Homebrew and friends

Although there has been some public discontent regarding the number of drinking establishments in certain areas of the city, there are other options for like-minded beer enthusiasts. One increasingly popular way to get your hands on some craft beer is to brew your own. The number of homebrew clubs is growing and still, there just aren’t enough.

There used to be two main groups in the Sacramento region, The Greenbelt Brewers Association and the Gold Country Brewers Association. These two clubs even had taps at some of the local beerfests the past few years, including the California Brewers Festival at Discovery Park and the Capital Beerfest during Sacramento Beer Week. (Unfortunately, due to stricter enforcement by Alcoholic Beverage Control, homebrew clubs are no longer able to pour at public beer festivals.)

Recently, I heard some rather amazing news about the growing size of homebrew clubs. The Greenbelt Brewers Association, which meets at Sudwerk the third Tuesday of every month, is now so big that they have to use a microphone during meetings—not exactly the situation at your stereotypical homebrew club meeting.

Despite the large number of members, Greenbelt is still an alluring club to join. They have unbelievably organized monthly meetings and an up-to-date website. Their schedule is set months in advance, just so you know whether this month you will be learning about cask ales or the characteristics of water used for brewing. The topics really are this specific; their meeting notes alone are worth checking out. Greenbelt also hosts a competition each year in collaboration with Berryessa Brewing Company and the Elk Grove Brewers Guild.

What if you’re not interested in large, conference-style homebrew meetings and want to have someone there with you to take you through the first time or two? What is one to do?

Well, the same thing that other enthusiastic brewers in the area have done—create your own club.
The UnderGroundBrewSquad did just this. This group of brewers – some veteran, some just digging in – meets to brew, taste and hang out.

“The UnderGroundBrewSquad's foundation is based on three elements: educating, creating, and having fun while participating,” said co-founder Rodg Little. “Sticking to the foundation provides comfort.”

According to co-founder Mike Brennan, things are going well and they will soon be registered as an American Homebrewers Association (AHA) club.

“Our club truly centers around enthusiasm for the craft. Not only do we arrange brew days and tasting days at each others' houses, we try to immerse in west coast beer culture. We have our meetings at a different microbrewery each month, and our members blog about their visits to breweries around California and Oregon,” Brennan said.

UGBS is planning to make their next meeting a “Big Beers” day. They will all be brewing high-gravity beers with an original gravity of over 1.072 – meaning that the beers will have a fairly high alcohol content, upwards of 8 or 9 percent ABV, possibly higher.

“Many of these styles age well,” explained Brennan, “and some of them will become the beers we'll pour for the holidays. I'm looking to procure a used red wine barrel and have a group of us brew the same beer and cask age it.”

The UnderGroundBrewSquad works closely with BFD (Brew Ferment Distill) for equipment, ingredients and advice. A strong connection with a brewing supply store is always a good sign and the mark of a good homebrewing club. The group is small, tight-knit, and as Brennan mentioned, maintains a nice blog. Note of caution, you’d better have a good, beer-related alias ready if you’re planning to join up with the UnderGroundBrewSquad.

 
The Placer Ultimate Brewing Society demonstrated how to brew a scotch ale at The Brewmeister in Roseville for beer week. (Image by: Patricia Willers)
 
Another homebrew club that has become quite established is PUBS, the Placer Ultimate Brewing Society. This group works closely with The Brewmeister in Roseville and even did a brewing demonstration there during Sacramento Beer Week earlier this year. The group meets at the Owl Club on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. There just might be a discount on beer involved as well.

The Elk Grove Brewers Guild meets on the third Friday of the month. Contact the club to find out where they will be meeting that month. Wondering how far homebrewers go? One member of the Elk Grove Brewers Guild, Steve Churning, has a website that could easily be confused with a brewery website. I can’t wait for this award-winning brewer’s tap room to open.

The Gold Country Brewers Association and their brewboat (yes, a boat) has been known to travel about the city—especially during Sacramento Beer Week. The GCBA has monthly meetings at the Unitarian Church the second Tuesday of each month.

 
The Gold Country Brewers Association at the California Brewers Festival in 2011 (Image by: Matt Doyle)
 
MASH Homebrew Club, a club that claims to have been “Making Yuba-Sutter water drinkable since 2010,” is yet another group in the region. Another little known homebrew club is the Hangtown Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts. HAZE also hosts a homebrew competition each year, this year in October. This particular club really emphasizes education and also has a mounted brewing system that leaves Placerville on occasion. They claim that many of their members are BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) certified judges and they have members that are published beer writers and regular judges.

HAZE has an excellent website complete with recipes, an archive of their monthly newsletters and even the occasional public service announcement. Their beer tours page is also particularly entertaining.
The Pacific Brew News keeps a nice list of homebrew clubs in the area as well.



For those who are hesitant to go it alone or who would like to try a homebrew before going through the brewing process, clubs are a great option. Most clubs will gladly invite you to sit in on a tasting or brew session.

A few of you might wonder, is this a good thing—all these people making their own beer? Why, yes, I would argue. It’s amazing that so many people love beer so much that they wait weeks for it to be ready.




Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/84167/Homebrew_and_friends on July 9, 2013.

