Silicon Valley Beer Week 2013: Gordon Biersch Kick of Party

Felt like walking into the Wonka Factory.

It's Silicon Valley Beer Week! Michael and I attended the Kick Off Party at Gordon Biersch on Sunday. It took place at the brewhouse in east San Jose, right in the back storage and shipping area.

I will do a separate post about Gordon Biersch later on. Right now let's just focus on the event...

Do you ever think about how many random people's photo's you're in?

It consistent of several tents featuring a pairing of an appetizer from a local restaurant and a beer from a local brewery.

Yummy Pilsner

Gordon Biersch had its Czech Style Pilsner, which was my first drink. It is a pretty standard German Pilsner, maybe a little more on the malty side. Very drinkable and a nice starter for the party.

Very big golden ale

Strike Brewing Company offered its Blonde Ale, a very golden ale with a lot of malt. This is a good beer, but has a tartness that needs to be paired with something herb-y or it is overpowering. I see it going well with appetizers, maybe some thick wheat crackers and basil hummus.

I was SO happy to have vegan food. 

There was even a vegan vendor, Good Karma Cafe! We had dinner there the other night actually (I will do a post about it soon). Good Karma served jalapeno poppers, which I have not had in a long time so I was happy. The beer pairing was Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale.

Love this IPA

This is a crisp, hoppy beer. Prefect to cut through the richness of the vegan cream cheese in the poppers. I know from experience this also pairs very well with juicy veggie burger. Towards the end, Good Karma ran out of Dogtown, so they tapped a Maximus instead. It's a extremely hoppy IPA, also paired with with the poppers.

Biere de Chocolat, very interesting...

Almanac Beer Company had its California Table Beer: Biere de Chocolat. This is very complex beer, very chocolaty. A bit bitter at first, and finishes kind of smokey. I was not that impressed by this beer. It is a bit much to drink on its own (and does not pair well with jalapeno poppers). I'm sure the beer would have been better with the pairing, a bacon wrapped date or something, to give it more sweetness and compliment all the background flavors. I am very interested in trying more of Almanac's beers though. I love the its concept of taking inspiration from Northern California's farming legacy. Making artisan "table beer" similar to making "table wine".

Malty

Hermitage Brewing Company had two choices: Maltopia and Hoptopia. I am kind of allergic to hops, so I try to avoid extremely hoppy beers when I can. I only took a sip of Michael's Hoptopia, plus I've had it before. It's double IPA that does not skip on the hops. It's balanced out by a caramel background taste, but that fresh hops taste is definitely right in the forefront. I did have a sample of Maltopia. It is a Scottish Ale, toasty malt flavor and a little fruity too.

"Never Trust a Skinny Brewer"

This was a very fun event, nice job everyone involved!

Auburn Ale House

Just noticed Michael got in the picture...at least he's cute!

A few weeks ago Michael was a groomsman in his college friend's wedding in Lake Tahoe (check out the post on my other blog). We stopped had dinner with his sisters and brother-in-law since we would be passing by and have not seen them in awhile. For her birthday last year, we had brunch at awesome little place and wanted to go back again, the Auburn Ale House.

Auburn is small gold rush town about 40 minutes from Sacramento. Old Town has been restored, giving a nice Gold Rush era feel. We have only explore the brewery and a few shops, but plan on checking more of the historic places out soon (Michel promised me a Gold Country camping trip before the summer ends).

Auburn Ale House opened in 2007 in Old Town. The decor theme is mix between Gold Rush California and Nostalgic American. Interesting mix of Americana. It was founded by Brian and Lisa Ford, who hoped to create a family-friendly destination that would both standout culinary and compliment the history of the building. They wanted to go beyond the old standard of basic burgers and pizza---and trust me they did.

When we went last year for brunch, not much on the direct menu was vegan. However, they were more than happy to accommodate me. They made me sourdough toast with no butter, fresh fruit, and homefries with veggies. And not to mention the bottomless mimosas...

