My Response To The Article: “12 Mistakes You’re Making When Visiting A Brewery”
Intro
So, I was looking at my phone and when opening a new tab, a suggested article popped up. The title immediately caught my interest because there were one of two ways it was going to go, and I had to know. Damn clickbait. Anyway, “12 Mistakes You’re Making When Visiting A Brewery” is either going to be 12 obvious things you should do when visiting any type of place, not just a brewery or will be 12 gripes that an individual that has worked in the craft beer industry has about customers that visit their locations. Since I have worked in the craft beer industry for some time as a beer-tender I was hoping for an article about things that just frustrate me and coworkers about some specific type of mistakes we see customers make all the time and be validated. This was not that article. This article made me annoyed enough to sit down and write my response.
To sum up the article, it covers some random things. Some of the “errors” I would argue are simply not errors at all. I am going to cover them in chronological order explaining what the section said and why it doesn’t, or does, belong in an article with the goal of helping a customer navigate the craft beer scene. Lets get started.
Mistakes?
1. Not doing your research beforehand:
Now this section says that you should look beforehand to see what styles the brewery produces, their ratings on Untappd, operational hours, child/dog friendliness and hours of operation.
I read this section and my heart dropped into my stomach. I knew from here the article was doomed to be something I wanted it to be, but I also realized it was written by someone looking to hit a deadline. The writer needed to pump out an article on something food/beverage related for the website. James Hastings had to write this to get paid.
So, I looked him up and saw he had serving experience and even more, was a beverage manager at a awarded restaurant in New Zealand going so far as winning the “Best Newcomer” award by BrewDog, Europe’s largest independent craft brewery. For what, I am not sure. He worked for Heineken and BrewDog and ran beer schools. He now lives in Thailand and is living his best life touring the region eating and drinking and writing. He has 16 years of experience in hospitality across 8 countries. My guy in his spare time is a project manager for Wild Response which is an international wildlife conservation nonprofit. James is living a damn good life what a lad. But James, this article is painful.
Before going anywhere, I would argue to look at if you can bring dogs or kids, and yeah you should know operating hours and days the location is open. Brewery specific, if you are picky about beer styles yes look before going but this is not the number 1 mistake made by those visiting breweries. As for reviews of beer before going on Untappd or social media, just like when picking where to eat dinner this is an obvious tool even Boomers use to narrow down where to visit.
Personally, when visiting a brewery, I have never been to, I will look at the beer styles they have listed online if I am with someone who will only drink a specific style but if that is not a roadblock, I just go to find out for myself. I would say if you were going to a brewery, keep an open mind and research only what you would for any type of outing. Again, for emphasis, this is not the number 1 mistake made by brewery visitors.
2. Dressing inappropriately:
This section says dress warm if it’s cold out and dress as if you were going to visit a construction site.
I would laugh if I wasn’t so disappointed. I want to note I have only been to breweries in the United States, so maybe other countries are different, but this is too much. Sure, breweries are active work sites, but they aren’t unsafe. You won’t be seated next to the mash tun during an active brewing time. There will always be a spot to sit far enough away from equipment that this is never warranted. I brewed at a craft brewery for instance and if someone came to get a pint dressed like I was, I would ask where they brew. This is not an issue at any brewery I have ever been and more so, should not be number 2 only this list let alone on any list of this kind! James you’ve lost the plot.
3. Touching the brewing equipment or ingredients:
I respect you as a reader too much to explain to you what this section is about. Each section is 3 paragraphs by the way which lends me peace of mind that James wrote this in an hour to meet a quota to get paid so he can go out in Thailand and have a blast.
This section James, no. Just no. Nobody read this and thought, “Ah point taken, good thing I read this article.” Of course, you don’t touch the brewing equipment or ingredients. Do you see people walk into kitchens at restaurants and grab ingredients and touch all the pots and pans? Why add this section, and at number 3? I could say more but I may start bleeding from the ears if I do.
4. Not paying attention to your guide:
Another section I will not summarize. This section made me think more than the last two, however. Not about the so called “12 Mistakes You’re Making When Visiting A Brewery” but about the world we live in. There is someone out there that felt the need to say, “If you go on a tour of something, its best to pay attention.” Wow. I am going to write an article called “12 Mistakes You’re Making When Visiting A Movie Theater” and number four on the list will be “Not watching the movie.”
James. My one sentence response for this section is as follows:
NO SHIT!
5. Neglecting to ask questions:
This section says to ask questions about beer and the brewing industry to those who work at a brewery.
I would simply say see my one sentence response from the previous section, but I feel compelled to explain something here. James, if you need a friend email me man. He writes, “In our experience, brewers can be very good friends to have, and while it’s never a guarantee, if you’re respectful and eager to learn, you may even get the chance to sample special brews that aren’t always brought out for the general public.” James is either expressing how he wished more people would have talked to him in different positions held while in the industry or he is trying to explain that if you are nice and interested in something, those that are there to facilitate this may be nice to you in return.
This section is common sense regardless of where you are visiting. Maybe don’t run on the court and ask Lebron James how to shoot a free throw but yeah, you get it.
6. Not trying a range of beers:
Yes! James yes! Hell yeah brother lets go! He says when you are at a brewery try all beer styles you can because it will give you a better understanding of these styles even if they aren’t your cup of tea.
I love this! Yes, people who do not venture out and try styles they have never tried before or do not re-try styles they have shunned may never experience something truly amazing. So many times, I have had customers try a beer they said they would not like and two months later they either love that beer style or still didn’t but had the style of beers they like grow in general. This is number one on the list James and the first that belongs. Banger of a section lets keep the momentum.
7. Overindulging in samples:
James says to drink responsibly, every beer has a different ABV and trying too many can be hard to track. Also, make sure you have a safe way to get home.
You are losing me a bit, but I agree this should be on the list. I do see customers get too intoxicated to drive all the time and I ensure they have a safe way home. This isn’t a brewery specific issue. Now calling out to be careful with samples is a good twist because people drink 7 5 oz pours like its nothing and get confused why they are drunk. So I get it, it belongs on the list but should be number 12.
8. Arriving too late in the day:
He says here to arrive early so you have more time and don’t miss out on beers that may be gone before you arrive.
James. Arriving earlier so you have more time is common sense for anywhere you go. This is not a mistake made by those visiting a brewery, but a mistake made by those with low IQ’s in life. This does not need to be on the list. Of course, a better experience would include more time at the establishment. There aren’t many examples of places I would say the opposite about other than maybe baseball games and the dentist.
9. Forgetting to make a reservation in advance:
I won’t explain this section. I get you should do this for a brewery tour but if you are planning to go to a large brewery that offers a tour then this is common sense. I can’t speak to much to this as I have not worked in a large enough brewery that needed to schedule tours like Sierra Nevada, but I have been to large breweries that gave tours on a basis of, “We got people interested, ok lets go.” I give people tours of the location I work with spur of the moment. That said sure, plan good if you want to tour.
He also says to reserve ahead if you have a large group of people. If you all want to sit together yes it isn’t a bad idea to call ahead to see if you can be accommodated but most breweries won’t do this. They have enough customers they don’t need to set tables aside that could seat potential customers for a group that overall may not buy as much product as random smaller groups.
10. Skipping the store:
This is a large brewery thing, but so stupid. If you want to buy beer to go and merch, don’t forget to! James. This is embarrassing now.
11. Not tipping the appropriate staff:
This is self-explanatory, he is saying to tip your servers. This is my new number 1. I agree. Tip and tip heavily*.
*-this is not biased, just because I serve at a brewery has no bearing on my opinion in this instance.
12. Not promoting the brewery after you visit:
This one is self-explanatory as well.
I am tired of the “No shit” supposed “mistakes” here James. Yes, social media promotion of a brewery you like will help more than the customer may know but at the same time it is not a mistake to not do so. People should be able to visit a brewery and either enjoy it, not enjoy it or have a very ok time and not have any expectation to promote the brewery. Is it nice? Yes. Is it a mistake made by the customer? No.
