Pacific Northwest Beer Chick

Breweries, Beers & Good Times

The Best of Orange County (part 3) March 28, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Orange County Breweries,Orange County Pubs,Southern California Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 10:16 pm

Microbreweries lightly dot Orange County, each brewing with their own style and character.  Two of these breweries have become staples in the “OC.” Tustin Brewery has been serving up some of the best award-winning beers in Orange County since 1996.  Resembling a French château, Tustin brewery is just as pretty outside as it is inside. When visiting a few weeks ago we were somewhat limited on time. But, we did sample some of the “good stuff.”

Being a fan of wheat beers, I enjoyed the Lemon Heights Hefeweizen. Unfiltered and spicy with hints of lemon, this light hefeweizen would go great with any meal. You will definitely want to forgo the lemon it is served with. This flavorful beer doesn’t need it.  The American Pale Ale had a great hoppy aroma and flavor. Grapefruit and lemon gave this pale ale a great kick and clean finish. Lastly, we enjoyed Jackson’s Double IPA. For you “hop heads” out there, this beer is for you. Hardcore hops and citrus aroma hit you as soon as you raise you glass. The taste? Grapefruit and pine pulverize the palate. This beer is not for wimps.

Located directly across the street from the Honda Center in Anaheim, JT Schmid’s Restaurant and Brewery has become a permanent fixture in the “OC.” The restaurant is large, contemporary and chic. The beer isn’t bad either. I ordered the taster and started off with the JT Light.  Very light yellow in color, it looked more like lemonade than beer. But the flavor was anything but. JT Light has a sweet, straw flavor, a soft wheat aroma, and a crisp finish and would go great with a meal or on its own.

JT’s California Hefeweizen is another great “anytime” beer. The floral, spicy aroma grabs you and the banana clove and citrus flavor seals the deal. Yummy! Next up was the Anaheim India Pale Ale. This medium bodied ale is a bit on the hoppy side with flavors of grapefruit, caramel and orange. It’s an easy pale ale to drink so at 6.9 % ABV I had to watch my intake. Emil’s Amber has a deep, pretty red color. German hops are used to give a nutty, caramel flavor to this lightly hopped, malty brew.

 JT Schmid’s Extra Stout is ink-black and has a thick, tan head. I caught a whiff of brown sugar and roasted coffee. The flavor was every girls dream…dark chocolate! This was a full-bodied beer that should be sipped on its own. Lastly on my taster tray was the America Brown. This full-bodied brown ale was toasty, smooth and slightly bitter. Hints of molasses and brown sugar sweetened it up, but almost to the point of sickening sweet. Not bad, but a bit over the top on the sweetness.

When beginning the Best of Orange County I originally planned on a three-part series. But, there are still a few more hot spots worth mentioning so, being a female, I changed my mind. The fourth and final entry on my week in Orange County is coming soon!

Cheers!                                                                                                                                                  

Liz

www.jtschmidsrestaurants.com

www.tustinbrewery.com

 

The Best of Orange County (Part 2) March 20, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Orange County Breweries,Orange County Pubs,Southern California Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 11:44 am

If you have never been to a Southern California beach, you are really missing out. The sand is beautiful and white, the board walks and piers are filled with great shops and restaurants, and on a clear day you can see Catalina Island.  

Nestled along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway (“PCH” to the locals), Huntington Beach is unpretentious, beautiful, and the most laid back of the Orange County beach towns. Located just a half-block from PCH is the Huntington Beach Beer Company. If you are looking for great food, wonderful beer, and a gorgeous ocean view, this is your place. But enough of my rambling, let’s get to the beer!

Golden Bear Brown Ale is an English style ale that is dark amber in color, and the aroma and flavor is reminiscent of iced coffee.   I’m not a huge fan of IPA’s, but the brewery’s Indicator IPA could make me a believer. This IPA is unfiltered with light hops and the flavor and aroma of citrus and jasmine flowers. Indicator IPA is a wonderfully flavorful, spicy beer for spring.  Uncle Wilford’s Irish Red Ale is medium-bodied and has a sweet aroma and nice butterscotch flavor. The Irish Red would go very well with a burger. My favorite brew from HB Beer Co. is the Huntington Beach Blonde Ale. Light gold in color, this pretty ale has a sweet, floral aroma and a crisp, clean finish. The Blonde Ale is a perfect beach beer.

