Hops to Table Apr/May, 2013 Issue by Hops to Table Magazine

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HOPS TO TABLE April/May 2013

YOUR ULTIMATE SOURCE FOR ALL THINGS BEER AND FOOD

BERRYESSA BREWING

Berryessa Brewing Co. is one of Greater Sacramento’s newer breweries. Brewmaster Chris Miller talks about Berryessa’s past, present and future. PAGE 5

PRESERVE PUBLIC HOUSE

The Preserve Public House is located Winters, CA, just minutes from Berryessa Brewing Co.. They put together an epic pairing that you will not want to miss reading about. PAGE 7

HOMEBREWING

ALSO CHECK OUT....

A 25 year vertical Tasting of Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale; Collaboration Beers; Local Event Pictures, Food and Beer Recipes and more!

GREATER SAC CRAFT BEER DIRECTORY INSIDE

HOPS TO TABLE A magazine dedicated to covering the Greater Sacramento beer scene APRIL/MAY 2013

ISSUE 2

VOLUME 1

Letter from the Publisher

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Dear Reader, @hopstotable

CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB Local Beer Mapping Beer Recipes & Pairings Event Pictures & Promotions And More..... www.hopstotable.com

Gladiator (2000) - DreamWorks Pictures

One of the goals of this magazine is to take the reader on a journey to different areas in Greater Sacramento in order to experience the diversity of breweries and beer centric restaurants and bars in our local area. In this issue, we featured Berryessa Brewing Co. and Preserve Public House, both located in Winters, California. In many ways, Winters reminds me of home. I grew up on 45 acres, just on the other side of Lake Berryessa in Vacaville. Much like Vacaville was when I grew up, Winters is a small rural town. Most of the families in Winters have lived there for generations, know each other and support their local businesses. When Preserve or Berryessa say they use local farm fresh ingredients, oftentimes what they are saying, without really thinking about it much, is that they picked whatever they are serving just hours before from a small organic local farmer who lives a mile down from them. How more farm to fork can you get than that?

Publisher John Zervas john@hopstotable.com Editor-in-Chief Monique Toro monique@hopstotable.com Homebrew Coordinator Brian Palmer Featured Artist Aaron Taylor Guest Contributors Connor Adams Ryan Graham Mike Moore Dan Scott Steve Swinford Hops to Table Magazine is published every other month by Hops to Table Publishing Company, a division of Hops to Table, LLC. It is distributed to key locations throughout the Greater Sacramento Area. If you would like us to distribute Hops to Table Magazine to your business, please email us at info@hopstotable.com.

What also happens in small rural towns is a sense of community. If a fence goes down and your livestock is roaming around, a neighbor is going to help you get it under control no matter what time of day or night. In return, that neighbor can expect you to help them when they need that help. Like any small town, there are community factions and people that can’t stand each other. But, at the end of the day, they end up working it out because if they can’t rely on each other, there will be nobody else they can rely on. The brewing community has a lot in common with the small rural towns. The craft brewing industry in the Greater Sacramento area is made up of mostly small local brewers, who live and work in the community in which they brew. Like small town business folk, the brewing community supports the community through charity and other philanthropic endeavors. Often unknown by the consumer, many beer festival event promoters donate some portion of their proceeds to charity - some donate a greater percentage than others. The ABC laws makes having a charity involved a requirement in order to pull the one day license to hold the festival. It is often the case that the brewer donates the beer for these events. And that’s a TON of beer and time the brewers donate!

FEEDBACK: Send feedback to info@hopstotable.com

The brewing community in Greater Sacramento is also very close knit. Like the small towns, everybody knows everybody in some way, shape or fashion. Some get along; others don’t - but somehow everybody finds a way to work together.

In the coming years, our local brewing industry’s ability to work together and maintain a sense of community will

be more important than ever. This is because the food and beverage market is cyclical, much like the housing market or stock market or any other commodity market for that matter. This means that, historically, there is a rise and a fall and somewhere in-between a bubble where people see money to be made and are willing to take great risk to enter the market. Think buying an investment house in 2005. But like the housing market, stock market or the rise and fall of any number of consumer goods and services, be it Cabbage Patch dolls, Pet Rocks, Wine Coolers or Disco, there is no guarantee of forever. Over the last two decades, a couple of market corrections have happened with our local beer industry. However, the brewers that survived are here today because they brewed solid beer, offered it at a fair price and promoted their brand during the good times. If they waited until the bad times, it was too late. The fact is that our industry can pat each other on the back all day, bask in these times of boom, and market by simply trying to sway the patronage of current craft beer drinkers. However, unless we collectively reach out to the consumers who drink Shock Top or Blue Moon, there is likely to be a correction in the future where some of the craft brewers and retailers we know and love won’t survive. Like our small town businesses, we need to stick together as an industry, work together and promote our brand - craft beer. Many in our local industry are working together; however, it takes more than a few - it takes the majority. I am reminded of a scene from the movie, Gladiator (2000). Cassius: On this day, we reach back to hallowed antiquity, to bring you a recreation of the second fall of the mighty Carthage!... Maximus: You can help me. Whatever comes out of these gates, we’ve got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together we survive. On that note, thank you to those kick-ass businesses and consumers who support this magazine! Without the support, we would cease to exist. Stick with us - what we have in store for the future will only get better! Cheers,

John Zervas Publisher and Homebrewer

contents

Letter from the Brewers’ Guild Dear Craft Beer Lovers,

5 BREWERY PROFILE

Our Craft Beer Industry continues to show very positive growth! At the Craft Brewers’ Conference held in Washington D.C. March 2013, the Brewers’ Association released the Big National Beer Data for 2012. Here are some interesting figures:

Berryessa Brewing Co. made a splash on the Greater Sacramento beer scene just a little over a year and a half ago. We talk with Berryessa’s brewmaster Chris Miller about hops, homebrew and Berryessa’s past, present and future.

• Craft beer category growth up 15% in volume, 17% in dollars in 2012;

7 RESTAURANT PROFILE

• Seven of the top 8 mega brands lost market share in 2012;

• Overall “craft” market share now at 6.5% in volume, 10% in dollars in 2012; • Beer overall (including the big guys) was up 0.9% at 200 million barrels in 2012, the first year of growth since 2008 when 210 million barrels were brewed; • There were 409 U.S. craft brewery openings in 2012, 43 closings;

The Preserve Public House is located in Winters, CA, just minutes from Berryessa Brewing Co. They are a locally owned and operated restaurant with a solid selection of rotating craft beer. They put together an epic pairing that you will not want to miss reading about.

9 BEER INSPIRED RECIPES In this issue, we have a brunch inspired pairing menu. We feature chicken and waffles, paired with Sudwerk’s Maibock; breakfast pizza paired with Rubicon Brewing Co’s Monkey Knife Fight and bread pudding paired with Auburn Alehouse’s Old Prospector Barleywine Ale.

• Craft brewers employed 108,000 people in 2012. Here on the West Coast, many independent retailers are continuing to absorb many new and unique offerings from craft suppliers and wholesalers. Education and acceptance has created varied interest in higher price points, “limited releases,” and “vintage” beers. This is a valid indication that fresh and locally produced products have found position through demand. These trends will soon lead more consumers into the new and exciting realm of collecting and cellaring these specialty craft products. Historically a common practice in Europe, there have been multiple higher alcohol and bottle conditioned products that were actually intended to be consumed at a mature stage. Since we are fairly young here in the USA, remember that guidelines are subjective and still in discovery. Here are some general key points to consider when cellaring and investing in craft beer products: • Cellar temperature 50-55 degrees with moderate humidity, such as a basement; • Store the bottles vertically (different from wine);

11 ROADTRIP CHRONICLES

• General durability begins with beers at 7% ABV (alcohol by volume) and above; • Basic proven styles for aging; many Belgian styles, Barleywine, Old Ale, Imperial Stout;

In this issue, we head to Chicago, Illinois and Munster, Indiana to visit Goose Island Brewery and Three Floyd’s Brewing Co. Along the way, we visit two popular beer bars in Chicago: Hopleaf and the Map Room.

13 HOMEBREWING

• Look for labels which include the following verbiage; Barrel Aged, Reserve, Vertical, Bottle Conditioned, Vintage; • IPA’s generally do not age well, they are meant to be consumed fresh. If you must experiment with aging IPA, be certain you do so at temperatures lower than 50 degrees, this will help to preserve the hop presence which defines the style. Expand on the subject - www.beeradvocate.com/beer/101/store CHEERS to our expanding Craft Beer Society!

