Sacramento Beer Week 2013 :: Capital Beer Fest Tasting Notes

Capital Beer Fest was a ton of fun. There were SO many awesome beers and ciders to sample - it was a craft beer drinker's playground!

The food tasting during the VIP part of the event was a little frustrating because of the huge lines for the food tasting and the slowness of the food samples being delivered to the tables. This is something the organizers should consider revamping for next year (I'm talking to you Heather, Dan and Rick - Kisses!).

We were considering standing in line to get some samples, but when we saw people carrying around teeny tiny miniature shot glasses with literally a single bite of food, we decided we'd rather spend our time drinking beer. This was a smart choice on our part because once the VIP session was over, it was as if they were opening the flood gates to beer heaven - thousands of people streamed through the doors as we stood against a low wall eating our DELICIOUS Drewski burgers.. It was unreal (the crowd... well, and the burger).

On that note, it was super rad to have the food trucks on site. Sacramento is lucky to have some amazing food trucks. Delish!

Here are the standout beers that I tried during the VIP portion when it was chill enough to jot down light notes. I was having WAY too much fun to recall every beer I sampled once the gates to beer heaven opened and the masses poured through them. Plus, that's when all of my friends showed up, so I took off my "craft beer writer hat" and put on my "party on, Wayne!" hat.

Boulder Kinda Blue Blueberry Wheat: Very easy drinking and straightforward wheat beer; crisp and balanced, clean finish. Blueberry flavor is mild and gives it a little tang - more berry in the aroma than in the flavor. Very sessionable summer beer. Can't wait to drink this by the pool.

Hangar 24 Orange Wheat: Fresh orange aroma, earthy wheat malt flavor with a lightly tangy and dry finish. Pretty balanced, but more on the dry side. Crisp, lively carbonation. Very refreshing.

Coronado Orange Avenue Wit: Crisp, citrusy, earthily spiced, honeyed goodness. Read more of my tasting notes at the very bottom of THIS post.

{Can you tell I'm into fruity wheat beers now that summer is approaching?}

Knee Deep/Track 7 Collaboration Ale: This beer is awesome! Read my full tasting notes here.

Ruhstaller Founders Blend: Ok, so by the time I got to this beer, it was the end of the event. Needless to say, I can't remember EXACTLY how it tasted, but I do remember liking it... I mean, it's the only beer that really stood out in my hazy-ish memory of the end of the fest, so let's be honest, it must have been good. So I wanted to make note of it here so that maybe you'll try it. I'll have to get my hands on a bottle so I can give it a proper write up.

:: :: :: 

After the fest, we took the free shuttle bus downtown and did some more drinking. Mad props to the organizers for providing the shuttle!

A note on the location: it's a bit difficult to really smell and taste your beer when you are surrounded by the faint aroma of animals and their dung. While I really appreciated the openness of the pavilion, it is where all of the animals chill during the State Fair (and other events, I'm sure). The Cal Expo location was awesome (tons of parking), but that pavilion... perhaps they should consider taking over the Cove and building A next year? Logistically, maybe a bit awkward though... so maybe animal smell is worth the ease of using the pavilion.

Eh, I had a fantastic time, regardless, so who am I to complain?

Cheers!

>^..^<

{image courtesy of sacramentobeerweek.com}

Hashtags :: #sacbeerweek #SBW2013 #craftbeer #locallove

Sacramento Beer Week 2013 :: Beer Tasting Notes

Hers and His tasting glasses.

Sacramento Beer Week has come and gone, but the memories will last forever. At least the ones I can remember in the first place... just kidding! No but really, I am very proud of myself for managing my Beer Week so that I didn't once get sloshed or have a hangover. I am all about enjoying craft beer and having a great time, but to truly enjoy a craft beer, you need to be coherent. Plus, hangovers suck and I have a kid, so I made a conscious effort to stay in the "comfortably buzzed" zone instead of the "what the f*ck did we do last night" zone (like when we went to Oktoberfest... my head still hurts just thinking about that next morning).

