The 17th Annual California Brewers Festival took place this past Saturday at Discovery Park. Through the efforts of the Point West Rotary club, cheerful beer enthusiasts enjoyed an afternoon of cigars, beer and cider tasting, all while supporting a great cause. The Assistance League of Sacramento will receive the majority of event proceeds. Their successful Operation School Bell program provides school supplies for children in the Sacramento area.
“We sell booze for kids,” joked one friendly Rotary member who was donating his time to pour this past Saturday afternoon. Doug Weill and his wife Marcia poured at the Black Diamond Brewing Company station that afternoon.
Point West enjoys working with the Assistance League, Weill explained, because of the way they ensure that money and supplies get to the kids. The rotary club and its 150 members want to make sure that they really are making a difference in the lives of the children in this area. Over the years, the organization has raised over $250,000 for charitable causes.
Weill was very happy with the year’s turnout. He explained that this was the first year they used an online presence to advertise and sell tickets for the festival. This new strategy helped the rotary club sell over 700 tickets.
Discovery Park hosted breweries from all over the region, country and world on the sunny Saturday afternoon. Primator had more than a few bottled imports for beer lovers to try, including both Czech and Polish brews. Strangford Lough Brewing Co., whose slogan is “Born in Ireland, matured in America,” provided an Irish style ale for festival attendees. On the other end of the spectrum, River City Brewing Company came from just across the river. The brewpub had an interesting big amber ale called Woodhead. The nearly imperial amber was hoppier than their usual brews, oak aged and 7.2% percent alcohol by volume (ABV). River City was showing off 5 liter mini kegs, their kind of growler, available for sale at the pub.
Regional favorites were in abundance and they all brought their best and brightest. Moylan Brewery & Restaurant of Novato, Calif. had a couple of great brews on tap including the delicious Hopsickle and their most popular beer, a scotch ale called Kilt Lifter. Bear Republic Brewing Company had Racer 5, their well known IPA, as well as Heritage, their new scotch ale. Anderson Valley Brewing Company also kept their line long throughout the day, pouring Hop Ottin’ IPA.
Old favorites Lagunitas, Stone and Sierra Nevada were also present. Lagunitas had both their Pils and their IPA on tap. Stone’s representative, while manning their booth, was tweeting to get more people at the event. Sierra Nevada, in their shady green tent, was stocked with representatives. They, in particular seemed to enjoy hobnobbing with visitors and explaining all that Sierra Nevada has to offer.
The more distant Alaskan Brewing Company had several tapped and bottled selections including their 2010 Barley Wine. Just the wooden coin’s worth of tasting made me excited for the upcoming barley wine season. This particular barley wine is 10.7% ABV and has been a bronze medal winner at the World Beer Cup.
The festival had many brews available, and many genres to choose from, starting with the previously mentioned Black Diamond Brewing Company. The delta area brewing company had an extremely likable Belgian blond on tap, Freestyle Belgian blonde.
In terms of ciders, Hornsby's may have maintained the longest line throughout the day. They had two types of cider available, their amber and a crisp apple. Their small Hornsby's towels also provided head coverage for many festival-goers. ACE Ciders had a substantial line as well, although mostly female.
In my modest opinion, Mammoth Brewing Company of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. took best brewery of show. The up and coming brewery was pouring four beers. Their IPA 395, a double IPA brewed with wild desert sage was a favorite for many. They also had their Double Nut Brown on tap, as well as Epic IPA, another delicious choice on a hot summer day.
I was able to speak at length with Sean Turner, the owner of Mammoth Brewing Company. Turner explained that Mammoth, known for brewing in cans as well as bottles, is the only microbrewery to have an independent standing contract with Yosemite National Park.
As I was listening to Turner describe their brewery and location, it made me yearn for a Yosemite vacation and I found myself drifting into a hoppily delightful daydream. A Double Nut Brown with pancakes and maple syrup in the morning outside my tent, then a can of Epic IPA in the sun after a long afternoon hike. Before a campfire, I’d share a bottle of their newest beer, IPA 395, while watching the sun set over Yosemite Valley.
Beer Valley Brewing Company of Ontario, Oregon was an afternoon delight as well. They had an American style imperial stout available that was rich and delicious and boasted a bitter hoppiness that was nicely balanced with the rich darkness the stout had to offer. The blend of flavors found in Black Flag Imperial Stout was something that I’ve never before found appropriate in a stout, but that they did well. Beer Valley also brews the notable Leafer Madness, an Imperial Pale Ale. We can likely expect many more delicious brews from this brewery in the future.
There were many success stories at this year’s California Brewers festival. Knee Deep Brewing Co. of Lincoln is one such example. Knee Deep had three beers on tap, an IPA, their newly tapped Citra and Tanilla. Their Citra had a fresh bite that went well with the summer sun and the relaxing Discovery Park atmosphere. It was brewed using only citra hops and had a huge, fresh flavor.
