Taste of Brews IE Road Trip Part I

The Taste of Brews crew headed out to the Inland Empire recently in order to visit several of our outstanding participating breweries.  Ostensibly, the intent was to deliver posters, counter cards and other promo materials in order to hype our upcoming event on May 25 at White Park, but what red-blooded American could pass up the opportunity to sample amazing craft beer along the way?

Our first stop was at I & I Brewing in Chino.  Closing in on their one year anniversary, I & I has already outgrown their current space and is moving across the street into a much larger location.  I & I draws its name from Rasta and homages to Bob Marley are apparent in posters and on T-Shirts.  We ponied up to the bar right at 4pm sharp and were joined by a construction worker who proclaimed that he’d been working next door all week and was glad he didn’t find out about the brewery until the job was over!  We sampled their Peach Wheat Ale and Honey Cream Ale (both were tremendous) before discovering something called “Ginger Small Ale”, a 5.1% alcoholic version of ginger ale.  Legend has it that Ginger Beer heals the soul and cures your ailments.  We loved it, and since we there is so much soul healing needed among our team, we ordered up a Growler from Eric and hit the road.

Next was Main Street Brewing in Corona.  Tucked inside of a Lamppost Pizza, Main Street Brewing was the first micro-brewery in Corona.  The brewery is fully stocked with at least eight hand-crafted "custom" brews served up chilled on tap. These exciting brews vary from the lightest of tastes to those of robust English creations. The brewery itself is tastefully appointed with a "Cheers" style wraparound oak bar, elegant wood paneling and filled with great conversation, games, and sports on several television monitors.  We sampled their famous Hop Daddy IPA and a delicious Honey Blonde.  The smell of the freshly oven-baked pizza was hard to overcome and we finally succumbed and ordered the “Linebacker” which featured every type of meat under the sun.  After polishing off that beast, we hung a few posters, handed out some rave cards and waddled to the car to prep for the next leg of our journey.

With all the new breweries opening up and expansion taking place among the existing group, it that took us almost 20 hours over two full days to visit more than a dozen breweries and several of our “sampling” restaurants.  Check back soon for our next chapter in this amazing saga!

Snow Angels and Craft Beer

So we thought we’d do a little something different to celebrate St. Patty’s Day.  Instead of going to one of the many celebrations here in the OC, we took a trip up highway 38 to Big Bear Lake.  The weather forecasters, who usually have a winning percentage in the 40 percent range, hit this one spot on…unfortunately for us.

We had a great plan to check out the Big Bear Mountain Brewery and sample one of their many fine craft beers along with a great mountain burger.  According to their website, the Big Bear Mountain Brewery and Restaurant building on Red Ant Hill is one of the oldest commercial buildings in Big Bear.  It was built in 1925 by a renowned pioneer of Big Bear named Bill Knickerbocker. The big pale yellow building was the original home of the Masonic Temple, but now the historic landmark building has a hand-crafted wooden bar and rustic ambience.  I was really looking forward to trying their Old Miners Gold, a honey blonde, Little Beaver, a Cali Pale Ale or The Grizzly, a Chocolate Porter.  I had hoped to speak with owner/brewer about attending Taste of Brews in Riverside on Saturday, June 2. 

That day may eventually come, but not on this weekend.  So the storm arrived a little late, but packed a heavy punch.  I’d estimate a good foot of snow dumped on Saturday afternoon to early evening making the roads treacherous.  The winds were whipping up and visibility was nil.  We would have given it a go but our good friends at Snow Summit left a sizeable berm of ice and snow at the end of the driveway making it impossible to get out.  OK, so we decided to give it a go on Sunday instead…better late than never!

We weren’t lacking for food having packed enough for an extended stay.  I really screwed up though and forgot to bring any beer thinking we’d hit the brewery and stock up on our favorites. Fortunately someone had left a 12-pack of beer.

The snow continued overnight on Saturday into Sunday; another 6-8 inches at least.  It took nearly an hour of digging snow tunnels for our dogs, Chip and Dip, to make their way around the yard.  Not used to the altitude and already exhausted, it then took another hour of trying to clear the now four foot-high wall of snow at the end of the driveway.  Fortunately for us, a couple of Snow Summit employees ventured by with a snow plow and cleared the berm.  Excited, we finished a couple of (literally) ice cold beer, made a few snow angels (like teenagers) and headed into the house for a well-deserved break.