So here's my beer week, and the resulting tasting notes. In a nutshell, it was AMAZING.

You already know what we did on Friday... and I'm sure you've read my tasting notes on the Knee Deep in Beer Week 2013 Belgo American Imperial IPA collaboration between Track 7 & Knee Deep Brewing... and I'm sure you've watched the awesome "I am a Craft Beer Drinker" video that I found on YouTube.... so I'll just move on to the rest of the week....

It all started with a MONKEY KNIFE FIGHT! 

*insert epic fighting music here*

Sorry, but Monkey Knife Fight just sounds so bitchin'. The beer is awesome as well - Monkey Knife Fight is a very solid Pale Ale from Sacramento's own Rubicon Brewing, and is really a prime example of a go-to pale ale that is accessible to any beer drinker (it would be a great first craft beer for a newbie). It's very easy drinking at 4.5% ABV. Rubicon makes consistently good beers, and they just celebrated their 25th anniversary in Sacramento. Congrats to them!

Jim and I worked the Rubicon and Auburn Ale House tables at the Make A Wish Foundation Winter Wine and Food Fest (which was SUPER swanky) on Saturday, February 23, and poured Rubicon's MKF and Irish Red Ale, along with 3 selections from Auburn Ale House. We ate lots of Humboldt Fog cheese too *drool* which is some seriously decadent aged goat cheese.

On Sunday we went to The Shack (again) to eat more Humboldt Fog cheese on top of a beautiful Benedict, paired with North Coast's 7.9% ABV Le Merle saison. The Benedict was unbelievably delicious and the Le Merle paired beautifully - the pale earthy malts and very light citrusy hops hiding at the edges alongside the buttery hollandaise and rich cheese... so mouthwateringly amazing. We also got hooked up with a sip of Westvleteren XII Quadrupel (the American import bottle), which was very sweet and dense, full of chocolatey malt, figgy dark fruits, brown sugar, and warm alcohol. Wish I could have had a couple more sips to really get a feel for the underlying flavors. It made us start jonesin' for the Westvleterens that Jim brought home from Belgium and have been sitting comfortably in our beer cellar... soon, very soon...

On Monday, I had the good fortune of happening upon the coveted Pliny the Younger, aka PTY, which I thought was VERY good, but I still don't know if I'd have stood in line for it... But it really is borderline perfection: a perfectly clear golden color and lingering white fluffy cloud of foam, a nose and flavor full of floral, citrusy sweet hops and a pleasant crispness, and extremely well balanced, making it very easy drinking. It's a pretty hefty 10.8% this year, but you really can't tell based on the flavor. It's the kind of IPA I'd be thrilled to drink on a regular basis because the hop flavor is so smooth (note: this is a bold statement coming from me given the fact that I'm essentially the opposite of a Hop Head), and it's really a shame that it's so limited.

At home that night, inspired to see what other beers may be similar to PTY, we sampled Drake's Hopocalypse Double IPA. My hubby thought that Hopocalypse was damn similar to PTY. The hop flavor is very clean, and it has a sweetness that balances out the piney/tangerine hop bite, however the bite still shines through. This is a stellar DIPA at 9.25% ABV.
We also tried Simtra Triple IPA from Knee Deep, which has a tangy citrus hop bite that is much more bitter than PTY, and less resinous. It does have some sweetness to balance it out, but the bitterness still wins. Be careful, this is a dangerous 11.25% ABV. I am impressed by Knee Deep's offerings thus far.

On Tuesday afternoon, Jim went to Rubicon to try Friend of the Devil, a collaboration between Rubicon and Two Rivers Cider. Belgian blond + apple cider = right up my alley! He texted me a photo (above, made pretty with my lovely photo app Pixlr Express), and said, "Tastes like you would think...mixing beer and apple cider with hints of white wine." Needless to say, as I sat at my desk working, I was more than jealous that he got to taste it before me. 6.9% ABV.

