Flightless Bird Brewery

#14 - Brown Ale - A Beer With No Name

2010-11-21T18:23:00.001-08:00

So we are finally here to share our latest beer and first brown ale, a beer with no name.

We bottled it probably 2 months ago now and have been slowly enjoying it. If you have followed our previous brewing attempts you know we have had some trouble with a skunky taste. After some research and soul searching we modified our technique and bought some new equipment.

Here are our impressions:

Sergio-sweet with light roasty notes
Jason-light malty beer without a hint of skunk

To be honest, there isn't really much more to say.

We haven't yet made plans for our next beer but we expect there will be one. -jkr

Flightless Bird Brewery Tour March/April 2010

2010-09-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it took us a while to get this edited and posted. It's a little late but some of you may still like to see it. This is how we remember the trip...

Flightless Bird Brewery Tour 2010 from Sergio Salgado on Vimeo.

Here is a link to the YouTube version for those of you if Vimeo is a bit slow for you.

ss

Another conversation with Lee

2010-09-06T22:03:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Nate, Sergio, and I went back to Blind Lady Ale House to talk to Lee. We spoke with him near the start of our homebrew career and he told us that if we ever had a beer we wanted him to try, to bring it in. After our most recent failure we decided it was time to take him up on his offer.

We took our latest marzen in a 22oz and found him speaking with some customers. He greeted us and then poured four glasses, one for each of us. He smelled it, looked up, and said, "that's (messed) up." He didn't even need to drink it to know it was a failed batch. We then had an extended conversation about sanitation and all the various steps in the process that can introduce contamination.

the water
siphon
carboys
cooling process
sugar
yeast
transfer equipment
sanitizer

We went back and reviewed every process of our operation, replacing pieces that were old, returning to our most stringent procedures. We also built a wort chiller from scrap at home depot to reduce the cooling process from overnight to 10 minutes. We recently tested out these changes with our first brown ale which we bottled this past Saturday.

We're excited to see if our changes made a difference. We'll let you know.

-jck

A history of failure

2010-09-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

For record keeping purposes, and cause we're honest, this post simply states our recent failures.

#12: red ale V (it was bad)
#13: marzen (it was badder)

And here's to hoping our recent brown ale isn't added to this list.

-jck

Some Serious Failure

2010-08-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, we're still alive. And we're still brewing.

The problem is that we're still brewing, but we aren't brewing anything worth writing about.

Truth be told, we're actually brewing horrible beer. We've been doing so for awhile now. I've lost count, but I think it would be safe to say we've brewed at least three bad batches in a row. We thought we had it all figured out. It's got to be the ceramic pot, we figured, because the coating had worn off and there was visible rust inside. Makes sense, right?

Nope.

We got a nice new stainless steel pot and there was no difference. So now we really have no idea what's going on. We even brewed a batch with a friend of Sergio's who has been brewing some good beer lately and he didn't see much wrong with our processes. Our last batch, just to let you know how far we've taken this, was the Marzen that was our second brew ever. We brewed it because we liked it so much and followed our prior recipe to the letter and number. No deal.

So although we are disheartened we haven't given up hope. We plan to swallow our pride and take a bottle of our disgusting brew to Lee, the guy we've blogged about previously who worked at Stone Brewing and now co-owns Blind Lady Ale House in North Park, San Diego. He gave us the green light to bring something in if we ever need help.

If ever there was a time, it's now.

-jck

The 2010 California Brewery Tour Summary

2010-05-09T20:56:00.000-07:00

We returned from our brewery tour over a month ago. We came to understand several things about breweries and beer on our trip. The experience, and much of what we learned, has stayed with us.

1. Hops are not everything-Going on a California beer tour means going on a West Coast beer tour. I've grown up surrounded by the West Coast craft beer movement and it is a hop driven movement. That being said, we came to appreciate early on our tour that malt forward beers are good. From our first stop at Eagle Rock Brewery we experienced great malty beer that was often more drinkable and in some ways enjoyable than the hoppy beers we have come to expect. Magnolia had some great malt-forward beers, as did Lagunitas (although they had their fair share of hoppy ones as well), Moonlight, and 21st Amendment. While this was by no means our first experience of malty beer, we came to appreciate the break from the one-and-done hop of many beers on the West Coast.

2. Brewing large scale is often a labor of love-For some reason I ended up asking a lot of business questions on this trip. When we had the chance to talk to brewers and owners I asked questions like: How many barrels per year do you produce? Are you profitable? Can you share your journey from homebrewing to now? What I learned was interesting. Several breweries do not make money. One had been around for five years and did not make money. The owner had to sell his house and his wife still worked to support the family. But they both supported the business because they loved it. It gave me a lot of admiration for these breweries. Beer for them is so much more than a drink. It is an art and they are willing to give a lot to make their art so others can enjoy it.

3. Seasonal beers say a lot about a brewery-Another unique aspect of our tour that highlighted the benefits of being up close with breweries was the chance to peek into the pantry, so to speak. It is difficult to get a sense of a brewery from a web-site or the limited selection you see on the shelf at any given store. When you visit breweries, however, you can take in the entire lineup of beers currently being made and oftentimes the many beers that are now part of their archive. This was no more obvious than at Lagunitas Brewing Company, where there's always a season for a new seasonal. We sampled a couple different seasonals and saw on their shelves many that have come and gone. This was contrasted by North Coast Brewing Company which does not make seasonals at all; they stick to their stock beers and don't venture out much. A brewery like Lagunitas, however, displays creativity and boldness, and while prolific, their quality does not suffer. It says a lot about a brewery and their brewmaster when they are able to consistently offer new and noteworthy creations, season after season.

We had many more beer related revelations on our trip; perhaps the other guys might wish to add to this list. Overall I felt that visiting breweries in person truly did heighten the enjoyment of the beer. Meeting the people, seeing the facilities, and connecting it all with the beer is an experience that reveals new aspects of something old and familiar. It is certainly something I recommend.

-jck

#11 Porter

2010-05-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago we tried our hand at our first porter. We had already brewed a successful stout and felt it was time to brew heavy again. After our red ale follys prior to Christmas we made the decision to follow the recipe more closely this time around.

What we got was certainly drinkable, but some bottles still had the slight "off" taste we've been noticing, however I considered it successful enough to write about it. Another indication that it was ok rests in the empty cupboards where the porter once sat.

Like many porters, it was rich and creamy with possible coffee and definite chocolate notes. This particular bottle was had with a smoked andouille chicken sausage, an unlikely pairing that brought out the chocolate flavor. I felt some of the bottles were borderline over-carbonated but many were not. All in all, save the occasional funky off after-taste, it was a nice addition to our FBB line.

