Gold Country On Tap

Page 1

gold country

ON TAP

LOCAL CRAFT

BEER MONK’S CELLAR

takes Belgium theme to higher level

DECEMBER 2014


on the cover

DECEMBER 2014

Owner of Monk’s Cellar Andy Klein

gold country

ON TAP VOLUME 01 ISSUE 02

GENERAL INFO (530) 885-5656 or (800) 927-7355 CEO

photography by Michael Kirby

inside

4

Monk’s Cellar

4

Craftbeer Cookbook

7

Brewmeister

8

Beer vs. Wine

10

It’s all in the Yeast 14 Folsom Alehouse

15

Hop House

18

Signature Drinks

21

Lockdown

22

18

Jeremy Burke (530) 852-0200

GENERAL Jim Easterly MANAGER (530) 852-0224 EDITOR

Dennis Noone (530) 852-0231

FEATURES EDITOR

Paul Cambra (530) 852-0230

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Laura Smith (530) 852-0276

CONTENT DIRECTOR

Nick Kvaal (530) 852-0280

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Paul Cambra Laura Newell Steven Wilson Scott Thomas Anderson Nick Kvaal

GOLD COUNTRY Quarterly publication highlighting the Craft Beer Industry in the Gold Country 1030 High Street, Auburn www.auburnjournal.com

Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher shall not be responsible for any liabilities arising from the publication of copy provided by any advertiser for the Gold Country On Tap. Further, it shall not be liable for any act of omission on the part of the advertiser pertaining to their published advertisement in the Gold Country On Tap. A publication of the Gold Country Media.


MONK’S CELLAR takes Belgium theme to higher level

photo by Michael Kirby

photo by Michael Kirby

BEER, WINE, FOOD MAKE FOR HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE By Scott Thomas Anderson

M

onk’s Cellar is looking to make its mark on Downtown Roseville, and it’s using an open, austere elegance — with centuried bricks, chocolate Old World oak and vaulted mission-style ceilings — to prove it understands the monastic mastery of detail on the highest levels.

“We went to movies together at the Tower Theatre when we were kids,” Klein recalled. “Back then, downtown Roseville was the place everyone was always going.”

When Roseville’s Community Development Corp. started looking for a business to open up next to Sammy’s Rockin’ Island Bar and Grill as part of Vernon Street’s resurgence, For fans of handcrafted food and beer who Gould and Klein could envision the avenue are searching for more than the carbon returning to the bustling days of their youth. facsimile served by the area’s many chain restaurants, Monk’s Cellar says it’s making an So could Tom Rotelli, a restaurateur who argument for an approach altogether different teamed up with the two in order to make Monk’s Cellar a reality. — an approach that’s intentionally genuine. Monk’s Cellar is the brainchild of three men, two of whom have considered Roseville their home since they’ve known each other in preschool. Paul Gould and Andy Klein both grew up in the city’s tree-lined neighborhoods near downtown.

And that reality includes a style and feels all its own within the greater Sacramento area: Its bare, rustic European ambiance is accented by the rods and steel of hanging lamps. Monk’s brews all its own beer, but, unlike many of its fellow tap houses, it’s operating both open and closed fermentation. Walking

4 - Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton

through its abbey-like doors, customers can look in on the gleaming closed cylinders that brew Monk’s Belgium-influenced beers, and then, walking past the bar, view the open, chrome vats that brew its English-influenced selections.

Monk’s Cellar plays music low and doesn’t busy up its walls with blinking television sets. The owners stressed that they’re trying to create an environment where people can sit down and truly enjoy beer, wine and conversation.

“While we’re really featuring a Belgium-style of beer-making — and even a Belgium monastery look to the place — our open-fermenting is really a traditional way to do it,” Gould said. “It lets the yeast breathe a little bit. It’s a small brewing system that really keeps things fresh, and keeps us having variety.”

