I.P.A It;s not bitter, it's hoppy

Those were my first "beer aficionado" words over ten years ago to defend the style to a friend as I attempted to share my excitement for this wonderful beer.

If California could lay claim to the revitalizing of a style it could well be the I.P.A. (India Pale Ale).  If some beers are referred to as alcohol delivery devices, this beer style is the 4 wheel drive vehicle for hops with I.B.U.’s picking up where others drop off.

Originally hops were added to beers to provide a balance to the sweet, malty wort of barley.  Hop additions would also provide a preservative quality allowing beers to retain its “freshness” before the invention of refrigeration.  Eventually the addition of hops for the aroma and flavor qualities became popularized.

Hop aromas and flavors in an I.P.A. will vary depending on the category: English or American with a no holds barred on the Imperial version which is a version popularized by many California breweries.  The quest to impart as much bittering to the beer fed developing hop strains with as much as 10-15 I.B.U’s in American varieties.  Techniques such as randalling* and hopback would become popular among craft brewers.

Expressions such as Pliny, Ruination, Hopsickle, Crisis, and Palate Wrecker are just a handful of titles adorning labels to give the consumer fair warning to the timid palate or “pick me- pick me” titles.  Is there such a thing as too much?  It all depends on the palate and these beers certainly have a strong following.

So how in the world did India Pale Ale which is of English origin get its name?  By the 1600’s England was already brewing commercially for domestic and export purposes.  Queen Elizabeth 1, granted a charter for India with the intent of developing trade.  In 1722 Britain colonized India.  Beer was a cultural necessity for the British Colonists.  Pale Ales were being produced by most brewers so any brewer shipping Pale Ale to India could call the beer India Ale, but not all brewers were as far sighted and logistically well positioned as George Hodgson.  Mr. Hodgson held major exporting of the beer till 1821. 

But it wasn’t George’s India Ale that enamored the public.  According to Ian S. Hornsey the beer was not as “pale” as it could be.  Burton’s versions of the ale arrived in “pale, clear and sparkling condition”.  Burton brewers would receive a higher reputation and would soon out ship Hodgson.  Roger Prost also makes reference to a ship carrying 300 hogsheads of the beer would wreck in the Irish Sea and would be sold in and around Liverpool.  This exported version of the pale ale would receive great popularity.

I am often asked what is my favorite style.  While in true connoisseur fashion I still say, "It depends on what I am doing",  The India Pale Ale is my favorite and by looking at the list of good ones to try, its a big favorite among Californians. 

Some good ones to try are:

English IPA

English IPA, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna

Old Pacific IPA, Anaheim Brewery, Anaheim

Sunrise IPA, American River Brewing Co., Rancho Cordova

Fair Weather Pale Ale, Lightning Brewery, Poway

Organic IPA, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Santa Cruz

Tasty Greens, Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz

Blood Sweat & Tears, Dunsmuir Brewery Works, Dunsmuior

Mt. High IPA, Mt. Shasta Brewing Co., Weed

 

