May 2, 2009
Boonville, CA

I traveled all the way up north to visit this infamous brewfest. Some of the best breweries in the country display their crafts here, so it’s a must-attend for any beer enthusiast.  Boonville is a little town about 2.5 hours north of San Francisco. The brewfest is by far the biggest event of the year for Boonville; the town proved to be very hospitable.

Despite it raining ALL day during the fest, we had a great time. Throngs of people crowded under the covered areas and posted up next to their favorite breweries. We made our way around the entire fest and tested just about every beer we could find. Below is a review of some standouts (in my opinion).
 

Anderson Valley Brewing Company

AVBC is based out of Boonville and has quickly become one of the most respected craft beers in the country.

Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema

All I can say is WOW!!  What a beer! This was by far my favorite beer of the weekend; I went back and got 4 tastes. The first taste was a little odd…a little tangy; this could be attributed to the not-so-good beers I had tasted previously. After another couple of sips I was hooked.

This beer would be best served on a warm/hot day w/ a cool meal (e.g., cold sandwich). It’s very quenching, yet pleasing to the palate. You can easily plow through 3-4 of these…they go down reaaaaal smooth. I’d recommend going to your local BevMo and finding a 6-pack of these today….NOW…what are you waiting for…GO!!
 

The Bruery

Saison De Lente

I really enjoyed this beer from the ‘Bruery’ w/ a funky spelling. It was light, a little hoppy, with some other flavors that I couldn’t really identify…but were a great complement to the overall structure of the beer. This too is a good beer for warmer weather. It’s light in color and would easily wash down a good meal.

The beer has a fairly high alcohol content at 6.5%, so it would only take 2-3 to catch a good buzz (which is what we’re all after, right?). Definitely recommend trying this if you come across it.
 

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

Organic Amber Ale

First of all…I love Ambers! Women named Amber and Amber beers. Therefore, I loved this beer. I would drink this beer with just about any guy-type meal (e.g., hamburger, pizza, ribs). I would also drink this beer if I were out at a bar w/ the fellas…I could easily put down 5-6 of these and not feel bloated.

All-in-all, this is a simple, yet classic beer. The flavor is good, it’s not too heavy, and it pairs well w/ just about any situation (i.e., meal or activity). Grab some and enjoy.
 

StumpTown Brewery

Rat Bastard Pale Ale

Any beer that uses the word ‘Bastard’ in its name is a must-try in my book. The girl serving the beer was very friendly and took time to explain the beer to me. Overall, I was impressed w/ this beer. It’s fairly hoppy, which I usually don’t like…but this one had a nice finish that doesn’t have too much aftertaste. I would definitely drink this beer in larger quantities if I could find it around here.
 

Sacramento Brewing Company

Red Horse Ale

I tasted this beer after having about 15 other tastings. So, 1) I was a little buzzed; 2) I was full (from beer and a tri-tip sandwich); and 3) I wasn’t looking forward to any darker, heavy beer.  But I tried it anyways (way to take one for the team).

This beer wasn’t nearly as heavy as I thought it would be. The color is a little deceiving; I felt the taste was much lighter than the color indicated. It was fairly hoppy, but a good hoppy. After the first taste I went back for another so that I could get a proper dose.  The second taste was much better. It went down smooth and I could envision myself drinking it with a spicy dish or some type of fish. Usually hoppy beers go good w/ spicy dishes, they enhance the spiciness. Grab one of these tasty little beers and chug away.