Lea este articulo en español aquí.
San Francisco kicked off Beer Week on Feb. 9 with a convocation of nearly 100 brewers converging on Pier 35. With typical San Francisco excess, the celebration will actually last nine days, offering some of the finest beer and food the West Coast can offer.
But there was no need to make the hour-and-a-half-long drive into the City by the Bay if you wanted an idea of what the event was like; Mad Pursuit offered a scaled-down version at a special “San Benito County ‘Meet the Brewers” tasting on Feb. 10, with two beers each from five local breweries on tap.
The idea, according to Mad Pursuit co-owner Lino Gonzalez, was to support and showcase the growing local craft brewing scene.
“It’s been taking off in terms of what we’ve all been able to do with creative brewing,” he said, “but people really don’t get the chance to see all the different varieties out there. So we wanted to invite people over and learn about what’s going on in their backyards.”
And more and more breweries are popping up all over that backyard. In 2012, the Brewer’s Association proudly declared there were 2000 craft breweries in the United States. Ten years later, that count was 9,552 and still growing.
When BenitoLink started the “Eat, Drink, Savor” series in May 2021, the only breweries in the county available for us to review were Grillin & Chillin Alehouse and Brewery Twenty-Five. Mad Pursuit, Swank Farms and Suncoast Nuthouse popped up shortly thereafter, joined by Pinnacle Beer last year.
“What inspired us to open was how few breweries there were in the surrounding area,” Gonzalez said. “We have a love of beer, and we knew, when we opened, that we could contribute to the scene. But, I think in terms of the community, it’s only the beginning.”
The 10 beers will be on tap until supplies last. But with Mad Pursuit hosting a Super Bowl watch party on Feb. 11, with house-made pozole and tri-tip sliders, the sooner you get in to try these beers, the more likely they will still be around!
The Beers of the San Benito County ‘Meet the Brewers’ Event
Mad Pursuit – This brewery/taproom helped redefine and repopularize the food and beverage scene on San Benito Street. Co-owner Paul Swearingen, the driving force behind the many beers they produce, has shown a constant ability to create distinctive beers in a variety of styles. One of my favorite beers of theirs, a tribute to Cal Fire veteran Jesse Garza, Jr. called “GRZILA,” is back on tap and absolutely worth checking out.
- Cold N’ Crispy Boi (6.7%) – There is a bright, light feel to this beer, with a bountiful fruity aroma and a taste that combines crushed gooseberries and the yeastiness of champagne. It sparkles on the palate, introducing itself with an incisive acidity and finishes with a slight downturn of bitterness. This one is a must-try and an elegant beer.
- Tres Piñas (5%) – A spin on “Tres Pinos,” this is the kettle sour version of the classic piña colada. Having a rounded mouthfeel and a rolling, almost syrupy, sourness, the flavor comes from pineapple infused in three different ways, then mixed with 25 pounds of roasted coconut. I enjoyed the rich pineapple flavor and the finish tinged with grapefruit. I am usually not big on sour beers, but this was my pick of the entire tasting. An attention-grabber.
Brewery Twenty-Five – I was fortunate enough to have sampled both of Brewery Twenty-Five’s offerings a few weeks ago for their tenth anniversary. At that point, their Kōkua beer, brewed as part of a relief project by over 600 breweries to benefit families who were impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires, was already on tap at both Mad Pursuit and 18th Barrel in San Juan Bautista. The Triple Berri Sheri, called “Triple Berry Kettle Sour” in the article, had not been released yet.
- Kōkua Relief Project Beer (4.2%) – A Session IPA made with Mosaic and Waimea hops, this one has a fruity aroma that carries into a flavor medley of tangerine and papaya. As I said in my other review, this is a light, fun beer and all in a very good cause.
- Triple Berri Sheri (4.3%) – Using organic raspberries, blackberries and strawberries from Coke Farms, this kettle sour has just enough initial sourness to give it some pucker power, but it mellows quickly into a relaxed fruit punch of a beer. Prosciutto and mozzarella would go great with this one.
Suncoast Nuthouse Brew – It has been over two years since I have written about Nuthouse, and the good news coming out of this tasting is that owner and brewer David Jensen says that he is just about finished with the house he has been building himself by hand, and he and his wife Lisa are getting ready to reopen Suncoast Bakery in a few months. Until then, you can pick up Nuthouse Brew at Diaz Liquors.
- Tropical Smash (6.9%) – Jensen describes this beer as “basically a real simple, clean beer: one grain, one hop and, of course, yeast.” An enzyme is added to extract more aroma and flavor from the citrusy Mosaic hops, and the result is an overarching tone of sweetness and guava with a light roll of bitterness in the finish. Very easy to drink.
- Luna Dorada (4.9%) – A Mexican-style lager with two-row malt and Vienna hops, with corn added for smoothness. There is a sweet aroma tinged with bananas and an earthy baked bread taste. A thoughtful sipping beer.
Pinnacle Brewing Co. – It will be a few more months before the Damm family reopens their beer and wine room where Damm Family Vineyards wines and Pinnacle Brewing beers are sold, but Ralph Chavez, his brother Cuco, and Brian Kennedy are busy coming up with products.
- Damn Good Hazy IPA (6%) – In the very casual and unofficial poll I took of the brewers themselves, asking what beer (other than their own) they thought was best, this beer won hands-down. I place it second after the Tres Piñas, more as a nod to the originality of the Mad Pursuit beer than the general drinkability. This is a great beer to drink while relaxing. There is a distinct hop-and-citrus aroma and a refreshing and well-balanced taste. This is a must-try.
- Hopyard Pale Ale (5.9%) – Featuring Chinook hops and two-row malt, the beer has a light aroma, a distinct caramel backbone, and a hint of dark blood orange in the taste. A healthy dose of bitterness rounds off the finish. Good character and a nice sipping beer.
Swank Beer Experience – These are both signature beers from Dick Swank’s farm, formulated by Jared Gill. Swank makes these beers to serve at the weddings and celebrations held in Bonnie’s Barn adjacent to the corn maze and for his yearly Oktoberfest event. I have reviewed both of these before, and they are consistently fine beers.
- Bonnie’s Oktoberfest Marzen (5.8%) – One of the first beers Swank brewed, there are five different kinds of malt and two types of hops used in production. It is very smooth, very fruity and a little peppery, with an engaging mouthfeel and an inviting floral aroma. Grab this one while you can—October is a long way away.
- From the Porch Blonde Ale (4.9%) – In his laconic style, Swank calls this one “lightly refreshing, kind of a chase-your-kids-around-the-maze kind of thing.” It is a relaxed beer with hints of buttered toast and restrained bitterness. A light finish, this one is very easy to enjoy.
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
You must be logged in to post a comment.