Well, Mother Nature was having her way with us on this weekend.  The skies opened up again with heavy snow and high winds, dumping another eight inches—the snowboarders must’ve had a field day on the fresh powder.  It felt to me like Groundhog Day all over again, having to re-dig the dog’s paths and clear a route to the car only to find yet another huge berm! 

Alright, even I could read the tea leaves on this one.  I cleared as much as my exhausted body would allow and headed into the cabin to build a fire, grill some burgers and suck down another Blue Moon.  The snowflakes continued to fall well into the evening on Sunday, leaving me no choice but to watch the Walking Dead Marathon.  So much for best laid plans and the trip to Big Bear Mountain Brewery.  There’s always next time, but I do hope they pour at Taste of Brews.  I really would like to sample that Honey Blonde!

See you all on June 2^nd at White Park.

The Bruery

One Friday afternoon, we were doing our typical "research"on beer related news when my supervisor was awe-struck by a beer. It was called Chocosaurus Rye. As two chicks who try to defy the gender related stereotypes we are faced with concerning beer, we just can't deny the love we have for chocolate. So from that very moment, those darn cravings (induced by the idea of both chocolate AND beer) came in waves. Shortly after we left, and on a mission.

I've been to The Bruery Provisions before, but have yet to visit their actual tasting room. This (every?) Friday night was poppin' so we waited in a line that wrapped around the outside with great anticipation. Upon arrival we quickly ordered our first round without hesitation. Chocosaurus Rye and Humulus Lager with Ginger to share. So here's the rundown.

Chocosaurus Rye is a union of The Bruery and Bootlegger's two styles: a dark rye lager that was finished with cacao nibs and vanilla beans. It poured a very dark brown with a bit of a velvety consistency. A frothy head was quick to form, and even more quick to recede to light lacing around the glass. You'll get a whiff of fresh vanilla beans and bitter bakers chocolate, rounded out with boozy notes keeping it from smelling like a milkshake. Taste-wise, this beer had duel personalities. It was much more rich and smooth with a chocolaty opening when we first got it As it slowly warmed the grains took the spotlight which took away some of the richness.

Simultaneously we enjoyed the Humulus Lager with Ginger. It poured a pretty pale golden yellow with a finger of fluffy head that left some frothy lacing sticking to the glass. I loved the smell of this beer. It had a nice piney floral scent upfront with citrusy, malty sweetness, and hints of booze. The taste very much reflected the smell. Even though it's a lager, I believe the ginger gave it an almost IPA-like flavor profile. It had a nice piney hoppy punch that was well balanced with caramel maltyness and earthy accents. As someone who loves ginger almost as much as I love chocolate, I would have liked it to be at the point where it'd be overpowering to most. But it was a mild accent. I'll take what I can get, I still loved this beer.

Our second round consisted of BeRazzled and White Oak. BeRazzled is a sassy lil' sour that tasted like raspberry jam. White Oak tasted like it would be the offspring of a Barleywine and a Tripel. Fruit and zest from the Tripel's characteristics mixed with the warmth and booze from the Barleywine's.

As you can tell I'm trying to cut my beer rambling short, but that also can be blamed on the fact that with each beer my memory was cutting short as well. I won't even get into the rest of our night. But we would like to thank The Bruery for the good times and the good beers they provided us.

Karl Strauss in Costa Mesa

The Taste of Brews’ crew dropped by Karl Strauss in Costa Mesa to sample beer and burgers in advance of St. Patrick’s Day.  Located near South Coast Plaza, Karl has been a big supporter of our events and is among the craft breweries attending our inaugural event in Riverside this summer.

You can never go wrong with any selection at Karl Strauss, but we opted to try the seasonal offerings on tap: Pintail Pale Ale (5.3% ABV), Off the Rails (8.5% ABV), Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV) and a Russian Imperial Stout (see top photo).  The Oatmeal was freshly brewed just in time for St. Patty’s and featured a hint of coffee and dark chocolate flavors.  The Russian Stout was outstanding as well, but seemed a bit heavy while having lunch outside on a spectacular spring-like day in Southern California.  Ultimately the choice came down to the Pintail (pictured on the left “Karl” coaster) and the Off the Rails (pictured on the right).

