Drinking Now

Golden Road Hefeweizen - it's been two weeks since I've treated myself to a brew. A celebration beer because I just finished my first local Crossfit competition with my gym. Cheers!!!

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BEERventure

Firestone Walker Invitational Beerfest – Paso Robles, CA

This post is a little overdue, but let me just start with saying, oh Firestone……..you really do know how to impress a girl! With a fabulous list of top microbreweries and great local restaurants serving samples of heaven, an Invitational Beerfest like this really does sound like a dream. Doesn’t it? Well this summer Firestone Walker Brewing Co. pulled it off, and they did it quite well.

There was quite a bit of hype about this event; this was the first time Firestone has ever put together a beerfest where only invited breweries were able to participate. Tickets were very limited and sold out quickly. Just as soon as I heard about it from an Industry friend, we purchased tickets shortly after. Set in beautiful Paso Robles, near Firestone Walker’s actual brewery, it was evident that this was going to turn into a mini-BEERcation for us. Indeed it did, with the main attraction fulfilling every expectation it set out to achieve.

As soon as I walked into the gates of the fairgrounds, I could tell this beer festival was going to be different than any of the local ones I’ve attended in the past. Part of the welcome gift included a bamboo plate, along with a napkin and utensils, telling me that the food at the festival was more than just a background actor in the show. There was a notch in the corner of the plate where the stem of the beautiful Firestone Walker Invitational Beerfest tasting glass was to reside between sips.  Everyone was also handed a booklet with a list of each brewery and what they were sampling, and a pencil to take notes if desired. Each brewery was required to have at least one session beer and one “rare” beer, but there were many who had more available, either rotating throughout the day or a third on tap.

There were a total of 40 breweries present, and all were among the well known and respected names in Craft Beer. With each booth having two or more beers on tap at any given time, it was impossible to be able to taste every beer available (If there is a champion among us who has, please make yourself known!). Planning a strategy was a must at this event, and I found myself attempting to make beers I have never tried a top priority.

My favorites tended to be the lighter or seasonal beers, the kind that was “easy drinking” while outside in 80 degree weather:

*Boneyard Brewing – Femme Fatale

 

*The Bruery – Hottenroth

*The Lost Abbey – Lost & Found

 

*Moylan’s Brewing Company – Pomegranate Wheat Ale

*Nebraska Brewing Company – Violet Tendencies

*Russian River Brewing Co. – Blonde Saison

*Three Floyds Brewing Company – Zombie Dust

There were a few other beers such as the Firestone Walker Succubus, Golden Road Hudson Porter, Russian River Supplication, and the Sierra Nevada Knock on Wood that were quite good, but to me, a bit heavy while you’re drinking it in the sun. I don’t know…..maybe I’m just a wuss.

I won’t even get started on the amazing food samples the featured restaurants provided. That would be a whole other blog post in itself (maybe two). To put it simply, there was some amazing food to be had, not just the typical crackers and pretzels you would see at other beerfests. If you weren’t there, you missed out, sorry! To add to the beverage and food delight, there was also live music throughout the day, as well as a stage area under some shade where we were able to listen to some Q&A from the brewers.

For a first-time event Firestone and the sponsors did an amazing job putting this together. It was a great experience and according to Firestone’s website, the event will continue for 2013! If you see ticket information on this event, seriously, don’t hesitate to purchase! You’ll be SOL, while I’ll be having all of the fun.

Most of what made this event and weekend such a success was the ability to enjoy it with some great company! I’d like to thank my wonderful friend LeAnn Hubbard and her husband Brian, as well as Michael and Vanessa Andrews for their awesome hospitality!

Firestone Walker Invitational Information:

http://www.firestonebeer.com/mingle/fw-invitational-beer-fest.php

Drinking Now:

Go Team! From The Bruery Provisions' Collaboration Series. A Belgian-Style Mild Ale paired with a Camembert wheel, candied walnuts, frozen grapes and crackers. Perfect for a hot Summer afternoon snack!

