Category: Brewery Tour

A concise brewery bio

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BC Brewery # 1 – Bad Tattoo

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Our first Canadian and more specifically British Columbia stop is the Bad Tattoo Brewing Company with their impressive logo.  They are based in Penticton (which I have yet to visit) They just started up kegging and serving beer in late July/ early August.  And since they are so new, their website only shows four beers  so those are the four beers that I will put on my taster tray.

You can start with ACP their sessionable beer that is short for Achieve, Conquer & Persevere.  Then move on to Los Muertos Cerveza  Negra a malt forward dark lager.  Before dipping into the hop pool with their West Coast IPA.  To finish the aptly named Full Sleeve Stout.

Frankly I don’t know how people stand the pain of tattoos but if an arm with a tattoo is proffering me a beer, I frankly don’t care.

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Can’t Keep Up with PDX

I’m start to get happy about the increasing rate of brewery openings in the greater L.A. / SoCal area and then I read an article like this ONE from the New School Blog that covers the Portland area.

Touting three new openings coming soon. (I particularly like the name Culmination for a brewery)

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Now I feel like we are back to being months and years behind Portland’s beer scene.  Aaargh!

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Dutch Brewery # 3 – Brouwerij Maximus

Maximus Brouwerij Pop-Up Store at DDW 2012 Eindhoven 11[1]

Our final stop in the Netherlands is back in Utrecht at Brouwerij Maximus.  They have a wonderful design sense which really draws you and then you peruse their beer list and even in Dutch, you can tell what kind of magic they are wielding with their brew kettles.

The beer that really caught my eye (which I assume is a seasonal or special release) is their Maximus Cuvee Bergamot Brett.  Tea is not used enough in beer and I think the combo of Brett bugs and Bergamot would make a really crazy combo. But the following are the four beers that I would put in my taster tray first.

Maximus Highhops 6 – A Dutch take on IPA.

Maximus Pumpkin – How theatrical will their Pumpkin be compared to the American amped versions.

Maximus Stout 8 – A basic stout can tell a lot about a brewery

Maximus Koffie Stout – European coffee can be quite different and I would to see if their is a major taste change.

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Dutch Brewery # 2 – Rooie Dop

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The second stop in the Netherlands is Rooie Dop. Don’t even ask how to pronounce it. Just drink up from this Utrecht brewery.

And the first beer on my e-taster tray is “Dedicated to the king of all Dutch beer hunters – Ot Louw. A bitter concoction dry hopped with our American hops into an 8% double IPA.

Utrecht Strong Ale is next a big ale that has “Big hops dominate the aroma and big malts support them in taste.”

Lastly I will try the Double Oatmeal Stout Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Long name indeed. They “took our regular Double Oatmeal Stout and put that beauty in barrels. It has been aged for five months in three different barrels: Wild Turkey, Satin wood and Buffalo Trace.”

I haven’t seen their beers in the L.A. market but they have done collaboration beers with English breweries to create a Double White IPA and a Lapsang Saison so maybe they might hop the pond to the US!

PS – As of today, Daily Grind, their coffee beer is in LA now!

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Reel Brew Co.

The crowdfunding bloom may be off the rose but you should still take the time to evaluate each offer on it’s own merits instead of due to one’s overall feelings toward Kickstarter or IndieGoGo.

So check out this new brewery concept for Reel Brew:

In the end run, it is the quality of the beer that matters but this idea does fill a specific niche that may well take off. If that is your feeling then check out more, right HERE.

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Dutch Brewery # 1 – Duits & Lauret

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Our first stop in the Netherlands is at Duits & Lauret.  Which is a “speciaalbierbrouwerij” brewing “speciaalbieren”.  They also recently invaded the states with some of their beers.  And by invade, I mean stopped at Belmont Station during Oregon BrewFest time.

Here is what I would sample first if I walked up to their booth at a beer fest…..

Extra (Sterke) Blonde – I know I should try the blonde first but I think I would go to the Extra first.

TreVeden 2013 – A Robust porter would be my next stop and this version offers wood and smoke notes.

Dopplebock – Taking the next step up to a German style gone Dutch.