This one riles me up as the conclusion too. Right now, I am of the opinion that the craft beer industry has either met or is about to meet its ceiling in growth given world economic conditions and for some small breweries this will spell failure. So, if you want to see your favorite craft breweries stay around, frequenting them when possible and promoting them is a natural course to take and one small business owners will be very happy for. But to say it is the mistake of the consumer to not flood their social media with the experience they had at a brewery is uncool in my opinion and definitely should be absent from this list.
Conclusion
But hey Sacramento Beer Boy, you can dish out to James, but could you give 12 mistakes made by those visiting breweries? I can’t make up 12 but here is a list:
1. Not trying a range of different beer styles.
2. Not looking at the board of beers on tap before going to the bar to order.
3. Asking for a taste of every beer on tap rather than ordering a flight.
4. Asking the beer-tender what their favorite beer is.
5. Asking the beer-tender to pour anything then not liking the beer poured.
6. When there is a long line, asking the only beer-tender questions about the brewery.
I can’t make 12 because even with my list of 6, I am showing my own bias a bit much and they will continue to get more and more personal and gripey. I think there is one true mistake people make when visiting a brewery and that is not relaxing and enjoying it. A brewery is a space to be calm, happy and enjoy life. Get a pint, have a seat, or stand if so inclined and breathe, sip, and hang out. You don’t need to visit a new brewery and try it all, learn all there is to know about the place. If you want to, sure go ahead but it is not a mistake not to. The mistake is going to a brewery with an agenda, I think. The brewery, regardless of size and location, if they serve beer, has curated a tasty beverage for you to enjoy in a place that is comfortable enough to do so. Life sucks, beer makes it better and drinking it fresh from the source is as enjoyable as you allow it to be. So don’t stress about what you are doing wrong, you are doing nothing wrong. Cheers.
2023 Predictions
It’s 2023 and craft beer is still here, but I am now farther from it. The last two months of 2022 saw me depart my job in the craft beer industry to pursue a different path. Is the new job the long-tenured career from which I will one day retire? Who knows. Will I one day find myself back and employed in the embrace of the craft beer world? Who knows. Neither question is important really. But what is important is letting you know this simple fact: I am now farther out of the loop. So with that, I’m going to speculate what 2023 will bring. You now know what the following asterisks are for.
· = from someone not within the craft beer industry.
Craft Beer in 2023 *
To talk about what to expect from 2023, let’s look back at 2022. We saw craft seltzers step forward a bit in odd ways with “Hydrating Sports Drink” seltzers and we saw smoothie sours maintain popularity. We saw the IPA remain king of the castle with Hazy, West Coast and Cold variants stocking most shelves. We saw lagers take a larger portion of the craft beer catalogue across the board with the younger generation of drinkers gravitating to the lower ABV and smooth crispness.
This didn’t mean you couldn’t still find your aged imperial adjunct to hell stouts around every corner peeking and winking at you next to aged sours - arms wide open beckoning you over with a hug. Maybe that last part was just me. Overall, however, 2022 didn’t reinvent the wheel - and why should it? Coming out of years of lockdown and restricted travel and shifting behaviors of consumers consuming less on premises, keeping to what works made sense. What about 2023?
Predictions *
I am going to make three predictions, two that are not too crazy - split between one being Sacramento Craft Beer Scene specific and one being for the overall Craft Beer Industry. And the third… oh, the third prediction is going to be ridiculous, but the Boy is just that sometimes. Ridiculous.
First, Sacramento Craft Beer Scene prediction. I hate this prediction; I really am not happy with putting fingers to keys typing what I am about to say to you Dear Reader. My prediction for Sacramento is not good, I predict we will see three breweries either close shop or be bought out by another larger brewery. I have no insider knowledge to back me up at all, but I see trends. We saw Tower Brewing get bought out by High Water Brewing and Hungry Pecker brewing close. We are hopefully going to see Geisthaus Brewing open in the Rosemont area focusing on Lagers, but with gaining a niche brewery I think we can expect to see breweries that haven’t yet figured out their foothold in the market lose business this year and make the tough decision to cut losses now rather than weather a storm that has no end in sight; that storm being a saturated market only heading towards being more and more saturated. Kind of like the rain we have been getting recently (hasn’t that just been the bee’s knees). For some, the rain is absolutely welcome. For others who have dealt with flooding and fallen trees, not so much.
Secondly, a prediction for the entire Craft Beer Industry outside the 916 area. I predict risks. I think the IPA’s will dominate and Lagers will continue to trend upwards, but I think we will see a bit more by way of random styles of beer rising a bit. Styles like the Grissette, Saison, and weird variation of the IPA. Already this year I have had a fantastic Coffee IPA from Flatland Brewing, and Firestone Walker had a dry hopped Grissette that closed out 2022 in a great way. I think with craft beer showing its resilience and a global economy that is barely keeping its head above water, craft beer is going to be a rare industry that will see continued growth. This will give breweries the incentive to keep taking risks and I cannot wait to try what they make - the good and the bad.
Lastly, I am going to get all ridiculous up in here. This prediction is outlandish. This is likely to not happen but not impossible and if it occurs, I will look like Nostradamus. When it doesn’t I’ll have virtual egg on my face, but whatever, it is a risk I am willing to take. My prediction is as follows: a new style of beer will emerge this year. Maybe it is an old style reinvented, or an entirely new style. This style will catch on in a big way and catapult the brewery behind it forward and climb over the smoothee sour as the go-to style for those who do not enjoy the “traditional” beer styles. I will stop there because the more I add the less likely.
Wrap it up guy
These three predictions will live forever in the bowels of the internet for better or worse. In a year I will revisit these and see how I did and make new predictions. What are your predictions? Comment on the Sac Beer Boy Instagram page or email me at SacBeerBoy@gmail.com for a chance to be shouted out in a future post. Also, what would you like me to write about next? Food Trucks? A specific style of beer? Best practices for maintaining and keeping your couch or chesterfield clean and safe? Let me know.
Have a great 2023 and try a beer you were thinking of passing up, but always do so responsibly. Cheers.
PS: I wrote this before learning of Hoppy Brewing Company closing up shop. Hoppy at one time was alongside the likes of Rubicon and American River Brewing as the go to brewery if you wanted decent beer, decent food, and a great atmosphere. It is a shame to see them close but selfishly, that’s 1 out of 3 for this year and my prediction is looking good.
Blonde Ales
The sun slowly sets over the city and with it the hustle and bustle of the workday as it mutates into the relaxing hours of the night. Businesses close for the day and others open for the night as the 9-5 workers head home. Some stop for a bite to eat, a beer too perhaps because why not? The local brewery on the way home has a nifty looking food truck and a few friends will be there. What to order? The fluorescent lights that have bathed you all day took away your energy and work has zapped any urge to try something new. The food truck has a chicken sandwich. Very cool, those are always good, what an easy choice. Now the beer. Well wow, the tap list is daunting. What is that, ten or two hundred choices? The memory of a beer everyone had assured you would be your new favorite was Godawful last time, too bitter. Hops? Gross. But you don’t want a basic Pilsner or (heaven forbid) a seltzer. The words flow out before you can read the board.
“I’ll take the closest thing to a Blonde Ale you’ve got.”
Some call it the ‘Vanilla’ choice. Basic, devoid of character. Either the beer tender pours a Blonde or Golden Ale with no more said or they start to fumble over words, “Um well we don’t have a Blonde per se, but this is closest,” as they motion toward a light style of ale or lager completely devoid of hop flavors.
“Sure, that one,” you say and it's over.
But are Blonde Ales bad? Are they just a standard boring beer whose entire reason for being alive is to please and get by without too much notice? Are Blonde Ales the worker beer, just a cog in the craft beer machine on the inside - hidden and serves very little purpose? Is it more? Less?
