Does It Matter What Glass You Drink Your Beer Out Of?

A glass is a glass; or is it?

Beer has a lot to offer: aroma, appearance, flavor. All these factors are influenced by the glass it is poured into.

I think it is a curiosity that Europeans understand this. Yet Americans de-grace their beer by pouring anything the order in to a pint glass. Or horrors, drink it out of the bottle. Is tap synonymous with pint?

Consider the elegant German Pilsner. Everything about this beer calls for refinement. The water, the malted barley, the noble hops. All these characteristics lend itself to show all its' attributed best in a long narrow stemmed bowl much like a champagne flute.

A rich malty beer such as a maibock would best be enjoyed more in a glass similar to Riedel's Ouverture.

An old ale, barleywine, or the increasingly popular wood-aged beers , because of the intense dark fruit aromas and high alcohol ,would be best served in something similar to a cognac glass.

In Germany, it is traditional to serve Kolsch in a 200ml cylindrical glass called a stange.

In Belgium, many of the beers produced have their own glass. There are many different shaped glasses for these beers. Perhaps the most popular is the tulip-shaped glass.

Many times, when I go to a restaurant and decide to have a nice beer, I will ask the server to use my water glass for the beer. It is often an appropriate goblet shape which is far more attractive than a pint glass.

In any case, a beer is more appreciated and is able to deliver all its' attributed far more easily than it would in a pint glass or a bottle.

Beer vs. Wine

Are ther some foods besides nachos that work better with beer than wine does?

What's In Your Glass?

I mean, what's in your glass before you pour the beer?

There are several factors which can affect you beer drinking experience before that beer is poured.

Fats and oils can diminish the head of your beer the same way it affects meringue. Make sure the glass is clean.

Sanitizers are commonly used in glass washing. Because the glass is allowed to air dry with the sanitizer, phenols from the sanitizer remain in the glass and affect aroma.
Some places are sensitive to this and will rinse the glass to push these out.

Chilling the glass is a common practice. This minimizes flavor of the beer you are trying to enjoy. Gases do not release and this also minimizes the effect it would other wise have in carrying any aromas.

Not all beers are served with justice when served in a chilled glass.
While beer may be stored at 40 degrees to slow down any degradation that may occur, this is not the temperature you want to be drinking your beer at any more than you would want to enjoy a glass of wine straight out of a refrigerator.

I am of the opinion that the temperature that a beer was fermented at should be the beer that it should be served at. Which is why it is common to serve beers like Bud or Coors at 40 degrees because they are lagered close to that temperature.

Feel free to ask that your beer glass be rinsed before serving this will remove any chill on the glass as well as any phenols from the sanitizer.

Lockdown Brewing Company

Lockdown Brewing Company and the Rotarians of Historic Folsom present their 4th Annual Charity Golf Classic.

Sudwerks Riverside

Northern California Brewers Guild 2nd Annual Brew Fest

Come out to Raley Field for the second annual Brew Fest featuring over 39 breweries.

Saturday, May 24 VIP tastings are from 12-1, before general admission.

This events supports the smaller breweries in the Northern California region.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com

American Craft Beer Week

Northern California Brews and Review: West Coast Brew Fest

Northern California Brews and Review: West Coast Brew Fest
www.matsonian.com/wcbf

Cal Brewfest

Whip out your pocket book and support local charities by attending this event.

It's a write off.

September 20th 1-5pm at Discovery Park

Sponsored by Rotary Club Point West

www.calbrewfest.org

West Coast Brew Fest

Make plans for one of Sacramento's best beer events! It's like having an Octoberfest in May.

Anderson Valley Brew Fest

Presale tickets end today

2nd Annual Northern California Brewers Fest

2008 World Cup Awards Northern California Brewers

For 4 days judges evaluate beers from all over the world submitted by breweries for competition in the prestigious World Cup.

This year the event was held in San Diego CA. It was the highest attended event to date.

I have compilled a concise list of Breweries in the Northern California area. Please take some time to patronize these breweries and their world class beer.

Gold

Russian River Brewing Co.,Santa Rosa - SalvationTrummer, Berkley, - German Pils

Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove-Bock Lager

Third Street Ale Works, Santa Rosa- Blarney Sister's Dry Irish Stout

Rubicon Brewing Co., Sacramento-Winter Wheat Wine

Silver

Russian River Brewing Co.- Temptation

Marin Brewing Co.,Larkspur-San Quentin's Breakfast Stout

Black Diamond Brewing Co., Concord- Belgian Blonde

Bronze

Marin Brewing Co., Marin-Tiburon Blonde,

Star Brew (wheat wine).

Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Anderson-Brother David's Double

Schooner's Brewing Co., Antioch-Old Diablo

Sacramento Brewing Co., Sacramento- Red Horse Ale

World Beer Cup Winners

Women Only Home Brew Class

Did you know there is a Women's only brewing competition, right in our own backyard? The QUEEN OF BEER competition is held each October in Placerville. This is the only competition to feature women brewers as the entrants.
There are many competitions with specialty themes, but this one has encouraged countless women to take up the art of brewing and appreciate better beer.
The Brewmeister will have a Women's Brewday at the Folsom Shop, in anticipation of this competition. The date will be in mid to late June. The class will feature both an extract and all grain beer, along with tips and techniques for brewers.
The Brewmeister is proud to have Beth Zangari and Annie Johnson as the co-instructors for this class. This will be a fun and informative event!
Beth Zangari is Queen of Beer Founder, Zymurgy Columnist and Grand Master Judge, who has been brewing for close to 20 years.
Annie Johnson is a very successful competitive brewer and past Queen of Beer, Best of Show Winner! She has won awards in all levels of brewing competition.
The class is limited to 20 female students. Pre-Registration is required. You must be at least 21 to attend.
Date: June 21, 2008.
802-A Reading Street, Folsom, CA
Cost $40 Time: 11am to 4pm. Lunch is provided.

Brewmeister contact info: http://www.folsombrewmeister.com/

Bottles vs. Cans

When the store clerk asks me, “Paper or plastic?”, I sometimes get a glazed look over my eyes.

However, when I go to the store to purchase beer and ask myself bottles or cans the answer is easy. Beer comes in clear, green, brown, opaque bottles and cans.
I recently compared Newcastle Brown Ale in the can and the bottle and found the canned beer more enjoyable that the bottled beer.
Why would it make a difference? UV and florescent lighting changes the hop compounds in beer. The change results in an unpleasant aroma referred to as skunking.
If you like your Corona, grab the case. If you the Lowen brau, grab the case. These beers are very delicate and are better protected in the case than they would be in the six-pack.

21st Ammendment protects is fabulous Watermelon Wheat in a light blocking can

Sacramento Brewing Co.

Sacramento Brews and Review
Sacramento Brewing Co.

Let’s say it’s Sunday and you want to do something special for that someone special.
Or you have family and friends over for the weekend and you want to show them one of Sacramento’s: best restaurants by California Restaurant Association standards, best restaurant voted by local sacramentan’s, and a plus....Sacramento’s most decorated brewery. What better way to do that then to go to Sacramento Brewing Co. for brunch!

Sacramento Brewing Co. was established in 1995 and is located on 2713 El Paseo Lane in the Town and Country Center on the corner of Marconi and Fulton. It became an icon in the Sacramento area by restaurant standards because expert restaurant openers solidly planned the concepts for the restaurant and brewery.

Their website is currently under construction. You can check out what is going on by going to their blog page which is very slick and full of very interesting things that are going on with the restaurant, and the brewery. Sacbrew.blogspot.com.

The restaurant was recently sold due to the passing of Sam Peterson whom I had the pleasure of meeting in 1998. The new owners are smart and know that can’t possibly do much to improve this restaurant. The only plans they have (as of now) are to include beer into some of the menu items. And keep Peter Hoey as the brew master.

Peter Hoey continues to make world-class beer locally. The Red Horse Ale took Bronze at the 2008 World Cup. Previously, his Saison took a medal at the Great American Beer Fest(I hope you didn’t miss that one). Peter Hoey started his career as brewer at SBC when it opened. He then moved on to Sierra Nevada and Bison Brewing Co. During that time he schooled at the American Brewers Guild. Thank you, Peter for coming back to Sacramento. We missed you.

New releases for the month of May include Luna de Meil, a Vienna lager. Especially Peter for his anniversary developed this beer because it is one of the few beers his wife enjoys. A Chili beer, which took best of show at the state fair, will be re-released. Another brewers special being offered is a Maibock.