We set out on a rainy day Monday to brew a Spring Saison. This refreshing and dry saison is perfect for those lazy spring afternoons and pairs perfectly with most spring time foods. We also feature our industry review of our last brew, the Citra Bomb Pale Ale.

Steve Swinford Executive Director

NOW OPEN!

15 25 YEAR SIERRA NEVADA CELEBRATION ALE TASTING CA

17 THE ART OF COLLABORATION BREWING

Mike Moore, a BJCP National Beer Judge, takes us through an incredible journey through a vertical tasting of 25 years of Celebration Ale complete with tasting notes for each year.

Pictures of Greater Sacramento events and happenings from the 21st Amendment Home Brew Competition; the Beer Cans and Bad Coats event; the Bockbierfest and the 2013 Sacramento Beer Week Kickoff.

23 GREATER SACRAMENTO CRAFT BEER DIRECTORY

An all inclusive source for breweries, brew pubs and places that serve craft beer in the Greater Sacramento area.

19 SAC EATS AND DRINKS

Ryan Graham, Brewmaster of Track 7, talks about collaboration brewing from a brewer’s perspective. This is a fascinating look behind the scenes at what goes on at your favorite local breweries.

P E E R & TA

THANK YOU SACRAMENTO FOR MAKING US THE #1 RATED SACRAMENTO BEER DESTINATION ON RATEBEER.COM AND BEER ADVOCATE 20 ROTATING TAPS | 250+ BOTTLES Proprietors Kyle and Amy Ruthnick

2222 Fair Oaks Blvd Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 922-1745 Page 3

Hops to Table Magazine

capitolbeer.com

Mon-Thu 11 am - 9 pm Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am Sun 11 am - 6 pm

9205 Sierra College Blvd. #100 | Roseville, CA 916.782.1166 | www.finalgravitybeer.com Mon-Wed 3pm-11pm | Thurs-Sat 12pm-12am

Brewery Profile

THE HOP MAESTRO Berryessa Brewing Co. is one of the newer breweries in the Greater Sacramento area. Located just outside of Davis, in Winters, CA, Berryessa Brewing Co. has developed a name for itself in a very short amount of time. Hops to Table sat down with Chris Miller, Brewmaster at Berryesssa Brewing Co. to talk about opening a brewery, the Greater Sacramento brewing scene and what Berryessa has planned for the future. You were the brewmaster at Snipes Mountain Brewery in Washington prior to opening Berryessa Brewing Co. What brought you to Winters? Miller: I just wanted to build a dream and make a bunch of beer out in the country. How did you end up at Snipes Mountain Brewery? Miller: I just applied for the job when the head brewer left kind of abruptly. How old were you when you first started in the brewing industry?

Whenever you make beer do you think of food as a component?

Miller: I was about 22 or 23 years old. Twenty-two or twenty-three years old, you start by washing kegs and you end up being the lead brewer; that’s amazing. Miller: Basically, drinking beer and washing kegs. I started home brewing after I started washing kegs just to learn a little more about it. I made some really ripping beers that the brewers recognized. From there they ended up giving me more tasks, more tasks, more tasks. Some of the brewers had health issues, so it worked out to where I slid in and started brewing beer. Does the beer industry have an apprenticeship/training program or how does one usually learn how to brew on commercial systems? Did you go to school for beer?

ublisher’s Note: There is really not much not to like about Berryessa Brewing Co. They brew awesome and diverse beer. They are located in a gorgeous and spacious plot of land in Winters, CA. They feature cool bands and great food available by a diverse array of caterers and food trucks. They are family and dog friendly; and, quite frankly, I like the Miller family and their staff. The brewery embodies everything that small craft breweries are about. The brewery has strong local ties to the community; they live and work within that community; when possible, they use resources from within that community; and they regularly donate to local charities. I sat down with Berryessa’s brewmaster, Chris Miller, at the brewery over a pint of their Double Tap IPA. We had an hour long interview and talked about a wide variety of topics - some on record, some off record and some just me hitting him up with technical brewing questions. One can sense from the diversity of styles that are brewed and the frequency and rotation of new beer that there is something different and unique about this brewery. Let’s face it, your average brewer doesn’t just wake up one day, decide to buy some pomelo and buddah’s hand and brew a 500 gallon “test” batch. Make no mistake, Miller is driven, and I got the sense that the “something different” is some combination of knowledge, genius, challenge and getting bored easily. Whatever it is, the Greater Sacramento area is fortunate to have Berryessa Brewing Co. as part of our great brewing community.

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Miller: If I’m going out, working or even during lunch, I like to be able to have a beer. I think most people would like to be able to have a 3.5 to 4% beer. A flavorful, sessionable beer is pretty awesome. You can have one or two of them and not have to worry about getting home safely; you don’t have to worry about a lot of things. And, as you have mentioned, it is lower in calories for those that are watching their calorie intake. Another thing to note is that I am allergic to wheat, so all our beers are gluten reduced, down to about 5 PPM.

Miller: You have to get in, wash some kegs and do some low end things. You have to learn on the job. It just depends, everyone is different. Some people go to all these magically classes, but no I didn’t go to school for beer. I have been to many learning conferences and hops school. I’ve been around the block, but never formally paid for school. I have a pretty cool network of humans (brewers) who were more than happy to share their knowledge. For the home brewers out there who aspire to be commercial brewers, is the learning curve brewing on a commercial brew system night and day? Miller: Yes, there is a lot to learn. But I feel like it would be easy for someone to learn if they made good home brews. You are developing a name for yourself as a very diverse brewer. I can go down the line of beer styles, from framboise’s to DIPA’s to pumpkin stouts to barleywines to saisons to barrel-aged beer....the list goes on. How do you decide on a recipe? Miller: I know what ingredients do certain things and fermentation and mashing temperatures, all that. I come up with stuff and most of it comes off the top of my head. I look at the historical content of recipes. I try to research and come up with what makes those beers what they are and try to replicate the style and ingredients. There are different nuances with those beers; the sour mashing and spontaneous fermentation. You can’t just take a yellow fizzy beer and put it into a barrel and expect to get anything magical. You also have a lot of very flavorful sessionable beers with lower ABV. and lower calories. What is the idea behind that style?

Hops to Table Magazine

Miller: I’m always thinking food. I’m hungry right now! Now you reminded me about food. The saison is a beer I really stand behind. It comes in about 5 ½ or 6%. I think you can really pair a lot of dishes with the saison. You don’t filter your beer. Can you get into why you don’t? Miller: It’s my style. I don’t see filtering as really necessary right now. We aren’t really packaging currently, except for kegs and drafts. With all the right finings and an enzyme that I use for knocking the gluten out, it’s really not necessary. Even when filtering small microns, you lose a lot of flavor. Do you do test batches? Miller: No, we experiment on the things that I know how to do. I just brewed a beer with really low IBUs. Maybe like 5 or 10 IBU’s. I used pomelo rind for bittering. Pomelo is a citrus fruit that looks like a big grapefruit. It is one of those unadulterated fruits out there that has never been bred. I chopped them up into a bunch of little pieces and put them in the boil when it was boiling. A lot of people toss zest, but I use the whole thing: the pith, fruit and juice. I am hoping I can retrieve some of the bitterness from it. When I finish it off I’m going to put it in the brite tank with 15 pounds of buddah’s hand citrus. They have really awesome aromatics, and I’m hoping it will be able to capture some of the citrus and might even dry hop with it. What beer haven’t you done that you want to do? Miller: There is a lot of stuff that I’ve been thinking about and messing with. I want to do more lagers. I have the Common Sense, the Pilsner, Baltic Porter. I’d really like to start investigating more. What beer do you like to drink when you are not drinking Berryessa? Any brands come to mind? Miller: I like to drink pilsners. I have my friends in the area who brew, and I like to drink their beer. When I’m in California, I like to drink California beer. When I’m in DC, I like to drink beer from there. When I’m in Portland, I drink Portland beer. I like to drink as local as possible. I drink all the local beers around here. I understand you were very active with the hop growing scene in Yakima, WA. Miller: Yes, I’ve been working with the same farmers I’ve been working with for years. They’ve been six or seven generations involved in hop growing. There is something to be said about that. The quality; they know how to do it. There are a lot of these guys who are using hops from these little yards, and they say they use them year round. I know what it takes to preserve hops; they are a delicate