That night, we tried Dust Bowl's Hops of Wrath IPA and Mojo Risin' from Boulder. Hops of Wrath was very well balanced; a casual malty sweetness and a bitter grapefruity hop bite really complemented each other. This is a very fine IPA, weighing in at 6.6% ABV. Super drinkable.
Boulder's Mojo Risin' Double IPA is a golden orange beauty that weighs in at a super hefty at 10% ABV. Pretty well balanced orange-citrus and lightly sweet hop bomb, but be careful of that ABV!

Now that I'm writing all of this down, I am realizing that my darling husband bogarted beer week with IPAs... but that's ok, I'll just remember that for next beer week, and I'll bombard him with Belgians. *grin*

On Wednesday night we hit up one of our very favorite burger joints, Flaming Grill, to try Band of Gypsies Belgian Tramp, a 10.5% ABV organic Belgian quad brewed with house-made candy sugar, California Mission figs, raisins and dates. I swear, the very first flavor that hit me was sweet soy sauce. Weird, eh? But I swear, it's true. Once I got past that weird impression, I tasted burnt roasty malts, sweet molasses, figs and dark fruit, and sour Belgian yeast. Super heavy and complex - definitely a sipping beer. Members of the Band of Gypsies Collaboration Beer Project include Bison Organic Beer, Calicraft Brewing, Highwater Brewing, Lucky Hand, Oakland Brewing, Pacific Brew Labs, Triple Voodoo & Uncommon Brewers. I'm loving all of these awesome collaborations!
We also had Boulder's Honey of a Saison, which had flavors of dark wildflower honey, sour Belgian yeast and earthy straw. I especially loved the honey + Belgian sour flavor. Really tasty combo! This beer is no joke at 11.5% ABV - you can't even taste the alcohol, so be careful, it's a creeper. Very cool beer.

When we got home, Jim decided to crack open one of the beers that I had gotten him for Valentine's Day: Uinta Brewing's 9.5% ABV Detour DIPA. Piney and grapefruity hops, with a dryness that sticks to the tongue. Not a stunner, but pretty good.

Do you see a cowboy in my beer? I do.

When I got home from work on Thursday, I spied 4 bottles of Gael-e-bration Ale, a special ale brewed by Moylan's in honor of my beloved alma mater, Saint Mary's College of California. GO GAELS! This is a very straightforward, easy drinking, clean and crisp, lightly hopped 5.4% ABV ultra pale ale - that's what I'd call it, anyway, since it's so light.

Did I mention that my hubby drove about 140 miles round trip to buy this unbelievably thoughtful surprise for me? He's the best. And yes, gifts in this house are usually beery. *swoon*

Friday came, and I wanted something sweet and NOT hoppy. One of my new favorites is Orange Avenue Wit by Coronado Brewing. What a beautiful California wit! At 5.2% ABV, this is a very sessionable summer beer, and I expect to be drinking it a lot in the coming months. This beer is clearly made with REAL orange peel, not extract. The light wheat malts are buoyed by a fresh citrus cloud and hints of coriander. Very mellow, very friendly. Plus I really love the design on the bottle.

Saturday and Sunday require a wholly separate post... this one has gotten long enough as it is! So stay tuned: Capital Beer Fest and Sacramento Beer Train details, coming soon!

Apologies that it took so long for me to report all of my Beer Week fun, but it's been a definite work in progress trying to piece together images from my phone, camera(s), notes on my calendar, handwritten notes on napkins/scraps of paper in my purse, notes on Instagram and Untappd... whew, so glad to finally have this all recorded in one place!

Cheers!

>^..^<

{image courtesy of sacramentobeerweek.com}

Hashtags :: #sacbeerweek #SBW2013 #craftbeer #locallove

Sacramento Beer Week, Day 1 :: Friday, February 22, 2013 :: Boulder Never Summer Ale, Boulder/Knee Deep Shakenbake, Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Leipziger Gose, Odin's Tipple Dark Norse Ale, Tripel Karmeliet

They call me... the Photobomber.