The Blonde Ale
First let’s examine what a Blonde Ale truly is. A Blonde ale, which is also known as a Golden Ale, is a straw- to medium-blonde ale in color that has moderate bitterness and maltiness. It is closely related to traditional mass market lagers. It originated in North America for mass market American consumers used to traditional American Pilsners and other mass-produced American favorites. Dry, light to medium body with light malty sweetness, the Blonde Ale has little bitterness and little to no aroma.
Anyone awake? You still there? Let’s move quickly away from the description of the beer into some popular examples of the style.
Examples
Some of the most popular Blonde Ales are:
Summer Love by Victory Brewing
Sweet Action by Sixpoint Brewing
Big Wave Golden Ale by Kona Brewing
Twilight Summer Ale by Deschutes Brewing
805 by Firestone Walker Brewing
If you have been in a bar or restaurant that serves beer, you have seen one of these on tap. In California if you are not aware of 805 or genuinely have not seen the logo for it yet… HOW!? What rock do you live un…
Sorry.
It's very prominent. Many popular blonde ales play off the Summer Season as a selling point by either throwing the word in as part of the name or referencing it by way of talking about the beach or summer activities. After all, they never get above 6% (ok sometimes they do but rarely). So, is this style a crime against craft beer or does it deserve its place next to IPAs and the like?
You can sit with us
Blonde Ales on the surface may appear to be pointless and perhaps even be a nuisance to the craft beer fan. Who comes to a craft brewery for that? Why isn’t there a better style in its place like a Kolsch or Pilsner that have similar attributes but possess something more than just a blank slate of a beer style? There are a few answers to these questions. First off, they are largely a gateway beer. For those who are ready to dip their toes into craft beer but don’t want anything hoppy nor sour/sweet, for those who want a beer but also wish not to be challenged, the Blonde is there for you. Easy drinking, low enough ABV and when ordered gives the consumer the first step towards other styles. After one, maybe the drinker will request to try something a touch darker. Then comes the admittedly also boring Red or Amber ale. This new craft beer drinker is exposed to malt character and at times less bitter hop bitterness and aroma. Either they move towards it or not. From there it’s a door opening to Saisons, low bitterness Pale Ales and Hazy IPAs, Belgian styles and darker brews such as the Porter or Stout. Working at a brewery has opened my eyes to this.
Customer X came into the brewery a year ago with friends. They wanted something like a Blonde Ale, and I served them up a Kolsch (closest we had). Success, it was liked. A few visits later they show up with a friend they brought to show them the beers on tap. Today Customer X orders the Pilsner for a friend but decided to be bold and orders the Marzen, a German Style Lager. Another beer that Customer X can add to the list of beers enjoyed. Weeks later they show up and order a flight of beers challenging their pallet. “Oh hey, that Hazy isn’t bitter, is it? It's delicious!” Fast forward and Customer X orders West Coast IPAs with lower IBU. Thanks, Blonde Ale!
My gateway beer was a Hefeweizen alongside Guinness. I now dislike Wheat beers and Guinness is admittedly not my go-to (shout out to Black Butte Porter) but they have a place in my craft beer story just like the Blonde Ale has a spot for that Customer. Many others have this same story and is in no way an isolated example. It is rare for a person to jump straight into Double Dry Hopped West Coast IPAs. The beer journey has a beginning.
Secondly, the Blonde Ale is easy to make and sometimes can be thrown together using leftover extra materials. 805 was born out of an excess of base malt and a few low bitterness hops. The materials had to be used or disposed of while Pizza restaurants in the brewery’s area were always looking for an easy-drinking good-pairing beer with their pizza. So, 805 was made and strictly brought to these locations. It was a hit. This was before the beer had a name, so they humbly named it after the area code of the area. Now it’s a brand of its own. All from a beer concocted from leftovers.
Lastly, breweries love styles of beer with low cost and that are proven to move. There will always be the customer asking for an easy-drinking beer. It won't sit for too long and go bad. Return on investment is easy.
Conclusion
Does the Blonde Ale have purpose or is it just a boring, bland beer? I would argue it is one of the most important beer styles today in American Craft Beer. It is a gateway to every other beer yes, and it is a perfect fall back to summer beer for when you just need a light beer without being offended. With the new generation of beer drinkers leaning toward lagers and lighter styles of beer, the Blonde Ale is in a great position to grab the attention of the next generation of beer drinker. With variations of the blonde utilizing fruits, dry hopping, barrel aging and more, the Blonde Ale can also be so much more than bland and vanilla.
The light of day has long faded, and the third Blonde Ale is depleted. As you walk up to the beer tender to close out the tab something catches your eye. Coming Soon.
“What beer is that? It says ”Coming Soon.”
“Oh, it’s an Oat Pale ale. It’s very light with some hop aroma and citrus notes,” the beer tender says, redirecting your attention to the machine so you can add a tip and select a receipt.
“Ah ok sounds interesting, thanks!” and as you turn and leave either it genuinely sounded interesting or not, regardless it's now on your radar. Walking home thoughts now turn to all the beers not tried. Right there, that’s where the Blonde Ale did its work.
I will admit sometimes when someone asks for a Blonde Ale or something close it can get a bit boring. It’s a constant question along with, “Do you serve wine?” But it has potential to open someone up to a new world. So because of that, I salute you Blonde Ale. You may bore me to death and no, I will not be drinking one anytime soon, but you are very important. Thank you, Blonde Ale.
5 Year Plan
You sit down in a stuffy fluorescent-lit meeting room at an Ikea table across from one or two professionally dressed individuals. They scrutinize a piece of paper you have provided to them as it is their job to decide whether you qualify to work for their business. Questions are thrown at you, “Why are you the best fit?” and, “What is your largest strength? and weakness?” Sooner or later, after a few impressed side glances at one another and a “Oh very nice, good,” response they ask, “So, what is your five-year plan?”
The five-year plan. The one thousand eight hundred- and twenty-five-day plan. Is that a fair question? Depending on the context maybe, but also in today’s day and age strikes me personally as being nearly pointless and should serve only to gain a greater understanding of someone’s motives and desires at best. A five-year plan? In an interview you don’t want to say, “Get as much money from you so I may live a comfortable life outside this life-zapping occupation.” You want to say, “Succeed in this position so that this company and I can thrive and grow.” But a masked response, like the question, “What is your five-year plan?” The person posing the question more times than not could care less about what you want to have accomplished in the next five years. How does this fit into the craft beer industry you ask?
What is the craft beer industry's five-year plan? Is that a fair question? Is that a question that can be answered? Should it be answered? Does it matter? To answer these questions let's look back ten years and see what the state of craft beer was and what happened 5 years after that. I would look back only five years and evaluate what occurred in those last five years, but, this global pandemic thing would override almost everything and while I will touch on that and how it will affect the next five to ten years, it's not fair to only look at this time period. So, strap in and hold tight, we are going to the year 2012!
2012
Whoa, 2012! The Avengers came out and that’s cool. The Summer Olympics in London was nice with Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time (bet that dude never falters in public perception). The Mayan calendar came to an end, but we are all still here. But what about craft beer? El Dorado hops are a new thing and hard to get and IPA’s are all the rage. Saisons and Wheat beers are popular as well for those with a palette not too keen on hops. In Sacramento, breweries high in everyone’s mind are: Ruhstaller, River City, Track 7, American River, Rubicon, Hoppy Brewing Company. Most of these breweries now are no longer in business these ten years later. Breweries Device and New Glory were still a year away with many more now set-in-stone Sacramento institutions a glimmer in the city's eye. So, what was the five-year plan in 2012? MORE!
It was simply more more more. Not just in Sacramento but across the nation, more craft beer was the plan for the foreseeable future and thus for 5 years. This isn’t too surprising. There was a growing demand for the product of craft beer and four years removed from the great recession, jobs were in demand too. This was the year that in Sacramento, Rubicon Brewing opened a production facility in West Sacramento which was a huge move for the local favorite. If you sat down with the collective craft beer industry in the year 2012 and asked for a five-year plan, a relatively small wide-eyed industry that was full of potential would have said, “I plan to double in size and gain respect with notability in the overall alcohol industry.” So, what happened? Let's jump to 2017.