This time I ordered Barley Burger with no cheese or aioli. I love barley burgers and I hardly ever see them in restaurants, so I was very happy. Cooked perfectly and loved the sweet roasted red pepper on it.

Michael got the Alehouse Reuben, as usual whenever he sees it on the menu. He said it was great too.

Ok, now for the beer...

I got the American River Pale Ale First (and so did the brother-in-law). A classic IPA that smells very citrus-y. This will go well with almost anything. "Highly drinkable" as they describe it.

Michael got the Old Town Brown, I am not sure I agree with calling it a "Session Ale" as the website describes. It was slightly mild for brown ale, but not enough that the word "session" ever came to my mind. Loved the balanced malty chocolate flavor.

He started drinking it before I got a pic...

His sister got Gold Country Pilsner, she said it was good and very drinkable. I loved the straw color.

And, we grabbed a growler of American River as a present for the bride and groom, and one of Fool's Gold Ale for us. We bought a bottle of this last time and loved it. It reminds me of hoppy Oregon beers. Lovely rich gold color and pretty strong (7.8%) for a pale ale. Nothing not to love.

We LOVE this place. I love history of the area. The staff is very friendly (our waitress, without hesitation, brought a few samples so we could decided what to get in the growlers). The atmosphere and decor are warm and inviting (who doesn't love a pin-up girl their beer?). And the beers are amazing.  You HAVE to try this place. Take a trip out the Gold Country and have a delicious craft beer on the way, serious worth the trip.

TL Beer Garden

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On the drive to my previous job, I passed this little hole-the-wall-looking place. There was nothing special about the building---just a simple sign, no windows, and door. You could catch a glimpse of a decent looking patio with outdoor seating as you drove passed. But it's what that simple sign says that intrigued me, "Beer Garden." TL Beer Garden, a beer garden in Sunnyvale, heck yeah I had to try it. One day after work I offered to buy my sweetheart dinner and beer, he didn't argue (like one of us would ever turn down beer).

I can't find any background information or history about this place. This is the description on the Facebook page "We have 22 beers on tap as well as a full bar, hookah, pool, many TV's for your entertainment, and a delicious food menu!We have an awesome staff of bartenders who are friendly and charismatic, so come on in with your family, friends, and colleagues and enjoy a nice cold glass of beer and some delicious food!" I saw someone on Yelp said this place might have been a Chinese restaurant before because there is a faded mural.

The parking is limited, a few spots in front with some more spots shared with the other small businesses in the back.There is indeed a nice little outdoor seating area on the patio.It even offers hookah.It was too cold out for me so we sat insid, but I could that being fun in the summer. Besides the random Asian decorations, it has your standard alcohol advertisements and sport posters on the walls. Standard bar chairs, stool, and bench tables. Several TV's showing various games. Pool tables in the back too. 


It was kinda awkward when we walked in. No one really greeted us so we just wandered to a table. Shortly after a waitress approached us, and gave us menus and peanuts. Did I mention the waitress was wearing a referee outfit? Like one of the sexy ones you wear for Halloween? She had leggings on too, and it was not too short or showing too much cleavage, but still...not sure how I feel about that. But hey, I've been a waitress before and flirted with guys to get more tips, so I get it. A girl's gotta pay her bills. 

Anyways, we happily munched on peanuts while we decided what to drink. They had all but 2 of the beers listed on tap, plus several bottled. I decided on my favorite beer in the world, Dead Guy by Rouge Ales (I will do a post about them soon). Michael got Moose Drool.  Both are good beers so no complaints. They came in big, frosty cold mugs too. 

I ordered the Bombay Garden Burger, Michael got the Jamaica Red Burger. Both were good, nothing special. Just standard decent bar food to soak up your beer. Everyone raved about the fries on Yelp...I will say they were good for dive bar fries, but nothing special. 

We ordered one more round and stayed awhile. We chatted, and watched the various games. Some of the obvious regulars showed up at the bar...they were interesting. Both pool tables were occupied and had people waiting for the next game. Another couple came in (probably expecting a nice date night) and turned right around when they saw the place. It was kind of funny. 

