Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Green Valley Brewing: Origin of the Name?

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I ran into a friend of mine last week who’s a sales director for a Bay Area brewery who’d been following the Wild Hop Lager story. He mentioned something I hadn’t realized. Since he travels extensively throughout the greater Bay Area and beyond, he frequently is driving up Interstate 80, which runs past Anheuser-Busch’s Fairfield Plant, which is located at 3101 Busch Drive in Fairfield, California. I’d wondered how much time and money A-B had spent coming up with the perfect name that evoked just the right image for their organic stealth micro. Turns out it may not have been that difficult to come up with, after all. According to my friend, the exit on I-80 just before the Bud Plant in Fairfield is Green Valley Road. That’s pretty funny. While it doesn’t prove they got the name from a nearby road that most of the employees probably drove by twice a day, it certainly is an amazing coincidence. Too coincidental, I’d say.

The red star toward the right is the Anheuser-Busch Fairfield Plant located at 3101 Busch Drive, Fairfield, California. The green arrow toward the left shows Green Valley Road just down the street from the plant. If it’s hard to see, click on the map above for a larger view.

UPDATE: I drove by this exit sign just before passing thre Fairfield Bud Plant on my way to tour the Ball Can Factory, where 21st Amendmet is having their new beer cans made.

California Wins Big at World Beer Cup

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California came up big at the World Beer Cup this year, winning 25 of the 159 medals awarded to American breweries. The next closest state — Wisconsin — won 14. Held every two years, the World beer Cup is becoming one of the world’s most prestigious worldwide competitions. Personally, I’d like to see more breweries from abroad competing but that will likely take a little more time. For now, smost likely because it’s judged in the United States, the majority of entries — a healthy 64% — were from American breweries. But the 36% of overseas breweries also nabbed 36% of the medals so there’s no reason more shouldn’t be entering. There were 2,221 beers entered from 540 breweries in 56 countries. And while that’s impressive, I imagine there are many, many more who did not enter. So it would be great to see this event grow into an event that almost every brewery in the world entered. That would, I think, make it even more meaningful, not to take one iota away from any of the winners because certainly a representative sampling of brewing countries did participate. Happily, it does seem to be going in that direction.

Here is a list of the winners from California breweries:

  • Pure Hoppiness, Alpine Beer Co., Silver, Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
  • Dorado Double IPA, Ballast Point Brewing Co., Bronze, Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
  • Nit Wit, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Chandler, Silver, Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian-Style Wheat
  • Old Grind Porter, Etna Brewing Co., Gold, Brown Porter
  • Firestone Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Gold, American-Style Pale Ale
  • IPA Nectar, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Gold, American-Style Strong Pale Ale
  • Firestone IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Silver, American-Style Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter
  • Mission Street Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Silver, American-Style Pale Ale
  • Hemp Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Bronze, American-Style Brown Ale
  • Green Flash Extra Pale Ale, Green Flash Brewing Co., Silver, English-Style Summer Ale
  • Green Flash Nut Brown Ale, Green Flash Brewing Co., Silver, English-Style Brown Ale
  • Epiphany, Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, Bronze, American-Style Amber / Red Ale
  • Centennial Ale, Lengthwise Brewing Co., Silver, English-Style India Pale Ale
  • Sharkbite Red Ale, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Gold, American-Style Amber / Red Ale
  • Night Rider Imperial Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Silver, Imperial Stout
  • Dawn Patrol Dark, Pizza Port San Clemente, Silver, English-Style Mild Ale
  • Shark Attack, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Gold, Imperial or Double Red Ale
  • Bottom’s Up Kolsch, Rock Bottom Brewery – Campbell, Gold, German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style Kölsch
  • Blind Pig IPA, Russian River Brewing Co., Gold, American-Style India Pale Ale
  • Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing Co., Gold, Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
  • Temptation, Russian River Brewing Co., Gold, Other Belgian-Style Ale
  • Old Woody, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Silver, Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer
  • Stone Ruination IPA, Stone Brewing Co., Bronze, American-Style India Pale Ale
  • TAPS Irish Red, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Gold, Irish-Style Red Ale
  • Trumer Pils, Trumer Brauerei Berkeley, Gold, German-Style Pilsener

Congratulations to all of the California winners.

