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Where’s the Crap Beer Bar? – Firestone Walker’s Union Jack (IPA)

12/15/2014

As a long-time Warriors fan and an honoree season ticket holder, one would think that it would be easy to find good beer at a Warriors game. Not so much. For years, I’d opt for a pint of Leffe and a slice of cheese pizza before every game because 1) I’m extremely superstitious, and 2) I had to visit Tina, the most-friendly bartender in the stadium. This was a great idea until I could no longer take one more sip of a Leffe, and the Dubs replaced pizza with a frozen yogurt bar. I swear, only in the Bay Area (sigh). Sure, I could probably score some quality beer in one of the courtside club areas, but until I win the lotto, I’m left to fend for my picky palate on my own. But, after watching a recent episode of Warriors Central, I thought my luck may have changed after learning about the new “craft beer bar” in the arena. Yippee!!!

A friend and I arrived at the game early in search of this “craft beer bar.” We asked three different ushers where it was located and no joke, got the same three responses: “CRAP beer bar?” followed by a look of utter confusion. After establishing that we were looking for CRAFT beer not crap beer, we were pointed to the Budweiser bar and also asked if we were in need of a pitcher of beer. This got me thinking that I either need to start annunciating better (are we still talking about CRAP beer?), or there are a ton of people who have never heard of craft beer.* I tried explaining it as local, small breweries, which didn’t really seem to help. And my friend chimed in and said "you know, like Lagunitas?” Eventually we made our way to the “craft beer bar,” and found a pizza place with Firestone Walker’s Pivo and Union Jack, along with Budweiser (or some other big name beer) on tap. The ushers were spot on – we were looking for the “crap beer bar.” But, at least I got a Union Jack to go with my slice of cheese pizza.

At 7.5% ABV, Firestone Walker’s Union Jack is a solid, west coast-style IPA, and probably your best (if not only) IPA option at Oracle Arena unless you're sitting somewhere fancy. This beer is quite tangy, full of pine and citrus hops. You can find it at Slices and Suds at Oracle Arena, or your local grocery store.

*BTW, if you’re interested in how the Brewers Association defines “craft beer,” check out this link: http://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics/craft-brewer-defined/.

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An Oldie but a Goodie - Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA (imperial IPA)

12/8/2014

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Some days, particularly when it’s cold and rainy, I just want to keep it simple and go with what I know. When the weather outside is frightful, I tend to reach for my favorite Lagunitas hoodie, my Sonoma State sweatpants, and a beer that I already know I like such as Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA. That, coupled with some NCAA hoops on the tube, made for a delightful evening the other night after a long day at the office.

I quickly became a fan of Delaware’s first brewery after reading Sam Calagione’s, Dogfish Head founder, book “Brewing Up A Business.” This is a great read for anyone looking to start up a brewery or any small business for that matter. Dogfish Head became one of the nation’s 20 largest breweries based on the mantra that they make “off-centered beer for off-centered people.” Prior to reading the book, I had only tried a handful of their beers and had avoided the 90 Minute IPA. Why? Well, Dogfish Head is expensive. Many of their signature beers are sold in four packs and go for about $12 a pop. Considering you can get a lot of great six-packs, especially IPAs, for less than $10, I have stayed away merely because of price. But, after reading the book, I quickly became obsessed with Sam and the Dogfish Head story. I have since tried a number of their beers and have been wowed by most, particularly the 90 Minute IPA and the Midas Touch.

The 90 Minute IPA has been deemed by Esquire as the best IPA in the country. Well, it’s hard to say what’s the “best,” but it would certainly make my top five IPA list. Living in California, I am used to the extra hoppy west coast IPA, but the 90 Minute IPA is much more malty than hoppy. I’d recommend this beer to anyone who likes a strong beer (9% ABV), but thinks IPAs are too bitter. Yes, there are plenty of hops as noted by the 90 Minute IPA moniker referring to the 90-minute constant hop addition. But, this beer is more malty and sweet than what a Californian IPA drinker might expect. If it’s a representation of its coast, I’m certainly down to check out other east coast IPAs.

