Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Half Moon Bay’s Restaurant Reviewed

By

Inside Bay Area today has a nice review of the restaurant at Half Moon Bay Brewing by the coast in Princeton-by-the-Sea. The food gets an okay review which is improved overall by the location, atmosphere and the view. The reviewer does like the beer at least, as she writes.

Most people looking to fill their bellies are here for the beer. The brewery employs Alec Moss, a brewer with deep roots concocting beers for breweries in San Francisco and San Mateo. All of the beers, which are brewed on site, are good, but my favorites are the robust amber and the citrus-y Princeton-by-the-Sea IPA.

Alec in the brewhouse at Half Moon Bay Brewing taken about a year ago when several Bay Area brewers got together there to sample one another’s Poor Richard’s Ales brewed for Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday anniversary.

And just to annoy the people who believe children and beer don’t mix, here are some photos of my daughter Alice during the same brewery visit, when she was about eighteen months old.

Eager to help out in the brewery.

Proving she’s Daddy’s little girl by trying to steal a taste (no, I didn’t let her).

Crazy Dave Calling It Quits?

By

Dave Heist, better know in the brewing community as “Crazy Dave,” has been threatening to sell or quit, and hightail it to southern California for at least a couple of years. But he may really be serious this time, because now it’s in print. According to an article sent to me by two Bulletin readers, the Sunday Contra Costa Times is reporting Hoptown will close in two months.

Heist, along with a small group of investors is planning a new venture, in a larger location — possibly near Livermore — that will begin sometime with the year. It will be interesting to see what Crazy Dave does next. His beers are never boring and usually some of the tastiest around.

“Crazy Dave” Heist, owner of HopTown Brewing Co. in Pleasanton, California, along with fellow brewer Melissa Myers, currently at Drake’s Brewing. This was taken at GABF in 2002.

Brent on Beer: Moylan’s, Jones & Albion Castle

By

My good friend, Brent Ainsworth — who sometimes writes for the Celebrator — is the Lifestyle Editor of the Marin I.J. and also writes a regular beer column, Brent on Beer. This week’s column is about Moylan’s adding fermenters to increase capacity 25% but the main story is the hiring of Denise Jones to help with the brewing while her new project in San Francisco has some legal wrangling and building issues worked out. Jones was the brewer at Third Street Aleworks for many years before leaving last year.

The new venture, Albion Castle Brewery & Caves, will be resurrecting a San Francisco brewery that dates from 1870. The Albion Brewery, also known as the Albion Ale and Porter Brewery, is a historic landmark located at India Basin Shoreline Park at Hunters Point. It closed in 1919 — yet another victim of Prohibition — but the caves underneath were still bottling spring water as last as the 1960s. The property was bought at auction by the Uzza Group on June 11, 2005. I hope the renovation comes together because it would be great to get back a piece of San Francisco brewing history like this.

Denise Jones with Ralph Woodall of HopUnion at this year’s GABF.

The abandoned Albion brewery in Hunter’s Point. There are also additional photos and history at the Albion Castle website.

Pacific Coast Brewing’s Holiday Tasting Announced

By

Pacific Coast Brewing’s 18th annual holiday beer tasting will be held at the brewery in downtown Oakland on December 9, from Noon until 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $40. Call 510.836.2739 for reservations. If you’re planning on going, make your reservations to be there now, because it will sell out quickly.

12.9

Pacific Coast Brewing’s Taste of Holiday Beers (18th annual)

Pacific Coast Brewing, 906 Washington Street, Oakland, California
510.836.2739 [ website ]

 

Rodger’s Jolly Rodger Times Seven

By

Wednesday night, Drake’s Brewing had a fun little event at the Toronado called Seven Different Jolly’s, where they had seven different versions of their holiday beer, Jolly Rodger, from four different years. The recipe changes from year to year, and in ’05 they did two different styles, plus two years some of the beer was aged in wood, which accounts for why there were seven different beers. Both of Drake’s brewers, Rodger Davis and Melissa Myers, were on hand. I had the kids in tow since my S.O. was in Florida for the week, which meant I couldn’t stay all night, and as a consequence my notes are rather brief. But it was a very fun tasting.

