If you want a great, authentic pizza, and some unique beers, this is where you go

Olio Pizzeria

Olio Pizzeria truly is the best place to get pizza in Santa Barbara.  My girlfriend and I come to eat here when we feel like treating ourselves to something nice, that isn't silly expensive (which, when it comes to food in this town, isn't an easy thing to find).  Not only are the pizza's just about perfect, but the appetizers are always interesting and delicious, the cocktail list is plenty extensive, and the beer list is unlike any other I've seen in Santa Barbara.  I meant to bring the list of beers home with me, so I could reference them here, but naturally, I forgot it, sitting on the bar right in front of me.

A good shot of the meats Olio has available

We came here on Wednesday night for my girlfriends 30th birthday after seeing a show just across the street at the Arlington Theatre (click the link and check it out.  It's a pretty amazing place.  No ordinary movie theatre).  She loves coming to Olio, as she is a bit of a foodie, and really appreciates a fine meal in a place with a great atmosphere (she works in the business, so she knows a little more about this type of thing than I do).  We always try to sit at the bar, down at the end in front of the chefs making the pizzas, and in front of the pizza oven.  Luckily for us, we walked in, and those seats were available! Boom, we'll take them!  Perfect.  We started off with a couple of their signature cocktails, and the Polpettine Della Nonna (baked meatballs).  These meatballs are a great starter, and the guys on the other side of the bar are always happy to toast you up a little bit of bread to dip into the sauce.  A most excellent beginning.

Not us, but a good photo I found of the seats we had

On to the main course, we opted to share a pizza.  We usually do this, as one pizza is plenty for 2 to split, especially after the appetizer.  We went with the Margherita, which, at $15, has to be one of the better deals in town.  Seriously. This thing is awesome, and will not disappoint anyone.  My girlfriend (we can just start calling her Lindsey from now on) order a glass of wine, but I was eager to try something new from the fairly extensive beer list, featuring Italian beers that you don't really see anywhere else around here.  Usually, I get ReAle Extra from Birra Del Borgo, as I have become quit fond of these, but I was looking for something a little different this time.  I mean, after all, how often does a person turn 30?!  This was a special night, I decided.  Our waiter noticed that I was taking quite a while to pick something out, and he suggested I try something that wasn't on the list.  Well, ok, sign me up!  I didn't even bother to ask what he was bringing me, I was just excited to go "off menu" for a beer.  Our waiter promptly returned with a bottle of Duchessa Confarro, also from Birra Del Borgo.  He poured it into the proper tulip shaped glass, and away we went.

Our pizza

I gave this strange and foreign beer a good sniff, and a hearty first taste. Apples, was the first thing I thought.  Lindsey agreed, and the taste became more certain as it warmed a bit in the glass.  The beer was a perfect golden color, and the slightly tart finish went well with our cheesy pizza.  But what happened next was the real surprise of the evening.  The owner, Alberto Morello, whom I had never met before, walked over to us and introduced himself.  He said he noticed the beer I was drinking, and asked what I thought about it.  After speaking with him for just a moment, it was obvious he really knew his stuff when it came to beer, and his enthusiasm for Italian beers was evident.  He went on to tell me about the beers he carries in his restaurant; the brewery they came from, how the names of the beers came to be, and what an ordeal it is to get these beers in the first place.  We spoke for a bit, he wished us well, and went off on other business.  Moments later, he reappeared with a bottle of Strada San Felice, from Grado Plato.  Alberto said he enjoyed speaking with us, looked forward to our return, and wanted us to enjoy this beer at home.  Well, how about that?  What a guy.  He wrapped it up in a bag for us, and again he was off.  Lindsey and I agreed that this night was a pretty rousing success.  We finished up with the Budino Di Zucchero Di Canna, which is their butterscotch pudding, and I can't recommend it enough.  We paid the bill, and walked home, very full, and very happy.

Some Olio beers

I can't say enough about what a great time we had at Olio Pizzeria.  Every time we go, it really is a special evening.  Great food, great drinks, and a perfect location.  And this time was even better with Alberto's generosity and gracious attitude.  We can't wait to go back.

Olio Pizzeria
11 W. Victoria St.
Santa Barbara, CA
805-899-2699

Been to Olio Pizzeria?  Do you love it as much as we do?  Let me know what you think in the comments below.

The Story of Westmalle Brewery

Westmalle monastery, which is located in the town of Westmalle, Belgium, became a Trappist abbey in 1836.  That same year, abbot Martinus Dom started construction of a small brewery. Later that year, the first Westmalle Trappist beer was served!  Not bad to be a monk, dedicate your life to everything that involves, and get to drink wonderful beer brewed where you live!  Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Actually, I feel like that a lot of the time.  There is so much cool history out there that would have been right up my alley.

