Tag: Figueroa Mountain

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Featured Reviews – Hops from Figueroa Mountain


Figueroa Mountain has expanded their canned offerings and for the first of two “doubled-up” reviews, I re-taste Hoppy Poppy IPA and Lizard’s Mouth DIPA for the first time from cans and for the first time in quite a while.

First up is Hoppy Poppy IPA which pours a real dark orange. On the nose is a soft orange blossom aroma but this tastes much stronger than a normal, regulation IPA. There is a really strong malt backbone to this beer along with some pine notes that lurk in the background.

Next is Lizard’s Mouth DIPA which also sports an orange aroma but this is more hearty than just a blossom. There is heavier alcohol with a bit of burn to it putting this closer to a Barleywine in my book. The Lizard also holds a big malt presence and it is bitter but more in a radicchio way.

From these two examples, it appears that FigMtn is just upleveled hop wise which would make a Session IPA more in the IPA realm. Of the two, I like the Poppy a bit better due to the less heavy presence.

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Moving Closer

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Figueroa Mountain Brewing must have construction companies on speed dial what with opening new taprooms all along the Central Coast of California. Now an amazing sixth taproom is open and it is the closest yet for those of us in Los Angeles up north in Westlake Village. Located in the Shoppes at Westlake Village, the taproom will seat 200 and most importantly includes a 15-barrel brewhouse.

Nic Bortolin, Head Brewer for the new location will have the flexibility to brew “specialty beers not only for that location but for nearby retail accounts, as well. In addition to their year-round line-up of beers, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. will offer beers on nitro, collaboration beers from their Short Tank Series, seasonal beers and taproom specialties brewed by Nic as well as from other FigMtnBrew brewpubs. Beer cocktails and floats are also available along with non-alcoholic beverages. Cask ales will be coming soon.”

That last point is the draw for me to try the beers in a new format.

Now you have many options for FigMtn beers be it at the main location in Buellton, or Los Olivos, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande, California.

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Holiday Brewery Tour – Figs # 1

Each month, I focus a spotlight on breweries from a city, region, country but this month, I am throwing a change-up. There are quite a few big, burly beers that are described as having a fig like flavor to them. But oddly enough not a large amount of beers actually have Figs in them.

Now I am not a fan. Wouldn’t eat a raw or cooked fig or know if one is preferable to the other. But I would at least try a fig enhanced beer. So, this month, instead of the normal taster tray from one brewery, I will roll out (over three posts) a fig flavored taster tray from past and present.

We start, appropriately enough with Figueroa Mountain and their 4th Anniversary beer that is brewed in the style of an Abbey Quad. The base beer was then aged in oak barrels with figs. The finished beer will bear dark fruit aromas and caramel notes with yeast spiciness.

Beer # 2 is 2Xmas from New York’s Southern Tier. This version is a winter warmer with four varieties of malts plus orange peel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger plus the figs giving it a spice cake or mulled wine flavor profile.

That’s the start of Fig-cember tasting tray.
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Review – Czech Yo’ Self from Figueroa Mountain

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I had to buy this beer based on the name and can design all by itself. Sometimes that can lead to pour buying decisions but I am happy to report that it isn’t the case with Czech Yo’ Self from Figueroa Mountain. The hoppy pilsner pours a super clear and vivid yellow with a foamy head and in aroma and taste is more on the Pilsner side than the hoppy. Which I am glad about. There are enough hop treats out there.

There is a contrasting touch of minerality that works with a little bit of sweetness to make this a very refreshing beer with a lingering hoppy bitterness at the back. I would rank this in the top three of the category alongside my favorite beer from Saint Archer, Girls with Skateboards and of course the excellent Pivo Pils from Firestone Walker.

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A German Fig

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I don’t think they will be close neighbors to Stone Brewing but Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company is not content with creating a mini-empire of tasting room and brewing outlets. They are also going back to Germany. Fig Mountain “Owners Jaime and Jim Dietenhofer are excited to go back to their roots as they evaluate potential site selections for a new European brewery in the Bavarian region of Germany. “. And brewer AJ Stoll will be learning the German words for Hoppy Poppy and Hurricane Deck as the emissary to Europe.

