Beer Can Appreciation Day

 ... was last week - which was last month - and I saw no love for the beer can. Was no one paying attention?

January 24 was also National Compliment Day and National Peanut Butter Day. So while we're several days late, it's time to compliment the maker of your favorite peanut butter beer on their can.

Great job, Belching Beaver, on making the beer can that contains your Peanut Butter Milk Stout. Without it we'd have - well, quite a mess. And while it's the only peanut butter flavored stout I've ever tried, I have to imagine it's the best.

So, thanks. I appreciate you.

To meeting the neighbors

 I had my first Peanut Butter Milk Stout from Belching Beaver Brewery. "First" implies there will be a "next." I want to be clear here: There absolutely will be a "next."

In the past, I've actively avoided this beer. There seemed no justification, in my mind, to drink (much less make) a beer that tasted like peanut butter. For that matter, I didn't (and still don't) see the point of beer that tastes like maple syrup or bacon (or both). Or marshmallows. 

I like coffee beers but, like my coffee, I like it plain. No sweeteners. No milk. So, a Milk Stout will make me pause. I like chocolate but sometimes that connotes sweetness and I am not a sweet girl. I'm a grown-ass, straightforward woman. And, peanut butter is for kids. In a nutshell, as it were, there was nothing about this beer that sparked my interest.

Until, the host of a small gathering offered me one. I could have said no but I was intrigued. Without it being said, I took it as a dare. Try this if you will. 

It was served in a Stella Artois glass chalice. Cold, dark brown, and foamy. I was delighted from my first sip. 

The thing I was most afraid of - the flavor of peanut butter in my beer - was subtle. Rather than the feature flavor, as the beer's name might imply, it supported the roasted flavors of a coffee and dark chocolate stout like a backup singer.

I continued to sip it slowly as if it might be a high-alcohol beer but it's not. The ABV on this award winning beer is only 5.3%. Our host worried that I might be sipping a little too slowly, saying he didn't think I would like the beer as it warmed up. I disagreed although I did notice the peanut butter flavor more but not in an overwhelming way. It was very much like the experience of eating a Reese's dark chocolate peanut butter cup. It's a delicious and comfortable combination of flavor.

As a parting gift, our host presented me with a Black House - Vanilla Latte Edition - from Modern Times Beer and I have to say, that was amazing as well. Not something I would pick but after tasting it, I think this neighbor and I are going to get along quite well.

Scented candles that smell like your favorite dive bar.

Miller Lite created three bar-scented candles: Dive Bar, Game Day Bar, and Beer Garden. 

Dive Bar is described as offering a mix of musk, tobacco, pine, and yeast aromas. "Dive Bar evokes the joy we find in the most unexpected places," its label reads. "As you take a whiff, you can hear the musings of the 'Watering Hole Sage' who has delivered wisdom from the same stool for decades."

Travel+Leisure | This Beer Company Dropped a Line of Candles That Small Like Your Favorite Bars 

They sold out in 24 hours.

Has anyone noticed it's Craft Beer Week?

Sadly, breweries are closed across the country or open only for take out of food or beverage. Some are offering delivery. CraftBeer.com is offering a nationwide list of to-go beer options so you can get your favorite suds. You may find, as I did, that this list is incomplete. Check with your favorite local brewery if you don't see them listed, order some beer. Fetch it or get it delivered. This, should be considered essential travel.

While Washington breweries are hoping to open by June 1, according to Washington Beer Blog, MyNorthwest predicts we could see as many as half close if stay-at-home orders continue beyond that. This would be tragic not only for beer drinkers but also for the economy, particularly of Washington State, as they are "an important role in manufacturing, agriculture and the food supply chain." The News Tribune explains that Washington breweries, for example, not only have an economic impact of $1.4 billion, they employ 6,300 people and support agriculture by buying hops (of which 75% of the US supply is grown in Washington) as well as by feeding livestock with spent grain which is a byproduct of the brewing process. Breweries also buy barley, supporting the agriculture in western states such as Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota.

Clearly, all breweries deserve our support.

Coincidentally, this weeks is also Double Stars Week at Starbucks. That means you earn double the stars (or points) towards free food and beverages if you have a registered Starbucks card. While I've wondered which habits will be broken and which will be reestablished after businesses reopen, it appears the coffee addiction is well intact. I've witnessed long lines of cars snaking around Starbucks locations with drive-through lanes as Starbucks stores are reopening for drive through and take-out coffee.