American IPA

Racer 5, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Cloverdale

Bluiz IPA, Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz

Prescription Pale, Magnolia Brewery, SF

Big Daddy IPA, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, SF

Cap City IPA, River City Brewing Co., Sacramento

India Pale Ale, Bayhawk Ales Inc, Irvine

Drakes IPA, Drakes brewing co. san leandro

Jack’s IPA, Jack’s Brewing Co. Fremont

Arognaut IPA, Old Hangtown Beerworks, Placerville

Gen, Sherman IPA, Central Valley Craft Beer/ Tioga -Seuioia Brewing ,Fresno

SPBC IPA, San Pedro Brewing Co., San Pedro

Indica IPA, Lost Coast Brewing Co. Eureka

Jamaica Sunset IPA, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake

Marin IPA, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur

NDR Cal IPA, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato

Orgasmica IPA, Orgasmica & Brewing Co., San Rafael

Epic IPA, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lake

Devil Post Pale Ale, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lake

Gold Digger, Auburn Alehouse, Auburn

Knee Deep IPA, Knee Deep Brewing Co., Linclon

Vindicator, Loomis Brewing Co., Loomis

Runway IPA, Dale Bros. Brewery, Upland

Hop Daddy IPA, Main Street Brewery, Corona

Columbus IPA, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Redlands

Gigantes IPA, 21^st Amendment, SF

Nectar IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles

Union Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles

Pismo Beach Double IPA, Pismo Brewing Co LLC Pismo Beach

California Sunshine Rye IPA, Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co., Belont

El Toro India Pale Ale, El Toro Brewing Co., Morgan Hill

India Pale Ale, Faultline Brewing Co., Sunnyvale

Citra Single Hop IPA, Hermitage Brewing Co., San Jose

Ahtanum Single Hop IPA, Hermitage Brewing Co., San Jose

Coastal Fog IPA, Hermitage Brewing Co., San Jose

S.C. Aleworks IPA, Santa Cruz Aleworks, Santa Cruz

IPA, Blue Frog, Fairfield

Floyd IPA, Ruth McGowan, Cloverdale

Pierpont IPA, Anacapa Brewing Co., Ventura

 

Imperial IPA

Hoptopia, Hermitage Brewing Co., San Jose

Ale of the Imp, Hermitage Brewing Co., San Jose

Racer X, Bear Republic Brewing co., Cloverdale

South Swell IPA, Ventura’s Surf Brewery, Ventura

El Toro Deuce Imperial IPA, El Toro Brewing Co., Morgan Hill

Double Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles

Double Daddy, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, SF

Tower 20 IPA, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego

DIPA, Blue Frog, Fairfield

Big Foot, SNBC. Chio (red iipa)

Palate Wreckers, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego

Poor Man’s IPA, Pizza Port Brewing Co., San Diego

Denogginizer, Drakes Brewing Co. San Leandro

Jack’s Double IPA, Jack’s Brewing Co, Fremont

Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA, Pyramid Brewing Co, Brewkley

Evil Cousin, Heretic Brewing Co., Pittsburg

It’s a DIPA, Old Hangtown Beerworks,  Placerville

Steelhead Double IPA, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake

Cheseboro IPA, Ladyface Ale Companie, Agoura Hills

Moylander XXIPA, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato

White Knuckle Double IPA, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur

Hopsickle Imperial XXXIPA, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato

Hopcrack XXXIPA, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato

Orgasmica IPA, Pizza Orgasmica & Brewing Co., San Rafael

PU240 Imperial IPA , Auburn Alehouse, Auburn

Hoptologist DIPA, Knee Deep Brewing Co., Lincoln

Simtra Triple IPA, Knee Deep Brewing Co., Lincoln

Double IPA, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Redlands

 picture courtesy of beerpaintings.blogspot.com
 

For most beer aficionados it seems almost a cliché for me to start the topic of Stout style with the most common remark about stout.  Most everyone is familiar with Guinness.   A typical response to the beer by most is that it is “too heavy”.  However what most people may not appreciate, aficionados and not, is that stout was the “it” beer long before lagers hit the industry.

The stout families of beers are one of the top six beer styles to be replicated out of the 78 categories of beers based on the BJCP style guidelines.  The stout family of beers is also the broadest category of style.  There are six categories: dry stout, sweet stout, oatmeal stout, foreign extra stout, American stout and last but definitely not least, Russian Imperial Stout. 

The latter beer, the Russian Imperial Stout, has grown quite popular over the decade.  This beer is often the most sought after beer for savoring.  The qualities of this beer lend itself very well to aging.  It is not uncommon to for beer connoisseurs to lay these beers down for several years.  Russian Imperial Stouts are frequently paired with chocolate desserts.  The Foreign Extra Stout follows closely behind the Russian Imperial Stout when it comes to pairings. 