Elevated pub food is meant to be another part of that equation. The chefs at Monk’s hand-bake breads and buns, hand-roll sausages and mix all of their sauces and key ingredients in-house. The extra effort shows when you bite into a Monk’s burger, with its juicy, popping taste gradations and array of authentic subtleties. Monk’s kitchen also respects customers enough to send out a rare burger that’s actually rare, when ordered. The sausages at Monk’s also impress, showcasing a peppery potency in their textures and a minty, herb insignia buried deep in the center of their meat tangle. One of the most talked

All three of Monk’s owners intentionally avoided looking for an anchor in a strip mall or new, sterile shopping center, instead opting for Vernon Street’s old walls and old bricks to help realize their vision. In keeping with the motif of silent, beer-brewing monks being at the center of a town’s community hub,

about items on the Monk’s menu thus far is the fries cooked in duck fat, which have a slight, salty singe to their soft, browned spud flavor — superbly highlighted with a tangy aioli spread on the side. For Rotelli, the early reaction to the food has been what is most exciting. “Just seeing peoples’ eyes light up when they read the details of the menu,” Rotelli said. “I don’t know if everyone was expecting upscale pub grub.”

Arts Academy, to lend a helping hand as Downtown revitalizes. Just a few weeks into its opening, Monk’s Cellar has been seeing new faces and new crowds circle through almost every day. For Gould and Klein, remarks from one particular group of customers strike a positive nerve in their hometown sensibilities.

“I think, between the beer and the food, everything we’re doing is just a little north of everyone’s comfort zone.”

“I love the fact that so many people who have lived in Roseville for more than 50 years are flocking in, along with the younger crowd,” Klein observed. “To hear how happy people are, who remember the way Vernon Street used to be, coming in and hanging out — they are just grateful to see some life here again.”

Monk’s is also teaming up with several of Roseville’s nonprofit organizations, including the Blue Line Gallery and Roseville Theatre

Scott Thomas Anderson can be reached at scotta@goldcountrymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at ScottA_RsvPT

Gould agrees.

Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton - 5


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PLACER ULTIMATE BREWING SOCIETY Submitted by David Long

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dd milled grains to 4.5 gallons of 159F water in your mash tun to target a 148F mash temperature. Hold at this temperature for 1 hours. Ether Fly sparge or batch sparge with 4.5 gallons of 168 F– 170F water to collect approximately 7.0 gallons of wort in your boil kettle. Boil wort vigorously for 90 minutes. Add hops with 60 minutes left in the boil, and sugar and Whirlflock with 10 minutes left in the boil. After boil chill wort rapidly to 65F to collect 5.5 gallons in your fermentation vessel. Aerate wort and pitch two vials of yeast, or a two liter starter into wort. Ferment at 65F for two day then let temperature free rise to 72F over the next 5 days. Hold at 72F until fermentation is complete (~14 days – don’t rush this). After fermentation is complete, chill beer to clarify (<45F), or carefully rack to Secondary and let settle. Keg and carbonate with CO2, or bottle condition using 4.0 oz. of Corn Sugar to a carbonation level of 2.3 vols. Store at room temperature until fully carbonated if bottle conditioning. Enjoy! This beer will age 2 – 6 months easily.


HOME BREWING HOBBY FERMENTS INTO CAREER

A

former software sales executive who holds a financial degree has found his calling with something once dubbed “liquid bread” – beer.

brewer, I bought all my supplies at this store (The Brewmeister) when it was down on Riley Street (near Sutter Street). Eventually, the owners talked to me about buying the business.”

Erik Schmid is 44, married to Lisa, and has a 7-year-old son named Oliver. Raised in Cameron Park, Schmid and his wife settled in Folsom more than 10 years ago.

He said his skills in business, finance and sales were the perfect marriage with his hobby and The Brewmeister.

His business, The Brewmeister, is located at 802 Reading St., Folsom. They also opened a second store in Roseville and a third in West Sacramento. “I did all sorts of stuff before this,” said Schmid. “I went to school in Chico (and earned) a finance degree.” He jumped into a financial company, which led him to software sales and the dotcom boom. For a while he toiled away at IBM, before joining a tech startup. That’s when the dotcom bubble burst and he found himself unemployed. Through all those changes, one thing remained constant – his love of home brewing. A friend urged him to take his home brewing hobby and turn it into a career by going to brewing school. So he did. “My friend convinced me to do the American Brewers Guild,” he said. “That’s when I met Lisa. I had aspirations to open a pub, but as newlyweds, we didn’t think it would be good (for our marriage) because of the stress and hours involved.” He took his sales skills and turned them to real estate. “I started selling homes,” he said. “But as a home

