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Four Sons Brewery In Huntington Beach Grand Opening This Sunday

Posted on September 5, 2014
beer, Beer Event, Beer Tasting, beer travel, Beercation, Brewery, craft beer, four sons brewery, huntington beach, Photography, Travel
Comments: 0

Hey so y’all remember when I was talking about new breweries popping up all over the place? Well, here’s the info on another Orange County brewery opening soon (like this Sunday, Sept. 7th soon) this time in Huntington Beach, Four Sons Brewery! I had the opportunity to drop by whilst I was in HB with the husband and meet two of the “four sons” and chat a bit about beer and brewing.

Derek and Deven of Four Sons

The assumptions are true, the brewery is named after the family which has four sons and own the brewery as a family. “We are a very close family and do almost everything together,” said Deven Dufresne (on of the four sons). “You must live close by,” I blurted…hoping to not come off too creepy. “Yeah, like five minutes down the road,” Deven casually responded. Good, didn’t freak him out. “We really wanted to open a place in Huntington because it’s our home and we love it here,” Deven continued as I sipped my delicious coconut amber beer. Their flagship and most well-known so far beer is their amber with coconut that has some of the most pronounced coconut flavors that I’ve ever had in a beer that manages to be so clean and drinkable.

So, Sean (husband) and I love to chat with brewers about beer. Being homebrewers and professional lovers of craft beer we could talk about styles and ideas for hours. I spied a nitro tap handle and probed Deven for insight on what they anticipate on the nitro tap and then bounced around ideas of some unexpected nitro beers. Vanilla Bean Hef on Nitro anyone? Please and thank you.

We also got to taste their raspberry blond which I almost didn’t want to try in fear the raspberry flavor would come from an extract or shortcut for flavor and my palate can sniff out an artificial fruit flavor a mile away. It tastes like chalky lipstick to me. My worries were dashed away the moment this beer touched my lips and my eyes grew wide…”you made this with actual raspberries?!” Deven laughed and said, “We used some 35 pounds of raspberries for this beer. It made quite a mess!” The blond was well-balanced and had a slight tart tang to it, which I had described out loud and commented about how beautiful the hue was. “We added some hibiscus to enhance the color and add a little more flavor complexity,” Deven said while nodded enthusiastically. Yessss…more hibiscus beers!!

The taproom wasn’t super huge but it had a nice homey vibe and some cool design aesthetics. Apparently they are already thinking of expanding to the crossfit place next door. I feel like this is a trend lately so all you breweries who are in the planning stages, think big because expansion is almost always what happens as long as your beer is good and you have loyal customers. Come by and check them out this weekend, they will be at OC Brew Ha Ha on Saturday and Sunday is their Grand Opening!

18421 Gothard St., Ste. 100
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Hours of Operation:
Monday: 4-9pm
Tuesday: CLOSED
Wednesday: 4-9pm
Thursday: 4-9pm
Friday: 12-10pm
Saturday: 12-10pm
Sunday: 12-8pm

Sean giving me the stink eye

OC Brew Ha Ha 2014 Is This Weekend!

Posted on September 3, 2014
beer, Beer Event, Beer Tasting, Brewery, craft beer, oc brew ha ha, OC Brew HaHa, Photography, Travel
Comments: 0

If you read this blog you know how much I love the OC Brew Ha Ha event every year. I have been a loyal attendee since the 2nd Annual event in 2011 (wow..has it really been that long?!) and you can find my posts about the 3rd Annual (2012) and 4th Annual (2013) events informative and a fun gauge of how far I’ve come in blogging and photography. Mostly photography…I don’t think my writing style has changed much.

Every year this event is one of the most fun, well-organized, highly anticipated event among craft beer lovers in the so cal area. They manage to keep upping the ante and I can’t wait to see what the Brew Ha Ha team has dreamt up this year. Here are some details:

Saturday, September 6th at Oak Canyon Park off Santiago Canyon, CA.