After these beers the Oatmeal Stout and the Sweet Stout considered seasonal beers due to their rich flavor profile.  Most commercial brewers will offer these as winter warmers although they do not have the same alcohol content they certainly provide enough residual sugars to replace the hot cup of cocoa when sitting by the fireplace warming up the toes after a good run down the slopes. 

While the American Stout provides considerable more alcohol than the dry stout both of these beers are on the dry side, with the Dry stout being the most thirst quenching of the two.  The range of style means that there is a stout for every season and every occasion.

The stout family of beers has enjoyed enormous popularity over the centuries, particularly in the British Isles where it originated.  To cover the history of the stout style would be beyond the scope of the book.   The popularity of the style in the U.S. especially in California is in part to establishing a good alternative to the lighter pale ales.  Just the opposite in the 1600’s where pale ales provided the alternative to stouts. 

While there are many good examples of the style throughout California perhaps the single most consistent and awarded brewer of the style is Denise Jones.  Her dry stouts raked in awards all over the nation while she was at Third Street Ale Works.  These days most versatile brewers will have a solid stout recipe in their repertoire. 

Good ones to try:

Dry Stout

Blarney Sisters, 3rd Street Ale Works, Santa Rosa, Dry Stout, Drakes Brewing Co., San Leandro

Sweet Stout

Black Jack Sweet Stout, Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co., Oroville

Oatmeal Stout

Blarney Flats, Anderson Brewing Co., Boonville

Foreign Extra Stout

Starry Night, Island Brewing Co., Carpinteria

VooDoo, Left Coast Brewing Co., San Clemente

American Stout

Achievement Beyond Belief, Pizza Port Brewing Co., San Diego

Russian Imperial Stout

Drakonic, Drakes Brewing Co., San Leandro, Imperial Stout, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma

Oyster Stout, Henhouse Brewing Co., Petaluma

10th Anniversary of The Brewmaster's Table



Ten years ago Garrett Oliver compiled the single most comprehensive volume describing the pleasures of beer and food.  Beer and the brewing industry have come a long way since then.  But no other publication has been put to print that even comes close to the efforts of The Brewmaster’s Table.  Perhaps it is his degree in filmmaking that makes him the most eloquent writer of beer and food.

Since the book, The Brewmaster’s Table was released there have been many other publications about beer tasting, beer evaluating, beer styles, beer judging, and beer reviews.  There are prolific amount of beer focused magazines which quip tidbits of information relating to ingredients and process.  There are emerging courses offered to educate staffs on beer which are trying to gear themselves to the front and back of the house of the restaurants industry.  There are plenty of beer guide books offering short descriptives of commercial examples of beers. 

While the book may be enjoying its 10^th anniversary it is hardly out of date.  At the time of its first publication Garrett was referred to at best by a member of the culinary industry as the Robert Parker of beer.  Garrett Oliver does more for beer and food than Dornenburg and Page.  Any chef worth their weight in the knife case that they carry should read The Brewmaster’s Table with the same enthusiasm as Culinary Artistry. 

In the book, The Brewmaster’s Table, Garrett’s skill brings to our brains the synaptic energy needed to visualize the experiences shared by Garrett.  After finishing his degree in filmmaking he spent a year in Europe.  We become quickly aware that life in Europe without beer is non-existent.  Every turn every move, every place demonstrates that beer is a part of European culture wherever one may be. 

Life is enjoyed with and through beer especially with food.  The greatest teachers were the average folk whom Garrett encountered during his time oversees.  The life changing trip would put Garrett on a different path.  A path which he poetically describes in the most eloquent and graceful detail that has ever been put in print about the subject of beer and food.

Most chefs may not have the privilege of traveling throughout Europe but the expressions of Garrett Oliver will certainly put you there and provide the only solid guidance of pairing and matching their craft with the craft of brewers.  The two are one in the same.  When American chefs begin to appreciate the enamore that is expressed by Europeans in their cooking with, by and for beer the same passion and gusto will be expressed for their own craft in the American culinary industry.