“We bought it (in 2004) and grew out of that spot within two years,” he said. “That’s when we moved here (to 802 Reading St.) so we could have a warehouse, better parking and offer classes. Parking was a real issue in the Historic District.” Schmid has held many jobs with more than a few companies. He said he has 27 different business cards representing the various organizations and jobs he held over the years, including coaching JV basketball at Oak Ridge High School. Who might be the common customer for The Brewmeister? Just about anyone, he said. “I have Folsom police officers and firefighters who are brewers or winemakers, but it’s engineers who really get into it,” Schmid said. “The basic kitchen-type brewers could be male or female in their late 20s to early 40s. It really varies.” He said the winemakers who shop his store are a completely different clientele. “When you add in winemaking, it’s a little more upscale,” he said. What kind of traffic comes through the doors?

“We probably have 4,500 customers I see once a quarter between the three stores,” he said. “It’s bigger than you think.” What does he enjoy about his job? “It’s similar to cooking,” he said. “It’s creative and there is a real sense you’ve done something special. Many home brewers keg it and when you have your own tap at home, it takes you to the next level with your friends.” He said that unlike other high-stress jobs he’s had in the past, twhis one is more about having fun. “The cool part about this job is it’s a hobby shop,” he said. “We aren’t dealing with crushing, critical issues like a doctor or mechanic. Usually, everybody comes in with a smile on their face because they are doing something they love and you are helping them do it.” Aside from the home brewers, he said, the shop also links him “with the craft brewers, as well, like Lockdown Brewery or Jack Russell. Almost all those craft brewers started as home brewers. They all have that dream (to earn a living at their hobby), but only a small percentage will ever do it.” He said people looking to get into the field should love the hobby of home brewing first. “This was something I loved so it was easy for me to do,” he said. “It took a long time, too. You need a partner willing to support you. It took three to four years before we made any money. Now I do this full time.” Erik Schmid owns The Brewmeister in Folsom, Roseville and West Sacramento. Here he is building a 45-gallon “brewery on a trailer” to transport among his shops. Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton - 9


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BELGIUM BEER it’s all in the yeast By Nick Kvaal | The Auburn Journal

T

he characteristics of Belgium beer vary greatly in color, flavor and head retention. But as a whole, Belgium beers stand alone on the shelf and are much different from the brews of any other part of the globe. Belgium brewing practices have a deep history, going back to the 3rd and 4th century, when brewing was considered a women’s craft. You can find remains of early breweries in the Belgian cities of Ronchinne, Anthée and Mette.

At this time, Gruit (alternately grut or gruyt) was used as a bittering agent for beer before the cultivation of hops. This was a jealously guarded secret herbal mix which could include myrica, sage, rosemary, achillea, bay, juniper berries, caraway, aniseed and resins, among other ingredients. At this time, brewery guilds controlled the secular breweries, but in time, small home breweries began to spring up around the banks of rivers and streams. These beers were dark in color and unfiltered an often subject to wild yeasting. It was the abbeys and nunneries that were

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responsible for taking the quality of beer to the level to which we are now accustomed. In the 12th century, hops began dominating as the primary bettering agent when German abbess Hildegard von Bigen provided a detailed description of the workings of hops. In the 13th century, the first hopped beers took sail from Bremen to Bruges, Belgium. Some beers in and around Brussels and the valley of Zenne developed their own unique characteristics using wild yeast to create Lambics such as Geuze and Kreiks In Belgium and the rest of Europe at this time, beer consumption jumped to approximately 1.5 liters per person per day, as it was seen as a healthy alternative to water. From 1783 to 1787, most of the abbeys and nunneries were destroyed under the rule of Joseph II and later by Napoleon. Now the only authentic brewing monks can be found under the Trappist orders, six of nine of which reside in Belgium. In contrast to abbey beers, Trappist beers are brewed only within the walls of the abbey. In 1870, Louis Pasteur managed to isolate the yeast from other harmful micro-organisms, leading the way to Carl Emil Hansen, who discovered how to cultivate yeast from a single cell using sugar.

