cheese Pairings with Steve’s Cheese
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
7pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Join us for a tasting of Hopworks beers paired with Oregon craft cheeses. Guided by the Hopworks brewers and Steve from Steve’s Cheese. Get insight on the brewing and cheese making process while enjoying some excellent pairings. See the Hopworks hostess for tickets.

July 9th - July 13th
Concordia Cup
Concordia Ale House, 3276 NE Killingsworth, Portland
Wednesday 11am through Sunday Midnight
503-287-3929 • www.concordia-ale.com
10 of the Best Oregon Imperial IPA's battle it out for first place in a blind taste test. Winning brewer will captain the Oregon Beer Brawl II team. Votes will be gathered from July 9th starting at 11 am until July 13th at midnight. Taster trays are $10 to participate and vote for your favorite. Admission is free.

July 10th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 10th
Meet the Brewer and the Beer - Full Sail Brewer's Share Series
Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub, 506 Columbia Street, Hood River
5 to 7pm
541-386-2247 • www.fullsailbrewing.com
Come celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month and kick off our latest Brewer's Share series beer with Full Sail brewer Greg Lizama.

July 10th
Rock Bottom Announces Return of Black Peter - Belgian Noire Ale
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Looking for a new beer? Maybe you're craving an old favorite. If that's the case, the Rock Bottom Brewery has what you need. Join their team when they bring back Black Peter, the Belgian Noire Ale. You won't be disappointed with this hand-crafted beer.

July 11th
Laurelwood Open House and Beer Release of Double Oregon Hefeweizen
Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, 5115 NE Sandy, Portland
2pm-5pm
503-282-0622 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
The Brewery Open House and tours start at 2 pm along with a stronger version of American Hefeweizen called Double Oregon Hefeweizen or as it's better known around the brewery as DOH.

July 11th
Falconer Scholarship Benefit Party for Don's, Lisa's, and Scott's 156th Birthday!
Produce Row Cafe, 204 SE Oak Street, Portland
5 pm
503-232-8355
Just when you thought you were getting old, the special birthday guests, Lisa Morrison the Beer Goddess, Don Younger owner of the Horse Brass Pub, and Scott Willis owner of Point Blank Distributing celebrate a combined birthday of 156 years old with a dinner party where a $1 from every pint benefits the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. Now that's a birthday party!

July 11th - July 13th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call for tickets or more information.

July 11th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 12th
Party for the 2,000th Oregon Brewers Guild Supporter of Native Oregon Beer (SNOB)
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
2 to 5pm
503-288-BREW • www.oregonbeer.org
Come celebrate the 2,000th SNOB member with a party at the Horse Brass Pub.

July 12th
Bridgeport Brewpub Hosts Brewing Professor Charlie Bamforth
Bridgeport Bakery & Brewpub, 1313 NW Marshall, Portland
1 - 4pm
503-241-7179 • www.bridgeportbrew.com
Come and be a part of the excitement as Brewing Professor and writer Charlie Bamforth signs his new book "Grape vs. Grain". It's time to learn from one of the greats, boys and girls!

July 12th
7th Annual McMenmins Roadhouse Brewfest
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro
11am – 10pm; music at 4pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Free admission, All ages welcome (21 and over to sample ales), Featuring Eight McMenamins ales, live music by The Old Elbows, food specials, balloon guy and more! Try eight different McMenamins ales and talk to the brewers who brewed ‘em! This noncompetitive celebration of beer "puts the brewer back in brewfest," featuring our very own McMenamins brewers ready to answer your questions throughout the event. Not only that, but you can listen to live music, enjoy summery food specials and much, much more!

July 12th - July 13th
Deschutes Celebrates Summer at the Bend Summer Festival
Downtown, Bend, OR
July 12th, 11 am to 10 pm
July 13th, 11 am to 6 pm
www.bendsummerfestival.com
Come visit the Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden.

