21st Amendment’s IPA was chosen best in show at the 10th annual IPA Festival yesterday at the Bistro in Hayward, California. The full list of winners is below.
Friday’s San Francisco Chronicle featured a rare spotlight on beer with a big full-page profile and interview with Dave Keene, the publican of the Toronado, San Francisco’s best beer bar.
Dave Keene with girlfriend Jennifer at Anchor Brewery last Wednesday.
The search continues for Steve Harrison, Vice President of Sierra Nevada Brewing and one of the original employees of the northern California brewery, who was discovered missing Tuesday morning. There have been several news updates by the local Chico paper, but precious little new information. Saturday morning, the Chico Enterprise Record reported that a new team of tracking dogs was being brought in to confirm a previous group’s findings that Harrison most likely went into the river near where his car was found along the bank of the Sacramento River.
Another Chico story on Sunday reported that Saturday’s search to find Harrison was again unsuccessful and that the new team of dogs did confirm their earlier conclusions. Butte County Search and Rescue indicated that after four days of searching it is likely efforts will be scaled back somewhat in the coming days, although helicopters will continue to fly over the area and the underwater camera may also keep searching the river.
The San Francisco Chronicle has also now picked up the story, running on the SF Gate Saturday and in Sunday’s print edition.
The third night of celebrations for the Toronado’s 20th anniversary was held last night at Annie’s Social Club on Folsom in San Francisco. The two bands, American Dog and Broken Teeth, that played the evening before at Russian River Brewing, were on hand again to entertain the crowd at Annie’s. Dave Keene had lost his voice the evening before, too, and was very hoarse as the night. unfolded.
Annie’s Social Club was an eclectic bar with lots of personality.
American Dog, from Columbus, Ohio, went on first.
Jeremy Cowan, from He’Brew, Rob Tod, from Allgash, and Tomme Arthur, from Port Brewing and the Lost Abbey.
Tomme Arthur again, this time with Dave Hopgood and Mitch Steele, both from Stone Brewing and Jeff Bagby and his wife, also from Port Brewing. Jeff was the first person I saw when I arrived at Anchor Brewery Wednesday night. He was getting out of a cab from the airport as I parked my car, and he’s one of only a handful of hearty souls who made to every one of the Toronado celebrations so I made a point of making sure he was pictured in every post.
Broken Teeth ended the evening with another raucous set of hard driving rock and roll.
Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, who own Russian River Brewing, are great friends of Dave Keene and the Toronado. So last night they threw him one hell of a party at their brewpub in Santa Rosa. With two of Dave’s favorite bands performing, and Vinnie’s special beer he created especially for the Toronado’s 20th anniversary, it was a wonderful evening with many people from the Bay Area beer community in attendance.
It was a packed house at Russian River’s long bar.
Brewer Vinnie Cilurzo, American Dog lead singer Michael Hannon and Dave Keene.
Jeff Bagby, from Pizza Port, with Eric Rose, from the new Hollister Brewing in Goleta, near Santa Barbara.
Natalie Cilurzo, Jen Garris (Hi Mom!) and the Katherine.
Vinnie brought out some of the good stuff, like Damnation batch 09, and Supplication Batch 01, which he’s pouring here.
Drake’s brewer Melissa Myers with her “Big Daddy” Dave Keene.
The dance floor overflowed to the music of Broken Teeth.
Dave Keene was definitely having a great time at his party.
Rocking out and toasting Broken Teeth’s final number at the end of the evening.
The Chico Enterprise Record is reporting today that Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Vice-President Steve Harrison has been missing since Monday afternoon. He was last seen leaving work at the end of the day. His car was found the following morning near the bank of the Sacramento River on River Road in Chico, California. The keys to his car were apparently found several feet from the car in the dirt. There doesn’t appear to be any evidence of foul play, though police have indicated they can’t rule it out, either. Brewery workers have been helping in the search all week and understandably have canceled the 3rd annual Hops Festival which had been scheduled to take place this Sunday.