Pintail surfboards are used almost exclusively on big wave gun surfboards, where control is the most important element.  Pintails are not so maneuverable, but when you’re speeding down the face of a 20′ Waimea bomb it is more important that the board go straight and not suddenly start snaking all over the place.  In the Pintail Pale Ale, dynamic citrus and pine flavors from Newport and Cascade hops give this beer direction, while fine pale malts provide balance.  The remarkable floral aroma from dry hopping with Amarillo hops makes this beer as enjoyable as cruising down to the beach, board in tow.  The beer definitely went with the flow today and was a great way to cap an awesome meal.

The first things you feel when you lean into a turn on a surfboard are your rails. Their shape will determine whether your turning leverage is crisp and directional or spongy and sluggish.  After brewing their award-winning Red Trolley Ale for more than two decades, Karl decided to raise the stakes. Why mess with a good thing you ask? Karl answered because it’s that kind of dangerous thinking that leads to the next great beer. Off the Rails is no slouch, a hopped up cousin to Red Trolley, this Imperial Red Ale is brewed with tons of caramel malts and Willamette hops for rich toffee flavors, undertones of dried fruit, and a warming finish.  If this is your first time off the rails, hang on with both hands.

Both styles were excellent and highly recommended.  We’re looking forward to our next trip to Costa Mesa.  And if you’re in the Inland Empire on June 2, stop by White Park for Taste of Brews.  Karl Strauss has promised to surprise us with something really special!

Updates/Mendocino

Well helloooo there friends, hasn't it been awhile? The last you might have heard about Taste of Brews was the event in Dana Point on August 15th. It being our second round of the game, it ran much smoother than before and, guess what, we had food trucks and vendors this time. The samples even lasted through the whole day, hallelujah! But the star of the show was of course the beer. And Dana Point people sure like their beer; it was a fun time.

For those wondering what's next for Taste of Brews, he have a few events conjuring. No official dates have been implanted but you will surely see a Long Beach location in the summer again!  Other locations we are looking at are coming from White Park in Riverside and/or a park in Costa Mesa. We will keep you posted on any further information.

Moving along: I was looking through the Los Angeles Times and to my surprise I noticed a Beer of the Month (How have I not noticed this?) Featured was our friends at Mendocino Brewing (Remember them at the Long Beach location?) with their Black Eye Ale. We picked one up at our local Bevmo because we were all a bit parched... ok we really just wanted some beer, but we were happy we picked this one. This black and tan beer poured a deep dark brown body with a light brown head that quickly shrank to a ring of lace. It smelled of coffee, dark fruit, and burnt caramel. It tasted much like smelled, roasted coffee beans, roasted caramel, bitter hops, and a tad bit of sweetness to round it out. Also it wasn’t too heavy, making it totally sippable throughout the afternoon. Can you imagine this beer being $3 for a 22-oz.? I thought it was too good to be true, but somehow it is in fact the real deal. Thank you Mendocino, thank you.

Butcher's Brew

Butcher's Brew is a brewery we have yet to try, but are ecstatic that we will be able to at Taste of Brews. I'm a foodie with an appreciation of creating and cooking everything from scratch. I'm intrigued by the process of creating things that you would normally buy pre-made without thought of what goes behind it all. Fermenting, curing, aging, pickling; these are all specific processes that involve chemical conversions that instill certain flavors along with preservation. The people behind Butcher's Brew must be the same way, for the co-owner previously had a meat curing company. They do not use their name loosely.

The Brewery: Butchers' Brewing was born out of a love for good beer and good meat. A natural progression and exploration in fermentation, it was the vision of former Knight Salumi Company owner and founder, Rey Knight. An avid home brewer who held many experiments with beer yeasts and bacteria's in salami and meat curing, Knight has unleashed his passion for brewing onto the San Diego craft beer scene. 

-Gabriel Tennberg: Raised on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai surfing and soaking up the local food and culture. Now a So-Cal resident Gabriel has carved a career in the Surfing industry, designing for brands like Billabong, Element, Hurley, and DC shoes. Also Creator of his own brand Pidgin Orange, with longtime friend Jeff Yokoyama.