It's BEEEER WEEEEK! Woo hoo! While I feel guilty that I am leaving my sweet kiddo at home with Nana to attend these awesome beer events, I just keep reminding myself that it's only once a year... ok, now that I've satisfied my nagging Catholic guilt... let's talk about beer!

The first Friday night of Sacramento Beer Week... so many events! How is a craft beer lover to choose just one?! Jim and I headed to Dad's Kitchen to meet up with our buddy Andy from Boulder Beer and his zany crew of craft beer loving friends - Andy made it easy - he sweetened the pot by telling us we would get to hang with Jeff Brown, the President of Boulder Beer. Ding ding ding, winner!

At Dad's I ordered a pint of Boulder's Never Summer Ale, which was really tasty. It is medium amber-red in color with a nice puffy head. Medium bodied, very nice caramelly malt flavor spiced with hops at the finish. I had a second pint. Which means I like it, a lot. Read that again in the Dumb and Dumber voice... do it... it's funnier.

Jim tried the Shakenbake, a collaboration between Boulder and Knee Deep - Colorado's oldest microbrewery partnering with one of Sacramento's youngest microbreweries to create a rye IPA that we really enjoyed. Rye enhances the beer's flavor and adds a touch of grainy spice to the citrusy hop flavor. Good stuff.

Andy is a genuinely cool guy, and Jeff was a super down-to-earth and nice dude (what a pleasure to meet him)... and then there's Andy's crew... They. Were. Hilarious! After just a few minutes it felt like I had known them forever, and I think I've been recruited to play on their indoor softball team - beer makes things like this hazy. My best friend Melissa and her hubby Peppe joined us too - our table was overflowing with craft-beer-loving people, with some old-school beer guys, 2 Jessicas, 2 Melissas, a Sicilian, and one crazy beard.

At one point, someone said, "Pizza the Hut is better than Jabba the Hutt," followed by, "he ate himself... to death!" and we absolutely dissolved into laughter. I'm sure it was funnier in context (and lubricated by craft beer). Their friend Melissa was most definitely the life of the party - what a riot! Imagine a ball of energy with gyrating hips, the mouth of a sailor sometimes speaking in tongues, absolutely no shame, an unbelievably effective pouty lip, and the charm of the devil - that's her. I don't know if you've ever seen/heard me laugh, but when something truly strikes me as funny, I throw my head back and let loose a cackle that makes heads turn a half-mile away. I'm so ladylike. *curtsies* My cheeks were burning from smiling so hard. We were having so much fun that we were asked to pipe down by the table behind us on the patio... party poopers, you know who you are. So we decided to make our way to more boisterous pastures.

We hit up the Shack, which was *technically* closed, but we are special, so we got to join the after hours party. Talk about feeling like a VIP! No but really, we are very fortunate to be good buddies with Gary, the owner of this fine establishment, who is one of my favorite people on the planet and just so awesome. He was stoked to meet Jeff from Boulder, so that definitely helped.

Gary is an amazing craft beer man - he gets his hands on some really obscure and rare stuff, and he's very excited to share great beers with those who appreciate them. Here's what we sampled there:

Gasthaus & Gosebrauerei Leipziger Gose :: Clear golden in color, very light bodied with a thin mouthfeel. Smelled like sour apples and had a tart flavor.  Dry finish.  A light weight at 4.6% ABV.

This is only the second Gose I've tried, and it was not bad, but not sure I'd buy it myself. I loved the Sam Adams Verloren Gose, which had a better mouthfeel and more flavor.



Odin's Tipple Dark Norse Ale :: This is a Norwegian dark ale that weighs in at 11% ABV. I wish this came in cake form. Very dark brown in color, almost black. Smells and tastes like a beautiful dark chocolate cake covered in coffee and vanilla beans. Slight alcohol warmth, with a hint of licorice flavor. Very creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Delicious. I'm drooling at the thought of having it again.

And I had to finish my night with one of my favorites, Tripel Karmeliet. Aaahhh!

What a fantastic start to Beer Week!

P.S. Don't drink and drive, kids. Taxis are the way to go.

Cheers!