A few miles down PCH is another great seaside town with another great brewery. Newport Beach Brewing Company opened its doors in 1995 becoming Orange County’s second brewery. Brewing according to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, or “Reinheitsgebot”, NB Brewing crafts some of the best, award-winning beers in Orange County. My father-in-law and I enjoyed The Wedge Weizen and the Newport Beach Blonde. Beautifully unfiltered, The Wedge Weizen has that wonderful banana clove aroma and flavor that I just adore and slight hints of fruit nicely round this beer out. The Newport Beach Blonde is another perfect beach or poolside brew. It’s light, crisp and floral with a nice clean finish. Scott really liked the Pelican Pale Ale. Using Cascade hops, the pale ale is dry hopped giving it a great citrus flavor and aroma. 

The beaches of Orange County are like no others I have been to. Maybe I’m a bit partial, being a Southern California girl, but one only needs to walk down the shoreline and piers to understand how lucky we are to have a beautiful coastline.

 Part three of The Best of Orange County is coming soon!

Cheers,

Liz

www.hbbeerco.com

www.newportbeachbrewingcompany.com

 

 

The Best of Orange County (part 1) March 17, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Orange County Breweries,Orange County Pubs,Southern California Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 11:24 pm

It has only been ten months since our last visit to my beloved Orange County, but it seems like a lifetime. Blue sky, fluffy white clouds and beautiful 75 degree weather stayed with us throughout our entire trip. Don’t get me wrong, I love the PNW, but in the words of Dorothy Gale, “There’s no place like home.”

Orange County has always had a strong pub scene, but new pubs are opening up all the time and micro-breweries are finally starting to make their presence known. In the next three blogs I’m going to share some of my favorite haunts and a few new breweries and pubs that have cropped up the last few years. Trust me; Orange County, California is more than just Disneyland!

First stop…The Auld Irisher in Orange, CA. Located in the Stadium Promenade just steps from the Honda Center; The Auld Irisher prides itself as Orange County’s first authentic Irish pub. To create the feel of an authentic Irish pub, theentire pub was hand crafted in Dublin, Ireland then imported and assembled where it stands today by Irish tradesman. The pub pours a great selection of traditional Irish and British beers along with many guest taps. The food is as authentic as you can get and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. It’s a great place to hang out with friends and has an outside patio. The downside? Classic rock blasting through the speakers until the live band starts. Call me crazy, but an “authentic” Irish pub should be playing authentic Irish music. We visit The Auld Irisher whenever in town.

One of Orange County’s newest breweries, The Bruery, opened a tasting room in Old Town Orange. Scott and I have wanted to sample these brews for a couple of years now and we finally had our chance last week. The tasting room itself is quite nice. The seating area is cozy and you can also purchase cheese and meat platters to go with your beer or wine flight. There is quite a selection of micro-brews, import beers and wine available for purchase in bottles. I’m a huge fan of Belgian-style beer and The Bruery specializes in crafting such brews. We sampled 12 of The Bruery’s own beers but for the sake of time (and the fear of rambling on) I will touch on a few of our favorites. 

My husband’s favorite beer, and one we could both agree on, was the Loakal Red. The Bruery uses Centennial hops and age the ale in American oak barrels for a truly unique flavor. This is a hoppy, medium to full-bodied ale with hints of caramel, vanilla, and pine tree. Loakal Red is an interesting and delicious ale. My two personal favorites are the Orchard White and the Imperial White Orchid.  Orchard White is a Belgian-style wit beer spiced with coriander, citrus peel and lavender. Yes, lavender. The aroma is heavenly and the taste is just as sweet. The Imperial White Orchid is another lovely spring time beer but a bit strong in alcohol, 9% ABV to be exact. Brewed with orange peel, coriander and nutmeg, this beer has a very pretty honey, floral aroma and taste. The Bruery is quickly making a name for itself and has fast become an Orange County favorite.

As you can see our first two days in Orange County were filled to the brim. Once we got past the sticker shock of $6.00 pints we had a wonderful time. Part 2 of my 3-part blog will be posted in a few days.

Cheers,

Liz

www.auldirisher.com

www.thebruery.com

 

where the heck am i? March 13, 2011

Filed under: breweries,Micro brew,Orange County Breweries,Orange County Pubs,Southern California Breweries — pnwbeerchick @ 11:59 am

I’m in Orange Co., California checking out the pub and micro-brew scene. Will fill you all in when I get back!

Cheers!

Liz

 

Full Sailing into Spring! February 24, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Oregon Brewers,Pacific Northwest Beer — pnwbeerchick @ 6:28 pm

Oh, the transition of winter to spring. Snow still lies on the ground as flowers are starting to bloom. At this time of year porter tends to be too full-bodied and toasty but hefeweizen is too light and sweet. What is one to drink during Mother Nature’s transition? How about cracking open a Full Sail LTD 04?