2017
The craft brewery industry didn’t double, it exploded. Notable breweries in the Sacramento area like Device, Moonraker, New Glory and Crooked Lane were on the scene along with some breweries that were not long for this world. While craft beer had exploded, it took stragglers down. Rubicon went out of business in 2017 and the owner at the time said, “Sacramento’s beer bubble is bursting.” This as we see five years later just isn’t true and are words spoken by a defeated business owner who unfortunately could not keep up. Is this harsh to say? I don’t think so, overexpansion a bit too early, tied to lack of variety and… deep breath here for emphasis… lack of an air conditioning unit in Sacramento California all led to their downfall. In their place, Alaro brewing popped up and is now successful because it is not overexpanding, has variety and… deep breath… has air conditioning! Dragas Brewing also closed but just like with Rubicon, a much more successful brewery opened in its place in the form of Moksa Brewing.
What happened in five years all around the country from 2012 to 2017 was exactly what could have been assumed in 2012: More. With this growth the breweries that failed to keep up with beer trends, having variety or just overall less than stellar business acumen fell by the wayside as newer breweries took up the market space. This is for several reasons but mostly because these new breweries were starting trends that the other breweries were either unfit to align with or too proud to do. I wrote about craft breweries failing to try and make craft seltzers before while comparing the attitude to brewers refusing to make sour or hazy beers, and this is why. Breweries with owners and brewers that refused to hop on the “IPA wagon” are long forgotten and those refusing to make hazy beers will be forgotten as well. Many of them failed during this time.
So 2017, what is your five-year plan, craft brewery industry? How could this even begin to be answered as a whole? It couldn’t be. The industry had just seen exponential growth that caused some long standing industry professionals to believe the craft beer bubble was fit to burst. At the same time you have people newly emerging into the industry with the opposite view. This means there will be either multiple answers or one that is complex. You already know I’m going to get all complex up in this bitch.
The plan would be to continue to grow but keep a keen eye on the market trends. While growth is still very much possible, do so with a fall back plan if the market shifts and don’t put all eggs in one basket. Grow and do not fall into stagnation because stagnation will not bring in new customers. It will not keep true enthusiasts happy. It would be smart to keep what works and build on it. Capture lightning in a bottle and sell it, which means if a style comes into popularity roll with it and add your spin if possible.
2022
So 2022, five years removed from 2017. The industry made it through and those who stuck with the five-year plan succeeded. Mostly. What happened in five years and a pandemic was solidification of the overall industry. Craft beer is here to stay and IPA is king. Any kind of IPA: hazy, double, black, imperial whatever, if it is an IPA people are buying. Sour beer is bigger as well, but so is every style of craft beer. More and more money is flowing in the industry and more and more breweries are expanding, while more pop up seemingly every day. The individual with the thought that the bubble was bursting in 2017, now in 2022 is forced to see that it was far from it and that they simply didn’t keep up. How about the question of the five-year plan? I’ll save you my breakdown by saying it was a dumb question to ask in 2017. Sure a pandemic didn’t help the following years but this is an industry that has seen such exponential growth and so many trends and changes in the last decade that asking a question of what’s your plan for the next five years is as ridiculous as asking a sixteen year old what they want to do with their career and future. There is so much that is going to change without warning, and by the nature of the industry these brewing companies must stay malleable in order to ebb and flow, yet stay rigid enough in the hyper-competitive industry to hold its own, that asking what will be happening in 5 years and have an accurate answer is juvenile.
I however believe now in 2022, it is a good question to ask all the same. Because where do breweries plan to go from here? How do new breweries expect to emerge and hold their own today? By asking for a five-year plan we can hope that the industry would look at history and make changes and choices that will make 2027 in comparison to 2022 that much greater, just as 2017 improved off of 2012. What is a five-year plan if not simply the expectation of greatness? We have reached somewhat of a plateau, all things considered, with fewer breweries opening and only a few closing. So what is any given brewery’s five-year plan? The answer isn’t as important as the question, and that’s my point of this entire rambling jumble jamble of words.
If you are in the industry poised to shape it, ask the question of yourself and look back in order to determine what is realistic and shoot for the goal. However you answer the question, the vague answer will be, “Get better.” But not asking the question at all may mean stagnation. Ask the question, answer it or not, and keep an eye forward. It’s just too bad that when asked for a five-year plan in an interview you can’t refuse to answer and explain that you generally want to grow and gain more recognition, but looking at the last five years that may not be realistic - but you will not get worse.
Helter Skeltzer
A few weeks ago I was sitting in a craft beer conference listening to CEO’s and/or chief marketing officers for 4 large California Craft Breweries whine and complain. Don’t get me wrong, 2021 following 2020 is a rough time to own a brewery and I realize this, but they were not complaining solely about that hardship for nearly half of their allotted time on stage. No, they chose to use their precious time (and ours) complaining about Seltzers.
I'm talking about four people who are so influential not just to their respective companies but to the industry at large - on stage just backing each other up holding hands talking about how awful the stuff is. Then complaining about the state of the seltzer market and what it could mean going forward for other alcohol beverages and just overall the refusal to make and market the stuff.
There I am, the Sacramento Beer Boy listening to 4 movers and shakers just boo hooing about the dreaded Seltzer craze. I was excited for this part of the conference as it was the final presentation to be done and because I respect these breweries for what they have done within the industry and simply because I like their beer, but man I was holding myself back from asking the question, “Why are you all so scared of Seltzers? How are they so different from other styles of alcoholic beverage served that you cannot give it the time of day to produce, yet at this panel have decided to dedicate half your time to crying about it?” I held my tongue. I sat waiting for the conversation to shift, which it did, and I will touch on that later.
First I want to give you, dear beautiful reader some background information to assist in understanding why I am so off put by what I was hearing. Nice shirt by the way, it compliments your eyes nicely.
Seltzer? I hardly knew her!
So what is a Seltzer? It may seem very foreign from craft beer on the surface and relatively speaking it can be. Some seltzers are just vodka with flavoring mixed into carbonated water. There are also seltzers that use other liquors, most notably is the use of Tequila but these are known as a different beverage by the name of Ranch Water. I will touch on that more later as well. The way most breweries make Seltzers however is by taking brewing sugar, adding to water to then ferment. Once fermented, fruit additives are thrown in and the beverage is then carbonated.
The process seems quite simple right? Sugar water that you add yeast to, then some fruit and force carbonate? Easy peasy lemon squeezy. So why are all these craft breweries acting all stressy zesty lemon depressy? Many reasons first being it isn't just that easy. When you add yeast to wort (the sugar water solution created in the brewing process of a normal beer, the sugar having been extracted from malted grain) the wort contains other nutrients that the yeast needs in order to ferment the liquid that brewer's sugar and water alone do not have. To make up for this, brewers will need to add nutrients during the fermentation process to ensure the fermentation is successful or use a specialized yeast that contains these nutrients, though the final product usually yields more of a hazy seltzer which is less than desirable for most. It is possible to make a seltzer from grain, but is not common since a big part of seltzer is to yield a clean crisp beverage that malted grain tends to muddy up with unwanted flavors. Hops can mask and meld with this type of flavor profile far better than fruit.
Mad bro?
So it is not as easy as it seems to produce, but why else are the big craft breweries upset? The market. Currently just little over 90% of the market for seltzer is between four main brands all owned by big beer and beverage companies. In the summer of 2019 seltzers exploded with the popularity of a hard seltzer by the name of White Claw. The easy to drink refreshing, relatively low calorie and carb alcoholic beverage was a hit along with another brand called Truly and soon Bud Light Seltzer to name just a couple others. Some craft breweries started to make seltzers just to compete or to focus on beer styles that non-beer drinkers would want like Gose and Berliner Weisse styles, but many larger craft breweries held back. By the end of 2019 it was clear to some of these breweries that they would need to invest in the new style but for most it was too late. These breweries would need to buy equipment to produce these seltzers separate from current equipment so they could keep a foothold in the beer market as well as develop seltzers that could compete. Then, COVID-19.