* UNLIMITED TASTINGS! (New for 2014)
* 150+ Craft & Import Beers from over 75 Top Breweries
* Commemorative Festival Glass
* Live Entertainment
* Craft Beer Seminars by renowned experts
* Special Guest Speakers including multiple Craft Beer Legends
* Gray Cloud Cigar Lounge with Cigar and Beer Pairing Experts
* Homebrew Exhibitors
* Fun and Hilarious Games and Exhibitors
* Free soda and water

Tickets are either $45 for General or $60 for VIP. The event is from 1pm to 4pm but the VIP tickets get you in 1 hour early at noon. You also get to participate in a “beer appreciation” session with a beer expert.

Tips:

1. Try and arrive early. It’s a bit off the beaten path and it’s easy to miss the sign to turn off Santiago Canyon road. Trust me, I’ve done it. If you are coming from the 241 or Jamboree, it’s on the left after the lake entrance…so slow down and watch for it!

2. Eat a carb-heavy breakfast and be sure to drink a lot of water during the event. If you don’t prepare yourself for the event you are likely to get sauced fast and then you don’t really get to enjoy the experience.

3. Map out your “dream list” of beers or breweries you want to try and sweep those first. Many “releases” might be scheduled during the event so you want to be sure not to miss something amazing.

4. Wear sun screen and comfortable shoes. It’s an un-even grassy and dirt terrain so don’t be the chick who falls in heels. It’s hilarious and I’ll take your picture but I am sure those bruises and cuts will smart the next day. I am super pale so not getting burned is next to impossible, but if I forget the sunscreen it’s hell to pay. If you ask around most breweries will have some and will be happy to share.

5. Meet some new people! Strike-up conversations with some randoms, you just might make a new friend.

New Brewery In San Clemente: Artifex Brewing Company

Posted on September 2, 2014
artifex, beer, Beer Tasting, beer travel, Brewery, brewery tour, brewing, Brewing Equipment, CA, craft beer, drink local, Photography, san clemente
Comments: 0

Sometimes it feels like I hear about a new brewery opening almost every week now, but the seemingly high-speed momentum of the craft beer industry doesn’t scare me – it is invigorating. Every new place I visit is a chance to meet new passionate craft beer lovers and try unique beers. For every new brewery that opens, I see it as an opportunity to push the industry standards to a higher level and most economists will tell you that competition is a good thing. One of the newest Southern California breweries to open is Artifex Brewing Company, located at 919 Calle Amanecer close to the well-known Rainbow Sandals Outlet Store in San Clemente.

With limited beers on tap, they have the basics available with their Lager, Wheat Pale and IPA. Just for kicks, they have their Lager also available on Nitro. I am not ashamed to say that I actually really enjoyed the Nitro Lager. I am a Nitro fangirl, I know! But in all honesty, both were delicious and it really hit the spot when combating the hot and sticky summer weather. We also got to try some of their beers from the bright tank, namely the Hibiscus Cream Ale that tasted like hibiscus with floral notes and hints of citrus notes. It’s like they got in my brain and just knew I love hibiscus beers. Creepy…

Artifex co-owners Tim Cordato, his son, Nicholas, John Johur and Chris Gort have managed to create a beautiful space with subtle but impactful design elements. The different colors of the hand-stained wood panels that decorate the back wall of the bar, the windows that peel-back to create a social bar space while encouraging the coastal winds to cool the open taproom down, and the custom wood benches and tables that line the patio really matter to a patron. With the saturation levels of available breweries continuing to rise, the more these things matter. No longer will breweries be able to get away with crappy beer or a junky taproom when there are local options who have both! Artifex understands this and shows promise for the future. They are so promising in fact, they are looking to expand already into neighboring lots to continue to supply a hand-crafted product no matter if it’s beer or (possibly) food. Keep up with them on facebook to find out more!

If you visit them, let me know what your thoughts are. Cheers!

The Brew House in SJC Opening SOON!