-Rey Knight: With a gypsie childhood moving throughout the Pacific Northwest, farming, hunting, home brewing, and cooking. Rey Attended the CIA (Culinary institute of America) in Hyde Park New York. After which he traveled and worked his way through France back to the US, through many kitchens to hit San Diego, where he established Knight Salumi Company, a artisanal craft, chemical free cured meat shop. A natural progression in fermentation brought Rey to the brewing scene, experimenting with yeasts and bacteria. As a home brewer and not traditionally educated in the arts of brewing the techniques used to create butchers beers aren't always conventional.

Green Flash

One of the newest additions to the Taste of Brews line-up was Green Flash not too long ago.  Green Flash is one of those breweries I keep going back to because they manage to make their (at-first-glance) basic styled beers incredibly memorable. I've had the pleasure of trying their Double Stout, Hop Head Red Ale, Trippel, and West Coast IPA.

One of my favorites from Green Flash is their Double Stout. It pours a rich black with a tan head that looks like chocolate whipped cream [mmmm]. It has chocolate and coffee aromas with a subtle earthiness. But the best part is, of course, its taste. Such a rich and smooth stout, balanced by a slight smokiness from the roasted malts. Another note is that it's not overpowering. Sometimes stronger stouts can be harsh with a astringent mouthfeel, but this is not at all the case.

Another one of their greats is their Hop Head. Most red ales I've had are mellow in hops, but as the name shows, Hop Head embraces it. It poured an amber red color with a foamy head. It had a sweet, candy-like aroma with herbal hop smells. It had a refreshing citrusy taste along with some creaminess; grapefruit drizzled with caramel and a pile of hops dumped on top pushing it to an IPA level.

I'm excited to find out what they'll bring to Taste of Brews. Whatever they are, they will be delicious.

Stone's Sour Fest 2011

I had the opportunity to attend Stone's Sour Fest, one of their events featuring sour beers from around the world. Sour beer is a beer style characterized by an acidic, tart, and of course a sour taste. The style has increased in popularity but remains somewhat of a niche style. Souring is achieved through certain yeast strains like brettanomyces or bacteria like lactobacillus or pediococcus. Sour beers can be difficult to brew however, and breweries must be willing to commit the space and expenses and then patiently wait for an unpredictable aging process. I'd like to state that the final product is well worth it.

Maybe even less than 10 years ago, domestic sours were nonexistent. But now there is a vast lineup of American brewers who have stepped into this territory. Stone helped bring them along with many international breweries all together yesterday. They featured most of the sours from New Belgium's Lips of Faith series; La Folie being the first to fill my sour-beer void some years ago. Always a favorite, the Russian River wild ales were on draft as well. The Bruery has been put in the spot-light for their sours lately. I appreciate that they have been making them accessible as well as delicious (and close to us Orange Countians). From these breweries, I wouldn't expect less. I already know they make good stuff. They have all presented me with some of the best beers I've had and therefore will have a special place in my little heart. But like all Stone events I've attended, Stone brings beers I'd never get to try otherwise.

The beer I kept coming back to was by Craftsmen. I had both the 2010 and 2011 Sour Lavender. Oh-my-gosh. The aroma was of course - lavender - along with some spiciness. The taste was sweet, sour, and herbal. Both batches had the same undertone of flavors, but the older one more rounded and mellow in sourness. It was one of the more unique beers I've had the chance to taste and I REALLY recommend it.

Another great taster came from one of the breweries in our lineup, Grand Teton. Their Sourgrass was one to remember. I think it'd be safe to say my significant other was in love with this one, whom had maybe three rounds of it. Behind the citric-sourness was an earthy feel that contrasted itself from most of the sours having fruity profiles. Recommended as well.

For those who have yet to try a sour, I'd say give it a try. For me, it was love at first sip but it does take some getting used to for it does not taste like your "average" beer. But isn't that the point of craft beer, going above and beyond what one may expect? So taste outside the box and explore the off-beaten-path brews that are gaining popularity or deserving of an initiation.

Lindemans/Mikes Bday

Sunday is our boss' birthday so we're decorating while he's gone and we just finished making a disaster out of his office. Confetti EVERYWHERE. Ha he actually just parked and is walking up, HA! Well, needless to say we got him some yummy Lindemans raspberry framboise to celebrate with. I'll finish this up after the surprise....

