Category: Brewery Tour

A concise brewery bio

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Minnesota Brewery # 2 – Utepils

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Not too many soon-to-be breweries can boast of not only a backyard waterfall but also a natural springs that the brewery can use for their future beer. But what was initially Bryn Mawr Brewing and is now Utepils (ooh-ta-pils) will be rocking in the fall of this year.

If you are not a Norwegian language expert the name in short means Outside Beer but in common parlance has come to mean “the first beer enjoyed outdoors in the sunshine after a long, dark winter.” The brewery has snagged Eric Harper who has had past brewing stints at Summit Brewing and the famed New Glarus.

Since they are not open as of yet, the full beer menu has yet to be written but there are at least three to start your taster tray off with…
….a traditional hefeweizen, an altbier, and a Czech-style pilsner made using special hops from Bohemia Hop Company.
As you can see, there will be a bit of a traditional European bent to the beers to begin.

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Minnesota Brewery # 1 – Venn Brewery

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You may see the word Venn and think diagram but it is also Norwegian for “Friend” hence the head brewer working at another area brewery while Venn gets up and running, later this year.

When Venn Brewery does open, these are the beers I will be trying in their Minneapolis taproom:

SCHWARZBIER (BLACK LAGER) (4-5%)
“Sometimes called a “Black Pilsner,” this beer is deceivingly dark. It is nearly black in color, yet light and refreshing, and offers a mild roasty flavor with hints of bread crust. If you’ve never thought of yourself as a dark beer drinker, this is the beer that will make you think again.”

MUNICH HELLES (5%)
“Pronounced Hell-ess, this golden lager is evenly balanced between malt and hops. Easily drunk, yet plenty flavorful, it will satisfy both the craft beer connoisseur and the dedicated light lager drinker. We call it our gateway beer, because, well, taste one and see.”

CLASSIC AMERICAN PILSNER (5.5-6%)
“Light gold in color, this hop-forward lager has notes of fresh bread dough with a crisp, floral, slightly spicy finish. A throwback to the way pilsners were made pre-Prohibition, this beer takes the best American ingredients and treats them the way our German immigrant ancestors did. It’s a pilsner with the volume turned way, way up.”

SAHTI (7%)
“Venn’s take on a traditional Scandinavian farmhouse ale. Mashed with rye and oats and boiled with juniper berries, Sahti offers an earthy and complex malt profile with a bright, piney finish. We may not make it over burning wood fires in the forests of Norway during the deepest part of winter, but we do imbue this unusual brew with all the flavors of the northland for a beer that’s as captivating as it is delicious.”

BELGIAN TRIPEL (9%)
“The complex union of lemon, orange and black pepper compliment the soft and elegant malt character of this amber Belgian ale. It is very dry and carbonated, a refreshing drink for spring and early summer. If champagne died and was reborn as a beer, this is what it would come back as.”

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FWIBF Brewery # 3 – Mahrs Brau

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The Final stop highlighting breweries who participated in this year’s FWIBF takes us to Bamberg, Germany and the “Tradition and craftsmanship” of Mahrs Brau.

The brewery has been “family-owned and firmly rooted in the [Franconia] region since 1895.” Which of course means that they follow the traditional Reinheitsgebot in their nine Mahr’s beers.
Whomever you are, when you visit Mahr’s Bräu you can see that we weren’t established yesterday.

Here are the beers that I would drink from this brewery that was first mentioned way back in 1670 and probably had roots earlier…

Mahrs Bräu Pilsner 4.9%
“Bright, brilliant yellow: That’s how our Pilsner pours into a glass, with its fine foamy head, it’s already a visual experience. But it’s not brewed just to look at. Take a whiff, perhaps? Above all you’ll find a distinct hops aroma stands out. This comes from the refined, tailored mix of Hallertauer aromatic hops. And how does it taste? Light and dry, carried by a delicately tart bitter note, and a round and very well-balanced finish.”

Mahrs Bräu Hell (Pale Ale) 4.9%
“Straight ahead and straight on – our Helles is not a drink of many words, but rather an honest, direct beer. Dare we say, a bit philosophical? But please, we digress… A creamy head atop a golden yellow core: inside mild, fine and spicy with a hint of sweetness. Delivering a certain hops-bouquet, and a finale of malty goodness that drives you to immediately order the next “Seidla” (half-liter).”