Posted on August 27, 2014
andrew reed, Bar, beer, Beer Tasting, Brewery, brewing, craft beer, oc brew ha ha, OC Brew HaHa, Photography, ron bland, san juan capistrano, the brew house
Comments: 1

It’s an exciting time for craft beer lovers in So Cal. Between the ever-growing number of new breweries sprouting-up there are a number of fun and exciting bottle shops and beer bars along for the ride. Recently I went to Native Son’s in DTSA (Downtown Santa Ana) and it was so much fun to see the local area expanding and improving for the better. Further down south, there is much room for improvement in the comparative craft beer wasteland that is the Southern Orange County area. Recent openings from places like Artifex (article coming soon) helps bolster the appeal along with the highly anticipated opening of The Brew House in San Juan Capistrano.

So, full disclosure…I am buddies with the co-owner of The Brew House, Ron Bland. I have known him from the craft beer scene for a few years and he’s a great guy. He knows his shit about craft beer and has a formidable cellar to boot. His business partner, Andrew Reed, is newer to the beer scene but is enthusiastically jumping-in wholeheartedly in this venture with Ron.

The space is in a bustling retail center, tucked away and around the back by a quiet patio furniture store. Once inside, I admire the space finally and I can’t help but get excited. The bar is L-shaped with a large cold box and rustic aesthetic. The curved front windows give it some nice curb-appeal and I begged Ron to have seating along those windows for people-watching. The bathrooms and bar back area wasn’t finished yet, but I was able to get a feel for the massive potential the layout holds.

“We expect to be a destination location for craft beer lovers, as well as for those looking just beginning to explore the world of craft beer,” Andrew said. “Awareness will come through social media channels, our own personal networks, as well as pre-opening events such as OC Brew Ha Ha.”-Andrew Reed from the Patch.com article about The Brew House.

Look for them to be opening soon, like in the next month or two. Follow them on Facebook for updates!

Address: 31896 Plaza Dr, Suite D3, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Old Fashioned Glazed Doughnuts with Stone’s Coffee Milk Stout

Posted on August 21, 2014
baking, Baking with beer, beer, beer blog, Beer Tasting, craft beer, DIY, Doughnuts, Photography, recipe, Stone Brewery
Comments: 0

This post was originally published on Life Food and Beer for their Beer Social week for the upcoming Beer Bloggers Conference this weekend in San Diego! Hope to see you all there! Follow me on social media and live vicariously through me 🙂

Old Fashioned Glazed Doughnuts are my favorite doughnut in the whole entire doughnut world. It’s nostalgia, it’s comforting, it’s familiar, and it’s crunchy and delicious. This particular doughnut holds a special place in my heart!

There are several variations on this recipe so I took the opportunity to modify it by adding beer! I had the new Stone Brewing Co. Coffee Milk Stout so I thought “Why not incorporate this beer and coffee into the traditional Old Fashioned doughnut?” The results were better than I had hoped and everyone really loved them. I was very proud of them, and that’s coming from a lifetime Old Fashioned doughnut lover. I hope you all make and enjoy them!

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 tablespoons beer syrup (made by reducing 1 1⁄2 cups of beer in a shallow skillet on low with a 1⁄2 cup of

sugar until reduced by half)

2 1⁄4 cups cake flour

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2/3 cups sour cream

2 large egg yolks

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Glaze:

4 cups of powdered sugar

1⁄4 cup beer

2 tablespoons of beer syrup

1⁄4 cup cold coffee

Tools Needed:

Shortening or Veggie Oil for frying

A wide and tall pot (like one you might use for pasta) for frying

More flour for dusting

Instructions:

1. Sift together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and set aside. If you don’t have cake flour, you can make it by taking your 2 1⁄4 cups AP flour and taking out 4 tablespoons of flour out and replacing it with corn starch, and sifting it together several time to get it well incorporated and fluffy. I ended-up doing that because my local store didn’t have cake flour and it worked fine!

2. Mix together the butter and 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. The texture should be sandy. Add the yolks and mix until well incorporated.

3. Add the dry and we ingredients in batches, starting with the dry and ending with the dry. I mixed the beer syrup into the sour cream so I didn’t have so many bowls to work with.

4. Mix until just incorporated. Your dough should be sticky. I was worried about my level of sticky (thinking it was because of the beer syrup but it was fine). Scrape your dough into a second bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight. I let my sit overnight.