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flower and oxidize pretty quickly, and I know there is no nitrogen flushing going on. Hop farming is a difficult business, and it helps to know people who are doing it right. The Sacramento beer scene is a lot different than Seattle. What do you think about Sacramento and how do you like being here? Miller: I love Sacramento. I think it is definitely an infant beer scene. It is pretty cool that there is like a renaissance in beer now. A lot of new breweries and pubs are popping up in Sacramento. There is going to be a pretty good shake up at some point. Some people make beer for the long haul, and some people are making beer that doesn’t seem to be a sustainable model. There are 8 or 9 new breweries in the area opening up soon. What advice would you give them? Miller: You’re pretty much going to be living at the brewery. It is not a part-time job, and the people who can do that I commend them. I would say make sure you are funded properly and make the right decisions. Learn from other people and go work in a brewery to see what it is like. You can’t just go from brewing in your closet to brewing commercially. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t. With the popularity of the brewery, do you have any expansion plans? Miller: We are blazing through, and we just went through an expansion. We are going to be doing another expansion next year. You have a lot of open space at the brewery, and you have a lot of bands play during the weekends. What do you have planned for the summer? Miller: My wife, Lori, is like the front of the house. She is the queen/manager and really runs the taproom. I can make suggestions, but it’s mostly what she has planned. We have some bands coming all throughout the summer and a lot more food trucks and food vendors out here every weekend. We are slowly expanding the outside patio. Message to the consumer who hasn’t tried your beer. Miller: If you can get a hold of it at a retailer, try it. I know you can try our beer here at Berryessa. Most of our accounts are pretty solid. We have about 50 accounts throughout the Sacramento and Davis area that have our beer. We are slowly expanding too since we finally have enough beer to do that. What motivates you, what inspires you? Miller: To make the best possible beer I can possibly make. I think I am with everyone else trying to find the perfect pint. If I happen to be on the path to making it, even better. What’s in the future for Berryessa Brewing Co.? Miller: I want to make interesting, small batch beers that people enjoy drinking. I want people to come hang out here. If you come out here once, you come out here again. Weekends are fun. The future is kind of crazy, you never know.

Hops to Table Magazine

Restaurant Profile

Charcuterie, artisan cheese and preserve platter paired with a selection of five craft IPA’s

PRESERVING OLD WORLD TRADITIONS The Preserve Public House is one of the new breed of farm to fork restaurants hitting the the Greater Sacramento scene. They combine old world traditions with passion that comes through in everything they create.

alking into Public House feels like taking a step back through history. From the meat curing chamber to the homemade preserves to the artisan cheese to the abundance of fresh, local beer, this place is a mecca of everything that the farm to fork movement embodies. It is readily evident that the owners are purists and intent on preserving the traditions all but lost in today’s society. They are not content with simply serving local and fresh food, they take part in the production of the food at all points in the manufacturing process. The list of what they painstakingly do in-house is endless. They cure their own charcuterie. They make their own jams, jellies, olives and Page 7

pickles. They age and smoke their own meat. One gets the impression that there is something driving this place rooted outside the “corporate” restaurant world. What they do takes skill, time, patience and attention to detail. It also takes a commitment to using local and fresh ingredients often at the sacrifice of making a quick dollar.

California offers them a unique advantage. They are conveniently located just outside Davis, with local farms, ranches, wineries and breweries all within a very short distance. The beer pairings were both innovative and inspired. The five course meal was a brilliant show of fresh flavor harmonies rarely achieved by even the most seasoned team of food

and beverage professionals. Preserve Public House is definitely worth the drive to Winters. Take your time, get a great bite to eat, drink some great local fresh beer from any one of their 21 tap handles and relax. Preserve Public House 200 Railroad Ave. Winters, CA 95694 preservepublichouse.co m

Local organic beet salad with micro greens and local fresh cheese paired with Blanche de Bruxelles witbier.

16 hour prune wood smoked organic pulled pork sandwich paired with Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale.

Beef Marrow topped with organic cherry tomatoes and micro greens paired with Berryessa Brewing’s Cliff’s Fiscal Barley Wine

There are some things you can tell about a place just from walking in. Preserve, however, is misleading. On one hand, there is zero question that this place is local; it has that certain comfortable local feel to it. On the other hand, however, the restaurant is modern; and, quite frankly, the construction build-out is gorgeous.

Hand churned Guinness ice cream with chocolate dipped bacon paired with Drake Brewing’s Drakonic Imperial Stout

Their location in Winters, Hops to Table Magazine

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Hops to Table Magazine

breakfast pizza with applewood smoked bacon,crispy fried potatoes and perfectly cooked eggs.

Beer Inspired Recipes

ANYTIME BRUNCH Beer inspired Dishes, start to finish

Move over breakfast sandwich, the breakfast pizza has come to town. Served with Rubicon Brewing Co’s Monkey Knife Fight, this dish is sure to please even the most discriminating palate - makes 2 (14-inch) pizzas. Ingredients: Dough: 5 cups 1 tbs. 1 tbs. 1 package 3 1/2 tbs. 1 3/4 cups

All-purpose flour Sugar Kosher salt Instant yeast Olive oil Water

Toppings: 8 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese Pinch of salt and pepper (sauce) 6-8 slices Applewood Smoked Bacon 2 Russet potatoes, cubed 1 cup Spinach, roughly chopped 10 oz. Mozzarella or pepper jack cheese 6 Eggs, 3 per pizza Directions: 1. Mix the ingredients for the dough and let proof until doubled in size. Punch down dough and divide into two equal portions. Let rise a second time and roll into 14 inch circles. Place on a pizza pan. 2. While the dough is rising, roughly chop the bacon and cook it in a large skillet for about 10 minutes over medium heat until it starts to turn crispy. Remove the bacon and cook the potatoes in the same pan using the bacon grease. 3. Put the Laughing Cow cheese in a mixing bowl and mix with 3 tbs. hot water until smooth and creamy. 4. Assemble the ingredients on the pizza starting with the sauce and ending with the eggs.

chicken and waffles

5. Preheat oven to 500° for 30 minutes. After preheating, bake the pizza at 450° for 14-18 minutes. The eggs will take the most time to cook. They should be set, but still runny in the center.

What says brunch better than chicken and waffles? Fried chicken on its own is the ultimate in savory comfort – crisp, golden batter and moist flesh that bursts with the flavor. Add a waffle to sop up syrup, and that sweet-salty combination is enough to put a smile on any face. This dish pairs perfectly with Sudwerk Brewing Co.’s Maibock. - serves 4 Fried Chicken 1 Broiler fryer – cut up 12 oz Sudwerk Maibock 1 tbs. Salt 2 tsp. Onion Powder 2 tsp. Seasoned Salt 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper 1 cup Flour Directions: 1. Cover chicken with mixture of beer and salt. Chill in bowl for at least 1 hour. 2. Combine onion powder, seasoned salt and pepper and mix well. Place this mixture in a bowl. Add the flour to this bowl. Mix flour and seasonings well. 3. Remove chicken from water, and dip it into the flour mixture coat well. Place coated pieces on a plate for 5 minutes. 4. Use enough oil to make 1 inch depth in a large skillet. Heat to 375°. Fry chicken pieces turning once, every 5 minutes until done. Lift chicken out and drain on paper towels. You can keep the chicken warm by placing it in the oven, and serve when all pieces are finished cooking. Page 9

Waffles 1 3/4 cups 1 stick 2 cups 1 tsp. 1 tbs. 1 tsp. 1 1/2 tsp. 2

your waffle iron, heat waffle iron. Milk Unsalted butter All-purpose flour Pure vanilla extract Granulated sugar salt Instant yeast Eggs, large

Directions: 1. In a small saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter until butter is melted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool until warm just to the touch. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Gradually whisk in the warm milk/butter mixture until the batter is smooth. 3. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Add egg mixture to the batter and whisk until well incorporated and smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. The batter must be made 12 to 24 hours in advance of making the waffles. 4. Following manufacturer’s instructions for

5. When waffle iron is hot, remove the waffle batter from the refrigerator (the batter will be foamy and have doubled in size). Whisk batter to recombine (the batter will deflate at this time). 6. Bake waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use about 1/2 cup waffle batter for a 7-inch round waffle iron and about 1 cup waffle batter for a 9-inch square waffle iron.