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I Am Thankful for Family, Friends, and Brown Shugga’ - Lagunitas’ Brown Shugga’

12/1/2014

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Brown Shugga’ season is FINALLY upon us! As a serial taster, I have a really hard time committing to a six-pack these days except during Brown Shugga’ season. This is the one six-pack I will pick up every time. It’s that good. And, Lagunitas does a brilliant job of creating demand by only producing this beer a few blissful months during the winter. Brown Shugga’ is not only my favorite beer, it’s also a great reminder of my family and friends.

I was first introduced to Brown Shugga’ several years ago by my non-beer drinking friend, Tessa, who wanted to bring some to her folks’ place because it was one of her dad’s favorite beers. This was back during the height of my Shock Top phase (aka I only drink mainstream wheat beer phase), so I was shocked that she would go out of her way to pick up a particular beer for the holidays. Now, it’s part of my family’s Thanksgiving feast (my mom, sister, and I are pictured drinking our first Brown Shugga’ of the season). Sure, turkey and stuffing are great, but Brown Shugga’ is the key side dish. My mom, who lives in Petaluma, home of Lagunitas, always buys a six-pack or two for Thanksgiving. She also manages to hide a few bottles after Brown Shugga’ season is over. Let me tell you, discovering a Brown Shugga’ in the back of my mom’s fridge in the middle of June is a feeling like no other.

Clocking in at a whopping 9.9% ABV, Brown Shugga’ is a must try during the holiday season. Lagunitas describes it as a failed attempt at its 1997 batch of Olde GnarlyWine Ale. I describe it as sweet beer goodness. The high ABV is disguised under its crisp brown sugar flavors, which pairs nicely with dessert or your traditional holiday feast.

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It’s An Anomaly – Faction’s Anomaly (White Chocolate Milk Stout)

11/25/2014

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I was in Alameda at Faction Brewery this past weekend doing a little stout tasting. First off, if you haven’t been to Faction, drop what you’re doing and go now. I mean it - this place is awesome! Amazing beers made by renowned Bay Area brewer Rodger Davis overlooking the SF skyline. I mean, what else could you ask for? St. George’s Spirits and Rock Wall Wine Company right next door? Okay, they’re there too. Like I said, GO NOW!

There are three stouts pictured in the photo – Faction’s NYX (imperial stout), the Oatmeal Stout, and the Anomaly (white chocolate milk stout). I specifically wanted to try the Anomaly because it had been described to me as a complete “mind f**k” (sorry, Mom!). Why? It’s a beer that looks like a pale ale, but tastes like a stout. Wait, what?!

According to Wikipedia, a “stout is a dark beer made using roasted malt or roasted barley, hops, water and yeast.” Okay, so that sounds like the ingredients of most beers, but I’d like to focus on two words: dark beer. Well, Faction coins itself on doing things a bit differently, and the Anomaly does not disappoint. A milk stout that’s light in color? WHOA. When sipping this beer, I really tried not to think about the color but the actual taste itself. Let’s just say that’s near impossible, and I give major props to the person(s) who can actually do this. Because once you see those pretty golden bubbles, your perception (or at least my perception) becomes completely warped. Next time, I’d like to sample this beer wearing a blindfold.

At 6.5% ABV, the Anomaly is much sweeter than your typical non-imperial stout. But, when you factor in that the beer is characterized as a “white chocolate” milk stout, sweetness is to be expected. I don’t have a real opinion about this beer other than it’s worth the hype. Taste it, drink it, love it – revel in the Faction experience! It’s completely worth the trip to Alameda or wherever you can find it on tap.

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It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Sparking Ale? – Calicraft’s Buzzerkeley

11/17/2014

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I’ve spent my last several weekends at breweries learning about the business of beer. As a craft beer drinker, I find this saturated beer market deliciously wonderful. But as a marketer, I can’t even imagine the challenges breweries face to not only survive but thrive. Like most industries, there is no magic potion to prescribe to differentiate one beer brand from the other. Or, is there?