It's hot to grow hops

Anyone who has had a beer in the last two years knows that hoppy beers are at the top of the market, but what’s all this about growing hops? It seems like everywhere you look nowadays people are growing hops, picking hops or searching for hops. There are a few reasons for this new trend, and one of them is the Farm to Fork movement that’s happening right here in Sacramento. Farm to bottle? Well, it’s clear that now is the time.

This year’s theme seems to be sustainability in the brewing industry. At The Art of Beer it was a hot topic, and since then we have heard about some monumental changes to the industry. Pamphlets detail new green production methods, brewers have built ties with local farmers and on bottles you now see the names of farms and beekeepers. No longer are we interested in making beer fast and cheap, and using local hops is a part of this.

Almanac Beer Co., known for their “Farm to Bottle Beer,” is quickly growing in popularity. Sierra Nevada has a hop yard on their estate, thus, an estate hop yard, and Rogue has its own farms and produces hops, grain, honey and much more.

We are now watching the movement towards growing your own hops go local. Homebrewers may have been doing this already for years, growing hops for their own beers, providing nice shade for their backyard barbecues or simply to learn more about an integral brewing ingredient. Now, starting with Boneshaker Public House in Rocklin and Ruhstaller of Sacramento, local establishments and breweries have taken to the idea as well.

 

High climbing hops at Lucky Labrador Brewing Company in Portland, Oreg. (Image by: Patricia Willers)
 
For those unfamiliar with hop production, new hop plants generally come from cuttings from a cone-producing female plant. A rhizome is a stem with some root growth. Boneshaker Community Brewery planted 75 hop rhizomes in an amazingly small-sized planter box just a couple of weeks back. They plan to add an herb and vegetable garden as well.

BCB looks to be starting things out right, with estate Centennial hops in the ground even before opening to the public. Centennial hops, one of the main three Cs, along with Columbus and Cascade, provide that West Coast IPA flavor we all know well.

Watch for news in late summer or early fall on when the brews from Boneshaker Community Brewery will be available at Boneshaker Public House.




Ruhstaller planted their first hops at the Center for Land-Based Learning, but they now have their own New Ruhstaller Hop Farm just over in Dixon. “Hop off the Grid,” a release party for the revived Gilt Edge lager, took place there on Thursday.
New Helvetia Brewing Company is in on the local hop scene as well. According to founder Dave Gull, they have gotten wind of some native California Cluster hops that still grow wild around the American and Cosumnes Rivers. Is this true or simply a figment of someone’s imagination? They’re going to find out by going on a hop hunting expedition later this summer.

Growing things locally and then using them to make more local stuff? Revolutionary! It’s all the rage.
Yes, dissenters, please enter the discussion here. There are certainly some crops that really shouldn’t be grown in this valley due to the amount of resources they require, unnaturally, and the deterioration of the natural conditions they cause. I’m no expert, so I plan to stay out of it, but I encourage those in the know to share their knowledge. Are hops sustainable here in the Central Valley?

Hops need to be well-watered. Most of the world’s hops are grown in places like the Pacific Northwest, Germany and England. New Zealand is another fairly well-known hop producer. Obviously there are some fairly substantial differences between the Sacramento region and the aforementioned places, but still, there are some benefits to growing hops around here, despite the hot climate and lack of summer rainfall.

To start with, hops take up very little space. A hop vine grows best when it grows upwards. They crawl up just about anything you set before them. This manner of growth means two things. First, they can be planted fairly densely. They also create shade. You could then also conclude that very little water would be wasted in the watering process. There isn’t much room for evaporation and runoff doesn’t have to be a problem because you can surround hop plants with natural grasses – or better yet, grains to be grown and put in the beer as well!

Jordan Hess, a Sacramento native who has been working at Alpha Beta Hops in Ashland, Oreg. for the past two years and who has grown his own backyard hops, weighed in on the idea of Sacramento-grown hops. Hess wondered how viable it would be over a certain period of time, but also noted that things simply grow well in the Sacramento area.

“[I’m] not sure if it’s the ideal climate, but it’s kind of weird; everybody’s kind of realizing that they’re really easy to grow,” Hess said.

While he was uncertain about the success of commercial hop farms, Hess was enthusiastic about backyard hops.

“If you have them set up correctly, then they could be used for shade,” Hess explained. “You’ve got to provide the trellis and the string and they just keep growing.”

Is it possible to grow hops successfully here? Ruhstaller refers to hops as a legacy crop here in the Sacramento region, but I repeatedly find myself wondering why they disappeared in the first place.


Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/83460/Its_hot_to_grow_hops on June 6, 2013.

Monthly beer tasting: Grab a pint of Fool's Gold

In honor of a recent weekend excursion to the foothills, this month’s tasting will be Auburn Alehouse's Fool’s Gold Pale Ale. “The Pale that Packs a Punch,” as they proclaim, is made just up the road in Placer County.
At first glance, the off-white head is generous, dense and foamy. The aroma is fresh and bready, and the body is pale, golden straw in color.

The taste is immediately fresh and light – a real easy drinker, but with a warming alcohol finish. This brew is 7.8 percent ABV, surprisingly high for a “pale ale” – rightly so, as they refer to it more specifically on the label as a West Coast strong pale ale. Others refer to this type of beer as a strong American blonde, or more simply, a strong ale.

The body is perhaps the best characteristic of Fool’s Gold. The medium body and creamy head are full enough to leave a feeling of weighty satisfaction on your tongue without ever being excessive. Combine that with the warming aftertaste, and the flavor profile is complete without trying to do too much.

