Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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He’Brew National Release Party at the Toronado

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Last night my friend Jeremy Cowan held a National Release Party for his two new beers, Genesis 10:10, Shmaltz Brewing’s 10th anniversary beer, and Lenny’s R.I.P.A, a Rye Double IPA in honor of Lenny Bruce, who died forty years ago this year. As usual, the Toronado was jumping and there were several friends in attendance. Mercifully, it was no longer opressively hot and a nice cool breeze was circulating around the Toronado, which is quite unusual in my experience.

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

— Genesis 10:10, KJV

In case you’re curious, this chapter of the Torah/Bible concerns the history of Noah and the other survivors’ offspring post-flood and this verse is talking specifically about Nimrod.

I’d tasted the Genesis 10:10 a couple of weeks ago and it’s a really terrific strong beer. The original Genesis Ale, from ten years ago, had pomegranates in it so Jeremy used pomegranate juice in the anniversary ale. As I understand it, it was added to fermentation about halfway through and as a result the yeast didn’t drop out for a week longer than expected. I don’t know if that’s the reason or not, but you’d never know from tasting this beer that it’s 10% abv.

The RIPA used 20% rye, which is a lot, but it’s not overpowering in the final beer. Personally I like rye, so perhaps I have a higher tolerance for it than most. To me rye does more for the mouthfeel and texture than for flavor though the distinctive rye character was certainly present there, too, especially when enjoying it with a sandwich on rye bread, which I made for myself while I was there. This is a great twist on an imperial IPA and the rye makes it stand out — in a good way — from the usual doubles.

At the Toronado last night for He’Brew’s release party. From left: Alec Moss, Half Moon Bay Brewing, Pete Slosberg, formerly of Pete’s Wicked Ales and now making Cocoa Pete’s Chocolates, Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing and Rodger Davis of Drake’s Brewing.

Last one to stick his nose in his glass buys a round. Sorry Alec.

Ryer Islander’s Rye Ale Returns to Hoppy Brewing

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I have a special fondess for beers created by happy accident, such as Lagunitas’ Brown Shugga. Hoppy Brewing of Sacramento, California, is re-releasing their own happy accident, Ryer Islander’s Rye Ale (I also have an unnatural fondness for rye beers) as a seasonal ale that should be returning every year as a summer seasonal. Looks like I’ll have to get my lazy self up to Sacramento one of these days soon.

From the press release:

The next brewer’s special due on tap near the end of June is the return of a “new” annual favorite – Ryer Islander’s Ale. The Brew Crew has decided to add this beer to our small line of Perennial Specials (i.e., beers so well liked that we make them every year). So far they are all pale ales – broadly speaking. Fancy that… The progression will go from Tyson’s Twisted Pale Ale in the Spring, Ryer Islander’s Rye Ale in the Summer, Super Hoppy Pale Ale in the Fall, and after all of these years you should know by now what happens in the Winter… 😉

The back story on the Ryer Islander’s is the glory of serendipity and happy accidents. Often brewers will set out to make a beer style that is new, or experiment with new ingredients, and after those beers are made, there are usually partial bags of hops and malt that do not get used for anything else. With that being the case, then Ed will make what he likes to call “Sound Inventory Management” (SIM) beers – basically use the stuff up before it gets old and goes bad. It is kind of like the creations we have all made with the chicken in the freezer, half a bag of corn, some rice, and the remains of all of those dressing and condiment bottles we want to clear out of the refrigerator door. Sometimes those meals come out so well that we wish we had written down the recipe…

Ryer Islander’s Rye Ale is just such a recipe. First there was a mistake in one of the orders. Ed got three sacks of rye malt instead of the three sacks of rye flakes that is used in the Liquid Sunshine. After several subsequent deliveries where he completely forgot to send the rye malt back with the driver, he pretty much had to use it or lose it. Add that to a couple leftover partial sacks of Carapils and Extra Special Malt were thrown into the mash as well. On the hops side, Ed had partial bags of Challenger and Santiam to use up, and he always has plenty of Liberty that gets used in the Hoppy Face. The thought being – that ought to go well – shouldn’t it???

It did!!! The beer flew out of here like it was FREE or something… Almost as importantly, Hoppy’s General Manager, Mr. Kenny Turner really liked it, so we knew that we had not seen the last of it…

Ryer Islander’s Rye Ale is brewed with just over 30% Rye Malt, this unfiltered ale has a distinct rye bread character with a hint of roasted flavors and a tantalizing orange hue. A blend of Galena, Hallertau, and Liberty hops provides a spicy aroma. Alcohol by volume is about 6.0%, it is not really comparable to anything, and it should be on tap about mid-June.

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.

Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Delayed

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Stone Brewing, formerly of San Marcos but now in their new facility in nearby Escondido, California, have announced a slight delay in the release date for Old Guardian Barley Wine. Instead of Januar 31, the seasonal beer will now be available on February 27.

Stone gave the following aditional information regarding the change in release date:

We originally announced that the 2006 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine would come out on January 30th, however that has changed! Seems that a new brewery kinda got in the way…The 2006 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine will now hit shelves on Monday, February 27th so change those calendars!

Your tastebuds are counting on you to check the Stone website and memorize the distribution list so you can treat them to yet another Stone Special Release. This beer is one to age in your cellar, beer ‘fridge, or someplace cool (50ish), upright, and dark.

Don’t forget about the Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Specialty Glasses. The wallop of malt character matched with a Stone-esque amount of hops immediately tells you the Old Guardian is no standard barley wine. The Specialty Glass designed for it is equally distinctive, with a sharp angular profile that immediately tells you that this too is no standard goblet. You have no excuses to drink it out of anything else.

Always worth waiting for, Stone’s Old Guardian has consistently been one of the best bottled barleywine-style ales available.

This has been previously announced, but the 10th Anniversary Celebration has been scheduled for September 9. I still haven’t made it to one of these brouhahas yet, but perhaps this year ….

Stone also sent the following press release regarding the 10th Anniversary Party:

Are you an early riser, or an afternoon type of person? Since you’re all invited to the Stone 10th Anniversary Celebration & Invitational Beer Festival on Saturday, September 9th you need to start deciding now which session you’ll be attending. Here’s why: for this year’s event we are breaking the event into two different sessions (like last year).

Our annual event will once again be benefiting some very Worthy, local charities: the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos, Palomar Family YMCA, the Surfrider Foundation, and Fight ALD!

Since this is our 10-year bash, we are planning on having the most guest breweries we’ve ever had, tons of great food, homebrewed sodas, and lots, lots more.