Monthly Archives: January 2019

Mac’s Brew News – January 26, 2019

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Greetings All.  You’re on this blog site because you’re interested in good beer, and especially good beer from Mac’s Brew.  To satisfy your demand for beer knowledge, here’s all the news you need to know (for now).  Please read responsibly!

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I’ve been so busy that brewing here has slowed down to the point that I currently have only three beers on tap (in 2018 I only brewed 8 batches/85 gallons of beer).  I know, that’s just not right, but I’m taking steps to correct that problem.

We had a Thanksgiving celebration here, with extended family present.  Then on December 15thRosie graduated from Art Center College of Design (in Pasadena).  We had a graduation party that night with family and friends in attendance.  With these two parties, we emptied 3 out of 6 kegs, which is why we currently have only 3 beers on tap.  But, the 3 beers are very good.  I brewed an IPA three weeks ago, but it won’t be on tap until February.

In early February Sheila and I are leaving for Santa Rosa.  Yes, for the second year in a row, I will be going to Russian River Brewing on a Pliny the Younger quest.  Last year there were four people (including me) in our party and we had a great time. This year our party has grown to nine people, and we plan to trek over to another Santa Rosa brewery after having our ration of PTY at Russian River.

I was fortunate to meet three young fellows on Black Tuesday at The Bruery this past October.  These men were from Santa Rosa and suggested that I visit three small breweries in town – Plow Brewing, Cooperage Brewing, and Moonlight Brewing. It just so happens that all three of these breweries are close to each other, and just a few miles away from RR. Unfortunately we won’t have time to visit all three, so we’ve chosen to visit Cooperage Brewing.

If you were not aware, Russian River Brewing has opened another facility (brewery and bistro) a few miles up the road from their Santa Rosa location.  We are hoping that the new facility (much larger than their SR brewpub) will draw off a significant portion of the crowd from Santa Rosa, resulting in shorter wait times.  I’ll let you know how that works out for us.  And, by the way, this year Sheila is attending the PTY madness with us at Russian River (last year she went wine tasting while I was beer tasting).  She will be the sole female in our group that day, but I have no doubt she will be able to hold her own (and she loves IPAs).

I’m sure you’re all anxious to know what is currently being offered at Mac’s.  Here is the current and soon-to-be available beer list.

Maktoberfest: Brewed June 22, 2018.  5.5 ABV, 26 IBU
This is one of my most requested and sought after brews, second only to Goldihops (Honey Blonde Ale).  It’s really easy drinking with the low alcohol and bitterness, and Oktoberfest style beers are very popular.  I brewed this alone, so I had 10 gallons for consumption at Mac’s Brew Pub, and that’s why it’s still on tap (since the beginning of September 2018). For additional description, see my newsletter of September 17, 2018.

San Andreas Malt: Brewed September 19, 2018.  5.4 on the Richter Scale, 43 IBU.
This is a California Common style lager brewed in collaboration with my friend, Jeff Nash (see Newsletter of September 17, 2018, for additional information on this beer style).  This was a new recipe and first time brewed.  That usually means tweaking the recipe and process for subsequent batches in order to get the beer I envision.  However, this turned out fantastic and I don’t plan on changing anything with future batches.  It’s a medium amber color with a slightly malty aroma, but not sweet.  The flavor is clean, crisp and hoppy, but with a nice moderately rich malt foundation (bread, toast, caramel and grainy) and dry finish that makes it well balanced (but definitely on the hoppy side).  It’s very similar to (but not a clone of) the standard bearer in this style category – Anchor “Steam Beer”.  San Andreas Malt is so good it’s shaking my world!

Wide Awake Drunk: Brewed November 7, 2018.  5.0% ABV, 45 IBU.
This is an annual fall brew at Mac’s.  It’s an English style oatmeal stout with cold brewed coffee and conditioned with cacao nibs for a nice mocha flavor.  It’s dispensed on nitrogen, so it’s creamy smooth with very little carbonation bite. It really tastes like a big stout, even though it’s only 5% ABV.  This brew was a collaboration with my young brewing friend, Dave Hollandbeck.  [Note: Dave, I need to get you over here to have WAD on nitrogen.]

Reefer Nearness: Brewed January 6, 2019.  7.1% ABV (so far), 127 IBU.
Designed and brewed in collaboration with another young brewing friend, Bryce Lowrance, this is a West Coast style IPA using Nugget hops for bittering, and Azacca and Idaho 7 hops for aroma and flavor.  It’s currently dry hopping and in the final stages of conditioning.  When I last checked (11 days ago) it was 7.1% ABV, but could possibly go just a bit higher – I’ll know when I keg it on January 31st.

I’m sure you all want to know where the name of this beer (“Reefer Nearness”) comes from, so here’s the story.  Is there anyone in this country who hasn’t seen, or at least heard of the movie, “Reefer Madness” (a 1936 propaganda film)?  Of course not.  What is not so widely known, however, is that hops (Humulus Lupulus) are a close cousin of cannabis.  Yes, it’s true (next time you have a chance to smell some hops, note the pungent “skunky” aroma), but of course hops have no THC, the psycho-active component of marijuana.  My point is this: hops are very NEAR TO MARIJUANA.  Because of this close relationship I’ve always wanted to name an IPA something along the lines of “Reefer Madness”, but of course it’s not actually reefer.  Thus, “Reefer Nearness– The Bitter Pill That Makes Life Sweet” was born.

Reefer Nearness is still conditioning, so I have not yet tasted it.  I only hope it’s good enough to cause as much of a stir as its namesake (“Reefer Madness”).

I think my next brew will be Goldihops.  I plan to brew it in mid-February after returning from Santa Rosa.  I need to start looking for a brewing partner for this one.

