Our group pre-pour.

(I will post this pic as soon as I receive permission from my beer fest compadres)
Our group didn’t dwell long on the ordeal of getting our glasses, instead, we headed out into the 100+ degree heat to find our first sample. It’s funny how people stay on the sidewalks even though the road has been blocked to enable pedestrians under the influence of hops to walk at will. It took about an hour for most of the people to venture off the sidewalk into the street but I am proud that our group recognized this singular freedom and braved the center of the road right from the start.
Our group did not agree on all beers but I am including all of the reviews I managed to write down. Mind you, I took notes, snapped pictures, danced badly on toes and drank a lot of beer. While the fact that I managed to take any notes at all is a testament to my agility and my commitment to beer journalism – the combination undoubtedly interfered with my journalistic concentration.
I imagine that my early reviews are better than my later ones; in fact, I’ve come across some coasters for beers I don’t remember drinking at all. But that is the point of the whole exercise, to taste all 40 breweries in about 3 hours, a tall order even with short pours and altogether likely to dull one’s memory.
Stone Brewing – Our first beers of the day. AHHHH, an excellent IPA but the volunteers barely poured enough beer in the glass to develop a head. Even so, the Stone Brewing IPA was my favorite of the festival. I readily acknowledge that it being my first beer may have given Stone’s beer an unfair advantage.
Black Diamond – IPA was not nearly as good as Stone’s but to their credit the beer was COLD and they gave a full pour! Aces to you at Black Diamond, next time add a few more hops!
Moylans – I had a Scottish Ale which was really good. A little sweet, but a nice change of pace.
Trumer – This was a Czech ale, v ery light and nobody liked it much. Can a beer get jet lag coming from Eastern Europe?
Avery - This beer is from Boulder Colorado and besides being a bunch of short pouring SOB’s, the IPA was weak. I think they need to use more than a tablespoon of hops. Now, one of our group LOVED their Porter so props on the Porter Avery and get back to work on your IPA. I am expecting better things next year.
Firestone – I tried their DBA which was good, but not superior. They’re from Paso Robles so it’s wine country, “Sideways”, all of that, no great beer tradition over there. But my cousin likes their beer so perhaps I need to give it a second chance next year. He is a beer connoisseur after all.
Anderson Valley Brewing Company – Great IPA, hoppy, great blend nice color. Outstanding Boonville! Too bad you’re so far from civilization though.
Summer Solstice – Didn’t make a note about it but someone in the group liked it I think. Gave it an A+ if I recall so it was probably good stuff.
Tallec – From South Lake Tahoe and they gave me a great pour of Amber. I highly recommended their Amber, truly an excellent brew!
Then we entered another world. A place called Gothic Rose Antiques and Curiosities, see part II for a little detail on that incredible shop. Right next to a place that was closed for the brew fest, jeers to you “Papa’s Spuntini”!
Lagunitas – Owee what a great couple of beers they brought along! They had a superb Pale Ale and IPA. Felicidades Lagintas! Cerveza muy Buenas! I get a little bilingual when I drink lots of beers.
Gordon Biersch – I’ve loved their amber beer for many years and I was so hoppy to taste the same quality I remembered. They also gave me a keychain bottle opener which may have swayed my judgment, I’m a sucker for bribes.
Mad River Porter – was pouring a good IPA and a Porter that one in our group gave an A+, no small complement! The Mad River is way out in the boonies so I doubt I’ll ever get to their brewery.
Buckbean Black –They gave out key chains which was nice. They poured out a “Noddy” which was OK, only rated a B+.
Blue Frog – Out of Santa Cruz served something I didn’t write down but I remember complementing the guy on it at the time so it must have been good.
Grand Teton Brewing Co. – Jackson Hole Wyoming. I went there once when I was a kid, it was a little tourist trap where fake cowboys staged gun fights in the streets. I say all this - as if you care - but I can’t remember if their beer was any good and my notes only listed the name Bitch Creek where I’ve been without a paddle thank you for reminding me.
Oskar Blues – I had a Scotch Ale again, very smooth taste.
Longboard – I had their pale ale which I’ve enjoyed in the past but it didn’t compare favorably with all of the other great beer I was having. Sorry Long Board but you came up short this time.
Drifter (which I wrote as Dafter that may bespeak my state of inebriation at that point in the fest) – Pale Ale was really good. Our culinary expert in the group decided that it would pair well with a pasta with white sauce and seafood or a peppercorn steak with asparagus. While there were a few snacks long the route, I think we were getting hungry.
La Chouffe – All I wrote is it was very good. Not sure what it was or why.
Wells – The grand prize of the day goes to this brewery for originality and taste. They served a Banana Bread Beer. No JOKE! It was delicious and honestly tasted like banana bread, not overwhelming but it was there all the same! We rated it PHENOMENAL!
River City Brewing Company – Out of Sacramento and I had their stout which was a little like having a coffee espresso.
Gold Hill Brewery – Served me something really excellent but all I recall is they are local and goooood.
Mendocino – Very excellent brew but didn’t note the type I had. We’re getting up there in pours now.
Jack Russell – The White Water Pale Ale was very nice. I thought it was sharp marketing not to call it Yellow Water or Hydrant Dew or something like that since their mascot is a dog.
Alaskan Brewing Company – All I wrote was Alaskan. We were by this time chugging and moving quickly from place to place since it was getting close to last call.
Placerville Flowers was pouring beer but what was special about them was their pourers, a pair of very enthusiastic young women who earned our Placerville Brew Fest Spirit Award for 2009. CONGRATULATIONS!
Nectar Ales, Black Diamond – I had their coaster but no notes on what I had or if I liked it!
Nobody won it last year because we just made it up.
The group post-pour

(I will post this pic as soon as I receive permission from my beer fest compadres)