Big beer had jumped early on the seltzer train and were in the perfect position to flood the market during lockdown and after when shelter in place was lifted and there were still heavy restrictions on going out. Craft breweries of all sizes focused on staying afloat and definitely were not looking to invest in a market that was dominated by big beer.
So the market is stacked against craft breweries and it's not the super simple beverage to perfect. Any other reasons? Yep, the last one I will touch on has to do with the people who brew craft beer, the people who enjoy craft beer the most and the overall refusal, because of stubbornness, to evolve and accept new styles of not only beverages but beer styles in general.
“I don't wanna make that!” “Pshh I don’t wanna drink that” “Is it even Beer?!” All these are things being said about Seltzers, some by brewers and some by craft beer enthusiasts. They see the beverage as an attack on craft beer, some see it as cutting corners and making a dull product while others seem to think that it's a passing fad. This mentality isn't new though. When Hazy IPA beer styles first started to gain interest many brewers refused to brew them. They saw the style as lazy, you just dry hop the heck out of a beer and the hop aroma and flavors will hide slip ups in the brewing process not to mention it’s easier to make a beer cloudy than it is to make one that is clear and clean. Today it’s hard to find a craft brewery of any size that doesnt have at least one on tap and if you distribute you would be crazy not to have one on the shelf. This happened and is still happening with Sour styles of beer too. I would say Ciders as well but they fit into a different category technically which I don’t have the time to touch on right now.
Naturally we have seen a shift and many breweries at least offer a seltzer option in their taproom whether it be their own or a guest tap but they still are not attempting to mass produce to market for the most part even now when almost all COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. Why is this?
Healthy options you say?
Seltzers are part of the greater category of healthy alternative beverages to beer. Seltzers are lower in carbohydrates and calories than beer. There is also hard kombucha which claims the same along with Ranch Water which are all easy to drink alternatives to beer. Then there is non-alcoholic craft beer which is growing in popularity. But you may ask, “Sac Beer Boy, why do these other types of beverage matter when we are talking strictly about Seltzers and craft breweries holding off from bringing them to market?” Well reader let me explain.
When I was sitting in that conference, the consensus was that the breweries represented were all not thinking of making a mass produced seltzer. One brewery isn't because they have been seeing success with an easy to drink watermelon beer, another was brewing a 19% option for consumption only in the taproom, and the other had recently started selling and distributing hard Kombucha. The fourth had stated they weren't going to do anything other than beer, they were the smallest brewery of the four.
I held back a laugh. Hypocrites. They were saying how seltzer isn’t beer, how it’s a terrible market to attempt to enter. Every time they even said the word “Seltzer” they said it with a smirk acting as if it was trash water and a joke. But hey, one will make a hard kombucha because you have to brew it and it’s more difficult not to mention the market is still wide open for good hard kombuchas. One makes a seltzer nearing 20% alcohol as what, a joke? Maybe because doing so is more difficult? That decision to me is ridiculous as the appeal of seltzers is to be easy drinking, refreshing and supposed to be a relatively healthy option. This brewery is so blind to what drives the seltzer craze it’s laughable. Then, the brewery making the hard kombucha also explained they would soon be selling hard tea, same as the watermelon beer brewery.
So these breweries will make alternatives to beer, if they are more difficult to brew? No, it's simply because they aren't seltzers. Because of the market and because I presume they would be embarrassed for their brand to make a beverage that they themselves don’t like and that hardcore craft beer nerds have taken a distain for.
WAKE UP!
So here I go. Here is why I was so mad, mad enough to write all of this. Sure the market is dominated by big companies when we talk about seltzers. Thirty plus years ago when the same was true for beer. What happened? Why did Craft emerge? I have two answers. Quality and Variety. Craft beer offers both and naturally people will go for quality and variety in all walks of life. It’s why we don't eat one type of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day our entire lives. Why only drink Bud or Coors? Sure, being a creature of habit is no crime but Craft Beer has shown that people will try new things and can identify a quality product.
So now I speak directly to Craft Breweries. WAKE UP! The same can be done and will be done in the seltzer category. Why hold yourself to the formula? Why try to directly compete with White Claw when you don’t directly compete with Bud Light by making a low calorie boring ass american light rice lager? I seriously can not understand this. It is so blatantly obvious that breweries need to innovate, use fresh ingredients and not fruit extracts in seltzers. Make hazy seltzers if you need to. Change the norm. Craft breweries did this with beer from Hazy IPAs to sours to so many different styles. Make new and interesting styles of Seltzer! Experiment a bit and keep the Quality. Thirty years ago you couldn't find craft beer in grocery stores and now more than half the beer section in many stores is craft. Nice! The same can be done with the seltzer section. Making Hard Kombuchas and Teas is just dancing around the seltzer. And stop being hypocritical, this is a business and saying you won't make it because it's not beer or because it's easy is ridiculous. There is money in Seltzer if you just do it right.
I am stopping now
In conclusion, my anger while listening to these four huge voices in the craft beer industry is rooted in the fact that there is such a clear and obvious answer to their dilemma. The biggest and really only reason holding craft breweries back from marketing Seltzers is the refusal to make them differently from the big beverage competition and making them with higher quality as only craft breweries can. The fact that these four influential people were saying what they were to smaller up and coming breweries was annoying to me. Now it’s less likely that a small brewery will take the risk.
At the end of the day it’s not the biggest issue, I will admit. Who cares if craft beer doesn't make money in the Seltzer market. I would then just ask them not to even mention it and talk down on it. Seltzers, while not beer, have appeal. People who don't want beer or want an alternative should be able to choose to drink a Seltzer. Either make one for those who want it and make it amazing, or shut up and stick to your business model. You are just too lazy to innovate and do what is necessary to make a good product. I can’t help but to think that if this type of stubbornness remains we will see less innovation elsewhere. We will see fewer new styles of beer brewed; less variety. People are already complaining that there are too many IPA’s after all. But this is a topic for another ranting blog post.
Cream Ales ’n Kolsch
Introduction
You are being deceived, the wool pulled over your eyes and you don’t even know it. If you live in California at least, when you hear the term “Cream Ale” you may think of the following things and I don’t blame you.
Cream? I don’t want dairy in my beer. I'll pass.
Cream Ale? I am not a fan of lactose in my beers, milkshake IPA’s are bad enough this must be similar. I’ll pass.
Cream Ale? Like Cali Creamin by Mother Earth Brewing Company? No thanks it's way too sweet for me and that Creamsicle version was horrendous. I’ll pass.
Cream Ale? Like Cali Creamin? Oh yes that is a beer I can actually drink. I'll take that. (one sip later) This isn’t bad, but its not like the Cali Creamin by Mother Earth Brewing Company. That one is wayyyyy better.
The above four possibilities when offered a Cream Ale at a brewery (at least in California for the Cali Creamin examples) are understandable. The name says “Cream” while a standard Cream Ale has no dairy at all makes for a confusing situation for beer drinkers nowadays when so many styles of beer use lactose or vanilla to achieve a somewhat cream-like flavor. Even if you don’t react in one of those four possible ways listed above you still might not know exactly what a Cream Ale is. I sure didn’t and I work at a brewery.
You may think, “I am not being deceived purposefully, the name is not reflective of the beer since it contains no dairy but that isn’t terrible.” No, that's not it. The afore mentioned brewery Mother Earth Brewing is the one causing, in my eyes, the lack of this type of beer being brewed again (at least in California). Before I touch on why this is I want to discuss a different beer style, the Kolsch.
Kolsch
Now follow me, I know I talked about Cream Ales until the final line of the last section when I hit a sharp turn into a different style of beer, the Kolsch, but I will make it make sense. The Kolsch is a style many in the United States may be slightly more aware of since it is brewed more often than the Cream Ale. The Kolsch is a light, crisp, slightly hoppy ale. Think of it as a German Pale Ale if you want in terms of flavor, not as bitter as an American Pale Ale as there are far less hops added and it gets more flavor from the yeast used and grain. It is a beer being brewed all over the United States because it is easy to drink for those who like their Budweiser, rather cheap to brew compared to other styles, and is refreshing. It also takes less time to brew than a lager while achieving similar results as a Pilsner.