Brewmaster Jeremy Warren was available to talk to visitors throughout the day. Warren informed us that Knee Deep is about to open a big production facility in either Reno or Lincoln. The brewmaster was quite pleased with their progress. They recently expanded to add eight more states to their distribution area. They now distribute to 13 states and hope to eventually have nationwide distribution.
Speakeasy Ales and Lagers of San Francisco mentioned that they were in the process of opening a tasting room as well.
Overall, cans are hot was the catchphrase for this summer’s beer season. Besides Mammoth, Caldera Brewing Company packages their beer in cans, as does Boulder Beer Company, the makers of the well-liked Hazed & Infused.
Gold Country Brewers Association had a flock of homebrewers, family members and children in their tent. They had both taps and bottles, provided by numerous members of the association. As always, group members were extremely knowledgeable and helpful.
Jason Kelly, who provided several bottled selections for Saturday’s festival including a wit, a stout and a porter, spent more than a few minutes sharing his knowledge on brewing and beer styles, as well as valuable advice on growing your own hops.
It’s these guys who really make the events and help to build the local brewing and beer loving scene.
The California Brewers Festival at Discovery Park is an annual event that is not to be missed. The open lawn on which the event was held was a great location for beer tents and food tents of all kinds. Surrounding the clearing, the shaded areas were a great place for beer drinkers to mingle and rest before selecting their next sample. In another area of the park, a cigar dealer had a tent where beer drinkers could purchase one their many cigar varieties.
Food vendors for the day included barbeque, teriyaki, Mexican, hot dogs, restaurants G-Dubbs and Pete’s, and a stand selling Tyson hot wings. Music provided by J Ras, ZuhG and Wooster added to the day’s ambience.
Event sponsors included Tyson and their hot wings, American River Bank, Clark Pacific, Fuse 3 Communications, Wells Fargo, Brew Your Own Adventures, AquaPerfect, Cherry Creek Mortgage Company and Warren G. Bender Co.
In addition to their annual brewers festival, Point West Rotary hosts a wine festival each April. For additional information, contact a Rotary member or visit the Point West Rotary website.
Originally written for Sacramento Press
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Oktoberfest in SactoBavaria 2011
Dirndls and lederhosen on men, women and children of all ages were abundant this Friday and Saturday at the Sacramento Turn Verein (STV). Friday evening and all day Saturday the organization, founded in 1854 as a gymnastics club, hosted its 44th annual Oktoberfest.
The Turn Verein is a place “where folks with German ancestry and people with an interest in German culture congregate.” From the atmosphere this weekend, the STV has made it easy for families in the Sacramento area to keep their German heritage alive and thriving.
Surrounded by Bavarian blue and white, nearly every moment was filled with great German food, entertainment and company. Differing from typical Oktoberfest celebrations, real German beer brought in from Munich and sausages piled high with sauerkraut were only the tip of the iceberg.
The Gruber Family Band was a great addition to the weekend’s events. The band played throughout, integrating various competitions for Oktoberfest participants, a women’s stein holding contest and a children’s yodeling contest included. Nearly all of the participants wore traditional German dress. One got the feeling that the parents of the young yodelers have been training them for years.
One tiny participant, still too young to officially compete as a yodeler, was 17 month old Riley. Her mother, Cyndi McCluskey, found Riley’s tiny dirndl online. When asked if this was a family tradition, McCluskey responded positively.
“Every year!” She said.
Perhaps Riley will be ready for next year’s yodeling contest.
Later on Saturday night, a supposed men’s stein holding contest was announced. Eager participants gathered only to find that they would actually be participating in a yodeling contest. The results were quite extraordinary, really; the final yodel-off involved some mighty fine yodeling.
The Alpentänzer Schuhplattler, a traditional German folk dancing group, performed numerous times throughout the event. Their dances included a grand march, German hat dance, wooden pole dance and a maypole dance, among others.
Friday evening, the 2011 Turn Verein Oktoberfest maxed out at around a thousand people. This doesn’t usually happen on Friday evening, explained Heinz Ludke, Recording & Financial Secretary of the STV, though they usually reach maximum capacity sometime Saturday evening each year. Already at 4:00 on Saturday, the crowds were larger than usual. The Main Festhalle was full already at 4:30 and only got more packed as the night went on.
A lively rendition of “The Beer Barrel Waltz” really got things going Saturday night. Along with the lulling winding and unwinding of the maypole led by the Alpentänzer Schuhplattler, this perfect Oktoberfest only got better as the night went on.