Pairing Notes: We paired this dish with Rubicon Brewing Co.’s Monkey Knife Fight. MKF is an American Pale Ale. It is a very sessionable beer coming in at 5.0% ABV. It is perfect for those lazy day Sunday brunches, where you want to be productive the rest of the day. The beer pours a light amber with a nice white head. There is a mild hop bitterness coming from the Mount Hood Hops. There are notes of toffee and toasted bread that pair perfectly with the earthy combination of the bacon and eggs in the pizza. Rubicon Brewing Co. 2004 Capitol Ave. Sacramento, CA 95811 www.rubiconbrewing.com

Ingredients 2 tbs. 3/4 cup 1 loaf 9 4 tsp. 3/4 tsp. 2 1/2 cups 2 1/2 cups 2 tsp.

Light brown sugar Granulated sugar French bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes Egg yolks Vanilla extract Salt Heavy cream Milk Unsalted butter, melted

Directions: 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325°. Combine brown sugar and 1tbs. granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside. 2. Spread bread cubes in single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching trays from top to bottom racks halfway through. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes, set aside 2 cups. 3. Whisk yolks, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in cream and milk until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 9x13 pan and let stand, occasionally pressing bread into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes. 4. Spread reserved bread evenly over top of soaked bread and gently press into custard. Using pastry brush, dab melted butter over top of unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set and pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, about 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool until pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes. Bourbon Brown Sugar sauce 1/2 cup Light brown sugar, packed 7 tbs. Heavy cream 2 1/2 tbs. Unsalted butter 1 1/2 tbs. Auburn Alehouse Old Prospector Barleywine-Style Ale

Pairing Notes. We paired this dish with Sudwerk Brewery Co’s Maibock. It pours a golden orange with a thin white head. There is a nice balance of moderate caramel sweetness and mild hop notes.

Whisk brown sugar and heavy cream in small saucepan over medium heat until combined. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and bring mixture back to boil; about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in Ale. Cool to just warm; serve.

The beer pairs perfectly with the salty, crispy components in the fried chicken, the crispy waffle and the maple syrup.

Pairing Notes: We paired this dish with Auburn Alehouse’s Old Prospector Barleywine Ale. This beer is rich and decadent with beautiful notes of soft oak, plumb and raisin. It pairs absolutely perfect with the brown sugar and creamy pudding in this dish.

Note: Use real maple syrup preferably from Vermont. This syrup is delicate and light, which compliments this beer perfectly.

Auburn Alehouse 289 Washington Street Auburn, CA 95603 www.auburnalehouse.com‎

Sudwerk Restaurant & Brewery 2001 2nd St Davis, CA 95618 www.sudwerk.com

Hops to Table Magazine

bread pudding with auburn alehouse old prospector barleywine ale sauce

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Hops to Table Magazine

Roadtrip Chronicles

Goose Island Beer Co. Goose Island Beer Co.’s Fulton Street brewery is conveniently located just outside of downtown in Chicago’s West Loop Neighborhood. It is housed in a brick multi-story building that closely resembles a firehouse. What struck us as we walked into the brewpub was how different it was from the visit to Three Floyds Brewing the day prior. In fact, one cannot imagine that two breweries could be so much the opposite of one another. Goose Island Beer Co. is the quintessential brewpub. As you walk in the front door, you are greeted by a sweet, almost bready aroma from the brewing facility. As you venture further into the pub, it was clean, well lit and comfortable. In fact, the pub has a striking resemblance to the TV show, Cheers. Aside from the look and feel of the brewpub, you would never know that the company was bought over by Anheuser-Busch’s InBev. The beer menu showed no signs of being a “big box” brewing brand. Rather, their beer lineup demonstrated a nice mix of their flagship brands alongside a majority of brews that are only available at the pub. In all, we counted approximately 30 beers on tap. These beers were grouped in categories: “Refreshing, Session, Hoppy, Roasty, Malty, Belgian, Cask Conditioned and Barrel Aged.” Within each category was anywhere between three and seven beers.

MIDWEST ADVENTURES

The beers here, as was true with Three Floyds Brewing, showed incredible diversity of styles, balance and refinement. Even their “hoppy” beer selection was nowhere near the hop forward characteristics of many West Coast IPA’s. Obviously, the GABF judges were as enamored with their beer as we were, as Goose Island Beer Co. won the Gold Medal in the IPA category in the 2012 GAFB competition.

We travel to Three Floyds Brewing out of Munster, Indiana and Goose Island Beer Co. out of Chicago, Illinois in search of new and interesting brew.

e packed our bags and set out to the Midwest with high hopes and lofty expectations. This is almost always a sure recipe for disaster, as we are seasoned beer drinkers and wary travelers who are not easily impressed. However, what we found not only met our expectations, but opened our eyes to another world of beer.

label satanic in a Led Zeppelin sort of way. There were lots of candles, skull statues and even the Swedish doom metal band, Witchcraft, playing on vinyl throughout the night.

The beers were incredibly diverse, ranging across all styles. They had kolsch’s, pale ales, stouts - you name it. We ultimately decided to order the sampler of their flagship brews and a few of their special one-offs and collaboration beers.

Our first stop was Three Floyds Brewing out of Munster, Indiana. Three Floyds Brewing is a limited production brewery distributed almost exclusively in the Midwest area. They brew a wide variety of beers with the vast majority ranking in the “exceptional” category on Beer Advocate rankings.

What struck us about their beer was that each one was incredibly balanced and well constructed. In the entire lot of beers we drank that day, none was even close to the hop forward beers that virtually define the West Coast style of beers. One beer that particularly stood out was the Toxic Revolution. This is a one-off collaboration between Three Floyds Brewing and the rock band, Municipal Waste. It is a Russian Imperial Stout coming in at 8.50 ABV. This beer is a very dark and pours inky black with a creamy beige head. It is medium bodied with medium carbonation. There are huge roasted malt and chocolate notes with nice touches of hop bitterness. This really is a beautiful and balanced beer.

We went straight from the Chicago O’Hare Airport to the brewery. It was an easy 45 minute drive, but the one caveat is that there were a TON of toll roads from Chicago to Indiana. They do not take credit cards, so our advice is to bring cash and lots of it! The brewery, like many others around the country, is located in an industrial area. You would really not know it was a world class brewery, except for the huge fermenter located in the front which bear the name of the brewery. Once inside the brewery, it seemed we were taken to another time period. The inside vibe was dark and mystical - some might even Page 11

they featured a wide variety of other beers. In fact, there were hardly any of their “regulars.” Instead, the vast majority were one-offs and special collaboration brews.

Once we got settled in and acclimated to the vibe, we took a look at the beer and food menu and were blown away. There were a total of 19 beers available on draft. In a place where their beers rank so high, one would assume that the brewery would showcase their flagship beers. What was amazing is that

If traveling to the Chicago area, Three Floyds is definitely worth the 45 minute ride to Indiana.

In addition to the 30 beers on tap, they also had vintage beers available for sale. They were the 2005 Pere Jacques, a Belgian Strong Dark Abbey Ale; the 2008 Matilda, a Belgian Pale Ale with Brettanomyces yeast and the 2009 Sofie, a partially wine barrel-aged Saison with orange. Goose Island was definitely worth the effort getting to Chicago, and we enthusiastically give this brewpub two thumbs up. Goose Island Beer Co. 1800 North Clybourn Chicago, IL 60614

Hopleaf and Map Room While we were in Chicago, we got a text from Julio Peix at Dad’s Kitchen. Julio is very familiar with Chicago and recommended we go to the Hopleaf and Map Room. Never ones to ignore a good recommendation, we ventured further into Chicago in search of these pubs. The Hopleaf is located in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. The pub is fairly small and crowded. We did not have to wait, but as the night wore on, we could see people putting their name on a list to get in. What sets this pub apart is the vast selection of top notch beers on draft. We counted a total of 31 craft beers and 28 Belgian beers on tap. The selection of beers from each category were outstanding with the craft selection showing a variety of almost impossible to get East and West Coast beers. From the Hopleaf, we ventured approximately 5 miles south to the Map Room, which is located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. We counted 26 tap handles at the Map Room. As with the Hop Leaf, the beers were incredibly diverse. The selection was truly drool-worthy, with very hard to get Three Floyd’s, Founders, Bells and even a Hop Kitchen Hoppy Bock Lager from New Belgium thrown in for good measure. Hopleaf 5148 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60640 Map Room 1949 N Hoyne Ave Chicago, IL 60647

Three Floyds Brewing 9750 Indiana Pkwy Munster, IN 46321 Hops to Table Magazine

Hops to Table Magazine

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HO P S T O TA B LE ’ S C ITR A B O MB PA LE A LE IND US T RY E VA LU AT I O N

homebrewing

This issue’s panel of industry judges:

Dave Prillwitz Beer Aficionado/Collector Prolific Rate Beer and BA Rater

We set out on a rainy day afternoon to brew a “Spring Saison.” A saison is the perfect beer for spring and summer, as it is light, refreshing, moderate alcohol and pairs perfectly with most spring/summer dishes.