Meanwhile, alcohol sales have increased during this pandemic so while we may lose some brewery locations (like the well-established Pyramid Alehouse in Seattle), I predict they won't be gone for long. The craft beer community is resilient. And, we are thirsty.

So, celebrate Craft Beer this week in support of your local craft brewer. They want to know you're out there and that they're appreciated. And, we want them to keep brewing the craft beer we've come to love.

Cheers.

Tacoma Trek by Track

8/9 (Fri)

Took an early evening Amtrak to Tacoma last week. It was a nice, comfortable ride on the Coast Starlight, one of their nicer trains - roomy, clean, quiet.

Grabbed a taxi to Hotel Morano, checked in, and then met our fellow beer hunters at The Matador for dinner. From there, we went to Elks Temple (McMenamins’ newest location) which features six bars plus live music in the ballroom. We stayed there until - was it midnight? It was late. We were tired. That was all she wrote that night.

8/10 (Sat)

Lazed about the hotel until nearly noon when we finally ventured to meet up with our fellow beer hunters at Tacoma's beer and musical festival: Brew Five Three. It was a well attended event with plenty to sample. Although the feature was beer, the longest lines could be found at the booth for Pear Up Cider. Our merry band of beer hunters, meanwhile, split our votes between E9 Brewing Company and Rainy Daze Brewing for best brews.

Afterwards, we sampled the offerings at Dystopian State Brewing while playing a few rounds of cornhole From there we took the free Link Light Rail to Harmon Brewing for something to eat. We were starving and gorged ourselves. It was only 7:30 but we were all tired so we called it a night. 

This old lady was asleep before 9pm.

8/11 (Sun)

Today was beer hunting day. We met our fellow beer hunters at the marina where they were staying on their boat. (It's a good life.) They were supposed to sail to Bremerton today but decided to stay another night when they found out the weather was rainy there. Together, we all piled into an Uber and started our afternoon at E9 Brewing Company. The ladies enjoyed the Petite Belle Grisette -  light and refreshing. The men enjoyed The Bearer Porter and the Tacoma Week Pale Ale, the latter brewed specifically for yesterday's beer fest and Tacoma Beer Week. We were all delighted with our choices, as well as the patio where there were some good tunes playing and outdoor games (including a 5-3-1 version of cornhole).

From there, we walked to Black Fleet Brewing. Hubby had the Freebooter's Dunkel Weissbier while I had the Marris Otter S.M.a.S.H. I also tried the Der Haifisch Gose which I found to be outstanding. We snacked on nachos and fried cauliflower for sustenance.

Our next stop was 7 Seas Brewing. Hubby had the Pilsner and I had the Manifesto Collaboration Coffee Porter, dark and dry. There, we played on the longest shuffleboard table I’d ever seen!

Our last stop of the day was Dunagan Brewing. We were greeted by a woman in a hotdog costume and while she had worn it to meet someone for a joke, she never thought to take it off when the person she was going to meet didn’t show. She certainly contributed to a festive and friendly atmosphere. We all had the Oyster Stout and played a few rounds of Uno. Hotdog Woman helped us with recommendations for dinner before we left. (On foot, we ended up at The Fish Peddler on the Waterway for dinner.)

Our favorite experience for the day was E9 (the beers were good and the atmosphere was fun) while Dunagan took the prize for best surprise of the day (Hotdog Woman notwithstanding). Dunagan Brewing is in a small, unassuming location on Commerce Street right on the Light Link Rail line. It’s easy to get to but from the outside, it just looks like a dark pub near a train stop. But, inside, they delivered beer done well. Well done!

Fellow beer hunters at E9

8/12 (Mon)

We made it to the dock just as our fellow beer hunters were sailing away. We got some pictures of their boat on what appeared to be a perfect day for a boat cruise.

Hubby and I had all day to ourselves and started it out at America’s Car Museum. It hosts an amazing collection and an enthusiast could easily spend an entire day there. 

By the time we were done there, we were tired and hungry. We caught the Light Link Rail at the Tacoma Dome and rode to the other end of the line, hoofing a few more blocks to McMenamins. There, we had lunch and then hunted the property for passport stamps. It’s a huge property - bigger than you would believe from the outside - and beautifully renovated.