 

Sometimes it’s nice in this complicated world to sip on something full-flavored, simple and balanced. If your brain is tired, you are feeling like a zombie and all you want is a little satisfaction and a few warm feelings, not much is better than a well-made strong blonde. It’s not bitter, not sweet, not heavy, not sour, not light or fizzy, not pretentious or complicated… no frills when you’re not in the mood, just a damn good beer for the 21st century.

Other local and regional variants of this style (by no means all identical) include the well-known Mendocino Brewing Company’s Eye of the Hawk, Loomis Basin Brewing Company’s Alohawk, and a certain Big Blonde Zombie said to be coming soon from rising local star New Helvetia Brewing Company.
Fool’s Gold is great alone, but would pair nicely with something simple, creamy and nutty – Danish Fontina cheese and whole grain crackers come to mind. Trade sips and bites and you’ll soon feel alive again.
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Don't forget to check out our upcoming beer event while you're at it! “Taste, Review & Brew” will be held next week at New Helvetia Brewing Company.

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/82870/Monthly_beer_tasting_Grab_a_pint_of_Fools_Gold on May 21, 2013.

Choose your own adventure: Brew up a road trip

Russian River Brewing Co. (image by Patricia Willers)

 

Now is the time for a semi-local brew road trip. Pick a couple of friends, find a designated driver, promise him or her a growler of choice – beer to go, fresh from the brewery tap – for the end of the trip, and visit one, two or all of the mouthwatering breweries just west of Sacramento. Road trip!

Starting from home, you might want to first hit up your favorite growler stop, though this all depends on where you plan to spend the night. Don't let it get warm! Track 7, Hoppy and Berryessa all have growlers. Toss a cooler stocked with ice in your trunk for growlers and 22-ouncers that you pick up along the way.
Did you remember to find a designated driver? Be sure to do so – and not just your best friend's pregnant wife, because that's just not fair. Suck it up and take turns. Just imagine the intelligent conversation you could have sober with brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo at Russian River Brewing Company.

Head west on Interstate 80 towards Davis. Here's where you make your first decision. You could take State Route 113 north all the way to Main Street in Woodland if you'd like to check out Black Dragon Brewery – either for the taproom or for homebrewing supplies.

Your other option is to get off in Davis and take Russell Boulevard, aka Lincoln Highway, west towards Winters. Stay glued to Russell (it becomes Grant Avenue in Winters, so no worries if it changes on you), and just after you get through town you'll run into Berryessa Brewing Company. It's almost impossible to get lost; there's just not that much else around.

Your next stop depends on the car you're driving – at least, it does for me.

View Map
Somehow I live in the valley without air conditioning, so I hug the bay for as long as possible. If you are in a similar position or simply prefer to road trip with the windows down and the breeze on your face, I recommend heading south on I-505 to I-80 and then curving west on Route 37 in cooler air. This also adds the possibility of a stop at Moylan's. This brewery and restaurant is located in Novato just north on U.S. Highway 101 after the junction of 101 and 37. You can even see the brew tank from the highway. Growler refill opportunity! If traffic is bad, perhaps you should stay for a bratwurst and sauerkraut as well.

 

  "Around the World" taster at Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 
You are now about to enter the beer wonderland that is Highway 101. Lagunitas Brewing Company is in Petaluma – go "Around the World" with friends and try 16 of their beers as part of a lengthy tasting. After that is Santa Rosa, where you will find yourself in heaven drinking Pliny the Elder and munching on Pliny pizza bites at Russian River Brewing Company (obvious growler opportunity as part of your Pliny parade).

View Map
2. Wait, were you totally repulsed by the idea of freeways and Marin County gated communities? There's some relief for you on State Route 128. From Berryessa Brewing Company, Grant Avenue will become winding 128, taking you through the Putah Creek Wildlife Area and on to Lake Berryessa, where I've been known to seek sweet lakeside ecstasy on a 100-degree day.

 

Berryessa Brewing Company (image by Patricia Willers)

After a fair to moderate amount of curving up, around and over hills, you'll find yourself heading through vineyards, fields of wild mustard and beautiful vistas on the way to St. Helena. I know, the wineries are tempting, but remember, this is a beer road trip. Stay focused. Highway 128 gets a little messy on the way there – why weave south and then west and north? I prefer to stay northbound and simply continue on Silverado Trail. From St. Helena, go west on Route 12 to Santa Rosa. Please note: If you choose this route, you will have to (and should) hit up Lagunitas on the way home, because you will not be passing through Petaluma.

Head west out of St. Helena on Spring Mountain Road. This will meet up with Calistoga Road and feed into Santa Rosa and your subsequent Pliny parade.

 

Appropriate growler care (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 
Itching to continue? Drive just a half-hour farther north to the town of Healdsburg, the home of Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Cloverdale is just past Healdsburg, yes, still on 101, and next is Ukiah, where you will find Ukiah Brewing Company's organic brewpub and restaurant.

From there? Well, you might as well just persevere and head to the North Coast. An Old Rasputin Russian imperial stout is all the better with the rough coastal winds beating against the window panes in whatever small, cozy Fort Bragg establishment you choose for the evening.