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So though some beers like Lambicks are made using wild fermentation, many commercial breweries cultivate their own yeast strains and are considered part of the brewer’s signature. Some beers, such as agricultural saison, are determined by specific yeast, so when using others, the beer will cer-

tainly taste different and take on different qualities. The emphasis of Belgian beers is on hops more than malt, so in reality you could take a Belgium-style wort and add a Belgium yeast and have a Belgian beer, but one of keys to bringing out the Belgian characteristic of a rich sparkling beer with a beautiful collar of froth is bottle fermentation. For this reason, yeast and sugar are added before bottling. This allows for a natural carbonation process as the beer continues to ferment in the bottle, producing CO2 and creating a natural carbonation without the need for forced CO2 carbonation. As previously mentioned, many of these yeasts are grown in-house and become proprietary to that specific brewery. So how do we as home brewers duplicate the flavor and style of a specific favorite without having access to these incredible yeasts? We spoke about bottle-conditioning beers and the addition of yeast before bottling. Once the yeast has used all the residual sugar in the beer and converted it to alcohol and CO2, the yeast will fall out of suspension and become dormant in the bottom of the bottle. It is quite common when pouring a Belgium beer to leave the last quarter-inch in the bottle -- so not to pour this in your glass. Despite the excellent vitamin boost it provides, it does not offer the most complimentary flavor. That being said, instead of foolishly throwing this away, it can be cultivated for home use. Your success or failure will largely depend on the condition of the yeast you try to culture. If you have fresh beer that has been kept at cooler temperature with low alcohol, you will have a better chance at recovering the yeast. SANITATION Cleanliness in brewing is the most important part of culturing yeast cells. Keep all of your equipment as sanitary or more than you would when brewing beer. The

number of healthy yeast cells is bound to be very low, so any micro-organisms introduced to your culture could grow much faster than the yeast, rendering it useless. You will be using the initial bottle your beer came in, so be sure to keep it clean and sanitary by either recapping or covering the bottle after to empty the beer. It is recommended to sanitize the top of the bottle with alcohol and place over a flame to kill any bacteria that might have been present under the cap WORT You will need to create a wort to bring the yeast cells back to life. This should be at low consideration and have a specific gravity of about 1.015 to 1.02; you will need only a few milliliters, just enough to cover the bottom of the bottle. You will want to aerate the wort before to add it to the bottle. This can be done by shaking the container you used to make the wort -- beaker, bottle or growler will work. You will want to add just a pinch of complete yeast nutrients to provide all the carbohydrates and nutrients your yeast needs. Place your culture out of direct sunlight and preferably around 70 degrees and let rest for one to three days or until growth is evident.

yeast cells. Place an air lock or sanitized piece of aluminum foil on top of your 15ml sample to keep it sterile. Once again keep out of direct sunlight and at around 70 degrees for 1-3 days or until fermentation is obvious. SECOND STEP UP If your 15ml culture ferments, you should have yeast healthy enough you withstand a more dramatic multiplication process. For this step we will introduce our culture to 150ml of wort with a specific gravity of 1.030-1.035. Once again, let it ferment under the previous conditions for 1-3 days. ASSESSING THE YEAST At this point, you should see all the activity you typically would in a small batch of beer. Kraussen should form at the top and yeast should rise and fall. You have basically created a beer. You should decant a small amount to chill overnight and taste it in the morning. If it tastes like beer with a now sour or off taste, you are ready for the final step up to make a full 5-gallon batch of beer at home with your favorite yeast strain.

FINAL STEP UP You need approx 1500ml or 51 fl oz to FIRST STEP UP make a standard 5-gallon batch of beer at After three days or evidence of fermenhome. This is when a growler from your fatation you are ready for the first step up. vorite brewery comes in handy. Once again For this step you will be introducing your we will need a 1.030-1.035 wort. You will now-fermenting culture to 15ml of fresh wort. They sell 15ml culture tubes at scien- need to sanitize your vessel (growler) and tific supply stores and, if you are looking to add the 51 fl oz wort and introduce your yeast culture. As soon as you see activity, do this regularly, they are a great investyour yeast is ready to pitch. Alternatively, ment. Simply puncture a whole in a cardboard box to hold upright. You will want to you can perform another tasting to ensure add a tiny pinch of Lysozyme to your wort. that no contaminants sneaked in during the final step. This is an enzyme that kills lactic acid and certain types of bacteria and will provide Good luck -- and happy brewing! a little extra protection for your forming

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Owner James Fales serves up craft beers and simple American food at Canyon Grill and Alehouse in Folsom.