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Ok I'm back, mission accomplished. The first thing he noticed was the tinsel that got stuck in his air purifier that was making funny noises. We enjoyed the Lindemans inside the office and let me tell you, it really satisfied. Also from previous experience, if you want to up the ante, mix in a chocolate stout. The fruity acidity contrasts with the smooth chocolaty feel creating a delectable dessert in a glass. Thanks for helping us celebrate, Lindemans!

Evans Premium Lager

Next time you buy your six-pack of beer, I'd press you to try Evans Premium Lager. With its sleek silver packaging, Evans has emerged as a new modern session beer. Created after an interesting trip to Mexico and meeting a man that broadened his knowledge and enthusiasm towards beer, Evan created a beer that exceeded his expectations of what he wanted his beer to taste like.

The first batch he fashioned would be the face of Evans Lager. “The Original” has Caramel, Munich and Pilsner malts from the US and Germany that gives the Original its full bodied feel and taste. Accompanied with a light floral aroma and a true golden color, Evans delivers what he had wanted.

“The Black” is what I’ll be patiently be waiting for. It has Chocolate, Espresso and Black malts that give it a distinctly smooth chocolate body with a light espresso after-taste without that heavy feel. 

Also, boys. He has Evans Angels.

El Segundo Brewing – Home of Blue House Ales

Los Angeles hasn't been known for its craft beer scene, despite its fast-paced and creative residents. That may be coming to a halt, fortunately for us Southern Californians. One of the new up-and-comers is the El Segundo Brewing Company. We appreciate that they helping push the door wider for good craft beer in LA.

Their first beer available to the public was their Blue House Pale Ale. They say that although not over the top hoppy, the aroma from hops is still obvious in the beer and there is no mistake that this is pure west coast craft. It is intended to be a drinkable beer that will be liked by craft brew enthusiasts as well as being very accessible.

Blue House IPA is the second offering. It has a special malt that provides a maltiness that makes it a bit
more delicate than some contemporary IPAs for those who don't like the harsh hoppyness. The two sound dee-lish and they are making plenty of other styles of beer as they settle in. Try these guys at Taste of Brews!

Magic Hat in Long Beach

If you follow Magic Hat on Twitter or Facebook, its easy to see these guys have quite the sense of humor. They are an intriguing brand of beer with their trippy beer artwork and flavors to match. There is a problem however. The Magic hat line is unavailable in California, or most of it. That'll make Taste of Brews all the more awesome, because as you might have guessed, they will be there!

Their popular #9 is a staple on the East Coast but only until recently have they infringed on the West Coast. It is a "Not-Quite Pale Ale" that is described as "an ale whose mysterious and unusual palate will swirl across your tongue and ask more questions than it answers. A sort of dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. #9 is really impossible to describe because there's never been anything else quite like it." Their Summer beer is called Wacko — The Liquid Song of Summer. "Wacko is the liquid song of summer: Crisp like the morning, cool like the evening and quenching all day long. Pop the top and set your summer loose. Wacko is a delicious summer beer with a big malty aroma, a subdued hop bite and a clean, slightly sweet finish". Excited now, aren't ya?

Leinie Summer Shandy

We're in June Gloom mode. For example, it was sprinkling in Costa Mesa the other day while I was driving home. I tend to forget that just because I'm out from school, it doesn't necessarily equal summer and the weather that goes with it. Luckily, summer really is just around the corner. Hopefully next month? Week? We'll see. But as soon as we are able to start the daily BBQ's and laying out at the beach, I will be grabbing myself some Leinie brews. One of the beers they are nice enough to supply us if their Summer Shandy. A shandy is actually a mixed drink made from beer - typically Pilsner - and lemonade. For this premade shandy Leinenkugel used and American style wheat beer with natural lemonade flavor.

A decent amount of ale sweetness comes through, enough to balance the lemon taste. Each batch is carefully brewed using the finest wheat, malted barley, and just a hint of real Wisconsin honey. Then the brewmasters mix in fresh lemonade and citrus flavors to create an adventurous taste that’s perfect for those lazy days of hot sunny weather.The tart lemon flavoring of this shandy-style beer complements spicy and robust summertime grilling recipes. It is a seasonal beer that is only available April through August, so we are glad to be able to supply it at Taste of Brews before it goes back into hiding!