After 20 years of only brewing for themselves, the monks decided to occasionally sell very small quanitites of their sweet nectar at the gates of the monastery.  Of course, demand increased, and this resulted in brewery expansions in both  1865 and 1897.  In 1921, the beer from Westmalle was first offered in the general marketplace.  Again, demand increased, and a new brewery hall, yeast room, and workshop were constructed.  Since that time, Westmalle has been a leader in environmental and safety standards, and their beers have been highly influential.

In 1968, a water treatment plant was obtained, long before any law required it, to return water to the environment in a clean state.  This is pretty amazing to me, considering how little thought was given to environmental impact, in general, at the time.  They were way ahead of the curve, and continue today to be a role model in the brewing industry.

Westmalle beers include only water, barley malt, yeast, hops and sugar.  The water is sourced from a well on the property (what else would you expect?). The yeast is a proprietary strain that is cultured by the brewery (of course), and brings a spicy, floral aroma.  The hops used are whole cone, which is different than most breweries, which use pellets or liquid extract.  The sugar is Belgian candi sugar.  This sugar is fully fermentable and gives the beer a lighter body than one would expect (I agree.  I'm drinking the Dubbel right now, and I was definitely surprised that this beer wasn't a lot sweeter).  All of these things add up to make a Westmalle taste like only a Westmalle can.

Westmalle produces only three types of beer, and only two are available to the public.  Westmalle Extra is a 4.8% ABV beer brewed just for the monks for lunch time. Again, I think these guys don't have it too bad.  Westmalle Dubbel is 7% ABV and dark, reddish-brown beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle.  It pours with a creamy head, has a spicy and floral aromas in the glass, and tastes rich and complex, with a fruity flavor and surprisingly bitter finish, which feels dry in the mouth for quite a while.  It's very different than other Dubbels I have tried.  Westmalle Tripel is a clear, golden beer that also undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle, and packs a punch (albeit sneaky) with 9.5% ABV.  This beer is fruity to smell, creamy in the mouth, and has a much softer feel to it.  Sometimes referred to as "The Mother of all Tripels," this beer was first brewed in 1934, and the recipe has stayed almost unchanged since 1956.  I guess when you have been brewing one sensational beer, consistently, for over 50 years, you end up with titles like "The Mother of all Tripels."

In 2000, Westmalle obtained a new bottling plant, further ensuring the quality of their beer.  The was around the same time the new maturing cellar was complete (pictured to the right).  The underground maturing cellar provides almost ideal conditions for secondary fermentation. And like before, strict attention was paid to the working conditions and environmental impact when the site was built.

In 1998, Brother Thomas, who was the recently retired head brewer of Westmalle, acted as the technical advisor for the revival of brewing at Achel, another Trappist monastery.  Westmalle's influence can further be felt by the Westmalle yeast he brought with him.  Basically, Westmalle does a few things, and they do those things very well.  I think there is something to be said for that.  We don't need to get our fingers in everything, and do a lot of things pretty well.  Better to be really good and one thing, and keep life a little simpler.  Westmalle is an excellent example of success in simplicity.  

Check out their beers.  They are pretty easily obtained anywhere you can find some specialty beers.  They are good now, they age well when properly stored (mine says best by 06/03/16), and they come in a handy 75 cl bottle size. Perfect for sharing with a friend (or drinking by yourself and writing this article).  Cheers, and enjoy everyone!

Brouwerij Der Trappisten Van Westmalle

Antwerpsesteenweg 496

B-2390 Westmalle

Belgie

+32 3 312 92 22

info@trappistwestmalle.be

Interview With Homebrewer Eric Nocerino

This is an interview conducted with Eric Nocerino, of Goleta, CA.

Hi Eric.  Thanks for taking the time to talk with me.  So, how did you start brewing?

I had a few friends that started brewing in high school and that was my first introduction to homebrewing. However, I didn’t start until my college days at the University of New Mexico. It was a “dry” campus and a few of my roommates got around it by brewing beer. They were more than just casual brewers (all grain, mead, cider, ect.) so they really exposed me to a wide range of styles and techniques. There was a great homebrew shop in Albuquerque and the guy that ran it loved to get newbies set-up with equipment and a decent malt extract kit that included grain steeping. I think his idea was that if your first batch turned out good, you’d come back for more. It certainly worked for me.

What's your favorite part of the brewing process?

One of my favorite parts is putting the recipe together. I typically do very simple malt extract recipes with some steeped grain, but I really like exploring the different combinations of hops, grains, and yeast that can be used for whatever style I am brewing. A long time ago, a friend printed out the entire Cat’s Meow beer recipe website and gave me a copy. I like to look through that and go to other on-line sources to narrow in the style and ingredients. It’s a lot of fun to see the many style variations and then try to make a recipe from those that I think may be good. Again, I’m not doing anything elaborate, just changing up the hops, grains, and yeast in small ways to see what happens. Sometimes a batch turns out tasting like you envisioned and sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s alright. Sometimes a pale ale is just a pale ale and that works for me.

How many batches of beer have you made?