And that's it! You have everything you need for the beer weekend of a lifetime. Can you believe all these amazing breweries are within range? Thank you, NorCal.

Tips for a good time? Make it a long weekend, book a couple of budget hotels or campgrounds and switch drivers daily. But remember to switch. Your friend will never forgive you if you skip your turn and they miss out on Berryessa, Bear Republic and Russian River, you douche.

Good luck, and cheers!

 

Russian River Brewing Co. (image by Patricia Willers

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/82058/Choose_your_own_adventure_Brew_up_a_road_trip on April 30, 2013.

Perfect weather and a beer, anyone?

New taps at Dad's Kitchen

 

April and May are the perfect months for enjoying the Sacramento sun. Sure, you can drink a decent beer outside on many a streetside table, but this is about back patios, gardens and out-of-the-way spots to drink out of doors. A lack of car traffic is key, and both fountains and live music earn you extra points.
Before long it will be far too hot to sit and bask with a beer, so without further ado, here are five excellent places in the area to enjoy a beer outdoors.  If you agree, disagree, or wish to share your favorite spot in the area, I invite you to do so – secret spots welcome!

Bows & Arrows

 

The Bows & Arrows back patio (Image by: Bows & Arrows)

 
This collective has a nice, albeit generally minimal, selection of beers; excellent food made by in-house chef Gabriel Nokes; a great back courtyard and a constantly changing supply of art throughout the complex. Going to Safeway for groceries? Why not stop for a drink and bask in the sun for an hour or two on the way?

They are set up to sell almost anything in the place – clothing, art, jewelry, you name it. Don’t be intimidated – this is a benefit. There are things you are going to want. If you haven’t been, go. It’s a fountain oasis back there.

The Shack

 

The Shack's front patio (Image by: The Shack)
 
The Shack has amazing beer and plenty of it – and a fire pit for breezier evenings. They also have live music Thursday nights, mussels on Belgian Beer Night (Tuesdays) and Sacramento Beer Week master Dan Scott hosting trivia on Wednesdays.

Belgian beers, local beers, lambics, saisons, German beers – The Shack has choices for everyone. In fact, they have so many beers that you won’t know where to start.

Dad’s Kitchen

 

The back patio at Dad's Kitchen (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 
Dad’s Kitchen, featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives back in 2011, opened a new tap room and expanded patio on Tuesday night. The shady back patio can get rather packed, but the atmosphere is fun and the staff very friendly. They also frequently have live music. They stock numerous local brews, and as you may have guessed, their food is terrific and goes well with beer - health food fanatics need not stop by.

“Holy crustification,” Guy Fieri said about the Dad’s Burger, a burger encrusted with blue cheese and bacon. Pairs well with an IPA.

Notable facts: All-day happy hour Tuesdays means all beers are $4. During regular happy hours they have a $7 pitcher of PBR, plus one featured craft beer – usually for $4. They also serve Temple coffee if you are headed there for brunch and prefer not to drink in the morning.

Berryessa Brewing Company
This one is a must. It’s true, Berryessa Brewing Company probably isn’t within walking or biking distance of home, but it’s well worth the drive to Winters. They make great brews and the location is picturesquely situated between a vineyard and an orchard. In fact, they share the property with Berryessa Gap Vineyards. They also have frequent live music and along with it, a food truck or specialty caterer such as The Pasta Queen, The Hotdogger or Fuzion Eatz on site. You can also bring a picnic of your own.

 

Sacramento Beer and Chili Festival in Fremont Park (image by Patricia Willers)

Festivals
I admit, this is not a place, per se; you cannot just stop by any day of the week. But on a perfect spring day with sun and just the right amount of heat, there is no better place to be than at an outdoor beer festival. Fremont Park, Discovery Park, Raley Field - picture it.
 
There is an abundance of outdoor beer festivals in the Sacramento region, starting with the Sacramento Beer and Chili Festival at Fremont Park last Saturday and the Bockbierfest at the Sacramento Turn Verein, also this past weekend.

 

Friends and fun at the Sacramento Beer and Chili Festival (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 
If you missed last weekend, fear not. There are many more opportunities to come. Pick your favorite locale and get yourself a ticket. Bring friends and enjoy the beautiful weather and the insane variety of beers to choose from.

Upcoming festivals include the Capitol City International Beerfest at the Sacramento Turn Verein (STV) on Saturday, April 27. Proceeds from this event will go to the United States Handball Association FirstAce. The STV’s annual Maifest will take place on May 5 from noon to 5.  Now there’s a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Of all the beer festivals around, those hosted by the STV are the most family friendly. Before you are done with a liter, your son or daughter may be signed up for German language classes, dancing lessons or the STV soccer team. They also generally serve up some pretty delicious traditional German eats.

The West Coast Brew Fest will be Saturday, May 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Miller Park – a great spot right on the Sacramento River - and the 7th Annual Raley Field Brewfest will take place on Friday, June 7. Tickets are already on sale, so check it out for your chance to have a beer in the outfield.

If you’re a real planner, the California Brewers Festival at Discovery Park has already been set for Sept. 21, 2013. This festival serves as a terrific sendoff to the summer heat.

 

  California Brewers Festival 2011 (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

Honorable Mention goes to Lagunitas in nearby Petaluma. It’s not local, but it just isn’t right to have a list of outdoor drinking spots without mentioning them. Actually, next week here at the Sacramento Beer Writer we will be laying out a beer road trip. Block off a weekend in your calendar because you're not going to want to wait long before giving it a try.