July 12th - July 13th
Where It All Began Beer Fest
Produce Row Cafe, 204 SE Oak Street, Portland
Saturday Noon to 9pm, Sunday 11am to 6pm
503-232-8355
Come celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Produce Row Cafe. $5 at entry gets you a cup and 4 tickets, 12oz cup, 3oz per ticket. 14 Oregon Beers outside and 21 retailers inside. Cash only outside. $10 minimum purchase inside for all cards. Several speciality beers will be brewed by Oregon Brewers for this event.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
10am
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch. Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
10am
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
10am
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
10am
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 13th
Hopworks Urban Brewery Hosts Pimped Out Bike In Event
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
12pm - close
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Show off your hottest ride! Tall bikes, short bikes, cruisers, choppers, road bikes, mountain bikes, kids bikes, recumbents. Just like a classic car cruise in.

July 13th
Rogue's Bloody Mary Pajama Brunch
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
10 a.m.
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
Wear your PJ’s to breakfast, build your own Bloody Mary, and try the Chocolate Stout pancakes.

July 14th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 14th - July 20th
Puckerfest
Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St., Portland
Monday thru Thursday 3pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday Noon to 12am, Sunday Noon to 9pm
503-232-8538 • www.belmont-station.com
Specials on tap and in the bottle throughout the week. Unofficially named the "Puckerfest," several sour beers, including a year-old Berliner Weiss from Portland's BJ's Brewpub, will also be pouring at the adjoining biercafé.

July 15th
5th Quadrant Hosts Beer Trivia with Katie Shimmer
5th Quadrant, 3901 N Williams St., Portland
9 pm to 11pm
503-288-3996 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Classic beer trivia with world famous Katie Shimmer.

July 15th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us to tap two new kegs Tuesday from the featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz Ales, Klamath Basin Brewing, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 15th
Hopsworks Urban Brewery Releases New Brew: Sunset Ale
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
All Day
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Hoppy, refreshing and imminently drinkable. This British style summer ale is perfect for nice summer days spent on the back deck at Hopworks.

July 15th
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 16th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 16th
Laurelwood's New Beer Release - One Day at a Time Weizenbock
Laurelwood Pizza Company, 1728 NE 40th Ave, Portland
11:00 a.m.
503-943-6157 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
A traditional German dunkel weizen brewed to bock strength chock full of the aromas and flavors of banana's and cloves. Named after the Laurelwood Brewing Co.'s favorite sitcom from the 1975-1983 television era.

July 16th
Roof Top Brewers BBQ and Beer Release Party
Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, 5115 NE Sandy, Portland
5pm
503-282-0622 • www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com
Celebrate Oregon Craft Beer Month with the brewers of Laurelwood on the roof top of their Sandy location.

July 17 - July 19th
Oregon Craft Beer Celebration
Market of Choice, 67 W. 29th, Eugene
3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
541-338-8455 • www.marketofchoice.com
Come and taste the bounty of Oregon beer at this three day celebration. Meet the brewers from Alameda Brewhouse, Deschutes Brewery, Eugene City Brewery, Full Sail Brewing, Laurelwood Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing and many more.

July 17th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 17th
Rock Bottom's New Beer Release - Congo Queen
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Treat yourself to the new release of a Belgian Style Colonial Golden Spiced Sorghum Ale at the Rock Bottom Brewery.

July 17th
McMenamins' Thirsty Thursday
McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub, 4157 N. Highway 101, Lincoln City
7pm 'til the beer is gone
(541) 994-7238 • www.mcmenamins.com
Sample a new beer style every third Thursday! In this monthly event, we reserve the third Thursday of every month to try out a new beer style. You can meet and talk with our brewer, try our limited edition beer and order lunch or dinner. Admission is free, must be 21 and over to taste.

July 18th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 18th - July 20th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call ahead for tickets or more information.