Overall, this is probably not the place you want to take your date (unless she's a beer girl like me). The service was not that great. They brought us what we asked for in a reasonable amount of time and were polite. Nothing more, nothing special. No complaints though. This place is what it is---a cheap place to get a big cold beer. I will come again though. They have a nice selection and there is not much in the area like this that is not insanely overpriced or always packed. I think Michael said it best, "This is the place I would start off a bachelor party. Get a couple cheap drinks before you head out for the night."

Seabright Brewery

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Last weekend Michael and I went for a bike ride long the coast in Santa Cruz. It was a lovely clear and sunny day, but VERY cold. Afterwards, my frozen bones were ready for some warm food and a tasty beer. Michael told me about Seabright Brewery before, having been there when he went to college at UC Santa Cruz. So, we stopped in for dinner after our ride.

The place is an eclectic mix of college kids, old guys chatting at the bar, sportsfans, hippies, and surfers--- like the general population of Santa Cruz. I cannot find much about the history of the brewery, nor can I find an email address to contact anyone for more information. I will update this post later when I get more information. The website states that it features regular and seasonal beers. There is Neighborhood Night on Tuesdays (Michael says it is awesome) and live Music on Fridays.

Loved the veggie patty!

I got the Hawaiian Five-O Burger with no cheese and a vegan vegetable patty. The patty had real chunks of veggies, which was a nice change from a plain Garden Burger.  The pineapple was juicy and sweet. And it was not smothered in teriyaki sauce like most restaurants do, just enough to taste. No complaints! 

mmmm, garlic fries!

Michael got the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, he had no complaints either so I assume it was good too! We both had garlic fries, which were very good. 

Ok, the beer...

Since were meeting some friends and knew we will come back, we decided to get full glasses rather than a sampler. 

An unholy ale and a smooth stout.

I started with the Sacrillicious Ale. The menu describes this beer as pungent, and that is right. I could smell the it minute I picked up the glass. It is very malty, but the malt is instantly taken over by the hops. I would describe this as a dirty red ale, because it is high in alcohol and is far from a classic red ale. Michael first had Oatmeal Stout. It is very smooth and I loved the hint of coffee. 

I totally see why this beer can make your nigh a blur.

Then I got hesitantly got The Blur. I torn between wanting a traditional Pacific Northwest IPA and being worried after reading the reviews on FourSquare about how strong it is. The Oregonian in me won out and I am glad it did. It reminded me of all the great IPA's back home. It is strong, but big on flavor. 

Light but very drinkable 

Then Michael tried the Loose Lucy Scotch Ale. It reminded me of a more flavorful and jacked-up Budweiser. A very drinkable beer, I see this going nicely with some spicy hot wings. 

I couldn't get a better picture,
but yeah, drawings of naked women.

I really liked this place, dirty beers to drawings naked women on the walls included. This was so my kind of place, we will definitely be coming here again. And hopefully the next bike ride will be warmer! 

Golden Valley Brewery

I spent Christmas this year in Oregon with my family, and Michael came too. It was nice to show him my hometown and have him meet my friends. However, there is not much to do in Hillsboro. So we drove a few towns over to McMinnville. There is the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, home of Howard Hughes' infamous Spruce Goose.  While the museum itself is awesome, the cafe isn't anything special. So a quick check on Google Maps revealed a microbrewery nearby!

Golden Valley Brewery is located in the country side of the Willamette Valley. The building is a 1920s warehouse with huge local timber pillars. I felt like I was pioneer walking into the local tavern for a drink, a good way to represent Oregon.

It began in 1993 by Peter and Celia Kircher. I contacted Peter for more information about the brewery and he stated that "The key focus for our brewery is to produce consistent quality traditional style beers of great balance and rare complexity." Their aim is produce "more classic style" beers. 



The restaurant features a standard Oregonian brewpub food. For those of you not familiar with Oregonian cuisine, that means an eclectic mix of standard bar food, regional specialties, and anything else the chef feels like making. 