Folsom Alehouse

photo by Laura Newell

offers craft beer, simple American food

By Laura Newell | The Telegraph

O

wner James Fales grew up in the restaurant business, and recently started his own restaurant and alehouse in Folsom.

The Canyon Grill and Alehouse opened last summer at 9580 Oak Avenue Parkway Suite 8, in Folsom. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week. The casual, family style restaurant specializes in housemade American style dishes and craft beers. “I started working in the restaurant business at 16 years old,” Fales said. “I’ve worked every job in the restaurant business, starting as a busboy. I’ve managed restaurants for 15 years in the Bay Area.” When Fales decided he was ready to open a restaurant himself, he looked to Folsom. “My family and I were living in the Bay Area, but had friends up here,” he said. “When this location became available in American River Canyon, we knew it was perfect.” Fales and his family now live in Granite Bay. For more information and daily specials visit canyonalehouse.com or find them on Facebook.

Q. WHAT MAKES YOUR RESTAURANT UNIQUE? A. We offer simple food done right. Everything here is made in house from fresh, local ingredients. Our menu may look simple, but we are always consistent with what we offer. I know people will always be satisfied with our menu. Q. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR STYLE OF FOOD? A. We offer classic American food including cheeseburgers, sandwiches, salads and fresh cut french fries. Q. WHAT IS YOUR SIGNATURE MENU ITEM? A. The chicken club is one of our signature sandwiches. The sandwich includes boneless, skinless chicken breast, aged cheddar, lettuce, onions, avocado and applewood smoked bacon with a chipotle aioli. All of our breads are delivered fresh from Grateful Bread Company in Sacramento. The chicken club is served on a hamburger bun. Q. WHAT KIND OF ATMOSPHERE DOES YOUR RESTAURANT OFFER? A. We offer a family-friendly restaurant atmosphere with a full “L” shaped bar for adults to socialize. Everyone is invited here. Q. DO YOU OFFER ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? A. We offer a fun trivia night at 7 p.m. every Wednesday. We also have happy hour from 4-6:30 p.m., every weekday.

from the menu...

meatloaf sliders

shrimp sandwich

the cuban


opens in El By Laura Newell | The Folsom Telegraph

A

fter successfully opening four restaurants in the Sacramento region, Jason Enyeart recently launched Hop House in El Dorado Hills’ Town Center next to Bistro 33 on the Waterfront. “I’ve worked in the restaurant business my entire life, starting as a busboy and working my way up the ranks,” Enyeart said. Enyeart is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School and recently moved back to El Dorado Hills in June. He wanted to join the craft beer movement with his new restaurant. “Craft beer is gaining both popularity and respect,” he said. “30 years ago there were 50 craft breweries in the U.S.; today there are nearly 2,400.” The restaurant offers beer and wine. Enyeart said he plans to rotate his craft beers regularly and change the food menu seasonally with Chef Tyler Mort. For more information and updated food and beer specials, visit hophouseedh.com.

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q&a Q. WHAT MAKES YOUR RESTAURANT UNIQUE? A. Our ingredients make us unique. We create our menu seasonally to use the freshest ingredients available year-round. Q. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR STYLE OF FOOD? A. We offer an American craft beer themed menu. We have all the bar classics, but keep it fresh with our rotating menu.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR SIGNATURE MENU ITEM? A. Our signature dishes are cheeseburger and chorizo macaroni and cheese. Q. WHAT KIND OF ATMOSPHERE DOES YOUR RESTAURANT OFFER? A. We offer an upscale, casual atmosphere. You can bring your family to the restaurant, but we restart happy house at 10 p.m. for a more social atmosphere. Q. DO YOU OFFER ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? A. We offer “hoppy” hour with food and beer specials from 3- 6 p.m., everyday, and a late night “hoppy” hour at 10 p.m. We serve food everyday until 11 p.m.

