I got the good news over the weekend, the Homebrew Chef, Sean Paxton, has a new apprentice. On Thursday, July 12, at 6:28 a.m., his wife gave birth to a baby girl, their first. She was 8 lbs., 1 oz., and 22 in. Her name is Olivia Rose Paxton. Join me in wishing her and her parents all the best.
Olivia Rose. She already has good taste in beer.
Now that’s a slogan: “The Official Beer of Planet Earth.” Butte Creek Brewing Co., the other little brewery in Chico, California, announced today that they will be revamping their entire packaging and introducing two new slogans, “Organic Pioneers” and “The Official Beer of Planet Earth.”
From the press release:
Golden West Brewing Announces Redesign of Butte Creek Organic Ales and Lagers
CHICO, Calif. — Golden West Brewing Company, Inc. announced today that it has completed the redesign of its core product line of Butte Creek Organic Ales and Lagers. The new labels, six-pack carriers, and case boxes released today in select markets eventually will be in all 25 states where Butte Creek is sold.
As part of the redesign of the brand, Butte Creek is using two new marks – “Organic Pioneers” and “The Official Beer of Planet Earth” – as cornerstones of its marketing campaign for the organic ales and lagers.
“We are very excited about the re-branding of Butte Creek Organic Ales and Lagers and believe our updated design is necessary to compete with recent entrants, such as Anheuser-Busch, into the organic beer category,” said John Power, President of Golden West Brewing.
Golden West Brewing has filed applications with the United States Trademark and Patent Office (“USPTO”) for both marks and hope the marks will be successfully registered with the USPTO. However, there is no guarantee the USPTO will publish the marks for opposition.
As part of the redesigning and marketing campaign, Golden West has secured new vendors for the glass and six-pack carriers that should reduce overall cost of these key raw materials.
“A limited price increase that went into effect July 1, combined with more effective purchasing of glass and cardboard, should improve our gross margins in the current third quarter of 2007,” Power said.
Golden West also announced the completion of a private placement of 282,000 shares at $0.33 per share to provide additional working capital. Details of the placement are contained in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K covering the financing.
About Golden West Brewing Company, Inc.
Golden West Brewing Company, Inc. was formed in 2003 and completed a small self-underwritten public offering in 2006. Golden West through its wholly owned subsidiary, Golden West Brewing Company, acquired the assets and certain liabilities of Butte Creek Brewing Company of Chico, California in August 2005. Founded in 1996, Butte Creek Brewing Company is one of the pioneer certified organic microbreweries in the United States
Brian Ford, the former brewer at Beermanns Beerwerks near Sacramento has been trying to get his new brewpub open for some time now. Finally, his new Auburn Alehouse Brewery & Restaurant will be opening this Thursday, June 21 in Old Town Auburn, California, which is also just outside Sacramento. I saw Brian and tried a pair of his beers at the Raley Field Brewfest May 12. Brian even invited me up this weekend to try things out but with Father’s Day it just didn’t work out.
Photograph by Ben Furtado of the Auburn Journal |
Yesterday’s Auburn Journal, the local paper, ran a nice introductory story on the brewpub. Although I confess to a chuckle over this amusing understatement:
As opposed to …? When I first read that, it made me think the reporter was informing the reader as to what beer is made with, but to be fair, she copied this statement from the Auburn Alehouse’s website, but changed the first few words from “All beers will be brewed using …” to “All beer is brewed using …., which changes the meaning considerably.” But that gentle gaffe aside, it was great to see Brian’s new venture get some local attention. Their website lists nine regular beers and will also be supplemented “seasonal or monthly special brew,” along with what they’re calling “Pub Brewed Special,” which sounds like very small batches. |
Also the food to be served at the restaurant sounds pretty damn good. The chef is Luis Gomez, who is also a co-owner. He’s apparently been cooking for almost thirty years centering on “Mediterranean and Southwestern flare.”