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/81441/Perfect_weather_and_a_beer_anyone on April 11, 2013.

Beer Review: Logsdon Farmouse Ales Seizoen Bretta

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen Bretta is a specialty organic farmhouse ale from Hood River, Oreg.
For a saison, the beer is alcoholically strong (8 percent ABV) and slightly sour, owing to the use of wild Bretta yeast. The yeast that is used results in slightly sour undertones, countered by the ample use of sweet crystal malts. Together, the beer is incredibly complex, at the same time sweet, dry, sour and fruity.

The color is a rich and unfiltered golden straw yellow. The large bottle is perfect for sharing; open a bottle with a couple of friends and drink it together while comparing opinions. Seizoen Bretta is so complex that everyone will notice something different, while someone will insightfully summarize its various palatal pleasures.

A couple of other things should be mentioned. A beer of this style should be served at about 50 degrees, meaning you should let it warm out of the fridge for about 25 minutes before opening. When pouring, use a smallish, stemmed glass, not a pint glass. This type of glass is much better at holding temperatures and capturing yeasty aromas. If you don’t have beer glasses like this, wine glasses will do the trick.

Seizoen Bretta is typically available at Capitol Beer and Tap Room and The Davis Beer Shoppe in 750 milliliter bottles for about $10, but don’t wait too long to seek it out. What’s on the shelves now won gold in the American-Style Brett Ale category at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival.
Image by: Allison Joy
Image by: Patricia Willers

Previously published at: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/79946/Monthly_beer_tasting_Logsdon_Farmhouse_Ales_Seizoen_Bretta on March 18, 2013

The Switch to Spring Beers

Now that you’ve gotten over your beer week hangover, restored your previous sleeping habits and saved up some cash, take a few weeks to enjoy the changing season. Yes, we all love IPAs, but what else out there can ease us into the warm spring afternoons? The answer is the saison.

On cool nights, get your last few sips of the beers that are going out – barley wines, porters and sweet stouts. These rich varieties tend to go out of favor after the temperature gets above 80.

To be clear, there is no need to get rid of these beers. Strong, dark beers generally age very well. Find a dark, cool place to store them for the summer and they will be even better next fall. Heed the warning on storage though; both light and drastic temperature changes are dangerous for beer of any style.

Now on to the saison, a farmhouse ale. Lately, I just haven't been able to stop thinking about a light and refreshing 750 milliliter bottle of saison and how perfectly it pairs with the spring weather. I have tried something like eight in the last eight days – the perfect ratio for these fine afternoons we’ve been having. A saison is a Belgian beer, though not your typical Belgian beer. It is generally lighter in body, earthier and much more mellow. This type of beer, traditionally drunk in spring in Wallonia - the French speaking southern portion of Belgium – is normally bottled in a wine bottle and corked due to the high amount of carbonation.

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales Seizoen Bretta is a personal favorite. Check out my recent review here on The Sacramento Press site. It may be a little hard to find, but it’s worth it. Lately it has been available at both The Davis Beer Shoppe and Capitol Beer and Tap Room.

Beware that certain farmhouse ales, usually those of a lighter hue, contain what is known by beer connoisseurs as a “funky” yeast. If you want to be technical about it, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. This yeast is most unfortunately known for having the very distinct aroma of…horsehair.

Yes, horsehair. Some people actually like a certain amount of this flavor in a beer.

If it really gets to you, let it warm for a few minutes and it will lessen. The other option is to stick to the slightly maltier varieties such as the aforementioned Seizoen Bretta, North Coast Brewing Company's Le Merle or Hennepin, Brewery Ommegang's Farmhouse Saison. Saison Rue from The Bruery is yet another nice option. If you find yourself really enjoying this type of beer, expand your search to include all farmhouse ales and the always haughtily enticing French country ales.

 
Image by: Patricia Willers

You may have heard that Odonata Beer Company has plans to return to life in the near future. Its flagship beer was a saison that received 98 out of 100 at RateBeer.com. Unfortunately, this beer is currently only available as a limited-edition reserve release, available by special request or for special events.

In other news, we are about to see the end of blow-your-mind IPA season. Pliny The Younger season is over, but there are still a couple of interesting developments to look forward to. The first is Knee Deep Brewing Company’s Hopoholic 4x IPA. It should be released on tap and in bottles in the very near future – as soon as later this week – I suggest staying glued to their Twitter feed for updates.

The second development worth watching is Stone’s “Enjoy By” series. Enjoy By 04.20.13 will be available in Sacramento after March 20. Talk to your local beer proprietor to see if it’s going to be on their tap or bottle list. This particular version of the limited-release series is a double IPA at 88 IBUs and 9.4 percent ABV. It was bottled just last Friday and is the fifth in Stone’s “Enjoy By” series, Enjoy By 02.15.13 being the most lavishly hailed so far.

Stone chooses a number of sites around the country for each limited distribution, so not every release will be available in Sacramento. Enjoy by 04.20.13, though, is going to be available in pretty much the stoniest places in the country – Colorado, Alaska, Washington and Sacramento. Well done, Stone.