The batch you helped me with was number 45. Since having kids, going back to school, and working my time to brew has certainly decreased. I’m usually inspired to start again when I pick-up a new beer from the liquor store or try something at one of the brew pubs around town that turns out to be really good. My current rekindling of interest comes from a friend moving out of town and selling me all of his ingredients and supplies.

How do you feel about sharing beer you’ve made with others?

It’s funny, when I first started brewing I liked to share, but coveted the better batches. The friends that I learned to brew from in college did the same thing. We were all a little protective of the good stuff. Now, I especially like to share, even the good stuff, since I tend to want to move on to the next batch and try something new. 48-50 bottles is a lot to have on hand and the best way to go through it is to pass it around.

Do you feel it’s difficult to brew?

At first it seemed like a lot of steps were involved, but like anything, after you do it once or twice you develop a rhythm and it goes faster and seems less complicated. Since I typically do basic malt extract recipes with steeped grains and maybe a few added sugars (honey or molasses) or a more complicated hop schedule, I feel that the process isn’t difficult. In general it has always been a fun process with a great outcome.

What’s your advice for people thinking of brewing for the first time?

My advice is to give it a try, especially if you enjoy all types of beer and want to learn about the brewing process. If you don’t know anyone that brews, you can always do an on-line search for your local homebrew club and contact one of their members. From my experience, homebrewers are always very happy to show someone new how to brew. My other advice is to start out simple with a basic kit and ingredients and get a few good batches under your belt before you move on to trying more complex things. As with any hobby, it can be very easy to get carried away with supplies and trying to do more complex styles.

What's the best beer you’ve made?

This is a tough one. When I was living in Colorado, I had several pilsners and lagers turn out very well. They were close to the traditional German and Czech style examples I had, but with more body and flavor. Very “fresh” tasting. The other one that sticks out in my mind is an ESB that I brewed. It was a kit the local homebrew shop in Denver put together that they must have spent some time perfecting. Consistently very good over three batches, even when I changed out the hops.

What's your favorite beer?

I think ESB is my favorite style. I tend to default to Redhook ESB although I think the British imports, Fullers for example, have a bit more flavor. There have also been a number of microbrew versions that have been very good as well. Just a bit harder to find. I think ESB’s are a great middle ground between a blonde ale and IPA. It would be great to see more breweries giving it a try. I’m also very fond of Belgian Tripels and Dog Fish Head had one a few years ago (can’t remember the name) that I really enjoyed.

So, have you ever had anything go wrong brewing?

Aside from the occasional low carbonation in a few bottles, I’ve only had major problems with two batches. The first was a hefeweizen that fermented a little too hot. The beer ended up with really strong banana and clove flavors. It was drinkable, but those flavors were just too strong even after bottle conditioning for several months. I had another batch that got infected with wild yeast during bottling. The beer tasted off and the bottles erupted like fountains when opened, so I had to dump the batch down the sink.

Ha.  Well that doesn't sound like you ever had too bad of a home brewing experience.  Thanks again for talking with me Eric.  I look forward to trying that batch of stout you have fermenting away!

Guest Post from Noble Brewer on homebrewer Jesse Czelusta

Why I Brew Profile: Jesse Czelusta

Noble Brewer recently sat down with Jesse Czelusta, a San Francisco resident, who first started homebrewing in 2002.

Homebrewer Jesse Czelusta

How did you start brewing?

I started in grad school.  A friend of mine was in charge of planning social events and would buy brewing supplies and make beers for parties.  I thought it was amazing he could make something so delicious, so I wanted to figure out how to do it myself and began brewing with him and experimenting with a lot of beer styles.

After grad school, I stopped brewing until my now-wife asked for homebrewing equipment for her birthday.  I was excited.  I thought she was going to make delicious beer for us; however she failed to mention I was actually the one who would be brewing.  But I can’t complain, my apartment always has beer.

With so many great beers available in San Francisco, why do you still brew?

It’s something that’s egalitarian, that anyone can do it with a stove, bucket and pot.  For me, it’s an experience, similar to why I like cooking, that allows me to be creative, throw things together and create something new.  There’s some risk it won’t turn out as I wanted, but those failures are what make the successes so much better.  And it’s not that the failures are bad, they’re just not as good, I mean it’s still beer.  It’s hard to make a beer as good as the best commercial styles, but it’s not hard to make a beer that makes you happy especially since you can brew it to your taste.

When you factor in the amount of time it takes to make beer, it may not be that much cheaper than running to the store and buying something, but it’s fun and a good way to spend an afternoon with friends.  I’m always happiest when I have 15 gallons of beer fermenting in the kitchen.

How do you feel about sharing beer you’ve made with others?

Beer is made to be shared, but I like sharing best with people who will appreciate it and let me know what they think.  I often find that I’m my own worst critic.  Sometimes it’s hard to get your friends to tell you what they really think, so to combat that I’ll often slip in a homebrew without telling them what it is to see their reaction.  It’s often better than you fear.

Do you feel it’s difficult to brew?

