Blog #14 - Beer List

The only thing I have had time for lately is updating my ongoing, ever-growing, massive beer list that I have been keeping alive for almost 10 years now. It seems I remember peeling labels off of bottles from a round-the-world pack from World Market in 2000 and taping them in my first beer journal (sadly the one I did not use on my 48-State Tour of '99).

I am a collector. I always have been and there is something about adding to a collection and then standing back and admiring your hard work. Yes that's right...I said drinking over 630 individual beers and then creating a monster database that includes beer name, brewery name and company (can be different), style, ABV, date tasted, draught or bottle, brewery city, state, and country and special notes, is a difficult task.

And at 630, I know I still have dozens of pages of notes I haven't entered yet from the Great American Beer Festival, Boonville, Firestone Anniversary & Oaktoberfest, Worthogs, and the countless pub crawls dad and I do every year. So at least I am not bored. Far from it...this is one of the great things I love about "hunting" down great beer. The adventure, and the list, continues.

Miles "On his way to Bear Republic, Lost Coast & Wild River this weekend" Wilhelm

Blog #013 - Intro to Beer Tasting

On August 28th we had our first tasting group session. I invited everyone in the Fresno/Clovis area that I have met in the past 5 years that I thought might enjoy talking and tasting.

It was a Friday night and there were 6 of us total (I think that had to do with it being about a week's notice). The layout of beers included Hen's Tooth from GreeneKing-Morland Brewing, Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewing, Freestyle Belgian Style Blonde from Black Diamond (which I can't find on BeerAdvocate), Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale, Lost Abbey's Carnevale Ale and an Duchy Originals English Ale from Wychwood Brewery.

Now I know that we had zero organization and the beers were not of a similar style or from a single brewery. But tonight we are going to spend some time discussing how to better organize future tastings and what the members want to achieve. I am bringing Paddy's Irish Style Red Ale from Moylan's and the next beer in the Coney Island series from Schmaltz: Human Blockhead. Thanks in advance to Zach Reinhold for offering to host tonight's mixer.

Blog #012 - Beer Summit?

I know that everyone and their mother has commented on last week's 'Beer Summit' at the White House involving Pres. Obama, VP Biden, Officer Crowley and Prof. Gates. Whether or not I believe this meeting was worth the hoopla or not, we can all agree the choice of beer was less than inspiring.

Bud Light, Sam Adams Light, Buckler Non-Alcoholic & Blue Moon. The Sam Adams & the Blue Moon are barely decent choices, both consumed by the Cambridge guests (Sam Adams was a last minute substitute for Gates' usual Red Stripe). The president disappointed millions of beer drinkers and home brewers by choosing Bud Light, not only because of its lack of flavor but because AB is now completely owned by foreign companies. And unless the Vice President has a health condition that will not allow him to consume alcohol, he might as well be sipping lemonade instead of Buckler; what a waste.

After a little research just to back this blog up, I discovered a plethora of beer stores carrying a multitude of beers in the Washington D.C. metro area, all right down the street from the White House. Some of my summer brew recommendations would have been: Sierra Nevada's Kellerweis Hefeweizen @ Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits, Allagash Fluxus 2008 (Witbier) @ Rodman's Discount Gourmet Grocery, Odd Notion (Summer 09) from Magic Hat @ The Wine Specialist, and Southern Tier Heavy Weizen (unfiltered Imperial Wheat Ale) @ Modern Liquors, Inc.

All delicious brews that would have caught the attention of beer lovers, brewers and teetotalers alike. I would like to personally volunteer my time to the president so that the next Beer Summit starts off on the right foot.

Blog #011 - The Mystery Purchase

I met up with someone last week that I had been meaning to see for a few months now. I decided in March to look around on BeerAdvocate for anyone in the Fresno area that might come close to appreciating beer as much as I do. My long term goal was to form a tasting group, the kind that exists everywhere else in the country, just not Fresno.

I never had an opportunity to meet up with Rich at the Boonville Beerfest in May, but he emailed me recently regarding a personal shipment of beer he had received from down south; the San Diego area specifically. Having just returned from a trip to Oregon where he secured several cases of Rogue and Deschutes, Rich was at the breaking point, within his storage closet and with his wife. I agreed to drop by and give him a hand with a few bottles. Here is the list of treats I now hold:

-Alpine BC - Alpine Ale 5.5%

-Great Divide - Titan IPA 6.8%

-Caldera Brewing - Pale Caldera Ale

-Ballast Point - Dorado Double IPA 9.1%

-Port Brewing - 3rd Anniv. Ale 10%

-Port Brewing - Brother Levonian 6.5%

-Deschutes - Red Chair IPA 6.4%

-Deschutes - Hop Henge IPA 8.75%

-Ballast Point - Victory At Sea 10%

-Avery Brewing - The Czar Imperial Stout 10.77%

-Lost Abbey - Carnevale Ale 6.5%

The only one I have had before is the Titan IPA from Great Divide but Rich threw that in the mix for free. I plan to have at least 3 tastings with Dad and more than a few hours of discussion on what makes these beers so sought after. Now if I could only get my hands on a Dark Lord.

