Tag: craftbeer

Bert’s Brewing to open its doors

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Boise, for a long time had been home to 3 or 4 breweries/Brewpubs and in the mid 2000s everything craft beer sort of took off. Garden City seemed to be the epicenter of that explosion, partly due to the favorable utilities rates offered to commercial tenants. Payette, Crooked Fence, Kilted Dragon, and Barbarian were the early ones. A bit later, County LIne, Powderhaus, Western Collective, Twisted District and most recently Ida Wild, and Brown Beard came in. All setting up shop on the 3 mile stretch of Chinden, from I-184 to just past Glenwood.

A few of those establishments, sadly are no longer with us, but this year a couple more have popped up. The newest, “Bert’s Brewing” on Brown st near the Orchard down ramp is poised to open its doors. Its public opening is set for next week but myself and a few other “family and friends” were there this evening to check out the place. I have to say it will likely be one of my favorites going forward.

A modern but comfortable facility, plenty of natural light, small tables and comfy chairs for a couple dozen. Room for 8 or so at the bar. Garage doors for sunny days and/or warm evenings, and an outdoor patio. All tucked in up against the mini-connector carrying commuters down Orchard to Chinden from Fairview above. At first I thought that the hustle and the bustle of the nearby commute traffic would be a bit “present” but it actually feels like you are up under most of it. The natural landscaping and geography, sort of shields you from it all and somehow feels not so near.

I immediately ordered a flight of their current offerings, and thought all their beers were well done. Clean, light and tasty and just “professional”. I thought the West Coast IPA was fresh, hoppy , though not particularly aggressive. Balanced, fresh and easy to get along with. The Porter I had was smooth, lightly roasty and just a very nice pint. They are staggering their prices with the light Mexican lager a meer 5$. Up to a couple dollars more are charged for the bigger hoppier beers. Definitely a welcome price point, especially for a new venue in these times and this area.

I got to chat with Sidney, one of the owners and she told me their story. It could not have been more charming. A young couple, Robert and herself, each with several years of beer industry experience. Robert in the production, packaging side and recently completing brewing training in Chicago and Germany. Sidney on the restaurant and commercial side managing restaurants and tending bar. They met at a brewpub in Orange, CA and must have quicky sensed that the universe was speaking to them. In short order, they agreed, the best plan was to get married, combine their experience, move to Boise and open a brewery. Now, a year or two later, I for one am glad they did.

The tradition of Garden City’s “Brewer’s Row” has thus increased its craft beer presence, and in a very good way. West bound commuters on Chinden , will pass no less than 8 or 9 craft beer establishments on their way home. Ill be one of them, and will be stopping my Bert’s on a regular basis.

-Cheers

My Favorite Boise Beer Spots #002 – Mother Earth Brewing

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Mother Earth Brewing, has been a southern California company for about 13 years. They moved to Idaho August 2016 as part of an expansion, with the construction of a production site in Nampa. A small tasting room is inside as well, where you can try a couple of their beers right where they are made. This all whilst sitting amongst towering pallets of empty aluminum cans, just waiting to be filled. This facility helped make ME the largest brewer in the state, muscling past indigenous Idaho outfits like Sockeye and Payette.

Several years later, Mother Earth opened their taproom in downtown Boise proper, on 3rd just a couple blocks down Broad st from Boise Brewing. This was back in December 2021, when we were all just extricating ourselves from the Covid fiasco, and frankly needed an outlet like this. I was there opening week and their full lineup of beers was on line. The place was an immediate hit. Part of the site includes a large outdoor/patio seating area, which didn’t really see much action until it warmed up a few months later. Nevertheless, the outdoor area provides a great view of the currently active and changing downtown Boise skyline.

Great Beer

Mostly I love their hoppy beers. Particularly Boo-Koo, Heavy Cloud, and the Project-X series. Other main line offerings like Sin-Tax, Cali-Creamin and Milk-Truck are great also. Their premium line “Four Seasons” is…well… seasonal, and the heavy hitter Triple IPA has recently made a return. Called “Big Mother” this is a beast of a bear, you have been warned. Since its very beginning, ME has seen terrific growth with a line-up like this.

