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!