SPRING FLING SAISON Type: All Grain Batch Size (Gallons): 10.50 Boiling Time (Minutes): 90 Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage Equipment: B3 1550 Ingredients 14.0 lbs 4.0 lbs 1.0 lb 1.0 lbs 1.0 lb 2.0 lbs 3.0 oz 2.0 oz 2.0 oz 2 pkgs

Belgian Pilsner Munich Malt - 10L Belgian CaraMunich (47L) Wheat Malt Oats, Flaked Simplicity - Candi Syrup, Inc. Styrian Goldings (60.0 min) East Kent Goldings (15 min) Fresh Orange Peel (5 min) WLP3711 French Saison Yeast

Original Gravity: 1.056 EST. Final Gravity: 1.012 EST. ABV: 5.7% IBU: 32 Color: 6.6 SRM Protein Rest: 122F Saccharification: 148F Mash Out: 168F Primary Fermentation: 7 days at 75° Secondary Fermentation: 30 days at 70°

Page 13

The challenge in brewing a saison is that they share little in common with one another, with exception of the fruity and spicy similarities characteristic in the saison yeast. Perhaps this is indicative of the history of this beer. The origin of saison is Belgian farmhouse beers brewed in the autumn or winter for consumption during the summer for the farm workers. Each farm brewer would make his own distinctive version based on what grains were available in the field.

Rob Archie Owner Pangaea Two Brews Cafe

Kenny Hotchkiss Owner Capitol Beer and Taproom

Editor’s Note: Last issue, we brewed a Three Floyd’s Zombie Dust Clone recipe, as published in homebrewtalk.com. As we stated in the last issue, our intention with all beer recipes we publish is to brew the beer and have a panel of industry professionals judge the beer against established BJCP scoring guidelines. Out of a possible 50 points in the BJCP guidelines, we had an average composite score of 36.5. The BJCP guidelines would define this as “Very Good (30 - 37): Generally within style parameters, some minor flaws.” It should be noted that many Three Floyd’s beers generally don’t meet the “style guidelines,” and under the guidelines of BJCP would lose points. Notwithstanding, our beer had minor flaws as noted in the reviews that we agree with and will correct next brew session. If you like a sessionable, Citra forward beer, this beer is definitely worthy of brewing.

S P R IN G F L ING SAISO N here is no shortage of outstanding saisons in which to take inspiration when home brewing. Some that come to mind are Ommegan Hennepin Farmhouse Saison, Saison Dupont, Fantome Saison and one of the publisher’s personal favorites Odonata Saison.

Mike Moore National Beer Judge/ Pairing Expert

JUDGE

www. thebrewingnetwork.com/ shows/635. In that interview, Hoey stated that he used wheat and oats in the grain bill. Our initial recipe used none of these ingredients. In our final recipe we decided to add oats and wheat in an effort to add body and mouth feel to the brew. We lamented about the addition of candi syrup. The addition of candi syrup is often used in saison recipes to boost the ABV without adding body. Since we were low on the ABV in our BeerSmith projections, we opted to add the candi syrup.

Hops to Table Magazine

APPEARANCE

FLAVOR

MOUTHFEEL

(12 Points)

(3 Points)

(20 Points)

(5 Points)

There is a very pleasant citrus and toffee aroma. (8/12)

DAVE PRILLWITZ

Pours cloudy copper with a nice beige head that mostly dissipates in a few minutes. (2/3)

I am greeted with a chewy biscuit flavor drenched with the unmistakable pungent earthy taste of citra hops, which stays on the palate. (16/20)

There is a light mouth feel that is full of citra effervescence. (4/5)

OVERALL IMPRESSION (10 Points) This is prototypical American pale ale that distinguishes itself from the original English version with its distinctive bitter hop characteristic, as well as the cloudy appearance resulting from the dry hopping. There is a slightly sweet after taste that neutralizes the initial sharp bitterness. (8/10) Difference from Zombie Dust – The clone is less carbonated and is not as sweet.

MIKE MOORE

The next consideration was the hops. There is a wide variety of Noble Hops that can be used in this style. We opted for the Golding variety.

The final consideration was the yeast. We considered three varieties: The traditional Saison Wyeast 3724; the French Saison Modern saisons are generally highly carWyeast 3711 and the Wyeast 3655XL Belbonated, fruity and spicy - sometimes from gian Schelde Ale Yeast. the addition of spices. In our saison, we were shooting for a medium bodied, low to The traditional saison Wyeast 3724 is moderate ABV, refreshing, clean, dry, and notorious for slow and stuck fermentaquenching. tions requiring very high 90°-95° step fermentation temperatures. This makes The first decision we had to make was for a very demanding and time consumthe grain bill. This was not an easy task ing fermentation schedule. The Wyeast because, as noted above, there are no 3655XL looked intriguing, but is not comfast and easy rules. Notwithstanding, we mon for the style. In the end, we opted for studied the Brewing Network’s episode the French Saison Wyeast 3711, which is featuring Peter Hoey and Rick Sellers appropriate for the style, ferments at lower discussing Odonata Saison, which can be temperatures and is easier to work with in found online at the following link: cooler climate months.

AROMA

ROB ARCHIE

Apricot, tangerine dominate the aroma, honey malt in the background. No esters present, no diacetyl. (7/12)

There are promiPours slightly nent citrus aromas cloudy with medipresent. (8/12) um body and beige head. (2/3)

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Dried apricot, slight tartiness from orange peel flavor. Hops dominate flavor, malt is in the background. Firm hop backbone, dry hopping is evident here. A tart lemon flavor in finishing could use more malt to round out balance. (13/20)

Great texture, medium C02, finishes somewhat dry from the hop bitterness and style of hops used ok, but could be more balance toward the malt. (4/5)

A nice session Pale Ale, more of an IPA overall style than Pale Ale, very orange & citrus with a bright dry lemon finish. Some biscuit malt flavors in the finish. A well made beer, more of an IPA than Pale, big West Coast style here. (6/10)

Dry orchard fruit flavor and tartness with biscuit overtones. (16/20)

Tangy mouthfeel and coat on the tongue.(3/5)

A well made solid beer with distinctive citrus aroma and flavor characteristics present in the citra hop. (8/10)

Difference from Zombie Dust: A more well rounded (not harsh ended) malt profile bigger mouthfeel, more “Cara” Dextrin malt in the Zombie.

Difference to Zombie Dust: The clone compared to the Zombie Dust lacks a slight malt sweetness to balance ratio.

Citrus is the dominant smell. Faint sweet, tofKENNY fee smell present. HOTCHKISS Very pleasant aroma. (9/12)

TOTALS

Slight chill haze, golden orange in color, medium body, medium C02, medium head, head retention, nice texture. (2/3)

32/48

Pours cloudy orange, straw color. Not much carbonation present. Obviously not filtered which isn’t a bad thing. (2/3)

8/12

Taste is much like Light body. Less the smell. Citrus carbonation than I dominates. Not would like. (3/5) much malt present. Bitter finish lingers. Delicious. (17/20)

62/80

14/20 14/20

Very tasty beer which is very easy to drink. With a little more carbonation this beer would go from really good to great. (8/10) Editors Note: Kenny did not compare this to the Zombie Dust because the publication ran out during the prior tastings.

30/40

Hops to Table Magazine

food and beer pairing

25 YEARS OF CELEBRATION Mike Moore, a National Beer Judge with over 20 years of judging experience, takes us on an insightful journey through a 25 year tasting of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale complete with tasting notes. By Mike Moore

wenty-five years ago, I had just moved to Sacramento. The year was 1988. The craft beer scene was pretty grim. This city had only one "microbrewery," the newly opened Rubicon, and the beer there was really fresh and good. It was at this new brewery in early December of this same year that a fellow beer friend of mine introduced me to another great beer; that beer was from Sierra Nevada some 85 miles to the north. I told him that I have had many a Pale ale from Sierra Nevada throughout the last couple of years, but he said not this one. He showed me a holiday beer with a picture of a Christmas wreath and the words "Celebration Ale" on the label. This beer had so many YEAR

flavors and so intense were the hops, I could not stop drinking it and telling as many friends as possible. Two days later I drove up to the brewery in Chico and purchased as much as I could. And so it was on March 9th this year that myself and a few close beer friends got together for a once in a lifetime tasting. A complete vertical tasting of 25 years of this very special holiday beer, "Celebration Ale" 1988 to 2012, so with great anticipation we started that afternoon youngest to oldest. Below are my tasting notes from that day... A very heartfelt Thank You goes out to Joe Goss, Scott Williams and fellow beer judge David Techam for their procurement, hosting and organization skills, without them this would not be possible.