There were German sing-a-longs and American sing-a-longs, the chicken dance and then the young folk dancers were up again. The dance floor cleared and the strapping young lads remained. There was dancing and box jumping, followed by a go at the Bavarian Hat Dance that broke out into a mock fight between two shirtless lads in lederhosen.
At times, if you found a spot on the dance floor you were lucky; a seat was a near impossibility.
In the upstairs hall, the mood was a bit more modern, with AKAlive rocking the room.
For a quiet escape, you could visit the Kaffeehaus for a cup of Jo(han) and a piece of cake.
Joann Schuler, a member of the Turner Harmonie, the choir that performed several times this weekend, helped man the Kaffeehaus. She seemed delighted to be a part of the event and was perfectly willing to discuss German culture, family stories, and best of all – she offered tips on the best German desserts at the Kaffeehaus.
The fruit basket dessert came highly recommended, as did the Black Forest cake, of course, and the Bienenstich, which Schuler described as containing, “almond and honey and creamy yumminess.”
One of the best parts of the event was the family feeling that filled the air. Everywhere you looked there were children, and large families congregating, usually three generations strong.
“Last time I was forced to wear lederhosen at the age of seven,” said Jordan Hess of Sacramento, “and now at the age of 27, I get to enjoy the beer!”
Hess’s parents were married at the Turn Verein and his grandfather participated in the STV soccer league in the 70’s. Saturday night it was just him and his younger sister Aubrey, who recently returned from a lengthy study abroad in Bremen.
Outside, both sides of the hall were flanked by a beer garden. While the white plastic chairs in the Turn Verein Biergarten were less charming than the wooden picnic tables in Bavarian beer gardens, everything else about the event certainly held its own.
I’ve been to the Hofbräuhaus, to a beer hall in southern Bavaria and a biergarten in Munich’s city park, but I never imagined that I would find such an enjoyable event right here in the middle of Sacramento.
“Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh!” reads a sign in the main Festhalle.
“Thirst is worse than homesickness.”
There are many Oktoberfests that excel in celebrating drinking delicious German beer a liter at a time, but the Sacramento Turn Verein does much more than that - although there was plenty of good beer to go around. They show off the marvelous methods of celebration in Bavaria, bringing out German American families and friends for a night of celebrating what they are and what they have, a shared German heritage.
Late Saturday evening, while the rest of The Gruber Family Band took a break, Michael Gruber played “Amazing Grace” on what can only be described as a super-length beer bong. I had been there for almost six hours and I wanted to go home so badly. At the same time, I knew that if I went home, this magical German world would disappear.
Until next year.
Image by: Ed Fogle The next event at the Sacramento Turn Verein will be their annual Christkindlmarkt. The Christmas market will include a unique holiday shopping experience, glühwein (spiced wine) and their usual abundance of delicious German baked goods. Admission is free for the whole family with the donation of a children’s coat.
Besides numerous annual events like the Oktoberfest and its spring counterpart, the STV Bockbierfest, the Turn Verein offers German language classes, athletic clubs and various other social activities.
The Turn Verein is a place “where folks with German ancestry and people with an interest in German culture congregate.” From the atmosphere this weekend, the STV has made it easy for families in the Sacramento area to keep their German heritage alive and thriving.
Surrounded by Bavarian blue and white, nearly every moment was filled with great German food, entertainment and company. Differing from typical Oktoberfest celebrations, real German beer brought in from Munich and sausages piled high with sauerkraut were only the tip of the iceberg.
The Gruber Family Band was a great addition to the weekend’s events. The band played throughout, integrating various competitions for Oktoberfest participants, a women’s stein holding contest and a children’s yodeling contest included. Nearly all of the participants wore traditional German dress. One got the feeling that the parents of the young yodelers have been training them for years.
One tiny participant, still too young to officially compete as a yodeler, was 17 month old Riley. Her mother, Cyndi McCluskey, found Riley’s tiny dirndl online. When asked if this was a family tradition, McCluskey responded positively.
“Every year!” She said.
Perhaps Riley will be ready for next year’s yodeling contest.
Later on Saturday night, a supposed men’s stein holding contest was announced. Eager participants gathered only to find that they would actually be participating in a yodeling contest. The results were quite extraordinary, really; the final yodel-off involved some mighty fine yodeling.
The Alpentänzer Schuhplattler, a traditional German folk dancing group, performed numerous times throughout the event. Their dances included a grand march, German hat dance, wooden pole dance and a maypole dance, among others.
Friday evening, the 2011 Turn Verein Oktoberfest maxed out at around a thousand people. This doesn’t usually happen on Friday evening, explained Heinz Ludke, Recording & Financial Secretary of the STV, though they usually reach maximum capacity sometime Saturday evening each year. Already at 4:00 on Saturday, the crowds were larger than usual. The Main Festhalle was full already at 4:30 and only got more packed as the night went on.