Lhasa Beer!

Lhasa Beer USA imports Lhasa Beer from a Chinese business, the Lhasa Brewing Company Limited, based in Tibet. They make a sweet malty lager but what’s really interesting is the background information on the brewery and beer culture of the area.

Last summer I took a trip with my friends to China, and an immediate realization was that beer was inexistent as far as I could tell.  Despite the lack of beer, there was a plethora of rice wines with incredibly high alcohol content and cheap prices (1-5 US dollars). This made it evident that alcohol wasn't an issue at all. History shows that beer had been around about nine thousand years but then lost prominence to Huangjiu, the yellow liquor I mentioned. 

I remembered what one of my professors had said. He told us that drinking carries much more cultural significance in China than it does here in America. If you were to attend any type of meeting, you will be expected to drink. There is a deep cultural significance in toasting, drinking, and eating with company in order to build relationships. You are also never to refuse a toast because you will lose face and show disrespect to your host. We did come across this often, but only once toasting with beer (Corona's to be exact) along with students at Nanjing University. 

With more research, I found out that there is actually a good handful of brewers in China, so they do exist.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of China's breweries serve only their local vicinity. Only a few brewpubs exist in China, mostly in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing which have a resident western community and carry beers that we're already familiar with. Lhasa is one of the few beers that is brewed in China, and available in the US for us to try.

Lhasa Beer is an all-natural, all-malt lager beer made with Himalayan Spring Water, Saaz hops, yeast, and Tibetan barley. The native Tibetan barley, unlike most barley varieties in the world, has no hull. Thus it adds to the beer's body and gives it an extra dimension of flavor while eliminating some of the undesirable astringency that can come from the grain hulls. Dzambuling, the US company that imports Lhasa, is helping the Tibetan people, pointing out that 72% of Lhasa’s employees are ethnic Tibetans and that 10% of the company’s profits are donated to support philanthropic intervention in Tibet. Do a good deed and try out Lhasa Beer.

Black Market Brews

I am loving that there has been an exponential growth in available places to drink good beer within the past few years, as most of you agree. One place you should surely visit if you haven't is The Bottle Room. They often feature brews from Black Market Brewing Co, another contributor in our line-up as you could have guessed. 

I went with something different from what I'd usually lean towards, their Rye IPA. This gold medal winning beer doesn't have the aggressive hops that I tend to avoid (just not my preference!) and instead has a smooth softness. Another added dimension in this IPA is the dry spiciness thanks to the rye. Rye as in whiskey; maybe that makes for a better flavor "visual". It is most definitely an IPA, but the sweet-n-spicy profile balances against the sharp piney hops. Writing this post is actually making me crave one badly and asap... I really enjoyed this beer and was glad I stepped out of my stout-box.  You all will get to see them at Taste of Brews on August 20th fortunately!

Fireman's Brew for Memorial Day

Thanks to the men and women who serve our country, we were able to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. We thought it would be fitting to try something from Fireman's Brew, a line of microbrewed beers by two Los Angeles firefighters and also participating in Taste of Brews.

Fireman's Brew makes three beers: a Blonde, a Brunette, and a Redhead. The Blonde is a pilsner styled lager. It has a light body and crisp taste that would be refreshing on a hot summer day. The Brunette is a German doublebock with a strong hoppy flavor with chocolate undertones. The Redhead is a red amber ale that is well-balanced in hops and crystal malts for a smooth caramel finish. All of the flavors were great but my favorite was the Blonde for having flavors of fruity malts with some grassy hop notes as well. We're glad Fireman's Brew is joining us on August 20th!

Updates!

Hey guys, its been about a week since we've got the website in full force. We've been keepin' busy and have added a few more brews to our list, which we will release soon to all you. Also, we decided that we'll be sampling beer in work soon! (oh, work is so hard...) Then we'll write up reviews to inform you guys of how tasty they are!


So many things are happening recently within the beer world. The American Craft Beer week was last week. I celebrated by going to Beachwood BBQ and had me a Green Flash Double Stout

So creamy and chocolaty; just wonderful on draught. HIGHLY recommended for stout lovers.