July 18th - July 20th
Portland International Beer Festival
North Park Blocks in the Pearl, Portland
Friday 4 -10pm, Saturday Noon to 10pm, Sunday Noon to 7pm
www.seattlebeerfest.com
Purchase 10 Beer Tickets for $20, with an official glass. Additional tickets can be purchased for $1 for a 4oz. pour.

July 19
Deschutes Brewery Sagebrush Classic Feast
Broken Top Golf Club, Bend, OR
Begins at 5 pm
541-385-8606 • www.sagebrush.org
$225 - Join us for a gourmet feast prepared by 18 celebrity chefs and paired with Deschutes Brewery beers. Dancing outdoors to live music caps off the night. One never had so much fun doing so much good — proceeds benefit numerous Central Oregon charities serving children and families.

July 19th
Oregon Trail Brewery's Mystery Beer Tasting
Oregon Trail Brewery, 341 SW 2nd Ave, Corvallis
Brewery Tours 3-8 pm
www.oregontrailbrewery.com
This event features live music featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden. Also, there will be mystery beers to represent every beer style that is a craft beer, including an IPA, Wit, Brown, Ginseng Porter, Bourbon Porter, Kolsch, and light ale.

July 19
Fort George Parking Lot Music Series + BBQ
Fort George Brewery and Public House, 1483 Duane St, Astoria
2 to 6 pm
503-325-PINT • www.fortgeorgebrewery.com
Food and beer, crafted with fresh, quality ingredients from the Fort George,
will be available for purchase including southern-style barbeque ribs, corn
on the cob, and baked potato bar.

July 19th
McMenamins' Brewers Dinner
McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 N.W. Bond Street, Bend
7pm
541-382-5174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Here's a party to toast our Bend brewers -- let's make that brewers across Oregon! Tickets to the event are $50 and reservations are required. Guests must be 21 years of age & over. The menu features a Meza platter with hummus, marinated olives, feta, & grilled pita, with IPA. For a salad, guests can enjoy field greens with grape tomatoes, spiced Marcona almonds and grilled lemon vinaigrette with a Copper Moon. As for the main course there is Moroccan-spiced grilled flank steak with grilled vegetables skewers and quinoa with the
Brewer's choice of ale. And last but of course never least, for dessert there's a Lemon tart with pomegranate sauce and a Ruby Ale. So many treats to feast upon!

July 19th
McMenamins' 6th Annual Roadhouse Brewfest
Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 NW Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro
4 to 11pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
Savor ales from eight McMenamins breweries, along with food specials and chats with McMenamins brewers. Live music provided by the Scraff Orser Band and the Freak Mountain Ramblers. Joe Mishkin "The Balloon Guy" will entertain the kids.

July 19th
Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub's Beer and Sausage Fest
Raccoon Lodge & Brewpub, 7424 SW Bvtn Hillsdale Hwy, Portland
1 to 10pm
503-296-0110 • www.raclodge.com
Featuring a variety of grilled sausage and live music.

July 20th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Homebrew Demo
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
2 to 6pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Finally you can learn how to brew at home like the great brewmasters. Get information and watch a homebrew demonstration in the brewery parking lot at Hopworks.

July 21st
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Not quite yet, come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's warmth, just in case July wasn't keeping you toasty enough.

July 22nd
Rogue Hosts Fred Eckhardt’s 17th Annual Beer and Cheese Tasting
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
Seating begins at 5pm, tasting begins at 6pm.
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Join Fred Eckhardt, the dean of American Beer Writers for a unique tasting of 10 microbrewes with 10 gourmet cheeses. Ticket prices: $25 for Rogue Nation Members, $30 for advance ticket orders, and $35 at the door.

July 22nd
New Old Lompoc's Festivus in July
New Old Lompoc, 1616 NW 23rd Ave. Portland
5 pm to 6 pm
503-225-1855 • www.newoldlompoc.com
Festivous Celebration with Portland Brewers and an Aluminum FesivouvsPole. A spin off of the classic Seinfeld Holiday episode focusing on the brewing industry. The airing of the grievances and the Feats of Strength will be the focal point while sipping traditional Christmas ales.

