Day 8 "Mach 10" from Bear Republic.

If you are a Bear Republic fan you know that some of their beers reference the iconic caroon Speed Racer.  Speed's car was the Mach 5.  I can only imagine that the next reincarnation of Speed Racer will include the Mach 10 if only to commerate this amazing beer.

Bear Republic has been brewing beer in Healdsburg, CA since 1996 and they know what they are doing.  The Mach 10 Double IPA has an IBU of 100+ and an ABV of 9.2 and is so rich and smooth that I had to sip it like wine.  If you get the chance do not pass this one up.  As usual I found this one on tap and Samuel Hornes.  Grab one before it runs out. 

Day 7 "Golden Weizen" by John and Danny

Bottling Day! 

Every six months or so my friend Danny and I visit Brew it up in Down Town Sacramento to brew a few batches of our own beer.  Two weeks ago Danny and I along with my lovely wife and two other friends spent the day brewing up two batches. The first was a Golden Weizen and the second was a Hallertauer Lager.  Since the Hallertauer won't be ready until the end of the month and the Golden Weizen only requires 2 weeks of fermentation we decided to bottle the first batch this weekend allowing us to have "home brew" to share with family and friends during Thanksgiving.

Brewing you own beer is a great way to learn about beer and how flavors are influenced by ingredients and brewing techniques.  Although bottling isn’t as educational as brewing it is always a fun time.  Bottling can be a lot of work but luckily we were joined by several helpful friends and family.   A huge thanks goes out to my sister and brother-in-law and Danny’s girls.

The Golden Weizen turned out to be pretty good. With an ABV of 5.6 and a very light refreshing flavor this is a great beer for watching sports or back yard BBQs.  One of the bottlers in another group told us that this is what “Budweiser” should taste like.  Our family and friends should expect see some of our brews around the dinner tables during the holidays this year.   And if you are interested in tasting the fruits of our labors just let me know and I will be happy to share some with you.

Day 6 "Sudwerk IPA"

As a boy I watched constructions workers building a structure just north of I-80 at the end of Pole Line Rd. in Davis.  At the time the building was pretty much in the middle of nowhere with only the “new” post office as a neighbor.  My paper route provided the opportunity to ride past the construction site every day for what seemed like a year.  I wondered what in the world they were building until the sign was finally raised in front of the Sudwerk Brewery.  Although I didn't know it at the time Sudwerk Hubschbrau would change the way I thought about and drank beer.  My first keg beer was from Sudwerk, up until then I had only had Lucky Lager and Micky’s Big Mouths.  Later, in college I actually rented an apartment for the sole reason that it was walking distance from Sudwerk. 

Since those days I have been back to Sudwerk many, many times for lunches, dinners, birthday parties and business meetings. You can imagine how excited I was to find out that Sudwerk was opening a restaurant in my own back yard.  If you walk over Rainbow Bridge from Old Folsom you will find Sudwerk Riverside.  Sudwerk Riverside occupies the old Cliff House restaurant and I am pretty sure they kept most of the Cliff House staff that served tables here in the 80s.

Back to the beer!  Although I have always enjoyed the Marzen, Pilsner and Lager I decided to profile Sudwerk's IPA today.  I have been on a bit of an IPA kick for a few months now so I wanted to see how this stacked one up.  On the menu Sudwerk’s version is described as their "Richest and Most Flavorful Beer with a Malty, Hoppy and Bitter Taste".  All I can say is their version is definitely a Sudwerk beer and by that I mean it tastes very similar to their Marzen with a hoppier finish.  Sudwerk’s IPA is a great all around beer but it doesn’t stand out as anything astonishing amongst Sudwerk’s other fine beers.  I do have to say that it worked well for washing down the Buffalo wings.

Day 5 "Snow Cap" from Pyramid Breweries

Extracurricular activities brought me Sacramento's location of Pyramid Breweries today.  With winter fast approaching Pyramid's "Snow Cap" caught my eye.  The beer's label features a skier and reminded me how I was limitted to only for ski days durring one of the best ski seasons in recent history .  I do plan to get my revenge on both the fluffy white powder and gravity that served me up a broken collar bone this year by making full use of my season pass at Squaw Valley. 

Snow Cap is a full bodied winter ale with an ABV of 7.0 an OG of 17.3 and and IBU of 47.  Brewed with 2-Row Barley, Caramel 80L, Chocolate Malt and hopped with Nugget, Willamette, East Kent Goldings Snow cap is available from October-December.

Pairing include: Shellfish, rich game and even rich chocolaty desserts.

You can find Snow Cap here.  But please wait until you are done skiing so you don't end up in the ER with a broken clavicle like I did.

Day 4 "Fusion 4" from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Day 4 brings us back to Samuel Hornes Tavern on Sutter St. in Folsom for Lagunitas Pint Night.  Both Lagunitas' Fusion 4 and Little Sumpin' Wild were featured tonight.  Buy a pint and keep the Lagunitas Mason Jar pictured below.

Although I love a Little Sumpin' I had to profile the more obscure of the two.  The Fusion 4 is part of Lagunitas' experimental draught series.  Most of the experimental draughts are very difficult to find outside of their brewery in Petaluma, CA.  Fusion 4 is a fusion of a Belgian Golden Ale and an Imperial Pilsner.  It boasts an ABV of 9.4% and is made with Westmalle yeast and lagered for 8 weeks.  Fusion 4 is crisp, lightly hopped and has a bit of a bite to it.  Enjoy one while you can if you get a chance to find it at your favorite tavern or try to get to the brewery before it is gone.

Day 3 "Old Foghorn Barelywine Style Ale" from Anchor Steam Brewing.

GO GIANTS.  Today was all about San Francisco. I pulled my boys out of school to take them to the Victory Parade.  After failing to find parking at two different BART stations I opted to take my car to a mechanic within walking distance of a station for a much needed oil change (and free parking).   After a very crowded train ride we made it to the Parade just in time to see all of the players roll by. 

When I think of San Francisco and beer I always think of Anchor Steam.   That is why I chose to profile Anchor Steam’s Old Foghorn (and because Foghorn is my youngest son’s nickname).  Old Foghorn Ale is a barley wine style ale.  Old Foghorn is dry hopped and ranks all the way to the right on the hop scale.

Like San Francisco’s beloved Giants this one hits it out of the park with bold flavor.  ABV hovers between 8 and 10%.  Foghorn is definitely for special occasions and just pouring one makes any occasion special.

Day 2 "Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale"

WOW.  This is an adventurous beer.  Brewed with Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc grapes (yes I am still talking about beer) and  Chamomile.  Fermented with the legendary Ardennes strain of Belgian yeast and hopped with German Perle hops the10.10.10 is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale brewed with pale malt and triticale (a cross of wheat and rye).  It is then steeped with chamomile tea.  The juice blend is added during the secondary fermentation.  With an ABV of 9.5 this is not your daily drinker but delicious for sure.

The result is a beer that reminds me a little of champagne but I wouldn't mix it with orange juice on a Sunday morning.  It paired very well with my lobster and crab chowder at Manderes in Folsom.  Stone's Epic brews are released each year on the epic date 8.8.08, 9.9.09 etc. and are designed to be aged and consumed on 12.12.12.  I couldn't wait that long.