Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Photo Gallery: Toronado Barley Wine Festival 2006

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There were over fifty barleywines at this year’s Toronado Barley Wine Festival. Now in its thirteenth year it has become the premiere barleywine festival in the country. People come in from all over the country and even from all over the world to sample some of the finest barleywines being made today. This year appeared to be another rousing success.

The main bar at the Toronado fills up during festival day. Your best bet is to come as early as possible.

Most serious tasters get a table with a group of people who take turns getting several beers at a time. These are then set down on these handy numbered sheets so you can esaily keep track of all 50+ beers.

Arne Johnson, brewmaster at Marin Brewing relaxes with a few barleywines.

Across the street in the judge’s anteroom, a serious discussion is under way. From left: Bob Coleman, Shaun O’Sullivan (from 21st Amendment), Pete Slosberg (from Cocoa Pete’s) and Amy Slosberg.

Lori Ashworth, Tom Dalldorf (Celebrator publisher), Judy Ashworth, and fellow judge Paul Marshall.

The final judging panel.

Gordon Strong checks the aroma of a sample. Gordon wrote the style guidelines for both barleywines and Imperial IPAs for the BJCP.

Everyone offers a toast to the winning barleywine, Artic Devil from Anchorge, Alaska’s Midnight Sun Brewing.

Photo Gallery: Chocolate & Beer Dinner at Cathedral Hill Hotel

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Friday night there was a Chocolate & Belgian Beer Dinner at the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco. Chef Bruce Paton, a.k.a. the Beer Chef, has been putting on these sort of dinners for ten years and is rightly famous for them. The beers for the dinner were Aventinus and all of the imported Chimays. The chocolate was Scharffen Berger. Besides the cocktail hour of Aventinus and chocolatey hors d’oeuvres, there were four courses, each with a different Chimay beer paired with it and chocolate used in the dish itself. First course was Napoleon of Butter Poached Lobster, Artichoke and Celery Root with Chocolate Sauce Americaine paired with Chimay Cinq Cents. The second course was Ravioli of Duck Confit and Cocoa Nibs in Natural Jus with Duck Ham and Micro Arugula paired with Chimay Premiere. Third course was Angus Beef Short Ribs Braised in Chimay with Creamy Grits and Chocolate Balsamic Reduction paired with Chimay Grand Reserve. The fourt and dessert course was a trio of Artisan Chocolate Escapades with Vintage 2000 Chimay Grand Reserve to wash it down. Everything was delicious and the evening was a rollicking success for all.

Beer Chef Bruce Paton addresses the crowd.

Lars Larson, brewmaster at Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley, poses with Judy Ashworth’s daughter, whose holding up the back page of the Celebrator with Lars’ picture on it, and Tom Dalldorf, Celebrator publisher.

Tom Dalldorf with Pete and Amy Slosberg, of Pete’s Wicked fame. Pete’s now doing his own chocolates and they’re quite yummy under the name Cocoa Pete’s.

Fal Allen (who’s now in Singapore), Kate Gaiser (from Washington) and me.

Two Marin brewers. James Costa (from Moylan’s) and Arne Johnson (from Marin Brewing)

Dave Suurballe (from the Toronado), Fal Allen and Shaun O’Sullivan (from 21st Amendment)

Fal and Shaun mug for the camera.

Yes, Shaun that’s mugging for the camera. If you keep making this face I’ll continue calling it mugging.

Matt Salie, who’s now with Big Sky Brewing cracks up Fal and Shaun.

Our yummy dessert plate.

Getting a leg up on dessert.

Chef Bruce Paton (in white) and someone from Scharffen Berger whose name I didn’t catch along with all the brewers present. From left: Arne Johnson, Fal Allen, Lars Larson, Shaun O’Sullivan and James Costa.

Valentine’s Day Rejection: It’s Delicious

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Russian River Brewing’s Valentine’s Day seasonal beer is called Rejection, a name so perfect for the holiday that I thought I’d go there today with my sweetheart (in this case with my daughter Alice) and try a pint.

When I arrived, Vinnie and his assistant brewer, Travis, were in the middle of a bottling day, the third in a row of four scheduled. So after a brief chat, we excused ourselves and with Natalie, Vinnie’s partner in all things, Alice and I went back to the brewpub for a little lunch. While Alice gnawed on her yummy pizza, Natalie and I talked about this and that. I had only visited the brewpub once other than on its opening day almost three years ago. The place still looks great; open, airy and inviting.

Since I specifically came for the Rejection, I ordered a pint of it, which came in a tulip glass. It’s a Belgian-style black ale, and is surprisingly mild given its name and the fact that roasted malt is used. But in fact Vinnie uses de-bittered black malt. This is a special malt that uses an evaporative process that makes it much less astringent than your average black malt.

This is the second year Russian River has brewed Rejection. The name came from Tomme Arthur, brewmaster at Pizza Port Solana Beach in San Diego who had an epiphany a few weeks before Valentine’s Day last year and rang up Vinnie to give him the idea. Vinnie looked around to see what he had around the brewery and rejection was born. This year’s, with slightly more planning time, uses a different yeast but is otherwise the same as the original. It’s 6.1% abv but tastes lighter than that.