Sacramento Brewing Co. has happy hour3-6 daily. On Mondays and Tuesdays they have an all you can eat BBQ ribs. If you want to sample all their beer then you can get 5 5oz. Sample for $5.50 or 10 5 oz. Samples for $10.50. If you want to take some of Peters World Class beer home then you can purchase a growler and get it filled for $14.00. Refills are $7.99. Include $1.00 for their premium beers. Keep in mind that is you have a special event coming up whether at work or otherwise, they have a banquet room which seats 10-45 people. On Fridays, they have live music. No matter what day of the week it is, there is always plenty to be had at SBC.


Save the date.
Another way you can support your local brewery is to attend the 2nd Annual Field of Dreams at Raley Field Saturday May 24. 1-4:30 p.m.
This event supports the Northern California Brewers Guild and raises money to help smaller breweries purchase equipment that that would not otherwise be in the budget.
Over 39 breweries will host this event. Surely each brewery will have at least 2 beers on tap. That is a possiblity of 80 different beers to try. That breaks down to 3cents a beer!!! And we're supporting a cause too. Sounds like I will have to be there. Hope to see you there too.
Tickets are available at raleyfield.com/ticketmaster.com and are $25 in advance.

75th Anniversary

Support your local brewery by coming out on April 7 to celebrate the legalization of beer.

Prohibition officially ended on December 5, 1933 with the ratification of the 21st ammendment.

It was a campaign promise to end the national ban on alcohol that helped Franklin D. Roosevelt to win the presidential seat. (wasn't it?) .

Thanks to FDR our quality of life means that we can enjoy the craft of brewers througout the fine state of California and any other place in this great nation.

Brewers and breweries have raised millions of dollars to support communities and charities in our neighborhood. They provide social opportunities with their festivals.

Brewers have a great american entreperneurial spirit when it comes to marketing this great product. So get out on Monday and raise a glass with your friends to the brewers and microbreweries.

Rubicon Brewing Company

If the weather is good, I always choose to sit outside at a restaurant. There is something very European about eating outside on the sidewalk. Tonight at the Rubicon, I will be lucky to get a seat at all.

The Rubicon Brewing Co. has been in operation since 1987 and is one of the few microbreweries in the Sacramento area to offer outdoor seating in a city, which rivals France for the number of trees in the city. It is located downtown at 2004 Capitol Avenue.

On tap you will find fine examples of Czech Pilsner, a pale ale with a fun name, “Monkey Knife Fight”, Amber Ale, Stout, Irish Red Ale. Their IPA is so good they bottle and distribute in 22oz bottles. Check out www.rubiconbrewing.com for stores.

You can try all their beer with their 5oz samplers for $1.50 ea. If you find one you have to take home with you. You can purchase a 1 gal. Growler (or 2) filled for $18. When you come back for refills, it only costs $14. That’s cheaper than their Happy Hour prices on Monday after 5pm and their pint nite on Tuesday after 8pm. A new venue at Rubicon is the Saturday and Sunday Brunch from 8:30-10:00. The menu features very classic and traditional breakfast fares, which are sure to please any tummy.

But you don’t want to miss out on the food and people watching. Whether you sit outside or inside, a Sacramentan can see the cross section of cultures and sub-cultures that beer brings together. Today I see Deadheads, past-active 20/30 members, families, Sac City Derby girls, and Capitol City workers. Brewer, Scott Cramlet, is in front of the bar chatting it up with the locals.

Scott Cramlet, started life as a home brewer and GCBA member. He was barely drinking age when asked to join Rubicon as a brewer. As a result, Scott encourages local home brewers to come down with their mason jars and collect yeast, and have a pint.

In 2-3 weeks there will be some good Mexican lager yeast available. The Mexican lager yeast was used to ferment beer for the 2nd Annual Brewer for the Day winner. This year the winner was Larry Zinky. His beer will be available on May 5th. Just in time for Cinco de Mayo.

Ladies, mark your calendar! The 2nd Annual Women in Brewing will be on April 26th. This event brings together women in the brewing industry to raise money for W.E.A.V.E. This is a non-profit organization, which helps women and children. I cannot think of a better way for us to support our local brewery.

Another way for ladies to win big on this event is to bid on raffle items. The Brewmeister Homebrew Outlet will be contributing 2 seats to their Women’s Brew day. This event is being co-hosted by BJCP Grand Master Beth Zangeri and Silver Medal Winner at last years National Home brewers Conference, Annie Johnson. Both are actively involved in Queen of Beer. This is a nation wide women’s only homebrew competition, which is organized every October in our own back yard.