It’s as difficult as you want to make it, you can stress about every detail, but you don’t need to.  For beginning homebrewers, I’d tell them not to shoot for perfection and to expect the unexpected, things won’t go perfectly but that’s the fun part because it will still be ok.  As you brew more and get the fundamentals down, you can experiment with ingredients because they are very different and can have major effects.  It’s something you should enjoy, as Charlie Papazian said “Relax. Don’t Worry. Have a Homebrew.”

What’s your advice for people thinking of brewing for the first time?

Go to the store buy a 12 pack and then head to the homebrew store.  Don’t worry about finding a recipe; just tell them to hook you up with ingredients for a beer and they’ll take care of you.

Any 12 pack in particular?

Racer 5, the labels come off easy and you’ll need bottles in a few weeks. It’s also quite tasty.

Best Beer you’ve made?

It was actually the beer I brewed for our wedding.  It was a double chocolate milk stout.  I had made it 6 or 7 times before and it was always very good, but it just came out perfect this time.  It’s on the stronger side, has some lactose in it to give it the smooth creaminess you expect in a milk stout, and a double dose of chocolate, one at the end of the boil and the next in secondary.

Favorite beer?

I don’t have one, but my favorite style is probably a Belgian Triple.

Actually, the best beer I’ve ever had was made by my buddy who introduced me to homebrewing.  It was a Blueberry Sour made with Brettanomyces.  It was amazing, but it was kind of an accident and I don’t think he’s ever tried to make it again.  That’s the great thing with homebrew, you can have a unique experience which keeps you experimenting.

So have you ever had anything go wrong brewing?

Exploding bottles are fun.  Lots of moving furniture, finding glass, and cleaning beer of the ceiling, but thankfully that’s only happened twice.  A few times, beers have not turned out well, like when I threw all my leftover hops into an IPA with the thought that you can’t have too many hops.  Turns out you can.  Overall though, nothing major, it’s pretty easy to make decent beer.

Noble Brewer is a subscription based club whose members receive quarterly shipments of beer inspired by award winning homebrewers.  Based in Oakland, California, its members learn the homebrewer’s story, their inspiration behind the creation their best recipes.  For more information, visit www.NobleBrewerBeer.com, or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. Membership spots are limited, so sign up today!

The History of Orval Brewery

Abbaye Notre Dame D'Orval

Abbaye Notre Dame D'Orval is located in the southern Belgium province of Luxembourg, and is one of Belgium's six Trappist beer producers.  Currently, there are only ten monasteries - six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, one in Austria, and one in the United States - that brew beer and sell it as "Authentic Trappist Product."  What does this mean?  A few things:

1. They are produced within the walls of the monastery
2. The monastic community determines the policies and provides the means of production
3. The profits are primarily intended to provide for the needs of the community or for social services

Look for this logo on the label of the bottle

I think these are all pretty interesting facts about what makes a "Trappist" beer. I especially enjoy the fact that these monasteries are doing something good with the profits from their beers sales, and helping out their community.  I see this idea continuing today in the American craft beer scene, and I think this is a wonderful thing.  There is plenty of money to make a living, and give back to the community where you make that living.  

The name "Trappist" originates from the La Trappe abbey located close to the village of Soligny in Normandy, France, where this reform movement of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance was founded in 1664.  Trappist beer is not a style, but there are some common characteristics that almost all Trappist beers share.  They are all top fermented.  They are all unpasteurized. They contain no chemical additives.  They add sugar to the wort in the kettle, and they are bottle conditioned.  Basically, these guys are serious about how how they live and what they do.  No messing around.  Although all this information would lead you to believe Trappist beers have been around for a long time, Trappist beers as they are now produced have only existed since the early 1930s, when Orval and Westmalle developed their first commercially available beers.

The trout with the ring in its mouth

The Abbaye Notre Dame D'Orval gets its game from a legend in which the widowed countess Mathilda of Tuscany accidentally dropped her wedding ring into a spring on the site of the future abbey and assumed it was lost.  She prayed to God for the return of her ring, promising to build a great abbey if she should see the ring again.  Within moments a trout swam to the surface with the ring in its mouth.  She is said to have exclaimed "This place truly is a 'val d'or,'" meaning "golden valley," and established a church on the site known as Orval.  The trout with the ring in its mouth remains the symbol of the abbey. Now, is this story true?  Who knows, but I like it, and I'm betting you do too. Beer drinkers like a story to go with their beer, and this one is as good as any.

The abbey has suffered many set backs, including:  a major fire in 1252 and burning and looting during the French Revolution in 1793.  Slowly, it was rebuilt, and in 1931, a brewhouse was installed to help finance the rebuilding process.  Although a brewery was probably always present in the abbey, it wasn't until the 1930s that Orval distinguished itself as a brewery.

