Pilgrimage to the 3rd Annual Bay Area Brew Festival
The sky was clear and blue as pilgrims came from far and near to worship at the 3rd Annual Bay Area Brew Festival at Fort Mason in San Francisco. 61 breweries, mainly from the west coast, came to offer their holy liquid sacraments to the faithful.
With a small taster mug, I soberly began my journey away from sobriety. Many of the beers were surprising stars. San Francisco’s own Triple Voodoo Brewing truly had the hop gods smiling with their worthy offering, the well-balanced and deliciously hoppy X Knee Deep Collaboration White IPA. Others stars were Santa Cruz’s Uncommon Brewers‘ Siamese Twin Ale, with a dark and fruity start and a lemongrass and lime citrusy finish. But perhaps the champion was Rogue Ales‘ Hazelnut Brown Nectar: a nutty, smooth, caramelly toffee ABV that will take you back to Beer Christmases past.
While many of the beers were excellent, I must note that the event overall lacked an air of reverence. Many of my fellow worshippers were distinctly of the “bro” sect. While the Beer Church does not judge, I couldn’t help but notice the differences in our denominations. Unlike more mainstream beer church doctrine, the bros prefer gulping rather than sipping their holy rites, often while lamenting that the sampler mugs were too small or lacked apparatus to be worn upon the head.
My Brew Festival report card:
Abita Brewing Co.
- Jockamo IPA: C-
- Mardi Gras Bock: A-
Elevation 66 Brewing Company
- Caber Tosser Scotch: B
Faultline Brewing Company
- Belgian Blonde: B+
- Pale Ale: C
Hoppy Brewing Co.
- Hoppy Face Amber Ale: B
Kingfisher
- Premium Lager: B
- Red: B-
Lagunitas Brewing Company
- Wilco Tango Foxtrot Ale: B
- Gnarly Wine: B+
Lost Coast Brewery
- Downtown Brown English Brown Ale: A-
Marin Brewing Company
- Raspberry Trail Ale: A-
- Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale: C
Moksha Beer
- Craft Amber Lager: C+
Ninkasi Brewing Company
- Total Domination IPA: A-
- Renewale 2012 Porter: B
Ommegang
- Belgian-style Pale Ale: A-
Rogue Ales
- Dead Guy Ale: C
- Hazelnut Brown Nectar: A+
Santa Cruz Ale Works
- Cruz Control Red Ale: C+
- Hefeweizen: C
Shipyard Brewing Company
- Applehead American Pale Wheat Ale: B+
- Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale: B+
Speakeasy Ales and Lagers
- Scarface Imperial Stout: A
Steelhead Brewing Company
- Extra Pale Ale APA: C
- Jamaica Red Ale: C
Triple Voodoo Brewing
- Inception Belgian Style Ale: A
- X Knee Deep White IPA: A
Uncommon Brewers
- Baltic Porter: A
- Siamese Twin Ale: A
Koko Brown
From: Kona Brewing Co.
This is one of two coconut beers coming out of Hawaii, the other being Maui Brewing’s CoCoNut PorTer.
This ale has strong malty aroma and flavor coming from a rich blend of Premium 2-Row, Victory, Carapilis, Munich, and Chocolate malts. The coconut flavor is delicate but noticeable all the way through. Smooth and great to drink if you don’t want a kick in the teeth from adjunct flavoring.
Big Wave Golden Ale
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Light aroma with no particular smell. Remarkable amount of body and very full citrusy flavour. Easy on the bubbles. Nice crisp tart finish. Very drinkable. Smooth and mild. Could benefit from some more aroma, especially given that when this beer is drunk in Hawaii there are a lot of gorgeous aromas to compete with.
Duke’s Blonde
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Next to no aroma and that follows through in the taste. A very faint citrus flavour but other than that just fizzy water.
This beer is offered only on tap at Kona Brewing Company’s locations in Hawaii.
Hula Hefeweizen
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Bubbly, citrusy, full-bodied. It is unfiltered so is nice and cloudy but you get no sourness from that. Vaguely lemony rather than orangey but has a strong banana aroma and aftertaste.
This beer is only available on tap at Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii.
Fire Rock
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Creamy mouth feel with a lot of flavours up front. The taste start out a little sweet and then progresses to a more bitter hops flavour in the finish. Has a slight alcoholic warmth to it but very pleasant.
Find this beer on tap at Kona Brewing or in bottles on the mainland.
Black Sand Porter
From: Kona Brewing Co.
This beer is worth the price of a plane ticket to get to the Big Island, where it’s only available on tap.
Roasty, smooth and perfectly pitch black. A slight hint of coconut which is included in the brewing process. Unlike most porters this remains jet black when held up to the light. Doesn’t taste burned, retains its sweet malt character.
This beer was Stella’s favorite of all the offerings at Kona’s brewpub in Kailua.
Lavaman Red
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Nice copper colour, not too heavy or light. A great Irish red. Impressive clarity for an unfiltered beer. Strong malt taste in the finish. Would taste good warm too.
Dryside Stout
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Smells and tastes like Guinness but with a more nutty finish. More carbonated than a normal stout.
Pacifier IPA
From: Kona Brewing Co.
Very strong floral IPA, no taste of malt at all. Long aftertaste. Most of the taste comes from the aroma, tastes like water if you hold your nose.