The Kolsch is not your standard Ale however. The Kolsch was developed in Cologne Germany in the 17th century and is one of the strictest defined beers in Germany. Brewers were sworn to only brew with top yeast (ale yeast) as opposed to bottom yeast (lager yeast). It was also defined that for a beer to be a Kolsch, it must be brewed in Cologne or within 30 miles of the city. So the Kolsch was by order of the Cologne Town Council in 1603 to be brewed as an Ale. This was abided by until 1750 when Lagers started hurting the market for the Kolsch. Brewers then broke the order of Cologne by - after brewing the beer - aging it in cold cellars as one would a Lager.
The Kolsch was then almost wiped from Europe in WWII as many of the breweries could not survive during war time. Following the war, breweries started picking up the style again but it was not favored as much as Lagers. They started to steadily increase in popularity following WWII leading into the 21st century as tastes in beer changed. In 1986, the brewers of Cologne agreed upon the Kölsch Konvention, which set out the brewing process that had to be used, and restricted the use of Kolsch to breweries that were within 30 miles of Köln. In 1997, Kolsch became a product with protected geographical indication (PGI), expanding this protection to the entire EU. This is not something that the United States abides by as many craft breweries here brew Kolsches and name them as such.
Now I am currently learning how to brew beer as I work at a local craft brewery. The other day we brewed a Kolsch and I found it very interesting. I have brewed a number of Ales, IPAs, Pale Ales, Hazy IPAs and more. I have also brewed Lagers like a Maibock and a Pilsner. So when looking at the malt used for the Kolsch it was almost exactly the same as a Pilsner. The process of brewing it was very much the same. The only differences being the amount and types of hops used and the yeast and temperature the beers where fermented at. Of course the Pilsner used a Lager yeast and the Kolsch an Ale yeast. The Pilsner is then fermented at a lower temperature as all Lagers are and the Kolsch at a higher temperature like an Ale. The Pilsner will undergo a 4 week cold storage called Lagering after fermentation is done and the Kolsch will Lager for 2 weeks. This makes the Kolsch an Ale but slightly like a Lager.
By now if you are still with me you are probably asking, “What on Mother Earth does this have to do with Cream Ales!?”
Cream Ales
There see? I’m getting to it ok.
Cream Ales as I have already said do not use any dairy traditionally. This I did not know until I was talking to the master brewer and owner of the brewery I work and learn at. I had asked if there were any other beers that are brewed like an Ale yet go through Lagering or something similar and he said the Cream Ale does. I reacted with option number three from the Introduction. This is when I learned about the Cream Ale and when I knew I had to write this down.
The Cream Ale is light golden crisp dry Ale which has subdued hop and malt flavor, instead resulting in a more yeast influenced flavor. The end product is like a subdued Kolsch or Pilsner. The reason for the more subdued flavor is its use of Corn or Rice in the grain bill to lighten the flavor and because it goes through a Lagering process just like the Kolsch does. It is by all intents and purposes the American Kolsch. It was first brewed in the United States in the mid 1800’s to satisfy the demand for Lagers when it wasn’t as easy or even possible to brew Lagers due to the temperature difference in the United States vs Europe. With a warmer climate, keeping the beer cold for as long or at all was difficult. It is generally fermented with Ale yeast but is not unheard of to use either Ale and Lager yeast or just Lager yeast. The beer is brewed and fermented like an Ale, then Lagered for some time.
So the Cream Ale is a slightly turned down version of the Kolsch developed in the United States. The parallels are clear between both beers, both trying to compete with Lagers like Pilsners and Maibocks by utilizing a Lagering process, both achieving their goal reasonably well.
The LIES!
So why do many think the Cream Ale is a sweet creamy beer like a Milkshake IPA or similar? Other than AGAIN Cream being in the name, it's due to Mother Earth Brewing Company and their Cali Creamin beer. This is technically a Cream Ale and many people like it because, just like a Cream Ale should, it is accessible to many beer drinkers. However, they upped the drinkability to non beer drinkers by adding Vanilla (I admit I like they at least claim to use Madagascar Vanilla Beans rather than extract) to make it more like a Cream Soda. They describe it as a subtle sweetness but I disagree and think it's too sweet. They also list it as a Vanilla Cream Ale on their website, but when describing the beer they call it a Cream Ale.
So ok, big deal. They aren't making a traditional Cream Ale. Many breweries switch up styles of beer and that is called innovation! While I don’t disagree there, I don’t like that one of the most popular Cream Ales on the market is a poor representation of the style. The Cream Ale should be light, crisp, and dry. The Cali Creamin is light, sweet, and that’s it. The Cream Ale is one of the few styles of beer developed in the United States and it’s being obscured by this sweet riff on the style. If a brewery decides to brew a Cream Ale without Vanilla or Lactose these days, the people that would be attracted to a Cream Ale are disappointed and the real Cream Ale is rarely brewed because it's too high a risk! Might just as well brew a Kolsch. People have an understanding of what that will be like and will buy it.
The worst part is that Mother Earth Brewing knows what it is doing. It knows it is actively participating in killing off a style of beer. They mention on their site in the description of the beer that their beer has “... redefined the category and made a classic style cool again.” They know they are redefining the style! They know they are taking an American invention that was delicious, simple and inviting and are redefining it by throwing Vanilla at it. They also say they are making a classic style “cool” again. The classic style is cool because of what it is: an Ale brewed with Lager elements. That is fucking cool! It is a representation of American innovation to make a beer that is at times even more of a cross between Lager and Ale than a Kolsch is because they simply had to do it that way in order to brew. It’s not “cool” to take a light style beer and throw sweetness at it to get the non beer drinkers on board, they can have seltzers and fruity beers. But sadly the real Cream Ale style is just not seen too often. Sure they are here and there, but many now utilize the Mother Earth redefined style by injection of Vanilla flavoring.
Closing
The Cream Ale is half Ale, half Lager, and that is cool. What Mother Earth Brewing is doing to the style is infuriating not just because it exists but because it is leading a trend that forces small breweries to either conform, or not brew it at all. Don’t get me started on the Creamsicle version my god.
But hey, let me know if you knew this already. Do you fall in line with what I suspected that previous understanding of the Cream Ale style is that it is sweet and Vanilla ridden, or did you know that it was an American Classic style that is being slowly murdered before our very eyes? If you knew and have a good representation of the Cream Ale please let me know the brewery and beer name. They aren't brewed near me.
Craft Beer Mixed Drinks
Intro
It’s 2020, I need a drink. Many of us who have sheltered in place watching the world have more than likely said the same thing. Those fighting on the front line of both issues have as well and sometimes that beer isn’t going to be enough. I have this year discovered a love for mixed drinks and the subtle nuances of mixing the perfect drink. Since this interest has bloomed, so has my interest in merging craft beer and mixed drinks, something which many say is taboo. Craft Beer enthusiasts will say to keep the craft beer pure, it was hand crafted and is perfect, get that extra alcohol and fixings out of here. The mixologists and cocktail fans will say to get that nasty beer out of their fancy whiskeys and perfectly mixed ingredients in their drinks. There is a very clear line between the mixed drink group and beer group where the only agreeable convergence I have seen is the Bulldog Margarita (margarita with a mexican beer poured in) and the Michelada (mexican beer with tomato juice and stuff, think a beer bloody mary). I thought if these are cool, why can't a Gin Shandy be? I then took it upon myself to do research into utilizing craft beers in mixed drinks, not just to force a beer into a drink, but to put a beer into a drink that complements and maybe improves upon a drink. It is hard work, but somebody had to do it. You are welcome.