-jck

A Letter to Sam

2010-04-04T23:23:00.001-07:00

Dear Sam,

World Pub was exactly as you described: a non-descript exterior, with nothing in the way of decor or vibe, serving quality beer on tap and by the bottle.

We debated a game of Candy Lane or darts, both readily available, but decided instead to enjoy our beers within sight of the flickering electronic fire near the black leather well-worn couches.

As you have yet to get over your Mad River kick (and since we never made it up to Blue Lake) your dad had a Steelhead in your honor. The rest of us ordered the IPA from Lost Coast, the Black Butte Porter from Dechutes, and the Lagunitas Folly Ale to complete out the round.

Unfortunately the owner wasn't working so we couldn't talk beer with him as you have described he is readily willing to do.

In the end we were sad we couldn't enjoy the experience with you, but believe there will be another opportunity someday. Hopefully the fire hasn't been turned off by then.

Jason, Nate, Greg, and Steve

14th Stop-Auburn Alehouse

2010-04-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

Our trip to the Auburn Alehouse marked the second for Nate and I. Last May, along with Sam and a couple other friends, we sampled beer here in what was then their first year of brewing. They have continued to do well, making some very good beer.

With Sam's dad, Steve, taking the place of Sergio, we pulled up at the bar and ordered their brown ale, porter, and Irish red stout. We were most impressed with their brown ale and porter. With an ABV of 3.6%, the brown was a really tasty "session" beer. Indeed it was the only time on this trip I ordered the same beer twice in one sitting. The porter was stronger and had roasted barley tones.

The Aubun Ale house does not bottle their beer but offers growlers and taps a cask every Wednesday evening. The cask was empty by our visit Friday night.

A nice small brewery in a nice small town. Well worth the second visit.

Location:Auburn, California

13th Stop-Sudwerk Brewing Company

2010-04-03T14:28:00.001-07:00

As we sat down in the very wood-paneled, soccer and college friendly restaurant of the Sudwerk Brewery we argued about why we were there. Was it because we had tried their beer in San Diego or was it just on a recommendation? Had we heard it was related to the now-famous and nearby UC Davis brewing school, or was it just a German lager-loving place?

As we tried to answer some of these questions we ordered a Pilsner, Marzen, and Helles Lager.

The Pilsner was straw colored with a scant floral aroma and was cleanly bitter, as good German pilsners are. As we drank we discussed how different beers, all brewed with hops as a main ingredient, can taste so different. The bitterness of a German Pilsner is vastly different from the bitterness of an IPA, owing to varying hop varieties, differing recipes and ratios, and a host of other factors.

The Marzen was a translucent copper brown and less bitter than the Pilsner, and inspired us to re-brew our FBB Marzen, the second ever beer we made. The lager was golden in color, very light and smooth. We also tried a seasonal, their Dunkelweis, a dark wheat beer. It had a banana nose and taste, with chocolate tones mixed in.

We never were able to learn much about their brewery or history, despite asking everyone we could find. We learned from their web-site that they began in 1989 and have only an ancillary connection to the brewery school at Davis. We don't know how many barrels they produce per year.

Generally speaking, we enjoyed their beer and liked their facility but were unimpressed with the experience. And their food was pretty bad, but this blog isn't about food.

Give their beers a shot, but don't worry about visiting Davis, CA to do so.

Location:Davis, California

12th Stop-21st Amendment Brewery

2010-04-02T12:57:00.001-07:00

21st Amendment Brewery was another modification to our original schedule. Because we hit up Magnolia on our first pass through San Francisco, we decided to add 21st Amendment on a recommendation from our bartender at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery. It also happened to be within walking distance from the Giants game.

The bar had a San Diego feel, with a young after-work crowd and large windows that open onto an outside patio. They are one of a growing number of breweries to can their beers, something that is becoming less and less of a turn-off in the craft brewing world.

We tried only three of their beers and an apple cider they had on draught, all nice. The first was a malty amber ale that had a nice finish and was more drinkable than it's 6.5% ABV would suggest. Their IPA was without much aroma and was considerably less hoppy than expected. The Irish Red was smooth and creamy, with more malt than hop.

To summarize, their beers were consistently on the malty side. By no means was this a negative quality. The beers had a drinkable quality that is not often present in hoppy beer with alcohol contents greater than 5%. An interesting observation.

It was a fun bar with good beer that we hope to see in San Diego soon.

Location:San Francisco, California

11th Stop-North Coast Brewing Company

2010-04-02T12:29:00.001-07:00

North Coast was perhaps the most anticipated brewery of our trip, at least for me. Between the four of us we have had every one of their regular beers; it turns out they don't really have any others. But first things first.

The town of Fort Bragg is a small coastal town and it was raining as we arrived. The North Coast brewery was under construction so we weren't able to tour the facility, but they have a restaurant/bar directly across the street.

We were hoping to taste some seasonal or rare brews not available in San Diego, however as alluded to above, they don't have any. The closest they come is their Old Stock Ale, which is bottled by year, similar to wine. We learned of some old seasonals, Christmas ales and such, but nothing of late.

It didn't matter. Their regular lineup is one of our favorites. We had, between the four of us, the Scrimshaw, Red Seal on cask, Acme Pale Ale and IPA, Pranqster, Old No. 38 Stout on nitro, and Old Rasputin Stout on nitro. We won't describe them here.

Some interesting history on the brewery. They began in 1987 with the Scrimshaw, Red Seal, and Old No. 38 Stout. In the 90's, an old microbrewery by the name of Acme was going under, so North Coast bought their recipes and began making their beers. Their pale ale and IPA came out of this transaction, and their balanced hop profiles fit well with the North Coast originals. Interestingly, they also bought a brown ale recipe from Acme that didn't sell well and was discontinued. North Coast remains without a brown ale in their lineup.

North Coast then added their Old Rasputin Stout (more spicy and less of a session stout than Old No. 38) and their Belgians (Brother Thelonius, Pranqster, and La Merle) in the 2000's.

All in all a quality brewery, something we knew prior to our visit. We would advise, if you haven't already, that you try North Coast and return often.

A beautiful sight.

Location:Fort Bragg, California

10th Stop-Anderson Valley Brewing Company

2010-04-01T22:46:00.001-07:00

We squeezed this brewery into our schedule as it was on the 128 on our way to Fort Bragg. We have often seen their beer on the shelves at Trader Joes and on tap at The Station in Southpark, San Diego.

They had nice facilities, a Don told us they would. We were unimpressed, however, with their decor. It was a confused mix of banners and tie-dye, with copper accents.

Luckily their beer was better. We especially enjoy their darker beers, including their Dark Ender Porter and their Oatmeal Stout. They have a smooth, rich, simple quality that doesn't try to do too much. We also tried their pale, ESB, and wheat. They were average.