Previously published at: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/80552/The_switch_to_spring_beers on March 18, 2013

Good beer vibes at the Capital Beerfest 2013

Saturday afternoon visitors from all over the region headed to the Capital Beerfest for beer, fun and food trucks. Like last year, there were tons of local breweries pouring, but unlike last year, the locals were the stars this time around. Move over Sierra Nevada.

Highly enthused visitors streamed into Cal Expo starting at noon. At 2 p.m. when general admission opened there was a flood of new people and the exhibition hall was soon packed. The first two hours of the festival food was available, but it came with a price – a long line and precious pouring time wasted. Thankfully, there were also more than enough great food trucks, so no one went home hungry.

 

Newly opened New Helvetia Brewing Co. straddles the line between Midtown and Land Park. (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

The selection of beers poured was undeniably great. There were just under 100 breweries and almost everyone was pouring their best.

Sutter Buttes Brewing had Franklin Jr. on tap. At more than 158 IBUs (International Bittering Units), they call it an Imperial Triple Hop made especially for hop heads. I call it delicious, unique and worth a try. Loomis Basin Brewing Company poured Avenger XX IPA. Although it was a bit bitter for my taste, the aroma was terrific.

Black Diamond Brewing had a really nice Imperial Hoppy Red called Fracas. Assistant Brewer Paul Mallory was on hand talking to visitors about their new initiative to brew an experimental beer each month. Mallory also said that while their previous brewpub in Walnut Grove closed, they have a new tap room open in Concord.

Belgo Hoptologist was on cask at Knee Deep Brewing Company’s booth – a delicious treat while it lasted - but this wasn’t the biggest news coming out of Knee Deep. Brewer Jeremy Warren confirmed that they had brewed a quadruple IPA. Word is that it’s just over 12 percent, but Warren stated that the official laboratory results are yet to come in. Knee Deep will be working on several trial versions in the coming months. Many are skeptical about the possibility of creating a quality beer that is hoppy enough to be called a quadruple IPA, but they have accepted the challenge.

Speaking of imperial IPAs, Moylan’s poured Hop Craic XXXXIPA. Is this truly a quadruple IPA? Probably not, but with Hop Craic and Hopsickle, they will surely be continuing on the race towards IBU bliss.

 

Track 7 and Knee Deep tents (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 
Knee Deep in Beer Week, the collaborative brew, was available both at Knee Deep and Track 7 during the festival. Both breweries brewed a slightly different version, and I’m hopeful that either one or both will become permanent Sacramento beers. As you can tell from the photo above, there was never a dull moment at their tents. It was great to see two young local breweries doing so well and pouring such high-quality beers.

The absence of homebrewers put a bit of a damper on the day for some. Around and around you could go, but you would find no local homebrewers at this year’s Capital Beerfest. The Greenbelt Brewers Association, which meets at Sudwerk Brewing, got a call on Friday at 3 p.m. that said they were out, so all their bottles and kegs (including one on nitro) had to be left at home come Saturday. The exact reason that they were unable to participate this year was unclear, but regardless, their presence and fresh ideas and brews were missed. In a word, lame.

 

  The Greenbelt Brewers Association had no booth at this year's Capital Beerfest (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

Also missing from the action was North Coast Brewing Co. Just where were you last Saturday, Old Rasputin?

Despite the almost complete and total hop takeover of the California beer scene over the last year or two, there were still a few good spots at the beerfest for those uninterested in hops. Sierra Nevada had their Ovila Quad on tap, Stone Brewing Co. poured oak-aged Old Guardian – always a treat – and Oakland had something unique and not hoppy as well. Their Saison du Madre was a very healthy saison. The body was a touch sweet and the spritzy carbonation did it good.

Runnin’ For Rhett volunteers did the pouring and benefited from the proceeds of the event. The positive energy they bring to the beerfest each year is always a terrific addition to the day. Runnin’ For Rhett provides scholarships to college students enrolled in special education teaching programs and helps fund youth fitness programs for Sacramento area schools. They truly know how to “Uplift, encourage and move,” as their mission statement says.

So many breweries and so many great brews – just imagine all that is to come for this beer scene. Until next year, Sacramento Beer Week; until next week, Sacramento Beer Readers.

 

Odonata Beer Company announced their return just in time for SBW 2013. (Image by: Matt Doyle)

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/80037/Good_beer_vibes_at_the_Capital_Beerfest on March 4, 2013.

Pliny the Younger: Another 5 ounces, please

 

Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing Company's 10.25 percent ABV triple IPA, was featured on another local tap Thursday afternoon. One of the coveted 5-gallon kegs was tapped at Burgers & Brew in Davis on Thursday afternoon. Lines began forming around noon, although at 2 p.m. there were just around 70 people. Burgers & Brew had given Pliny enthusiasts plenty of time to prepare - they had posted the release date and time already on Monday on their Facebook page - so there was plenty of talk of rearranging work schedules. It might come as a surprise, but beer lovers can be quite organized and resourceful when it comes to limited-release brews.

Around 4 p.m. it seemed that the keg was running dry, and those still in line began to meander off sadly. All in all, the situation wasn't bad, even a few that came as late as 3 p.m. got a taste. The last 5-ounce pour was given to the three people still standing hopefully in line. The pour was shared happily.

