Day 14 "Pale Ale" from Silverado Brewing Company in St. Helena, CA

Day 14 brings us to the beautiful Napa Valley.  Yes I said Napa Valley, home of some of the world’s greatest wines.  But we are not here for the wine; we are here for the beer. The boys and I were invited to tag along on a trip to Calistoga where my lovely wife was shooting an engagement session.  Accordingly I found a brewery/restaurant where we could eat lunch and taste some beer.  Nestled amongst what seems to be thousands of vineyards and wineries we found the Silverado Brewing Company. 

The Silverado Brewing Company is located in the original the cellar of the Freemark Abbey Winery which is now located next door.  The picturesque stone building houses the restaurant and banquet hall but we chose to dine and sample beer at a picnic table outside.

The beer selection includes a ‘Certifiably’Blond, an Amber Ale, a Pale Ale and an Oatmeal Stout.   Seasonal Beers include a Porter and a Scotch Ale. I chose the Pale Ale to go with my fish and chips and cajun shrimp.  Silverado’s Pale Ale is a very well balanced, smooth and easy drinking Pale Ale.  I love fresh beer and it doesn’t get any fresher than this.  We sampled the Blonde, the Amber and the Scotch Ale as well and found them all to our liking. 

If you find yourself in this part of the world I recommend stopping in for a bite.  Most of the food is locally grown, tasty and very fresh. 

Day 13 "Sculpin" from Ballast Point

Lucky number 13.  Finally the Sculpin has arrived in Folsom.  As described by Ballast Point:

"The Sculpin is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon. The lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops.

This delicious Ballast Point Ale won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup 2010 in the International Pale Ale category. The Sculpin fish has poisonous spikes on it’s fins that can give a strong sting.

Ironically, the meat from a Sculpin is considered some of the tastiest. Something that has a sting but tastes great, sounds like a Ballast Point India Pale Ale"

If there is a competitor to "Pliny" it would be the Sculpin from Ballast Point.  This beer is as hoppy and as tastefull as you can get.  It is hard to find so if you wish to try it get down to Samuel Hornes right away before it runs out.

Day 12 "Double Bastard" Ale from Stone Brewing Company

When I ordered my "Double Bastard" with dinner my youngest son scolded me "DAD you said a bad word".   Funny that he would call me out on that of all words.  I explained that it wasn't a bad word when used in this light and he reluctantly let me off the hook.

I was trying to avoid using more than on beer from the same brewer for this adventure but Stone deserves an extra slot.  Where as the Epic 10.10.10 that I profiled on Day 2 was very interesting and a bit quirky the Double Bastard is a huge no nonsense ultra hoppy amber ale.

Would you like this beer???  Well, here is Stone's description from their website:

"We didn't brew this mordant dark amber monster to please anyone other than ourselves.  If you think you are truly Worthy (and if you have to ask yourself this question, you are most certainly not), then crack open a bottle, drink deeply, and bask in all its trenchant glory--but if you are befuddled by the polysyllabic lexicon of the Bastard, if your complacency and contented acquiescence to the soulless mendacity of national marketing pap causes you the least bit of hesitation, back away slowly and go buy something you saw advertised on TV.

That was good enough for me to try one and the beer follows through on their promise.  I thoroughly enjoyed it but had to order something a bit lighter for round two. 

If you are not in the San Diego area you can grab a Double Bastard at Samuel Hornes along with 15 other great beers on tap.  If you are in the San Diego area I highly suggest that you treat yourself to a visit to the brewery itself.  It reminds me of a
Beer Disneyland.

Day 11 "Chimay Red"

Some of you suggested this one from the beginning and I know why.  Day 11 brings us to Morgan's Bar and Grill in midtown Sacramento for a Chimay Red on tap.  Chimay is not your ordinary beer.  

This beer, as explained by Chimay, is "Topped with a creamy head, it gives off a light, fruity apricot aroma produced by the fermentation. The taste perceived in the mouth is a balance confirming the fruity nuances noticed in the fragrance.

Its taste, which imparts a silky sensation to the tongue, is made refreshing by a light touch of bitterness. To the palate, the taster perceives a pleasant astringency which complements the flavour qualities of this beer very harmoniously.
This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised."

My question was what is a Trappist beer?   It turns out that an authentic Trappist beer is brewed within a Trappist monastery, under the control and responsibility of the monastic community. Only 6 beers in Belgium can carry the appellation "Trappist": Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, Westvleteren and Achel.

Why would monks brew beer you ask?  Click here for a little more history.  Enjoy a Chimay the next chance you get.

Day 10 "Oatmeal Stout" from Mendocino Brewing.

Sweet, smooth, bold and full bodied (no I am not talking about my lovely wife).  If you know me then you know that I like things that are solid and full bodied.  Weak and frail things have never seemed to last around me.  This beer didn’t last long either.  If Peets Coffee made a beer I would imagine it would taste like this.  “Robust, with luscious chocolate and coffee flavors, it is balanced with just the right amount of UK Golding hops. Brewed with massive quantities of oats, our Oatmeal Stout is smooth in the extreme” . I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of a burnt taste resulting from over-roasting the malts that normally accompanies beers this dark in color. 

I was able to find this one at Samuel Hornes on Sutter St. in Folsom which is where I find most of my favorites. 

After being located in Hopland, CA for 27 years the Mendocino brewing Company has recently moved to Ukiah, CA.  I look forward to visiting the new location on my next trip to Fort Bragg.

Day 9 "Gold Digger" from Auburn Alehouse.

If you haven't been to the Auburn Alehouse I highly recommend it.  Their food is as good as their beer and they are conveniently located just off Highway 80 in Old Town Auburn, Ca.  They are located in the old American Block Building that you may remember as the Shanghai Restaurant and Bar, where scenes from the movie, Phenomenon were filmed. There is a lot of California history in and around this building and their Gold Digger IPA pays tribute to the rich gold mining history of the foothill area.

About the beer:  "Pale and crystal malts provide the backbone and golden hue, while Magnum, Simcoe and Chinook hops do the dancing on your tongue. Late hop additions to the kettle and aging on the "dry hop" give our India Pale Ale hop aroma and flavor."  This is one of my all time favorite beers.  It is not too over the top but still FULL of flavor.  If you like the IPAs I would suggest that you look this one up.  It is available outside of the Alehouse but if you are in Auburn you need get the full experience by stopping in and checking out their brewery and kitchen.  If you visit them you have to try the cheese loaf.  You will not be disappointed.

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.