Aiming to get more WABL passport stamps, we next went to Pacific Brewing and Malting where we shared a Summer Wheatley - subtle and refreshing. Odd Otter was next where I sipped a Ottermelon Hefeweizen on their streetside patio. There, we spotted an emergency delivery of this:

Lynn Proteins, Inc.

Lactose is an unfermentable sugar that lends sweetness and body to beer. (Read more about lactose in beer here.) I don't know what the brewer plans to make with this but I can guarantee it will be odd in the best possible way. (My name is Lynn and I approve this lactose.)

From there, we caught the Light Link Rail back to our hotel to retrieve our luggage and continued back to the Tacoma Dome where we grabbed a late afternoon snack at Sluggo Brewing Tap & Kitchen. While they have brewed small batches of beer in the past (currently seeking new space for production), Sluggo now features a Mediterranean food menu and an ample selection of guest taps. Our Lamb Kabob was delicious. Sluggo an easy stop if you’re on your way to the Car Museum, Tacoma Dome, or transit center.

Before boarding our Amtrak back home, we had just enough time for a quick taste at Wingman Brewers. Parking can be hard to find for this brewery but we were on foot. If you’re driving, it’s worth finding a parking spot. Wingman makes unique and well made beers in their small space across the street from the Greyhound Bus Station.

We took a relaxing and enjoyable evening train home, satisfied with our trek of beer hunting with the best of friends. It was time to go home, get rested, and get some work done. But not for long. . . . By Friday, we were beer hunting again.

(Stay tuned.)

Good News in the Desert

I don't know how many years I've been visiting Palm Desert but in the years since I've discovered craft beer, there have been woefully few craft breweries there - only three: Babe's Bar-B-Que and Brewery, Coachella Valley Brewing Co., and La Quinta Brewing Co. The good news was that all three breweries turned out award winning beers - nothing to complain about there. In a way, it was a comfortable contrast to the the ever-shifting landscape of the craft brewing scene in larger markets.

Well, things are shifting in Palm Desert.

On a recent visit, I utilized a map app and searched for "brewery." I didn't expect to see anything new but you never know. Every once in a while, the map app finds a brewery that's not in my Brewery Passport app which is my go-to app for finding local breweries. Although, it's been a while since anything new has popped up in Palm Desert.

On this occasion, I was directed to a brewery I'd yet to discover: St. Arnulf Brewing located in Boucheé Café & Deli near the west end of El Paseo. A home brewer of several years, Boucheé owner Tim DeGross moved his brewing operation to the restaurant only months ago. We are glad to see craft brewing expanding in Palm Desert and look forward to seeing more from St. Arnulf in the future.

After sampling beers from St. Arnulf, we found ourselves running errands in La Quinta. As we traveled along Hwy 111 towards Costco, we looked up to see a sign that read, "Pizza Brewery." We maneuvered through several lanes of traffic and changed course. Could there be two new breweries in the Palm Desert area?

The "Pizza Brewery" sign belonged to newly opened Tuscano's BrewQuinta a collaboration between Yucaipa's Tuscano's Pizza & Pasta and Brewcaipa Brewing Company. Opened earlier this year, they are still waiting for permits to begin brewing onsite. In the meantime, they are serving brews from Brewcaipa.

Imagine my good fortune, to find two new breweries! This was on the heels of a recent article I read in Coachella Valley Beer Scene, by Andrew Smith, announcing La Quinta Brewing would be expanding to a larger location near I-10 & Cook Street in Palm Desert. But there's more: La Quinta Brewing opened a Palm Springs location last year! How could I have missed this? I was just there two months ago! Obviously, I must go back.

But then I came across this - another article from Andrew Smith of Coachella Valley Beer Scene, published just days ago - announcing the opening of another craft brewery in Palm Desert: Desert Beer Company. This one will be near the corner of Country Club and Washington, very near Alps Village where I had lunch just a few days ago!

This is getting to be too much - new breweries popping up everywhere I go!

A) I can't wait to get back to try them all.
B) Am I following Palm Desert breweries or are they following me?

Old (Style) Beer

Someone made beer using a 5000-year-old Egyptian yeast

" The yeast was plucked from pottery used to produce beer in ancient times, extracted from the nanopores of the clay and converted into an alcoholic drink with the help of microbiologists, archaeologists, and winery experts. The end result is ostensibly beer that would've been similar to those drunk at the time of the Pharaohs. "

Read more at Business Insider | Someone made beer using a 5000-year-old Egyptian yeast