With the Sacramento weather warming up, I can’t think of a more pleasant way to catch the Sacramento Delta breeze than sitting outside Rubicon with a pint of beer and enjoy the shade of trees and keeping company with the good people of Sacramento.

8th Annual Double IPA Festival

You typically will not find me attending festivals unless I am there for "man" power. I made an exception for the 8th Annual Double IPA Festival in Hayward at the Bistro.

Several years ago I had my first vertical double IPA sampling at The Bistro. I found it difficult to warm up to the "Hummer" of hopped beer. I was happy with a good IPA.

Thankfully palates change. One learns to develop the process of keeping an open tongue when it comes to new beers. So I decided I couldn't think of a better way!

27 different breweries represented themselves. There was a total of 34 double IPA's to be sampled. A strategy had to be developed. The ticket price only allowed a sampling of 10.

My cousin and I decided that we would each try a different beer and share our samples. It required the use of the list which was handed to us with our commemorative sample glass.

The average alcohol content of the beers was almost 9%. One was as high as 11.8%. It's necessary to support the hops with alcohol. I was pleased with all the beers that were there. The double IPA is a purely American beer style. The name IPA is an acronym for India Pale Ale. This is because the English pale ales which were imported to it's colonies in India were recieved in a concentrated form which gained popularity.

Some of the entries came as far south as San Diego, as far north as Oregon, a suprise eastern entry from New York, and a healthy representation throughout the California and Colorado States.

It was a pleasant suprise to run into Rick Sellers, the new beer editor for Draft Magazine. It wasn't long before Tom Daldorf; the publisher for the Celebrator magazine joined our conversation. Nick Campbell of the Blue Frog was there also.
My cousin and I managed to leave with our taste buds intact, a broad spectrum of what a double IPA can be like, and one of the great sandwiches The Bisto has to offer.

Session Beers

Alternatives to American Lite Lager

Let’s face it! American Lite Lagers are popular because they are low in carbohydrates, you can enjoy several over the course of a meal and not get tanked, and you can enjoy them with just about any food. This is not a bad thing. It’s a good thing. Right? The problem is with the selection. I’m sorry but Bud Lite, Coors Lite, Miller Lite, are not examples of alternatives.

Are there other beers that are low in carbohydrates, low in alcohol, and taste great? Would you like to know what they are? Where in beer land could one find such a beer?
Low alcohol beers are more popularly know as session beers among beers aficionados. What is a session beer? For the purpose of this article, a session beer will be defined as a beer with less than 5% alcohol by volume (ABV).

In Sacramento

In Sacramento, fewer calories do not meet less everything else. I will consider several breweries, which brew beer with ABV <5%. These beers will range in appearance, aroma, mouth feel, and flavor from one spectrum to the other. I will start with beers, which are lowest in bitterness. It has been my experience that the general population finds bitterness the least attractive feature of beer. I’ll work you up the hop ladder from there. For reference IBU will indicate bitterness.

Lagers: (IBU 10-25) Auburn Ale House, Beermann’s, both carry a flavorful lager. In fact these are the beers, which fathered the lite lagers. Go back to lager roots and discover what all the fuss was about. You will find more flavors. These are inspired by German heritage and the bittering profile will be very low. I like to think of lagers as the “champagne” of beer. You can drink this beer with spicy food.

Hefeweizen: (IBU 10-15) BJ’s, River City, Rubicon carry this is the ever-popular wheat style beer. It can have banana and clove aroma and flavor if you are drinking a German style. American styles will have a more subdued flavor profile. This beer is typically hazy due to the wheat proteins in the beer. Unless it has been filtered. This beer is also low on the bittering hops. This beer goes well with savory dishes

Kolsch: (IBU 20-30) BJ’s, Pyramid, and River City carry Kolsch style beers. While this style can exceed the range I checked the website and these beers are less than 5% ABV so I included them in the list. You will find these styles similar to lagers yet with a little fruitier in the aroma and flavor because it is lagered at ale temperatures to bring out the yeast character. This beer will go with anything. It’s great to pair with salads.