Mahrs Bräu Weisse (Wheat/White) 4.9%
“Upper Bavaria has been known to brew the best wheat beers in the world. This has seemed to entice other Frankish breweries away from brewing a solid white. But not us! Effervescent as it pours, so powerfully beautiful and golden-yellow, followed up by a slowly cascading veil of yeast… even to the staunch wheat beer connoisseur it’s love at first sight! But don’t worry. This is purely flirtatious. As you take your first sip, you experience the sweet, wonderfully fruity, slightly banana-like taste that seems to signal the dawning of a long awaited summer. How do we do it? With a special top-fermented wheat beer yeast, lots of wheat malt, and complex in-bottle fermentation process.”

Mahrs Bräu a U 5.2%
“The “U” stands for “Ungespundet”, which means unfiltered and outrageously good. Simply pronounced, “Ahh Ooo”, like the two vowels, means you would like a U beer. No language skills required, and you finally have a great beer that doesn’t take a long time to order. What comes to your table, if one orders a U? You’ll get an extraordinary, yeast-turbid specialty beer with a full-bodied smooth-malt character. Pleasantly tart and lightly carbonated, it is a beer that goes just as well with a good meal as it does with a relaxing evening after work.”

Mahrs Bräu Bock Beer 6.8%
“Connoisseurs and friends of our Bock look forward to October every year, because everyone knows it’s the beginning of Mahr’s Bock brewing season. It’s not just the sun-soaked golden color that revives old memories of the fading summer, but also its pure, fine hoppy scent and satisfying malt flavor. The unique thing about this beer is its ambivalent character: on the one hand velvety smooth, almost viscous as it goes down; on the other hand, it is characterized by a sleek, Autumnal, hoppy flavor.”

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FWIBF Brewery # 2 – Creature Comforts

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Days before I left for Paso Robles, I saw the Creature Comforts logo somewhere on the interwebs either about a new beer or a new to canned beer and I made a mental note to try to try their beer at the FWIBF.

Thankfully, I got a taste of their Tropicalia IPA at the Friday night party and was smitten with it. Which is hard to do in such a crowded category. I sampled some Tritonia the next day and was impressed by that as well.

With those two on board the taster tray, here are some others to try the next time you are in Georgia.

Bibo® – Pilsner
“Bibo® (pronounced bēbō) is a true pilsner with ingredients from five different countries that has a pronounced continental hop flavor and aroma in an incredibly well-balanced package. We use an enormous amount of the classic Czech Saaz and a touch of Motueka hops from New Zealand to put a new world twist on this beautiful old world style. Motueka offers a subtle pineapple note that underlies a harmony of the traditional black pepper, herbal, and cracker grain character pilsners are famous for. Bibo® is dry, quenching, and frankly amazingly delicious.”

Cucumber and Lime Tritonia – Gose
“With a touch of coriander and sea salt, you can say this beer was Triton-born. We made a Gose and we’re calling it Tritonia. This limited release offering was made with Cucumber and Lime and is available in kegs and serving at your favorite craft beer bars now.”

Automatic – Pale Ale
“We are bringing back our seasonal American Pale Ale, Automatic! Automatic is a modern pale ale with an ABV of 5.2-¬‐percent that features a prominent hop flavor and aroma. The beer appears hazy and straw colored with densely packed and persistent white foam. A mix of Mosaic and Crystal hops are used to create a delicate balance and give the beer an aroma that features a complex array of berry, citrus, herbal and pine notes.
The name Automatic is a nod to the community in which we are located – Athens, GA. It’s a reference to the slogan of a local restaurant, Weaver D’s that inspired one of REM’s most prolific albums – Automatic for the People.”

Reclaimed Rye® – Rye Amber aged on French Oak
“A uniquely complex and flavorful amber ale. French oak and rye malt lend to a well-rounded body with delicate undertones of toasted bread, spice, and subtle vanilla. We set out to show a new light onto the amber style with this beer, and to reclaim it back from the ordinary.”

