Audio: Strange Brews

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This week in the magazine, Burkhard Bilger writes about the Dogfish Head brewery and the rise of extreme beer. Here Bilger ventures out to the Beer Table, a tasting room in Brooklyn, to sample American beers from Budweiser to Dogfish Head, as well as traditional German and Belgian brews.

Annals of Drinking: The Rise of Extreme Beer

From the New Yorker: A Better Brew

Elephants, like many of us, enjoy a good malted beverage when they can get it. At least twice in the past ten years, herds in India have stumbled upon barrels of rice beer, drained them with their trunks, and gone on drunken rampages.

Photos: The Beer has been bottled.

Humboldt Hemp takes Avocadoville’s first Top of the Hops award

The consensus favorite beer of the “first” First Friday in Avocadoville was Humboldt Hemp, a ruby red ale with a toasted malt flavor.

Which begs the obvious question: Is there actually hemp in Hemp Ale?

Hemp seeds legally imported from Canada are indeed incorporated in the brewing process of Humboldt Hemp, according to Ryan Stevens at Firestone Walker Brewing Co., which purchased the Humboldt Brewing Co. in 2005.

Some European hemp beers – with more suggestive names like Greenleaf, Cannabia and Olde Bong Water Porter -- legally contain up to 0.3 mg of THC, the active chemical ingredient in marijuana. Humboldt Hemp, Stevens said, contains no levels of THC – despite the distinctive marijuana leaf (minus two leaves) on the label.

“It’s funny,” said Stevens, who was reached by phone at the Firestone taproom in Buellton. “I was just having this exact same conversation with a guy at the bar here.”

Microbrew Beer of the Month Club, which recently distributed Humboldt Hemp, claims the Humboldt Brewing Company currently holds the only approved license for brewing hemp beer in the U.S.

Founded in 1987, Humboldt Brewing Company’s Nectar Ales label brews about 10 beers including a pale which won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival and a summer seasonal brew that Corey and Nate’s Beer Labels calls “arguably the best Hefeweizen ever created.”

Still operated as a family-operated bottler in Paso Robles, Humboldt Brewing is run by Mario Celotto, a former University of Southern California linebacker and a member of the 1980 Oakland Raider’s Super Bowl championship team.

Beer writer Jay R. Brooks, of the Brookston Beer Bulletin, claims to have planted the seed in Celotto’s head in 1998 to brew a beer made with hemp, a close cousin of hops. A few months later, Humboldt Hemp Ale was born.

Hedonist Beer Jive said Humboldt Hemp “went down much more quickly than a beer its color typically does.”

The Yardhouse serves Humboldt Red, Pale, IPA and Hemp on draft.

So who’s going to bring Weed Ale (of “Try Legal Weed” infamy) to the next First Friday?

Humboldt Hemp: 7.5 out of 10

-- Church Key

Total Wine in Tustin

Shannon Tucker says the brand new Total Wine in the Tustin Marketplace has "thousands of beers" in stock.

Photos: First Friday (November 2008)

The very "first" First Friday

Thanks to everyone who came out for the inaugural "First Friday." A good time was had by all.

For those who couldn't make it, there's always next month (Dec. 5 @ 7:45 p.m.).

The most-talked about November 2008 beers included:

Humboldt Hemp
Probably the most popular beer of the night.
"Normally I would look at this and say, 'Oh no,' because it's too dark," said Vickie. "But it's really light and refreshing."

Sweetgrass
Another winner from the bunch.
> “Light and tasty – better than expected.”
> “Very mellow.”
> “Smooth and foamy.”

Tanner Jack’s
Good grades all around.
> “Smoooooooooth!”
> “Smooth and crisp at the same time.”
> “A great ale.”
> “Even better warm!”

Che Lager
Lots of fans for this one.
> “Like a fine German pilsner.”
> “Smooth with no aftertaste.”
> “Yummy.”

Flying Dog Double Dog
Easily the biggest toss-up of the night.
> "Very hoppy! Not for the sissy beer drinker!" said a pro-dogger.
> "Burnt toast! Gross!" said an anti-dogger.

Samuel Adams Imperial
Another tweener with folks in both camps.
> “That’s truth in advertising – a truly intense hop experience.”
> “Very hoppy with a plastic aftertaste.”

Carmel Wheat
Not very many nice things to say about this one.
> “Not for me. Not at all.”
> “Not much character.”

Pyramid Apricot
By far the worst rated beer of the night.
> “An apricot-lover’s beer.”
> “You’ll love it if you’re a tutti-fruity.”
> “I had to pour it out.”
> “Keep your receipt.”


Among the others:
Firestone Union Jack
> “If you like hoppy, you’re happy!”

Sam Adams Cherry Wheat
> “A little plumy.”
> “Almost a cherry soda taste.”

Metolius
> “Too bitter for me.”
> “Mild and smooth.”

Ace Cider
> “Boone’s Farm-esque”
> “Wonderful! No beer aftertaste at all.”