Pale Ales: (20-40) River City, Town Lounge carries this style. Now we are moving up the hop ladder in terms of bittering. Here we will find a little more aggressively hopped beer. There is also more flavor. Bittering hops along with the aroma and flavor it can provide can be very enjoyable. Although there are some that are sensitive to hops many women are. I brewed a very hoppy beer however because it was so well balanced with the malt my friend who stated she didn’t like hoppy beer had two glasses! This beer wants something substantial. If you eating beef, this will wash it down nicely.

Stouts: (IBU 30-45) River City, Elk grove, Rubicon have nice examples. The hop profile will be the same for this style. The big change here is the specialty malt. A very small percentage of roasted or black patent barley gives this style its characterful color. Most people are surprise to learn that is a light beer. They associated the color with the alcohol. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If you like dark chocolate, if you like espresso, then try this one out. It is a great flavorful beer all by itself without knocking you out. Light food goes well with this. Dark meat fish works well.

Belgian Beer Nite

A Night To Remember

Is it possible to remember anything after a night of savoring 11 different styles of Belgium beer? Well if you want to remember your experience then it’s best to take it slow.

Every year, the Gold Country Brewers pull out the stops and invite Martin Lodahl to weave his experiences with Belgian beer into his adventures with Belgium. Watching him talk about the beers is like watching a man talk about his first love, then his second, then his third.
I had invited several people I knew to this lecture. Because I like to help people appreciate how sophisticated a beer experience can be, I made special preparations for my table.
A white tablecloth covered the table. I laid out white plates on which I put water crackers. I placed in the middle of the rectangular table for six a silver colored champagne chiller as a dump bucket. I set on the table bottle of sparkling mineral water for palate cleansing or drinking. Because I wasn’t expecting my guests to bring their own drinking glasses, I placed traditional tulip style glasses on the table to sample the beers with.

There were 12 beers to be enjoyed for the evening and the president of the club was good enough to prepare a flight sheet so that we could follow along and keep notes. This was a great idea because it not very much fun to go to a store and then trying to remember what you had only to come home not getting what you expected.

First on the list was a St. Bernardus Wit - Hoegarrden had always been my favorite commercial example of wit beer but I think I have a new favorite now. Wit beers are unlike American Style Wheat beers or German Heffes primarily because of the yeast strain and the fact that has higher wheat content than the other two. This beer is remarkably light more white than straw or gold in color. It has a crispness and softness that it contributed by the wheat. I know it sounds like an oxy- but it’s true. There is a practice of serving an orange with a popular American made Belgian wit beer however this practice is unnecessary. In fact, if your out in public it’s best not to. You don’t want to be spotted by a beer snob when you do this. It would be a clear indication that you follow mass marketing appeal. This beer was a delight to enjoy. The aroma was filled with fruity esters of orange and coriander, which is very typical for the style. These types of beers are very refreshing. I am commenting on this style because it is one that has caused me to move from the ever popular Hoegaarden Wit.
The following is a list of other beers served which are all available in the Northern California area. You may need to go to more than one market to find them. They are all worth the effort:

ü Leffe Blonde this one is very food friendly try it with anything.
ü De Koninck this is also a very food friendly beer
ü Saison Fantome this one is great with salad made w/ bitter greens.
ü Orval very food friendly beer. Try it with anything. Let your palate determine your favorite food combinations
ü Konigshoven Dubbel, Trappist this is a rich dark beer, which goes well with caramelized food.
ü Westmalle Tripel, Trappist this is a strong beer and can be served as an alternate to the Leffe.
ü Duvel very food friendly beer. Try it with anything. Let your palate determine your favorite food combinations.
ü Unibroue 16 special release
ü Rodenbach this is a sour Flemish style beer, which will be best served by it or with tart items.
ü Cantillon Gueze this is a very funky beer, which goes great with very strong cheeses. The other is similar.
ü Classic Gueuze
ü Cantillon Rose de gambrinus this one makes a great aperitif, or throw into a sorbet maker and makes a palate cleanser between courses.

The Belgian blonde, Tripel, Dubbel, and Golden Strong ales, tend to be higher in alcohol than the other beers mentioned (6-10% ABV). You will also find that most of these beers are only available in 750 ml, bottles. These beers are to be shared. They make a great alternative to the typical bottle of wine. Some of these beers have their own glasses. You can serve these in tulip shaped glasses or a large stemmed water goblet will be a fine substitute.
It is also best not to serve these beers too cold. The character full yeast and other components will be subdued and not fully appreciated. I suggest 55-65 degrees.