5. Flour your working surface and roll out your dough into about 1⁄2 inch thickness. I may have rolled mine a little thinner but that’s ok too. Cut your doughnuts either with a doughnut cutter or use two ring molds. Place the cut-out doughnuts on a cookie sheet as your “staging area” so you can score the tops of them and cool them a bit in the fridge before frying them.

6. Once all your doughnuts are cut, I scored them on the sides (in a triangle shape) which helps the wings form and put in the fridge to sit. It was super-hot in my house and I didn’t want the dough to get too hot.

7. Heat your oil to 325 degrees F and keep tabs on your temp with a candy thermometer. Gently drop using a slatted spoon or frying wand each doughnut in the hot oil, scored-side up, and fry for around 1 to 1 1⁄2 minutes. They should float to the top and start separating a little. Don’t panic, it’s supposed to do that. Flip over and fry for another 30 seconds or so (or until desired done-ness) and allow cooling on a wire rack (with a towel or sheet under to catch the excess oil).

8. Don’t forget to fry those doughnut holes, and keep an eye on them to prevent burning. They need slightly less time.

9. Mix together your glaze ingredients with a whisk in a separate bowl. If it’s a little thick, add some more coffee or beer to get it to the optimal consistency. It should be thick but be able to be mixed and drip down the doughnut a little. I glazed the top part of the doughnut and placed back on the rack to let the frosting set-up overnight. I dunked the whole doughnut hole in the frosting. You can enjoy these right away, but I suggest allowing the frosting to harden a bit.

Makes: 12-16 doughnuts (depending on thickness)

Lasts: 2-3 days

Soft Pretzels with Noble’s Cuddle Puddle

Posted on August 19, 2014
anaheim, baking, Baking with beer, beer, Beer Tasting, craft beer, DIY, Noble Ale Works, Photography, pretzels, recipe
Comments: 0

My husband has been asking me for soft pretzels lately and coincidentally so have my readers! Of course, it’s made with beer but the challenge is what beer goes well with the type of pretzel you have imagined in your mind? Well, I like a savory pretzel with a hint of rye so one of our favorite local breweries, Noble Ale Works, just happened to have a perfect beer to make these pretzels with: Cuddle Puddle! Now, if you have never heard of this beer, googling the name “cuddle puddle” might produce some interesting results as I discovered. Turns out that a “cuddle puddle” refers to a snuggle pile of ravers getting ripped on E or the “wet spot” created after some super happy fun-time in the bedroom…either way I am sure Evan is snickering about it secretly every time he hears someone talk about it. This was also a collaboration brew with Taps so perhaps the hijinks are to blame on them as well.

But I digress because this beer is perfect for a soft pretzel. It’s malty with a hint of honey and rye with influences of toast and hops that make it perfect to add to this recipe. If you aren’t local and don’t have access to this beer, any Altbier would work nicely.

Ingredients:

1 package of active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups of beer warmed to 110 degrees F

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

2 teaspoons of salt

4 1/2 cups of AP flour

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Boiling Water:

10 cups of boiling water

2/3 cup baking soda

Topping of the pretzel:

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon of water

Sea Salt for dusting

Directions:

1. Heat beer to 110 degrees and mix in the yeast and sugar and salt and let stand until bubbling and foaming slightly. FYI: adding salt to hot beer will cause the beer to foam to sprinkle a little at a time and let the foaming go down before adding more.

2. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, add the flour, butter and beer and mix together until the dough pulls from the edges of the bowl. If the dough is too dry, add a few 1/2 teaspoons of water (or beer) at a time until the dough pulls from the edges and starts forming a smooth lump of dough. The mixing process should only take about 5 minutes.