Brewed from December through March, this lovely lager is crisp and flavorful with a medium body and nice citrus finish. Full Sail uses just one pale malt and only Willamette hops in the brewing process. The result? A great complex lager that is flavorful enough to be enjoyed during the winter and light enough to be enjoyed during the springs! LTD 04 is very well-balanced and easy to drink. But be careful, at 7% ABV this baby is bound to sneak up on you!

 

Cheers!

Liz

www.fullsailbrewing.com

 

 

Striking the Motherload at Silver city! February 23, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 5:38 pm

I’ve been to the “Motor City,” the “City of Angels,” the “City of Roses,” the “Crescent City,” even the “Emerald City.” But, I have found one of the best cities ever… Silver City.  Located in Silverdale, WA, Silver City Brewery has churned out some of the best beer in Western Washington. The food is great and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. But the beer is out of this world! I ordered the beer sampler and enjoyed every sip of it.

Bavarian Style Hefeweizen  (5% ABV): One of my favorite styles of beer is a Hefeweizen, and Silver City has crafted this one right. Brewed with 60% Washington wheat malt and 40% North American pale barley malt, this unfiltered beauty explodes with a gorgeous banana clove aroma and floral, sweet, banana flavor.  This beer was a favorite of the day.

Clear Creek Pale Ale (5.8% ABV):  Washington Centennial and Amarillo hops bring out a grapefruit aroma. Clear Creek is light caramel in color and has a nutty, caramel flavor with prominent hoppiness.

Big Daddy’s ESB (5.8% ABV):  Stronger in flavor than what one expects from an ESB, this beer is full of flavor and aroma. Brewed with Cascade hops, Big Daddy’s floral yet slightly hoppy Extra-Special Bitter is a great way to start spring. 

Ridgetop Red (6% ABV): Another of my favorites, Ridgetop Red is a wonderfully full-bodied brew.  Northwest Liberty hops and three select European specialty malts produce hints of sweet caramel that hit the palate immediately and finishes smooth and malty. This is a great year-round beer.

Panther Lake Porter (6% ABV):  This wonderful porter is ink black in color and the essence of chocolate and coffee perk up the senses (no pun intended).   The flavor is just as exciting. The porter started with dark chocolate, iced coffee and hints of vanilla bean and had a delicious malty finish.

Indianola Pale Ale (6.9% ABV): Surprisingly, this IPA is quite easy to drink.  Washington grown Cascade and Columbus hops create a floral, citrus aroma. Medium-bodied and hoppy, this is a great beer for spring and summer.

Whoop Pass Double India Pale Ale (9 % ABV): Silver City uses more than 50 lbs of Washington Cascade and Columbus hops in every batch of this IPA. Strong notes of grapefruit hit you in the face as soon as you raise your glass. Big citrus flavor with a caramel finish gives this IPA a nice balance. This beer really packs a hoppy punch!

Fat Scotch Ale (9.2% ABV): Heading into treacherous territory we have now come to one of my favorite beers brewed by Silver City. The Fat Scotch ale is treacherous for a few reasons: 1) the flavor and aroma are honey sweet and, thanks to the addition of peat malt, finishes slightly peaty reminiscent of a single-malt scotch and  2) The flavor is so heavenly; you may forget that the alcohol content is 9.2%. Fat Scotch is a truly beautiful beer in color, flavor and aroma. I defy anyone to stop at  just one!

Fat Woody Scotch Ale (9.2% ABV): Take my favorite Silver City beer (Fat Scotch Ale) and age it in American white oak barrels for 6 months. The barrel aging intensifies the smoky, peatyness of the Fat Scotch but kicks it up a bit adding a smooth, sweet, syrupy character. I also detected hints of chocolate and a slight saltiness found in a nice scotch-whiskey. Another dangerous beer!  Proceed with caution as it is also very high in alcohol content, but not in taste. Smooth and delicious!

Imperial Stout (9.2% ABV):  Nicely crafted, but has the highest alcohol content I have experienced in a stout. The Imperial Stout is definitely a great winter warmer with a wonderful coffee and dark chocolate aroma and flavor. Toasty, malty, and full-bodied, this beer finishes very nicely. Silver City uses Northwest Chinook hops in this nice, fireside sipper. Another beer to proceed with caution!

I enjoy each and every visit to Silver City. The only drawback is the size of the bar area. But, they have just completed the relocation of their brewing equipment to another location in Bremerton, WA and are in the process of expanding the restaurant and bar area. Thank goodness as the current seating in the bar area forces one to become a little too up close and personal with the person next to them.