For a full list of all the winners, see the Brewers Association.

Russian River Wins Triple Gold

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Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, the owners of Russian River Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa, California were beaming Friday night at the Gala Awards Dinner for the 2006 World Beer Cup. And with good reason, they’d won not only three gold medals but also World Beer Cup Champion Brewmaster and Brewery of the Year for Large Brewpub.

The three gold medals were for Temptation (in Category 48: Other Belgian-Style Ale), Blind Pig IPA (in Category 79: American-Style India Pale Ale), and Pliny the Elder (in Category 80: Imperial or Double India Pale Ale).

Vinnie and Natalie, with BA President Charlie Papazian, accepting one of their three golds.

Back on stage for the big award.

Natalie leans in for a celebratory kiss. Congratulations to Vinnie and Natalie and Russian River Brewing.

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

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I was fortunate enough today to have a preview taste — from the tank — of the newest beer from Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California. Bottling will likely begin next week and should be in stores shorty thereafter. The new beer is called Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale, a homage to the troubles Lagunitas has recently faced with the state ABC. And yes, they have already received label approval, believe it or not. As is common wth many beers from Lagunitas, it is quite singular and defies easy style classification. After discussing it with owner Tony Magee and trying a sample directly from the tank, the best way I can describe it is a well-hopped imperial mild! It’s around 10.2% abv and the alcohol presence is definitely felt as is the big hop character. But it has the light body of an English mild that’s easy drinking with a clean, refreshing finish. These seeming contradictions, however, work and the beer has great potential. It will be interesting to taste the finished product.

The label for Lagunitas’ newest beer.

Sasquatch Legacy Project Event in San Francisco

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Last night was the charity event at 21st Amendment Brewery for the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation. They served the Sasquatch Legacy Project’s Imperial Red Ale, which was a collaborative effort. The beer was created by the current Foundation Brewing Scholarship recipients (Barney Brennan of Full Sail Brewing, Jenn Gridley of Fish Brewing, and Markus Stinson of Elysian Brewing).

All proceeds from last night’s event supported the Foundation’s scholarship program. The foundation honors the memory of iconoclastic brewer Glen Falconer, who died in a tragic accident in 2002. He brewed at Wild Duck Brewery in Eugene, Oregon. The foundation raises money for scholarships so that worthy brewers can attend the Siebel Institute in Chicago.

Host Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st amendment, Quentin and Yuko Falconer from the foundation, and Vic Kralj, from the Bistro in Hayward.

Shaun O’Sullivan as a literal hophead.

Quentin Falconer, Glen Falconer’s brother, addresses the crowd.

The Imperial Red was quite tasty with rich, roasted malt character and hints of figs and raisins. The flavor gave you an overall impression of thick earthiness and finished clean. At 8.2% abv, it packed a bit of a wallop, but was very drinkable. Hops were muted but the beer was still nicely balanced. The color was a rich mahogany with ruddy red streaks when held up to the light.

Eye on the Bay Beer Program Airdate Moved to April 24

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Mark your calendars again and reset your Tivos. After last night’s debacle where the pinheads at KPIX decided to bump Eye on the Bay last night when the NCAA final went long so we could endure the full hour of mindless talking about a basketball game over and over again. Then instead of showing Eye on the Bay after that, a show which KPIX paid to produce, they instead showed a repeat of the pathetic sitcom Two and a Half Men. But I learned today that the program has been rescheduled for April 24 at 7:00 p.m. So let’s try this again:

On Monday, April 24, CBS’s affiliate in the Bay Area, KPIX Channel 5, will be featuring Bay Area Beer on its show Eye on the Bay. The show will feature home brewing with Homer Smith at the Oak Barrel in Berkeley, beer news with Tom Dalldorf at the Celebrator Beer News office in Hayward, segments from Buffalo Bill’s, The Bistro, Drake’s Brewing, and Beer Chef Bruce Paton. The website listing indicates a start time of 7:00 p.m. but it’s still after a basketball game, so you never now.

