Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
I got my first chance to sample some new Ventura County Brew from Enegren Brewing last night at the crowded but AC filled tasting room at Wades Wines.
My final Verdict was that the X1 Valkyrie was the best followed by the Protector IPA, regular Valkyrie and then the Summer Session.
If you are in Santa Monica next Wednesday, Enegren will be at the famous Library Alehouse.
Farm to table. It always warms my heart to see craft beer joining forces with artisans. Be it beer cocktails with bartenders, beer dinners with chefs or with local ingredients like the Almanac Beer Co.
“…a brewery dedicated to producing seasonal artisan ales, brewed specifically to complement local cuisine sourced and prepared with the same great care and craft.”
The Summer 2010 vintage is only available in San Francisco so unless you are a Bay Area denizen, you will have to drool over the cheese and entree pairing on the website.
These guys age their beer a long time and in limited amounts but I like the ethos. Very similar to the passion that Stone Brewing has as well.
Near San Diego, in the town of Santee is Manzanita Brewing. They are a small-batch brewery with five year rounds beers and a few seasonals tossed in throughout the year.
We are a Small-Batch Craft Brewery in Santee, CA. We are passionate about Quality Craft Beer. We will have 5 year round beers and many seasonal beers available throughout the year.
Here are two beers that caught my eye….
Gillespie Brown; “a malty and sweet brew followed by a toasted chocolate flavor. Its dark brown appearance and deep roasted aroma translates into a smooth warm distinct finish.”
“A pint of Manzanita Horizon Red Ale is guaranteed to deliver a great initial malt flavor with a roasted grain aftertaste and dry Irish finish every time.”
For the month of June, the Beer Search Party is reviewing beers from Iron Fist in Vista California. Our second brew is Golden Age…
I haven’t even had any Figueroa Mountain beer and now another entrant nearby is brewing.
The Solvang Brewing Company crafting beers to fit the Danish tourist attraction. Windmill Wheat ale, 1547 Porter and Valhalla IPA among others.
So if you find yourself with some ableskiver, you can now have a beer to go with.
“In the spirit of tradition let’s “Øl” have some ALE!! Skál or in English, cheers!”
As I was patiently waiting to see beer handles for El Segundo Brewing, another beach brewery was also bubbling away.
Venice Beach Brewing is headed by brewer Kerr Smith and has two beers ready….
Venice Ale
Our signature Amber Ale which we created right out of the gate. A unique blend of malt and hops crafted to perfection with love and lust. Not to mention a little help from the mighty Summit Hop.
June Gloom
Cloudy, like its namesake month, this superb Belgian White, a mix of half wheat and half barley, with a touch of coriander, makes this the perfect beer to chase those clouds away.
…..with two more (Dirty Blonde and Ink Chocolate Oatmeal Stout) in the pipeline.
There will be a release party sometime this month.
I have yet to try any beers from this new-to-me brewery which brews in Modesto and is headquartered in Tarzana. Hopefully their Seismic IPA, Angelino Pale and Red Carpet will make their way into one of my local beer bars.
They have a nice website and a good roster of beers (even though some aren’t produced yet) They also have a charitable bent to them which is a plus in my book. Count me as cautiously optimistic.
Have YOU tried SoCal’s beers? If so, let me know your opinion of them.
UPDATE
I sampled the Seismic IPA and Red Carpet Ale last night at Blue Palms. Part of the SoCal tour that takes them to a beer bars here in LA. I and my beer buddy, Richard both preferred the IPA over the red but both made us hopeful for the rest of the line-up.
The March edition of my 2011 Beer Challenge is going to go all legal. I apologize if this puts anyone to sleep.
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 25200-25206
This is the main section that hurts the growler cause
25200. All beer sold in this State shall have a label affixed to the package or container thereof, upon which shall appear the true and correct name and address of the manufacturer of the beer, and also the true and correct name of the bottler of the beer if other than the manufacturer. No manufacturer, importer, or wholesaler of beer shall use a container or carton as a package or container of a beer other than such beer as is manufactured by the manufacturer whose name or brand of beer appears upon the container or carton, or use as a package or container of a beer a container or carton which bears the name of a manufacturer of beer or the brand of any beer other than those of the manufacturer of the beer contained in the container or carton.
If I am reading it correctly. The container must have the brewery name on it and the beer inside must be made by that brewer. Thus a growler is stuck. It can’t be blank. And once Brewery A puts the logo on and then only A brand beer can go in.
In my mind that leaves only one option. An addendum exempting Made in California growlers needs to be attached to this section of code.
25202. Manufacturers’ names, brand names, print, or markings first placed on returnable beer containers or cartons made of wood or fiber board shall not be obliterated, mutilated, or marked out without the written consent of the manufacturer whose name, brand, or printed markings is to be obliterated, mutilated, or marked out. This section does not apply to wood or fiber board containers or cartons of a beer manufacturer who has discontinued business and production and is no longer a licensed beer manufacturer.
This section rules out stickers as I read it. So the path of least resistance would be one standard California growler with a tag tied to the handle with the brewery name and beer name with ABV. That way we only need to amend one rule.
Let me know what your interpretation of these two rules are and what may be a good way to proceed. I am ready to hear all opinions.
….Two new hoppy offerings!
First up from Drakes is….
“Large amounts of American two-row malt and English pale malt are combined with Vienna, Rye & Crystal malts, then balanced with German magnum, Simcoe and Chinook hops. Then, of course, more hops! — as we dry hop it with additional Simcoe and Chinook. Finally, this deep orange monster is loosely filtered to keep the integrity of the malt and hops in tact. Enjoy the massive aromatic revelation and prophetic hop flavor of this beer, now and forever after.”
Second is….Hop Salad
“Hop Salad is an aggressively hopped Double IPA that is fruit forward with a salad of pine, citrus, and floral aromas and bitterness. Medium carbonation levels with a slightly yellow head. Don’t expect to get by putting a small amount on your plate (…your palate), this one’s an all-you-can-eat buffet of liquid alpha goodness (we used loads of Magnum, Simcoe, & Summit hops). Loads of two-row barley and a small amount of Caramalt make up the grain bill. I’ll keep you updated on when this beer will be out and ready for a lunch date!”
UPDATE: I recently sampled the 2010 Jolly Rodger from Drake’s and it is really good. Even better than Denoggizer in my humble opionion. Big hop burst at the outset, followed by a large dose of malt that really balances things out.
Continuing the California theme, now is the time to check out the SF Beer Week website to see what you are going to either A) go to / buy tickets for or B) cry about not being able to attend. But you can’t get to every beer festival (or can you?).
Here is a teaser of events for the beer week that starts on February 11th….
-An Opening Gala at Yerba Buena Cultural Center on February 11th
-A Double IPA Festival at The Bistro on February 12th
-Triple Fermented: Cask Beer, Cheese, and Bread at ThirstyBear Brewing Co. on February 13th
-Beerunch with Mateveza and Dogfish Head at Public House re-airing Game 5 of the World Series on February 13th
-A Pig Roast and Barrel-Aged Beer Tasting at Drake’s Brewing Co. with Chop Bar Restaurant on February 16th
-A Barleywine Festival at The Toronado on February 19th
-A Chocolate and Beer Festival at the Craneway Pavilion on February 19th