3. Put the dough in a ball form and place in a clean pre-oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. If you spray the top of the dough ball and press the plastic wrap down to tough the dough, you won’t have crusty pieces of dough and it will rise better. Make sure to let it rest in a warm area. Let rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Heat your oven to 450 degrees F. Put the water and baking soda in a large pot and turn on high to get a rolling bowl. While you are waiting for your water to boil, take your dough out of your bowl and place onto a slightly floured surface. Using a dough cutter, cut into eight equal pieces of dough. Roll-out each piece into long logs and be sure to pinch together any open cracks to keep the log uniform and gently press any large bubbles out. When each log is sufficient in length (about 18-24 inches), fold the dough into pretzel shapes by starting with a u-shape and folding one side over the other and using a little water to hold the arms down.

5. Boil the prepared pretzels one at a time for about 30 seconds. Once all the pretzels are boiled, brush with the egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets once during the cooking process so the color is even. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

These turned-out great. Immediately after making them I went over to Noble and gave them to my husband and his co-workers. They LOVED them. You know when guys like your baked goods when it’s silent and all they are doing is chewing and nodding. I was fortunate enough that Evan (head brewer of Noble) and Brad (brewer) were there to try them and they really liked them as well. I got to snap a pic of them enjoying them!

I hope you all try this recipe. It’s easy and a big crowd-pleaser. The only bummer is they get hard and stale quick so eating fresh is the best way to enjoy these. Cheers!

Native Son Alehouse Grand Opening in DTSA

Posted on August 8, 2014
beer, beer blog, Beer Event, Beer Tasting, Brewery, brewing, craft beer, dtsa, native son alehouse, Photography, santa ana
Comments: 2

Jon Sanchez, President

Attention fellow craft beer aficionados: there is a new craft beer bar opening in Downtown Santa Ana and the Grand Opening party is tomorrow, August 9th from 12(noon) to 11pm. The place is mellow and cool and somehow managed to be minimalistic in a sea of over-designed hipster beer bars. The breezy open design coupled with a slim menu and thoughtful beer choices makes this my new favorite beer bar.

Somehow the limited choices and curated menu makes the experience a more enjoyable one, and I am not burdened by decisions. It’s just a cool spot to hang out for a few hours and enjoy a delightful Gose from Almanac or a Pale Ale from Noble Ale Works and possibly some brussel sprouts. Native has a nice mixture of approachable taps for the craft beer noob and interesting taps for the craft beer geek(snob) without committing to 100 taps handles. The chicken sandwich and brussel sprouts were the only two items on the menu and both were delicious. The chicken wasn’t dry at all and the spicy elements were stimulating without being overpowering. The brussel sprouts were slightly charred and had a very addictive quality to them. Very promising start to their menu that they anticipate adding items to very strategically.

The Chicken Sandwich and Brussel Sprouts

I had the opportunity to chat with Jon Sanchez, president of Native Son Alehouse, and gain some insight to their thought process. “The community has been great,” he gushed. “We’ve been able to pick the brains of some of the local experts on how they would do it if they were to open a bar with all the knowledge they have gained over the years.” Jon went on to say that it’s the little things like having the bartender being able to reach a glass on the furthest edge of the bar and where to put the bottle fridge that make a big difference in functionality and efficiency. Invaluable nuggets of knowledge gained, he’s eager to join the local crowd. With experience from the corporate world working for Nestle and living close to a large concentration to fantastic beer bars in San Francisco he decided to make the leap into beer. “Why not?” Jon quipped, “It’s where I would spend most of my time anyways, why not open my own place?” I noted Jon’s City Beer (a well-known and loved beer store in San Francisco).

The stairs leading to Native Son

“Where did you get the name Native Son?” I asked.”It’s because I am from this area and after moving away and then coming back, I wanted to pay homage and so I named it Native Son.” “I like it, it has a ring to it,” I replied and Jon nodded in agreement.

The view from the patio of DTSA

I have high hopes for this place and if you are around the area, I suggest you give them a visit.

305 East 4th St. #200

Santa Ana, CA 92701

(714) 204-0337

info@nativesonale.com

website, facebook, yelp(4.5 stars and 10 reviews already!)