Michael Jackson & Pizza Port On Conan O’Brien

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Wow, television seems to have finally discovered craft beer. For the second time this week, beer will be featured on a major network, this time on the Conan O’Brien Show. Tomorrow night, April 5, (check your local listings for the time) at 12:35 a.m. here in the Bay Area. For most people that will be on KNTV Channel 11, though for most cable subscribers here it’s shown on channel 3.

From the press release from Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing:

Beer drinking insomniacs of the world to unite.

April 5th, 2006 Michael Jackson, the foremost authority on beer in the world, will be appearing on The Conan O’Brien Show (12:35 pst). Michael will be promoting his latest book on Belgian Beers. As part of his appearance on the show, he will be promoting his Rare Beer Club. As Pizza Port and now Port Brewing have been partnered with Michael and the Beverage Bistro (club distribution network) for the last three years, we have been asked by them to provide a beer for the show.

Port Brewing Co. recently shipped several bottles for the show. Many of you know that Port Brewing Co. will be producing a line of beers under The Lost Abbey brand name. The first of these beers to be released will be called Avant Garde. The beer is also scheduled as the May Rare Beer Club shipment of the month. Look for Avant Garde to be one of the beers that Michael pour on Wednesday night.

We will be releasing this beer from Port Brewing in May to coincide with the release of 150 cases to the membership of the Beverage Bistro Rare Beer Club. The new brewery project is up and running and we hope things continue to go well as we kick off our draft beer sales in the next weeks. Our Sharkbite Red bottles are now available in Southern California thanks to our good friends at Stone Distributing Co.

Here’s to late TV and another reason to have a beer.

Arrogant Bastard Oxide April Fool’s Day Hoax

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The date I received the press release for Stone Brewing’s arrogant Bastard Oxide Energy Ale — April 1 — was already a clue. But the press release and website was done with such a straight face and so professionally that it did give one pause; at least enough to read on, if for no other reason than to confirm that it was a hoax.

The real kickers came in the list of ingredients:

And the warnings:

Pretty funny stuff. Good joke Greg.

Bay Area Beer to Be Featured on KPIX Channel 5

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Mark your calendars and set your Tivos. On Monday April 3, CBS’s affiliate in the Bay Area, KPIX Channel 5, will be featuring Bay Area Beer on its show Eye on the Bay. The show will feature home brewing with Homer Smith at the Oak Barrel in Berkeley, beer news with Tom Dalldorf at the Celebrator Beer News office in Hayward, segments from Buffalo Bill’s, The Bistro, Drake’s Brewing, and Beer Chef Bruce Paton. The program will come on immediately following the NCAA Final Four Championship Game so consult your local listings. The website listing indicates a start time of 9:30 p.m. but because of the game it could be slightly later.

UPDATE (Apr. 3): It appears the pinheads at KPIX decided to bump Eye on the Bay last night when the NCAA final went long so we could endure the full hour of talking about the game over and over again. Then instead of showing Eye on the Bay after that, a show which KPIX paid to produce, they instead showed a repeat of the pathetic sitcom Two and a Half Men. I imagine it had something to do with advertising commitments, but it was very frustrating. Eye on the Bay is also shown every morning at 9:30 a.m. so it’s still possible it wll be shown then.

UPDATE (Apr. 4): They did finally air the show this morning at 9:30 a.m.

SF Chronicle Weighs in on Organic Bud

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Today’s San Francisco Chronicle, in the Thursday Wine Section, features an article entitled Brewing Behemoth Sneaks into Organics by staff writer Carol Ness. She begins by musing. “Organic Budweiser. What’s next, the hybrid Hummer?” Overall the article is pretty fair, although is does lean slightly on the side of the organic community. There’s a great quote in it by Ted Vivatson, co-owner of Eel River Brewing in Fortuna, where Ted doesn’t mince words.

In addition to the article, the Chronicle convened a tasting panel which tasted Wild Hop Lager blind against five other beers, three of which were also organic. Wild Hop Lager came in last. I had previously reported hearing rumors of authorization of Wild Hop Lager in Whole Foods, among others, but one of the people on the Chronicle’s tasting panel was Cyrus Kayvan, beer buyer for Whole Foods. After the tasting, Kayvan commented about Wild Hop’s future by saying. “Not in my store.“