Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/359372
august 2014 / the tasting panel / 15 BEER BRIEFS Beers from Carneros A fter graduating from U.C. Davis and interning at Adolph Coors in Colorado, Mexican-born brewmaster Jesus Ceja went on to work for Anheuser-Busch in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and South America, overseeing brewing operations and handling licensing partnerships. With all this experience under his belt, he founded Carneros Brewing Company in California's Sonoma County in 2013, with his three brothers as partners. The 5,000-barrel capac- ity brewhouse and adjacent beer garden are located on the Carneros estate of Ceja Vineyards, also run by family members. Ceja stopped by our offices for a tasting of his five year-round brews, which he says are designed for beer drinkers transition- ing from commercial beers to craft brews. Alcohol levels and bitterness are kept in check for these palates ("nothing too extreme," says Ceja), but flavor is prominent in his refreshing Cerveza Pilsner, dusky Morena Ale, classic Bavarian-style Jefeweizen, deliciously balanced Carneros IPA and dunkel-style Negra IPA. All of the beers employ a percentage of hops grown on the property. Available now in Northern California in 22-ounce and (soon) 12-ounces bottles as well as in kegs, Carneros Brewing plans expansion to Southern California and beyond in the coming months. —David Gadd www.carnerosbrewing.com Brouwerij West Settles Down A fter four years of making beer at other breweries' facilities, Brouwerij West has decided to put down roots in an old warehouse at the Port of Los Angeles. Featuring a restaurant run by Waterloo & City's Executive Chef Brendan Collins, this off-the-beaten spot might seem an unusual choice, but it all makes sense once you've met the brewery's founder Brian Mercer. Originally a photographer, Brian traveled to Belgian where he discovered candi sugar, which lends to the authentic flavors to the likes of dubbles and tripels, and began an importing business to increase its availability in the U.S. Using these candi sugars and syr- ups, Brian began brewing Belgian style beers and created Brouwerij West in the process. Even without a permanent home, the brewery's offerings could be found in 30 states and six countries in under four years—a remarkable feat especially with its non-traditional approach to marketing: The brewery teams up with professional artists to make labels that rotate periodically and look like they belong in an art gallery with the beer and brewery names taking a back seat. Brian simply doesn't care about conforming to the industry norm, which brings us back to his brewery's new home. It looks like a drive down to San Pedro will be necessary in January 2015!—Emily Coleman Carneros Brewing Company's Jesus Ceja with his beers. Brouwerij West's Dave Holop and Brian Mercer. Carneros Brewing Company's PHOTO: DAVID GADD Brouwerij West's Dave Holop and PHOTO: DAVID GADD Glendalough Distillery Launches Poitín in Boston T he Irish claim poitín (aka poteen) is the oldest distilled drink in the world. But Glendalough Distillery has just launched a thoroughly modern poitín here in Boston, the most Irish-friendly city in the U.S. Two of the three 30-something creators were on hand: Creative Director Kevin Keenan and Brand Manager Donal O'Gallachoir, who is now based in the U.S. supervising the Boston rollout, with plans for New York and Washington, D.C. this fall. Held at Saloon, the lively event was attended by consumers as well as local brand managers, distributors and other associates. The spirits melded effortlessly into variety of cocktails, most of which were created by mixologists in Ireland, where the spirit debuted last year. Keenan says that the barmen at home really took to poitín, finding that it "holds more flavor than vodka in a cocktail." The line consists of Glendalough Premium Poitín (40% abv), Glendalough Sherry Cask Finished (40% abv) and Glendalough Mountain Strength (60% abv), all made from a base of Irish sugar beets. The spirits are smooth, with touches of florals and fruitiness, and a hint of wood spice. The product comes with great graphics and just enough charmingly- rendered blarney in its story to let you know it's Irish.—Becky Sue Epstein Held at Saloon, the lively event was PHOTO COURTESY OF GLENDALOUGH DISTILLERY