Greg sampled several of their tap sodas, including the root beer and cream soda, and had a lively conversation with their soda "brewmaster/craftsman." The sodas are all made from scratch without preservatives. They are awaiting their FDA approval to begin bottling.

All in all this brewery (producing only 30,000 barrels per year despite their wide distribution) is more of an icon given their early start (in 1987, they were one ofthe first microbreweries in the area) and mentorship of other breweries. At the end if the day, however, our opinion did not change much on their beer. It was ok.

Greg with the soda guy.

Location:Highway128,Mendocino-Anderson,United States

Giants Game

2010-04-01T19:33:00.001-07:00

Giants/A's exhibition game with Rutman.

Location:Barbary Coast Trail,San Francisco,United States

Modifications

2010-04-01T12:13:00.005-07:00

As is obvious, our schedule has
changed more than once so far this trip. We never made it to The Bruery (it was closed), Telegraph (we were hung up in LA), or Anchor Steam (turns out if you don't have a tour reservation, which are required two months in advance, you can't go, and they don't have a taproom). We also have decided to cut out the Eureka/Fortuna leg of our trip due to time constraints. Mad River and Eel River will have to wait for another tour.

Instead we have hit up Magnolia early, added Moonlight in Santa Rosa, and stopped at Anderson Valley on our way to Fort Bragg. We also made an additional stop at Firestone Walker.

There certainly are no shortage of breweries to see, and we decided quality over quantity was more our style.

9th Stop-Moonlight Brewing

2010-04-01T12:13:00.003-07:00

Moonlight is a small brewery that only kegs their beer. It's been on tap at our local The Linkery in North Park San Diego. Good stuff.

We tried their beer at Flavor, a restaurant just around the corner from Russian River. The food was amazing and the beer was a welcome step-back from the aggressive style of RR.

We tried the Pilsner (a really well composed, complex, light lager) and a dark lager. They have a reputation of making quality drinkable beer and we would agree.

Location:Santa Rosa, CA

8th Stop-Russian River Brewing Company

2010-04-01T12:13:00.001-07:00

Russian River was a quick stop on our tour. The location had more of a bar feel, located in "downtown" Santa Rosa, and we didn't actually see any of their brewing operation. The place was busy.

They were serving several of their regular beers and also a few unusual brews.

Nate, Sergio, and I each had one beer here. We'll each describe them in brief, as best we can.

Nate (Consecration Ale): a sour juicy ale, brewed with berries.

Sergio (Temptation Ale): Belgian single sour, light in color.

Jason (Happy Hops): It was overwhelmingly hop forward; I'd say we found the West Coast hop kick.

Location:Santa Rosa, CA

7th Stop-Lagunitas Brewing Company

2010-03-31T18:46:00.001-07:00

Our seventh stop was unanimously the favorite of our trip thus far. The reason was obvious: they gave us free beer.

The visit began with a tasting hosted by Don, who was also our tour guide. He started by saying he had no more Pils on tap but that he would "make up for it." He proceeded to pour us seven 4-ounce pours of various regular and seasonal beers.

We tasted their Dog Town Pale Ale (dry with lingering hop finish), IPA (hop body with tasty malt finish), Undercover Shutdown Ale (an imperial pale seasonal), Gnarleywine barleywine, Wilco Tango Foxtrot (a brown ale seasonal), Imperial Stout, and finally their Hop Stoopid. Several of these beers were 10% ABV or above; I think you get the point.

After the 40 minute tasting was over, Don, who had been drinking right alongside us, began our tour. He took us through the bottling and packaging line, into the main brewing room with the masher and mixing tanks, and outside where the fermenting tanks rise high above the brewery roof. It was an awesome tour for multiple reasons. The first I'll skip, but also because he was quite knowledgeable about the process, was honest and open about the difficulties they've had (a theme among the brewing community thus far), and let us stick our heads into the fermenting tanks, climb ladders, and drink reject fresh beer right off the bottling line.

We were really impressed with Lagunitas Brewing. They showed us the utmost hospitality and their beer is really good. We would recommend the experience to anyone.

That's Don.

Location:Petaluma, CA

6th Stop-Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery

2010-03-30T12:02:00.001-07:00

After an afternoon spent checking out the streetfront made famous by the Full House show of the 90's and getting our second replacement iPhone of the trip at the SF Apple store (don't worry, both were under warranty), we made our way to Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery in the Haight and Ashbury neighborhood.

The space is quite European (according to Nate, the only one of our number who's been to Europe), with black leather-button booths, a community bar table, and several cask handles serving English style beer.

As for the beer, it was a contrast with the traditional microbreweries we have visited thus far, although admittedly the more West Coast style breweries are yet to come. Exemplifying the contrast was their Gruit style beer, which is brewed without hops. Instead, various herbs are used along with the malt base, giving the beer a wild floral character that made me happy I asked for only a taste.

Generally their beers were very good. They were decidedly malt forward and on the smoother side. With 3 cask beers alongside their impressive draught lineup, the brewery emphasized an English style that is rarely found in an American brewery west of the Mississippi.

One of their lighter beers (ABV 3.6%, IBU 22), Dark Star Mild, had a dark color but drinkable quality that reminded us of the "session" beer at Eagle Rock Brewery. Their pale and IPA were also very mild, with IBUs of 77 and 78 respectively. As noted by these numbers, they have decidedly more similar IBUs than most pale ale/IPA pairs at the other breweries on our tour. A nice reminder that hops aren't everything.

All in all, "unique" and quality beer at a busy gastropub with a great vibe.

In this video Nate pulls his first cask.

Location:Haight and Ashbury, San Francisco, CA

5th Stop-Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery

2010-03-29T16:07:00.001-07:00

Our fifth stop was Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery, one of 5 (soon to be 6) breweries in Santa Cruz. They are a small operation (1000 barrels/year). They consider their brewery a "labor of love," as they aren't in it for the money but rather good beer.

They specialize in organic beer and just yesterday planted an acre of hops on the property of a woman who feeds their mash remnants to her sheep (13 pounds per batch). They then sell the cheese products from these sheep in their tasting room.

Their beer was good. Again, fresh. We tried their organic IPA, one of their finer offerings. It had a clean body and light hop finish-very tastefully composed. We also tried their porter, brewed with organic free-trade coffee. It was also well done. Their brown was decent but unremarkable.

We also had a special edition witbier, the Witches Wit. It was brewed by the women of the brewery, with corriander, lemon, and St. John's Wort. It was quite mild and enjoyable.

One aspect of this brewery we truly appreciated was their honesty and openness. We learned of how they got their start, how they approach the process of beginning a new beer, and the ways in which they are looking to improve. We also got an impromptu tour of their 800 square foot brewing space. All in all, a very intimate stop.