If you are looking for a solid book of food and beer look no further than Garrett Oliver’s, The Brewmaster’s Table.  If you are looking for culinary inspiration look no further than the groundbreaking and incomparable guide for beer and food. 

European Amber Lager Styles

The Reinheitsgebot Law enforced by Bavaria limited more than ingredients.  It also limited when a brewer could brew.  Brewing season started in the end of September and ended in the end of April.  For this reason the last beers brewed in March were commonly referred to as Marzen beers. 
Gabriel Sedlmayr II of Spaten developed a pale version of malt based on the findings between he and Austrian Anton Dreher.  Gabriel developed a lighter malt then what was traditionally used during that time period calling it Marzen .  Spaten offered a beer brewed with this Marzen malt during Oktoberfest in 1872.  This beer became the traditional style and was adopted by other breweries. 
Today we have come to know the beer as an Oktoberfest or Marzen style.  Anton Dreher of Austria introduced his lighter Vienna lager in 1841. 

Although both theses styles were much earlier than the Pils style the practice of lagering beer and storing beer in caves or with ice cut from the lakes of the country were already a common practice.  Both Vienna and Marzen beers are noted for their well developed malt character through the practice of decoction mashing. 
Only the finest ingredients were used for these beers.  The high standard for ingredients, brewing process and fermentation resulted in a beers that are very elegant, and refined.  The malt aroma and flavor should be comparably rich and well balanced with the aroma and flavor of noble hop varieties. 
The palate of these beers are complex as a result of decoction mashing.  The finish is dry and smooth.  There are no fermentation characteristics due to the lager yeast and the long lagering required for the clean finish of these beers.  The Vienna style was revived in the U.S. with the immigration of Germans who relocated in parts of Texas and Mexico. 
Refrigeration was already a part of the industry so the warmer temperatures of these areas did not become an issue.  No longer confined to conditioning beers in caves during hot summer months these beers are available year round.  More widely known examples of Vienna Lager were Negro Modelo and Dos Equis.  Today we have examples which adhere to the classic Viennese and Bavarian standards here in California. Look also for Amber Lagers. These beers should not be served chilled.  Chilling only serves to numb our taste buds which take away from the smooth rich flavors of this finely crafted beer.

Good ones to try are:

Tamarack Amber Lager, Central Valley Craft Beer, Fresno ,Pomona Queen Amber Lager, Dale bros. brewery, Upland, Karl Strauss Amber, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., SD, Apollo 13, Dunsmuir Brewery, Works, Dunsmuir, Vienna Lager, River City Brewing Co., Sacramento, Surfer’s Point, Ventura’s Surf Brewery, Ventura, Rocktoberfest, Rock Bottom Brewing Co., Long Beach, Oktoberfest Marzen, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato, Oktoberfest, Faultline Brewing Co., Sunnyvale, Spbc Oktoberfest lager, San Pedro Brewing Co., San Pedro, Marzen, Gordon Biersch, Marzen, Sudwerk’s ,Davis

 

 

13 Good reasons to ditch your "buddy" beer for Valentine's Day

Ladies and gentlemen, when you pop open a can of Bud, or flip the cap of a Miller chances are you’re not expecting the beer to give you a sensual experience.  The sense of smell may have left you flat.  The appearance is shallow.  The flavor is well, found insufficient to say the least.  And the mouthfeel?  Too harsh for most.  Let’s ditch the“buddy “beer and go for a deeper long term experience. 

If you haven’t found a beer to fall in love with or a reason to fall in love with beer my objective is that with this writing will I can take you down a path that will stimulate your sense of adventure and give you a reason to get excited about creating a new relationship that you can explore and find very satisfying for yourself and for those you choose to share with this coming Valentine’s Day. 