In the works are “a new line of European beers such as Dunkelweiss, Marzen, Weissbier and other lagers,” according to Dietenhofer, “with the potential to import these beers back to the United States.”

Is this the start of a major migration?

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Liqua-what?

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Figueroa Mountain has added a new special series of beers to their super rapidly growing brewing empire that ranges from Santa Barbara to practically everywhere it seems.  It is called Liquamentum and it literally means concoction but what it means for the consumer is more beer and wine blends since their Buellton HQ has some wineries around it.  They will also be doing some additional barrel aging as well.  The first two are in the pipeline already…..

Double Down Davy Brown (ABV 10.7%):

Davy Brown Ale has been one of our best-sellers and award-winners for some years now. More than that, it’s one of our favorite beers. One of our favorite beers to brew, to drink and to share with family and friends. We love this beer so much that we did what any appreciative brewery would do: double-mashed it and bourbon-barrel-aged it. This double-strength version of our beloved brown ale has all the qualities of the standard, plus the sherry/red fruit overtones of aging and a subtle undertone of American bourbon.

Hell’s Half Acre (ABV 11.4%):

Sitting below McKinley Peak, the tallest mountain in the Los Padres range, exists a craggy valley of boulders and rock outcroppings. Hell’s Half Acre, as it is called, is certainly one of the roughest and most textural features in Santa Barbara county. For its namesake, we brewed the most layered, complicated and textural beer to date: a massive, complex barrel-aged Barleywine. After a battle of epic proportions to fit the most malt we have ever put into our mash tun, testing the limits of our yeast’s strength and aging for 18 months in locally-sourced pinot noir barrels, we give you Hell’s Half Acre Barleywine. A viscous, vinous, ominous brew: sherry, oak, toffee and caramel on the nose with massive body and flavors of spun sugar, red fruit, granola, treacle and chocolate.

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Real Ale + Figueroa Mountain

In two weeks,Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company will unleash the full potential of the cask program that is under the stewardship of Head Brewer of Santa Barbara, Kevin C. Ashford.  Currently all of the Fig Mtn. taprooms have a ““Firkin Friday” featuring many of their standard ales.”

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Now they are going bigger…..

“Wanting to bring more exposure for cask beer to the Central Coast, Ashford and the events team at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company will be hosting a Real Ale Invitational on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Over a dozen breweries will be showcasing their own styles of real ale at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company’s flagship brewery and taproom in Buellton, California. Admission is $40 and includes a souvenir glass, unlimited tastings and live music. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Los Padres Forest Watch.

For those beer lovers that want a more intimate experience paired with food, a limited number of tickets will be sold for a Real Ale Lunch prior to the Invitational at 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Meet the cask masters who have perfected the skill of brewing real ale while enjoying a 4-course meal prepared by Beto Huizar, Executive Chef of Beto’s Place, a new restaurant slated to open in Fig Mtn Brew’s Buellton taproom later this year. Tickets to the lunch cost $75 and include admission to the Invitational.”

Tickets will go on sale starting August 1st, 2014.

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Newest Fig

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Figueroa Mountain is popping. They just celebrated their 3rd Anniversary. They helped usher in Story Tavern’s expansion in Burbank. They opened a satellite location in Santa Barbara and now they have another! “The rapidly growing brewery will open its third location in Los Olivos, California. Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. at “the Cottage” will feature a smaller version of their Buellton and Santa Barbara Taprooms.

Also this month, the Buellton Taproom will be “expanding with a new second level including a mezzanine overlooking the brewing facilities. Soon customers can enjoy a pint while watching a brew in progress. The second level, set to open in March, will boast a brand new bar and extra seating allowing for the upstairs to be closed for private events or special Taproom dinners and tastings.”

You can’t complain about not finding them for sure.