Orval makes only two beers, and only one makes it out of the monastery, the beer simply named "Orval."  The beer comes in at 6.9% ABV, but with a unique taste due mainly to the yeast strains used, and the dry-hopping with fresh Hallertau, Styrian Goldings, and French Strisselspalt hops.  Unlike other Trappist beers, this honey-colored pale ale is partially carbonated, then bottled with a small dose of priming sugar and a blend of yeast, including the "wild" yeast strain Brettanomyces, which gives it a phenolic, estery character.  This flavor is often described as "horse blankets," and becomes more apparent after 6 months.  So, this beer is hoppy and fresh when young, and becomes much more complex as it ages in the bottle.  I have one in my refrigerator that was bottled on November 28, 2013, and says it is best by November 28, 2018.  I'll go out on a limb and say I don't think this particular bottle will be around that long!

Cheers!

Orval, n° 2,
B-6823 Villers-devant-Orval
Tel: +32 61 311 261
brasserie@orval.be
www.orval.be/en/

First Impressions of the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America

I'd been reading about these beers for a while before they were available, and I was pretty excited to try them out.  Sierra Nevada Brewing Company worked with 12 other breweries across the country, to collaborate on 12 different beers.  A pretty fun idea, I thought.  They worked with some of my favorite breweries: Russian River (of course, I'm from Santa Rosa), Ballast Point, and Firestone.  They also worked with some breweries whose beer I hadn't experienced yet:  3 Floyds,  New Glarus, and Cigar City.  They made some great beers a few other breweries that pleasantly surprised me.  Here's my take on the first couple that I tried.

Of course, the first one I had to try was Yvan the Great, brewed in collaboration with Russian River.  This is a Belgian Style Blonde, and was an instant hit with me.  It was hoppy, but not too hoppy, and very dry, which I appreciated on the sunny afternoon when I was drinking this on the deck in the back yard.  It wasn't the kind of day for something sweet and filling.  I would have to say drinking this type of beer isn't for everyone.  It is unique in taste and mouthfeel, and the dryness of it could be surprising (as my girlfriend made plainly obvious with the face she made when I gave her a taste).  I really enjoyed it, and enjoyed that it was different than my every day stuff.  This was a great first impression and a great indication of the unique surprises that awaited my Beer Camp adventure.

Since I was in a "light and refreshing" kind of mood, I next opted for the Torpedo Pilsner, brewed with Firestone Walker.  Firestone has recently become one of my favorite breweries to visit.  I drive past their place in Buellton a couple of times a month, and I make an effort to stop by when I have the time (who am I kidding, I can always make time for beer!).  I really enjoyed what Firestone did here, substituting the classic German noble hops, typically found in Pilsners, with some southern hemisphere hops, which are much more vibrant and fruity.  This beer was noticeably lighter in alcohol, at 5.2% (Yvan the Great was 6.2%), and carried a more noticeable fresh fruit smell up front, which I really enjoyed.  This one went down quick and easy, and at that point I decided it was time to call it a day, since it was a weekday afternoon, and I did have to get up for work the next day at 5:45AM.

I'll fill you guys in on a few of my other favorites next time around.  Until then, if you can find a 12 pack of these guys, definitely pick it up.  It wasn't cheap ($25.99 at Whole Foods), or easy to find (I had to ask if there was anything "interesting" in the back that wasn't on the shelves), but it was definitely worth both the money and the effort.  Cheers and enjoy!!

Costa Rica: The Land of Beautiful Scenery, Wonderful People, and Bar El Cruce

Cappuccino Monkey

Ok, so I got back from Costa Rica about 3 weeks ago, and I have been meaning to write about our trip since then.  The first week I spent recovering from my vacation hangover and crying in my beer because I wasn't still in Costa Rica.  Excuse #1.  Then I spent the last week and a half being sick and not feeling like doing anything.  Excuse #2.  I didn't want to try and justify an Excuse #3, so here I am, sitting inside on a nice, sunny afternoon, reminiscing about our vacation and giving you guys some of the highlights (well, beer related highlights, at least).

First of all, let's be very clear about one thing.  Costa Rica is the most wonderful and welcoming place I have ever been.  Granted, I haven't been to a lot of places outside of the United States, but I have been a lot of places in the U.S., and I have never been so awestruck.  We were there at the end of the dry season, so it was a little more brown than it normally is, but it is still more green by a long shot than anywhere is Southern California.  And when it did rain a little towards the end of our trip, everything turned noticeably greener.  We were visiting the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica in the Northwest corner of the country, very close to the Nicaragua border.  We didn't have much of an itinerary, other than to just get out and see as much as we could in the short amount of time we had there.

Coincidentally, a girl my girlfriend works with was with her husband, also on vacation in the area, so we decided to give it a go together and explore the area.  First stop, Tamarindo.  Tamarindo is a small beach town, with a few very popular surf breaks.  Since no one in our group surfs, this wasn't our reason for visiting.  We had just heard this was a fun place to hang out, and our traveling companions have family that lives in town that they wanted to visit.  So we made our way to Tamarindo, which was a little over an hour away from our hotel by car.  Not bad at all.  The roads are paved and easy to drive.  Now, signage to keep you on the correct road is another thing altogether, but if you are paying attention (or have GPS, like we did), you can get where you want to go fairly easily.