TASTING NOTES

2012

Tangerine, hint of Sage in the nose, great head retention, off white in color. Resin hops dominate the flavor with a high firm bitterness throughout. Finished clean and fresh.

2011

Bready malt aroma with orange/resin hop coming through. Good carbonation and head retention. Flavor is very balanced between malt and hops. Nice texture and dry bitter finish. Nearly identical to the 2011 with just a bit of herbal and spruce in the nose. Orange in color, jasmine and orange rind nose. Ivory color head with good retention. A very pleasant rolling hop flavor on the tongue. Nicely balanced with a clean finish Golden-orange in color, a bit of floral and spruce in the aroma. Off-white head with good retention. Some caramel malt flavor with a background of orange hops, a bit watery in the mouthfeel. Hops drop off fairly quickly in the finish. Brown-orange in color, spritzy almost champagne like appearance. Aroma of celery and some licorice root. Taste is sweet malt with some orange notes. Finish is on the sweet malt side. Hazy, some sediment, dark orange in color. Medium head retention. Some oxidation is showing now with sherry aromas and slight fruity pear esters. Taste is somewhat yeasty and malty. Finishes almost devoid of hop flavor. Note: The remainder of the bottles has twist-off caps, as this was the last year that Sierra Nevada used Dark brown-orange in color, fruity ripe orange notes in the nose followed by a malted milk aroma. Low carbonation with low retention. Slight iron taste with raisin following. Unremarkable finish. Brown in color, vanilla and Madeira nose, no hop aroma is present. Low carbonation no head retention. A taste of sweet butterscotch, but finished clean.

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 Page 15

Brownish with reddish tints, very low carbonation and thinning body. Aroma is slight vegetal with sherry notes from oxidation. Taste like very ruddy brown ale and finishes like sweet carrot juice. Brown slightly hazy in appearance, prune, raisin with a noticeable tobacco smell. Very low carbonation and a thin watery mouthfeel. Tastes of red apple skins and finishes with cigar notes. Murky brown in color and appearance, carbonation is not present. Aroma of vanilla and bourbon, the taste is the same. Finishes with slight cardboard flavors. Light brown in color with a slight haze and almost no carbonation. A bread crust and cream soda aroma. Taste is vanilla and slightly alcoholic. Finishes papery oxidative. Murky with some particle matter present, brown in color. Aroma of vanilla and bourbon, no carbonation and a papery finish. Copper-brown in color, clear with medium carbonation and head retention. Aroma of orange cream soda, just a touch of caramel in the taste, and a great full mouthfeel surprisingly smooth. Finishes just slightly sweet. Light brown in color, very low carbonation. Nose of vanilla caramels and Dr.Pepper soda. A very sticky sweet malt taste with just a touch of hop bitterness. Finishes malty and clean. Golden brown in color, no carbonation. Aroma of rich caramel, brown sugar and a bit of oaky vanilla. Tastes exactly like the aroma with a great texture and big mouthfeel. Finishes very smooth, like an English style aged barleywine. Murky brown in color, no carbonation. Aroma of burnt brown sugar and molasses. Tastes like molasses covered cardboard. Very oxidized and finishes like it tastes Brown in color, flat with aroma of vanilla. Papery taste and finishes like very thin sherry. Murky light brown in color, no carbonation. Aroma like tarry caramel, tastes like sweet wort, very one dimensional and lifeless. Finishes slightly plastic. Murky copper-brown in color, flat and smells of almonds. Taste is somewhat phenolic (plastic) and astringent. Finishes very dry and almost tannic. Dark brown in color, flat with a burnt almond nose. Has a cherry pit like taste with Frangelico notes. Finishes very dry, but not papery. Copper-brown in color, flat with a nose of Spanish peanuts. Taste is like very dry peanut butter. Finishes dry with a bit of warmth. Dark brown in color, flat with a Cola like aroma. Sweet nutty pecan taste also finishes sweet. Dark amber in color, fairly clear, but no carbonation. Big hazelnut and Madeira aroma. The taste is dry, but nutty. Finishes a bit papery. Hops to Table Magazine

Hop Talk: What’s Your Favorite Brew and Why By Connor Adams

THE ART OF COLLABORATION A brewer’s perspective on collaborative brewing and the background behind how it comes together. By Ryan Graham

f you missed Sacramento Beer Week 2013, something really special slipped through your fingers. No, I am not talking about those lucky few that successfully braved the lines for that elusive taste of the Younger or all those fabulous beer-paired dinners and tap take overs that took place throughout the region. Those were all reasons in-and-of-themselves as to why Sacramento Beer Week provides numerous opportunities to make amazing beer memories. However, what I am talking about is the array of beer collaborations offered up by local Sacramento-area breweries (and our favorite area cidery) during Beer Week. Sacramento area breweries carpet bombed the region with kegs and bottles of collaborations that included the likes of Cease and Desist by Berryessa Brewing Co. and Auburn Alehouse, Shakenbake by Knee Deep Brewing Co. and Boulder Beer Co., Friend of the Devil by Rubicon Brewing and Two Rivers Cider and Knee Deep in Beer Week by Knee Deep and Track 7 Brewing Co. These beers were fantastic not because they epitomized a beer “style.” After all, not one of these beers fit a technically pure beer style. Further, none of these beers were about narrow self-interests or about maximizing individualistic exposure. These beers all celebrated the freethinking spirit and creativity that result from working together. Creativity and artistry were the name of the game. And all did so in different ways, whether it was by investigating the contributions production process imparts on a final product, the use of new or rediscovered ingredients or by blending of styles.

Pictured above: Chris Miller of Berryessa Brewing Co. with Bill Wood and Brian Ford of Auburn Ale House during the making of their 2013 Sacramento Beer Week Collaboration Beer

gained traction over a few conversations and sit-downs with Auburn Ale House’s Brewmaster Brian Ford. And the Knee Deep and Track 7 collaboration started as a result of an email I fired off while bored to tears at my former desk job with the details getting flushed out during our 2012 Tracktoberfest somewhere between log sawing and stein-chugging.

So the question that begs to be addressed is why collaborate? Knee Deep’s Brew Master Jeremy Warren liked the idea of collaboration because “it’s a great opportunity to learn things that you cannot possibly learn in a brewing science program.” For the collaboration with Boulder Beer Co., that makes a lot of sense. After all, Shakenbake was brewed in two batches on a 50-barrel brew house at a facility that has helped pioneer craft beer. But can the same be true for Track 7? Was there anything that we possibly could have shown Knee Deep that they didn’t already know? “Absolutely! I was very impressed by how dialed in you had your brew house,” quipped Jeremy. The collaborations all developed in ways that were as unique as the final beers themselves. Shakenbake began as a conversation between Knee Deep and Boulder Beer at the 2012 Craft Brewer’s Conference in San Diego. Cease and Desist was an idea that Berryessa Brewing Co.’s Brew Master Chris Miller had been toying with for a while but Page 17

Kira

Alex

Willa

Daniel

Edelstoff Helles by Augustiner Brau

Boont Amber Ale by Anderson Valley

Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale by Lagunitas

La Folie by New Belgium

Jackalope Imperial Pumpkin Porter by Beer Valley

Hailing from one of Germany’s oldest breweries, this Helles is a thirst quenching, well balanced treasure.

Boont has a smooth caramel flavor and is super drinkable.

Clean wheat flavor with a grapefruit type hop finish. Delicious!

This is the first sour I tried and it got me hooked. I’ve yet to find another beer so mouth puckering yet smooth.

It is dark and rich but refreshing. Perfect to enjoy year round.

As a brewer, I think the 2013 Sacramento Beer Week collaborations all succeeded in the sense that they were all concept driven and told a story. Shakenbake was about Colorado meets California and featured organic hops and Colorado grown barley. Cease and Desist centered on the use of rice, which has lost favor in craft beer due to its widespread use as an adjust within industrial light lagers. Friend of the Devil infused cider and beer together. And the Knee Deep/ Track 7 collaboration centered on the impact of production style on a beer’s outcome.