Next up, San Francisco and Anchor Brewing.

Location:Swift Street, Santa Cruz, CA

Big Sur

2010-03-29T12:52:00.001-07:00

We spent our second night at Plaskett Creek Campground. It was beautiful.

Location:Plaskett Creek, Los Padres National Forest, Ca

4th Stop-Firestone Walker Brewery

2010-03-28T18:31:00.001-07:00

As promised, we stopped at the FWBC brewery and were treated to an impromptu tour.

It was the tourguide's first tour, but she did a fine job. In reality we interrupted so often she never had a chance to get in the flow.

Firestone uses a patented oak barrel fermentation system unique to them, at least in the US. They have also been increasing production in the past few years, up to 60,000 barrels last year (for some perspective Stone was at 90,000 and Sierra Nevada 5 times that). They are considered a "medium size" brewery.

We also learned a bit more of their history. Firestone is the family name (also responsible for Firestone Tires and Firestone Vineyards). A Firestone son teamed with a brother-in-law, David Walker, in 1996, and started the brewery. They actually ran into a lot of difficulty in the early years but invited head brewmaster Matt onboard soon after and have had success ever since, winning multiple awards in recent years.

We also met a friend at the brewery. Our second friend drop-by (the first was Jason's brother Jon at Eagle Eock). It was a nice stop.

After scoring a few palates for firewood and hitting up Trader Joe's for some dinner grub, we are off to Big Sur.

Location:S Vine St,Paso Robles,United States

3rd Stop-Firestone Walker Taproom and Restaurant

2010-03-28T13:17:00.001-07:00

So apparently Firestone Walker Brewing Company, out of Paso Robles, has a restaurant in Buellton, about a half hour north of Santa Barbara. This is in addition to their tasting room in Paso, where their brewery is located. We first heard about this second location from Steve at Eagle Rock Brewery.

We were driving through Buellton headed to Paso, paying little attention, when Sergio saw the restaurant. We decided it had been at least two hours since our last meal so we stopped for some grub and beer.

Firestone specializes in pale ales, and they didn't disappoint. The hop aroma was present and pleasant. And something we have noticed at both breweries we have visited thus far, the beer is fresh. It is hard to describe, and whether or not it is true or just a product of our excitement, the beers seem to have a freshness they do not have in the bottle.

Lastly, Firestone was serving a Russian Imperial Stout called Parabola (think back to high school pre-algebra) that was excellent. More of a dessert beer, it had a strong burbon body with chocolate overtones. It was enjoyed in sips by all.

We were quite pleased with this stop. So much so, we may stop at the tasting room in Paso Robles for a second (or third) round.

Location:Buellton, CA, United States

Camping near Santa B

2010-03-28T08:50:00.001-07:00

After calling around to campgrounds after dark and getting no response we did what any truck full of dudes and camping equipment would do; we drove around to different campsites until we found one that was open. I know, smart.

Our site was #115 at El Capitan State Beach. A fine site. Roomy enough for our "palace" and cardboard fire. We ate tacos for dinner and potaotes with kale for breakfast.

We are now on our way to Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Goleta,United States

2nd Stop-Eagle Rock Brewery

2010-03-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Improvising as we go, we decided to hit up Eagle Rock Brewery, a father-son joint, in place of our failed The Bruery attempt. Eagle Rock was on our list as a maybe for the way home.

Eagle Rock was inconspicuous from the outside; it was downright hard to find. No matter, we were in it for the beer.

We were greeted by Steve, the head brewmaster, who told us about their philosophy. "Beer for the people." They pride themselves on accessible beer, with three regular beers each highlighting a core ingredient: malt, hops, and yeast. All were very palatable.

All in all, a great second stop. And beer you can't get anywhere else, for now.

Location:Roswell St,Los Angeles,United States

1st stop-The Bruery Parking Lot

2010-03-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

When we decided to take this brewery tour we didn't want to micromanage things. Translation: We didn't pay attention to the details.

So when we arrived at The Bruery, two hours before they opened but right on time according to our schedule, we pulled out our lawn chairs and brews in their parking lot.

Location:Dunn Way,Placentia,United States

Here we go

2010-03-27T10:22:00.001-07:00

ETA: Tomorrow

2010-03-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

Getting our trip together. Ready for a brew or few.

The 2010 FBB California Beer Tour

2010-03-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

CALIFORNIA has some great breweries. we've decided to go visit them. this next week the four of us from FBB are going to hit the road (8 days, over 1800 miles, 30 hours of driving, and 13 breweries) to take in much of what california craft and microbrew has to offer. our schedule is below.

our tour will also be featured on theperfectlyhappyman.com. check it out. we'll try to post some content here as well.

Saturday, March 27

The Bruery

715 Dunn Way

Placentia CA 92870

Telephone: +1 714-996-6258

Hours: Friday 2:00pm-8:00pm, Saturday noon-6:00pm.

Brewer: Patrick Rue

Telegraph Brewing

416 North Salsipuedes Street

Santa Barbara CA 93103

Telephone: +1 805-963-5018

Hours: Thursday-Friday 4:00pm-6:00pm, Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Brewer: Brian Thompson

Sunday, March 28

Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

1400 Ramada Drive

Paso Robles CA 93446

Telephone: +1 805-238-2556

Hours: Open daily noon-7:00pm. Tours Saturday 3:00pm.

Brewer: Matt Brynildson

Monday, March 29

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

402 Ingalls Street Suite 27

Santa Cruz CA 95060

Telephone: +1 831-425-4900

Hours: Tasting room open daily noon-10:00pm or so.

Brewer: Chad Brill, Nick Thomas, Tim Huxley, Tom Perozzi, Dan Sattherthwaite

Anchor Brewing

1705 Mariposa Street

San Francisco CA 94107

Telephone: +1 415-863-8350

Hours: Call two weeks in advance for tours.

Brewer: Mike Lee

Tuesday, March 30

Lagunitas Brewing

1280 North McDowell Boulevard

Petaluma CA 94954

Telephone: +1 707-769-4495

Hours: Wednesday-Friday 3:00pm-9:00pm, Saturday-Sunday 1:00pm-9:00pm.

Brewer: Jeremy Marshall

Russian River Brewing

725 Fourth Street

Santa Rosa CA 95404

Telephone: +1 707-545-2337

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-midnight, Friday-Saturday 11:00am-1:00am.

Happy Hour is M-F from 4-6:30

Brewer: Vinnie Cilurzo

Wednesday, March 31

Mad River Brewing

195 Taylor Way

PO Box 767

Blue Lake CA 95525

Telephone: +1 707-668-4151

Hours: Monday-Saturday noon-9:00pm.

Brewer: Dylan Schotz

Eel River Brewing

1777 Alamar Way

Fortuna CA 95540

Telephone: +1 707-725-2739

Hours: Open daily 11:00am-11:00pm.