The 21A Gals were kind enough to mind my daughter Alice, who had just woken up from a nap.

The seven Jolly Rodgers, in order from left to right the way we tasted them.

Rodger tasted me, and fellow beer scribe William Brand of the Oakland Tribune, on all seven of the beers. [the descriptions in the gray boxes are the ones provided by Drake’s.]
 

2003
A Scotch Ale. Based on the early 1800’s way of taxing ales, where more Shillings were charged to higher gravity ales, this would be considered ”120 Shilling” Ale. Big and malty from the addition of roasted barley this beer is balanced with two hop additions of East Kent Golding. The beer was then fermented at 50°F to keep the ester formation low so the malt would shine through. 9%ABV 30 IBUs

First up was the oldest of the gang, the 2003 version, a strong ale which was reminiscent of an imperial something, and though I hesitate to say it, over time the flavor seems to have migrated toward stout-like characteristics, no doubt from the roasted barley. Time also seems to have given it oak-like qualities though Rodger assures me it’s never touched wood. Regardless, it has very complex flavors and tastes nothing like I remember it three years ago.

2003 Barrel Aged
In the early 1800’s Scottish brewers would transfer their ales to barrels where they would condition for up to two years. Often these beers would sour over time from bacteria in the barrels. The 2003 Scotch Ale was placed into a Brandy barrel for 18 months. This version has a slight sourness to it but is quite complex with the many different wine-like aromas that come at you. 11% ABV 30 IBU’s

The scotch ale has become much more sour during it’s stay at casa leño, almost on the order of a Flemish sour. It has also added additional complexity, if that’s possible, and has a grittier mouthfeel.

2004
An American-style Red Ale. Think of it as a dark IPA. After 2003’s version we found the need to get back into a hoppy style but wanted to create a beer that had a firm malt backbone as well. Roasted barley lends a nice mahogany color as well as a nice roasted malt flavor. Hops: Horizon, Chinook and Centennial. 9.5% ABV 70 IBUs

Time has, as is be expected, muted the hop character and brought out the malt complexity. The alcohol also comes through loud and clear.

2005-A
An Imperial IPA. This is a very big beer. Crystal malt lends a nice ruby red backdrop to an onslaught of hops. How many pounds of different kinds of hops can you throw at a beer and still make it somewhat drinkable? It turns out a lot! Hops: Horizon, Simcoe, Cascade and Columbus. 11.5% ABV 80 IBU’s

This is still quite the hop bomb, and the Simcoe character is immediately apparent and dominant. It’s tasting surprisingly fresh, though the spicy hop oils scorch the tongue going down.

2005-B
An Old Ale. For our 15th Anniversary we decided to brew two different versions of Jolly Rodger, one a hop bomb and the other would be Roger Lind’s original recipe from 1990. So we broke out his original brew sheet and used his ingredients and threw our own brewing techniques at it. What we ended up with is a well-balanced ale that is lightly hopped with Galena, East Kent Goldings and Willamette hops. 9.5%ABV 40 IBU’s

I don’t have much in the way of notes for this beer. It tasted good, but reminded me a bit more of a barleywine than a true old ale, probably because it was at the upper end of alcohol content for the style. Of course, the two are related styles.

2005-B Barrel Aged
This is the Old Ale that was placed into an Apple Brandy barrel for 12 months. The first few months of aging, the beer was dominated by a green apple aroma with much of it slipping in to the flavor. Over time that has taken a backseat to the French oak the barrel is made of with apple Brandy notes reminding you what the barrels past was. 11%ABV 40 IBU’s

The Brandy barrel gave this beer sharper, almost biting flavors, and big fruity esters. The wood does indeed shine through, as does the increased alcohol.
 

Rodger with this year’s Jolly Rodger.
 