Behold - today’s beer course focused on the marketing and branding of Calicraft Brewery, a “small” contract brewery based out of Walnut Creek. This brewery is small…for now. Draft Magazine named Calicraft a “Brewery to Watch” in 2013, just one whopping year after opening its doors in May 2012. They brewed approximately 5k barrels this last year, which is a crazy amount of beer for a two-year start up without a taproom (yet). But, Calicraft thinks outside-the-box. They are not in the business to replicate a style. Rather, they want to put their own spin on everything they produce, keeping in mind their core values. Calicraft’s founder Blaine Landberg’s first brew, Buzzerkeley, didn’t even fit a true beer style when he started brewing 15 years ago in his UC Berkeley dorm room. An ale fermented in Belgian and…wait for it….champagne yeast, Buzzerkeley was already not your normal beer.

As proclaimed by Calicraft themselves, “Buzzerkeley is beer meets wine.” At 7% ABV, this beer goes down smooth. It starts off with your typical fruity Belgian ale flavors but ends with a surprisingly sparkly finish. Well, maybe not so surprising since the beer is actually packaged to look like champagne (#genius). I’d call it a beer lover’s mimosa or at least a dope bottle to bring to a dinner party.

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Christmas in November? – International Stout Day

11/10/2014

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Some genius created a holiday to celebrate my fave beer style – stouts! This past Thursday was International Stout Day. To participate in the festivities, my friends and I did a side-by-side comparison of a couple of different stouts: Iron Springs’ Sless’ Oatmeal Stout, Goose Island’s The Muddy, and Oskar Blues’ Ten Fidy. There was no logic in our selection – just a variety of styles to sample. As a serial stout drinker, I find that I like (if not love) all of them. Stout Day seemed like the perfect excuse to do a little tasting to figure out which one I prefer.

Iron Springs is a pub/brewery that opened its doors about 10 years ago in Fairfax, CA. Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery purchased by InBev (aka the owner of Budweiser and several other “big name” beer brands) in 2011 after being independently owned since 1988. Oskar Blues, based out of Longmont, CO, is most famous for being one of the first craft breweries to can all of its beers. I had tried Sless’ Oatmeal Stout on draft for the first time a couple of days earlier at the Caskhouse, and it was absolutely delicious. But, I was worried that it wouldn’t be able to compete with the bigger breweries, and let’s face it, higher ABVs in The Muddy and Ten Fidy. As it turns out, it was my fave Stout Day stout.

At 7% ABV, Sless’ Oatmeal Stout has a heavy body with plenty of rich, chocolately flavors. It's sweet, but not sweet enough to be considered dessert in a bottle like the other stouts that evening. It's incredibly drinkable. Don’t get me wrong, the other two stouts were darn good too. The Muddy (9% ABV) is brewed with molasses and brewer’s licorice. The licorice smell is overwhelming sweet, but my taste buds were not overpowered by the licorice sweetness. I still got plenty of chocolate flavors, too. The Ten Fidy pours like motor oil, and is named after its ABV percentage of 10.5. Although quite high in alcohol content, the chocolate/caramel notes took over my palate. This is the kind of beer that you sip after dinner as dessert.

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The Dubs Are Back - 21A’s Back in Black (black IPA)

11/3/2014

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Until this clever little Thrillist.com article (Perfect Beer for Every NBA Team) came out, I’ve always associated 21st Amendment with the San Francisco Giants and my dear friend Lisa Copeland. The Giants because 21A is a great place to hit up before a game, and Copeland because she introduced me to Back in Black several years ago. But, I can’t say that I’ve ever linked 21A with the Golden State Warriors until this read. First off, this article is genius. Pairing beer and basketball? Hello, two of my favorite things! I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t write it first myself. It’s a great preview of this year’s NBA season as well as a shout out to a regional brewery for each team. Well done, Thrillist.com.

As a serial beer taster, I must admit that it’s been awhile since I’ve drank my last Back in Black. But, in honor of the just-begun NBA season, I had to toast my 3-0 Dubs this afternoon with their honoree beer. I like the pairing with 21A, but I’m not sure if I would’ve connected the dots myself. If I were to choose, I may have gone with Ale Industries’ Golden State of Mind or perhaps Lagunitas’ Undercover Investigation Shut-Down. Golden State of Mind for obvious reasons and because Ale Industries is just one BART stop away from Oracle Arena. Undercover Shut-Down because the Dubs have been one of the worst defensive teams up until a few years ago. Even as a die-hard fan, it’s still tough to believe the Dubs are one of the best defensive teams in the league who shut down their opponents. But, I better start believing. Even ESPN writer Ethan Sherwood Strauss picked the Dubs to win it all, noting their defense as one of the number one reasons. Clearly, the Don Nelson days of “small ball” to outscore their opponents are long gone.