Tropicália® – American IPA
“A balanced, soft, and juicy IPA. Ripe passion fruit and citrus hop aroma lead to a full, fruit-forward hop flavor that washes over the palate, ending with subtle bitterness. Some folks say they don’t like hoppy beers, and to that we say that hops do not equal bitterness. Hops offer a whole world of flavors, not just bitterness. In Tropicália®, they exude a luscious fruit journey your palate can enjoy over and over without fatigue.”

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FWIBF Brewery # 1 – Side Project

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It is both appropriate and inappropriate for me to highlight Side Project from FWIBF16. They did win the People’s Choice award but I did not taste one beer from them. Boo on me. Of course I probably only tasted 15% of the breweries.

Side Project grew out of Cory King’s work at Perennial Artisan Ales where the “project” was born. According to the SP website the focus of the beers is on the oak and what barrels bring to beers. That is pretty evident in the beers that I would like to try, if there were no line and no Paso Robles heat to contend with.

Blanc de Blancs – “… is our Bière de Champagne that was fermented and aged in Missouri Oak Chardonnay barrels with Missouri Chardonnel Grapes. The depth and complexities were developed from the native microflora that was present on the local grape skins in which the beer was aged on for 18 months before being naturally conditioned in the bottle.”

Black & Wild – “… is the antithesis of most American Wild Ales. The robust nature of the intense acidity, bold sour cherries and chocolaty malt is layered with the deep notes of vanilla, spicy charred oak and rich caramels from the used bourbon barrels in which this beer matured for more than a year.”

Grisette – “… is inspired by the soft session beers of Belgium. The blond color, notes of floral European hops and delicate, dry finish create a complex, yet very approachable beer. This farmhouse table beer was aged in wine barrels with Brettanomyces for six months.”

Le Saisonnier – “… is named after the seasonal workers for which the first, old-world Saisons were originally brewed. Amber in color and fermented in and aged in Chardonnay barrels with a blend of yeast and bacteria, Le Saisonnier is bright, balanced and refreshing.”

Unblended #25 – “Our Unblended beers are our special, single barrel releases in which the characteristics of the beer in the barrels are too unique to blend with anything else. This release, Unblended Barrel #25, is an Old Ale that was aged with Missouri microflora in a Blanton’s barrels for 18 months and then bottle conditioned for 6 months before being released.”

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Yorkshire Squares in Torrance

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Thankfully the latest brewery that I have heard about on the way won’t be in Torrance. It will be in “old” Torrance. Yorkshire Square Brewery will be focusing exclusively on the English-style cask-conditioned beer. Plus they will have food too!

The venture is headed by Gary Croft, a former Leeds, England native. They have also recently nabbed Andy Black as the head brewer. Black, you will recall, started the casks rolling at MacLeod’s before a brief stint at El Segundo.

More news as it comes in. Look for a later this year opening.

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Gluten Free Brewery # 3 – Aurochs Brewing

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The final gluten-free stop is on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania and the soon to re-open Aurochs Brewing Company.

The brewery shut down for major renovations last year and is currently open for growler fills four days a week with one or two different styles on offer.

When I say major, I mean a quantity of NEW….

1. New drains were cut and installed on the production floor
2. New water, gas, glycol and compressed air lines were run throughout the brewery –
3. New steam boiler, glycol chiller and air compressor to enhance our production capacity and efficiency
4. New brew system – both the brew side and the fermentation side for substantially increased brewing capacity
5. New Meheen bottling system to package our beer into 22oz bottles
6. The tasting room was expanded and given a face lift
7. New tap wall was installed with eight taps to allow us to expand our draft menu over time
8. New signage was installed facing the boulevard making it a lot easier to find us
9. New Packaging Design – We are excited to introduce the addition of 22oz bottles of certain Aurochs varieties in 2016. In order to do so we had to create a label and seek all of the proper approvals from the TTB and the PaLCB.
10. New Recipes – Designing and creating new beers is almost as enjoyable as drinking new and different beers. We will be adding to our stable of great tasting, naturally gluten free beers throughout 2016.