These beers reflect an art form.  Therefore you need to prepare for your experience with the same thought you put into intimate occasions.  The first consideration is the serving temperature.  Cellar temperature works best for these beers.  Under no circumstances would you store in or serve these beers from a refrigerator.  The temperature is too cold for you and your palate.  Keep them in the dark.  Over time exposure to ultra violet light will cause the beer to deteriorate.  Once you are ready to serve the beer feel free to decant it.  It is far more appealing to pour a good beer from a decanter than from a bottle.  Finally, choose your glassware.  These are not beers you want to pour out into a pint glass.  Rather pour four to six ounces of the beer.  Brandy snifters, tulip glasses, and goblets are more suitable, not just for appearance sake but for the benefit of appreciating the aroma and flavor as well.  Now that you have been prepped let’s consider some styles to look for. 

It takes time to cultivate a relationship with good beer.  Most of that time will come from you.  How many different ones are you willing to try?  How long does it take for you to understand your own values when it comes to beer styles?  Once you find your “type” developing comfortable parameters and narrowing your preferences will take a little more effort.  Styles to consider are:  Dopplebocks, Strong Scotch Ales, Baltic Porters, Foreign Extra Stouts, Russian Imperial Stouts, Imperial IPA’s, Belgian Tripels, Guezes, Flanders Brown Ales, Belgian Strong Golden Ales, Belgian Strong Dark Ales, Old Ales, English and American Barleywines.  Simply put you are looking for beers that are 8 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).  If you find one not in this list feel free to try it.

The heady aroma of abundant malt interlaced with aromatic oils of hops comingled with the complex esters of yeast come together in a single glass which evokes and aroused the strongest of our senses: smell.  The color of beer ranges from gregarious golds, alluring ambers, and provocative chocolates.  Some beers will display legs, others will have a healthy crown and others will be as still as a scotch.  The flavor of beer isn’t derived from one ingredient.  It is masterfully developed the same way a chef selects only the finest ingredients.  Techniques applied by the brewer coax out only the best qualities of each ingredient through time and patience required to develop deep rich flavors.  Beer in our mouth is like kissing a lover.  There is a natural sweetness and an intriguing bitterness which come together in one of the most intimate places that we experience touch.  The mouthfeel of beer ranges from the silkiness to soft, full and warm.  Expect long lingering finishes. 

Gentlemen, if you would like to introduce your lady to the finer things about beer these could be a head turning experience for her.  Ladies, beer can be a sensuous experience if you know what you want, where to look and what to ask for.  Be prepared to have your senses stimulated to a level that will have you longing for more.  These are mature beers.  Typically they are not offered year round.  These beers require time to develop.  After all you are looking for something more satisfying.  If you have not found a beer to fall in love with, try these .  They literally have so much more to offer. 

Pilsners

Pilsners 

Timing is everything and the planets couldn’t have been better aligned for this beer style which swept the world.  The Pilsner style is a lager beer.  It has fondly been referred to as the champagne of beers thanks to Miller Brewing Co.’s marketing and strong advertising.

 This beer is considered to be the gold standard of beers by Czechoslovakians due to the high quality that has been maintained through the centuries since its first development in 1841 by Joseph Groll . Immigrants knew they had a good thing and brought their recipe and brewing innovations with them. 

 What makes Pilsners so attractive is not just the high quality of malts.  The race for producing lighter and more modified malts was already in full swing.  Bohemian hops were so highly prized that they were considered to be a national treasure.  It wasn’t the fact that lagering beer was found to produce better results.  It wasn’t just that the bottom fermenting yeast had been isolated and cultivated.  What makes Pilsner beer so attractive is the water.

 The Pilsner beer is a classic example of style which has evolved as a result of water source.  The water of Plzen, Czechoslovakia is considered to be one of the softest waters in the world.  This remarkable soft water allows the hops to be added at a rate not possible with hard water.  As a result the Pilsner styles including German, Bohemian and American sub styles have two to three times the amount of hops.  Continental Classic examples of these styles have a spicy noble hop aroma. 