I’ve known Steve for over a decade and he’s one of the finest people in the industry. I just saw him in San Diego in June during a CSBA meeting at Stone Brewery we were both attending. I wish there was something we could do to help, as this news has really taken me aback. If you’re in the Chico area or are nearby, perhaps you could volunteer to help with the search. If you have any information, please be sure to contact the Butte County Sheriff’s Office at 530.538.7321. If nothing else, join me in sending positive thoughts his way that he’s found safe and sound as soon as possible.
UPDATE: Butte County Search and Rescue is now concluding, based upon tracking dogs brought up from Napa County, that Harrison entered the river near the spot where his car was found Tuesday. County officials have begun using an underwater camera to search the river, which in places can be as deep as twenty feet. The Oroville Mercury Register also has a follow up story.
Earlier tonight the folks at Anchor Brewery in San Francisco threw a little get together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Toronado, the best beer bar in San Francisco and one of the best anywhere.
We enjoyed Anchor beers with some appetizers at the bar while we waited to sit down in the brewery for a wonderful meal.
Dave Suurballe with Anchor’s head brewer Mark Carpenter.
Drake’s brewer Melissa Myers with Jeff Bagby, freshly arrived from San Diego where he brews at Pizza Port Brewing.
Publicans three: Dave Keene (Toronado), Chris Black (Falling Rock) and Matt Bonney (Brouwer’s).
Jennifer and Dave.
If there’s any reason to pry yourself away from the Toronado’s 20th anniversary celebration this Saturday, this is it. Beer Chef Bruce Paton is hosting his next beer dinner, which will feature Shaun O’Sullivan and the beers of 21st Amendment Brewery. It will be a three-course dinner and well worth the $65 price of admission. It will be held at the Cathedral Hill Hotel on Saturday, August 11, 2007, beginning with a reception at 6:30 p.m. Call 415.674.3406 for reservations. Although not on the menu, the Watermelon Funk is rumored to be part of the dinner. The Funk is Shaun’s Watermelon Wheat sparked with Brettanomyces and aged on wood up at Russian River Brewing. And while there is no sole on the menu — the fish is salmon — perhaps Shaun will regale us with a little dance, maybe even to Fatboy Slim’s Funk Soul Brother.
Reception: 6:30 PM
Beer Chef’s Hors D’Oeuvre
21st Amendment IPADinner: 7:30 PM
First Course
Smoked Salmon Tower with Heirloom Tomatoes and Cucumber Gelee and Scallion Crème Fraiche
Beer: Watermelon Wheat
Second Course:
Slow Roasted Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with Cambazola Flan and Ancho Jus
Beer: Double Trouble Imperial IPA
Third Course:
Chocolate Triple Threat
Beer: General Pippo’s Porter
8.11
Dinner with the Brewmaster: 21st Amendment
Cathedral Hill Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California
415.674.3406 [ website ]
For a long time now, if you wanted to try Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.‘s anniversary ale, you had to drive to Chico and visit the brewery pub, because that was the only place it was available … until now. This year, Sierra Nevada will be offering the 27th Anniversary Ale in bottles. I’ve only been fortunate enough to be in Chico at the right time to try the beer one time, many years ago. It’s great that it will now be much more widely available.
From the press release:
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Saturday was the 7th annual Micro Breweries Battling Breast Cancer Brewfest (a.k.a. “Breastfest“) in the courtyard behind Marin Brewing in Larkspur, California. It’s a festival near and dear to my heart because I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was only 21 (and she was 42). It’s a small, crowded place — especially since it’s become so popular — but it’s worthy cause, as far as I’m concerned. There was a lot of good beer and friends in attendance, plus food, music and some pretty wonderful weather. All in all, a great event.
“Gabby” looking fetching in her pink hat, pouring 21st Amendment’s Watermelon Wheat.
Ken and a colleague, both sporting pink hair, from North Coast Brewing.
For more photos from this year’s Micro Breweries Battling Breast Cancer Brewfest, visit the photo gallery.