Half Moon Bay Brewing Company

Two weeks ago, Mark and I had a Saturday afternoon free.  I had heard of a brewing company in Half Moon Bay from some friends at work so decided we should check it out.  First of all, it was a beautiful day!  The sun was out and the weather was as good as it could get for December.  Mark and I sat out on the porch of the brewery with views of the ocean. 

Half Moon Bay Brewing Company had 9 beers on tap and a 4 oz sample of each was $1.  Mark and I decided we would get 4 each and then split the stout to round out our samples.  This would allow us to sample all the varieties. 

Mark, the beer, and the gorgeous day!

All the beer



Some highlights:

Sandy Beach Blonde Hefeweizen- This was a Bavarian style hef with the banana and clove flavors.  I didn't have the lemon in it because I like to get the full flavor of the beer.  It was enjoyable in the typical Bavarian Hef way. 

Mavericks Amber Ale- I believe this is their "flagship" beer.  It's the only one that they sell in 22 oz. bottles as well.  It had a nice balance of hops and maltiness. 

California Common- This was a seasonal brew.  Honestly, I don't really know what makes a California Common as they are not as common as the name might make them seem.  It was hoppier than I expected.  I was thinking it would be some thing more like an amber or a blonde and a little lighter.  I liked it and Mark did as well. 

The Stout- Or was it a Porter?  Doesn't really matter, no one can give us a clear answer about what the difference is anyway. :)  I gave this one higher reviews that Mark.  It leaned more on the coffee, chocolate side of things than the smoked flavor he likes but I thought it was really good. 

Mark and I didn't get any food so I'd like to go back and get lunch or dinner in the summer when it's warm to enjoy the beach as well.  The views from the brewery are beautiful and I highly recommend sitting on the porch if it is nice.  The beer is good and overall it was a very nice Saturday!

Ale Industries

One weekend we drove up to Concord to visit a friend from high school.  Concord is home to Ale Industries. 

At the time, Ale Industries had 2 brews on tap.  The first I tried was the Orange Kush.  The Orange Kush a hybrid whit brewed with orange peel, coriander, and chamomile.  I liked this one.  It had a noticeable but not overwhelming orange flavor.  It would have been a nice beer to have on a summer day at a bbq. 

The second beer was the Rye'd Piper.  I liked this one more than Mark did.  It had a nice flavor to it and wasn't too hoppy.

The woman pouring was really nice as well.  She spent time talking to Mark and I about the history of the brewery and how the owners got it started.  She said they that currently have more brews but due to the high demand for their beer, she only had 2 we tried available on tap. 

Before we went, we bought a Yelp deal where we paid $5 and got $10 toward brewery purchases.  Then when we got there, we found out the happy hour special was $2 Orange Kush pints.  For $10, I walked away having drank 2 pints and with 2 22 oz. bottles and after my Yelp deal, it only cost $5!  Score! 

Faultline Brewery

Mark and I took a trip to Faultline one Friday night for dinner and their sampler.  We've had the sampler here a few times before.  Their beer is enjoyable but not particularly memorable.  We like how many different brews they have on tap.  However, generally only one of them rotates so there isn't very much change in their beer between visits. 

 Some hightlights:

Hefeweizen-  This is a Bavarian style Hefeweizen which I really enjoy and is slowly growing on Mark.  The typical banana and cloves flavors are there which makes it a beer I like. 

Best Bitter- I had a pint of this one on my first visit to Faultline.  It is malty, with a carmel flavor, and sweet but not overdone.  Mark isn't too impressed with this style of beer though so I like it more than him. 

Stout- Roasted, chocolate flavor and a good way to round out the sampler. 

Not too many details overall on this sampler.  Definately beer we enjoy drinking, but not one of our go to local breweries or brew pubs.

Moving onto the Winter Brews

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to move on from the pumpkin and onto the winter brews! 

We started with Snow Day by New Belguim.  We had recently tried a variety pack by New Belguim and I liked all of those so I was excited to try the winter brew.  Here's the description from the New Belguim website:

"Pleasantly hoppy, Snow Day carries the subtle chocolate and caramel flavors of a new brewing malt known as Midnight Wheat. The Styrian Golding, Centennial and Cascade hops bring the backbone of hoppy bitterness to complement the roasty undertones. This beer is the deep garnet of a roasted walnut and presents a creamy tan head, floating artfully atop. Snow Day is bold and hoppy, drinkable and strong."

Upon first pour, Mark and I were surprised about how dark this beer was.  We tasted it and it was very malty with a roasted flavor  I'd say the carmel and walnut flavors were stronger than the chocolate.  Although if I wouldn't have read that those flavors were in the beer, I probably couldn't have picked them out either.  It was pleasant but probably not one I'd buy again. 

Our second beer was Hopsichord by Sierra Nevada.  This really isn't a winter brew.  Beer Camp by Sierra Nevada are a line of beer only sold in Chico.  The benefit to having a sister who lives in Chico!  With the name Hopsichord, I was scared this beer would be too hoppy for me.  However, while definately hoppy, it also has some sweet to it.  Then Mark told me it has an ABV of 10%.  Pretty high!  I wouldn't have guessed it had such a high ABV from it's flavor either.  We both enjoyed this one and if I could find it in the store, I'd buy it again. 

Well, that's it for now.  We have some other new brews in the fridge so hopefully some new reviews soon.