Volcano Brewing

I had heard there was a brewery here, but I had no idea what to expect, and now, almost a month later, I'm still not quite sure if we actually drank at the brewery.  I'm guessing no, but one of you might be able to help me out on this.  The doors were locked to the brewery, but just to the left of us, looking at the picture above, was an outdoor bar, that had a couple of beers on tap.  The tap handles had the names of the beers on them, but not the actually name of the brewery they came from.  They actually had these beers on tap at our hotel, but again, no brewery name on the handles.  The few people that were working there were wearing Volcano Brewing t-shirts, so, one might think we were at the right place, but I'm not convinced.  I did a little research after we got home, and the beers they had on tap were not the ones that Volcano lists as theirs.  The ones we were drinking were Segua Red Ale and Libertas Tropical Golden Ale, both made by Costa Rica's Craft Brewing Company.  Here's a couple of pictures below of where we were hanging out next to the brewery.  They're a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Sydney, Matias, me, Lindsey

Cornhole on the beach?!  Yes, please!

Looking at the bar next to Volcano Brewing

The temperature in Tamarindo that day had to be over 85 degrees, and the humidity somewhere over 70%.  That equals hot and sticky.  It was hard to get the beer down fast enough to have it not be pretty warm by the end.  I could live with this problem, since I was here for the lifestyle and the weather, much more than I was here for the beer.  I drank it because it is what was available, and I wanted to give it a shot.  Is it as good as the stuff I can get at home?  Nope.  Is it good because you can drink it on the beach, in near perfect weather with your friends?  Yep.  I certainly wasn't complaining, and if I was lucky enough to live in Costa Rica, I would have no problem drinking it every day.  We screwed around in town for the day, and eventually ended up back at the hotel.  It was a great day with new friends, and it is one I will never forget.  

Bar El Cruce

Now, by our hotel, there is not much going on.  The hotel is out a road that dead ends into the hotel and the surrounding properties.  There are locals houses along the road, but there are no stores, no restaurants, and only one bar, but for my girlfriend and I, we thought it was THE bar.  Bar El Cruce.  The Cross.  A truly local establishment, with only locals in it (if anyone was there at all).  We stopped here on the way to the hotel the first day, to ask for directions, because this road seemed like it was going nowhere, and we didn't have the luxury of GPS in our little rental SUV (which was a total piece of crap that left us stranded multiple times, but I won't get into that).  They weren't open when we stopped, but the guy that was there did his best to tell us we were on the right road to the hotel.  He even sold us a couple of Imperial's.  We took a couple of pictures, and decided this was the right way to start a trip and was exactly what we both wanted.

Just what the doctor ordered

Lindsey enjoying a sorta cold Imperial

This place quickly became our go to spot to get off the hotel property and go drink cheap beer and hang out with locals that didn't speak a lick of English.  This was also another place that the car wouldn't start, and the local guys that were at the bar with us couldn't have jumped up any faster to help us.  That was how everyone was on our entire trip.  It was almost like they were waiting to help you, and would spend their whole day helping you if that is what it took to get the job done.  I can't say enough about how great everyone we encountered was.  This truly is a special country, full of extremely kind and generous people.  We can't wait to go back.

Raining at Bar El Cruce

We spent our last two evenings at Bar El Cruce, attempting to talk to the people inside, and watching thunderstorms pass over us.  Dogs, cats, and chickens roamed freely, never straying too far from the bar.  We drank $2 Imperial's and $3 shots of Jose Cuervo.  We sat and talked.  We walked around the property.  The locals smiled and shook our hands when they stopped in.  All the time we were there, the only people we saw were locals, which is what we wanted.  They'd come and go.  They'd stop in to talk with the owners of the place, just to chit chat and relax.  We thought it was perfect.  It was the first place we stopped after we landed, and the last place we stopped before we took off.  I do hope I get back there one day, hopefully sooner than later.  Pura Vida!

A moment of reflection. I had many on this trip.

My Craft Beer Week in Review, Part 2

Well, I'm back to tell you how the week finished up.  When I last left off, I said I took Wednesday off, but after I thought a little harder about it, that just isn't true.  I met my buddy Steve at The Brewhouse for dinner.  We hadn't seen each other in a while, and The Brewhouse is the perfect place (for us, at least) to catch up.  I had an Elephant Seal Double IPA, which has become my go to of late.  It is very citrusy, and I think it is an excellent example of a very drinkable double IPA.  Yes, it's strong (7.7%), but not overpowering.  Just full of flavor.  An excellent start to the evening.  For dinner, I had Caribbean Jerk Chicken, which is a favorite of mine there, but really, everything on the menu is good.    It just depends on what you are in the mood for.  I slowed things down with an El Citra Session IPA (4.6%).  This beer is also full of citrusy goodness.  Apparently,  I was in a citrusy mood that day.  Dinner was good, the beers were good, the evening was excellent.  It was very nice to catch up with my friend.

