Club Corner
Beer Club October 2026: Orange Season
While I do appreciate San Francisco’s constant of 60℉ and foggy, one thing I miss living here is the beauty of the changing seasons. Luckily, I can track the passage of time through the decorations I see outside: flags representing different holidays, menorahs displayed in windows - and the rare but ever impressive 12 foot tall skeleton looming over Home Depot.That last one, brings us to our theme for this month. With Halloween season in full swing, the spooky signage is everywhere. My dad has hung up his spider web spanning from the house to the tree in front, and he continues to ornament it right up till the big day.One thing that is still missing from it though, is the color Orange. One half (the other is of course black) of the Halloween hues, Orange reps both the changing autumnal foliage and the pumpkin-to-jack-o-lantern transformations that define this time of year.So why not the beer the too? deGarde Brewing, nestled in the Oregon coast, is known for their naturally fermented wild ales. This month we are featuring their The Frais a l’Orange, which has spent some time brewing with orange zest. This nod to the color-that-rhymes-with-nothing is fantastic for the feasts that occur during the holidays, and adds a bit of warmth and spice with which to weather the colder temperatures.Boo!Daniel RuppertBeer Buyer The Frais a l'Orange Wild Ale Brewery: deGarde Brewing Brewery Notes: We make beer and wine that has something to say. Expressions and illustrations of the farms. Projected colors and recollected aromas of the vineyards. Locally and responsibly sourced ingredients from our region, painstakingly processed by hand. No additions, subtractions or modifications are needed. None are offered. Just honesty, care, and quality. Nature provides something unique each year. We embrace that innate beauty and potential. We are a family-owned business. There are no investors or outside inputs. Just our own small team. Crafting and sharing beautiful things that we care deeply about. We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do. It has all been worth doing. It’s about place. It’s about time. Tasting Notes: Pours a hazy orange with an ombre to peach. Citrus and barnyard funk on the nose. Bright acidity and tropical fruit cover the mouth. Short bitter finish. Locale: Tillamook, OR ABV: 5.5% Price: $25.99
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June Beer of the Month Club: Alameda Brewing Co
While they were founded in 2015, my first introduction to Alameda Brewing Co. was at this year’s Beer Week in February. Focusing on building a community, they host weekly trivia nights, and World Cup watch parties while the games are playing, as well as many other events ranging from speed dating to live stand up comedy. Luckily, they produce great beer too, and while not as wide reaching as our other beers featured recently, they frequent local Top 10 lists. For this month, I have chosen to feature a 4 pack of their greatest: Coastal Classic, a quintessential WC IPA, Big Paddle, a Czech Pilsner, Let it Lager, a quaffable Helles, and Rainbow Ripper, their yearly Pride Month WC IPA release. As some of these are IPA’s I recommend coming by as soon as possible to capture all of the volatile terpenes at their freshest. The lagers are more for the coming warmer days as we approach, and occasionally experience, San Francisco’s late “Summer” season. Cheers, Daniel Ruppert Beer Buyer Rainbow Ripper West Coast IPA Brewery: Alameda Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Rainbow Ripper is our first Pride beer, brewed in spirit with our LBGTQ+ community to celebrate Gay Pride month! This amazing and empowered IPA is pounding out Peaches and Peaches and Peaches! Maybe some stonefruit and Apricot, but mainly Peaches! Still flavored like beer, this is a very approachable and quaffable IPA with a balanced bitterness and dry finish. Rainbow fists in the air. Locale: Alameda, California ABV: 6.5% Price: $5.99 per can Big Paddle Czech Pilsner Brewery: Alameda Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: This Czech Pilsner has the clean crisp notes that you expect. Light malt, noble hops and a deft hand help to give this beer a light body and crisp finish.Your go-to beer indoors or out in the sun, there's nothing you can't handle with Big Paddle. Locale: Alameda, California ABV: 5.0% Price: $4.99 per can Coastal Classic West Coast IPA Brewery: Alameda Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: This west coast staple brings back classic hop notes which put West Coast breweries on the map. Full-bodied with notes of toffee and caramel and a mild hoppy bitterness, Coastal Classic goes down easy which makes it a crowd favorite. Locale: Alameda, California ABV: 6.5% Price: $5.99 per can Let it Lager German Lager Brewery: Alameda Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Munich Helles brewed for balance and drinkability. Soft malt character, subtle sweetness, and a clean, crisp finish come together through an extended lagering process, making this an easy drinking Lager built for any occasion. Locale: Alameda, California ABV: 5.0% Price: $5.99 per can