I had a Garden Burger, minus the cheese. It had sautéed mushrooms and nice crisp lettuce and red onions. No complaints! 

Michael got the Pastrami Reuben Sandwich. Rubens are his favorite and always orders one when he sees it on the menu. He said this was the best one he had in awhile!

Ok, now for the beer...

I knew it would be able awhile before we could be able to visit again, so we got a sampler to try them all.  The sampler has 10 beers, from lightest to darkest: 3rd Street Wheat, Perrydale Pale, American Pale Ale, Chehalem Mountain IPA, Red Thistle Ale, Exit 65 IPA, Atlas Elevator Bock, Tannenbomb, Dundee Porter, and Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout.

All the beers are heavily loaded with flavor, but perfectly balanced. A good example of this is the Red Thistle, very malty but counterbalanced with the right kind of hops. This beer was interesting---in a good way!

I have two favorites. The first is the American Pale Ale. Slightly malty and a little citrus, very drinkable and smooth. This is a great beer to drink year round with any meal. My second favorite was the Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout. It was so smooth, almost like drinking desert.

Michael liked the Atlas Elevator Bock. It is dark with a smokey/meaty taste. He collects growlers so I bought him one filled with the Bock.

I drove past by this brewery a million times,  I am glad we finally stopped in! They also have a pub in Beaverton if you do not have the time to drive to McMinnville. But I suggest you take the scenic route out through the Oregon countryside and get some good beer from Golden Valley Brewery next time you are in the Willamette Valley.

Sources:
http://www.goldenvalleybrewery.com/ranch.htm
Background information sheet provided by Peter Kircher, owner

Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale

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Lats Friday I went out to lunch with my sweetheart and our friend.  We went to a wing place called Smoke Eaters across the street from my work. The boys got wings while I got a veggie burger. In addition to awesome hot sauces, it also has a decent selection of draft and bottled beers. I decided to go for something new and I liked the regal title of this beer: Duchesse Ale.

Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale is a Flemish-style red ale from Brewery Verhaeghe.  The beer is named after Mary of Burgundy, a beloved Belgian Princess in the 15th century who died in a tragic accident. I would give your more information about the beer or the brewery, but everything else I can find is in Flemish or German.

The beer itself is interesting. It kind of reminded me of alcoholic soda---but I liked it. It is a blend of a young and old beer, both of which where fermented in oak. This gives the beer a little bit of sour taste. It has passionfruit and chocolate, which makes it fruity and rich at the same time too. This is an unusual beer, but definitely drinkable.  This would go nicely with a heartier meal and something less spicy than  nuclear hot sauce fries.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchesse_de_Bourgogne_(beer)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brouwerij_Verhaeghe

Full Sail Brewing Company

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This is another brewery that has a special place in my heart. Full Sail Brewing Company is a local, employee-owned company in the Columbia River Gorge. Founded in 1987, it is one of the oldest microbreweries in Oregon. And the first in the Northwest to have commercial bottling success.

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The brewery itself is is located in charming town of Hood River, Oregon, just an hour from Portland. They bought the abandoned Diamond Fruit Cannery and transformed it into a place to pursue their dreams. The first beer they produced was a golden ale.  As business began to boom, they added more beers, including a porter, an amber, and a winter ale. They continued to grow and now feature two core beers, a few seasonal, special releases, and session lagers.

Photo courtesy of my boyfriend

Not only do you need to try the beer, but you need to visit the brewery as well. The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most spectacular sights in the world. It is located right along the Interstate 84, making it very hard to miss. You get an amazing view of the river and the surrounding landscape. The pub offers Pacific Northwest inspired food prepared with local ingredients. I usually get the Hummus Plate (just minus the feta). The Brewery offers tours everyday on the hour from 1-4 PM. The staff member are very nice and very knowledgeable. And, you get a free beer glass at the end!