Each customer got one 5-ounce pour for $2 - enough to taste, but nothing more. Burgers & Brew was also pouring Pliny the Elder, Firestone Walker Double Double Barrel Aged and Black Butte XXIV, as well as numerous other great beers, so at least thirsty patrons had something to turn to once the Younger was gone.

 

Image by: Patricia Willers

 

 

Image by: Patricia Willers

 

 

Image by: Patricia Willers

 

 

  Image by: Patricia Willers 

   

  Image by: Patricia Willers

 

 

Image by: Patricia Willers

   

  The things many will do for a taste of Pliny the Younger (Image by: Patricia Willers)

   

  Image by: Patricia Willers

 

 

Image by: Patricia Willers

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/79945/Pliny_the_Younger_Another_5_ounces_please_Photos on February 28, 2013.

Adrift in Beer Week

 

Blind double and triple IPA tasting at Boneshaker Pub (Image by Matt Doyle)
 
Sacramento Beer Week kicked off on Friday, and since then our region has played host to plenty of fun and real social contact in the name of beer. Fests, happy hours, tap takeovers, brunches, dinners and exclusive tastings – it has all been happening and there is more to come.

Some great local breweries have been featured and new collaborative brews released. The Knee Deep in Beer Week Track 7 collaboration, a really great Belgian double IPA, was both fresh and rich. Try it at Track 7 while it lasts, at Final Gravity on Thursday or at Capitol Beer and Tap Room on Friday.

Remember that author and brewing scientist Dr. Charlie Bamforth of the University of California, Davis, will be at New Helvetia tonight. The event is $30 at the door and includes up to six 10-ounce pours. If you prefer, learn to cook with beer at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op from 6 to 9 p.m.

Also tonight, The Davis Beer Shoppe will turn all its taps over to IPAs – 90 percent of which will be limited-release. Sure to be fantastic. Plus, when else do you get to try Sculpin on nitro? It’s rare to see an IPA of this kind of tap, but Sculpin’s balanced profile looks to be a very good fit.

Track 7 Brewing Co. (image by Patricia Willers)

If you missed the sold-out Mikuni and 21st Amendment dinner on Saturday, try Mikuni again Tuesday throughout the region. In Davis, Mikuni will feature Green Flash’s 5th Anniversary Double IPA. If you’re closer to Mikuni Roseville, stop in to try Rhizing Bines, an imperial IPA brewed by Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada. This beer is part of its Life & Limb collaboration series.

On any given night, if your group is fading but simply must continue on, head to 3 Fires Lounge at 15th and L for a Sierra, a pulled pork slider and garlic fries for $5 all beer week long. Other things to watch out for include Oskar Blues taps at Blackbird Kitchen & Bar, Pliny the Younger at Burgers & Brew (Sacramento and Davis) and Track 7’s Port Barrel Aged Dubbel.

Wednesday night at Magpie there will be a Drake’s tap takeover. Flights? Check. Hopocalypse, its wonderful and limited seasonal double IPA? Check. Hopocalypse Black Label Triple IPA? Go and find out.
There are, in fact, plenty of stops to help you make it through hump day. Barwest will be pouring Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA and Birra Etrusa, an herbal beer brewed as part of its Ancient Ales series. The Band of Gypsies collaboration will be at Flaming Grill on Wednesday as well.

Chimay is just $6 on Thursday at Zocalo, which sounds like the perfect opportunity for a mid-beer week date night. The Bruery, hailing from Southern California, will be featured at Pangaea Two Brews Cafe. The 750-milliliter bottles are perfect to share with an intimate group of beer-loving friends. If your friends are wine lovers and beer skeptics, this is a perfect gateway event. Thursday evening, don’t forget the tasting at the California Automobile Museum from 6 to 9 p.m.

Friday things will really pick up again. The Davis Beer Shoppe will go all barrel-aged, and Lagunitas founder Tony Magee will be making music at The Torch Club at 5:30 during happy hour. The Shack will host Coronado Brewing Company and the Whole Foods Folsom Bier Garten will be having a Grand Teton Tap Takeover.

Don't forget to get your tickets for the Capital Beerfest, with or without food, before Saturday rolls around. This is your best chance to try any and all beers you missed throughout the week, not to mention tasting and sharing some new favorites discovered during beer week. For a nice breakfast before the beerfest, start your Saturday at a Bluegrass Brunch at Hoppy Brewing. 

If you didn't get out this weekend, be not afraid, there are still enough days and events to go. Take a look below to see just a taste and a sip of what went on this past weekend.

 

Image by Patricia Willers

 

Boneshaker Pub in Rocklin, Calif. (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

 

Bicycle parking at Roseville Brewing Company (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

 

Roseville Brewing Company released a new brew - a wild brown - for their first anniversary party. (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 

 

Homebrewers like those in the Placer Ultimate Brewing Society brewing up a scotch ale at The Brewmeister in Roseville, Calif. (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 

 

  Loomis Basin Porter, cookies and SBW events - a nice afternoon at Final Gravity in Roseville, Calif. (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 

 

Dusk at Track 7 Brewing Co. (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

 

Fun, friends and family at Track 7 (Image by: Patricia Willers)

 

 

An amazing 3-course Belgian beer and cheese pairing at Blackbird Kitchen & Bar (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/79841/Adrift_in_Beer_Week on February 25, 2013.