A lively rendition of “The Beer Barrel Waltz” really got things going Saturday night. Along with the lulling winding and unwinding of the maypole led by the Alpentänzer Schuhplattler, this perfect Oktoberfest only got better as the night went on.
There were German sing-a-longs and American sing-a-longs, the chicken dance and then the young folk dancers were up again. The dance floor cleared and the strapping young lads remained. There was dancing and box jumping, followed by a go at the Bavarian Hat Dance that broke out into a mock fight between two shirtless lads in lederhosen.
At times, if you found a spot on the dance floor you were lucky; a seat was a near impossibility.
In the upstairs hall, the mood was a bit more modern, with AKAlive rocking the room.
For a quiet escape, you could visit the Kaffeehaus for a cup of Jo(han) and a piece of cake.
Joann Schuler, a member of the Turner Harmonie, the choir that performed several times this weekend, helped man the Kaffeehaus. She seemed delighted to be a part of the event and was perfectly willing to discuss German culture, family stories, and best of all – she offered tips on the best German desserts at the Kaffeehaus.
The fruit basket dessert came highly recommended, as did the Black Forest cake, of course, and the Bienenstich, which Schuler described as containing, “almond and honey and creamy yumminess.”
One of the best parts of the event was the family feeling that filled the air. Everywhere you looked there were children, and large families congregating, usually three generations strong.
“Last time I was forced to wear lederhosen at the age of seven,” said Jordan Hess of Sacramento, “and now at the age of 27, I get to enjoy the beer!”
Hess’s parents were married at the Turn Verein and his grandfather participated in the STV soccer league in the 70’s. Saturday night it was just him and his younger sister Aubrey, who recently returned from a lengthy study abroad in Bremen.
Outside, both sides of the hall were flanked by a beer garden. While the white plastic chairs in the Turn Verein Biergarten were less charming than the wooden picnic tables in Bavarian beer gardens, everything else about the event certainly held its own.
I’ve been to the Hofbräuhaus, to a beer hall in southern Bavaria and a biergarten in Munich’s city park, but I never imagined that I would find such an enjoyable event right here in the middle of Sacramento.
“Durst ist schlimmer als Heimweh!” reads a sign in the main Festhalle.
“Thirst is worse than homesickness.”
There are many Oktoberfests that excel in celebrating drinking delicious German beer a liter at a time, but the Sacramento Turn Verein does much more than that - although there was plenty of good beer to go around. They show off the marvelous methods of celebration in Bavaria, bringing out German American families and friends for a night of celebrating what they are and what they have, a shared German heritage.
Late Saturday evening, while the rest of The Gruber Family Band took a break, Michael Gruber played “Amazing Grace” on what can only be described as a super-length beer bong. I had been there for almost six hours and I wanted to go home so badly. At the same time, I knew that if I went home, this magical German world would disappear.
Until next year.
Besides numerous annual events like the Oktoberfest and its spring counterpart, the STV Bockbierfest, the Turn Verein offers German language classes, athletic clubs and various other social activities.
Originally written for the Sacramento Press
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Taking North Coast in a Storm
Every March, beer enthusiasts and whale watchers make their way to the annual Fort Bragg Whale Festival. On roads winding through Redwoods, on pavement hugging the curves of the coast on Highway 1 or utilizing Highway 101 to its fullest before crawling up the narrow, winding roads that link the island of Fort Bragg with the rest of the world, visitors came from throughout Northern California for the weekend's events.
Ukiah served as a nice stopping point for visitors coming from Sacramento or the southerly regions of NorCal. There, one could stop for the night to shorten the journey to just over an hour for coming feast day.
Feast day it was, on Saturday, March 19. The day's events included nothing less than whale watching, a clam chowder competition and a beer festival featuring regional microbrews. A full list of festival events could be found in the Mendocino Real Estate Magazine, which was odd, but welcome, since there was little printed material other than a summary on the Fort Bragg tourist website.
Throughout the drive to Fort Bragg on Saturday morning, snow chunks littered the windshield, taunting a bright red raincoat, looking quite thin and lonely without its flannel, woolen liner. On Saturday morning, visitors had little more than an hour to adore the rugged North coast under the partially cloudy sky. Soon, a cold rain put a damper on the walk from the coast to Main Street, where visitors had begun lining up, hoping to catch the chowder before it ran out.
Rain, shine, rain, shine; whatever the weather, there was a glow coming from the warm clam-chowder filled bellies crowding the Town Hall. The clam chowder festival began at 11:00 a.m., but the line was already running down the street at 20 to 11. After a filling stop-in for a mere $10, there was a slow but steady exodus inland towards the Eagle's Hall. Everyone's next stop was the microbrew tasting, hosted at the Eagles Hall on the corner of Corry and Alder, hosted by the local Rotary Club.
