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I have noticed a micro-trend in brewers adding vintners to their job description. Patrick Rue at the The Bruery was the first one that I noticed and now two more are entering the wine world.
Ogopogo Brewing dipped into cider first but also have wine coming soon under the Hartlam banner.
Lastly is Silva Brewing…
…which is starting up with Amok Wines in Paso Robles.
Well, no March Madness this year, BUT… Silva Brewing, released their “Sweet Sixteen” earlier this month and this bracket could be filled out and won, no matter how you picked. Maybe next year, I will get my act together and create a bracket of L.A. beers to vote on and find out our local “Final Four”.
Since I am in Paso Robles, it behooves me to visit Silva Brewing. It is my annual first stop.
This new IPA from the mind of Chuck Silva was quite interesting. West Coast hop bitter more than expected from a beer using this yeast. A little grapefruit and general citrus notes to it. Has a rustic and rough but not quite Belgian quality to it.
Last year, Silva Brewing wasn’t quite ready when I was in Paso Robles but this year, they certainly were and I made a beeline there first.
The small rectangular location is either in the Pour House bar or attached, or off the alley. Either way it is easy to find and I quickly had a flight in front of me in nice metal taster trays from the requisite tattooed bartender.
The taproom had the remaining strong shell of brewed beer even at 3pm the day after. Sweet wort aroma filled the room as the floor was being hosed down.
My taster tray included the Suite B German amber which was quite bready. There was both a sweetness and lightness that I don’t normally associate with altbier. A bit cloying and some green/young notes plus a malt/water combo that seemed to pervade all of the beers.
Paso Pale grain forward. Light hop bitterness. Grapefruit.
Next was the 525 Pine which had same malt lightness to it and not the hops of Green Flash while the Hop Maniac is bigger when it boils down to IBU’s but that same house malt flavor was there though the bigger hop aroma covers it better.
Lastly, the Nut Farm Nitro had a really nice aroma. It utilizes walnuts which I can’t eat even in brownies and though it was a bit too sweet for me the slight nutty texture really worked well. The nitro accentuated the cream and sugar aspect so it Might be even better on regular draft.
For the sake of science, I also bought a crowler of the orange peel saison to see if that house note carries through across more than two styles.
Silva is certainly a change of pace and is bringing new beer to an area dominated by two heavy hitters.