I read just this past week, the Boise taproom announced that “half pints” would also be available. Perhaps not of their high-octane selections that already are in a smaller serving size, but still the option of a “shorty” is great. A big part of my beer hobby is being able to try many different beers. Having to put down a full pint at a time can drag you down a bit.

Right in the heart of downtown, it is yet another nice craft beer destination, and is one of my regulars.

-Cheers

2C or not 2C

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At the risk of burring the lead, the answer is sadly, the latter.

2C Family Brewing is no longer with us as of April 4th. The brewery, along with a couple other spots made “downtown” Nampa a fun and interesting hub of Food and Beer destinations. 2C Occupied the historic 115-some-odd year old Dewy Scales building at 1215 1st Ave. It was adjacent to Mesa Tacos, Paddles up Poke and across from Holy Cow, Messenger Pizza and the last remaining PreFunk beer bar.

Mark Shiebout and Alvin Mullins, long time homebrewing buddies, opened their doors in late June, 2019. 2C seemed from the beginning to specialize in continental European beers, German lagers, Bocks, Belgians and Saisons etc. In August 2021 Tyler Vanden Heuvel came on board as head brewer and tweaked the beer lineup a bit. He had been at Meriwether Cider and Mother Earth before, bringing considerable experience with him.

From then on there were more offerings and typically a few more North American traditional styles included in the mix. Overall that last year and a half or so saw an improvement in the better selection, and quality, frankly. The more recent “Hop Projekt” IPAs and hazy pales were particularly good. Tyler should land somewhere else hopefully soon as I hope to keep drinking beer he makes.

There wasn’t a food menu at 2C, but you could always of course bring in your own. Sometimes there was a grill going with hotdogs and what-not, for a couple bucks. There was frequently live music on the weekends as well. The rustic long tables and original hardwood floor and high ceiling contributed to the casual friendly “beer-hall” atmosphere.

For whatever reason, after nearly four years, it just didn’t work out and the first weekend in April, they closed they’re doors for good. Its a shame, 2C really added to a vibrant and fun city center and was the beginning of a little resurrection of downtown Nampa. Such as it is.

Unknown at this time, what will become of that site, or who will take it’s place. I doubt it will be as fun and tasty as 2C was for the nearly 4 years they were there. There is some local chatter that suggests nearby Crescent Brewing is purchasing much of 2C’s 10-Barrel capacity brewing equipment.

It’s always sad to witness the sunset of craft beer destination. Nampa only has a few, Mother Earth, has its major production facility a mile North with a nice tap room. Crescent Brewing is about 3 blocks west. But that is about it as far as “brew-on-premise” craft beer sources in the immediate area.

We are all sad to see them go.

-Cheers

My Favorite Boise Beerspots #001 – Woodland Empire

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As I’ve mentioned before, Boise is a pretty good beer town. There are a few dozen breweries, taprooms, growler stations and dedicated beer-bars in the Treasure Valley and I’l be featuring one every so often. Not so much a review per se’ just my thoughts and observations on whichever location I find myself at that day.  Some key characteristics, my likes and maybe not lo likes and some details that make it unique. Every spot has a niche, or rather the good ones usually do and Ill focus a bit on that for each.

Today I’m at Woodland Empire. A Brew-On-Premise site that opened nearly 10 years ago in early 2014. I posted about that at that time, and you can read it here. It was a great time interviewing owner/brewers Keely and Rob Landerman.

Since the beginning, WE has had a sort of an irreverent, Bohemian, “Portlandia”, laid back vibe that I imagine would fit in well somewhere in Greenwich Village, maybe across from the record store between the body art shop and the funky coffee joint.