Entertainment for the day was cheerful and folksy. Local musicians Steve and Josh started the day, followed by Dirt Floor, a five man band from nearby Willits, Calif.
The fiddle as a guide, locals and visitors tasted and mingled, creating such an ambiance, every second of the day you knew you were in Mendocino County. Left and right, people wore Sierra Nevada t-shirts and sweatshirts that looked orgasmically comfy on a rainy North Coast day.
Mendocino Brewing Company had a few popular selections, which included their Imperial series. While their Imperial IPA could have been better, their Imperial Stout and Barley Wine were a great addition to a chilly day. Their Barley Wine especially was a nice paring for the amazing and huge tri-tip sandwich that was cooking up in the Eagles' kitchen. A non-profit group was serving for the day in an effort to raise money for a new stadium for the local high school. Although they were 90 percent done with their fundraising, the day's man with the meat assured me that, while helpful, the day's profits would not realize their goal.
The mothers of the class of 2015 had a table in the social hall as well, selling Guinness cupcakes, cream cheese frosted Guinness cake, and giant cookies that could have passed for gourmet in any big city bakery or patisserie.
The only questionable item on the food list was the fresh oysters. While it was tremendous to see such fresh and local cuisine, they seemed a likely contender for making at least one person ill before the end of the day.
North Coast Brewing Company, the local star, had numerous delights on draught. Their Saison, Le Merle, was a great addition to their numerous taps, including their old favorite, Old Rasputin and Brother Thelonious, nice Belgian that really captures the essence of a Belgian dubbel.
Outside the hall, there was a grassy yard with picnic tables and the remains of an old well. It was all so quaint, it was difficult to believe there weren't more people there, getting their fix of the small town Northern California life. Then again, the trip up was not quite the seamless and effortless trip to Napa that so many Bay Area residents take advantage of for their weekends away.
Still, there were people of all breeds, including young women with braids in pink flowered galoshes and flannel attired men with camouflage cowboy hats and handlebar mustaches. There's no place like Mendocino County.
Continuing with the theme of supporting local organizations, a raffle was held throughout the day. Prizes included sweatshirts, a hotel stay, and a whale watching tour. The best part was probably the raffle ticket seller, who was so sweet she made you want to buy double the tickets.
“You have to be here in body,” she said, “but not in mind.” She noted where each half-drunken ticket buyer stashed their tiny blue redemption tickets. The woman in the hat put it in the inside pocket of her purse, she would explain, and the guy in the plaid, he put it in his right pocket. She certainly had her work cut out for her for the day.
It's no wonder people were buying plentiful raffle tickets in a land of craggy bluffs, microbreweries and organic diners. Even the lobby of the hall had the faint smell of marijuana, indicating just how relaxed the region is.
The whale watching was less successful than the beer and clam chowder gatherings. Tours at both 12 and 2 o'clock were cancelled due to rain, storms, and even a bit of hail. Most unfortunately, the fish dinner was also postponed. The sign noted in the bottom corner, scribbled in a fat-tipped marker “no fresh fish!”
Such a tragedy. Only on the coast in a place like Mendocino County could a fish dinner be cancelled because there were not fresh fish available to prepare. This type of attitude makes you think these locals really do care what they put in their mouths.
Ultimately, it seemed that the majority of the beer tasting attendees were locals, seemingly stopping in for a few drinks before heading back home for the evening. Representatives of the Rotary Club who sold tickets for the fest noted that the numbers were down substantially from the 2010 festival, mostly due to the weather. Either way, visitors went away happy and toasty warm, the smell of roasting tri-tip and onions wafting throughout the small town, thought it was too bad about the whales.
Sipping Bear Republic Brewing Company's Hop Rod Rye at a table in the lunch room, it was easy to feel right at home in Fort Bragg. Warm light began to stream in through the white-pained window and you
couldn't help but think:
“… Why don't I live here?”
This, I suppose, is why they advertise the festival in the Mendocino County real estate guide.
Ukiah served as a nice stopping point for visitors coming from Sacramento or the southerly regions of NorCal. There, one could stop for the night to shorten the journey to just over an hour for coming feast day.
Feast day it was, on Saturday, March 19. The day's events included nothing less than whale watching, a clam chowder competition and a beer festival featuring regional microbrews. A full list of festival events could be found in the Mendocino Real Estate Magazine, which was odd, but welcome, since there was little printed material other than a summary on the Fort Bragg tourist website.