Stout – Gotta finish with the stout to make a full comparison of the line-up.

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Maryland Brewery # 3 – Public Works Ale

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Public Works Ale is our final stop in Maryland. And it is sitting atop a piece of Baltimore Oriole history.  Their home, until 1944.  And they give 1% of their sales to job training in the community. Because, if a person finds a job, they might spend their money on beer.  Your beer.  Smart thinking.  But we are here to talk beers.  Specifically which beers that I would have in my taster tray….

Well there are three mainstays,  the Knuckle Buster IPA, Red Cent Amber and the Fair Shake APA for starters.  And that is it (for now),  So have your beers then walk around Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Art Museum which are nearby.

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Maryland Brewery # 2 – Flying Dog Brewery

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Flying Dog Brewery is our next stop in Maryland.  Easily recognized by a large distribution footprint as much as for their iconic Ralph Steadman artwork on their labels.

Since their beers are seen around the country (and this column is ostensibly to promote people traveling to these breweries), I have chosen from the “rarer” side of their beer ledger for my taster tray from this Frederick based brewery, starting with:

Lemongrass Rice Ale

“This beer was inspired by the unique spice blends in Thai cuisine and is as versatile in matching up with those flavors as a Thai menu is (often) overwhelming. You know what to drink, so the trick will be deciding on what to order.”

Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale

“Dead Rise was brewed to highlight the indelible, bold character of OLD BAY with citrus hop notes and a crisp, tart finish. Pair it with tables piled high with shrimp, corn, and Maryland Blue Crab.”

Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout

“With the perfect balance of roasty stout and chocolately coffee notes, Kujo’s bark is just as big as his bite. Flavor notes: Subtle earthiness with prominent coffee, vanilla, chocolate, and toffee flavors Pairs with: Anything nutty, chocolately, or toffee-flavored”

Woody Creek Belgian White

“Woody Creek is light and refreshing for a reason, so be careful not to overpower it with heavy foods. Flavor notes: Refreshing and light citrus notes with subtle wheat, coriander, and orange flavors Pairs with: Light cheeses; Asian foods with wasabi and ginger; light shellfish; fruity desserts”

 

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Maryland Brewery # 1 – DuClaw Brewing Company

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We start our Maryland tour at DuClaw Brewing Company located in Baltimore.  Home of the Orioles and Ravens if you are a sports fan.

With founder Dave Benfield and brewmaster Jim Wagner, this brewery has outgrown their original brewery and is now in much better digs.  All the better to sample my picks for my initial taster tray from DuClaw….

Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, “first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% abv brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. But if you submit to our Dirty Little Freak, be warned: there is no safe word.”

Colossus “is dark amber in color and full-bodied with a perceptively sweet flavor profile accented by notes of apple, and a surprisingly tame alcohol presence on the palate in light of its staggering 21.92% abv. This astounding alcohol content (the highest ever brewed in the state of Maryland and verified by the Siebel Institute) is achieved through fermentation alone; no alcohol is introduced at packaging nor it distilled. Multiple grains are used in conjunction with three different yeast strains to produce a beer that simply defies classification… and most laws of nature.”

Misery “is light amber in color with a thin, persistent, white head and enticing aroma of grains, fruits and candy. Like all Wheat Wines, Misery boasts a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a strong 11.2% abv, well hidden by an agonizingly delicious mix of malt and fruit flavors.”

Seems like a fun brewery from the artwork style is quite bold and in your face.  I like it even though I am not into heavy metal music.

Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% abv brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. But if you submit to our Dirty Little Freak, be warned: there is no safe word. – See more at: http://www.duclaw.com/beer/dirty-little-freak/#sthash.BVH8avse.dpuf
Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% abv brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. But if you submit to our Dirty Little Freak, be warned: there is no safe word. – See more at: http://www.duclaw.com/beer/dirty-little-freak/#sthash.BVH8avse.dpuf
Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% abv brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. But if you submit to our Dirty Little Freak, be warned: there is no safe word. – See more at: http://www.duclaw.com/beer/dirty-little-freak/#sthash.BVH8avse.dpuf