Coming up on a year ago now, Woodland was sold to Boise area group with local restaurateur Dave Krick and a few others including Lost Grove Brewing owner Jacob Black. You can read that story here, on BoiseDev. I’ve been in several times since that change-over and I can tell you the place still feels the same and the promised intent of staying loyal to what the Landerman’s had envisioned, seems to hold true. While my gut doesn’t necessarily love, fewer people owning more craft beer spots, the deal, as mentioned in the article on BoiseDev just seemed to make sense. The right thing at the right time for both parties involved.

Woodland, not long ago, sacrificed some of their parking (not that there was much to begin with) for a patio seating area. While hearing the rushing of home-bound commuters flooring it to catch that last light before the connector is not ideal, it is still a nice option.

There are barley 12 taps here, including a couple guest taps: ciders and Kombucha. There are always a few odd balls that are fun to try and typically few regulars that everyone knows. Namely the Big Sticky, and City of Trees, a couple of IPAs that were here from day one. If you can find a bottle of their Ada County Stout, it is a must have. A real local gem. A couple of coolers are here as well for some of their packaged offerings to go. While you are having a beer, there are even a few old-school machines here if you fancy yourself a bit of a pin-ball wizard. Check it out.

Woodland Empire is a good Beer-Spot

-Cheers

SquawkyFest 2023

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Last Sunday, was the Idaho Historical Society’s 1st annual “SquawkyFest”. A local Craft Beer festival that shines a light on the clandestine practice of making fermented beverages under incarcerated or otherwise restricted environments. Idaho history site describes this as:

“Squawky was an alcohol that those incarcerated ‘brewed’ at the penitentiary. The name may have derived from everyone squawking like birds once they got a few cups in. Men who were incarcerated at the site grew their own fruit and vegetables, prepared their own meals, and even had a canning plant outside the walls where they could collect ingredients. Key ingredients and flavors that squawky might include were apples, oranges, potatoes, grapefruit, or prunes. Add in some yeast and sugar and let ferment for a few days – and you have Squawky!”

Local brewers taking part included, Edge, Meriwether, Bear Island, Sockeye, Spring Creek and Mad Swede. Each had a “squawky” entry as well as another of their “regular” offerings. Sockeye brought their summer seasonal Cervaza Limon, this years version made with real Key limes. Fresh and tasty. Bear Island had something a bit more experimental, a blended blonde made w/ Cucumbers, Jalapenos and Lemon. All three of the unique ingredients really came through on that one. ‘s Squawky Cider”

I thought Meriwether had the most unique entry today, an apple base, (they are a cider company after all) with oranges, fruit cocktail cups and raisons. I would say pretty true to style, as far as this “jungle juice” theme was concerned. This one was fruity, fairly sweet and lots of fruit medley flavor. As a home-brewer, of course I had to ask if they had any numbers on it, but again, true to the intent of this endeavour, they weren’t sure other than the estimated approximate 9% ABV. Fair enough.

The while thing was put on in in the “yard” on the outdoor basketball court. The doors were open to the old Penitentiary buildings and you could tour the place. It was a bit surreal to be “inside” and drinking local producers’ interpretations of what incarcerated individuals may have been producing within these walls back in the day.

BoiseBeerBuddies was there of course signing up folks interested in a membership to the areas best beer-deal club.

The weather looked threatening early on and indeed it rained on us while setting up. But just about noon, when the event was scheduled to open to the public, the sun came out and the wind died down and turned out to be a good day. A DJ with a great setlist was providing some tunes, and a couple of food trucks made the whole thing terrific.

I’ve brought up the topic of “First Annual” things in earlier posts, but this one had a unique flavor and an inherent curiosity mixed with a little Idaho history that should keep it a recurring theme for a few years to come. Next year I hope a few more local brewers will throw their hat in the ring or go a bit further out on a limb and come up with some experimental concoctions for us..

-Cheers

BBB

Craft Beer – Not just for Bottles

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It is generally accepted that the best freshest beer is when it is right out of the keg.  On draft or on tap.  After that, the packaging that is used can affect the condition of the beer after a little time.  Bottles and cans are mainly what breweries use for portable, “single serving” vessels.

