Hey Everyone!
So I have not touched this blog in quite some time. Come to think of it, I almost forgot I had this blog to begin with! But despite all of this, there is one thing about me that remains constant and unaffected...
I. STILL. LOVE. BEER.
That's right my beer comrades. Just because I've stopped writing about beer doesn't mean I appreciate it any less. Come to think of it, entering my final weeks as an undergraduate, you might say I've enjoyed beer EVEN MORE and just "haven't gotten around" to writing about it. Thanks to my wonderful sister, who just began her blog right, I have been inspired to once again take up CaliBrew and give back to California's beer lovers. I can't say how much I'll be able to dedicate to this though, as I'm already running another blog (and big project) that I'll reveal toward the bottom of this entry.
So what I have I been up to the in the beer world? Last Friday, I introduced some of my mates to beers from the three NorCal breweries I visited last summer. I started out with a delicious, always crisp Lagunitas IPA. From there we moved onto a beer I had not had before, Moylan's Irish Style Red Ale. I normally don't dig red ales, but this one was 4/5 fantastic! The overall ratings weren't as pleasant but still decent on Beer Advocate but I still highly recommend this malty "nectar of the gods." Lastly, we concluded with one of my personal favorites, the Hoppy Brewing Company's Total Eclipse Black Ale. For more on that, see my review of it in a previous entry.
I've tried some other good beers from California recently, though not as many as I hoped for. The ones that come to mind are the Bear Republic Blackout Stout, which I remember to be pretty good, as well as the Marin Brewing Co.'s Hefe Doppel Weizen, which was good too.
Of course, many other beers I tried were at Foam Fest 2009 in Tahoe. That was four months ago, so it's a little hard to recall all the brews that I took back with pride and appreciation haha. I remember being particularly impressed with Fox's pear cider and the tangerine brew from Lost Coast in Eureka. There were definitely some winners from that trip, so I recommend checking it out next October. Besides, the proceeds go to Disabled Sports USA. I really enjoyed that brief trip to Tahoe, from my stop to the Hoppy Brewing Company, to my beer tasting experience at the Tahoe Biltmore Casino, to my trip to the Log Cabin for a scrumptious breakfast.
If you're hoppy and you know it...
Ahoy Beer Lovers!
I just got back from Tahoe this afternoon, and I have some great stuff to share with you about my 24 hour trip to Tahoe. I'll continue with yesterday's entry on the Hoppy Brewing Company, tell you all about Foam Fest in Crystal Bay, NV, and I will tell you a little bit about North Shore Tahoe as well.
Picking up where I left off at the Hoppy Brewing Company,
My time was short but still well spent at the Hoppy Brewing Company, a brewery and restaurant not far off of I-80 in Sacramento. I previously mentioned HBC when I reviewed their Total Eclipse Black Ale, a terrific brew indeed. Anyway, I got to sample more than just TEBA at the brewery. In fact, I sampled nine beers total; its $6.75 for a sampler, and you get 3 oz. of each beer per sample. Under seven bucks for 27 ounces of quality craft beer? Worth it. If you take a look at the sampler picture I posted in the previous entry (or the album), you will see a short description of the main beers. In addition, i got to sample two specialty brews, a double IPA and a German-inspired auburn lager. Here's a little about each beer.
Golden Nugget: the lightest of the beers, but rather impressive. It's actually a light ale but tastes a little like a Czech pilser with that spicy quality. If you ever need a keg, I recommend getting this; everyone will dig it.
Liquid Sunshine Blonde: It has a strong citrus quality, but one that isn't overwhelming. Very smooth and balanced.
Hef'f-a's Weizen: traditional Bavarian Hefezeizen served with a lemon. It's actually a little stronger than most HW's, with an abv of 5.4%. The banana is noticeable upon contact. One of my favorite HBC brews.
Solar Saison (specialty): sort of an intermediary of hefeweizen and dunkelweizen. There's not a strong wheat presence though. Good brew nonetheless.
Hoppy Face Amber: basically your traditional IPA, very hoppy and floral. Yum.
Super Hoppy: a double IPA that is not as floral but very bitter and dry.
Stony Face Red Ale: a burgundy colored brew with a bit of a chocolate malt finish. In general, I'm not a fan of red ales, but many beer drinkers are so don't write this beer off.
Earl Hopfarm Auburn: incredibly smokey flavor but not too hoppy. Sort of a smokier Firestone-Walker DBA. Upon first sip, I thought it to be my favorite of the beers, so I definitely recommend it.
Total Eclipse Black Ale: how I love my TEBA! Unlike the "blackened ale" I described in my review, this was much richer in the coffee malt. It was still terrific. Just thinking about it makes me want to run to BevMo.
I wish I had time to actually tour the brewery, as I'm sure it's different from the restaurant itself. The restaurant is fairly contemporary looking and is friendly for all audiences. It was fairly quiet when we went (1:45 pm approx), but I assume this place attracts plenty of locals at night. As for the food: excellent. I had a luau chicken sandwich on ciabatta with pineapple and baked kettle chips. Prices are moderate (around 9-12 bucks). The best part of HBC was the back of it's menu.
On their child policy: "But be aware, children left unattended will be towed at owner's expense."
On their right to refuse policy: "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone regardless of gender, race, religion, age, physical condition, physical size, who you know, or who you are."
So come hungry and come thirsty to Hoppy Brewing Co. It's a great place to check out on your way to Tahoe any season of the year. My glass is just about empty for HBC. Cheers!
By the way, please check out my Twitter page and follow me here. And if you haven't already, please subscribe or follow my blog. I'll post pictures and more updates very soon!
You stay hoppy California,
Pink
Hoppy Links:
Hoppy Brewing Company official site
HBC Twitter
Hey Brewsters, I just wanted to give you a quick update in regards to my beer trip to Tahoe. I'll be partaking in Foam Fest tonight in Crystal Bay, North Shore Tahoe. However, I did do some beer tasting today at the Hoppy Brewing Co. in our state capital of Sacramento. Very good beer, and very good food too! I was reunited with Total Eclipse Black Ale and got to sample eight other finely crafted brews. There will be more on this later, as I must get ready for Foam Fest. Here are a couple of pictures to keep you entertained.
- Pink
Man, I tell you, it's been a long time since I last made a serious effort to contribute to this blog. Between school and working thirty hours a week, it's been hard just to find some time to enjoy the amazing qualities of California craft beer. I'd also like to point out that between my last post (Teske's) and now, I ran in two half marathons, so I had to watch my beer consumption. Can you believe that, beer comrades?
Now, I have returned, and most importantly, CaliBrew has returned. I can't guarantee that I'll have the time to post new entries about beer trips or do constant beer reviews, but I will be frequently posting news, events, pictures, and whatnot from California beer sources. You'll read about my own adventures from time to time, but I don't think it will be too much of an effort to bring you into focus (instead of me).
With that said, I am taking a beer trip this weekend: CaliBrew does Nevada! I will be attending Foam Fest, a North Shore Tahoe fundraiser that benefits Disabled Sports USA Far West. Over 40 breweries will represent at this event, including great Californian brew co's such as Anderson Valley and Mendocino. Here's some more information on the event.
If you haven't already, you can follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/CaliBrew
I look forward to getting back in the swing of things with CaliBrew, and I hope you are excited as well. One more thing: please tell your fellow beer buddies about this blog as well. I always appreciate new faces. Comments, emails, and other stuff (not spam) are most welcome!
You stay hoppy California,
Nick