Brewer: Bruce Gehrke, Ted Vivatson

North Coast Brewing

444 North Main Street

Fort Bragg CA 95437

Telephone: +1 707-964-2739

Hours: Open daily at noon.

Brewer: Mark Ruedrich

Thursday, April 1

Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery

1398 Haight Street

San Francisco CA 94117

Telephone: +1 415-864-7468

Hours: Monday-Thursday noon-midnight, Friday noon-1:00am, Saturday 10:00am-1:00am, Sunday 10:00am-midnight.

Brewer: Dave McLean

Friday, April 2

Sudwerk Restaurant & Brewery

2001 Second Street

Davis CA 95618

Telephone: +1 530-758-8700

Hours: Sunday-Tuesday 11:30am-9:30pm, Wednesday-Thursday 11:30am-12:30am, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-10:30pm.

Brewer: Jay Prahl

Auburn Ale House

289 Washington Street

Auburn CA 95603

Telephone: +1 530-885-2537

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 11:00am-midnight.

Brewer: Brian Ford

Saturday, April 3

Eagle Rock Brewery

3056 Roswell Street

Los Angeles CA 90065

Telephone: +1 323-257-7866

Hours: Friday-Saturday 4:00pm-10:00pm, Sunday noon-6:00pm. Reservations are required.

Brewer: Jeremy Raub, Steve Raub

Sunday, April 4

LA to SD

Back to Brewing

2010-03-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

We have gone back to the basics and brewed a simple pale ale again. Plain liquid malt extract, three hops (amarillo, spalt, sterling), English Ale yeast, and water. Here's a shot of it at two weeks in primary. We bottled it at that point and siphoned 1 gallon into a small growler and dry hopped it with Sterling leaf hops. -nhc

Christmas Eve Bottling

2009-12-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

I spent a good few hours yesterday finally bottling our first porter. It had been in primary fermentation for almost a month which is longer than I would have liked, but it's a busy time of year and was hard to find time to transfer to secondary. So, I passed on the secondary feeling that most of the fermentation was complete. Our stout was only in primary for three weeks, went straight to the bottle, and turned out well. I think this one will be fine.

Yield: 38 twelve ounce bottles and 4 twenty two ounce bottles.

-nhc

Christmas Never Came

2009-11-27T16:27:00.000-08:00

As has been documented recently, FBB has moved to a new locale and is now settled at "The Villa" in North Park, San Diego, home of nhc and gp. While we took only a short break from the brewing process during our move, we have nothing to show for our most recent efforts in our new location.

The idea was that we'd brew an awesome holiday ale that we'd call Ghost of Christmas Future. This was actually the first beer we ever named when FBB was just a good idea. Unfortunately, after 2 attempts, we have nothing to share.

So what happened? We don't know, but we've got some ideas. A couple nights ago we chatted with Lee, brewmaster at Blind Lady Ale House, who we've blogged about before here. He confirmed our most likely suspicion. In our attempts to make a heavy, hoppy seasonal ale we were overzealous with our boiling hops, creating a beer so bitter it is barely drinkable. Our first attempt, Red Ale III, was bottled but never enjoyed. Our Red Ale IV, a very similar recipe to Red Ale III, remains in secondary. We are unsure if the uncarbed and unpromising taste is worth any more effort.

In short we've got 10 gallons of extremely bitter beer. Perhaps Ghost of Christmas Future is an all too appropriate name.

We move on. Tomorrow we will brew our first porter, hoping for better days. It is unclear when we will venture back into the red ale world. Experience tells me it won't be long.

-jkr

North Coast Night

2009-11-18T09:43:00.000-08:00

North Coast flights at Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights. Red Seal on cask. Great pizza. Friends.

In other FBB news: This week there will be bottling of Red Ale #4 and the brewing of our first Porter. Looking forward to it. -nhc

Brewery Tour

2009-10-15T00:22:00.001-07:00

FBB's relocation to "The Villa" in North Park from the Hayes house in University Heights is finally complete and the brewery is in full operation once again (nothing could smell better). A bit of organization and a few new touches to the presentation of our brewing kitchen make for the best room in the house. For those fortunate enough to visit FBB in person we installed a much needed element any proud brewer must utilize to document current libations. It's official; we have a chalk board.

-gp

Apfelwein

2009-10-14T23:47:00.000-07:00

Our first experiment with fruit fermentation has begun with an Apfelwein, a German dry apple cider. As expected, basic components to this beverage include simple ingredients, but the end result is apparently unlike anything available for retail in the states; there is a lack of distinct sweetness compared to the more popular methods of cider making.
We're utilizing a champagne yeast for an extra dry cider which will also boost the ABV. I'm considering this our first moonshine due to our plan to bottle ferment some volume in a few one gallon jugs, the extensive fermentation time (best flavors by 6 months), leaving it in the garage, and the high potential for residual headaches.

Ein taxi bitte
~gp

#8 Lonesome Lager

2009-10-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

Just taking a moment from moving into our new house (brewery) to finally write a little about our European lager.

The recipe came yet again from Charlie Papazian’s “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing” where it was titled “Heinestella Delight.” We only slighted altered the recipe this time by increasing the boiling hops (Perle) and finishing hops (Liberty) each by ½ ounce.

This was a beer that we put into secondary fermentation 15 days after brewing it. Notes only serve you well when you make them and thus I have no idea when we ended up bottling this beer or what the original gravity is because I was careless enough not to jot them down. So, it is anyone’s guess at the ABV (probably around 4%) and how long we ended up fermenting this beer. My memory does serve me fairly well on one point, however, and I recall that this one took a long time to carb up in the bottle. It has only gotten better with age. I am drinking one today, three and a half months after brew day.

It lives up to its namesake (Heineken + Stella Artois = Heinstella) in that it is crisp, clear and refreshing and has the characteristic lager yeast taste. It does not, however, have the slight yet pungent “skunkyness” that many people notice in a Heineken. I like it. I like it a lot and wish we had more of a back stock.

A few of us were chatting briefly at the local watering hole the other night about lagers. It got me thinking. I feel like there will be a movement amongst craft brewers to create interesting and unique tasting lagers. They have gotten a bad rap among beer connoisseurs historically. Strong ales and insanely hoppy IPA’s usually get all the attention and the higher ratings. Lagers may not be as overtly complex as a strong ale, for example, but there is complexity even if subtly so. I liken it to the subtle complexities in music and sometimes those are even more rewarding when discovered and appreciated.

It is time once again to get back into this brewing thing. -nhc

Out of Town

2009-09-24T11:18:00.001-07:00

FBB is out of town. We'll be back soon to bottle our third generation Christmas Ale and share about our recent lager and Belgian. --jk

We are so far behind...