For a long time, there was a stigma about cans in that it was somehow considered cheep, lower class or somehow less desirable.  I suppose mainly because of most of the beer that was in them was of the American Macro Swill variety.

Over the last ten years or so, this has changed as craft brewers have started adopting cans as their choice for packaging and distribution.  One of the first to do this was Oskar Blues Brewing as far back as 2002.  “They said we was daft to put good beer in cans, but we did it all the same…” Their Dale’s Pale Ale and Old Chub were pioneers in the canned craft beer shift.   You can even get their beer in 32oz “Crowlers” now.  Other brewers have since picked this up and now more and more good beer is showing up in supermarkets and “bottle” shops in cans.

Cans are a better container for beer for a few important reasons. One is that they do not transmit light and light can damage beer and sometimes give it that skunky flavor,  which is why most bottles are dark brown.  Keep that in mind when you see those sixers of Heineken and Corona in the cooler.

Another is that they are more environmentally friendly and are recyclable.  Emptys are light weight and compact-able.  Taking a few cans with you in your back pack is a lot easier than bottles.   Especially when you consider packing the empties out.  Which you always do..right?

While glass is a good insulator and the thin aluminum can is not, the latter can be cooled down quickly plus you can use one of those cool little foam can “cozies” if you want.  www.craftcans.com  is a site dedicated to craft beer in cans with beer reviews, a canned beer database and an interactive map showing craft brewers that can.

There will probably always be bottles but seeing good bee…in a can is no longer remarkable.

 

 

“Growler” Fill Station in Boise

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Historically, “Growlers” were galvanized “pails” in which folks could bring beer home from pre-prohibition small town local breweries.  They called them growlers because they supposedly made a growling noise as the CO2 escaped from the lid while they were bringing it home.   Today, they are typically glass bottles with screw top caps (to keep all that carbonation where it belongs)  and is still a convenient way to get good beer right from the tap,  “to-go”  Typically they are 64oz but there are also 1qt “growler-ettes” out there as well and some are double-walled stainless steel containers that do a pretty good job keeping the beer cold for quite a while.

Most, brewpubs offer growler fills for 10-15$ depending on the brew, plus another 5 or 10$ for the empty one if you didn’t bring yours in.  Some places are even specializing in growler fills.  Dedicated growler “fill-stations” they are calling themselves.  I think it is a great idea.  There is one opening up here is Boise called “PreFunk”.

The site for "PreFunk" in Boise
The site for “PreFunk” in Boise

They are even planning on offering a call ahead and online check-in service with your order so you can drive up and they have it ready for you.  This is sounding better and better all the time.  Not to mention that is in a perfect location.  Every 9-5’er leaving downtown west bound drives right by this place just as Front street funnels into the west bound “connector”.   Their website is not quite ready yet, nor could I find a Facebook page for them after a quick search.

It will be interesting to see what beers they are able to get. With 20 taps, they plan to have half of them representing local Brewpubs, according to a recent Statesman article.  I’ll be checking the place out this week

 

Wax On !

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It’s been a couple weeks since the local rags blurbed about the new startup Crescent Brewing and only now have I had the chance to drive out to one of the 2 known locations it is on tap. I am at Wingers in Nampa and I spotted the Crescent Brewery Amber Ale right off when I walked in.
The very full glass showed me very little sign of a head and the first sip confirmed that it was under carbonated. The soft woody flavors are nice but there is a little sourness that is a bit reminiscent of cider.   Still cider (see above).  There is also a tang that I didn’t expect from an amber and the IBUs are a bit on the high side.  Still, tasty and is washing down my complimentary popcorn just fine.
I’m excited to see a new brewery pop up here in the Treasure Valley and will continue to keep an eye out for Crescent Brewery’s next outing.   My server mentioned that it may be a Porter.
Can’t wait for that.