Tag: The Bruery

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Black 2020, sorry, Black Tuesday

When I saw that the classic Black Tuesday was going to be put in 16oz cans, I was happy. I will be even happier when they come in adorable little 10oz bottles.

So, I typed that intro before I received a mega bounty of Black Tuesday 2020 which included cute little 10 ounce cans of three different variants!

You’ve got your maple, vanilla and Port barrel-aged versions but those will wait until November. Can’t rush a beer that hasn’t been rushed.

First, let’s talk the original. Almost drank it straight out the can like a libertine. It is boozy. But not as hot with alcohol as I feared. There is a burn. At 19+%, there is going to be one. But this drinks smooth and might well smooth more with extra aging. I get raisin and fig and big bourbon notes swirling. I can totally see why other flavors would appeal as additions to this.

It may be passé to say that we as beer fans need to hew close to our roots but there are relatively few beers that I believe need to be tasted each year. Black Tuesday is one of those beers.

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Rad

Seltzers may be all the rage but I have yet to find one that is so much better than the N/A versions I buy at Trader Joe’s. I wish that the Radler was being talked about as much.

So let’s talk So Radler from The Bruery. Their pastry beers and Offshoot Hazies are leading their charge currently but they have a quartet of Radler that you should try. Grapefruit might be the best start to simulate some of the hop flavors but I lean towards the tangerine myself.

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Bruery Trio

The folks over at The Bruery have another collaborative effort with Chef Brooke Williamson, a trio of beers that focus on an element each. There is “a beer-wine hybrid with one of Chef Brooke’s oldest inspirers, Andrew Murray, of Andrew Murray Vineyards. A huckleberry fruited tripel, inspired by the love of tripels shared by both us and Chef Brooke and a thyme spiced stout that showcases Chef Brooke’s love of gardening and growing her own herbs with our love of brewing stouts.”

These three became available on Thursday, 7/16.

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Review – Bruery & Offshoot

Thanks to beer buddy Richard, I got a nice mix of Bruery cans to sample. So let’s try three!

Ruekeller Helles – Pours a bright yellow color. Nice foamy head to it. Super crisp. So much grain notes here. Really good. Nice earthy hop aroma to this. Makes me want to have others in the German influenced Ruekeller series.

Wit the Funk – Wow this is tart and acidic. The spice is downplayed to feature the wheat as is the citrus. Would have enjoyed 12oz more. Stomach started to churn. But this is a really well made beer and the pairing possibilities are endless.

Unwind – This Offshoot Hoppy pils interesting. I get some tea like tannin notes, orange Tang and a little danky muskness. The bitterness really lingers on the palate. Missing is the pils part of the equation. This could be labeled hoppy lager or hoppy blonde to me. Thumbs up overall though.

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A Socially Distanced Toast

The Bruery is trying to keep the spirit of the toast alive, if just over the interwebs with their “digital drinking experience” You head over to YouTube to watch along with Patrick Rue starting at 5pm.

Here is the tasting line-up:

  • Handy Man – Dry-hopped blonde saison ale age in oak foeders with Buddha Hand citron. Tasting room exclusive.
  • Ruekeller Helles – Traditional Bavarian style Helles. Tasting rooms, online and in stores.
  • Relax [It’s Just A Hazy IPA] – Hazy IPA featuring Citra, Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo hops, imparting fruity, tropical and citrusy notes to complement the round, soft mouthfeel. Tasting rooms, online and in stores.
  • Bakery: Boysenberry – Imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels w/ boysenberries, cinnamon, & natural vanilla flavor. Tasting room exclusive.
  • Huckle & Flow – Imperial stout with huckleberries, vanilla, and cinnamon. Tasting room exclusive.
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Bruery Erosion

Well it seems pretty natural for Patrick Rue of The Bruery to expand into the wine arena. And now they have with Erosion. They have done so many beer-wine hybrids, beers aged in wine barrels and the like. Tasting rooms in Napa and St. Helena and wine in cans too.

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Christmas on Tour

If you have been around since the Partridge in A Pear Tree dropped lo those many years ago, then you will have to scan your memory or check your tasting notes because 12 years worth of Bruery holiday ales is coming. Tomorrow you can buy a full set and on the 13th there will be a selection from the years at Naja’s Place. Who knows what other shoppes and bars have full ranges stashed away.

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Tuesday Times 3

The Bruery is adding a 3rd wrinkle to their popular barrel-aged Imperial Stout. They have made a Grand Reserve version that adds in time in a Brandy barrel to complement the bourbon barrels that it spent months in. Look for it in cans too.

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Rue the Marzen

The Bruery is not just a one trick pony. They have pastry stouts, hazy IPA’s, Bruesicles and barrel-aged sours and what I am even more excited for, Ruekeller. A series of lagers. Next up and in limited supply is the fall Märzen .

“Brewed with premium German grain and hops, including Magnum and Saphir— this medium-bodied lager has an enticing aroma of toasted malt and herbal characteristics from the German hops. These toasted flavors complement the slight bitterness from the hops for a perfectly refreshing experience.”

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Up From The Cellar – Bois from The Bruery

Since it is an Orange County themed month, I went down to the Cellar (aka the car park, aka the garage) and pulled up a beer from The Bruery from way back in 2013.

This is what the website says about this anniversary ale. “Bois is our fifth anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method. A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with age. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit,vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Bois is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.”


Damn this is a really sweet beer. Even the aroma is sweet. Boozy on the tongue and it does burn the throat a bit. Still hot after 6 years. Not much bourbon or barrel notes left. For a beer named after the Wood anniversary, I was hoping for some oak. Getting a vanilla maple syrup combo. Maybe better served to have held longer.