2009-09-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Apologies about that.

Still to come:

-profiles of both our Belgian White and European Lager.

As an update, we are well over 10 days into the fermentation process of Red Ale III. We are terribly excited about this one as we've attempted to refine our recipe this third go 'round. Just a few alterations. Namely, a change to a more bitter hop: centennial. An increase in malt extract as well as overall increase in amount of hops we are adding during both the boil and at the finish. It's an exciting process. -nhc

Looking Back Toward the Future

2009-08-19T11:46:00.001-07:00

It is true. August has been a slow month here at FBB. With cabinets of beer that needed to be consumed, a Belgian white that kept on fermenting, and some apprehension about beginning what we hope is a highly successful first seasonal ale, our progress forward slowed.

The good news is we are ready to pick up the pace again. This Friday we are hosting another fiesta at the Hayes House. While this won't be the tasting party many of you have been waiting for, we have decided to crack open some bottles from the archives. Thinking back to our many brews brings back some great memories.

Our Red Ale series has been quite a hit as we tried our own hand at a brewery genre favorite. The Marzen was a pleasant surprise that still ranks in the top three for many, including myself. The Pale Ale was a make-shift half batch that surpassed expectations. And the stout was the strongest and darkest beer we've brewed that seems to get better with time.

Overall these last 4 months have been highly educational and rewarding. We've produced some great beer and some not very great beer. Most of all we've shared these drinks, and many others, with friends. Thanks for the support. -jk

#7 For No One Stout

2009-08-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

The tasting notes for this one have been a long time coming. Apologies for the delay.

The goal was to brew a classic Irish style dry stout. Guinness, of course, would be the prototype for this style. "For No One Stout" doesn't have the secret Guinness flavor but it does hold its own in the stout world. Roasted coffee to start, a pleasant bitterness (not hop bitterness), smooth mouthfeel, and a dry finish. Our beer with the highest original gravity yet (1.075), For No One Stout came in at 6.7% ABV. Comparatively, Guinness is 4.1% ABV.

Personally, I think this beer is one of FBB's great successes. I mean, seriously, just look at that beauty. There is little I would change if we were to do this recipe again. The only alteration that comes to mind is that we could probably get it to have an ever smoother taste if we toned down the amount of malt extract we used so that the ABV would be somewhere in the 4-5% range. I'd also be interested in using it as a base recipe to make a coffee or an oatmeal stout at some point. Lots to look forward to. -nhc

Thanks To All

2009-07-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Aside from the sprinklers that went off at 10:45 and the lager that didn't carbonate in time the pot lucke was a great success. We've decided gatherings are best judged not by the hosts or location but by the people in attendance. And judging by the guests last night this get together was among the best we've had.

What is a brewer to do?

2009-07-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

Perhaps my German and English roots have given me a one up in the art of brewing beer. I've been telling myself that all day to stave off the frustration that I cannot get our newly brewed belgian white down to a reasonable temperature to pitch the yeast. 85 + degree San Diego weather is not helping my cause and even after a good nights sleep outside for the carboy she still doesn't give us a reading on our trusty carboy thermometer which tops off at 78 degrees. What is a brewer to do? I did put it in the sink and poured our whole ice box around it. But, to no avail.

So I sit here discouraged about the situation. (My coconut curry and English Ale are soothing my woes.) Maybe one more night camping outside the front door will do it. Fingers crossed, bottoms up. -nhc

Pot lucke 7.24

2009-07-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hayes House is hosting a potluck for all. I looked up the meaning of potluck on wikipedia and it turns out the word used to mean something like "whatever is available at the time." It further states:

"The most common usage was within inns, taverns, and staging posts in the United Kingdom from the 16th century onwards. A wealthy traveller might ask what the hosteller had to offer to eat, and be told 'chicken', or 'beef' etc., and choose it. The poorer traveller might have to do with 'pot luck', a stew of whatever was left over from the fare of the last few days or weeks. Having usually been boiled many times over, it was safe enough, and often tasty, though its nutritional value was often low. Accompanied by starchy foods like bread or potatoes, however, the traveller might go to bed well satisfied."

To sum it up, we would love to host any and all. Bring "whatever you have available" so that we may all be "well satisfied." Show up around 7PM to 1070 Hayes Ave, San Diego, CA 92103. Also, bring your drink preference along with your sustenance.

And to qualify this post for space on our blog, our European Lager (#8) will be 13 days in the bottle by the 24th, which might just be perfect.

See you soon.

-jk

#5 Red Ale II

2009-07-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Red Ale II was our first attempt to improve and refine a previous homebrew, Red Ale #1. We feel optimistic but not satisfied.

Red Ale II has been described previously on this blog as:

drinkable
developing a hoppy finish
lacking complexity
malty sweet (not in a bad way)

good body

pleasant flavor
minimal "homebrew taste"

In its final form some of these are true and some of these are not. II is definitely drinkable and has a pleasant flavor; these descriptors may be more true of this homebrew than any other thus far. It doesn't have much of a hoppy finish, which we have come to appreciate about a good beer. The typical "homebrew taste" referred to above is a difficult to describe lingering that is tasted at the end of each swig (wine drinkers refer to this as "...on the finish"). From experience we have learned that hoppy homebrews can suffocate this homebrew taste, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. This homebrew has neither, which for us is somewhat of a feat, allowing the focus to be on the experience as a whole rather than the final impression. It makes for a very drinkable beer; indeed, it makes for a very good beer.

The story isn't all positive though. If it were, what would we improve upon in the third iteration? This beer lacks body. We would like it just a little heavier. We appreciate light beer at FBB, in fact we are bottling a light lager today, but for our flagship Red we would like it to stand up on its own two feet a little more. We don't desire a Rogue-like hoppy finish or Stone-like heavy body, but we do need a little more from this beer. That is what we plan to give it in Red Ale III.

-jk

ON THE LABEL: Red Ale II : 12 Fluid Ounces : 355 Milliliters : Brewed and Bottled by Flightless Bird Brewery, San Diego CA : Light Liquid Malt Extract, 80L Crushed Crystal Malt, Cascade Bittering and Aroma Hops, White Labs Liquid American Ale Yeast : A light bodied, malty sweet ale

COMING SOON:
-#7 For No One Stout (if you're wondering where #6 went, click here)
-Potluck news

The Up and Up

2009-07-01T23:35:00.000-07:00

So soon after the unfortunate demise of Half Batch Bitter all things brewing is on the up and up.

About two weeks ago we brewed a European style lager. Today I racked it to secondary and siphoned a small amount into a glass for a tasting. Mmmm, delicious. It appears that this one will be a winner. Perhaps another week to two weeks in secondary, then bottle and into the kitchen cabinets it goes.