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February Beer Club: SF Beer Week
It’s that time of year again - Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, Valentine’s Day came and went, and most importantly, San Francisco Beer Week! This annual gathering of local breweries, organized by the Bay Area Brewer’s Guild, brings together the Bay’s beer community highlighting collaborations, limited releases, and tap take overs. Celebrating the craft brewing community that has grown within the Bay Area, this week is the time to get out and about, to see what events are being hosted in your area. Personally, I went to the SF Beer Week Fest at Salesforce Park on the 21st, and got Pliny the Younger at a local bar. Bringing the focus in on the club, this month we are featuring 6 different collabs - Beer Week exclusive releases and/or seldom available beers. Despite my best attempts, all but one are IPA's. Thus, I cannot overstate the importance of picking up in a timely manner. Please swing by the stores as quickly as you can to get these beers as fresh as possible so as to enjoy them at their best. Some of these breweries may not be new to you, but this curation is not to be missed. Cheers, Daniel Ruppert Beer Buyer Cooliosis Unfiltered West Coast IPA Brewery: Sante Adairius x Wondrous Brewing Co. About the Brewery: We are a brewery founded on respect for quality and authenticity. We focus our attention on producing well-constructed beers with an eye towards simplicity and character. SARA takes liberty in emulating those memorable beers, their brewers, and the experiences they foster, never forgetting those giants on whose shoulders we stand. Tasting Notes: Pours an opaque yellow with a dense head. Resin, thyme, and dried orange peel make up the nose. Citrus extract, pine, and resin explode onto the palate making for a lasting finish. Locale: Capitola, California ABV: 6.5% Price: $6.99 / $25.99 Heady Topper American Double IPA Brewery: Alchemist Brewing About the Brewery: The Alchemist is a family owned brewery focused on the triple bottom line and using our business as a force for social and environmental good. Providing good jobs to Vermonters, a welcoming gathering space for all, and adding value to our community are central components of our business. Powered by solar, The Alchemist specializes in fresh, unfiltered IPA, with an unmatched focus on quality and consistency in our products. Tasting Notes: Confident and full bodied on the palate. Notes of ripe tropical fruit combine with citrus and cannabis compliment each other into the finish. Locale: Stowe, Vermont ABV: 8% Price: $5.99 / $22.99 West Kept Secret West Coast IPA Brewery: Cellarmaker x Everywhere Beer About the Brewery: We started in 2013 as a small San Francisco brewery producing our beers in small batches one beer at a time. It has always been our goal to keep your taste buds intrigued by constantly producing different flavors. To us, making the same 3-4 beers all the time would be boring. We hope to abandon the common concept of a set production schedule that will allow us to constantly experiment with different hops, barrels, and yeasts. Tasting Notes: Pours a clear hay with a short lasting head. Dank cannabis on the nose, with citrus peel in the background. Citrus, tropical fruit, and cannabis competing on the palate leading to a bitter earthy finish. Medium bodied but definitely quaffable and refreshing. Locale: Bay Area, California ABV: 6.7% Price: $6.99 / $25.99 Incidental Mortality West Coast IPA Brewery: Ghost Town Brewing x Riip Beer Co. About the Brewery: Ghost Town Brewing is a craft brewery founded in West Oakland, CA. Our beers are served in our West Oakland taproom and at the finest craft beer-focused joints throughout Northern California. Tasting Notes: Pours a clear gold with a lasting head. Notes of pine and mint dominate the nose, with dank cannabis rounding balancing it all out. Pine and mint continue on the palate, and a warming citrus rounding out the background. Lasting dank citrus finish. Locale: Oakland, California ABV: 7.1% Price: $5.99 / $22.99 Cruz America Double Dry Hopped West Coast IPA Brewery: Humble Sea Brewing About the Brewery: Our styles range from "Wait, you can do that with beer?" to precision-engineered German lagers. While we push boundaries with wild experiments, we also honor centuries-old brewing traditions like decoction mashing in copper kettles and horizontal lagering tanks that would make your grandfather's grandfather proud. Our brewers blend Renaissance-level craftsmanship with modern artistic vision and technical mastery. Tasting Notes: Pours a hazier than expected burnt amber with a strong head. Superb hop character leaping out of the glass with mint, pine, and resin combining into a pleasant aroma. Light to medium body with teak, orange peel, and cannabis making up the palate. Quaffable and refreshing. Locale: Santa Cruz, California ABV: 7% Price: $6.99 / $25.99 We Gotta Know Mexican Dark Lager Brewery: Temescal Brewing x AltBrau About the Brewery: At Temescal Brewing, we brew uncompromisingly delicious beer and take pride in bringing a softer, lighter, thoughtful approach to everything we do. We believe beer is fuel for community and we strive to be a welcoming place for people from all walks of life. Tasting Notes: Pours a dark brown with a dense head. Freshly ground corn, ash, and ground coffee form the aroma. Tortilla chips, corn, and woody nuts combine on the palate. Long finish. Locale: Oakland, California ABV: 4.8% Price: $4.99 / $18.99
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Beer Club January: Knotted Root Brewing Company
Back in college I had this roommate who ordered his burgers denuded of everything but patty and bun. Ask him why, and he would respond with a question of his own: “How can you trust someone who relies on toppings to make a good burger?” A solid point - and one that lives on in my memory as reminder to always make sure and get the basics right first. For that reason, one of my favorite things to do when exploring a brewery is to start with the most simple style of beer they make and go from there. And for this purpose, I often settle on a light lager. Popularized with the rise of light beer in the mid to late 20th century (oh jeez that’s how we’re referring to it now), this style is now the most commonly drunk beer in the United States. The knock on light lager has always been that it lacks flavor, but with the cultural shift towards drinking less alcohol, craft breweries are reviving the style and putting their own spin on it. Light and crushable with enough personality to let people know they aren’t just drinking water, light lagers are ideal for when you just need something refreshing. While Knotted Root Brewing is known for its hoppy ales and funky sours, some of which we featured in this very club 2 years ago now, I am spotlighting their American Lagers this month. Are KR just relying on the extra ingredients in the sours/hoppy ales to make good beer?* We’ll find out, because I have also included their ‘Thick Strawberry Lemonade Goo Berliner Weisse’ and a hoppy ale, so we can compare the simpler style with the stuff they are known for. This hoppy ale is also a first for this club, as it is non-alcoholic. Whether you’re participating in Dry January, abstaining while Expecting, planning on driving or just curious, the craft side of non-alcoholic beer is expanding and improving all the time and definitely worth an occasional taste. Here’s to a New Year with New Beers Daniel Beer Buyer *(Spoiler Alert: they aren’t. Everything here is very good.) Knotted Root Oh'Kee American Lager Brewery: Knotted Root Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Pours a clear light straw with a dense lasting head. On the nose I get a freshly opened bag of pretzels, malt, and mint rounding out the background. The palate is controlled with subtle notes of brioche and resin. Subtle, but lasting malty finish with a hint of sweetness. Locale: Nederland, Colorado ABV: 4.2% Price: $5.99 Knotted Root Home American Lager Brewery: Knotted Root Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Pours a light straw with enough haze to obscure refraction. Head is dense but short lasting. Pine, wood, and resinous citrus dominate the bright nose. Yeasty biscuits, with pine and white pepper rising to the palate. A quick finish with a lingering hoppy bitterness. Locale: Nederland, Colorado ABV: 5% Price: $6.99 Knotted Root Close Enough Non-Alcoholic Hoppy Ale Brewery: Knotted Root Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Pours a foggy yellow with a lasting head. Pine, mint, and tropical fruits on the nose. Light on the palate with basil, citrus, and hop bitterness in the background. Quick finish. Locale: Nederland, Colorado ABV: < 0.1 % Price: $6.99 Knotted Root Thick Strawberry Lemonade Goo Berliner Weisse Brewery: Knotted Root Brewing Co. Tasting Notes: Hazy pinkish orange with a short lasting head. Freshly squeezed lemonade, berries and tropical fruits explode out of the glass. Palate parallels the nose, with a nice body, pleasant acidity, and a cereal finish. Locale: Nederland, Colorado ABV: 5.2% Price: $7.99