Silver City Brewery distributes their brews to pubs all over Western Washington. They are also one of the few Washington brew pubs to distribute their beer in 22 oz bottles so if you can’t make it to the brewery, check out your locate grocery or farmer’s market and pick up a couple of bottles. You won’t be sorry!

Cheers!

Liz

www.silvercitybrewery.com

 

Reviews Coming Soon: Dick’s Brewing Company, 7 Seas Brewery, Powerhouse Brewing, Harmon Brewing Company, Silvery City Brewery. (So many beers…so little time!) February 11, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Tacoma Breweries,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 5:52 pm
 

Maui Brewing Company Has gone Coconuts! January 23, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Hawaiian Breweries,Micro brew — pnwbeerchick @ 11:08 am

When the weather is crispy and cold, snow is on the ground, and fireplaces are working overtime there’s nothing like a toasty porter to warm you up. But, what does one do when one is tired of winter weather and longs for a touch of the tropics? Well, you grab Maui Brewing Company’s CoCoNut Porter!

Maui Brewing Company brought this unusual porter to the 2010 Portland Brewer’s Festival. The line for that particular beer was the longest one at the festival and unfortunately by the time I made it to the front of the line, it was tapped out. Bummer. But, since the Brewer’s Fest I’ve spotted the CoCoNut Porter in our local grocery store. Not in bottles, but in cans! Maui Brewing Companies philosophy on the use of cans vs bottles is the same philosophy that has been creeping slowly into the microbrew community. Cans are non-breakable, easier to chill, lighter to carry, and best of all, the are 100% recyclable!

I was a bit apprehensive to try this beer, simply because the thought of coconut in a porter sounds kind of sickening sweet and just, well, odd.

Well, I’m here to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. With a dark color and light coconut aroma, two of the senses are pleased immediately. The first drink is a malty-sweet (but not too sweet) surprise. Maui Brewing really brings a great tropical feel to this lovely porter by using six varieties of malted barley, Cascade and CTZ hops, and hand-toasted coconut. The result is a smooth porter with hints of chocolate, coffee and, of course, coconut. I was hooked after the first sip. Usually I suggest porters during the fall and winter. But, this porter is great any time of the year. At 5.7% ABV it’s not too high in alcohol, but because of the rich taste I would suggest this porter as a sipping beer. So, if you’re tired of having a white Christmas, try a CoCoNut Porter for a little tropical vacation.

Cheers,

Liz

www.mauibrewingco.com

 

Upcoming Event: The Museum of Flight’s 9th Annual Hops and Props

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Seattle Hops & Props,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 9:36 am

Saturday April 9, 2011

VIP Event 6-7:00 pm: $100
General Admission Main Event 7-10:00 pm: $70—SOLD OUT!
Members: $55—SOLD OUT!
Designated Drivers: $30 (Designated driver tickets will be available in the Museum Store the night of the event.) 

www.museumofflightstore.org/

 

TIP OF THE WEEK: H2O – Nectar of Life and Preventer of Hangover? January 16, 2011

Filed under: beer,breweries,Micro brew,Pacific Northwest Beer,Tacoma Breweries,Washington beer — pnwbeerchick @ 3:15 pm

I am not one who drinks beer for the purpose of getting drunk. I choose to enjoy my beer and the company I keep instead of wondering what I did the night before while hugging the porcelain God (or Goddess for my pagan friends). In my opinion, frat boys need not apply and if forgetting the evening is your sole purpose of drinking beer…then why are you viewing this blog? But, there is the rare occasion when one does have a few too many and wakes up wishing for sweet death. How do you prevent this unfortunate side effect? Agua, H2O, voda, das Wasser, uisge, mizu, good old-fashioned water.

What many people forget about when drinking is that alcohol is a diuretic which means it causes frequent urination and flushes water from the body. The result? Dehydration. The headache one gets the next morning is a direct symptom of dehydration. The best thing to do to prevent the “kicked in the back on the head” feeling is to drink water before, during and after you drink alcohol. Now the amount of water you should drink is still up for debate but it has been proven that drinking water throughout the night helps keep you hydrated and most people have reported either a slight headache to no headache whatsoever. This is no old wives tale, drinking water helps to prevent the morning after headache.

Scott and I have experimented with this theory for quite some time (years actually) and we both agree that when we drink water while drinking beer neither one of us experiences the infamous headache. I personally try to drink at leat 1 pint of water with each pint of beer. The other benefit of drinking water is it slows one down from chugging their beverage and they actually drink less. Another plus if you ask me. Now some may say drinking water is for wusses. My response, I would rather enjoy my night instead of regretting my morning.

Cheers!

Liz