After a set of early errands, and before an evening shift at work, I headed over on a beautiful spring noon to the 8th annual Firkin Festival at Triple Rock in Berkeley. All cask-conditioned, unfiltered, and gravity-fed ales awaiting me. After glancing over the interesting array, I started with a pour of the Magnolia Billy Sunday's Best Bitter. I still have yet to visit their pub and restaurant in San Francisco, but the more I taste of their bright chipper cleansing beers, the more admiration I have for them. A bit of faint nuttiness on the nose (though it should be noted that festival atmosphere and the particular festival glasses make it nearly impossible to read less aromatic styles), tasting a bit of loose maltiness, tender carbonation and a flavorful superb malt focus. Refreshing--the perfect way to start. Next onto another SF brewpub brewer, (but one that seems to depend on convention traffic, at least when I popped my head in once to check it out) for the Thirsty Bear Meyer ESB smells a bit like rye but has a much odder taste that reminded me of toothpaste. In any case, tasted a bit hollow, and though it had flavor, it offered little enjoyment to me. The Oakland Brewing Company's Thug Passion had promise as the only saison on the list, but the addition of passion fruit, jack fruit and coconut milk did it no favors for me. Smells of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on steroids and the creamy, soft sweet taste reminded me of pineapple in a little kid's juice box. I don't think I'd care for this beer in any casing, but the natural low carbonation of a firkin probably didn't help cut the sweetness as kegged carbonation might have. Did not like, emphatically.
The Drake's Reunion Pale Ale was one of two beers produced by all the current and former brewers at Drake's in San Leandro (which has been quite an incubator of brewing talent locally). Color is cloudy awesomeness, rarely have a seen a beer this bright in shade be so turbid. Tangerine hop notes on the nose get the mouth watering while delicate grapefruit hoppiness make for a happy drink, if not as distinctive as I had hoped. Friends arrive, greetings made, recommendations offered and we move upstairs to the sundeck and I seek out a beer folks had been chatting about in the growing crowd. The Beach Chalet Co-Smoke Ulone is from a pub whose ales I rarely see here in the East Bay--this is the first I recall having. And if the buzz I heard was correct, for this beer they smoke the hops, either in addition to or instead of, the malt that is typically smoked for rauchbier. Rich maple smokey nose for sure, mellow sweetness tasting at first, but the appeal fades for me, doesn't have the depth and complexity and entrancing qualities that smoke can add to a brew. Okay, but it'd be great if they could push that nose into the nooks and crannies of the beer itself.
Back to a much more familiar brewer, the Bear Republic Rebellion-Amarillo sees only Amarillo hops and had a fantastic hoppy nose that also offered some earthy and mushroomy notes in the nose and taste as well. Great depth and delicious beer. Bravo. The Iron Spring CBC Oyster Stout is brewed with Hog Island oysters, and, from the name, I'd guess they brewed it for the Craft Beer Conference that just left town a week or two ago. This stuff is proper. Roasty on the nose, dancing with fruity lightness in the mouth. Encapsulating mouthfeel. A proper stout. Delicious. The Pizza Port Poorman's IPA was a rare opportunity to introduce myself to the southern California brewer I've heard much about, but it is their quasi-offspring/neighbor Port/Lost Abbey who distributes up here. Well this imperial IPA didn't really grab me this time 'round--smelled inward and of stainless steel (might be in an awkward phase at the moment) and tasted of flabby hops. Not showing well, for me, I'd guess. I had great hopes for another southern California brewer I've had great luck with, but the Ballast Point Sea Monster was an imperial stout which unfortunately was all about the initial appeal of vanilla and syrup. The confection didn't wear well.
Back to our local boys for the Drake's Reunion Strong Barleywine which, while quite textured, felt unfinished. Interesting and enticing with good flavors, but things hadn't come together into a complete whole for me (or at least for my palate after so many beers!). Finally headed back south for the Pizza Port Welcome Back Wipeout IPA, rich and hoppy, a bit anonymous perhaps, but pretty delicious to just sit back and drink. Happy with our progress, we headed off for some burgers to fill us up before I headed off to work. A great afternoon and an educational selection of beers.