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December Beer of the Month: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
My first introduction to Sante Adairius Rustic Ales began as a small seed that unexpectedly grew into a beautiful tree. What was meant to be a simple trip to Santa Cruz unexpectedly introduced me to a cult brewery with many loyal members. One night, I stopped to eat at their Santa Cruz gastropub, and while the beer did impress me, I didn’t pay it much attention.. But, after I had returned to San Francisco, I mentioned to a friend that I had visited Sante Adairius, and he was impressed. Curious, I asked him the cause of his reaction, and he told me of the zealous following this brewery has. Sure enough, not even a week later, a customer walked in asking if we had any of their beers. This prompted me to discuss Sante Adairius with Justin, who told me that we had been on their distribution waitlist for a few years at that point. Luckily for us, a few months later (and several more customer inquiries), we got an email letting us know that we’d been brought onboard and could now share their beers with you! Owned and operated by Adair Paterno, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales is known for their rustic ales (shocking, I know). This category includes styles like Saisons, Bière de Gardes and other earthy, fruity, and spice driven beers. True to its name, this type of beer focuses on traditional production practices using various yeasts and bacteria throughout the fermentation process. Some contemporary brewers even go the extra mile and open ferment their beers, allowing for the outside environment to influence how the beer tastes. Returning to Sante Adarius, their beers typically fall under the umbrella term of Farmhouse Ale, following in the tradition of Belgian Saisons. They often utilize a blend of yeasts, and age their beers in a variety of barrels, adding more complexity and depth while maintaining an approachable demeanor. What struck me about their beers was how they always feel one step ahead, yet maintain a distinctly traditional aura. For example: one of their recent releases, the 831 IPA, presents with the texture of a Hazy IPA while maintaining the body of a West Coast IPA, a balance not easily achieved. Fitting with this oxymoronic teeter totter, I have decided to feature a farmhouse ale that has been aged in, of all things, vermouth barrels as well as a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout that was finished in cognac barrels. Just a heads up that these beers are a little pricier than the average Beer of the Month selection, but they were just too good to pass up. Next month we’ll focus on something a little less economically heavy. Have a wonderful holiday season, and I hope to see y’all in the next year. Santé! Daniel Ruppert Beer Buyer Sante Adairius Portable Magic Barrel Aged Stout 500ml Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales Tasting Notes: Despite only being finished in Cognac Barrels, Brandy takes the forefront on the nose, with the chocolatey notes of the bourbon barrels making up the background. Pours a deep opaque mahogany with minimal head. Syrupy texture that covers the mouth, with pleasant oaky sweetness, chocolate, and Cognac receding to the background. The long finish sees the return of brandy with the oaky sweetness being reserved to an exhale. Locale: Capitola, California ABV: 16.7% Price: $25.99 Sante Adairius Veiled Alchemy Barrel Aged Farmhouse Ale 500ml Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales Tasting Notes: Fall hayride through an orange orchard on the nose. Pours a hazy amber with a short lasting head and noticeable sediment. Citrus continues on the palate with subtle notes of teak, hay, and flower petals. Lasting sweet finish with orange peel in the spotlight and mint in the background. Don't be intimidated by the sediment, it's just yeast left over from the brewing process! Locale: Capitola, California ABV: 6.3% Price: $22.99
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Beer of the Month Club: Moor Beer Co.