Navigating Sacramento Beer Week 2013

Capital Beerfest 2012 (image by Matt Doyle)

Capital Beerfest 2011 (image by Patricia Willers)

 There is no more exciting time in the Sacramento craft beer scene than right now, a mere five days before Sacramento Beer Week. Starting Friday, SBW will consume bars, restaurants, breweries and tap rooms in the area and bring in new SBW brews, rare treats and more. The fourth annual week of fun will continue until March 3, when the week will conclude with a delicious brunch after a full Saturday at the Capital Beerfest on March 2 at Cal Expo. Come from noon to 5 p.m. for beer and food tasting and 2 to 5 p.m. for beer tasting only. Tickets are $75 and $45, respectively.

Like last year, the number of events scheduled on the official SBW calendar is in the hundreds and continuing to grow. Who could have imagined just four short years ago that the beer scene in Sacramento could have grown to such a tremendous level – with so many breweries, bars and local brews to be proud of.

As always, the tough part is deciding which events to choose, which beers to try and how exactly to make the most of what SBW has to offer. While there will be no shortage of hopportunities this year, there are a couple of key terms that you should certainly keep your eye on, specifically, tap takeovers and vertical tastings.

A vertical tasting is a tasting that includes several of the same beer from different years – vintages, you might say. This allows a beer enthusiast to experience, in one sitting, how a beer evolves over time by tasting multiple vintages in succession. Rubicon's Old Stock Ale vertical tasting is already inked in on my calendar for Wednesday. They will be pouring North Coast Brewing Co.'s Old Stock Ale from ‘04, ‘06, ‘08, ‘10 and ‘12.  Along with cheese, charcuterie and grapes – it is simply not to be missed. Vertical tastings typically include dark, rich and barrel-aged beers. A high-ABV doesn’t hurt either.

If you are a newborn hophead and don’t see any vertical tastings to your liking, be understanding rather than disappointed. IPAs, and especially double and imperial IPAs, are best served fresh – very fresh. A year-old imperial IPA would be a waste; hop aromatics just don’t last. There’s a reason Pliny the Younger is only available two weeks a year.

A tap takeover is when a proprietor changes all their taps to one brewery or type of brew. This type of event is especially prevalent this beer week. What’s great about a tap takeover is that the brewery comes to you – or better yet, to your favorite local watering hole. Worthwhile tap takeovers include Green Flash at the Pourhouse, Deschutes Night at Hot City Pizza, Ruhstaller at Old Soul at The Weatherstone, or for those feeling like a night of luxury, Allagash Brewing Company at Pangaea Two Brews Café.

 

  The 2012 Capital Beerfest (Image by: Matt Doyle)

 
Be Beer Curious 

Knowledge will be in plentiful supply this beer week, so be sure to get out and chat. Ask Dr. Charlie Bamforth of the University of California, Davis questions at New Helvetia Brewing Co., watch a brewing demonstration at The Brewmeister in Roseville or attend a class on tasting and describing at Pyramid with David Teckam, a Grand Master III level judge (Beer Judge Certification Program).

Hotspots

Each year there seems to be one brewery or establishment that really shines. Last year, Ruhstaller was everywhere, and in 2011 Lagunitas was the star. So far this year it looks like Rubicon Brewing Company has snatched that title. They will host some quite notable events – let’s just hope their aesthetically perfect patio has enough space available. Their events are varied, but each shines in a special way. Firkins kick it all off on Friday, followed by Craft in a Can Fest on Sunday. On Monday, hopheads and Deadheads unite while Vincent Sterne spins some Grateful Dead at the release of a collaboration with Two Rivers Cider.

On the food front, brunches will be held at The Shack, Low Brau and The Porch. They all look so delicious that it is impossible to even make recommendations. Beer dinners are more than plentiful as well, although you should be sure to get tickets early because they tend to fill up. The Oskar Blues Beer Pairing dinner at The Porch on Friday, March 1 is just one mouthwatering possibility.

Gubna. Enough said.

 

  A beer enthusiast celebrates his love hops and malt at the Capital Beerfest in 2011. (Image by: Matt Doyle)
 
Support your local breweries at River City Brewing Company’s kickoff event on Friday, where they will be pouring beers from seven local breweries. You’ll get even more local taste at Final Gravity’s Local Brewery Total Tap Takeover the next day.

Besides the giant, 90-brewery Capital Beerfest, the 2nd annual Sour Fest at Hot City Pizza and Funkfest at Samuel Horne's Tavern in Folsom are both worth checking out.

Every single day more events show up on the SBW calendar, so don’t rule anyone out. Join the SBW mailing list or follow them on Twitter to stay informed.

Do it up right for nine days, making sure to take advantage of the aged, the new, the rare and the paired. Morant’s Sausages are just the beginning, and that’s saying something.

If it seems like it’s all too much, Extreme Pizza is having its own brewery tour. Reserve a spot on the bus and see three or four great local breweries in one day.

The Sacramento Beer Writer will now be posting columns on The Sacramento Press site twice a month – the date varying depending on the events in the spotlight and whether I am at home and free for the typing or out on the town at an unbeatable event. Check back for beer week coverage and return next month for advice on how to survive your beer week hangover. You can sign up to have the Beer Writer delivered directly to your inbox.
Enjoy!

Originally published at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/78619/Navigating_Sacramento_Beer_Week_2013 on February 18, 2013.