In 2018 I did not enter any brewing competiions – we were too busy travelling.  I plan to enter some of my brews into a couple of competitions this year. The American Homebrewers Association national competition is coming up soon and I think I will enter San Andreas Malt and Maktoberfest.  I’m considering Wide Awake Drunk, and I may enter Reefer Nearness, depending on how it turns out.  If I can get Goldihops brewed in time, I will also enter that into the national.  The Orange County Fair competition is coming up in May, so I have to start thinking about entries for that competition as well.

Well, that’s all I have time for now, and of course, that’s about all you have time to read today (sorry this got so lengthy). Check in again soon, or subscribe to macsbrew.com to get all the latest news and beer reviews.

Sláinte!

Black Raven Brewing (Coco Jones & Grandfather Raven)

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Well folks, it’s time to open your minds and receive the first Beer Review lecture of 2019 from Mac.  Today I will enlighten you about two dark selections from a small brewery in Redmond Washington.  Please read responsibly!

Black Raven Brewing is not distributed to my area (Southern California), but as you know, I am well connected, and managed to score two bottles of each of the below listed beers.  In this case, the supplier is my overly generous uncle, Kevin McCaffrey, who lives in Seattle.  I love you, man!

Coco Jones: Black Raven Brewing, Redmond, WA.  5.6% ABV.
This is an award winning Coconut Porter.  The base beer is a Brown Porter, which is more in the English style, as opposed to Robust Porter which is more American style. That means Brown Porter is a bit sweeter, without the well-pronounced bitter roasty and coffee notes that characterize a Robust Porter.  [Note: Brown Porters are much more difficult to find than the ubiquitous Robust Porter style that abounds around these parts.]

I had heard of this beer, but was never able to obtain any because it’s not distributed widely.  When I found this on my doorstep, I was elated, and eagerly anticipated drinking and reviewing it.  My first impression, from smelling the aroma and taking that first sip, was disappointment. I was expecting a big bitter, roasty, coffee slap in the face.  It wasn’t like that at all.  In fact the flavors were much more subdued, and I was thinking that the praise I had previously heard about this beer was exaggerated.  It wasn’t until after I looked it up on the Black Raven website that I realized it was a Brown Porter.  After this enlightenment, I settled down and really appreciated this beer.

Coco Jones at Mac’s Brew Pub

Coco Jones pours dark brown with a ½” light beige head that lasts for a couple of minutes before fading to a substantial ring. The aroma is sweet – vanilla and semi-sweet chocolate, with a hint of coconut.  The flavor is more neutral, leaning toward bitter, but not sweet as suggested by the aroma.  Unsweetened coconut is front and center along with notes of slightly bitter cocoa, fading to a mellow and subdued coconut aftertaste that lingers for a short time.

The body and mouth feel is somewhat thin.  It is well carbonated, which bites the tongue and adds to the perception of bitterness.

As it warms, the coconut aroma increases as the sweetness in the nose decreases.  Of course the carbonation level decreases as it warms, causing the flavor to lose some of its bitterness, but cocoa and coconut flavors remain strong. There are no coffee notes in this beer, but I taste a slight roastiness.

Coco Jones is quite good.  It is very pleasant to drink; the cocoa and coconut flavors, and the low-moderate alcohol level makes it easy drinking.  Well done.

Grandfather Raven: Black Raven Brewing, Redmond WA.  9.5% ABV.
Grandfather Raven is a Russian Imperial Stout from Black Raven Brewing.  It is available on a rotating basis.

Grandfather Raven

This beer pours pitch black with a ½” cocoa colored head (in a tulip glass).  The foam persists for a few minutes, then fades to a very substantial ring and a thin covering.  The aroma is sweet, with notes of coffee, brown sugar, vanilla and chocolate.  The flavor is semi-sweet chocolate, coffee, and brown sugar, then fades to just semi-sweet chocolate in the aftertaste.  There are nuances of plum, raisin and prunes on the palate as well.  Alcohol, though fairly high, is not detected in the flavor or aroma.

The carbonation level is low-medium, with medium body and mouth feel.  As previously mentioned, the substantial foam ring and thin foam covering persisted throughout the session, so it is surprising that the beer left no lacing in the glass.

As Grandfather Raven warms, the alcohol becomes slightly evident in the aroma.  The coffee fades as the aroma becomes sweeter with more pronounced chocolate impressions.  The flavors become a bit stronger, but still no alcohol is observed.

Grandfather Raven is very good, but not distinguished from many other beers in the Imperial Russian Stout category.  It’s big (high alcohol with full and complex flavors) and a little chewy, but if you want an IRS that’s really in your face, try something like Stone “Woot Stout”, or any number of barrel-aged stouts on the market.

The bottom line for these beers: I can highly recommend Coco Jones; I also recommend Grandfather Raven, but it’s just another good Imperial Stout.  Coco Jones is a very good example of its style, and the coconut adds a special characteristic and depth to the brew.  Grandfather Raven is not particularly special like The Nothing (see my review of The Nothing by Smog City Brewing, posted 10-05-2018), but it’s still worth having.

I must give a little shout out and a special “Thank You” to my uncle, Kevin McCaffrey.  Sending these Washington beers to me in So Cal where I can’t get them was beyond considerate.  Imagine my delight when I found these at the entrance of Mac’s Brew Pub (the day before Thanksgiving).  Lucky for me, I still have one bottle of each to enjoy at my leisure.  Kevin sent several other Seattle beers as well. Stay tuned for reviews of those beers in the very near future.  KEVIN, YOU ARE THE BOMB!!

Sláinte!