First I began my dive into mixed drinks as I am already an avid fan of craft beer and knowledgeable enough. I found alcohol I liked, and I implore you do the same. I wanted to find a whiskey (I found a few I love) a gin and some mixers I prefer (lime, simple syrup, bitters) and get to mixing. Now, I want to be clear, the knowledge and knowhow I gained came mainly from the genius that is Greg from How to Drink on YouTube. Go search for him and enjoy his videos on mixed drinks. He’s awesome and I am a big fan. He will help you find some mixed drinks you may want to try before paying for any alcohol and perhaps wasting money on things you won’t like. He makes how-to guides on how to make drinks, then tastes them to explain what the drink is. Without him, this process would have taken much much longer and I would have lost far more brain cells. For my ingredients I will use in all my craft beer drinks I use, see the list below that includes why I chose them.
Stuff I use
Aviation Gin and/or Aviation Gin Old Tom. I used Aviation after reading reviews and because 30% of proceeds went to out of work bartenders and those affected by the pandemic shutting down many service restaurants. The regular Aviation Gin is a clean gin that tastes great on its own, which I had never found with a gin before. It lends itself to a clean drink and I encourage you mix citrus with it when possible. The Old Tom variant is a little sweeter and I started to use it when I moved to mixing beer into the drinks, and because the regular was sold out.
Bulleit Rye Whiskey. I use this as my rye whiskey mainly because it’s everywhere, I love Bulleit Bourbon, and it goes well in a whiskey sour and an old fashioned.
Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. I use this as my Irish whiskey for sentimental reasons I won’t dive into now, but if you want to make the best possible Irish Coffee I implore you to use this whiskey and DO NOT USE BAILEYS AT ALL FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON’T. Thank you.
Four Roses Bourbon. I use this as my bourbon because it’s widely available, not too expensive, tastes great in a whiskey sour and an old fashioned and is as Kentucky as you can get in my opinion. It used to be the whiskey of the Kentucky Derby for a long time and I like it, okay? Why do I feel like I am defending the whiskey? I was using Bulleit Bourbon which is also great but four roses is just a bit better in my opinion.
Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liquor. I just hate all coffee liquors and this one is the least bad.
Angostura Bitters. These bitters are my favorite and will be in many drinks I make.
Peychaud’s Bitters. My other go-to bitters, they are good but not my favorite as they have more of a cherry flavor to me, but when used in the right drink can elevate it.
Smirnoff Vodka. Because vodka is vodka and this is what I use when I cook something in a vodka sauce.
Simple Syrup/Demerara Simple Syrup. Make your own! I do half sugar, half water heated until combined, then bottle. Demerara is my favorite sugar to use and adds a slight bit of depth to all drinks it is added to.
Limes/Lemons. You NEED these for whiskey sours and any gin drink I think. The acidity just plays so well with the sweetness in many drinks and with the alcohol.
Egg Whites. Yes, egg whites for a better mouth feel on your whiskey sours and to make a tasty Gin Fizz. Of course you can omit the egg white from a drink calling for it, just know that it is in many cases a mistake. But you live your life - I can't do that for you.
My favorite mixed drinks to make at home
Before I explain the craft beer cocktails I found the most enjoyable, I want to briefly go over the mixed drinks I found myself liking most. Before I found the above liquors I was sure I would never be a fan of an Old Fashioned but I can say I am now, at least a modified old fashioned because I hate cherries. My Old Fashioned is the following:
2 oz Rye Whiskey or Bourbon of choice
1 oz simple syrup (Sugar cubes are traditional but I prefer my sugar dissolved)
2 dashes bitters of choice
Pour over a large ice cube (or don’t)
1 orange peel, being sure to squeeze out any oils it may contain before dropping in
That is the Old Fashioned I came to love. I tried making a craft beer variant but found it didn’t lend itself so well in the mix. The Old Fashioned in the end defeated my attempts to craft beerify it.
Next the drink I found myself making a whole lot was one I am not sure the official name of, so I call it the Gin Ginger. It is:
2 oz Gin of choice
1 oz lemon or lime juice (lime is preferred)
½ oz simple syrup (not required, only if you like sweeter things)
Shake over ice
Pour into a glass and top with desired amount of Ginger Beer, usually 4 oz and wedge of citrus
This drink is simple yet delicious. I highly recommend finding a quality Ginger Beer as it will be a big flavor component. I use Fever Tree whenever I can get my hands on it. Now, this one I change a bit to make two beer versions. First is the shandy approach.
3 oz Gin of choice
2 oz lemon juice (not lime)
½ oz simple (preference, I usually omit this
Shake over ice
Pour into cup with 4 oz pale ale of choice, I used Sierra Nevada’s 40th anniversary ale and it was delightful.
This drink is a summer drink through and through. To make it a little different, for the final step only add beer foam from a strong IPA to float on top. It will be a stronger smaller drink that requires a garnish of citrus.
Next is the Irish Coffee. This drink is a family favorite and I have a strong opinion for how it should be made. Here is how to make an Irish coffee.
2 oz Irish whiskey
2 sugar cubes
6 oz fresh coffee
Pour in glass
Top with fresh made whipped cream unsweetened.
THAT IS IT! STOP THERE! I can not stand Baileys in Irish Coffee personally. It ruins it. Now I made this a couple times with craft beer because it was tricky. I ended up with the following:
2 oz Irish whiskey
1 oz coffee liquor
1/2 oz simple syrup
Stir together in a glass and pour 4 oz stout on top. A coffee stout is preferred but I used Old Rasputin.
I tried using whipped cream on top but was not a fan. Since the liquid isn’t hot, the foam sits on top and doesn’t incorporate as well as a real Irish Coffee. But you can try if you want, even add a half oz cream if you feel like it.
My final favorite drink, which is my favorite by far, is the whiskey sour. This drink is amazing, simply incredible.
2 oz Rye Whiskey or Bourbon
1 oz lemon or lime juice (i prefer lemon)
1 oz simple syrup
1 egg white
Dry shake (shaking without ice emulsifies the egg white in the presence of the citrus juice making a foam and changes the drink texture)
Add ice and shake
Pour into a glass and top with two dashes of Angostura bitters (Peychaud’s bitters are more traditional from what I understand. I just prefer Angostura).
There you have a delicious drink. You can omit the egg white and dry shake steps and still come out with a great drink. I just prefer the texture it lends. To craft beerify this drink see the following recipe:
2 oz Rye Whiskey or Bourbon
1 oz lemon or lime juice (use whichever goes best with the beer you choose)
1 oz simple syrup (honestly, this depends on the beer as well. If your sour beer is sweeter, you can omit this)
1 egg white
Dry shake
Add ice and shake
Pour into glass
Float 2 oz sour beer of choice
I did this with a key lime sour by New Glory and it was delicious. Because of that I used lime when usually I use lemon in my whiskey sours. If you use a sour that is either not fruit specific or is anything other than lime, I would use lemon.
Some thoughts
Now to explain my thinking behind all these drinks. It was very important to let the drink they are based on shine while allowing the craft beer to add another level rather than subtract. The beer is meant to complement the drink.
I want to make a drink that uses scotch but didn’t get around to it this time. I will be updating with more drinks on social media when I think of them. My idea on how to use scotch would be a sort of scotch highball, one oz scotch to 8 oz of a beer. I would think a pilsner but again, I need to test this still. I also don’t have a tequila or vodka drink as they are liquors I still don’t like as much. I want to try a margarita riff with perhaps a sour beer and a vodka cranberry beer drink as well with a sour or IPA. Again, if I figure these out I will update social media. If you have any idea on how to make a craft beer drink please reach out to me.
But there it is, four different craft beer cocktails, I will list them below with names I made up for them:
All Craft Beer Mixed Drinks I came up with
Gin and Beer Shandy
3 oz Gin of choice
2 oz lemon juice (not lime)
½ oz simple (preference, I usually omit this)
Shake over ice
Pour into cup with 4 oz pale ale of choice, I used Sierra Nevada’s 40th Anniversary Ale and it was delightful.
