Category: Beer Style

The “Ritual” of Brewing and Great Beer

Ritual Tasters

Best kept secret and hiding place in town. We drove by the low profile, discrete Ritual brewery/tasting room twice before we realized it wasn’t a high-tech break room after all. When we entered the building we were greeted by the extremely hospitable Ed Heethuis (employee #3) Director of Sales. He told me they don’t want it to be too easy …Read more »

Don’t Be a Taildragger, Flyby Hangar 24

Update-6/23/15 – This just in: YELP just named Hangar 24 the 8th best place to day drink in the USA! If you find yourself in Redlands CA, make a point to flyby the Redlands airport and land at Hangar 24. You won’t regret the flightplan. The brewery is in a big converted hangar at the Redlands airport. Despite a remote …Read more »

Hangar 24 Orange Wheat

Redlands, CA is home to Hangar 24 Craft Brewery. A great venue and a cool vibe. The brewery is located at the Redlands Airport inside a converted hangar…hangar 24. They have 20+ beers on tap. A huge outside beer garden to enjoy your flight alfresco. Hangar 24 is best known for their Orange Wheat. 100% locally grown oranges are used …Read more »

Hero or Zero?

I recently made a trip to southern California and While in Riverside I visited Heroes Restaurant and Brewery a local brewpub. It is a nice big restaurant and brewery. After entering the building you are facing the keg room behind glass. You can turn left to enter an open dining and huge bar, or choose to turn right and enter …Read more »

Anderson Valley Brewing Meets Wild Turkey

I just finished a surprise in a bottle. I expected this Bourbon Barrel Stout to be good. After all, it’s from Anderson Valley Brewing. But I was hoping it wasn’t another over the top whiskey flavored beer that no longer tasted like beer. This was very well balanced and delicious. I received this bottle as a gift for presenting an …Read more »

Rubicon Brewing Co-The legend

I finally made a trip to the craft brewing legend-Rubicon. I had read about the homebrewer friendly Rubicon when I started homebrewing 25 years ago (Rubicon has been around for 27 years!), but never made the trek to Sacramento. At last, I sat at the bar and ordered the taster which included six Rubicon brewed beers. As if experiencing this …Read more »

Lagunitas DayTime…Anytime

I took the midday Session IPA (4.65% abv) challenge made by the Lagunitas website and poured a DayTime with lunch. I still had a ton of crap to do. The pour was a bright straw color with a huge, long-lasting, white head. As the head subsided Belgian lace clung to the side of the glass as though refusing to leave. …Read more »

Gold Strike in Old Hangtown

While prospecting for liquid gold, black gold and amber in the Sierra foothills I hit a vein in Placerville. I didn’t have to dig too deep to find this great brewpub fairly close to Hwy 50. The place appeared to be very busy as the upper and lower parking lots were full. The nearest parking is the Raley’s shopping center …Read more »

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 »

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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