Back in Black is a delicious black IPA that can easily be found at your local Bay Area grocery store as one of 21A’s three year-round beers. You’ll get the carbonation and high ABV (6.8%) of an IPA but with some of the smoothness and sweetness of a dark-malted stout. Plus, according to the article, the Dubs are back! (Knock on wood)

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Beer Is Beautiful - Santa Fe’s Imperial Java Stout

10/27/2014

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I am writing this week’s post from Vegas…holla! I’m here in Sin City with some of my best friends for Life Is Beautiful, a three-day music fest sprawled all over downtown Vegas. I know this is meant to be a beer blog, but I have to give this event a quick shout out. If you haven’t been, I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s by far my favorite music festival (bye, Outside Lands). First of all, the lineup is killer, which of course is a critical component of any good music fest. But, the overall vibe is what I like most. I mean, it’s huge and crowded like any marquee festival, but downtown Vegas is actually really cool. Quite the opposite of The Strip, this is the artsy, up and coming side of town. So, when you’re walking between stages, your eyes are treated to unique art fixtures and intricate wall murals. There are food trucks galore, neon signs with inspirational quotes, and grassy areas with picnic tables to chill. I feel like I’m on the set of an Urban Outfitters' photo shoot staged at a retro trailer park. Don’t worry, I’m doing my best to festify my nautical stripes. Luckily, one of my friends is a festival fiend and came prepared with “flash tats,” which are like skin jewelry. Apparently, it’s a thing at these music fests, so I’m feeling super trendy with metallic tattoos painted all over my body. (Thanks, T!)

High on my priority list was checking out the beer garden. We’re talking at least 12 different breweries represented with two taps each. Not too shabby. After carefully perusing my options, I was stoked to find Santa Fe’s Imperial Java Stout. YES!!! I’m actually not quite sure where I first heard of this beer (maybe an episode of Brew Dog’s?), but it’s certainly been on my radar to give it a taste test. It comes in a can that is pretty hard to forget – the label is brown and simple with the words “java stout” prominently featured. You see it and think – is this a beer or a coffee? Well when something is this good, there is no need to define it. My friends all tried a sip of mine and loved it too. Unfortunately, we were one and done - it sold out by the middle of day two of the festival.

If I could somehow replace my morning coffee with Santa Fe’s Imperial Java Stout I would, but at an 8% ABV, I’m not sure how the ol’ J O B would feel about me drinking beer to get my daily jolt. Incredibly rich and smooth with plenty of java aromas and flavors, Santa Fe’s Imperial Java Stout is a beer I’d recommend to any coffee lover. It’s not distributed in California yet, but if you don’t have a trip to New Mexico planned in the near future, you can find it around town during your next trip to Tahoe.

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Stout Does the Body Good - Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout

10/20/2014

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Stone beer is everywhere, literally. Based out of the San Diego area, Stone has completely blown up over the last couple of years. They are in the midst of building two new breweries, one in Virginia and the other in Berlin. The Berlin location would be the first U.S. owned and operated craft brewery in Europe. Pretty darn cool if you ask me. I’m not really a “Stonehead” (is that a thing?!) per se, but I do appreciate their beer and admire their marketing strategy. A gargoyle as a mascot is not only rebellious and manly but also memorable. They have this amazing aura of being sort of badass, even though they are rather corporate. Take their San Diego - Liberty Station brewery for example. Liberty Station is just a stone’s throw away from the SD airport. Originally opening in 1996 in San Marcos, Stone relocated to neighboring Escondido in 2006 to expand. Since SD is one of the largest beer meccas in the world, I assume that Stone opened a second location at Liberty Station to accommodate the craft beer tourists that come through the city. The Escondido headquarters is a little out of the way at about a 45-minute drive from the SD airport.