With a renaissance of craft beer emerging during the mid ‘00s, Moor Beer Company (not to be confused with the equally great Moor’s Brewing Co. out of Chicago) is a wonderful synthesis of brewing techniques inspired by classic British ales, the robust flavors of modern California beer, and German simplicity. Moor Beer Co. was founded in 2007 when owner Justin Hawkes bought a defunct brewery in the Levels and Moors area of Somerset in South-Western Britain. Hawkes was raised in Los Angeles and gained an early appreciation for beer from his father, going with him on trips to specialty liquor stores searching for imported beers with a copy of Michael Jackon’s Beer Companion in tow. While stationed in Germany with the US Army Hawke fell in love with naturally hazy lagers. On returning to California in 1995 he took up homebrewing and made friends with brewers. Moor Beer Co. focuses on unfiltered ales. Hawkes believes that “true secondary conditioning, unfiltered, unpasteurised, and preferably unfined is essential to produce a beer full of flavour, life, and longevity”, and his beers are some of the first in the world to undergo natural conditioning in can. He has a “less is more” approach to brewing, with an ethos that will sound familiar to those following minimal intervention wine. They have received numerous awards, including Brewery of the Year in 2017 from the British Guild of Beer Writers and most recently Overall Champion Gold in the cask awards for their English strong ale in the inaugural Indie Beer Awards. Cheers! Plumpjack Wine & Spirits Moor Beer Co Calvados Barrel Aged Old Ale Bristol, UK Tasting Notes: Black with a rim of dark brown and only the lightest hint of carbonization. A nice roasted coffee note mixes with molasses, dark caramel, green apple, and fruity dark chocolate. Surprisingly soft and fresh on the palate. Flavors of dark toffee, coffee, and baking chocolate linger on the dark malty finish. Justin Hawkes $15.99 per bottle Suggested Food Pairing: Dark rye bread, roast beef, sauteed mushrooms, smoked turkey Moor Beer Co. Illumination English Pale Ale Bristol, UK Tasting Notes: A light, hazy amber with very little foam. A very floral and herbal nose with notes of spearmint, young citrus, and a very light malty note. Biscuit like malt notes, light tropical notes, and grapefruit on the palate with a dry, bitter finish. Justin Hawkes $7.99 per bottle Suggested Food Pairing: dan dan noodles, thai curry, red pozole, rajas, point reyes blue cheese Moor Beer Co. Revival Pale Bitter Ale Bristol, UK Tasting Notes: Hazy medium amber with thin foam. Dried herbs, white pepper, pine, chamomile, and dried citrus peel on the nose with a bready malt note. Dry finish, with flavors of dry pine needles, grapefruit pith, dried mint, and a touch of malty sweetness before the dry bitter finish. Justin Hawkes $7.99 per bottle Suggested Food Pairing: banh mi, pan fried dumplings, fresh spring rolls, green pozole, pasta with pesto, aged hard cheese Moor Beer Co. Resonance Citra Golden Pale Ale Bristol, UK Tasting Notes: A hazy gold with light foam. Notes of tangerine, citrus tea, passion fruit, and bread flour malt on the nose; light and citrusy, with a dry, grapefruit pith bitter finish. Justin Hawkes $7.99 per bottle Suggested Food Pairing: aguachile, pho, chicken satay, mango habanero chicken wings
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Beer of the Month Club April 2025: The Lost Abbey Brewery
The Lost Abbey Brewery This month we’re featuring one of my favorite breweries (and my introduction to Belgian-style beers) that steered me away from mass-produced beers and led me to explore as much of the wide world of beer as I could. The Lost Abbey was first imagined by Vince Marsaglia, one of the co-founders, along with his sister Gina, of long running San Diego brewery Pizza Port. He had imagined a brewery focused on Belgian-style abbey ales with the idea being since no Abbey was actually involved, that it was “lost”. The idea was put on hold, but began to simmer when brewer Tomme Arthur was brought on board. After nearly 10 years of brewing with Pizza Port, Tomme and the Marsaglias were finally able to realize the vision when they took over Stone Brewing's facility in San Marcos after they had moved to another nearby location. The facility was split between Port Brewing, who focused on hop-heavy beers, and Lost Abbey, who focused on the abbey-influenced ales. They won numerous awards over the years, including Small Brewery of the year at both the Great American Beer Fest and the World Beer Cup. In 2023 Tomme split Lost Abbey off from Pizza Port, retaining