July 22nd
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us when we tap two new kegs from the featured breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 22nd
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Special Blend Night
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
3pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Christian, Ben, Jaime and one lucky Hopworks employee compete to see who can make the best Hopworks blended beer. Hopworks IPA+Velvet ESB blend? HUB Lager+Survival Stout+DOA blend? Something else?! This one will be crazy!

July 22nd
Rock Bottom's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'til its gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com

July 23rd
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 23rd
Oregon Brewers Festival Presents the Oregon Brewers Guild Brewers Dinner
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
6:00 to 8:30pm
503-288-2739 • www.oregonbeer.org
Some of the biggest names in craft brewing attend this informal BBQ as a prelude to the Oregon Brewers Festival. The ticket price of $50 ($40 for SNOBs) includes dinner, a souvenir pint glass, and six half-pints of Oregon beers that are not featured at the festival. Proceeds benefit Oregon Brewers Guild. Attendance is limited to 600.

July 24th
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend, OR
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 24th
Widmer Brother's Brewing Co. Presents Oregon Brewers Brunch and Parade
PGE Park, 1844 SW Morrison St, Portland
9am to noon
503-778-5917 • www.oregonbrewfest.com
Presented by Widmer Brother's Brewing Co., Mayor Tom will be leading the Oregon Brewers Parade. Tickets cost $20 a piece. Each ticket includes brunch, beer, a parade T-shirt and a 2008 souvenir festival mug.

July 24
Deschutes Beer Tasting
Beaumont Market, 4130 NE Fremont St, Portland
5 to 7 pm
503-284-3032

July 24th -27th
Catch a Ride on the Rogue Bus to the Oregon Brewer's Fest!
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
Free rides on the Rogue Bus to Oregon Brewer’s Fest.

July 24th – July 27th
Oregon Brewers Festival
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
Thursday - Saturday Noon to 9pm; Sunday Noon to 7pm
503-778-5917 • www.oregonbrewfest.com

July 25th
Rogue Plays Traveling Trivia with Mr. Bill
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
8pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join the infamous Mr. Bill for a night of trivia, music, and prizes.

July 25th
McMenamins' Third Annual Sasquatch Brew Am Golf Tournament
McMenamins Edgefield Inn, 2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale
8am to 1pm
www.sasquatchbrewfest.org
Pair up with celebrity brewers for a round of golf at one of the coolest courses in the area. $75 fee includes golf, picnic lunch, prizes, games, goodies, and a golf shirt. Proceeds benefit the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation to support its brewing scholarship program.

July 25th - July 26th
Homebrewing Demo
Tom McCall Waterfront Park, SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St, Portland
Friday and Saturday Noon to 6pm
503-288-2739 • www.oregonbrewcrew.com
Watch attentively as handcrafted beer is made by the Oregon Brew Crew. Isn't it time you learned some of the tricks of the trade from the masters?

July 25th - July 27th
Pyramid's Beer & King Crab Dinner Special
Pyramid's MacTarnahan Tap Room, 2730 NW 31st Ave, Portland
4pm
503-226-7623 • www.pyramidbrewery.com
Pairing select hand crafted beer with King Crab is the work of great creators and at Pyramid's MacTarnahan's Tap Room, that's exactly what you'll discover. Seating is limited, please call ahead for tickets or more information.

July 26th
Bend Brewing Comes to the Belmont Station
Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark, Portland
503-232-8538 • www.belmont-station.com
Come and meet the 2008 World Beer Cup Small Brewmaster of the Year, Tonya Cornett as she brings some rare treats over the mountain a rare appearance at the Belmont Station.