Throughout the drive to Fort Bragg on Saturday morning, snow chunks littered the windshield, taunting a bright red raincoat, looking quite thin and lonely without its flannel, woolen liner. On Saturday morning, visitors had little more than an hour to adore the rugged North coast under the partially cloudy sky. Soon, a cold rain put a damper on the walk from the coast to Main Street, where visitors had begun lining up, hoping to catch the chowder before it ran out.
Rain, shine, rain, shine; whatever the weather, there was a glow coming from the warm clam-chowder filled bellies crowding the Town Hall. The clam chowder festival began at 11:00 a.m., but the line was already running down the street at 20 to 11. After a filling stop-in for a mere $10, there was a slow but steady exodus inland towards the Eagle's Hall. Everyone's next stop was the microbrew tasting, hosted at the Eagles Hall on the corner of Corry and Alder, hosted by the local Rotary Club.
Entertainment for the day was cheerful and folksy. Local musicians Steve and Josh started the day, followed by Dirt Floor, a five man band from nearby Willits, Calif.
The fiddle as a guide, locals and visitors tasted and mingled, creating such an ambiance, every second of the day you knew you were in Mendocino County. Left and right, people wore Sierra Nevada t-shirts and sweatshirts that looked orgasmically comfy on a rainy North Coast day.
Mendocino Brewing Company had a few popular selections, which included their Imperial series. While their Imperial IPA could have been better, their Imperial Stout and Barley Wine were a great addition to a chilly day. Their Barley Wine especially was a nice paring for the amazing and huge tri-tip sandwich that was cooking up in the Eagles' kitchen. A non-profit group was serving for the day in an effort to raise money for a new stadium for the local high school. Although they were 90 percent done with their fundraising, the day's man with the meat assured me that, while helpful, the day's profits would not realize their goal.
The mothers of the class of 2015 had a table in the social hall as well, selling Guinness cupcakes, cream cheese frosted Guinness cake, and giant cookies that could have passed for gourmet in any big city bakery or patisserie.
The only questionable item on the food list was the fresh oysters. While it was tremendous to see such fresh and local cuisine, they seemed a likely contender for making at least one person ill before the end of the day.
North Coast Brewing Company, the local star, had numerous delights on draught. Their Saison, Le Merle, was a great addition to their numerous taps, including their old favorite, Old Rasputin and Brother Thelonious, nice Belgian that really captures the essence of a Belgian dubbel.
Outside the hall, there was a grassy yard with picnic tables and the remains of an old well. It was all so quaint, it was difficult to believe there weren't more people there, getting their fix of the small town Northern California life. Then again, the trip up was not quite the seamless and effortless trip to Napa that so many Bay Area residents take advantage of for their weekends away.
Still, there were people of all breeds, including young women with braids in pink flowered galoshes and flannel attired men with camouflage cowboy hats and handlebar mustaches. There's no place like Mendocino County.
Continuing with the theme of supporting local organizations, a raffle was held throughout the day. Prizes included sweatshirts, a hotel stay, and a whale watching tour. The best part was probably the raffle ticket seller, who was so sweet she made you want to buy double the tickets.
“You have to be here in body,” she said, “but not in mind.” She noted where each half-drunken ticket buyer stashed their tiny blue redemption tickets. The woman in the hat put it in the inside pocket of her purse, she would explain, and the guy in the plaid, he put it in his right pocket. She certainly had her work cut out for her for the day.
It's no wonder people were buying plentiful raffle tickets in a land of craggy bluffs, microbreweries and organic diners. Even the lobby of the hall had the faint smell of marijuana, indicating just how relaxed the region is.
The whale watching was less successful than the beer and clam chowder gatherings. Tours at both 12 and 2 o'clock were cancelled due to rain, storms, and even a bit of hail. Most unfortunately, the fish dinner was also postponed. The sign noted in the bottom corner, scribbled in a fat-tipped marker “no fresh fish!”
Such a tragedy. Only on the coast in a place like Mendocino County could a fish dinner be cancelled because there were not fresh fish available to prepare. This type of attitude makes you think these locals really do care what they put in their mouths.
Ultimately, it seemed that the majority of the beer tasting attendees were locals, seemingly stopping in for a few drinks before heading back home for the evening. Representatives of the Rotary Club who sold tickets for the fest noted that the numbers were down substantially from the 2010 festival, mostly due to the weather. Either way, visitors went away happy and toasty warm, the smell of roasting tri-tip and onions wafting throughout the small town, thought it was too bad about the whales.
Sipping Bear Republic Brewing Company's Hop Rod Rye at a table in the lunch room, it was easy to feel right at home in Fort Bragg. Warm light began to stream in through the white-pained window and you
couldn't help but think:
“… Why don't I live here?”