Hop House owner Jason Enyeart serves beer to customers from left, Robert Hartwig, 23, of El Dorado Hills, Jesse Ulmer, 21, of Rescue, and Brandon Perry, 21, of Sacramento. The American craft beer themed restaurant recently opened in El Dorado Hills’ Town Center. 18 - Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton

Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton - 19


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4810 Granite Drive Rocklin, CA 916.672.6292 boneshakerbrew.com 20 - Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton

2168 Sunset Blvd. Rocklin, CA 916.259.2337 boneshakerpub.com

Description of beer: Light and refreshing straw colored ale made with a blend of pale, pilsner and wheat malts. This craft beer is lightly hopped with noble hops and a tiny bit of orange peel for a crisp, light citrus finish. The beer is named after a female philanthropist in Folsom’s past, who ran the town brothel in the early 1900s. More Information: lockdownbrewingcompany.com


LOCKDOWN TAPS HISTORY, LOOKS TO FUTURE

FOLSOM BREWMEISTER TURNS PASSION INTO PUB, PROFITS By Steven Wilson for On Tap

I

n a town once made famous by Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Walk the Line,” Robert Whistler turned a garage dream into a successful business model. An entrepreneur by day and beer lover by night, Whistler took his hobby of brewing beer and morphed it into one of the best-kept secrets in all of Sacramento County. Today, Lockdown Brewing Co. − so cleverly named for its proximity to the Folsom penitentiary − is comprised of two tasting rooms and a newly renovated brewery which houses a 15-barrel, double-fermentation stainless-steel system. “It was a hobby, and we had some friends who wanted to start a pub in town,” Whistler explained. “There was a space opening up on historic Sutter Street, and they wanted to use our name that we came up with. We agreed and went commercial with the beer we were brewing at that time.” In those days, Whistler lived just a mile away from the brewery and another mile from the prison. “We would routinely hear an alarm go off around 5 o’clock,” he said. “We jokingly called it the lockdown bell, so it made sense to us to call ourselves Lockdown Brewing Co.”

Named after the Stony Bar Gorge on second-story guests on the balcony a quintessential view of historic downtown. the American River, the Scotch Ale is an amber-colored brew made from the finest “It’s really cozy up there,” Whistler noted. hops and malts from the United King“The building has one of the best decks dom. It has a sweet, smoky, almost earthy on the street, and people love it.” finish and has become the brewery’s best-seller. The beers of Lockdown Brewing Co. are hand-crafted with all natural ingredients “Our Scotch ale is what we’re known for,” without adjuncts such as cereal, rice or continued Aimsworth. “That’s one of our fillers. They are known for their Sutter most popular beers. It’s a darker, more Street Common, a unique lager with a traditional ale.” crisp chocolate malt taste. Lockdown is also known for its everyday “The Common is my personal favorbeers -- Emma’s Blonde Ale, Powerhouse ite,” said longtime employee Robbie Pale Ale, Represa Red Ale and Rainbow Aimsworther. “It’s a steam-style beer, Root Beer -- as well as its seasonal selecsimilar to Anchor Steam.” tions of Honey Porter and 406. Steam beers were created back in the 1900s. “They called it that because in the old days, when they tried to open the barrels, there would be a big burst of steam,” said Whistler. “Our Common is the oldest style of beer brewed on the West Coast and it has a rich, dark flavor.” In the company’s infancy, Whistler was famous for his Indian Pale Ale recipe. It was the first beer he brewed when he was still working out of his garage, and it’s still a fan favorite to this day.

“I love their IPA,” said Larry Laverdure, a frequent customer and friend of the Tucked down an alleyway, the brewery’s business. “But if you are in the mood tasting room in Folsom is right across for something a little different, then the from the Opera House and down the Scotch is really good − it’s a little more street from the Folsom Hotel, which offers flavorful than the bitterness of an IPA.” 22 - Gold Country On Tap - A Gold Country Media Publicaiton

“Most of the people who do come in here hear about us through word of mouth,” Aimsworth said. “The craft brewery industry itself is small, so we get a lot of people who seek us out. Maybe it’s their first time in Northern California or they’re visiting − I’ve met people from Oregon, Arizona, you name it − but all of them love it.” With a good brew in hand, customers can also enjoy the convenience of an Express Beach Hut Deli, adjacently located in the tasting room, as well as open-mic night on Wednesday, Trivia night on Thursdays and live bluegrass and blues music on weekends. Find out more on Facebook by searching for Lockdown Brewing Co.

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