July 27th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's Sunday OBF Recovery Brunch
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
9am to 2pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
What’s better after a long week at the Oregon Brewers Festival than an excellent Sunday brunch, and who know’s more about hangovers than brewers? That’s why Hopworks Urban Brewery is proud to present the “Sunday OBF Recovery Brunch”. A special menu of breakfast pizzas, cheeseburgers, tater tots, and pancakes. Wash away the haze with a Hopworks Bloody Mary or a world famous HUB-OSA (HUB Lager+Orange Juice). We’re opening early (9am) for this soon to be legendary event!

July 27th
Sassy Sunday and re-release of Rogue’s newest brew, Imperial Younger’s Special Bitter
Horse Brass Pub, 4520 SE Belmont, Portland
3pm
503-232-2202 • www.horsebrass.com
Two great events, one great cause, the premier pour (cask conditioned) Imperial Younger's Special Bitter will be held at 5pm. The first 10 bottles of Imperial YSB ever produced will be signed by Rogue Brewmaster John Maier and Horse Brass owner Don Younger and auctioned to raise funds for the Glen Falconer Foundation. Featuring multiple unique and one off beers - all proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Portland Distillery and Public House, 1339 NW Flanders St., Portland
5pm
503-222-5910 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
5pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will be donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue Ales Astoria Public House, 10039th St (Pier 39), Astoria
5pm
503-325-5964 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donated to the Glen Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
2320 SE OSU Drive (inside Rogue brewery), Newport
5pm
541-867-3664 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue Bayfront Public House, 748 SW Bay Blvd, Newport
5pm
541-265-3188 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 27th
Rogue Ale's Sasquatch Sunday
Rogue House of Spirits, 2122 Marine Science Drive, Newport
5pm
541-867-3670 • www.rogue.com
To honor former Rogue brewer Glen Falconer, a simultaneous toast at all Rogue Public Houses will be made with Glen Ale, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s tribute beer. Proceeds will donate the Falconer Foundation.

July 28th
Lucky Lab Warms up to Winter Ales in July
Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
5pm
503-236-3555 • www.luckylab.com
Think its warm enough? Come in and enjoy the winter ales that remind us of the holiday season's joys that keep us going throughout the year.

July 29th
Lucky Lab's Two New Brews Tuesday
Lucky Labrador Beer Hall, 1945 NW Quimby, Portland
5pm
503-517-4352 • www.luckylab.com
Join us to tap two new kegs Tuesday from the following breweries Bend Brewing, Siletz, Klamath Basin, Big Horse in celebration of the Oregon Craft Beer Month.

July 29th
Hopworks Urban Brewery's New Beer Release: Whoop Whoop Wheat
Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
9am to 2pm
503-232-4677 • www.hopworksbeer.com
Named for former Portland Mayor Bud Clark and his famed call, Whoop Whoop Wheat is a refreshing, slightly tart wheat beer perfect for the hot days of summer. Served neat or with raspberry or peach juice, this is definitely one beer you’ll want to expose yourself too.

July 29th
Rock Bottom Brewery's Tuesday Special Blend - blended, barrel aged
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
All Day, 'Til its Gone
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
What better way is there to begin to wrap up a month of celebrating Oregon's Craft Beer than to share a special blend thats been blended and barrel aged There just isn't a better way.

July 30th
McMenamins' Limited Edition Beer Release Party
McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse & Imbrie Hall, 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Rd., Hillsboro
5 to 10 pm
503-640-6174 • www.mcmenamins.com
One Night Only, or 'Til the Beer is Gone! Step right up and into the historic Roadhouse itself to try a just-release limited-edition brew, the first of many once-a-month. No admission fee; pints for $4.15. Must be 21 years old & over to taste.

July 30th
Eugene City Brewery Bingo
Eugene City Brewery, 844 Olive St., Eugene
7:30 - 9:30pm
541-345-4155 • www.rogue.com
Join host Dave Stark for 11 games of bingo and 1 game of black out bingo.