2006
An Imperial IPA. We have discovered that if hops are not used in the Jolly Rodger these days, then people become enraged. So here we go with another hop bomb. This one stems from a conversation with Pat McIlhenney (owner/brewer of Alpine Brewing) when he mentioned that he used a whopping two pounds of dry hops per barrel in his outstanding Duet beer. Most of our Imperial IPAs were about one pound per barrel! So what the hell, let’s see what that will do to one of our beers. Thanks for the advice Pat! This one REALLY goes to eleven!! Hops: Warrior, Simcoe, Summit, and Amarillo. 11%ABV 70 IBU’s

Rodger told me he used only a little of the new Summit hop, but its signature oniony aromas was the first thing I noticed in this beer. It is another hop bomb, very aromatic and only slightly restrained by the malt. I expect time will soften the hops and bring out the 2-row malt. He’ll also be doing another batch (which will be designated 2006-B) of the Jolly Rodger shortly and will substitute the Summit with Ahtanum hops.

 

Porter and Alice kept happily occupied watching Star Wars on a friend’s iPod, while we tasted the beers.

Rodger looking more jolly than usual, a welcome sight. It must be the just married glow.

Got Wood?

By

Saturday was the first-ever beer festival for wood-aged beers in the west. It was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California and they were pouring about 42 different beers who had in common only that they’d been aged on some type of wood barrel. At one time, of course, all beer was stored in wooden barrels and the cooper was just as important to the brewing of beer as anyone else. Eventually stainless steel overtook wood as the vessel of choice for beer, and indeed it has many advantages, one of which is that it doesn’t impart anything to change the flavor of the beer. But that is precisely the point of the new wood-aged beers, and how they change the beer is what is so exciting about this trend. Brewers are learning through experimentation what works best and in general barrel-aged beers gain enormous complexity from their time in the wood, and what type of wood and/or what was in the barrel before the beer transforms the beer into a whole new experience. The most common used barrels once contained bourbon, scotch, wine, port or brandy. And these residual flavors, in addition to the wood itself, are also apparent in the finished beer.

The scene outside under the tent at the Barrel Aged Beer festival, with Rodger Davis from Drake’s making faces at me.

Here’s something you don’t see everyday, Falstaff beer in cans.

The 21st Amendment Girls enjoy some yummy Tri-Tip sandwiches (oh, and Steve, too).

Bistro co-owner Vic Kralj announced the winners.

The first barrel aged fest was very well-attended, boding well for another one next year. The weather was decidedly cool for the Bay Area, which made it perfect for enjoying big, strong beers.

Our hosts, Bistro owners Cynthia and Vic Kralj.

Judging the four categories of beers kept us sequestered in the cellar for five grueling, delicious hours. Because all the beers have in common is being aged on wood, it was very difficult to choose among so many diverse, but deserving beers. There were very lively discussions every step of the way. Rumor has it one of the other judges wanted to “kick my ass” afterward, so I know I must be doing something right. What a blast!

Bistro Barrel Aged Beer Festival Winners

By

Port Brewing’s Old(er) Viscosity was chosen Grand Champion at the 1st and (hopefully) annual Barrel Aged Beer Festival Saturday at the Bistro in Hayward, California. The full list of winners is below.

 

Category 1: Sour Beers

 

Category 2: Wine Barrel Beers

 

Category 3: Wood Barrel Beers (New Wood)

 

Category 4: Bourbon Barrel Beers

Fermenting a Book Signing

By

Chris O’Brien, author of Fermenting Revolution, will be doing a book signing at The Book Shop in Hayward, California from 2:20-3:30 p.m. this Saturday, November 11. The Book Shop is located at 1007 B Street, right next door to The Bistro, who is hosting a Barrel Aged Beer Festival the same day from 11 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Chris will have a reading and sign books for an hour or so, and then join us next door at the festival for a lively discussion of beer culture.

I’m looking forward to meeting Chris in person. Now that I’ve gotten my review copy of his new book and looked over the table of contents, it seems even more interesting. I can’t wait to read it. This is just one more good reason to come out to the Barrel Aged Beer Festival, not that you probably needed one. It should be a great time all by itself, but now you can tell people you’re going to a book reading and sound more like a normal, well-rounded person. At least that’s my plan.