Taps at The Brewhouse

Thursday was the night I took a beer break.  Now I remember.  Got it.  Moving on to Friday.  Friday, I went down to Carpinteria, CA to play volleyball with some friends.  And any trip to Carpinteria must include a stop at Island Brewing Company.  I used to live in Carpinteria, and I've been coming to this place for years, and so has everyone else in town.  It is always crowded.  Recently, they started getting food trucks to park there for the evening, so that has only helped get and keep people there.  Usually, I go for the Paradise Pale Ale, but lately they have been having many more seasonal brews to try.  A new one that I really like is the King Tide.  This is a very hop forward double IPA that comes in a 9.6%.  It packs a punch, and costs a little more than the regular beers on tap, but I think it is a nice beer on a typically perfect, sunny Carpinteria day.  I like coming here, not only for the good beer, but also because I know I will run into a bunch of people that I enjoy talking to and sharing a couple beers with.  It's almost like Cheers.  Everyone definitely knows your name.

Taps at Island Brewing Co.

I finished off my week by stopping at the recently opened "Cottage" in Los Olivos, CA.  This is Figueroa Mountains' newest establishment, and it is perfectly positioned right in the heart of it all in downtown Los Olivos.  This was actually my first stop ever in Los Olivos.  I don't usually travel on the 154 highway.  Normally I stick to the 101 for my trips up north, but I went out of my way to stop this time.  I really wanted to see the place, and I'm glad I did. There was live music playing, and the gentleman playing guitar and singing was very good.  I took up a spot just outside the back door, and enjoyed the deck on the warm afternoon.  From here, I could hear the music, and catch the end of the Angels game on TV.  I also got to enjoy a Shark Lips beer, a collaborative effort between Figueroa Mountain and Port Brewing.  This Imperial Red Ale had a very definite malty backbone, which was a nice change from all the extremely hoppy stuff I had been into all week.  For some reason, I didn't take a picture when I was there.  So, just imagine a small place, with a bar and TV's on the left, a guy playing guitar and singing in the front right corner, and me straight through on the back deck.  It was another great beer from Fig Mountain in a very nice setting.  I really enjoyed seeing their new place.  I will definitely be back soon.  Cheers!

The Brewhouse

229 W. Montecito St.

Santa Barbara, CA  93101

805-884-4664

Hours: 11am to 10pm Daily. Open at 10am on the weekends for brunch

www.sbbrewhouse.com

Island Brewing Company

5049 6th Street

Carpinteria, CA  93013

805-745-8272

Hours: Monday-Friday 2pm to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 9pm

www.islandbrewingcompany.com

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company

2446 Alamo Pintado, Suite C

Los Olivos, CA  93441

805-694-2252

Hours: 11am to 9pm Daily

www.figmtnbrew.com

My Craft Beer Week in Review, Part 1

Well, Craft Beer Week has come and gone, and I'd have to say it was a pretty good one here in Santa Barbara, CA.  The weather was a little crazy.  Over 90 degree temperatures most of the week.  That is not normal around these parts any time of the year, especially not mid May.  Global warming?  Right, another subject for another time (and probably another blog entirely).

Racer 5 from Bear Republic

I started off my week by grabbing a six pack of Racer 5, brewed by Bear Republic.  This is one of my go to, all time favorite beers.  Any time I am back home in Northern California, I do what I can to make sure I get up to Healdsburg and get in to Bear Republic.  I love sitting outside on their patio on a warm afternoon.  The service there is always great, there are smiles all around, and it doesn't seem too taken over by tourists.  Of course, it's usually crowded, but seats can be found, and good times are had.  I enjoyed a few of these tasty IPA's in my backyard on Monday, and tried to remember if this was one of the first IPA's I ever had.  If it isn't the first, it's darn close, and I can say without a doubt, it should be enjoyed by anyone that loves a great, refreshing, well hopped IPA.  If you are on a road trip, and get north of San Francisco, try to get up to Healdsburg to enjoy all Bear Republic has to offer.  The town is great as well.  I know I'm looking forward to my next visit.

Behind the bar at Telegraph Brewing

Tuesday, my girlfriend and I made it over to Telegraph Brewing, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to get a great beer.  It is a little off the beaten path, so it isn't overcrowded.  Every time I am there, I can get in a chat with the person behind the bar to catch up on what Telegraph has been up to or what interesting new beers that have available.  The picture above is from the week before last, so it doesn't have on the list the Obscura Arabic Sour that we tried when we first got there.  My girlfriend loves sours, so I'm glad they had one for us to try.  They aren't easy to find around here.  The Obscura was very tasty, and not too tart.  I know some people love that complete face puckering sensation you can get with some sours, but I don't mind if it isn't quite like that.  This one was very good, and I'm glad we happened to catch it on tap.  Clearly, from the picture below, it was a hit with the girlfriend.