Here are my two favorites beers:

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Full Sail Amber Ale: I love the chocolate malt in this beer. It has a unique taste---sweet and malty, but somehow a little spice too. It was very groundbreaking at the time-- just like the Oregonian spirit. This is one of the flagship brews and has won numerous awards. 

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LTD 03:This is a seasonal beer, only available from June to September (which is usually when I visit home anyways).  Full Sail calls it a pale-golden, I was argue it is more on the golden side. I do agree that it is a "thirst quencher", especially after a long, hot day. The hoppy/floral combination is what draws me to it.

You can find Full Sail Beers almost anywhere nowadays. If I can find them in a literal shack of a store on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, you should have no trouble at all.

The reason (besides the awesome beer) this company has a special place in my heart is because it was the place my sweetheart and I discovered our mutual love for beer. He was in Hood River doing an internship with one of our geology professors. The first day he was there, I asked how he liked Full Sail. He answered, "How do you know where I am?"  I responded ,"You would be crazy not to be there!" Later he invited me to come join them for the day since I only lived an hour away. After a long and tortuous day of hiking to find a hidden fault, we were exhausted and thirsty. He suggest we get beer from Full Sail and I knew right then that I wanted to date this boy.

What I like the most about Full Sail is that it uses all local ingredients and is committed to being an active member of the local community. These are people who truly enjoy beer and want to make a good product.  As the bottle caps say, they really are just "stoked to brew."

Sources:
Full Sail Brewery Tour
http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/full-sail-story.cfm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Sail_Brewing_Company

McMenamin's Cornelius Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall

All photos from here

My hometown is Hillsboro, Oregon and there is no way I make my first review about any other place than McMenamin's Cornelius Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall.  I went to the restaurant a child with my family and it was one of the first bars I ever went with my friends when I turned 21.

Oregonians know and love McMenamin's Restaurants. There are several locations around Oregon and Washington. They purchase historic buildings and turn them into amazing brewpubs and restaurants. They are decorated a little eclectic, but very warm and inviting. Every location feels like you are sitting at your friend's house for dinner.  I am partial to the Road House because it is right down the street from my parents' house. They all have similar menus that vary seasonally, and feature McMenamin's own beers.

Cornelis Pass Road House and Imbrie Hall are two historic buildings for the town of Hillsboro. Built in 1850, Imbrie Hall was the original home of pioneer Robert Imbrie.  As his family grew he built a second house next door, the road house. In the late 1970s, the Imbrie family opened a restaurant. In 1986 McMenanmin's leased the property and over the next couple decades (and a legal battle over construction rights) restored the house. Lastly, in 2001 Imbrie Hall opened.

The grounds are lit- up at night during the summer.

Today you can dine in either building. The Road House has both in door and out door seating. My dad loves coming for late dinners in the summer. They have picnic tables and lights around the property. He enjoys the warm evenings with his family and a cold beer. Inside, like I said, feels like you are sitting in a friend's country home for dinner in the 1850s. However, Imbrie Hall is my favorite of the two buildings. It is a mix between an 1850s saloon and a barn house. The dark wood and metal fixtures are gorgeous. My mom and I often go for lunch when I am home. The menu is the same in both buildings though.

Ok, now for the beer. I know the selection by heart by now so I have my own opinions. You can check out their own descriptions here.  I am going to discuss my three favorites.

Ruby:
I love this beer so much it was the only thing I wanted to toast with for my graduation from the University of Oregon. It is a light ale with a little pink tint. It is a little sweet and very refreshing on a hot day. It has fresh Oregon raspberries brewed right in. My mom and I both think it tastes a little grapefruit for some reason. This is more of "girly" beer but that does not make it any less amazing.

Hammerhead:
It's a classic golden ale. Hoppy and a little malty. It goes great with anything on the menu, but I suggest using it wash down a burger because they make their own buns with the beer!

Terminator Stout:
It's dark, rich, and chocolatey. If you like dark beers, this is the one for you.

They also have seasonal ales that change often so I suggest trying them too. I can't remember what it was called, but I had this wheat one a few years back that I still dream of often.

Man, this post made me homesick--and thirsty!