“As a brewer, I think the 2013 Sacramento Beer Week collaborations all succeeded in the sense that they were all concept driven and told a story.“

Equally interesting is that the breweries participating in the collaborations during Beer Week come from wildly different backgrounds in craft beer. Bookended by Boulder Brewing Co, which began in 1979 and by Track 7 Brewing Co., which had hardly been open a year, the history, size, scope and pedigree of each brewery is different.

Adam

But from the retailer and public perspective, is the same true? Kyle Ruthnick from Final Gravity Taproom and Bottleshop in Roseville said, “The public loved it. Everyone was excited to see breweries working together.” Blogger Don Berry from SacBeers.com was excited by this spate of collaborations and the prospects of more. “It is good to have local breweries, producing great local beer working together,” he said. Tyler Martin from Sacontap, recollected “Everyone who experienced Sacramento Beer Week was drawn to an event or release party that featured one of the many collaborations. The Friend of the Devil release party at Rubicon was a hit.” The consensus about the collaborations was that they were in fact a success because they embodied the spirit and camaraderie of craft beer.

Beer Comics By Aaron Taylor

With the apparent success of the 2013 collaborations, are more on the horizon? “You bet. We are very collaborative. It’s a chance to make friends, connections and stay true to our roots as a craft brewer,” said Jeremy Warren. Berryessa Brewing Co. is already working on additional collaborations. “We are currently working on a collaboration with a local band and we want to do more with the bands that come through our brewery,” commented Berryessa’s Chris Miller. Track 7 has a couple collaborations up our sleeve, which we will start rolling out over the next six months. With all the additional new breweries hitting the Sacramento area landscape, I can only imagine all of the interesting partnerships that will develop over the coming years. Ryan Graham is Track 7’s first full-time employee and the primary brewer responsible for production at Track 7 Brewing Company. Hops to Table Magazine

Page 18

Hops to Table Magazine

Sac Eats and Drinks

21st AMENDMENT HOME BREWERS’ BATTLE - 2013 Taken at Capitol Beer and Taproom on February 24, 2013

45TH ANNUAL BOCKBIERFEST

Taken at Sacramento Turn Verein on April 7, 2013

BEER CANS AND BAD COATS Taken at Ten22 on March 1, 2013

2013 SACRAMENTO BEER WEEK KICKOFF Taken at Rubicon Brewing Co. on February 21, 2013

SUCKS A discussion of the local beer scene and why it is bad when people say “This beer sucks.” By Dan Scott

ne of the rewards of craft beer is that it creates con-

fool. The brewer who spent hours creating it is a hack. It smacks

versations. We love to talk about our beer, even with

of both arrogance and inexperience and implies a limited vocab-

complete strangers. “What are you drinking?” is a

ulary. The point of this rant, however, is not to belittle someone

common question heard at alehouses and brew-

who proclaims that a beer sucks but to draw attention to the con-

pubs. This behavior probably sounds odd to non-beer drinkers.

sequences of this statement.

People don’t sit around diners, poke their heads over at the next table and ask, “Hey, what kind of sausage is that?”

The danger of the word “sucks” lies not in the mouth of the blowhard, but in the ear of the novice beer drinker. People listen to

These conversations are inspired by the variety and novelty avail-

opinions of others who seem more experienced and knowledge-

able at a craft beer establishment. If

able. Hearing that a beer sucks

only one beer is available, there is

can turn them off of a particular

less reason to chat about it because everyone is already holding it in their hands. If there are twenty beers of different styles and from different breweries, the beer lover is struck with a natural curiosity. As it is practically impossible to try all twenty beers in one sitting, we seek out advice and impressions on what is tantalizing the palates of our fellow patrons. Beyond

“There is one word, however, that genuinely peeves me. I despise the casual use of the word “sucks” to describe a beer. I immediately want to ask ‘Who died and made you the king of beers?’”

the beer already on the table, people frequently gaze at the taplist and ask, “What else do you like?”

beer style or brewery. Whisper campaigns easily spread to those who have simply overheard that a beer sucks, now believe that it sucks and may even share this opinion with others. Sucks goes viral. As lovers of local beer, we have to care when Joe Opinionated proclaims that a local brewery sucks.

Sacramento has several new breweries that are fighting to gain a foothold in a competitive and highly opinionated market; several

These simple questions are catalysts to share knowledge and

more are opening this year.

opinions. There is one word, however, that genuinely peeves me. I despise the casual use of the word “sucks” to describe a beer.

Our established breweries are competing with an influx of

I immediately want to ask “Who died and made you the king of

brands from around the world. This brand of bullshit is easy to

beers?”

diffuse in a non-confrontational manner. Simply counter the statement with “I guess it depends on what you like, I know plen-

I am not referring to beer that is clearly contaminated, warm,

ty of people who enjoy it.” Or, even simpler, “I like it.”

flat, old or suffers from a variety of other failings. As I don’t want this rant to sound petty, let me provide an example. On more

By doing so, you become a defender of local beer. Not only that,

than one occasion, I have heard the phrase “Pliny sucks.” Let

you raise the level of discourse and probably appear a tad classi-

that one sink in before proceeding to the next paragraph.

er in the process.

Proclaiming that a beer sucks implies that the tastes and opin-

Dan Scott is the director of Sacramento Beer Week. He thinks

ions of the speaker are paramount to anyone who would dare to

that banning single bottle beer sales in the grid really sucks.

enjoy this product. The proprietor who purchased this beer is a Page 21

Hops to Table Magazine

Greater Sacramento Brewery, Brewpub and Craft Beer Directory

PLACER COUNTY BREWERY

SACRAMENTO COUNTY CRAFT BEER MENU (CONT)

BREWERY American River Brewing 11151 Trade Center Drive Suite 104 Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 (916) 635-2537 www.americanriverbrewingcompany.com

Bonn Lair 3651 J Street Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 455-7155 www.bonnlair.com

Kilt Pub 4235 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95864 (916) 487-4979 www.kilt-pub.com

Lockdown Brewery 11327 Trade Center Drive #350 Rancho Cordova, CA 95742 (916) 835-7416 www.facebook.com/lockdownbrewingco

Bows & Arrows 1815 19th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 822-5668 www.bowscollective.com

Lockdown Brewing Co Folsom Tasting Room 718 Sutter St. Suite 200 Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 358-9645 www.facebook.com/lockdownbrewingco

New Helvetia Brewing Co. 1730 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 469-9889 www.newhelvetiabrew.com

Burgers and Brew 1409 R St Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 442-0900 www.burgersbrew.com

Track 7 Brewing 3747 West Pacific Ave Sacramento, CA 95820 (916) 520-4677 www.track7brewing.com

Capitol Beer and Tap Room 2222 Fair Oaks Blvd Sacramento, CA 95825 916-922-1745 www.capitolbeer.com

Two Rivers Cider 4311 Attawa Avenue Sacramento, CA 95822 (916) 456-1614 www.tworiverscider.com

Capitol Garage 1500 K Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 444-3633 www.capitolgarage.com

BREW PUB Hoppy Brewing Co. 6300 Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 451-6328 www.hoppy.com River City Brewing Company 545 Downtown Plaza Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 447-2739 www.rivercitybrewing.net Rubicon Brewing Company 2004 Capitol Avenue Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 448-7032 www.rubiconbrewing.com

Dads Kitchen 2968 Freeport Blvd Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 447-3237 www.ilovedadskitchen.com De Vere's Irish Pub 1521 L St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 231-9947 www.deverespub.com Enotria 1431 Del Paso Blvd Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 922-6792 www.enotria.com

LowBrau 1050 20th St Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 706-2636 www.lowbrausacramento.com Manderes 402 E Bidwell St Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 986-9655 www.manderes.com Mulvaney's B & L 1215 19th St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 441-6022 www.culinaryspecialists.com Old Town Pizza & Tap House 9677 Elk Grove Florin Rd Elk Grove, CA 95624 (916) 686-6655 www.facebook.com/oldtownpizzeria OneSpeed Pizza 4818 Folsom Blvd Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 706-1748 www.onespeedpizza.com Pangaea Two Brews Cafe 2743 Franklin Blvd Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 454-4942 www.pangaeatwobrews.com

Extreme Pizza 1140 Exposition Blvd, Ste 200 Sacramento, CA 95815 (916) 925-8859 www.extremepizza.com

Pour House 1910 Q St Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 706-2465 www.pourhousesacramento.com

Firestone Public House 1132 16th St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 446-0888 firestonepublichouse.com