And the cheeseloaf sound pretty tasty, too. It’s described as a “[b]aked to order sourdough round loaf, stuffed with Gruyere, Parmesan, Swiss, garlic butter, and chives, served with balsamic and olive oil.” He’ll also be using as many local ingredients as possible. I’m looking very forward to the time when I can try Brian’s beer and eat some of the food at Auburn Alehouse. |
This was the 16th annual Santa Rosa Beerfest, which is a benefit for Face to Face, a Sonoma County AIDS charity. What’s fun about this festival and what sets it apart is two things. First there’s the emphasis on local beer and food producers. Second, and most importantly in my opinion, is the way they treat food. There are as many, perhaps more, food stands than beer stands. And for your admission price you get unlimited samples of both food and beer. That means you can choose a food and a beer to pair, and try endless combination of pairings right there on the spot. More festivals should adopt this method, because it’s a terrific way to really show just how good beer and food are together. I can write about it until I’m blue in the fingers, and you can try single pairing after pairing, but to have an opportunity to mix and match like this is priceless and a fantastic learning experience. Plus, the equal emphasis on food alleviates the drunkenness that sometimes accompanies lesser festivals. Anyway, it was a great day — perfect weather — and I had a great time talking with friends, eating and drinking and listening to live music. After the festival I was so full, I didn’t have another bite for the rest of the day. I was satiated and satisfied.
Rebecca and Fraggle, inveterate festival-goers, at this year’s Santa Rosa Beerfest.
Two from Russian River Brewing, co-owner Natalie (center) and as many times as I’ve met this gentlemen I can’t remember his name, along with Brian Hunt from Moonlight Brewing (right).
For more photos from this year’s Santa Rosa Brewfest, visit the photo gallery.
The first Raley Field Brewfest was put on by the Northern California Brewer’s Guild in an effort to raise funds for the fledgling organization. It was a good first fest at a great setting with perfect weather, especially for Sacramento. Because it was a festival by brewers for their own benefit, attendance was better than usual for a first-time event, and there were several breweries who rarely make an appearance at festivals, which made it more interesting than ones with only the usual suspects.
Brian Ford, who returns to the brewing community June 1, when his Auburn Alehouse Brewery & Restaurant is exected to open, with Glynn Phillips, owner of Rubicon and the festival organizer.
Melissa Myers, brewer at Drake’s, serving festival-goers.
Peter Hoey, from Sacramento Brewing, and Steve Altimari, from Valley Brewing.
For many more photos from the Raley Field Brewfest, visit the photo gallery.
Today’s Fresno Bee has a nice little profile of three area craft breweries, Brewbakers Family Restaurant, Full Circle Brewing and Sequoia Brewing. There also several cool, artistic photographs of the beer, such as the one below.
Full Circle Brewery’s Red Ale, top, and Cluster-Fuggle.
(Photo by Darrell Wong, The Fresno Bee)
The results of the West Coast Beer Festival Commercial Competition have been announced. The winners are listed below. Each line below contains the category or style judged under the broad heading above it, the beer name, the brewery and where it’s located.
1. Light Lager
2. Dark Lager
3. Amber Ale
4. Light Ale
5. American Pale Ale
6. English Pale Ale
7. India Pale Ale
8. Brown Ale
9. Porter
10. Stout
11. Wheat
12. Fruit Beer
13. Strong Ale
14. Mixed
15. Belgian Ales
16. Cider
17. Other
Congratulations to all the award winners.
Saturday was the 11th annual Boonville Beer Festival, held as usual at the Mendocino Fair Grounds in Boonville, California. Over the last few years, this festival has really become one of the “must attend” fests of the year, and this time was no exception. I didn’t hear the final attendance figures, but it must have been another record year. I did hear that despite ordering almost double the festival glasses as last year, they still ran out early and had to resort to dixie cups for late-comers. It was also Cinco de Mayo and the festival tried to celebrate the Mexican holiday, as well.
The Anderson Valley horse-drawn coach transported VIPs from the brewery to the festival.
During the opening of the festival, we were serenaded by the traditional Humboldt Firkin Tappers. For a video of their performance, see the photo gallery.
Anderson Valley Brewery owner Ken Allen.
Brian Hunt from Moonlight Brewing.
Adrienne, in her watermelon wheat hat, and Motor, who podcasts at Beer School.