July 31st
Deschutes' Munch & Music
Drake Park, Bend
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
www.munchandmusic.com
Free Music Event featuring a Deschutes Brewery Beer Garden

July 31st
Rock Bottom Brewery's New Beer Release - Belgian Wit
Rock Bottom Brewery, 206 SW Morrison St, Portland
5:30 to 6 pm
503-796-BREW • www.rockbottom.com
Be there when the Rock Bottom Brewery launches the new release of the Belgian Wit.

A Hop Head's Oasis

2008-06-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make sure folks in the Sacramento region knew that Monday, June 30th, the Sacramento Brewing Company's "Oasis" (Madison and Sunrise) will be pouring some hopped up delights.

Peterson's Pride: I know Peter has changed this brew a bit, but if it's anything like it was last year, you can expect it to be an English version of the Double IPA. Last year's version was so packed with East Kent Golding hops that I'm thinking Peter, himself, may have contributed to shortages of that variety. It was good too.
SacBrew IPA: This isn't a special beer, but it's a mighty fine example of the west coast IPA, bursting with aromatic hops that also contribute a pretty massive bite.
DogFish Head 90 Minute IPA: Peter secured a few (not sure how many) five-gallon kegs and the first will be tapped Monday. This beer is pretty new to California, so if you consider yourself a hop-head and haven't had it on tap yet, you might try to make time for this hoppy brew from Delaware.

Of course, SBC has several other great beers to enjoy and Monday's are all you can eat rib night.

If you can't make Monday, keep your ears open for their Double IPA, rumor has it this bad boy is going to be tapped late next week.

NorCal New Brewery: Greenhouse Restaurant

2008-06-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight I took my wife, Tracy, out for dinner. She made it clear she wanted something light, low-cost and good, then suggested that we check out a new place in town she'd heard about from co-workers. After work we made our way to Greenhouse Restaurant in Roseville, Calif., and were delighted with the menu items (and prices). Greenhouse's focus is serving local, sustainable foods and most of the food is grown (or raised) within 100 miles of their location. When asked if I wanted a drink, I did the obligatory request for their beers on tap. Turned out the local/sustainable trend stopped at the taps, with Bud, Stella, Sam Adams, Wydmer topping the list. In fact, the only regional beer they had was Sierra Nevada. I was discouraged.

Our server then let me know there were two house-brewed beers available, a pale ale and a brown ale. I asked where they were made (they didn't have a visible brewery on site) and she insisted they were made right there, on location. I requested samples of each fully expecting to receive a couple of dump-and-stir beers that weren't worth sampling, but low and behold - these were good! The pale was full-bodied, had a healthy dose of sweetness and nice hops in the end. The brown was actually the beer that impressed me more, a surprise for my palate, it was nothing short of drinkable with very restrained grain astringency and not overly cloying in its sweetness.

Once again I asked our good server if they really brewed the beers on location or simply had a local brewery contract the beers (I've been burned on this before). Again, she insisted and it was necessary for me to check out their kitchen area. I wasn't invited back there, but I figured if I was quick and quiet, I could grab a quick look at the system. Sure enough, there, just to the left as you enter, were a very small mash tun and kettle (may be the smallest commercial brewery I've seen). There were no fermentation tanks and when I broke my own rule and bothered the staff, they were very kind and pointed me to the other end of the kitchen. Yep, as they said, there were two small fermentation tanks (if I had a guess, I'd call this a four-barrel brew house).

I couldn't find out who the brewer was, by name, but before we left I was filled in about the taps I had mentioned earlier. Turns out they're only placeholder beers until they get everything fully operation. Their plan is to have eight beers altogether, six of which will be organic. If the initial offerings are any indication, this place will be a great option for me here in my town.

About the Food

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the food, because it was fantastic. We shared three small plates: pork loin (they even asked how I wanted it cooked, which was a first for me - I asked for the rarest they could serve, which is 165 degrees I was told); scallops for Tracy (they were great); margarita oyster shooters (these were unlike any oyster we'd had before, in a good way).