This, I suppose, is why they advertise the festival in the Mendocino County real estate guide.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Homebrewing & Marriage
Along with a dozen other projects, I am currently working on compiling ideas, chapters, photos, anecdotes, stories, etc. for an informative (and probably quite funny) book on marriage and homebrewing. Since this is something that many homebrewers deal with, and I mean deal in the very best and worst sense of the word, I am of course open to hearing what interesting dilemmas, arguments, and 'honey, I love you' moments that have arisen throughout the brewing process.
Let me know your interesting bits and of course, and I'll let you know if this books is every going to get on the shelf.
Happy Marriage & Brewing!
Let me know your interesting bits and of course, and I'll let you know if this books is every going to get on the shelf.
Happy Marriage & Brewing!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Katz in the Alley at Alley Katz- Day one of Sacramento Beer Week
Stop 1 - Alley Katz - for some John John Dead Guy Ale on draught and a new bit of ambience. I haven’t yet been to Alley Katz.
the Short Report -
J.J.D.G. Ale - out, but that’s okay, it was tapped at 4:00 and we knew that, the guy said it was ‘pretty good’ take that as you like it
award-winning Hazelnut Brown Nectar - yum. feels like I should be eating pecan pie along with it
Lagunitas Sacramento Fusion - uh, unfortunately not my style- too much bitterness (both roasted malt bitterness and hop bitterness) and a bit too much hop aroma for me. It was nice of Lagunitas to name it after Sac though… J
service - maybe I look a bit too Minnesota nice, but it took Fo-rev-er to get a beer, and I was Sitting at the bar.
Further notes:
Did they just serve my husband a bad Anchor Steam Old Foghorn Barleywine?
furthermore, did that guy - who seems to be one of the main proprieters of Alley Katz - just admit that he’s actually never had an Old Foghorn?
What is the world coming to?
On a side note- they did have an amazing selection...
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Beers in the Closet
Unfortunately, we (Matt'nPat) are just homebrewers, so our current stock and stash of fermented, fermenting, and to be fermented lives in a nice closet under the stairs. To be fair, the closet does keep a nice, stable temperature for fermentation
Currently,there are two carboys going in the closet, both reddish in hue. The furthest along is a hoppy red ale that was brewed on February 2. The hope is that this red will satisfy Matt's craving to go buy a six pack of Jamaica Red every Thursday night. (This being said, there is certainly nothing wrong with doing so: Mad River Brewing Company Jamaica Red Ale, 6.5%)
The second is for me (yes!). It's a sweet amber ale, styled after the Alaskan Amber, but with a hint of Fat Tire. It uses Belgian yeast, the best kind of yeast, really, and I am very hopeful that it will turn out wonderfully, despite the accidental explosion out the fermentation lock that caused a snowball of lekkere (delicious, Dutch) Belgian yeast to fling to the closet ceiling. We believe this was because of the combination of the happening state of the Belgian yeast we re-pitched onto, in combination with the low sugar/low alcohol content of the amber. (I'm hoping for a weekday night drinkable 3.5%)
More on these current projects soon. I'm just not sure how much of the recipes I am allowed to divulge.
At least not until we know how good they are. ;)
Also, I feel obliged to add that beyond Matt 'n Pat (me) there is also currently Jordan, who has been an asset to our brewing projects for the past few months. Unfortunately, MattPat has been together a big longer, and MattPat rolls off the tongue a little better than MattJordPat or JordPatMatt or...
Happy homebrewing!
Currently,there are two carboys going in the closet, both reddish in hue. The furthest along is a hoppy red ale that was brewed on February 2. The hope is that this red will satisfy Matt's craving to go buy a six pack of Jamaica Red every Thursday night. (This being said, there is certainly nothing wrong with doing so: Mad River Brewing Company Jamaica Red Ale, 6.5%)
The second is for me (yes!). It's a sweet amber ale, styled after the Alaskan Amber, but with a hint of Fat Tire. It uses Belgian yeast, the best kind of yeast, really, and I am very hopeful that it will turn out wonderfully, despite the accidental explosion out the fermentation lock that caused a snowball of lekkere (delicious, Dutch) Belgian yeast to fling to the closet ceiling. We believe this was because of the combination of the happening state of the Belgian yeast we re-pitched onto, in combination with the low sugar/low alcohol content of the amber. (I'm hoping for a weekday night drinkable 3.5%)
More on these current projects soon. I'm just not sure how much of the recipes I am allowed to divulge.
At least not until we know how good they are. ;)
Also, I feel obliged to add that beyond Matt 'n Pat (me) there is also currently Jordan, who has been an asset to our brewing projects for the past few months. Unfortunately, MattPat has been together a big longer, and MattPat rolls off the tongue a little better than MattJordPat or JordPatMatt or...