Rejection has dark black color with a generous tan head and light nose with malty sweetmess. Clean, malty flavors with mildly sweet notes that are never cloying. There are delightfully subtle undertones of jam and plums. It has a wonderful mouthfeel and a very clean finish. If this is what rejection tastes like, give me more.

Russian River owner/brewer Vinnie Cilurzo with his assistant Travis and Brian Hunt, owner/brewer of nearby Moonlight Brewing who had stopped by for a visit today.

Marin Brewing Up a Quadruple

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Arne Johnson, brewmaster at Marin Brewing Co. in Larkspur, California (and the winner of this year’s Bistro Double IPA Festival), told me on Saturday that he’s brewed his first quadruple and that it’s in the tank now. He anticipates it will be available at the pub in about six weeks. That would be the week of March 26, the last week of the month. Mark your calendars, it should be worth waiting for.

Photo Gallery: 6th annual Bistro Double IPA Festival

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The 6th annual Double IPA Festival was February 11 at the Bistro in Hayward, California. It looked to be their biggest crowd yet for the popular event that highlights Double IPAs, one of the newest beer styles. A healthy percentage of the local beer cognoscenti was on hand to support the event and the extremely hoppy Double or Imperial IPA style.

 

A sign above the bar announces the beginning of Beerapalooza and the Double IPA Festival.

Inside the Bistro at peak festival time.

Bistro co-owner Cynthia Kralj shows off the festival t-shirts.

Rodger Davis of Drake’s and Arne Johnson of Marin Brewing enjoy a beer out front in the warm sunshine.

Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment and me, also outside along the side wall.

Bistro co-owner Vic Kralj and Dave Keene, owner of the Toronado. (Note Cathedral Hotel beer chef Bruce Paton accidently lurking over Dave’s shoulder.)

Shaun O’Sullivan gracefully accepting his third place award on behalf of 21st Amendment.

Arne Johnson accepting the first place award on behalf of Marin Brewing.

Vic presents the People’s Choice Award to Natalie and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing.

Natalie toasts the crowd.

The winners who were present for the award ceremony, from left: Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, Shaun O’Sullivan and Arne Johnson.

Marin Takes Top Honors at Double IPA Festival

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Marin Brewing was chosen best in show at the 6th annual Double IPA Festival today at the Bistro in Hayward, California. The full winner list is below.

 
 

 
 

Judging at the Bistro Double IPA Festival

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Today was the 6th annual Double IPA Festival at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I was happy to be one of the judges sequestered in the basement trying to choose the best of over forty Double IPAs. it took us about three or so hours to complete our task. Happily, we had a steady stream of vistors. It was a labor of love for all of us there, because extreme beers are some of our favorites. Though they are certainly a challenge to judge. In the end we only knew the numbers of the beers that took the top three spots. We had to wait until 5 pm (about three hours) with everyone else to find out who the winners were. Luckily, there was more beer, food and friends to make the wait more bearable.

The judges in the cellar, clockwise from bottom left: Kenny Gross, me, Barry Marshall, Dave Keene, Tom Dalldorf, Grant Johnston, Josh Charlton, Paul Marshall and Mike Long.

And from the other side, clockwise from bottom left: Grant Johnston, Josh Charlton, Paul Marshall and Mike Long, Kenny Gross, me, Barry Marshall and Dave Keene

Dame Judy Ashworth, Queen of the Micros, paid us a visit.

Vicky, our hard-working beer steward between Tom Dalldorf and Grant Johnston.

Tom talks with Lagunitas owner Tony Magee, who warms up before doing a set of blues guitar on stage.

Shaun O’Sullivan cracks up Dave Keene and Grant Johnston during a subterranean visit.

21st Amendment Taps Firkin of Imperial IPA at Barclay’s

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Last Night at Barclays Restaurant & Pub on College Avenue in Berkeley, 21st Amendment brewer and co-owner Shaun O’Sullivan tapped a firkin of his new Double Trouble Imperial IPA. One of several new beers for Strong Beer Month, the Imperial IPA is 10.1% abv and an absolute delight on the firkin. It’s brightly amber colored and begins with strong alpha hop aromas. I detected the obvious Cascade aromas (which Shaun later confirmed, along with Amarillo, Simcoe, Stygian and Goldings and others). The lush flavors have a big hop presence but it’s enchantingly smooth with a great mouthfeel. Overall it’s creamy and delicious and lingers pleasantly on the tongue for many minutes. Highly Recommended.

Shaun O’Sullivan (at left) mugs for the camera with James Costa of Moylan’s Brewing, my local pub in Marin County.

Celebrator 18th Anniversary Party on the 19th

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One of the magazines I write for, the Celebrator Beer News, is having their 18th Anniversary Party on Sunday, February 19 from 4-8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person and that covers your beer, food and entertainment. There will be 15 breweries pouring over 50 different beers for sampling, cajun food such as pulled pork and jamalaya cooked on-site and at least three bands, including a cajun band. This years theme, in case you haven’t guessed is Mardi Gras and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Louisiana breweries through Abita Brewing and the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. The party will be held at Trumer Braurerei in Berkeley at 1404 Fourth Street, off of Gilman. I have tickets if anybody needs one or even easier, you can buy tickets online through PayPal. You can either follow the link on the left column of this blog or go to the Celebrator website. Hope to see you there.

Trumer Brauerei in Berkeley, California. [ Google Maps ]