The menu prices started at five bucks for a light salad (along with other options) and ended at 28 (for their local/sustainable rib eye). On average the dishes seemed to be in the nine to 12 dollar range (the most we paid was 12 bucks).

If you're in the area and like this sort of food, be sure to stop in. I'll be most interested in seeing where the brewery goes and how quickly they pull off the beers that don't match their mission. As they are now, however, the two house-brewed beers are worth finding.

Beer Wars: California Strikes Back

2008-06-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

This will no doubt be making its way around beer blogs everywhere, how can it not? The state of California (my home state) is moving forward with a plan that presumes all alcohol sold in the state that is NOT WINE must be a distilled spirit and taxed accordingly (read, up the wazoo!). This, my beer-loving friends, is unbelievable! It's wrong, it's a whole lot of things that shouldn't be said. Here is the announcement from the Board of Equalization's Judy Chu. Be sure to read passed the word "flavored", this is much bigger than alcopops.

Judy Chu, Ph.D., Chair of the State Board of Equalization (BOE), announced today that the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has approved the BOE’s regulations allowing flavored malt beverages to be taxed as distilled spirits rather than beer.

The Board approved the regulations on April 8, 2008, to clarify the definition of “distilled spirits” under the Alcoholic Beverage Tax Law. OAL approval deems the regulations effective and they will be fully implemented by BOE October 1, 2008. Beginning in October, flavored malt beverages will be taxed at the distilled spirits rate of $3.30 per gallon rather than at the beer rate of $0.20 per gallon.

“I believe that the ultimate effect of this regulatory change will be positive”, said Chu. “It will send a signal to youth that alcopops are hard liquor - because these drinks will now have costs that are similar to hard liquor. It will make it harder for young people to access alcopops, and that can only be helpful in reducing underage drinking.”

The new regulations create a “rebuttable” presumption that all non-wine alcoholic beverages, including flavored malt beverages, will be taxed at the higher rate. Manufacturers have the obligation to prove their product does not meet the definition of a distilled spirit. OAL approval on June 10, 2008 allows the manufacturer to argue their products do not meet the new definition effective immediately. The regulations will be fully operative and the higher taxation rate will begin on October 1, 2008.

Notices will be sent by the BOE to all retailers, manufacturers, and others involved in the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages notifying them all non-wine alcoholic beverages (including flavored malt beverages) sold in California will be taxed as distilled spirits. The BOE has also contacted all those involved in the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages requesting a complete list of all alcoholic beverages they manufacture, import, or distribute within California. It will be presumed these beverages are to be classified and taxed as distilled spirits unless the manufacturer successfully rebuts that presumption.

This regulatory change requires that the BOE establish and maintain on its Internet website a listing of alcoholic beverages whose manufacturers have successfully argued that their product does not meet the definition of a distilled spirit. Product information is being compiled and will be available on the BOE’s Flavored Malt Beverages Webpage.

BOE staff estimates that this change will bring in $41.4 million annually in combined sales and excise taxes.

I'll have a better commentary on this subject shortly.

Congrats Tracy

2008-06-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

Naturally I am writing here without any of the pertinent facts or real information...save for the fact that I just want to say "way to go Tracy" on reaching one of your life's goals. A masters degree (MBA, UC Davis) is just not something any ole Joe Schmo can claim to have achieved. But now the Canadian/Californian wizard child of nearly all things can say exactly that. Nicely done I must say my friend.

At the moment she is with family somewhere in a cabin near Truckee basking in the after glow of a truly outstanding achievement, but hey - as we all know - that's just what she does and who she is.

I for one know that I am the better for knowing her and hope to continue that tradition far into the future.

Looking forward to the official celebration party at Sacramento Brewing on Saturday. I wouldn't miss it for all the stain glass windows in China.

Here's to you Tracy!