>^..^<

{image courtesy of sacramentobeerweek.com}

Hashtags :: #sacbeerweek #SBW2013 #craftbeer #locallove #rarebeers

"I am a Craft Beer Drinker" Video :: Sacramento Beer Week 2013

I'm totally slacking on writing up all of the rad stuff I'm doing for Sacramento Beer Week... I'm trying, I swear! Before you get your panties in a bunch, check out this video. It will keep you entertained while you're waiting for me to get my act together with some beer week posts...



Cheers!

>^..^<

{image courtesy of sacramentobeerweek.com}

Hashtags :: #sacbeerweek #SBW2013 #craftbeer #locallove

Knee Deep in Beer Week 2013 Belgo American Imperial IPA :: a Track 7 & Knee Deep Collaboration for Sacramento Beer Week :: Beer Tasting Notes

I'm stoked about the 4th Annual Sacramento Beer Week! So many events, so little time! I'm having a hard time choosing which events I want to attend, but I am pretty sure I'll be at either the US vs. Belgium Beer Dinner or Shackfest 2013. My awesome friend Gary, the owner of The Shack, and I share a love of Belgian beer, so I tend to gravitate to his events.

Speaking of Belgians... Knee Deep Brewing of Lincoln, California collaborated with Track 7 Brewing of Sacramento, California to brew an amazing beer to celebrate both Sacramento Beer Week and San Francisco Beer Week. Each brewery brewed the collaborative recipe at their location, and the result is a pair of very similar, yet different Belgo American IPAs.

I've been fortunate enough to try this awesome collaboration ale all 3 ways in which it is offered. Here's my take:

This beer pours a beautiful golden amber, with a fluffy lingering head. It fills your nose with pleasing floral piney hops with undertones of sour Belgian yeast if you really pay attention. Lightly sour on the tongue, with a very green, piney, resinous hop bite - this is a hop bomb for sure! Easy drinking for a 9.1% beast, and quite smooth. A pleasant, sweetly bitter hop aftertaste lingers on the back of your tongue. I'm not a hop head, but this is a damn fine beer that left me wanting more - must be the Belgian yeast that is drawing me in. Impressive.


This version definitely has its own character. The piney hops have more of a dry tart bite to them and almost none of the sour-sweetness, which makes this version a little less smooth than Knee Deep's. Still, a fine beer indeed.


ABV 9.1%, 101 IBU
The flavor is the same as the keg version, though the keg version had a better mouthfeel and was smoother. Such is the nature of beer that's fresh from a tap as opposed to beer that's been trapped in a tiny bottle.

This is a good example of how different water and different equipment (and different brewers with their own techniques!) can affect the final outcome of a beer. Homebrewers, take heed. The same recipe brewed to spec by 2 different breweries just 30 miles apart, yet each has a unique character. It's not just the ingredients that make a difference!

If you want to compare for yourself, I'd suggest attending the Knee Deep/Track 7 Collaborative Tap Takeover on March 1. Then come back here and let me know what you think of my take on these beers.

Cheers!
Jessica

My Favorite Beers {Updated}

Alright Cats and Kittens, here's THE LIST!  Updated to reflect some changes.

Allagash Curieux

This 11% ABV Bourbon Barrel Aged Belgian Style Tripel is truly heaven sent.  I watched at the bar as it poured a beautiful golden orange, with a fleeting foamy head.  The nose is filled with clove, light honey, sweet floral orange blossoms, Belgian yeast, and sunny grain and wheat fields on a hot summer day.  Yes, it is that complex and wonderful.  The flavor matches the amazing scent - with an added bonus of a faint bourbon alcohol heat surrounding your taste buds, but no where near overpowering them.  Dear Allagash, I wish you were in California, not Maine, so I could come thank you in person for brewing this gem of a beer.  Cheers!