Blog #010 - Stout & Panini Pairing

The other day I created what I believe to be a masterpiece of a sandwich that I paired with Stockyard's Oatmeal Stout. The recipe includes the following in this order:

• Tomato & Olive Focaccia Bread (top side)


• Spread of Grey Poupon Mustard


• (2)Kosher Dill Sandwich Sliced Pickles


• (1)Slice of Sargento Natural Pepper Jack Cheese


• (1)Slice of Columbus Italian Style Turkey Breast


• (1)Slice of Trader Joe's Provolone Cheese


• (1)Slice of Columbus Naturally Smoked Pastrami


• Spread of Giotto's Genova Pesto


• Focaccia Bread (bottom side)


• Butter for grilling

I grilled this on a Panini Press until the cheese melted and ran down the sides and the bread was a dark brown. What a great combo when paired with the delicious stout!

Blog #009 - The Soggy Trip to Boonville (part 2)

Now one might think that after a breakfast beer, 3 samples and 1-1/2 pints for lunchtime and a sharing of 3 true (16.9oz) pints for a mid-afternoon snack...one might be so inclined to halt the flow of liquids through the hole I call a mouth. No sir. Not this weekend. The 25 mile drive along the winding 128 did slosh around the contents of my belly, but as soon as we paid our $12/per person/per night entrance fee into the Mendocino County Fairgrounds...I cracked open an Anchor Steam.
The drizzling rain hastened the setting up of tents as Mike and Heather arrived from Chico, thirsty no doubt. Along with dad's six pack of Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA and my additional 6 of Lagunitas IPA, Mike had secured a 12 of Pyramid's best (hefe, apricot, crystal wheat & IPA I believe).
We were lucky enough to snag a camping spot between members of the Hop Heads of Sacramento Beer Lovers Union, troublemakers I had met online at MeetUp.com. Daniel and Shawn were the representatives and we were lucky enough to share some of Daniel's homebrew. It continued to lightly rain as we cooked Carol's Dish and snacked on cornbread and chocolate muffins, washing it all down with shots of Goldschlager.
I do believe it rained all night, which as usual, did not keep some guests from partying into the wee hours. Breakfast was made up of cleverly fried eggs that were a perfect fit on toasted english muffins and sausage patties. Was there beer for breakfast? Oh yes...there was. Between sips of Lagunitas was talk of the great zombie uprising mixed with what our plan might be for attacking the quickly approaching beerfest. It didn't appear that the rain was going to let up...but we didn't care. We were ready to taste special craft brews from all over the country, as much as we could get our hands on. Would dad find the elusive sour beer he had been hunting for years? Would Heather's soggy pretzel necklace last the entire event? Would Mike trick Nikki into drinking the dreaded Chili Beer? And would Scott ever call us back? Stay tuned...

Blog #008 - The Soggy Trip to Boonville (part 1)

Our much anticipated trip to the booming town of Boonville, CA began bright and early Friday May 1st. After dad and I sampled (read guzzled) a bottle of Broken Halo from Widmer for breakfast, we chased it with a quick selection of baked goods from Yum-Yum donuts and hit the open freeway. Northbound on 99 and hopped up on chocolate milk we raced towards Concord, the home of the E.J. Phair alehouse.
I found our old friend and fellow beer drinker Mike Carr and his wife warming up a table in the middle of a crowded dining room...with a great view of the Belgian beer fridge. Unfortunately the beers were only for on-site consumption and not for take-out. And seeing as how I would end up 45 minutes later with a belly full of Blind Pig from Russian River, half a pint of proprietary hefeweizen, small samples of their brown ale and IPA, and a Ricotta cheese burger...and the prices were a bit high...as enticing as the selection was, I had to move on.
As the rain picked up, we passed by Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and headed northwest towards Sebastopol, outside of Santa Rosa. Wine country appears magical no matter what weather envelopes it.
The exterior of Hopmonk Tavern hints at the perfectly balanced interior setup. Dark wood and a deep orange accent contain just the right amount building so as to attract and invite without being presumptuous. If I were to design a classic tavern, this embodies all of my ideas. Heavy wooden beams, conversation focusing booths and a spacious outdoor beer garden that nearly drew me out into the deluge.
We all crowded into the booth and dad, Nikki and I ordered a pint of each of the house brews. Mike and his wife had ordered a house hefeweizen and what I thought I heard was Stone's Imperial Porter but after checking their web site I don't see it listed. Nikki and I fought over the house Dunkelweizen which presents such amazing notes of banana and cinnamon with just the right amount of sweetness on the mouthfeel. Wonderful beer. Before leaving I was fortunate enough to meet and photograph the manager, owner and chef. Great set of guys.
In the car, soaked from running across the street to take a shot of the location, we steered towards 101 north and our destination...Boonville.