Every effort is taken to provide only the finest available ingredients for this beer.  The grain is usually all malt.  This is a result of the Reinheitsgebot law enacted in 1516 by Bavarian rulers.  This law limited the brewer to only malted barley, hops, and water as ingredients for beer.  This was an effort to control quality of beer.  Due to this fact these styles will feature a fuller mouthfeel and more pronounced malt and hop flavors.  The finish will be dry and crisp.  Only the Classic American Pilsner will be different in subtle characters as a result of using six -row barley and the adjunct, flaked maize, and American hops. 

This beer is aggressive in its profile and is probably the reason other breweries trying to compete against its style would refer to drinkers as having a “bitter beer face”.  This beer is hoppier but well balanced.  Tall glasses or even flute glasses show off the development of color, effervescence and long lasting head.  Discourage serving in frozen glasses.  These beers do well with spicy food.  While some may think hot wings (the real reason why beer drinkers get fat) consider Asian cuisine the next time you want to try something different to go with your beer.  While Pilsner Urquell may be the holy grail when it comes to this style our top notch brewers are also well known when it comes to brewing this fine beer.

Good ones to try:

German Pilsner

Trumer Pils, Trumer Brauerei, Berkley, Hopgarten Pilsner, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato, Ankle Slapper German Pilsner, Ventura’s Surf Brewery, Ventura

Classic American Pilsner

Peak Pilsner, Central Valley Craft Beer/Tioga-Sequoia Brewing, Fresno, Port town Pilsner, Port Town Brewing Co., San Pedro, San Pedro Pilsner, Port Town Brewing Co., San Pedro, Bayhawk Pils, Bayhawk Ales Inc., Irvine, Elemental Pilsner, Lightning Brewery, Poway, Gold Country Pilsner, Auburn Ale House,, Auburn.

Light Lagers

Light Lagers

The word lager means to store in German.  It was found that beers lagered in caves for several months at a time were less likely to become contaminated.  It was probably a result of this practice that yeast cultures learned to evolve through their environment and once the lager yeast was identified through cultivation the yeast and its results became highly prized.  The finished product was a very clean yeast profile which showed off the hops and malt of the beer. 

Originally created in 1967 by a chemist at Rheingold Brewery NY, the recipe was acquired and introduced as Lite Beer by Miller Brewing Company in 1973.  The lite beer was awarded several gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival for it’s category.  By 1977 Miller’s highly successful advertising brought production of the beer to the second  market.  In 1992 Light beer became the biggest domestic beer product. 

To produce a light lager adjuncts such as corn and or rice are used. As much as 40 percent of the recipe can use adjuncts for lighter beers.  These adjuncts provide very little in the way of carbohydrates.  As a result the brewer gets the desired yield of wort without the extra sugars which would be converted to alcohol by the yeast.  The result is a beer with a range of 3.2-4.2  % alcohol by volume There are five sub style categories for Light Lager: Lite American Lager, Standard American Lager, Premium American Lager.  While it was the Germans who brought over the practice of lagering beers as well as the use of lager yeast, the first 3 sub styles are American styles due to the use of American barley including 6 row and 2 row barley and American hops.  Each style is progressively higher in alcohol content.  Premium American Lagers are more likely to use all malt in the recipe or up to 25 percent in the recipe.  These beers have very little malt aroma but can have a significant grain aroma due to the addition of corn or rice.  Hop aromas will also be very low.  The use of hops in beer is used to balance the sweetness in beers.  In the case of this style the use for hops is very minimal.  When these beers are poured there is a white frothy head that subsides quickly due to the lack of proteins in the beer which is the main contributor to head retention.  These beers are light in body and have a high level of carbonation.  The style is very light and refreshing and it is perfectly suitable to serve ice cold.  While these beers are symbolic of the mass marketing giants which many beer snobs have come to deride the style itself is a very good beer and while it may be very light in aroma and flavor the delicate nature of the beer still deserves to be enjoyed from a glass and not swigged from a bottle.
Some good California examples to try are:

