Beermeister Abroad: in the USA!

 

This blog includes information and photographs shared with me by my brother (he doesn't want his face included so you'll just see bits of him in this blog 😉) and by his wife Shirin, many thanks to them as I haven't crossed the Atlantic for many years! The image above with Beermeister cap was taken earlier in the year on the opposite side of the U.S.A. to where the rest of the photographs were taken (except that immediately below) with Tom's Restaurant (website) in the background, used as the outside of the fictional Monk's Cafe in the television comedy series Seinfeld (youtube). Also the inspiration for Suzanne Vega's song Tom's Diner (youtube).

The first cap is an older model, I no longer have that domain, but the latest Beermeister cap is in the image immediately above, crossing over to Gibraltar from Africa, they do get around! 😉

So, to Dan and Shirin's more recent visit to the U.S.A. where they started off in California and drove up the West Coast and back. I'm not sure of the route they took exactly, but I'm recreating it as from North to South when dealing with the breweries, beers and bars below. The photograph above includes Mount Shasta, California, in the background (website).

Bar-wise (and brewery-wise) I'm starting with Fort George Brewery (and Pub), 1483 Duane Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (website), excuse the lighting in these images, they arrived quite late in the day I believe, and consequently were hungry, see next image! 😁 

And so a hearty meal was enjoyed, plus a glass or two of Fort George 3-Way IPA (7.0%); more of further down, as 4 cans were brought back as part of their gift for me, cheers! 👍

Whilst in Astoria they also visited the, very close by, Astoria Brewing Company, 144 11th Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103 (facebook); either earlier in the day, or on another day (as it's brighter in this photograph). Here, whilst overlooking the Columbia River, Dan drank the Astoria IPA (6.8%), brewed with Citra (hopslist) and El Dorado (hopslist) hops, consequently packed with citrus and tropical fruit flavours, and enjoyed immensely I'm told! 👌

The next 4 photographs were taken back in California at Kern River Brewing Company, 13415 Sierra Way, Kernville CA 93238 (website), including the 2 colourful hanging tin advertising signs shown above (Isabella Blonde) and below (IPA).

Shirin drank the Kern River Lovely Kettle Sour (4.7%). I cannot find out what hops are used in the brew, but it appears it's flavoured with raspberries. Shirin described it as "quite light, tart and fruity, and delicious" - she obviously enjoyed it, cheers Shirin! 🍷

Dan drank the Kern River Lhazy River IPA (7.0%), brewed with Mosaic (hopslist), Citra (hopslist), and Amarillo (hopslist), hops. Look at those hops! Consequently very fruity, including orange and mango, 'hazy' as described in the title, and a 'New England' style of IPA. Dan told me he enjoyed it, as people will be aware I'm not a hazy beer drinker, but hey ho! 😏

The next beer was imbibed outside a bar at Venice Beach, Los Angeles, they didn't tell me the name of the bar when sending the photograph, oh well, never mind, but I do know the beer and its origin! It was from Old Stump Brewing Co of Pomona, California (website), and their 5.8% slightly hazy Mosey Cat IPA, brewed with Mosaic hops (hopslist), after which it is named. Another 'New England' style of IPA and, unsurprisingly, knowing that hop, very fruity.

Finally, I reach the beer I have actually imbibed, and alluded to above, Fort George (website) 3-Way IPA (7.0%), a collaboration with 2 other breweries, apparently each year they collaborate with 2 different breweries and uses different recipes. 2025 is a collaboration with Mirage Beer of Seattle (website) and Sunriver Brewing of Oregon (website).

The 2025 3-Way IPA is brewed with Krush aka HBC 586 (Yakima Chief Hops), Waimea (hopslist), and Nelson Sauvin (hopslist) hops; the website also suggests hops including Columbus (hopslist) and Strata (Indie Hops) are used too. Another 'New England' style IPA, but I carefully poured the beer out of the can, so it wasn't as hazy for me; if you enjoy hazier beers I suggest shaking the can when there's just a wee bit of beer left in it for full lumpiness 😉Anyway, it was packed full of citrus and tropical fruitiness, with a nice slightly bitter dry finish, I liked it! 

You should have noticed that I drank the 3-Way IPA out of another pressie from Dan and Shirin, a Kern River glass, many thanks once again bro and sis, cheers m'dears! 🍻

Scottish Beers 2

My second blog for the Scottish beers I'd been kindly provided with (Scottish Beers 1) includes 5 beers that I appear to have 'scored' pretty much similar, as in I'd drink them again indeed.  First, from Glasgow brewery Drygate (website) Gun-Toting Nano-Penguin (5.2%), a 'Peach Pale Ale' brewed with wheat malt added to the grist, plus peach extract, and Australian Galaxy (hopslist) and British Bramling Cross hops used (hopslist). Peach noted in both aroma and taste, which the Galaxy hops no doubt added to, slightly hazy and with a dry finish, not bad at all.

From Windswept Brewing of Lossiemouth (website), which closed down a few months ago after 12 years of brewing, their 5.2% Weizen. Consequently, not available anymore, I may well have drunk the last bottle of it (it was past its official 'sell by' date). This wheat beer, thus containing wheat malt in the grist, bottle conditioned, only slightly cloudy, although I was very careful pouring it out, and it had ages to settle, but still in fine condition! I've no idea what hops were used but Beer Analytics website suggests a couple that may have produced the banana flavour, together with caramel, the advertised taste. I found both in the aroma and taste, but very subtle (NB the caramel). I was surprised how much I enjoyed drinking it, I found it quite refreshing!

Next, from another Glasgow brewery Brewgooder (website), is their 4.1% New England IPA, surprisingly full-flavoured with some body for the strength. Also, brewed with a couple of my favourite hops used, Citra (hopslist) and Mosaic hops (hopslist), thus producing an authentic 'New England' style IPA, with a big fruity aroma and taste, notably citrus and pineapple. Cloudy and very pale, with a lovely dry finish, actually quite light and refreshing, not bad!

The next beer was from Black Isle Brewing (website), from Munlochy, up in the North East of Scotland, I had to look it up 😁 but they're on the Moray Firth a wee bit further north east than Inverness. Another cloudy beer with both lager and wheat malt added to the grist, but the brewers appear proud to advertise their 'organic and unfiltered' beers, 'suitable for vegans.' Brewed with an amazing cocktail of delicious hops, including Cascade (hopslist), Simcoe (hopslist), Citra (hopslist) and Nelson Sauvin (hopslist). This had a big fruity aroma and taste, not particularly bitter, but with a dry finish, quite easy to drink, and I coped with the cloudiness.

Finally, from Glasgow brewery West (website), a slightly different beer indeed, their German Pale Ale (GPA). Brewed "in accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516" and using the German hop  Hallertau Mittelfruher (hopslist) and US Chinook hops (hopslist), and wheat malt in the grist. Another slightly cloudy IPA style, very pale with a hint of spice, a slight biscuit flavour from the malt, and fresh citrus aroma and taste from the Chinook hops, again, not bad at all.

I wouldn't turn away a glass of any of these beers listed today, but my overall favourite of the 9 beers I was gifted was the 71 Brewing Funky Drummer noted in my first Scottish beers blog maybe the 7.5% strength influenced me a tad, but more likely the hops used, cheers! 🍻