OK, when I said I’d take a break from west-coast beers, I kinda lied. Still, at least on the next show I’m spreading the love a little. The beers are:
Shipyard IPA [alternatives: Samuel Smith's India Ale, Fuller's India Pale Ale, Summit India Pale Ale]
and
Lagunitas IPA [alternatives: Stone IPA, AleSmith IPA, Bell's Two Hearted Ale]
The theme is probably apparent, but hey, it’s a good one!
Prebeer Preamble: This show is brought to you by the number “2″: two versions of two beers in two cities with two co-drinkers. We continue focusing on breweries what started back in “tha day,” this time enjoying both of the beers at their points of origin.
Beer #1: I’m joined by local friend Matt Brown in sunny Chico, California for an afternoon’s drinking at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Though we have many beers to choose from, we select the flagship beer, the Pale Ale, for close scrutiny. We’re shocked to discover Sierra Nevada brews two different Pale Ale recipes: one for bottling, one for draft. How do these different beers with the same name compare?
Interbeer Interlude: Beer As Folk. “Fritz Maytag” Mr. Maytag fleshes out the tale of how he turned the once-dilapidated Anchor Brewing Co. into the template for the “microbrewery revolution”. Today we find out how and when Anchor’s stable of beers evolved. Let’s just say that when Burt Reynolds was running bootleg Coors cross-country, Fritz was brewing a barleywine in San Francisco. Part 2 of 2.
Beer #2: I suddenly find myself at the Bridgeport Alehouse in Portland, Oregon where I’m joined by my friend Jason for a Bridgeport IPA. In fact, on this day there were two IPA’s, one out of the traditional forced-CO2 tap, and one on “cask”, where the beer is naturally carbonated in the keg and pumped out at cellar temperatures for thisty patrons. We try each, and much talk of tiny bubbles ensues.
Beer Geek Moment: “Does Size Matter?” Bashing large breweries is easy, but is it fair? A special guest voice provides musings on whether beer quality is destined to suffer when a brewery becomes sufficiently large. Food for thought my friends, food for thought…
Postbeer Postscript: In a whiplash scoring binge, we cover four beers and hundreds of miles as Matt, Jason and I report out on our reactions to everything sampled today. I believe it’s here that I need to send a huge thank-you to Michael R. Mennenga for making this show sound soooooo much better than ass.
More North American West Coast micros (I’ll really try to take a break from this theme next time, promise!).
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale [alternatives: Anchor Liberty Ale, Stone Pale Ale, Alpha King Pale Ale, Bell's Pale Ale]
Bridgeport IPA [alternatives: Victory Hop Devil Ale, Snake Dog IPA, Saranac India Pale Ale, Samuel Smith's India Pale Ale]
Hopheads out there, this is a good week for you!
Prebeer Preamble: Well, we’re about 30 years down the pike from the origins of the “microbrewery revolution.” Time to check in and see how some of the early entries are holding up…
Beer #1: I’m joined by my friend Robert Short to try some ESB from Seattle’s Redhook Brewery. It’s a friendly style from a very successful older micro. Do Rob and I hold its success against it?
Interbeer Interlude. Beer As Folk: “Fritz Maytag.” OK, just shoot me now. My short list of beer-related experiences to have before I die just got a big ol’ checkmark on it. I talked with the legendary brewer and entrepreneur about his history with the Anchor Brewing Co., his struggles to stay small, and what it was like to be a craft brewer decades before the term was even invented. Here’s an analogy: Adam Curry::podcasting, Fritz Maytag::craft brewing. Part 1 of 2.
Beer #2: Rob and I now try some Red Tail Ale from California’s Mendocino Brewing Company. In the glass it looks nearly identical to Red Hook. Do the similarities continue into the tasting, or are there surprises in store for your two thirsty commentators?
Beer Geek Moment: “What is a Microbrewery?” It’s a term that’s in its twilight years, but it’s still instructive to try and wrap your head around what it once meant.
Postbeer Postscript: Time to score these puppies up! Do Rob and I show any respect for these once-groundbreaking brews, or is this a case of “meet the new boss, same as the old boss“?
This week, things should be relatively easy for the North American crowd, and hopefully not too tough for everyone else either. The beers are:
Redhook ESB [alternatives: Fuller's ESB, Victory ESB, Bridgeport ESB, or any other "ESB"]
and
Red Tail Ale from the Mendocino Brewing Co. [alternatives: Full Sail Amber, Bell's Amber, Fat Tire, or anything called "amber"]
Both beers are generally “ambers,” but the Redhook alternate should be a little less full-bodied than the Red Tail.
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