Allagash Brewery is one of the most highly renowned breweries in the US. Brewing their first batch in 1995 Allagash came onto the craft beer scene hard bringing with them a vast array of Belgian classics and interpretations duing a time when British and German style beers ruled the scene. Today you can find many brewing companies in the US producing Belgian styles and some truly intersting interpretations. So to give a nod to Allagash, and because we love their beers, we are going to be tapping 8 allagash kegs this coming Tuesday, September 7th. Starting at 4pm, the first fifty people to purchase an Allagash beer will get a signiture Allagash glass.
It does not take an expert to taste the difference between a craft beer and a garden-variety adjunct macro-brew. The wide range of grains, hops and yeast varieties, plus, at times, other fine ingredients lend an aroma and taste to craft brews that far surpass your typical supermarket beer, not to mention the hundreds of different beer styles to choose from. Macro breweries focus on mass production and advertising, where craft breweries focus on quality and community. Mass production has a tendency to drain quality out of a product. Craft brewers put a lot of time, thought and creativity into their beers, and it is important that they are properly represented, like a fine wine or a well-crafted spirit.
It seems too often that along with garden variety beers comes garden variety bars. Although there is nothing wrong with a Coors Light and a bar filled with TVs, many do crave a different experience. Somewhere you may learn a little bit about what you are drinking and tasting; somewhere you can see your local community brewers on the tap alongside beers from all around the US and world. At Neighborhood, it is important to us that these brewers and their creations are being properly represented and respected, and that our staff understands what goes into making these beers, style differences, proper pours and glassware, history and a bit about the craft breweries. Too often great beer is harmed by improper service practices.
All the servers here at Neighborhood are Cicerone Certified Beer Servers.
Cicerone is a more or less the Sommelier of the craft beer world offering different levels from the Beer Server Certification, to Certified Cicerone, to Master Cicerone. “’Cicerone’ designates a person with demonstrated expertise in beer who can guide consumers to enjoyable and high-quality experiences with great beer.” So don’t hesitate to ask our servers questions about the beer served here, drink and learn at the same time...a great combination.
You may have heard rumors circulating about Stone opening up shop in Europe, well it has been officially proposed. The folks at Stone drafted up a Request for Proposal to open up a Stone Brewery on the soil of the Euorpean continent. Where? Not known, the search is on for only a perfect fit. It is said that the beers that would be brewed on location there are to be exclusive to Europe and not to be reproduced at their Escondido location. Stone wants to make their brews more easily available to all their European fans, not having to go through long travel to hit the hands of their overseas enthusiasts. With kin breweries such as Brewdog, based in Scotland, making a stir in Europe, I think Stone would be a successful and important addition to the beer culture in Europe. Visit Stone's website, and our blog to hear updates on Stone and their "arrogant" expansion. Greg Koch and Steve Wagner explain their ideas for the possible European expansion.
Today we tapped Dogfish Head's Sah'tea and it's already being talked about. The guys at Dogfish Head brewery did their take on a Sahti, a 9th century Finnish proto-beer. The Sahti style is said to be one of the only primitive beers to survive in Western Europe. Many compare Sahtis to German Hefeweizens, but due to the exposure to wild yeast and bacteria a tartness is present making this style akin to the Lambics. At 9.0% Alc, this ale is suprisingly an easy drinker. The traditional juniper flavor is in the forefront from the use of juniper berries straight from Finnland; then followed by a rolling sweetness, spices and herbal notes provided by the rye and added black tea, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves and black pepper. The brewing process of this beer is pretty fascinating, they caramelize the wort with white hot river rocks. Check out the video below for more details about this brew from Lead Brewer Bryan Selders and come down and enjoy a glass of this finely crafted ale before its gone.
San Diego produces some of the nations most sought-after and respected craft beer, so it is highly beneficial that the Union Tribune has a reporter dedicated to beer. Constant local beer events; new, specialty and seasonal San Diego craft beers, plus, a city filled to the brim with beer enthusiasts equals a dire need for a reporter to keep the public updated. Peter Rowe, along with writing a periodic column in the Union called Pint Size Pour also has a blog sight through Sign On San Diego called Brewery Rowe. Rowe posts constant updates in regards to new craft beer releases as well as local beer events and general craft beer news. Rowe's voice is knowledgeable, yet he does not take himself too seriously which lends to an approachable, entertaining and educational blog. Professional blogs are always keeping eye on how many hits the blogs are getting, who is spreading the word and revenue so to say. So, in support of Peter Rowe's useful and craft beer supportive blog, go to his blog sight, subscribe, keep him afloat. Support our local craft beers and craft beer supporters.