the recipes and tasting rooms. They spent most of 2024 sharing brewing space with Mother Earth Brewing in nearby Vista before finding a longer term space at the end of the year. Since their separation from Pizza Port, Lost Abbey have expanded their offerings to also include IPAs to round out their selections, and hopefully have a long future ahead of them. Cheers! Justin Malesheetz - Beer Buyer The Lost Abbey Devotion Blonde Ale Vista, CA USA Tasting Notes: Clear gold with a nose of hay, white flowers, banana, and bread flour. Dry on the palate with chamomile, banana and grain notes balanced with a grassiness and restrained hop bitterness on the finish Head Brewer: Colin Montgomery $3.99 per bottle / $14.99 per 4-Pack The Lost Abbey Judgement Day Quadrupel Ale Vista, CA USA Tasting Notes: Brown with a light fluffy foam. Raisin shines through on the nose along with notes of molasses, light baking cocoa, and fig. Boozy and rich with bitter chocolate and dark dried fruit notes with a coffee fruitiness and light earthiness on the finish. Head Brewer: Colin Montgomery $14.99 per bottle The Lost Abbey Lost And Found Dubbel Ale with raisins Vista, CA USA Tasting Notes: Dark brown with notes of banana bread and raisin on the nose. Soft and balanced on the palate with notes of prunes, fig, and fruity dark chocolate with a dark malty finish. Head Brewer: Colin Montgomery $11.99 per bottle The Lost Abbey Noble Tendencies Czech-Style Pilsner Vista, CA USA Tasting Notes: A pale light yellow with light foam and a light grainy nose. Dry and crisp with grain notes, a herbaceous and citrus finish, and pleasing bitterness. Head Brewer: Colin Montgomery $3.99 per bottle / $14.99 per 4-Pack
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Beer of the Month Club February 2025: Urban Roots Brewing and Smokehouse
URBAN ROOTS BREWING This month we’ll be looking at a brewery from 2 industry stalwarts who have created something very special up in our state’s capitol. Urban Roots Brewing was started by longtime friends Rob Archie and Peter Hoey, who had been talking about starting a project together for years. Rob is a Sacramento based Restaurateur with multiple successful restaurants under his belt, but is best known for starting Pangea Bier Cafe which pairs great food (including an award winning burger) with a beautifully curated draft list and regular brewer’s dinners. He paired his restaurant experience with head brewmaster Peter Hoey, who has decades of experience working with such breweries as Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Brewing Co., and Bison Brewing. Peter is also an instructor with the American Brewers Guild and has years of experience on the sales side working for Brewers Supply Group. Since opening Urban Roots in 2018, they have won numerous awards, including Brewery of the Year at the California Craft Brewers Cup, multiple gold and silver medals at various competitions, and most recently Business of the Year by the California Black Chamber of Commerce and CA Legislative Black Caucus for being a black-owned business and making a difference in the local community. From delivering meals to local college students during the pandemic and organizing the We Stand With You Initiative after the George Flloyd shooting, Urban Roots Brewing works hard to be a positive force in their community along with making great beer. Cheers! Justin Malesheetz Beer Buyer Urban Roots Brewing Like Riding a Bike West Coast IPA $4.99 per can / $17.99 per 4-Pack Pouring a clear golden with fluffy foam and medium carbonation. A classic resinous nose with notes of pine, peach rings, pineapple, grapefruit, and a light floral note. Fairly dry, with moderate hop bitterness and a crisp, fruity finish with notes of tropical citrus and cherry gummies on the palate. 6.2% ABV Urban Roots Brewing Extra Guac Double IPA $6.99 per can / $22.99 per 4-pack A brilliantly clear straw in the glass with moderate foam on the thinner side. Aromatic nose bursting out of the glass with notes of guava, tangerine, ruby grapefruit, and a light grain character. Soft and piny palate that doesn’t feel overly hot, with a pronounced hop bitterness that balances the long citrusy finish. 8.2% ABV Urban Roots Brewing Chocolate Moustache - Spumoni $23.99 per bottle A deep black with a slight red tint to the edges. A decadent nose jumps out of the glass bringing to mind German black forest cake, dark chocolate brownies, pistachio, and Dr. Pepper. Lush, mouthcoating, and boozy without feeling overdone. 14.9% ABV
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Beer of the Month Club October 2024: Hanabi Lager Co.
