The next stop on our summer trip was the San Francisco Bay Area. The first of the 3 breweries we went to was Lagunitas in Petaluma, CA. Early one afternoon while we were camping , Essie told me she was going to pick me up some beer. Of course I went along with this plan. She came back a half our later with a growler (large mason jar) of their Little Supmin’ Sumpin’ Ale. She told me that she went to Lagunitas, which was down the road from our campsite and when she asked the bartender what she should buy, he insisted adamantly and without hesitation that she try this.
I spent the next few hours sitting under the shade of a tree working and sipping… admiring the beautiful weather as well as the extremely tasty beer. The word that kept coming to my mind was complex. This wheat beer (50% wheat/50% barley) is unlike any other that I’ve had to date. It has a surprisingly creamy mouth-feel that is balanced by a fantastic wheat flavor. It finishes with slight bitterness and distinct aroma of apricot, peach, and citrus…. It almost makes you want to describe it as “juicy”. This is a great summer beer. I would highly recommend it if for an afternoon of yard-work or, as in my case, conference calls.
So later that evening we went to the brewery with high expectations... Lagunitas has a very nice outdoor dining area with a stage for live music. They even allow dogs, something which seems to be very uncommon California, and Petunia was very grateful to be included in our evening. The service was very nice and the food was decent. The beer, on the other hand, was a different story.
Every brew we tried ranged from Bad to Mediocre... Bad being the Cappucino Stout aged in whiskey barrels (although I should mention that my wife passionately defends this particular beer by saying that it was “really ok”), and mediocre being the Pilsner. Their IPA was average, and their Gueze was disappointing. To be more specific : The Stout sounded like it could be really interesting, but the flavors did not mix well. The espresso added an undesirable bitterness and the whiskey flavor seemed to muddle everything else. Being a big fan of Belgian ales, I was really excited that they had Gueze on the menu. But while it did have a really nice aroma, similar to other lambics that I’ve had, it was really lacking the flavor. Their IPA wasn’t bad, but it didn’t stand out to me among other IPA’s that I’ve had. The Pilsner was OK, but it couldn’t touch anything I’ve had from Canadian microbreweries.
In conclusion… If you’re in the area, be sure to stop here to try the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. I’ve had it on tap and in the bottle, and it is significantly better on tap. But don’t waste your time or your money on any other of the other beers they have to offer.
I spent the next few hours sitting under the shade of a tree working and sipping… admiring the beautiful weather as well as the extremely tasty beer. The word that kept coming to my mind was complex. This wheat beer (50% wheat/50% barley) is unlike any other that I’ve had to date. It has a surprisingly creamy mouth-feel that is balanced by a fantastic wheat flavor. It finishes with slight bitterness and distinct aroma of apricot, peach, and citrus…. It almost makes you want to describe it as “juicy”. This is a great summer beer. I would highly recommend it if for an afternoon of yard-work or, as in my case, conference calls.
So later that evening we went to the brewery with high expectations... Lagunitas has a very nice outdoor dining area with a stage for live music. They even allow dogs, something which seems to be very uncommon California, and Petunia was very grateful to be included in our evening. The service was very nice and the food was decent. The beer, on the other hand, was a different story.
Every brew we tried ranged from Bad to Mediocre... Bad being the Cappucino Stout aged in whiskey barrels (although I should mention that my wife passionately defends this particular beer by saying that it was “really ok”), and mediocre being the Pilsner. Their IPA was average, and their Gueze was disappointing. To be more specific : The Stout sounded like it could be really interesting, but the flavors did not mix well. The espresso added an undesirable bitterness and the whiskey flavor seemed to muddle everything else. Being a big fan of Belgian ales, I was really excited that they had Gueze on the menu. But while it did have a really nice aroma, similar to other lambics that I’ve had, it was really lacking the flavor. Their IPA wasn’t bad, but it didn’t stand out to me among other IPA’s that I’ve had. The Pilsner was OK, but it couldn’t touch anything I’ve had from Canadian microbreweries.
In conclusion… If you’re in the area, be sure to stop here to try the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. I’ve had it on tap and in the bottle, and it is significantly better on tap. But don’t waste your time or your money on any other of the other beers they have to offer.