Just thought I'd fill you in.

-nhc

Failure.

2009-06-26T22:36:00.001-07:00

It is with much sorrow and humility that I announce our first major failure in homebrewing: Half Batch Bitter.

Yes, this was a "left over" batch where we combined some extra malt extracts with 4 different hop varieties to make a half (2.5 gallon) batch. Our attempt was to brew an English Style Bitter. We failed.

The frustrating part is that it has been hard for Jason and me to figure out exactly what the off flavor is. The first word to come to mind for me was astringent. There is definitely a bitterness quality to it that is not the typical hop bitterness. Frankly, it is just plain unpleasant to drink. Down the drain it went.

Perhaps our wort was too concentrated. We did add an absurd amount of hops and the wort ended up looking like a witches brew: boil, toil, and trouble. Definitely trouble.

I tell myself that this is just a minor setback. In reality, I am nervous yet again about our current and upcoming batches. What went wrong? Anyone's guess at this point. It may take us six weeks to find out.

At the end of the day, or rather, the end of 6 months, 7 out of 8 is not so bad. Not too bad at all.

-nhc

Beer goes camping

2009-06-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

The latest brew spent the night outside for cooling purposes. This has been confirmed as true despite the well known affinity between our carboy and Argentinian women.

-gp

Introducing....

2009-06-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

For No One Stout.

"Your day breaks, your mind aches

You find that all her words of kindness linger on

When she no longer needs you

She wakes up, she makes up

She takes her time and doesn't feel she has to hurry

She no longer needs you

And in her eyes you see nothing

No sign of love behind the tears

Cried for no one

A love that should have lasted years."

...with carboy

2009-06-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

A Tuesday Bottle and Brew

2009-06-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

We are amassing quite the backstock of beer these days. That's what happens when you have one beer carbonating quite slowly (Red Ale II), you brew a mid-cycle half batch (Half Batch Bitter), and another brew sneaks up from behind for bottling (For No One Stout). It all adds up to about 100 amber label-less bottles of beer encroaching on everyday use items in the kitchen cupboards. Yes, a party is in short order.

Yesterday we brewed our eighth beer, a light crisp European lager. If you would have told me we would be on beer #8 by mid-June when the first Red Ale was hitting our lips I wouldn't have believed you, but here we are. This lager falls in the Charlie Papazian category of "if you can't ferment at colder lager temperatures, this lager can be fermented at room temp." So that's what we will do. We have yet to pitch the yeast 24 hours later, as it remains above the required 70-75 degree range needed to create the right environment for the yeast to take. Going back to the Marzen (Beer #2), liquid lager yeast is the only type we have had trouble pitching in the past; that beer required us to pitch a second time using dry yeast. This time we are hoping for a better result.

Coming soon:

-Beer Goes Camping
-Red Ale II Profile
-Potluck Party Details
-Tasting thoughts on Half Batch Bitter and For No One Stout

-jk

Decisions, Decisions.

2009-06-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I bottled one of our latest beers. It had been fermenting since May 22 (16 days total). Perhaps it was a bit soon, but the general recipe we followed stated that you could be drinking this within 2 weeks so I figured 2 weeks fermenting ought to be sufficient.

The recipe we followed was for an English Bitter. Essentially that is an English pale ale. Traditionally English bitters were served draught only and by hand pump. They were also served at cellar temperature. Other considerations for this style are the type of water used (obviously the type found in England), the usage of English hops (i.e. fuggles, kent goldings) and English strains of yeast.

We have been mulling over a few ideas for names for this particular beer. I am back and forth on whether we should call it a pale ale or a bitter. We did, after all, make a few substitutions such as bottled San Diego water instead of imported water of the English variety (does that even exist?). We generously added English fuggle hops but also used some cluster, saaz, and tettnanger. We stayed true to the style and used an English Ale yeast. So, can you see my dilemma here?

By the way, this is very un-English in the fact that we used an absurd amount of hops: 3.5 total ounces (for a 2.5 gallon batch!) That is the equivalent of 7 oz of hops if we had done the full five gallon batch! Yes, very un-English indeed.

This is what has been on our mind as far as nomenclature:

Half Batch Bitter

Again and Again Ale (will follow with a post about this if it becomes the name)

In Between Bitter

I'll be sure to let you know what we decide.

-nhc

BLAH with Lee

2009-06-03T19:25:00.001-07:00

Last night Nate and I went out for a brew at Blind Lady Ale House. It's a local spot that I might normally consider a diamond in the rough, but it seems there are a lot of those around here. They serve great beer and great pizza. You can read their story on the BLAH blog. In short the two couples that own the place care about high quality food and beer and have created an atmosphere that allows goers to enjoy both. With a casual feel, care dedicated to even the most minute of details (such as their 0.63L glasses that leave room for the head on a 0.5L pour), reasonable prices, and friendly staff (who offered us pieces of their own after-shift pizza, which we accepted), the ale house will be somewhere we frequent.

Now that we are beyond that lengthy introduction, the real reason for this post. One of the owners is named Lee. He is the resident brewmaster and is responsible for brewing one of the best beers I've ever had, their House Ale, a Belgian. Curious as to when the House Ale would be back after its recent disappearance, I approached Lee and had FFB's first real brewmaster contact. We talked about his history (he started homebrewing at 17, went through the UC Davis "Master Brewer" program, helped start Stone Brewery and worked there for 8 1/2 years, and has been consulting with breweries around the country for the last 3 years). We discussed FFB's homebrew projects (he offered to taste anything we bring in and provide feedback). And of course we discussed the House Ale (Lee will be brewing on site at BLAH in 3 months after which he said the House Ale will show up once more; it may first be seen at The Linkery because they recently begged him for one of his final 3 kegs and he obliged). In short, we had an awesome conversation and I hope we have many more.

If you ever care to join us for a beer at the Ale House, please don't hesitate to ask. Who knows, maybe we'll have another chat with Lee. -jk

Bottled Red Ale II @ 12 days

2009-06-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

carbonation: 4/10
a developing hoppy finish
drinkable
lacking complexity, especially early

-jk

malty sweet (not in a bad way)

good body

minimal carbonation

pleasant flavor, minimal "homebrew taste"

-nhc

Rogue Night

2009-06-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

@ Hamilton's in San Diego one saturday night in May. 24 Rogue beers on tap, 2 on cask. Plenty of inspiration. The chocolate stout is what I remember best. -nhc

University Heights and Samuel Beam

2009-05-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

Choosing a name for something as unique and timeless as a home brewery is not an easy task. However it also isn't something you "work" at. In our case, the name Flightless Bird comes from two avenues of life important to the three of us.

