Welcome to another month of Beer Club at PlumpJack. This time around we decided to keep things a little closer to home, and showcase an Oakland brewery that I think is doing some really cool stuff.
Ghost Town Brewing started on a one-barrel system in the founders’ metal band practice space as a way to offset their rent costs. The popularity of the beers grew in Oakland, and eventually exploded around the Bay Area. They brew a huge variety of styles, ranging from hazy IPAs and oak-aged lagers to sours, barley wines, and everything in between. Their operation has expanded quickly over the last few years, and they now have a full sized taproom/brewery in West Oakland and restaurant/pub in the Laurel neighborhood of Oakland. They remain locally and independently owned and operated, and they’ve held onto their roots. Metal-driven artwork and names adorn their beers and everything in their taproom, where the music is always played at full volume.
The Woods Foeder Pilsner - $19/4-pack
Ghost Town produces a series of Oak fermented/aged lagers, and The Woods is the newest in that series. These beers are part of the reason I wanted to feature Ghost Town. It’s a unique program and the beers coming out of it are really interesting.
This Woods was laid down in oak foeders and emerged with 5.2% ABV and 64 IBU's. Full of notes of sweet malt, delicate bread and oaky vanilla.
Uncle Baphomet Foeder Bock - $21/4-pack
This is another release from Ghost Town’s series of oak aged lagers, and is also a collaboration with another brewery we love, Laughing Monk. The base beer rested in Ghost Town’s oak foeder for three months.
Roasted malt and vanilla come through on the nose. Uncle Baphomet is light bodied and dark copper in color with notes of oak spice and vanilla. The finish is clean and dry.
Polydactyl Pale Ale - $18/4-pack
Polydactyl Pale is a West Coast Pale Ale named in honor of Ghost Town’s brew cat. The beer features Mosaic and Citra hops, 5.5% ABV and 34 IBUs. Low bitterness and lots of fruity hop tones make for a fun, crushable Pale.
We haven’t had a Hazy IPA in the club in a couple months, so we had to mix one in. Skullet features Citra, Amarillo and Azacca hops and clocks in at 6.7% ABV and 50IBUs. It is a big, round, fruit-forward brew with lots of citrus and melon character.
Geisterfaust Pilsner - $18/4-pack
This is Ghost Town’s most well known and best selling beer. I love a crispy Pilsner and this checks all the boxes. I’d put it up against any other Pilsner on the market. This is a desert island beer, meaning if I had to choose one to drink forever, this would be a top contender.
Stone Cell Sour - $17/500ml bottle
Stone Cell is the latest in Ghost Town’s Beer Encinal series, which features whole California fruit and their house mixed culture of wild Oakland yeast and bacteria.
This beer is oak aged and steel tank conditioned with California-grown Asian + Bartlett pear varieties and made with wild West Oakland yeast. It is bright, juicy and tart.
