Blog Archives

Gold for Firestone’s Pivo Hoppy Pils

I tried my first Pivo Hoppy Pils after Firestone Walker Brewing won their second consecutive Gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver last week. Pivo is a German-style pilsener, so you can expect a bright, malty, hoppy, aromatic and crisp finishing lager. Pivo does not disappoint! The pour was a brilliant light gold with a big white, …Read more »

Capitola: Belgian Paradise?

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA. I’m so happy to find them, but really surprised it took me two years to discover this Belgian beer mecca! I visit or stay in Capitola, “a quaint drinking village with a fishing problem”, several times a year. I must admit it was worth the wait. Sante Adairius offers a wide variety of …Read more »

Hobgoblin – Trick or Treat ?

Hobgoblin was a surprise for me. I was expecting a trick of cloyingly sweet treacle flavored old ale and instead sipped a refreshing ESB. Hobgoblin pours a beautiful ruby-brown with a big creamy tan head. Dark fruit, caramel malt, toffee and chocolate pervade the nose. A faint earthy, nutty, grassiness, hop aroma and even a whiff of Fall fireplace smoke …Read more »

Oktoberfest Tap Takeover

Tonight 510 Bistro hosted an Oktoberfest tap takeover. Five breweries included: Gordon Biersch FestBier, Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest, Samuel Adams Octoberfest, Dust Bowl Oktoberfest and High Water ReinheitsgeNot Oktober-Phest. After much practical research it came down to two finalists: Firestone and Dust Bowl. Dust Bowl Oktoberfest has beautiful deep reddish-brown color and a huge white foamy head. It also has a …Read more »

Allagash Curieux – Wow!

Allagash Curieux is pure bliss. This is so complex that I got lost between the first malty-sweet sip and the long journey that ended with a spirit laden finish. The only change I’d make is to pour Curieux into a brandy snifter to capture and concentrate those bourbon, spice and vanilla aromas. Nice, very nice. Oh, and Curieux is one …Read more »

Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier

As the sunset on Oktoberfest I celebrated with an Oktoberfestbier at sunset. I wrapped up Oktoberfest with a Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier. What else? The pour revealed a bright, deep golden color with a huge, long-lasting, white rocky head. The nose was dominated by a clean toasted maltiness. A note of yeast is also hiding in the background. The first sip impression …Read more »

Weihenstephaner Vitus

I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is that Oktoberfest officially ends today…in Munich. The good news is that here in the US the celebratory reason-to-drink-beer-season cheerfully continues through October. Carry on with your brats, pretzels and dirndls. Vitus Weizenbock is light in color, but big on flavor. Big at 7.7% abv. It is one of the …Read more »

Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier

It’s Oktoberfest so German beer is in order. I started my tour with a Kristall Weissbier from Weihenstephaner which is a filtered wheat beer. Kristall is an indicator of the clarity of the style. Wheat beers are normally cloudy or hazy due to the yeast and the absence of husks that unlike barley, wheat lacks. The barley grain husk provides …Read more »

Reinaert Wild Ale

I say this is a little tame for a self professed “Wild” ale. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really good. Reinaert Wild Ale is a bottle conditioned Belgian strong ale. It pours a beautiful gold orange, slightly cloudy with a huge, long lasting, rocky head. The brettanomyces is very evident in the aroma. It does offer a distinctive horse blanket …Read more »

Homebrew-Imperial Red Rye

Oh such sweet sorrow… The last glass of my homebrewed Imperial Red Rye. Big, bold, malty and hoppy. This guy weighed in at 8.5% abv and 80 IBUs. The aroma is big with citrus and pine immediately followed by a malty almost roasty nose. The flavor strikes the palate as malty sweet at the start and immediately shows the character …Read more »

Handcrafted Beer Cap Neckwear

32,10,0,70,1
600,600,60,1,3000,5000,25,800
90,150,1,70,12,30,50,1,70,12,1,50,1,1,1,5000
Stone Brewing is located in Escondido, California and is known for hugely hoppy and high octane, malt-rich beers. Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 in San Marcos, CA. The Double Bastard this cap sealed uses huge amounts of hops, but the type of hops used is not released. The necklace shown here was previously crimped on a bottle of Double Bastard Ale. The beer is orange-light brown in color and has a hoppy and malty nose. A mouth full of hop flavor and a rich malt and bitter/dry and finish. The hop types and IBU\'s are \"Classified\" according to Stone Brewing, but the alcohol is plentiful at 11% abv! This artisan piece was handmade using that recycled bottle cap. The cap was domed and filled with 2-row malted barley and caramel malt similar to that malt commonly used in similar beer styles. The malt is set in resin and helps add weight. This is a must have item for beer enthusiasts, craftbeer enthusiasts, Stone Brewing fans, IPA, DIPA fanatics, San Diego beer lovers or anybody that enjoys truly unique, handmade jewelry. Each piece is different as each cap has been treated differently through their travels to my beer fridge. Additionally, each cap reacts differently to the doming process. Cracks and chips may result naturally and add to the unique, unduplicated, rustic character of the finished product. The cap artwork represents the Stone gargoyle logo.
Stone-Double Arrogant Bastard
The beer cap shown here was previously crimped on a bottle of West Coast Double India Pale Ale (DIPA). The beer is orange-copper in color and has a hoppy and malty nose. A mouth full of hop flavor and a bitter/dry and finish. Clean and refreshing even though this beer weighs in at 95 IBUs and 8.1% abv!
Green Flash West Coast Double IPA
The necklace shown here was previously crimped on the bottle of Blue Moon Belgian White. Blue moon uses 2 row barley, white wheat and oats in their grain bill. They also use Valenica orange peel and coriander to give the beer the signature aroma and flavor profile of a traditional Belgian white. The specific gravity is 1.053, IBUs-9 and weighs in at a moderate 5.4% abv. The aroma is malty with a bit of orange. The flavor has a sweet start with a bit of spicy orange flavor and a nicely balanced finish from the hops. The addition of oats provide a smooth, creamy mouthfeel.
Blue Moon Front
This artisan piece was handmade using that recycled bottle cap. The cap was domed and filled with real 2-row malted barley and white wheat used this beer style. The barley and wheat is set with casting epoxy to hold the grain in place and add weight.
Blue Moon Back
Blue Moon beer cap from the side
Blue Moon Side View
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