Samuel Horne's Tavern 719 Sutter St Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 293-8207 www.samhornes.com

Flaming Grill Cafe 2319 El Camino Ave Sacramento, CA 95821 (916) 359-0840 www.flaminggrillcafe.com

The Shack 5201 Folsom Blvd Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 457-5997 www.eastsacshack.com

BJ's Brewhouse - Arden Fair 1689 Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95815 (916) 570-1920 www.bjsbrewhouse.com

Fox & Goose Public House 1001 R St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 443-8825 www.foxandgoose.com

Shady Lady, The 1409 R Street Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 231-9121 www.shadyladybar.com

BJ's Brewhouse - Elk Grove 9237 Laguna Springs Elk Grove, CA 95758 (916) 753-1500 www.bjsbrewhouse.com

Golden Bear 2326 K St Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 441-2242 www.goldenbear916.com

Streets of London Pub 1804 J St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 498-1388 www.streetsoflondon.net

Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. 1630 S St Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 442-4885 hookandladder916.com

Swabbies 5871 Garden Hwy Sacramento, CA 95837 (916) 920-8088 www.swabbies.com

Hot City Pizza 5642 J St Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 731-8888 www.hotcity-pizza.com

Sudwerk Riverside 9900 Greenback Ln Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 989-9243 www.sudwerkriverside.com

CRAFT BEER MENU Alley Katz 2019 O Street Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 442-2682 www.facebook.com/alleykatzpubngrub Bella Bru Cafe - Natomas 4680 Natomas Blvd Sacramento, CA 95835 (916) 928-1770 www.bellabrucafe.com

BJ's Brewhouse - Folsom 2730 East Bidwell Street Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 404-2000 www.bjsbrewhouse.com BJ's Brewhouse - Natomas 3531 N. Freeway Blvd Sacramento, CA 95834 (916) 570-1327 www.bjsbrewhouse.com

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Ten22 1022 Second St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 441-2211 www.ten22oldsac.com Tulí 2031 S St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 451-8854 www.tulibistro.com Thir13en 1300 H St Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 594-7669 www.thir13en.com Whole Foods Market - Folsom 270 Palladio Pkwy Folsom, CA 95630 (916) 984-8500 www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/folsom

YOLO COUNTY BREWERY Berryessa Brewing Company 27260 Hwy 128 Winters, CA 95694 (408) 917 2295 www.berryessabrewing.com Black Dragon Brewery 175 West Main St Woodland, CA 95695 (530) 668-4677 www.blackdragonbrew.com

BREW PUB Sudwerk Restaurant and Brewery 2001 Second Street Davis, CA 95616 (530) 758-8700 www.sudwerk.com

CRAFT BEER MENU Burgers & Brew 403 3rd St Davis, CA 95616 (530) 750-3600 burgersbrew.com Davis Beer Shoppe, The 211 G St Davis, CA 95616 (530) 756-5212 www.facebook.com/thedavisbeershoppe Davis Graduate, The 805 Russell Blvd Davis, CA 95616 (530) 758-4723 www.davisgrad.com G Street Wunderbar 228 G St Davis, CA 95616 (530) 756-9227 www.gstreetwunderbar.com Preserve Public House 200 Railroad Ave Winters, CA 95694 (530) 795-9963 www.preservedrinkery.com Streets of London Pub 2200 Lake Washington Blvd, Ste 100 West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 376-9066 www.streetsoflondon.net University of Beer 615 3rd St Davis, CA 95616 (530) 759-1990

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Fox Barrel Cider Co. 1213 S. Auburn Street Colfax, CA 95713 (530) 346-9699 www.foxbarrel.com Knee Deep Brewing Co 645 5th Street Lincoln, CA 95648 (916) 757-1861 www.kneedeepbrewing.com Loomis Basin Brewing 3277 Swetzer Rd. Loomis, CA 95650 (916) 259-2739 www.loomisbasinbrewing.com Roseville Brewing Company 501 Derek Place Roseville, CA 95678 (800) 978-3713 www.rosevillebrewingco.com

BREW PUB Auburn Alehouse 289 Washington Street Auburn, CA 95604 (530) 885-2537 www.auburnalehouse.com BJ's Restaurant and Brewery 1200 Roseville Parkway Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 580-2100 www.bjsbrewhouse.com Power Club Restaurant & Brewery 195 Harrison Ave Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 305-5052 http://www.powerclubauburn.com

CRAFT BEER MENU Bar 101 101 Main Street Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 774-0505 www.bar101roseville.com Boneshaker Pub 2168 Sunset Blvd #104 Rocklin, CA 95765 (916) 259-2337 www.boneshakerpub.com Chef's Table, The 6843 Lonetree Blvd. Rocklin, CA 95765 (916) 771-5656 ‎ www.chefdavidstable.com Club Car, The 836 Lincoln Way Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 887-9732 www.clubcarauburn.com Final Gravity Taproom and Bottleshop 9205 Sierra College Blvd, Ste 10 Roseville, CA 95661 (916) 782-1166 www.finalgravitybeer.com Gordon Biersch Tavern - Roseville 1151 Galleria Blvd., Space 9211 Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 772-2739 www.gordonbiersch.com Little Belgium Deli and Beer Bar 780 Lincoln Way Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 820-3056 Owl Club, The 109 Church St Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 782-5222 www.owlclubroseville.com

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CRAFT BEER MENU Perfecto Lounge 973 Pleasant Grove Blvd #110 Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 783-2828 www.perfectolounge.com Pistol Pete's Brew and Cue 140 Harrison Ave Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 885-5093 World Pub 3021 Grass Valley Hwy Auburn, CA 95602 (530) 392-3603 Yard House - Roseville 1166 Roseville Parkway Roseville, CA 95678 (916) 780-9273 www.yardhouse.com/CA/roseville

EL DORADO COUNTY BREWERY Gold Hill Brewery 5660 Vineyard Lane Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 626-6522 www.goldhillvineyard.com/brewery.html Jack Russell Brewing Company 2380 Larsen Drive Camino, CA 95709 (530) 644-4722 www.jackrussellbrewing.com Wheat Beer Company 2380 Larsen Dr Camino, CA 95709 (916) 799-8142

BREW PUB Placerville Brewing Company 155 Placerville Drive Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 295-9166

CRAFT BEER MENU 36 Handles 1010 White Rock Rd El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 (916) 941-3606 www.36handles.com Brick Oven Pub 2875 Ray Lawyer Dr Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 622-7420 Forester Pub & Grill 4110 Carson Rd Camino, CA 95709 (530) 644-1818 Independent, The 629 Main St Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 344-7527 www.independentplacerville.com Powell's Steamer Co 425 Main St Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 626-1091 www.powellssteamer.com River Shack Deli & Pub 7170 Hwy 49 Lotus, CA 95651 (530) 626-1334 Stumble Inn, The 3500 Carson Rd Camino, CA 95667 (530) 957-5245 Wine Smith, The 346 Main St Placerville, CA 95667 (530) 622-0516

NEVADA COUNTY BREWERY ol' Republic Brewery 124 Argall Way Nevada City, CA 95959 (530) 264-7263 www.olrepublicbrewery.com

CRAFT BEER MENU Cooper's Ale Works 235 Commercial St Nevada City, CA 95959 530-265-0116 www.coopersnclive.com Jernigan's Tap House & Grill 123 Argall Way Nevada City, CA 95959 (530) 265-6999 jernigansgrill.com Matteo's Public 300 Commercial St Nevada City, CA 95959 (530) 265-0782 matteospublic.com Mine Shaft, The 222 Broad St Nevada City, CA 95959 (530) 265-6310 mineshaftsaloon.com Pub at Fair Play, The 7915 Fairplay Rd Somerset, CA 95684 (530) 620-1500 www.thepubatfairplay.com

SUTTER COUNTY BREWERY Sutter Buttes Brewing 421 Center St. Yuba City, CA 95991 (530) 790-7999 www.sutterbuttesbrewing.com

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY BREW PUB Lodi Beer Company 105 S. School Street Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 368-9931 www.lodibeercompany.com Valley Brewing Company 157 West Adams Street Stockton, CA 95204 (209) 464-2739 www.valleybrew.com

CRAFT BEER MENU Abbey Trappist Pub, The 2353 Pacific Ave Stockton, CA 95204 (209) 451-1780 abbeytrappistpub.com

PLUMAS COUNTY BREWERY The Brewing Lair of the Lost Sierra California 70 Blairsden, CA 96103 (530) 394-0940 www.thebrewinglair.com‎

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