North Coast PranQster

Ah, PranQster, you devilish trickster, you marvelous con artist.  You make my taste buds giggle and my spirits laugh out loud.  PranQster is a Belgian style golden ale with a flowery nose, a fruity and ever-so-slightly sour flavor typical of Belgian style ales, and very smooth mouth feel.  This 7.6% ABV session beer is my everyday after dinner beer and I can’t imagine my life without it.  Using a wide mouthed goblet (my New Belgium goblet was best until I broke it {boo!}, so now I use my Duvel tulip goblet), pour most of the beer, swirl to release the yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle, and then pour the rest.  Pair this beer with anything you eat – it’s that good.  Perfection.

Dogfish Head Midas Touch

King Midas was the man.  His recipe, dating back to the 8^th century BC and recovered by a molecular archaeologist, is craft beer perfection.  With flavors of white Muscat grapes and smooth saffron and a delicious sweet honey aftertaste, the only reason this beer falls at #3 on my list because it retails for about $13 for four 12 ounce bottles.  But this kingly nectar is worth every penny when you’re feeling the need to spoil your taste buds.  For best flavor, pour this heavenly 9% ABV golden ale into a wide mouth goblet (I prefer it in my Duvel Tulip goblet).  Allow it to sit for a few minutes to shake off the chill and let the flavors warm.  This beer makes me wanna dance!

Affligem Noel

Let's not forget about my favorite winter ale!! Affligem Noel is the ultimate Winter Warmer and is truly a treat for me in the cold winter months.  I get ridiculously excited when I see it on the shelf for the first time in the winter. It is a complex, malty 9% ABV treat that warms the body from head to toe.  The cork and wire 750ml bottle makes it perfect for sharing (or hoarding for yourself!).  Despite its depth and complexity, Noel is an easy drinking dark copper colored ale with hints of sweet dark fruit and brown sugar.  Some winter ales are too spiced up for me, but Noel has mellow hints of spice that are complimented by a smooth warm alcohol taste.  I suggest using a tulip glass to savor the holiday spirit of Affligem Noel while wearing fuzzy slippers and a warm robe fresh from the dryer.

Schneider Aventinus and Eisbock

These beers share a spot because they go hand in hand.  Aventinus makes me want to wrap myself in a soft blanket and curl up by the fire with a giant slab of dark chocolate and a vat of Belgian pot roast.  This deep, hazy brown colored doppelbock casts a long shadow on American doppels.  At 8.2% ABV, this beer will warm your heart with scents of dark fruit and flavors of dark clove and banana, with a deep caramel malt character and silky mouth feel.  Also try Aventinus’s big brother, Eisbock.  Eisbock is made when Aventinus is frozen and the ice is shaved off, leaving a 12% ABV powerhouse.  Eisbock tastes similar to Aventinus, but with a warm brandy alcohol essence that enhances the flavors of dark stone fruits and brown bread.  Pour this beer into a snifter and prepare to melt into your sofa, folks.  

Tripel Karmeliet

This crystal clear Belgian golden ale pours like pure gold.  Like most beers of this style, flavors of cloves and Belgian yeast are forefront, with hints of banana and honey, and a dry and lightly hoppy citrusy finish.  This easy-drinking beer surprisingly weighs in at 8.4% ABV.  Use a Tulip glass, you won’t regret it.

Anderson Valley Brother David's Triple Abbey Style Ale

Brother David’s Triple is a citrusy, mildly spicy version of a Belgian style golden ale, though a little darker in color than most golden ales.  It has a hint of clove and the classic Belgian sourness and a nice, dry finish.  At 10% ABV, this is a beer that I reserve for weekends and special occasions.  I apparently like beers that are best served in a wide mouthed goblet.  Good thing I own several!

As a self-proclaimed beer semi-connoisseur, I reserve the right to add to, reorder and/or change this list at any time.  

Speaking of which... I need to revisit some old favorites to see where they rank in this list!

Cheers!

>^..^<

Final Flight of NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour

Better late than never...

On September 21, 2012, the space shuttle Endeavour made its final flight, and made a loop over Sacramento during its farewell tour of California. We went downtown to the top of a parking garage that I thought would have a good view. It was really cool experience to view this historical event.

>^..^<