Dreams Do Really Come True: Collaboration Brew (AZ Wilderness Brewing Co. x Bottle Logic Brewing)

Posted on July 29, 2014
anaheim, beer, Beer Tasting, bottle logic, Brewery, brewing, Brewing Equipment, craft beer, Photography, Preview, Travel, wanderlust
Comments: 2

When you dream, do you dream about beer? Do you dream about a rare beer that you find in the back of your favorite obscure liquor store or getting to meet your beer idol(s)? When it comes to me, I dream of beer-inclined bearded men, but I married that man so I guess my dream really did come true. Lucky for me, lightning struck twice in the form of Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. collaborating with one of my favorite local breweries in Anaheim, Bottle Logic Brewing. My good fortune brings me not only the chance to photograph the enterprising-yet-stately bearded men of AZ Brewing but enjoy tastes of their delectable and mouth-watering beers. The shoot was so much fun, I don’t know if there will ever be a way to top it.

AZ Brewing shot to stardom after being named Ratebeer.com’s Top New Brewery for 2013, but that wasn’t the first time some of you have heard of them. They had one of the most successfully-funded Kickstarter campaigns for a new brewery back in April of 2012, raising $43,414. As some of you can gather, opening a brewery is quite expensive and the kickstarter didn’t completely fund Wilderness. They began to have financial troubles around their grand opening in late 2013. Being named the “World’s Best New Brewery” by Ratebeer.com turned everything around for this nondescript brewery located in Gilbert, Arizona. They have been showered with praise and notariety from the craft beer community including: An Article in Esquire Magazine, A Score of 99 from Beer Advocate, a 4-star Yelp rating, Draft Magazine (about their Mikkeller Collab), and in Phoenix Magazine Q & A section. I know what you are thinking…damn! Why the 4 star rating on yelp? Well, those people who rated them poorly should go and read my new favorite article: I Had A Terrible Experience At This Restaurant Because I Am A Terrible Person. It might clear some things up for you. I can’t help but admire the hell out of Brett Dettler, Wilderness’s business manager, for keeping it all together without losing sight of their culture or brand.

Back to the collaboration brew day! I sprinted off work early to catch the tail-end of the brew day at Bottle Logic on an uncomfortably hot Tuesday afternoon. I was greeted cheerfully by Jonathan Buford, the creator of AZ Wilderness Brewery, and I was instantly enamored with his electric personality. “Wanna see my hat with a solar-powered built-in fan?” Jon asked as I nodded enthusiastically…why yes, yes I do want to see that shit because that sounds fantastic. We all peered through the front window of Bottle Logic as Patrick Ware, Brewmaster, adorned the hat and braced himself in the sunlight for the fan-magic. The fan started spinning as if it was in agreement of our fervor and Patrick came hopping back inside glowing from the commotion. “That was pretty rad!” I exclaimed.

I was worried I might have to direct the photo shoot with some reluctant brewers who don’t like having their picture taken…because that happens a lot. A LOT. Those worries were dashed when Jonathan and Patrick jumped-into my “set” and just started posing away. It was the photo shoot to end all photo shoots. We had chalkboard signs drawn by the lovely Lindsay Fry, Bottle Logic Tap Room Manager (who does all their chalk art), only to have beer spilled on it within the first 5 minutes of the photo shoot. No matter, it didn’t detract from the energy and sheer trepidation that surrounded these guys. We just kept doing fun things like a three-person pyramid with their dog on top, a beard-length succession photo, a jump pic, surrounding the now infamous Game Of Thrones barrel chair, doing a complex “Will Brew For Food” story-line with their buddy Rick Burch handing Jon a sandwich from his car. I also found out later the AZ Wilderness guys friend Rick is actually the bassist for Jimmy Eat World. Who knew?

All the fun photos aside, the AZ Wilderness team was there to brew a collaboration beer with Bottle Logic. The beer, aptly named Passionate Dragon, will be a 7.5%ABV Saison brewed with passion fruit, dragon fruit, kumquats, AZ grown bay leaves, rosemary and Sonoran white wheat to name a few of the ingredients. If the beer is anything like my beloved Tattered Prince saison that Bottle Logic makes, it will be a delight. Keep an eye out for this beer in the next coming months at Bottle Logic.