Chocolate and Beer Pairing

02.07.08
Some of the nicest people I will probably ever know are the home brewers and zymurgy enthusiasts (H.A.Z.E) of Placerville. They get together every second Thursday of the month at The Wine Smith on Main Street. The owner, Kay, is right there with the lot as they call for pints of beer which she has 8 taps or specialty beers.

Someone in the club always brings something different to share or speaks of a topic of interest. This month, in honor or Valentines Day, it was chocolate. David Bradstrom was the presenter. As he spoke of the process of chocolate making, percentages of fine chocolate were passed around. A vertical sampling is always the best way to develop a sensory profile of anything your trying to evaluate because it helps to develop the range of the product.

After we sampled the chocolate, bowls of mole, butternut squash topped with chocolate, white chocolate quesadillas, chocolate truffle cheesecake, chocolate mousse cake with raspberry coulis, chocolate truffles, and chocolate covered orange jelly candies were passed. I loved washing this all down with a Frambois Lambic. I think after all that, the meeting disintegrated into a small party!!!

Beer Chic 101

This is a beer course for women by women.
Sample over 81 different beers over the nine courses.
These courses are offered in a friendly, fun, sophisticated setting.
Take all nine courses or just take one.
Learn how to differentiate aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouth feel with a certified beer judge.
Understand the significance of how to properly store, serve, and pair beer.
After completing all courses enjoy a popular VIP tour of select breweries

Virginia Jamison has been actively involved in the beer brewing community for over five years. She participates in commercial and homebrew competitions throughout the Northern California area. She writes regularly for her blog, a homebrew club, and a homebrew shop.

Beer Chic 101 The Basics and Session Beers

March 6 6:30-8pm $35/pp
Space is limited to 10

Email beermaven@sbcglobal.net for reservations at a Sacramento location

Stone Brewing Company

There’s a funny story behind the Stone Brewing picture. I was in San Diego visiting relatives for the holiday. I tried to round up the men folk to make a drive out to Stone Brewing Co. but they were not interested. The girls wanted to go! So we piled into the minivan. This wasn’t really planned out so we were lucky to get into the last tour for the day. Our guide was very informative and afterward were allowed tastings from the tasting room the girls were impressed with the variety of beer available. They are accustomed to Lite American Style beers and really enjoyed the fruitiness of some of the bigger beers. After we had all the samples we were allowed to have, we moved to the restaurant. This restaurant was beautifully designed with lots of architectural interests. I was really impressed with the beer menu. Not only did they carry their beer, they also carried beer from various breweries throughout the California region. This is an indication of how they support the brewing industry in general. While the restaurant was beautifully done, I am an al fresco type of girl and if there is outdoor seating and the weather is agreeable then I will always choose to sit outside. The outdoor area is family friendly and very park like. There were lots of waterfalls scattered throughout and lush gardenlike surroundings. If you come with your family during the day the kids will have plenty of area to be kids. Check out their website. The next time you find yourself making plans to go to San Diego, a trip to Stone Brewing should be in your itinerary.
www.Stonebrew.com