Lindsey enjoying a sour and a night off work

We tried a few more beers, and once you've had a couple, you might as well change venues, and have a couple more, right?  Yep, I agree.  We headed about a quarter mile over into the Funk Zone and popped into Figueroa Mountain Brewing, which was, of course, crowded.  Fig Mountain (as it is called around here) has quickly become a must stop for anyone visiting from out of town, or anyone that is out just looking for a great beer.  Their location is ideal, one block off State Street (the main street through town), and the whole area has turned into a beer, wine and art destination.  Everything in the area is easily reached by walking, the beach is only a couple blocks one way, downtown is only a couple blocks the other way, and the train station is practically next door.  It's almost hard to miss Fig Mountain, and based on the crowds every day, not too many people are missing it.  We found a spot in the corner on the patio, with a little bit of shade, as it was still around 90 degrees at 6 in the evening.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

I opted for a Lizards Mouth, which is Fig Mountains' Imperial IPA, and is a must try when you are here.  I've talked to numerous people from L.A. that have driven up for the day, and a main part of that trip has to include a stop at Fig Mountain to try the Lizards Mouth.  It comes in a 10oz. goblet, and at 9.2%, that is a good thing.  Honestly, this beer tastes like it is over 9.2%, but it isn't boozy at all.  It just tastes like this a serious beer, and one is probably going to be enough.  Fig Mountain just started bottling this beer.  If you see it, grab it.  Trust me on this one.  

I finished my beer, my girlfriend finished her glass of wine (she was "beered out" at this point, if you can imagine that), and we headed home.  Time for some homemade tacos!  I, of course, had to wash those tacos down with a Racer 5.

Wednesday I took a beer break, but I definitely had some great ones later on in the week.  I'll finish up my Craft Beer Week recap in the next couple of days. Cheers, and stay tuned!

Bear Republic Brewing Co.

345 Healdsburg Ave.

Healdsburg, CA  95448

707-433-2337

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-10pm

www.bearrepublic.com

Telegraph Brewing Company

418 North Salsipuedes St.

Santa Barbara, CA  93103

805-963-5018

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 2pm-8pm, Friday and Saturday 2pm-10pm and Sunday 1pm-7pm

www.telegraphbrewing.com

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

137 Anacapa St, Suite F

Santa Barbara, CA  93101

805-694-2252

Hours: 11am-11pm daily

www.figmtnbrew.com

Rochefort Trappist "10"

I came to read about and desire this amazing Belgian Ale when I was checking out the Merchant du Vin website not long ago.  Here's what stood out to me and made me realize this was something I needed to try:

Ratebeer.com - 100pts

"Best Beer in the World" - Men's Journal Magazine, October 2010

Gold Medal - World Beer Championships 2004, 2006

Those kind of reviews are enough for me to try just about anything, let alone a Belgian Trappist ale. Lucky for me, there was one left on the shelf when I was at the store the other day.  

(inside the Rochefort Brewery)

The minute I popped the top, the spicy aromas hit my senses.  I didn't even think I was close enough to the bottle to really notice it like that, but this thing came out swinging.  An excellent start. The beer poured a dark, walnutty brown, with leftover sediments from the bottle conditioning filling the glass as well.  The beer hits your lips with a distinct taste of well ripened raisins.  It is sweet, but well balanced by the malts.  The longer it warms up in the glass, I get more aromas of port wine.  The longer it sits in my mouth, I get a taste of warm caramel.  For a strong ale, at 11.3%, it goes down very smooth. Not much of that alcohol taste left in your mouth.  This beer is like perfectly prepared dessert: sweet, deeply satisfying, and you hope you will get it again one day.  A beer like this doesn't come around often, but when it does, savor it.  In case you were curious, the "10" on the label of the beer comes from "Belgian Degrees," a traditional, historical way of measuring gravity (the sweetness of the wort before fermentation), and determining the final gravity of the beer.

(Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy - Rochefort)

Rachefort Trappistes, located in the Abbey of St-Remy, is located in the southern part of Belgium, and is one of only ten Trappist breweries in the world.  The monks of the abbey began to brew beer around 1595, and like all Trappist breweries, the profits from selling the beer can only be used to support the abbey, or go to charitable causes.

(map of Belgium)

This is a wonderful beer, and like almost anyone that has had it will tell you, probably one of the best I have ever had.  I truly enjoy this style.  It is a nice break from the always available, hoppy beers that are on every supermarket aisle.  If you see it, grab it.  I think I paid about $7.99 for my 11.3oz bottle. Not a bargain by any means, but well worth it, in my opinion.  I'm glad I got it, and I would certainly buy it again.  I look forward to trying the other beers in the Rochefort family. Cheers!

(The Rochefort family of beers)

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy

B-5580 Rochefort

Tel.: (32) (84) 22.01.40

www.abbaye-rochefort.be