I visited the Liberty Station brewery in the summer and was slightly underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong, the place is gorgeous and brand spanking new, but it feels a little chichi for a badass brewery. You walk into the entrance to be greeted by a large gargoyle hovering over the hostess desk. Beyond that is a huge bar, restaurant, and bocce court with the medieval vibe Stone projects. But, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, it just felt a little too swanky. We sat outside in the gardens and had lunch and tasters right next to the babbling koi pond. (Maybe it was the pond that felt too swanky?) The food and beer were good, but I so wanted to leave saying: OMG…I absolutely love <<insert Stone beer here>>. But, unfortunately, that didn’t happen that day.

Apparently when we visited the brewery in June, Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout was not in season. In my experience, milk stouts in general are not easy to come by. My first milk stout was actually by The Duck-Rabbit, a brewery out of North Carolina that coins itself as "the dark beer specialist." This beer completely opened my eyes to a different kind of stout, sweet and full but still somehow light. I tried the Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout for the first time at Rogue (of all places) in SF. They had some guest handles on tap and this happened to be one of them. It was absolutely delicious. And since then, I’ve actually tried some other really great Stone beers such as their 18th Anniversary IPA and their Xocoveza Mocha Stout, which deserves a post all on its own.

At 4.2% ABV, Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout is a full-bodied brew without being heavy on the booze. You can really smell and taste the cream and coffee. I may need to have it with pancakes next time.

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Give Me S’more – High Water’s Campfire Stout

10/12/2014

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As a Bay Area native and a lover of rich, sweet stouts, I was surprised I’d never heard of this beer until a few weeks ago. I was out with a friend at my local bottle shop, and he and the bartender started choppin’ it up about High Water’s Campfire Stout. I remember standing there thinking “wait, how can this be? There’s a stout made in the Bay Area prepared with graham crackers and marshmallows, and I’ve never heard of it before?” All I kept thinking was: Must. Get. My. Hands. On. Campfire. Stout. ASAP.

Fast forward to the next week when I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods where I usually examine the beer fridge for far too long to see what’s new (or at least what’s new to me). Most of the time, nothing. But this time, I spotted High Water’s label. I recognized the label but never paid much attention to it. From what I’ve seen, all their beers have the same label of the flowing waterfall, but differentiate by the background color of the label. To be honest, I think I’m more attracted to something a bit more modern such as what Green Flash has done with their new labels or Evil Twin’s simple design. But, to each his own. High Water’s label never really stood out to me because the waterfall is the emphasis, not the type of beer. If I would’ve read “campfire stout” in big letters or seen a picture of a campfire, I probably would have been intrigued all on my own. But hey, I’m a lady, and we ladies like our labels!

In any event, I bought a bottle of the Campfire Stout to bring to my mom’s to share with my stepdad and her. They live in Petaluma aka the very edge of Wine Country, but they are not really beer drinkers, nor are they really wine drinkers. My stepdad likes an O’Doul’s every now and again, and my mom likes her whiskey, Fireball to be exact. They drink wine and beer but don’t fit the stereotype of someone who lives in Sonoma County. So bringing the Campfire Stout was a bit of a risk. Or, was it? Both of them were sold by the idea of the beer being made with real graham crackers and marshmallows. Actually, that’s really all I had to tell them. We cracked open the bottle that Saturday afternoon and absolutely loved it, all of us.

High Water’s Campfire Stout is a hardy, sweet stout full of s’mores' flavors. To get the full effect, you must drink and smell at the same time as the smell is probably more potent than the taste itself. I should also mention that this beer won gold at the Great American Beer Festival for the “special beer” category. I’m not sure what qualifies as a “special beer,” but I agree with the judges, Campfire Stout is one special beer!

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Forward>>

Where’s the Crap Beer Bar? – Firestone Walker’s Union Jack (IPA)

An Oldie but a Goodie - Dogfish Head’s 90 Minute IPA (imperial IPA)

I Am Thankful for Family, Friends, and Brown Shugga’ - Lagunitas’ Brown Shugga’

It’s An Anomaly – Faction’s Anomaly (White Chocolate Milk Stout)

It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a Sparking Ale? – Calicraft’s Buzzerkeley

Christmas in November? – International Stout Day

The Dubs Are Back - 21A’s Back in Black (black IPA)

Beer Is Beautiful - Santa Fe’s Imperial Java Stout

Stout Does the Body Good - Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout

Give Me S’more – High Water’s Campfire Stout

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