Happy homebrewing!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Pliny’s all around, Young & Old
It was a perfect February night. The mood was a sober, impatient anticipation, waiting for what was to come. The line was only 30 minutes, the shortest wait time of the night, and the scent of wort was wafting in the air. After a year’s wait, Pliny the Younger had been released. Fans of microbreweries, Russian River Brewing Company enthusiasts and IPA lovers alike had been waiting for this moment for months. Beer-loving Sacramentans of all ages flocked to the brewpub in downtown Santa Rosa last Friday for the annual limited release brew. Still others have plans for a microbrewery tour before time runs out, hitting up Lagunitas Brewing Company and Bear Republic Brewing Co. on the way there.
The previous year, the beer was gone in eight hours. This year, thanks to careful planning and allocating and a ban on growlers of the Younger, the beer should last for a full two weeks, from February 4th to the 17th. In my humble opinion, this plan is still doomed. I would wager that, right now, they are already running over their limit (I mean, come on, it’s opening night), plus these workers have got to be slipping an extra 10 ounces here and there in the back room.
This triple IPA is delicious and well worth the $4.50. It’s sharp, fresh, and the beautiful blend of hops just melts in your mouth. They went easy on the finishing hops which normally give aroma, so the beer has a wonderfully clear, clean taste, like water going down. That said, you should certainly watch how many you drink. Don’t forget that the alcohol level is 10.25 percent.
There was a lot of great flavor without the overwhelming bitterness that sometimes comes with a super-hoppy IPA. I would wager that this is because of a strategy of dry-hopping rather than so many starter hops. Somehow, I ended up as the DD (women always get the shaft on brewpub nights), but, fortunately, they had lovely two-ounce samples for just a fraction of the price.
Homebrewer and beer enthusiast Matt Doyle couldn’t say enough about the Younger.
“It’s cool, because they’re able to take the IPA to the next level,” he said. “More hops, more malt, but the key is that it’s not too heavy. They were able to ferment it all the way down with the use of strong, healthy yeast. That’s what’s able to put it over the top in terms of drinkability.”
By 7 o’clock, there were already people making out by the bar, no doubt due to the double digit ABV of Pliny the Younger. (Sigh… these youth, they never settle down.) Just FYI, after three “high alcohol-level” beers (i.e. Pliny the Younger), they are allowed to cut you off.
This Santa Rosa microbrewery is now at the top of my list. To be perfectly honest, I would take a stout or a nut brown ale over an IPA nine days out of 10, so that means something. Their newbies, Defenestration (yes, that’s correct, their next beer shares its name with the German word for death from being thrown out a window) and Procrastination, are coming soon and will be worth checking out.
The only thing that was odd about the place is how I kept getting confused as to which waiter was ours. There were just so many servers with thick, Burt Reynolds-style sideburns.
The previous year, the beer was gone in eight hours. This year, thanks to careful planning and allocating and a ban on growlers of the Younger, the beer should last for a full two weeks, from February 4th to the 17th. In my humble opinion, this plan is still doomed. I would wager that, right now, they are already running over their limit (I mean, come on, it’s opening night), plus these workers have got to be slipping an extra 10 ounces here and there in the back room.
This triple IPA is delicious and well worth the $4.50. It’s sharp, fresh, and the beautiful blend of hops just melts in your mouth. They went easy on the finishing hops which normally give aroma, so the beer has a wonderfully clear, clean taste, like water going down. That said, you should certainly watch how many you drink. Don’t forget that the alcohol level is 10.25 percent.
There was a lot of great flavor without the overwhelming bitterness that sometimes comes with a super-hoppy IPA. I would wager that this is because of a strategy of dry-hopping rather than so many starter hops. Somehow, I ended up as the DD (women always get the shaft on brewpub nights), but, fortunately, they had lovely two-ounce samples for just a fraction of the price.
Homebrewer and beer enthusiast Matt Doyle couldn’t say enough about the Younger.
“It’s cool, because they’re able to take the IPA to the next level,” he said. “More hops, more malt, but the key is that it’s not too heavy. They were able to ferment it all the way down with the use of strong, healthy yeast. That’s what’s able to put it over the top in terms of drinkability.”
By 7 o’clock, there were already people making out by the bar, no doubt due to the double digit ABV of Pliny the Younger. (Sigh… these youth, they never settle down.) Just FYI, after three “high alcohol-level” beers (i.e. Pliny the Younger), they are allowed to cut you off.
This Santa Rosa microbrewery is now at the top of my list. To be perfectly honest, I would take a stout or a nut brown ale over an IPA nine days out of 10, so that means something. Their newbies, Defenestration (yes, that’s correct, their next beer shares its name with the German word for death from being thrown out a window) and Procrastination, are coming soon and will be worth checking out.
The only thing that was odd about the place is how I kept getting confused as to which waiter was ours. There were just so many servers with thick, Burt Reynolds-style sideburns.
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