As the brewing came to a close and the photo shoot almost over, we made the trip to Beachwood BBQ and Brewing in Long Beach for a celebratory dinner. All in all, it was a surreal afternoon filled with laughter and beer (duh..) and I can’t help but pinch myself. Hanging out with the wonderful people from Bottle Logic is always a prized moment and I am happy to get to know the remarkable people from AZ Wilderness. I hope we can all get together again sometime soon!

PS. I have WAYYY to many photos from this shoot that I can’t bring myself to edit down. Look for a stop-motion video in the near future!

OC Brew Hee Haw Recap

Posted on July 18, 2014
beer, Beer Event, Beer Tasting, Costa Mesa, craft beer, Foodie, OC Brew HaHa, Photography
Comments: 2

The newest event from the OC Brew Ha Ha Group in partnership with the OC Fair is the OC Brew Hee Haw event that took place this last weekend. We went on the first day of the fair and when we walked-in it was less crowded than I expected, which was a nice surprise. Gripping the handles of my camera bag tightly, I entered the beer event eager to see friends and taste some delicious beer.

There was a decent amount of breweries representing at the event with mostly volunteers pouring. The taps that were offered were crowd-pleasing and not overly complex which didn’t alienate any of the noobs that wondered into the event from the fair. It seemed like there was a decent amount of new people getting introduced to some of the fantastic local breweries that were in attendance.

Seriously good job to the event organization. There was a crazy amount of cops trying to find reasons to shut-down the event and staff was constantly fighting an uphill battle to keep the party going. There was plain-clothed ABC reps and plain-clothed cops in attendance along with obvious cops, fake ID decoys, wrist-band and ticket issues, etc. Despite the authorities best efforts, they managed to keep the event going and everyone was thankful for it.

I loved the the event included admission to the fair and for the first time I had my camera with me! I seized the opportunity to showcase the creepy feeling I get from the fair that might not be so forthcoming to most people. Fairs kinda creep me out…smoke that looks like fog, eerie darkness, cheesy rides, bad food, small hands.

Bonus: I had a PROPER pour of Noble’s English 101 on Nitro at the event. There are few things in this world that are more satisfying than a proper pour of a really good nitro beer. I am talking the 45 degree pour, the wait, then the top-off that bubbles a little curve over the brim of the glass. It’s textually silky and smooth and lip-smackingly delightful. Alright, that’t it. I am off to Noble now…I need another one right now!

Nepenthia Beer Garden 2014 Recap

Posted on July 11, 2014
anaheim, beer, beer blog, Beer Event, Beer Tasting, bottle logic, craft beer, Foodie, Photography, Travel, wanderlust
Comments: 2

This was my first time at the Nepenthia event and I enjoyed it very much. Located at my new favorite place, the Anaheim Farmers Park, which is conveniently close to the Packing House and Anaheim Brewery. Like an adult playground, people excitedly bounced from tent to tent, indulging in their curiosity and wonder. The event was like a cool breeze on a hot day, a hot tub after a great workout, a deep-tissue massage for my sore beer-mussels. As I entered the event, I took a deep breath and let out all my worries and stress and watched it carry away with the wind.

The event had some of the more exciting local craft brews around and paired with it was delicious food from some of the best local restaurants. As a matter-of-fact, the tacos from Hopscotch were the same tacos I had scored the highest at Sabroso and subsequently won the best in show award, was there and I was able to satisfy my craving for them once more. The lobster rolls were also very yummy and it was hard to wrap my mind around these foods being included in the ticket sales. Seriously? All you can eat lobster rolls? Sign me up!

In terms of the beer, the ones which stuck-out in my mind was the Randall from Bottle Logic and the Flemish red Marea Roja from Cismontane. I also very much enjoyed the offerings from Beach City, particularly the berliner weisse. At 2.8% ABV it was a refreshing and welcome change for my palate.

Overall, I really enjoyed this event. It wasn’t very crowded, it was well-organized, beautiful location, very decent craft beer line-up, stellar food offerings, and a kick-ass DJ. I feel like the A-Team… “I love it when a plan comes together!” Well done, Bobby!