San Diego is a city of neighborhoods. In our immediate vicinity there are several, going by names such as Hillcrest, North Park, Normal Heights, and our own University Heights. Each has it's own neon illuminated neighborhood sign and flavor, some more unique than others. Our name and logo find their origins in the history of University Heights. In the late 1800's the land where University Heights now sits used to be an ostrich farm. This piece of history lives on and can be
appreciated on neighborhood stone pillars with the silhouette of an ostrich, which we have adapted as the bird you see on our labels and blog. And it probably needn't be mentioned that the ostrich can't fly.

The second piece of our inspiration comes from our love of music. Iron and Wine (Samuel Beam) wrote a song on the album The Shepherd's Dog (2007) called "Flightless Bird, American Mouth." While the meaning of the song is elusive, I gather it to be something about growth and searching, which are themes we find important in our brewing and our lives. The harmonies and falsetto are dynamic and beautiful.

Thus, combining the history of this place with our love of music, the name Flightless Bird was born. -jk

Sanitation is Key

2009-05-26T22:01:00.001-07:00

Recent Reflections

2009-05-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

It happens to me every so often with music. I feel like I've exhausted my itunes library. Despite the few thousand songs in it, nothing feels fresh and new. I begin to wonder if music will really progress any further. Will any new bands come on the scene that don't differ much from the hundreds already in existence in the same genre? Now that it has happened to me a number of times I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Take Bon Iver for example. The chords have all been used before, maybe a hundred zillion times in the exact same progression. However, Justin Vernon's airy, falsetto, northwoods Wisconsin voice has never before layered on top of them. This is different enough that it is, in fact, delightfully unfamiliar. It stays with you throughout the day, still lingering as your head hits the pillow and you turn in for the night. I enjoy that. It is just what I need sometimes.

Lately I've felt like I've hit one of these stalemates with beer. I love a bold amber or a hoppy IPA as much as anyone. I've tried dozens by now. I'm beginning to lose my sense of being able to distinguish one from the other. Sure, I can tell you if I think one is far inferior than another, but give me two, quality made ambers and a week later all I could tell you is that I liked it. Rogue American Amber or Deschutes Red Cone? Both were delicious is what I'd say.

It seems that California, perhaps all of the west coast, is infatuated with IPA's. Today I stopped by a small, local grocer in Ocean Beach that carries a fine selection of craft beers and belgian ales. An entire fridge was full of 22 oz bombers of different IPA's or Double IPA's. I decided not to bark up that tree. I imagine that if I did, however, and grabbed a couple to try, I would scarcely find much variety. Hops are an overwhelming flavor. You've got to keep the reigns tight on those guys, lest they get away and overpower a beer.

So today I decided to venture out. Right there in the store I made up my mind to explore what left I have to explore. I'm no Magellan. He sailed around the world. Today my ship only made it to Maui where it docked and found Maui Brewing Company's Coconut Porter. It's a robust porter brewed with six varieties of malted barley, hops, and hand-toasted coconut. I enjoyed it. It was just what I needed. -nhc

Branding Iron

2009-05-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

I wandered the scrap metal piles in the recycle yard at Freds in The Dalles, OR looking for some flatbar for FBB's branding iron. One could get lost daydreaming of the endless creations to be made from all this cool stuff, but my nursing experience and accident prone nature told me to keep my visit to tetanus playground brief. Back at the shop the metal bending began and welding followed. Like most projects without plans I found myself looking at a finished product twice the size than expected. TSA couldn't help themselves looking in my checked luggage on the flight back to SD; however, something tells me I would have never made it past security with the medieval looking weapon had I carried it on.
Look for the official FBB brand on our crates. ~gp

#4 Pale Ale

2009-05-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

This particular beer is of humble origins; a half batch from leftover hops. The aromatic hop was chosen by olfactory discernment. Our chosen hop went in at semi-precise weight/volume conversion due to lack of scale. Time past and it was bottled one day while I slept. Come May 11: Pale Ale and party favorite, flavorful and smooth finish. Peer consensus: a legit brew. I secretly call this the arrogant bastard... but only secretly since the name is taken. ~gp

On Deck and in the Hole

2009-05-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

#5 Red Ale II (fermenting since 4.26)
#6 Stout
#7 Bitter (half batch)

The First Bottling

2009-05-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

#3 Kolsch

2009-05-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Hoping to be ready for the arrival of summer with a lighter bodied, refreshing beer, we at Flightless Bird decided to try our hand at a Kolsch. Cologne, Germany is the home of this specialty German beer that many describe as a cross between an ale and a lager. It looks, and has similar tastes as a lager, but is top fermented like an ale.

My inclination to have this be our next brew came from memories of one summer when I was still an infant in the beer world. I happened upon Goose Island's Summertime, a kolsch. Nothing had tasted that good to me yet, especially with a juicy bratwurst in one hand, and a Summertime in the other.

Our very own kolsch didn't exactly turn out the way my memory would have liked. First and foremost, it was opaque; a sort of faded straw color with a slight orange hue. Kolschs are straw color and crystal clear. The hop head in me found it a bit lacking in that department as well. We also tried something new for us; substituting some of the malt extract in the recipe for dextrose (corn sugar). This is done to increase the alcohol content of the beer. We think it worked. Although the brewmasters out there say that adding dextrose will not add any sweet flavor to your beer, I still felt there was a bit of sweet bite to it. Perhaps we have not let it bottle condition long enough to let the yeast fully convert all of the sugar. Anyways, it was an experiment we tried on our fourth beer as well, but will probably not attempt again. I know, I haven't described much of the taste yet, but it has been over five days since I've had one. You'll probably have to catch me some other time for that. Apparently it didn't leave much of an impression. All in all, not a failed batch by any means. I've enjoyed drinking it and think it will only get better as it ages a few more weeks or months. Time will tell. -nhc

2009-05-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

#2 Rhinelander Marzen

2009-05-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

This lager, typically brewed in March and served at the famed German Oktoberfest, was a surprise. Lagers are typically brewed at cool temperatures requiring refrigeration, which we are currently unable to accommodate, however with the help of our brewers guide, The Complete Joy of Home Brewing, by Charlie Papazian, we fermented this lager at room temperatures like we would an ale. It turned out to be a great dessert pairing, while not being too sweet at the same time. It has a nice balance of complex flavors without the home brew taste we experienced with our first. It was also our first and only to date attempt at secondary fermentation, yielding 4 gallons instead of the full batch 5. Needless to say we were a bit disappointed there wasn't more. --jk

#1 Red Ale

2009-05-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Our first attempt at greatness, this kit beer came out better than we hoped. With a yeasty finish we knew we could do better-it tasted like a home brew and several friends told us so. It lacked body and hops, but for our first attempt it put a smile on our face. And there is no denying that it was the beer that began our obsession. --jk