American Lager

Kenny Lagers, Old Hangtown Beerworks, Placerville,

Golden Trout, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lakes,

Lager Diablo, Devil’s Canyon Brewing co., Belmont,

Standard American Lager

Lemurian Lager, Mt. Shasta Brewing Co., Weed,

Premium American Lager

Evan’s Original, Evan’s Brewing Co., Corona,

Munich Helles

Hangtown Helles, Old Hangtown Beerworks, Placerville,

Helles Lager, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Redlands,

Dortmunder Export

Hell’s Export Lager, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato

 

 

  

Summer Splash

Summer is in full swing and nothing beats the heat like an ice cold one. This year try to shake things up a bit with your palate. Go ahead walk out a little farther onto the diving board of beer styles.

Sticking with the same pilsner profile of the light pale malt of your favorite brew-ski reach for a Kolsch instead. The crisp cracker-like flavor is familiar and seasoned brilliantly with hop varieties that add and just a little bit of floral spiciness to bring the perfect balance to whatever you have on the grill. 

A Kolsch is very dry and is the perfect thirst quencher without being too alcoholic. Variations of the style can range from 4.5-5.0 ABV. What make the Kolsch an ideal match for your summer time alternative? It has the best of everything.

The Kolsch style was created in Cologne as the next best thing to the ever growing popularity of the Pilsner at the time. What makes it different? The yeast. Traditionally Kolsch beers are fermented with an ale yeast. It is the ale yeast that gives the Kolsch a little sumpin sumpin.

In Cologne, the Germans are a bit Freudian when it comes to this beer, thanks to the Kolsch Convention of 1985.  If you are in Cologne you can look forward to having your beer served to you by men in blue aprons carrying trays of straight sided glasses called stanges. These glasses only hold 7 oz of the beer but their stern dispositions and lack of conversational qualities ensure that you get your refills schnell. 

Not into old men with blue aprons? Don't worry. Thankfully we live in a land of opportunity and our avant garde brewers are innovative with respect to the art of brewing historical examples of beer with a tilt toward pushing the envelope of the status quo, in other words, California has no shortage of Kolsch styles for you to enjoy: San Pedro Brewing Company, Kolsch, San Pedro, Kolsch, Faultline Brewing Co., Sunnyvale, Orgasmic Kolsch, Pizza Orgasmic & Brewing Co., San Rafael, K Street Kolsch, River City Brewing Co., Sacramento, Uncle Jack’s Kolsch, Sonoma Springs Brewing Co, Sonoma.

You will get your beer served no doubt in something bigger than a 7 oz glass but it will go down just as easily. Going to the market and bringing one home with you? Keep the bottles protected from light. Even brown bottles can skunk a beer if it isn’t handled properly. Drink it up fast. These beers are ready as soon as they leave the brewery so you want to drink them as fresh as possible.

Region 2

I wanted to make the most of the time spent driving from Amador City to Petaluma to be there for Ken Weaver and wife Annaliese Schmidt for their official book launching party. I had spent some time earlier in the week to map out an itinerary of breweries in Region 2 that I had not been to. Using Ken’s "Northern California Craft Beer Guide" and Google I mapped out the trip.

  First on the list was Mill Valley Beerworks, Pizza Orgasmica ( which had several State Fair wins) Broken Drum Brewery, Iron Springs Pub and Brewery, Ruth McGowan Brew Pub ( also enjoyed several State Fair wins), Bear Republic ( also enjoyed several State Fair wins), and Stumptown Brewery.