Hanabi Lager Co. This month we have something pretty fun not only for beer fans, but also for those of us who have an interest in wine and its intersection with craft beer . Before starting Hanabi Lager, Nick Gislason and Jennifer Angelosante brewed beer together while they were at college at Western Washington University. Nick even spent a year working at their local brewery before graduating with a bachelors in chemistry. He received a master’s degree from UC Davis in enology and viticulture and worked at wineries such as O'Shaughnessy, Craggy Range, and Harlan Estate before landing at Screaming Eagle in 2010. All the while he managed one the only Japanese-style fireworks shows on the West Coast, a passion he had followed since the age of 12, apprenticing under a master fireworks builder. After getting her masters in Mathematics and spending a few years as an actuary, Jennifer apprenticed at Naked Wines before receiving a second master’s from UC Davis in Enology and Viticulture, and apprenticing at wineries such as Hanzell, Bitouzet-Prieur, Shea, and Chateau Certan. Once graduating she worked as an Enologist at Realm, Assistant Viticulturist at Silverado, and as a Technical Writer for Guildsomm, a non-profit member organization and great resource for in depth wine information. While doing all of this Jennifer and Nick brewed fresh beer for their fellow winemakers, trying their hands at a myriad of different styles, and eventually focusing on traditional Czech and German style lagers. They intertwine their winemaking philosophy with traditional brewing methods and utilize specific heirloom grains according to their seasonality. In 2015, they started to crystalize how they would take this project to the next step in a way that still felt personal to them. They assembled a workshop designed and built from the ground up with help from a brewery engineer and fabricator to help them focus on the most interesting barley malts they could get their hands on and limiting the ingredients to what a good lager should be: barley, hops, yeast, and water. Cheers! Justin Malesheetz Beer Buyer Hanabi Lager Co. Haná Pilsner Style Lager Napa, CA Their core beer brewed year round featuring the heirloom barley used in the first Pilsner made in 1842. Pouring a slightly hazy light yellow with a fluffy mousse like foam. Slightly grainy and floral on the nose. Bright and pleasingly bitter on the palate, with a touch of maltiness. Notes of lemon grass, mint, and fennel shine through on the dry finish. $15.99 per bottle / $173.29 per case Suggested Food Pairings: Fresh spring rolls, phở, dim sum, pozole verde Hanabi Lager Co. Edelweiss Pilsner Style Lager Napa, CA Made from a descendant of the Haná barley used in the Hana Pilsner. Light yellow and slightly hazy in the glass with a fluffy foam. Very light grain on the nose, with notes of lemongrass and bay leaf shining through. While this shares a lot of the same characteristics of the Haná (bright lemongrass and mint notes with a moderate, well integrated hop bitterness and light but distinct malt), there’s more coming through with notes of grapefruit pith, lemon peel, and lemon balm on the dry and refreshing finish. $18.99 per bottle / $205.69 per case Suggested Food Pairings: ceviche, spaetzle, fish tacos, Peruvian-style roast chicken
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