Cafe Racer 15 from Bear Republic Brewing in Healdsburg

The town of Healdsburg has been synonymous with wine for a lot longer than it has with beer.  That began to change when the Norgrove family founded Bear Republic Brewing in 1995.  

The first stop on our second day brings us to a brewpub on the corner of Healdsburg's historic downtown square where we found a lively atmosphere and outstanding food choices.  The intense flavors of Bear Republics beers are well paired with dishes like the vegetarian Roasted Garlic Plate and the Hummm Baby Crab Sandwich(Garlic and butter sautéed Dungeness crab from The Tides Wharf, fresh tomatoes on garlic-buttered, grilled sliced sourdough.Go Giants).

To complement such delicacies we had to find just the right beer.  Anticipating the overbearing flavor of the roasted garlic I chose the 100+ IBU Cafe Racer 15 Double IPA. This beer was originally  brewed to celebrate the 15th year of innovative brewing at Bear Republic.  The name also pays homage to the counterculture streetracer motorcyle.  I would not suggest riding a motorcycle the same day you drink one of these hefty brews though because it packs a punch at almost 9%.  

Even the high ABV can not hide the hoppiness so be ready for a wallop when you take your first sip. 

I suggest that you visit the brewpub and sit on the patio to enjoy the sunshine while you dine on their amazing food.  Cheers.

Russian River; Perdition, Biere De Sonoma

The second stop on our "Northern California Better Beer Tour" brought us to Russian River Brewing where we attempted to have dinner.  (Note to all: do not try to go to Russian River Brewing for dinner on a holiday Friday night and expect to be able to eat within 90 Minutes.   It will not happen).  The place was packed solid.  A friendly patron was nice enough to share his table and some dining advice.  We sat down long enough to have a beer and talked with him about the local cuisine.


While I couldn't pass up the chance to have a Pliny the Elder at the source, my ever increasingly daring wife took a shot at the Perdition.  (Note* Pliny the Younger will be pouring mid-February.)  

The Stats:

Original Gravity:	1.058
Alcohol by Volume:	6.1%
Color:	Reddish brown
Bitterness:	Mild

Perdition is called a Biere De Sonoma in the tradition of the great  Biere de Garde’s of Belgium and is available as a pub draft only.  Perdition is usually available year round in limited distribution only in California.  

Additional Beers on Tap included:

O.V.L. Stout, Happy Hops, Row 2, Hill 56, Blind Pig, Janet’s Brown Ale, Pliny the Elder, Erudition, Supplication, Damnation, Temptation, Consecration and Mortification.

Around The World at Lagunitas Brewing

Inspired by an article in Sunset Magazine my lovely wife planned a 4 day road trip to visit breweries from Petaluma to Fort Bragg.  Starting in Petaluma of course means a visit Lagunitas Brewing.  With so many wonderful beers on tap we couldn't decide where to start so we ordered them all.  The "Around the World" includes one taste of every beer on tap or in the cask that day.  As our waitress informed us today was a great day to be at the brewery.  Not only was there live music provided by the "crunchy rock" sounds of the Smokehouse Gamblers but also there happened to be 23 beers on tap.  As a bonus Brothers Comatose sat in for a few songs on the way to a gig at the Sebastopol Hopmonk Tavern.

Although we underestimated the time needed to sample all 23 brews and missed the free brewery tour we were treated to lively music and great conversations.  The outdoor beer garden style of the Lagunitas taproom makes it easy to meet new friends who casually sit beside you and share beers, peanuts and pretzels while joyfully discussing where they are from and why they are there.

Our "Around the World" tasting included; IPA with Nelson Sauvin, Doppelomyces, Fusion II, Bourbon BA stout, So Co Stout, Fillmore Fusion, 3B Bnarly,  Wet Dog, Imp. Stout, Gnarly Wine, Cappuccino Stout,   Shugga, FreshKronik, Farmhaux, Sebasto-pale, Pilsner, Pale, IPA, Maximus, Hop stoopid, Censored, Sumpin and Sucks.  Amber picked Shugga as her favorite while I was leaning towards the Maximus by the end of the 2 1/2 hours it took to finish.

I have to say that this is one of my new favorite places to enjoy beer.  The staff is friendly and efficient.  The beer is amazing,  The music was lively and entertaining.  As it turned out all three groups that joined us at the picnic bench were fun to talk with and told great stories.  If you are in Petaluma and find yourself in need of a place to grab a beer I highly recommend stopping in the Lagunitas Brewery.