2008 Pubcrawl

I could not have asked for a better pub-crawl. I could not have asked for the brewers to do any more for us than they did on this event. In fact, the brewers went beyond my expectations this year.
Before anyone got on the bus, each attendant received a goody bag. Each destination was not more than 30 min apart so Kevin Pratt and my lovely pourers Chuck and Bill barely had time to pour all the beers before we got to each destination. Town Lounge, Brewmiester Homebrew shop, and Manderes generously donated these beers. They toughed it out and kept up the pace, though! Kimberly did a great job handling the microphone when she called raffle numbers.
The first destination was at Sudwerk’s. Jay Prahl is the brewer there and he greeted us with a stack of beer for all to help themselves to. He talked about the brewing process. history of the Sudwerk brewery, and original owners. He led the group into the brewery for a question and answer session.
We learned much about his personal history in the brewing industry. Sudwerk’s is a teaching brewery for the University of Davis Brewing School that is renowned throughout the world. It has close connections with Anhauser Busch and our group could not resist making a comment about AB to which Jay graciously answered.
We also learned that Sudwerk’s is doing contract brewing for Moylan’s 12oz bottles of Kilt lifter. Before sending us on our way, Jay poured for us an example of Keller bier,. The applause from the crowd proved that this event was off to a great start.
The next destination was Blue Frog. Nick Campbell warmly received us in a great room already set with our own taps. The tables were ready with the food that Blue Frog is known for.
Because the group already had over eight different beers in various untold quantities the large crowd was very quiet as all sat and hungrily ate the yummy assorted pizzas that kept coming to us fresh out of the oven.
Once Nick could see that we had our fill, he took groups of people to show off his brewery. After the tour of the brewery was complete, he talked with us about some of the issues with labeling laws that he had been having. As a result of these labeling laws, he had been forced to sit on two different oak-aged beer. He generously shared theses with the group.
Nick hung out with the group after the pouring. Everyone had an opportunity to have a personal discussion with him. Nick was very gracious and very impressed with the group.
Finishing up with our second brewery, we boarded the bus for more beer. We had to because Kevin Pratt our MC asked everyone if they wanted more beer and unanimously the response was yes (no kiddin!).
We were having a great time and even a little ahead of schedule, so Kevin commandeered the bus for a little out of route beer action. Monument Liquors in Concord has a great selection of beer and it was a treat to have the time to stop there. Everyone came out with some sort of booty. I snagged a Wit Bier, which I had the privilege of evaluating several years ago for the Celebrator. I could never find it in the Sacramento area but I did find it there. Kimberly scored big time and generously donated a magnum of Stone Brewing Co. ale for the raffle. A lucky dog that was not a club member scored that one.
Back on route for next scheduled stop, we headed to Black Diamond Brewing Co. I included Black Diamond Brewing Co. because I was surprised at the fact that while Sacramento only has two beers in the area they make six. I thought it would be a great way for people to become more familiar with the beer and create a demand for the product in the area.
Derek is the brewer there now. He was introduced to the brewery by way of Grant Johnston when they met while both were brewing in Europe.
Black Diamond is a production brewery that features a beautiful taproom. Again the taps were opened for us. There is Elf Ale (not available in the Sacramento area), a dubbel style beer, which was my personal favorite.
While Derek took the group in to tour the brewery, General Manager Tom made sure that everyone had every style of beer they had in the taproom. Really, he insisted on us having all those good beers! After the tours were completed, Derek came out with a pitcher of stout, (more beer) which was straight from the conditioning tank. It is a new beer for Black Diamond and a special surprise for us! Black Diamond had still more surprises as General Manager Tom came out and presented us with neat-o parting gifts of pint glasses and bottle openers.
Our last stop was Schooner’s. I was really looking forward to Schooner’s! Craig Cauwels was waiting with several special beers including a lambic for us. And the Delta Homebrew Club would be there to hang out with us.
Schooner’s has a large banquet room toward the back of the restaurant where the homebrew club was waiting. It was great to see some familiar faces and meet new ones with their club. Once seated the servers immediately took our dinner orders and Craig brought out many different beers for us to try. Most of the beers we tried were awarded Gold, Silver medals from various competitions.
In addition to all the fabulous food and beer that was served to us, Schooner’s had a dessert prepared with stout. I had to have it! And forced everyone at my table to at least have a spoonful (Mud Pie cake with stout and chocolate syrup and whipped cream, yeah they were “forced”). When every one was done with their meal Craig took all who was interested (and still able to walk) to the brewery and had a personalized tour for all who went. The day ended for us with the usual mindless movie to ignore, projected throughout the many screens on the bus. With over 16 different beers that had been sampled during the bus ride and the 22 on brewery tours, everyone was finally ready to take a break from it all and relax for the rest of the ride home. We arrived back at about 9pm to Hoppy brewing, feeling dizzy from all the education we had and nobody hurled. Now, that's a successful pubcrawl>

Hello, Sacramento!

Welcome to my blog.

I have been associated with the commercial and home brew community in Sacramento since 2002. Over the years I have participated in State and County judging for commercial and homebrew beers. I am a beer judge and homebrewer myself.

I have hosted the annual AHA(American Homebrewers Association) Teach a Friend to Brew for the past three years. I have also organized annual PubCrawls. I have a degree in Culinary Arts and have a passion for food and beer. I will currently be writing for the Gold Country Brewers on a monthly basis and you will see my efforts here as well.

Did I mention I was a female? I choose the name Beer Maven because maven is described as an expert. It is my goal to share with you any expertise I have in the area.