Brian Hunt from Moonlight Brewing, Aron Derosey from Beach Chalet , Jeff Barkley (also from Moonlight) and Melissa Myers from Drake’s.
Vinnie Cilurzo does a celebrity endorsement of 21st Amendment’s IPA in a can. Watch the commercial at the photo gallery.
In another bit of shameless promotion, Shaun O’Sullivan from 21st Amendment gets Matt Brynildson, from Firestone Walker, to wear the watermelon wheat pimp hat.
Claudia, Yuseff Cherney, from Ballast Point, Jeff Bagby, from Pizza Port Carlsbad, and his assistant brewer.
For many more photos from the festival, visit the photo gallery. At the photo gallery there is even video of the Humboldt Firkin Tappers and Vinnie drinking beer from a can. And if you’re a fire bug like me, there is also many photos of the bonfire, including what it looks like when a beer bottle melts.
This Saturday will be the Raley Field Brewfest in Sacramento, California, a benefit for the Northern California Brewers Guild. Tickets are $30 at the door, or you can save $5 by purchasing tickets online.
Here are some of the breweries slated to be pouring:
The festival will begin a 1:00 p.m. at Raley Field. “One ticket is valid for up to 10 tastings. Additional tastings can be purchased on-site.” |
There will also be music and food available. Come out and support this very worthy cause. The newly formed Northern California Brewers Guild was created to keep good local craft beer available throughout northern California. Help them help you by attending the event and enjoying some terrific beers, most of which were created locally.
5.12
Raley Field Brewfest
Raley Field, 400 Ballpark Drive, West Sacramento , California
916.376.4700 [ information ] [ online tickets ]
Last year, my friend and author Maureen Ogle was having a book release party at Anchor Brewery in San Francisco and she asked me to help her put together the guest list since I lived here and she was in Iowa. When she sent me her preliminary list of guests I was very surprised to see Jack McAuliffe’s name and address among them. It had been quite some time since anyone knew where McAuliffe was and I had heard he’d made it abundantly clear he wanted to keep it that way. I immediately asked about Jack, and Maureen told me that in the course of working on her book Ambitious Brew that she’d become good friends with him.
I mentioned all of this to Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing a week or so later and he told me that Jim Koch was looking for McAuliffe because he wanted the Brewers Association to honor him and New Albion Brewery for his great contribution to the craft beer industry. At GABF I let Koch that Maureen knew how to reach McAuliffe and the rest, as they say, is history. At this year’s Craft Brewers Conference, the Brewers Association Recognition Award was given to Jack McAuliffe, founder of New Albion Brewing Company in Sonoma, California.
From the press release:
The Brewers Association Recognition Award went to Jack McAuliffe, founder of New Albion Brewing Company. McAuliffe’s inspiration, enthusiasm and support have contributed to the development of American craft beer movement.
Steve Bradt, Head Brewer at Free State Brewing Company and Brewers Association Board of Directors member says, “As founder of what author Maureen Ogle calls ‘…the most important failed brewery industry’s history, the New Albion Brewing Co.’ Jack McAuliffe epitomizes the kind of tough, ingenious, and fiercely independent men and women who have come since in the Craft Brewing world. In fact, probably find reason to present him with each of the awards presented today, not just this one.”
Even though New Albion Brewery lasted only a few short years, it’s influence on the future of microbreweries cannot be underestimated. We all owe Jack a debt of gratitude. Pick up Ambitious Brew for the most thorough account of that period of history. Unfortunately, McAuliffe could be coaxed out of his self-imposed isolation. Instead, his assistant brewer, Don Barkley, was on hand to accept the honor on his behalf. After New Albion closed in 1982, Barkley went on to success as Mendocino Brewing’s brewer.
Bradt giving the Brewers Association Recognition Award to Don Barkley, who accepted it on behalf of Jack McAuliffe, founder of New Albion Brewing Company, who was unable to be present.
Don Barkley reminisced about working at New Albion and about McAuliffe. Maureen Ogle asked me take a picture since she wasn’t able to be there either, and I decided I could make her feel more like she was actually there my shooting some video with my camera, so that’s what I did and it’s below here.