ACME IPA at the Heyday Cafe in Placerville

While visiting family in Fort Bragg last week I had the chance to grab lunch at the North Coast Brewery.  Unfortunately I had a 4 hour drive ahead of me so I stuck to the food and skipped the beer.  Not an easy feat for someone who loves to try out new beers.   As luck would have it I popped into the Heyday Café on Main ST. in Placerville yesterday to find that they were pouring ACME IPA.  I took this chance to redeem myself from last week’s bout of abstinence. 

In North Coast’s words: “Acme IPA is profoundly hoppy, finished with over a pound of fresh whole hops per barrel. The result of this generous hopping is a beer that is deliciously dry, and eminently drinkable in spite of its apparent strength.”  In my words this is a smooth and refreshing beer with a bit of a bite and a mellow finish.  It paired perfectly with my Mediterranean veggie wrap and roasted red pepper soup.

The Acme Beer Brand has a long and entertaining history.  I suggest you visit the online museum for more info; ACME Beer Museum 

If you have the chance I highly recommend trying out both the Heyday Café and Acme IPA.

Vitals:

Style: India Pale Ale
Color: Pale Amber
ABV: 6.9%
Bitterness: 55 IBUs

Ukiah Brewing Orr Springs IPA

A recent Photography Gig allowed us to spend some time in the wonderfully diverse town of Ukiah, CA.  Ukiah is full of organic taco stands, vegan lifestyle stores, quaint coffee shops and the Ukiah Brewing Company.  The UBC is a rustic place on the main street of downtown Ukiah that appears to be a great concert venue.  Although there were several Veggie and Vegan items on the menu they also offer some real (and tasty) food.  We split a sweet potato and coconut soup and fish and chips and Cajun fries and to wash it all down I chose their Orr Springs IPA. The Orr Springs IPS is a Light-bodied, heavily-hopped India pale ale featuring Rakau hops. This is big strong IPA with an ABV of 7.0%. 

 

The Beer is named for the Orr Hot Springs which is something I will definitely be checking out the next time I am in town.  

As a side note my lovely wife chose the Willits Wit which I actually liked better than the IPA on a hot summer day.

The next time you are venturing through this little hippy enclave I suggest taking a break at the corner of School and N. State Street.  Grab a beer or three and take in some tremendous people watching.  

  To learn more about the UBC click the link to Urbanspoon.

Santa Barbara Edition - Island Brewing's Weiss

Our family vacation brings us to Santa Barbara and more specifically Carpinteria.  Carpinteria, so named by the Spanish for the “carpentry shop” located on on of the few south facing beaches in California. Established by local Chumash tribe  the “carpentry shop” was used for building canoes and other sea-going vessels.  The site was chosen because of naturally-occurring surface tar which was used to seal the boats.  Less than half a mile from what is now known as the popular surf spot "Tar Pits" you will find Island Brewing . This spot is as laid back as it gets.  I could easily imagine myself wasting an entire afternoon sipping each and every one of their brews while sitting in the sun on the ample patio.

For today's post I sample the Island Weiss.  With the phrase "The Weiss is Nice" printed on the lable I had to give it a try.  This unfiltered Bavarian-Style Hefeweizen is bewed from 50% German Pilsner Malt and 50% Canadian Wheat, the result is a refreshing wheat beer with hints of vanilla ,citrus, bananas and clover.   The perfect beer to enjoy while sitting on the patio of the brewery enjoying the sunshine.  The next time you are in the area I high recommend stopping the brewery and sampling their spectatular offerings.

"Purple Haze" by Abita (supplemental beer number 1)

A recent trip to LA provided me with several hours of "nothing to do" so I pulled up a bar stool at Dillon's Irish Pub at the corner of Hollywood and Vine.  I counted 37 beers on tap and they were all just $3 a pint.  Since I had already tried many of the beers I decided to try something new.

The Purple Haze by Abita look interesting.  Abita's description of this beer reads; "Purple Haze is a crisp, American style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. Therefore, you may see raspberry pulp in the beer. The raspberries provide the lager with a subtle purple coloration and haze, a fruity aroma, and a tartly sweet taste."

It was definitely worth trying and I would suggested to anyone that likes fruit in their beer.  For me I will stick to a lime in my Corona if I want fruit in my beer.  Luckily there were 36 other choices for my second pint.