BEERventure:

White House Saloon – Randsburg, CA

Although I took a hiatus from blogging this spring, I still continued to enjoy beer exploration when I could. In the fall and early spring, I spend many weekends in the various deserts of Southern California. My boyfriend and I love to go camping with friends and family and ride our dirt toys (motorcycles and side-by-sides) to our hearts’ content. Yes, many of the places we camp are remote, so our beer selection is limited to what we decide to bring for that trip. In few spots, however, there are some hidden word-of-mouth places where you can find some fantastic food and a cold brew that will quench your desert thirst.

One such place of note is the White House Saloon in the living ghost town of Randsburg, California. Randsburg is set off the west side of Highway 395 near Ridgecrest. It’s a tiny little town in a popular camping and OHV area with a rich mining history. Downtown Randsburg is comprised of a small road with a few old buildings on each side. With the late 1800’s feel, you’ll definitely feel like you’re in the old west!

The local spot is the White House Saloon, and yes it looks and feels authentic, like a gun fight might break out at any moment! (Just kidding……well, kinda) The “staff” as you would call them, are very much locals. They have that small-town vibe, not too stand-offish, but not overly friendly. Just the way a ghost town saloon should be!

Time-period and random decor is scattered along the walls. We spent a lot of time observing all of the trinkets and sun stuff displayed on the shelves. One shelf in particular was full of old beer cans, most of them I’ve never even heard of. Still very cool, regardless!

 

There was only one beer that had to be tried during my visit: the Mojave Red on tap at the bar. It’s the beer this tiny place is known for, and it was a damn good red! To tell you the truth, I’m not exactly sure if the locals brew it, or if they get it from an outside brewer. It’s really not the kind of thing you ask when you’re a tourist in the Wild West, so I just smiled and enjoyed my beer without pestering the bartender with questions.

The food was pretty standard for bar food, and it seemed like they had limited ingredients and kitchen space. There was even a sign above the bar that said “No Custom Orders.” It may as well have just said “Just Eat it and Shut Up!” Not a problem for me, I’m far from a picky eater. The cheese burger I ordered was very satisfying, nothing spectacular, but when you’ve been riding all day in the heat everything tastes pretty good. I did think that the hand-battered onion rings were excellent – we ended up getting two orders J

There’s probably a one in a thousand chance that you’ll ever end up in the tiny little town of Randsburg. If you do, you’d be doing yourself a disservice of not stopping by the White House Saloon for some grub and a cold one. Yeeehaaw!     

           

Weekly ALEment

Somersault: Hello summer!

Quick Facts

Brewery: New Belgium Brewing

Beer Style: American Blonde Ale

Origin: Fort Collins, CO, USA

ABV: 5.2%

IBU: 28

Glassware: Pint

Serve Temp: 40°-45°

Brewer’s Profile: Ginger, Apricot

Summary

Color poured is a very sparkly gold. The moment you see the brightness and the bubbles in the glass, you start to smile with anticipation. There is a very thin head that fades quickly. With the first smell, first you can catch the centennial hops, followed by a light peach or apricot fruit aroma. As you start to taste the beer, you realize how light and bubbly the mouth-feel is. The fruit flavors are the star of the show; although, they are not too overwhelming on your palate and fade away quickly enough for you to capture a smooth, light malt finish.

If I had to sum this beer up in just a few words: Summer crowd pleaser. This isn’t a complex or a rare beer that you would use to show off your “beer smarts” to your friends. This is, however, a PERFECT beer you that could buy for your first summer grilling sesh: a simple summer seasonal that pretty much any guest could enjoy. It has the lightness that a summer beer should have, with the fruity flavors enjoyable to most palates, with the slight hoppiness that reminds you that you are drinking and American beer. Not to mention the fun bottle label of an upside-down landscape that reminds you of when you played outdoors as a kid. Gotta give props to New Belgium with their clever marketing!

Drinking Now

Saison du Buff by Dogfish Head  @ Haven Gastropub, Orange, Ca

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Drinking Now

Bruery Humulus Lager @ The Playground, Santa Ana, CA

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