Now that the Top10 list is done. On to the beers in the taster tray…

WHITE ALE “Try something wild. Our refreshing, versatile white ale—brewed from untamed grains—offers hints of citrus and a bit of spice. Smooth and slightly tart, the beer pairs well with most food, especially fish, lighter Mexican dishes, and desserts. Drink it with dinner or on its own—it tastes great either way.”

“Our AMBER ALE is about balance and breaking down barriers. The malt base of light roasted millet and quinoa offers hints of toast and biscuits, which is complemented by the spicy and floral notes from Styrian Golding and Cascade hops. This beer is perfect for any occasion and any season. The caramelized roast character make it a perfect pairing for barbecue and burgers. The floral and spicy hop notes pair well with Mexican, Thai, and Vietnamese food. The light body and 4.7% ABV make this a perfect beer for any drinking session.”

PALE ALE. “A perfect blend of aromatic notes of pine and citrus blend with just the right touch of bitterness to create a personal favorite of Aurochs Brewing Co. staff.”

BROWN ALE. “Caramel flavor compliments dark roasts of millet malt, finished with a cascade hop to create a beer thats perfect for burgers and BBQ.”

“Dark with strong roast character, the Aurochs PORTER is malty and delicious. This beer highlights a blend of deep roasted malts and quinoa for a creamy finish.”

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More Brewing North of Us

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In addition to Third Window that I touched upon earlier this month, two more breweries from north of L.A. have entered the fray in past months and the first, MadeWest Brewing Company of Ventura, CA started distributing their core Pale Ale and IPA in March.
The MadeWest tasting room is located at 1744 Donlon Street in Ventura, and is open 7 days a week with ample indoor and patio seating.

And in Goleta you will find the M. Special brewery whose brewhouse is helmed by Joshua Ellis and will have a “portfolio of beers … ranging from flavors IPA’s to a Crisp American Lager.”
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Wine to Beer

Even the least ardent wine drinkers probably is familiar with the winery brand of Kendall-Jackson. Now the wine label is joining team craft beer with the construction of a new 25,000-barrel brewery in Sonoma County.

Seismic Brewing Company is being pushed forward in Santa Rosa, by Christopher Jackson who is still an owner of the Jackson Wine business.

The slated for fall brewery has attracted brewers from both Firestone Walker and Anderson Valley which is a good start for sure.

More updates to come when they arrive on the interwebs.
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Gluten Free Brewery # 2 – Burning Brothers Brewing

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With a nod to the Artist formerly known as, we head to Minnesota next to Burning Brothers Brewing whose About declares, “Burning Brothers is committed 100% to gluten-free. We don’t use gluten-free filtering, gluten-free enzymes or any other gluten-free gimmicks. Instead we use naturally gluten-free ingredients to create great-tasting and unique beers for you.”

Without further ado, here are the beers that I would put in my taster tray:
“Parched” Lime Shandy: “The citrus notes of our all American hops combined with the lime of our shandy will have you salsa dancing in no time. Our fans state that “Parched” taste like summer. Not too sweet with a nice tart that balances with the hops like they were meant to be together.”

English Mild: “Subtle, crisp bitterness on the front finishes with a touch of biscuit and nuts on the back. This session style comes in at a low alcohol (~3.0% ABV) and is intended to be a lightly-flavored, easy to drink and malt-accented beer.”

“Pyro” American Pale Ale: “An American twist on an English bitter, this light fruity beer is a drink that can be enjoyed at any time! We substitute the traditional English flavor with our own unique blend of American hops. Note the initial taste of orange followed by just a hint of grapefruit. Three years in the making, our APA stands strong against any other APA on the market.”

“Roasted” Coffee Strong Ale: “Beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced, and Arabs began cultivating coffee in the 14th century. With histories like that, and our love for coffee being almost as great as our love for beer, how could we not combine the two? “Roasted” is a single-hopped strong ale blended with cold brewed coffee. Because we never heat the coffee, the bitter oils in the coffee remain present, but not dominant. This creates a smooth balance of bitter and sweet with hints of caramel. This award winner took third place in a brewing competition, yet we forgot to tell them it was gluten-free.”