I was able to get half the day off and we made good time out by packing the night before. We crossed Hwy 37 and decided to get a head start on several of the breweries before heading up to Petaluma for the 7:00 launch party at TAPS. Our first stop was Pizza Orgasmica. The restaurant was very spacious. To the left behind glass I could see the large fermenters of the popular ales that were brewed here for the other Pizza Orgasmica breweries. Along the encasement was an area that had large floor rugs with cushions and low tables which gave the place a very ethnic feel. The sit down tables were decorated with bright colorful abstract figures.
When we sat down I was drawn to the Brazilian menu that they offered. We asked for a flight of the beers to start with. Virtually half of the beers were fruit flavored. These did not have the overt sweetness of syrup that some brewers may add to punch up the flavor. While only one award was given for the fruit beer at the State Fair competition practically all the other beers were solid winners. I had to take a bathroom break and as I made my turn around the brewery I spotted a blonde head with dreadlocks. Would I be lucky enough to catch the brewer?
When I returned to our table I asked our good server if the brewer was here today and if so would he be so kind as to come to our table. Soon a wide man with a broad smile and dreadlocks sweeping around his kneecaps strode up to our table. “Are you the brewer Rev Jackson”, he said he was. I introduced myself and my husband and showed him our book and told him about our quest. He was generous enough to stand for a picture and to pose with my husband and I. My husband is getting the hang of this.
I am so glad he is not jealous of his wife striking up conversations with men. It is something I learned to do over the years being involved in a male dominated hobby and industry. We were running out of time and had to take off quickly if we were to make it down the street 3 blocks to our next stop Broken Drum. On our way out I noticed that the street window was rolled back on rollers like a levelor door to let the pleasant weather wash over the patrons that were sitting next to it. It was like having outdoor seating with out being on the sidewalk. Neat! On to Broken Drum Brewery.

The Northern California Craft Beer Guide

Although there isn’t a rating system yet (there never may be), Northern California Craft Beer Guide is hands down the best resource in print for the consumer who is looking for a great place to get a great beer.

The book’s interest is elevated by the loads of attractive photos taken by Anneliese Schmidt. Her photographs tell a story that make this book colorful and appealing. Ken Weaver’s descriptors for beer and attention to style are spot on.

Ken not only includes breweries in the Craft Beer Guide but other venues as well. Local bottle shops and liquor stores are catering to the aficionado by carrying quality and variety of beers. Restaurants that are in tune with the quality of beer in California and offer these spectacular beers to enjoy are also listed. Hopefully we will see more in the way of a beer list with the marketing of beers towards the restaurant industry. Markets and homebrew shops are also included in the contribution of places to purchase or brew your own. After all, if you pay attention to some of the profiles of the brewers many got their start as home brewers. Including oh yea, Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

The Guide breaks the Northern California area into regions and puts each region on a very easy to view map. Breweries are listed and numbered for easy reference. Great for pub crawl organizing or just your weekend Iron Liver Tour.

Weaver recommends five to try and includes under “uncharted territory” breweries that were not open at the time of printing. This may be a good opportunity to check it out and give your feedback.

Place listings includes the web address, physical address, telephone number and hours of operation.

Icons are placed over the top section of each entry to cue the user to breweries that are organic, eco-friendly. Other icons let one know if they can expect to enjoy a nice sit down dinner or just snacks.

Don’t’ confuse the cask-conditioned icon with the keg icon. They don’t mean the same thing. Most breweries have samplers for you to try and some have growlers on hand for you to take your favorite home.

Throughout the book some beer styles are addressed along with some sterling examples. There are also sidebars which discuss beer related topics indigenous to the region. Some nice nods are attributed to the movers and the shakers of Northern California beer culture as well to the up and coming.

In case you have visited all the breweries, restaurants, bottle shops liquor stores and grocery outlets there are more venues to enjoy California beer. Northern California brewers rock when it comes to making contributions to community and fundraising. Festivals and events are listed by the month toward the end of the book.

So whether you planning a trip to the market and want to pair a beer with your dinner, or are going out to a restaurant and are looking for a nice place to eat that doesn’t offer the same beer three or four times, or if your planning to impress your buddies with the best local drinking spots, or want to drink the beer where it is always the best ( at the source) this book is the book to have in hand. Salute.