Gin Foam
3 oz Gin of choice
2 oz lemon juice (not lime)
½ oz simple syrup (preference, I usually omit this)
Shake over ice
Pour and float with IPA beer foam
Irish Brew
2 oz Irish whiskey
1 oz coffee liquor
1/2 oz simple syrup
Stir together in a glass and pour 4 oz stout on top. A coffee stout preferred but I used Old Rasputin.
Whiskey Sour Beer
2 oz Rye Whiskey or Bourbon
1 oz lemon or lime juice (use whichever goes best with the beer you choose)
1 oz simple syrup (honestly, this depends on the beer as well. If your sour beer is sweeter, you can omit this)
1 egg white
Dry shake
Add ice and shake
Pour into glass
Float 2 oz sour beer of choice
The names may not be amazing, but they taste great. If you try one be sure to let me know on social media. A podcast episode on these drinks will be up around the same time where I dive a little deeper into my thought process on these drinks and mixed drinks in general.
Couches
“Few men are killed by bayonets, but many are scared by them. Having the bayonet fixed makes our men want to close. Only the threat to close will defeat a determined enemy.” -General George S Patton in notes published in ‘Tactical and Technical Trends’ No.30 July 29th 1943.
History of the Couch:
“To understand the couch, one must know its history,” said nobody ever, but I have decided to give a brief history of the couch all the same. After all, aren’t you curious about whether or not a couch is a sofa, or vice versa?
Before the use of the couch was widespread, there were still ways to sit down. The most common being the chair, or bench. Sometimes topped with a pillow here or there, this sort of practice was predominant until the end of the Elizabethan period (1558-1603) which kicked off a period (the Restoration Period) in which upholstery became a fixture of interior design for nobility and royal families and continued to develop from there falling into the commoner household.
Who, you ask, was most crucial in bringing us the couch? I would argue it to be Lord Phillip Stanhope the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773). Not only does he have quite the title, but if you are Canadian you may recognize Chesterfield because it is the term most of you silly Canadians used for couch or sofa until the last couple decades. I love this by the way “Chesterfield surfing” sounds so much cooler than “Couch Surfing” doesn’t it? Good ol’ Phillip was not only a politician, writer and artistic patron, why - he was a trendsetter. Today he would be a social media influencer without doubt. He bestowed his name to a distinct piece of furniture in fact! He required a piece of furniture that many people could sit on together without wrinkling their clothes as a result. He was a fashionista with a mind for innovation.
This Restoration Period brought flamboyant costuming and interior designs that focused on vibrant colors and flowing fabrics to stand in sharp contrast to the black, white, grey and overall severe Cromwellian era. Lord Chesterfield designed a leather couch with distinct buttoned upholstery, rolled arms and equal back and arm height. This was done so that the well dressed could sit comfortably maintaining their posture and manners while being confident that when they got to up walk away to something fancy no doubt they were able to do so with ease even when wearing countless layers of exquisite clothing.
Then came growing popularity of a couch being in the room of the house called either the parlor, the lounge, or the front room. In North America we call this the living room. A common area for families, members of the community and even employees to gather has been very well established since civilization began. This was made undoubtedly more comfortable by the couch!
Today the average cost of a couch or sofa is about $1000.00 or $1342.35 in Canadian dollars. It is widely defined as furniture for seating two or more people taking form of a bench with armrests and back which is upholstered often cited with springs and tailored cushions. It is used primarily for seating but it can also be slept on. People have been sleeping on couches for years. I know, I’m blowing minds with this information left and right.
Couch VS Sofa:
In reality there are not many that say a rift exists between couches and sofas, but after searching the internet for information on what differentiates the two, there just may be. Or there may not be. The internet is a deep dark void of information and miss-information. Who really can tell what is going on there?
From what I can deduce, the sofa and couch at one point in time may very well have been different things entirely. The word couch comes from the French word “Coucher” which means to lie down while sofa comes from the Arabic word “Suffer” which is a wooden bench with blankets and pillows on top. Most say they are completely interchangeable now, but oh not everyone. Some say couches either have one armrest or none with a tapered back while a sofa has two armrests and full back. I don’t agree personally with this type of distinction since the Chesterfield would then be classified as a sofa rather than couch thus breaking the space-time continuum. Maybe?
Fun Fact:
Couch is also the term used to describe the den of an Otter. It can also be called a Holt though.
Couches and Beer:
Ok I hear ya, “really Sac Beer Boy? Couches?? How is this beer related at all?” I am getting to that now.
When I first started getting into the craft beer scene years ago, I was going from brewery to brewery in search for the best beers and best place to drink them. When a nice brewery that had great atmosphere and comfort blended together with delicious beer, I was hooked. One of the first to nail this was New Glory Brewing and for a few reasons. First, they were located close to where I currently was living, second, their beer was and still is phenomenal. Lastly, they had two couches! Couches in the brewery taproom! I would grab a beer with some friends and if open, sit on the couch. How could you not sit on a couch when you see one at a brewery?
After this I always kept an eye out for a couch or comfortable chair at breweries and taprooms only to be disappointed time and time again until the fateful day I walked in to New Glory to see the couches had gone. Teary eyed I had to think where I could go that still had couches at their breweries and try to sort out why they were so few and far between in these establishments. Today I know of only a couple places that have couches in their taprooms in Sacramento: Burning Barrel brewing, and I may be mistaken but I think Ruhstaller brewing may.
I thought of how expensive they are. Averaging $1000 in the United States is quite a lot for a piece of furniture that takes up so much room, seats so few, and can be a pain to clean if spilled on. To try and save money and going with a used couch isn’t something many want to do when the alternative is cheaper chairs and tables that can seat more people, clean easier and overall are more conducive for drinking beer. I will say my least favorite part of drinking a beer on a couch is putting my beer down. Too many times a table is too far away for me to then grab my beer, and holding it between my legs warms the beer and is not a good idea. One spill and look, Beer Boy peed his pants!
So I understand why there aren’t many couches in breweries and tap rooms: it isn’t cost effective nor practical. But when these roadblocks are taken head on and there is a couch, it makes a big difference. A brewery in Turlock CA called Blaker Brewing has a location called The Tarmac and it features couches and comfortable chairs. I admit, the beer was hit and miss. One was great and the next just bad, but I am not talking about beer today so I won’t go into detail. The thing is, I will gladly go back just to sit in comfort and relax with a beer. A beer that I get a taster of first though, because wow one of the beers I had from there was bad.
There is a brewery called Couch Brewery in Pittsburgh (not California) and their about page states :
“First off - the question asked the most is “Why did you name your brewery Couch?” For us, it’s the best place to drink a beer (the beach is also a damn fine place for a beer, but c’mon, we’re in Pittsburgh). Four good friends came together to start Couch Brewery. We wanted to make a place where every seat is comfortable and you could spend hours with your friends. We love beer. We love brewing beer. We love having fun. And we love making new friends.”
The Sac Beer Boy is all about sitting comfortably drinking beer for hours making friends having fun! Look what an environment that serves beer that makes it a point to have comfortable couches is all about. The point is to have a good time, and isn’t that what we all want when going out to drink a beer?
In San Diego Acoustic Ales has a room with a few lazyboy chairs and a couple couches arranged around a table, the set up looks amazing but again is quite far from Sacramento. Why can’t there be something like that here?
Now I will honorably mention one Sacramento location, Karma Brew. Karma is a bitc… I mean a taproom on the corner of P street and 16th in Sacramento with fun comfortable chairs to sit in. From old church style benches with cushion to old movie theater chairs, the little place has an interesting selection of fun seats that I highly recommend you go check out. At the end of the day though, I recommend going to Burning Barrel if you want a good brewery with couches.
Final Thoughts:
What more can I say here. Couches brew comfort and relaxation together into a brilliant piece of furniture that we all love. It is a shame that they aren’t in more Sacramento craft beer locations but I understand all the same. The Boy can dream though, dream that one day all breweries and taprooms will have couches and comfortable chairs for the public to sit with their beers and enjoy one of life’s simple blisses.
P.S. I would much rather be called a Chesterfield Potato than a Couch Potato.