- Location
- San Diego
AleSmith boasts the largest brewery and taproom on the U.S. west coast, coming in at almost 110,000 square-feet. With massive inside and outside areas, it was just the ticket for last Saturday's Coffee & Beer Festival.
A rare winter sunny day in these parts made it perfect for tasting coffee-infused beers and enjoying a nibble from one of three food trucks lined up.
Six breweries were involved, each pairing a beer with a local coffee roaster from their area.
Here's the line-up:
1. Weathered Souls Brewing (San Antonio, Texas) and What's Brewing Coffee.
Coffee Kolsch (5.0%). Kolsch with What's Brewing Colombia Finca El Jardin Single Origin Coffee. A coffee-infused Kolsch sounded a bit odd. I didn't try it.
2. Other Half Brewing (New York) and Cloud Cover Coffee.
Coffee IPA (7.2%). IPA with Mosaic hops and Cloud Cover Ethiopian Keramo Single Origin Coffee. I'm a huge fan of Other Half Brewing (who recently collaborated again with Verdant Brewing), but I can't get my head around a coffee IPA. Do not like them AT ALL, so I gave this a miss.
3. GOAL Brewing (San Diego) and Mostra Coffee.
Imperial Coffee Porter (10.0%). Porter with Congolese Vanilla and Mostra Philippine Heritage Microlot Single Origin Coffee.
4. Maui Brewing (Hawaii) and Modern Times Coffee.
Imperial Coffee Coconut Porter (9.0%). Porter with Modern Times Single Origin Coffee. Perfect match as Maui now owns Modern Times Brewery (and coffee). This was the only beer my wife drank the whole time we were there. She loves Maui Brewing porters!
5. Weldworks Brewing (Greeley, Colorado) and Sweet Bloom Coffee.
Coffee Stout (8.25%). Imperial Stout with Sweet Bloom Ugandan Vanilla Single Origin Coffee. Weldworks put out some stellar beers, so I was looking forward to this one. The body was on target and there were notes of rich caramel and creamy toffee. For me, coffee stouts make the best combination.
6. Wren House Brewing (Phoenix, Arizona) and Press Coffee Roasters.
Coffee Schwartzier (5.2%). Schwartzier with Press Coffee Roasters Mexican Chiapas Single Origin Coffee. Wild berth on this one too.
Bonus collaboration...
7. AleSmith Brewing and Mikkeller Brewing (San Diego).
Coffee Stout (15.67%). Bourbon Barrel-Aged Speedblod Maple Java Shake Coffee Imperial Stout. Yes, that is 15.67% and well worth waiting for.
Several years ago we moved from the U.K. to Columbus, Ohio and due to the archaic alcohol laws there, we would drive down to Kentucky to find the higher ABV beers. That's where I discovered and fell in love with Mikkeller, which were contract brewed in Belgium by brewery De Proef Brouwerji.
Fast forward a few years and we're living in San Diego and Mikkeller has just opened their first U.S. tasting room in San Francisco. Shortly afterwards, they opened their first U.S. brewery in San Diego. I joined their Viking Club and really enjoyed some of my best-ever beer experiences there. Mikkeller's IPA's were solid, but their barrel-aged stouts and barley wines were off the charts.
Of course, it all came crashing down during COVID - Mikkeller pulled out of California and now their beers over here are contract brewed by AleSmith.
Hence, this fabulous barrel-aged coffee stout at the Coffee and Beer Festival. Rich and full-bodied, with biscuity, creamy nutty notes, with light bourbon flavours and mild coffee. There was a beautiful balance with maple flavours coming through towards the end with a sweetness that is classic Mikkeller. I had two of those and slept like a baby that night.
A special mention needs to be made to all the canine companions at the festival. It was like Crufts Dog Show with beer!
A rare winter sunny day in these parts made it perfect for tasting coffee-infused beers and enjoying a nibble from one of three food trucks lined up.
Six breweries were involved, each pairing a beer with a local coffee roaster from their area.
Here's the line-up:
1. Weathered Souls Brewing (San Antonio, Texas) and What's Brewing Coffee.
Coffee Kolsch (5.0%). Kolsch with What's Brewing Colombia Finca El Jardin Single Origin Coffee. A coffee-infused Kolsch sounded a bit odd. I didn't try it.
2. Other Half Brewing (New York) and Cloud Cover Coffee.
Coffee IPA (7.2%). IPA with Mosaic hops and Cloud Cover Ethiopian Keramo Single Origin Coffee. I'm a huge fan of Other Half Brewing (who recently collaborated again with Verdant Brewing), but I can't get my head around a coffee IPA. Do not like them AT ALL, so I gave this a miss.
3. GOAL Brewing (San Diego) and Mostra Coffee.
Imperial Coffee Porter (10.0%). Porter with Congolese Vanilla and Mostra Philippine Heritage Microlot Single Origin Coffee.
4. Maui Brewing (Hawaii) and Modern Times Coffee.
Imperial Coffee Coconut Porter (9.0%). Porter with Modern Times Single Origin Coffee. Perfect match as Maui now owns Modern Times Brewery (and coffee). This was the only beer my wife drank the whole time we were there. She loves Maui Brewing porters!
5. Weldworks Brewing (Greeley, Colorado) and Sweet Bloom Coffee.
Coffee Stout (8.25%). Imperial Stout with Sweet Bloom Ugandan Vanilla Single Origin Coffee. Weldworks put out some stellar beers, so I was looking forward to this one. The body was on target and there were notes of rich caramel and creamy toffee. For me, coffee stouts make the best combination.
6. Wren House Brewing (Phoenix, Arizona) and Press Coffee Roasters.
Coffee Schwartzier (5.2%). Schwartzier with Press Coffee Roasters Mexican Chiapas Single Origin Coffee. Wild berth on this one too.
Bonus collaboration...
7. AleSmith Brewing and Mikkeller Brewing (San Diego).
Coffee Stout (15.67%). Bourbon Barrel-Aged Speedblod Maple Java Shake Coffee Imperial Stout. Yes, that is 15.67% and well worth waiting for.
Several years ago we moved from the U.K. to Columbus, Ohio and due to the archaic alcohol laws there, we would drive down to Kentucky to find the higher ABV beers. That's where I discovered and fell in love with Mikkeller, which were contract brewed in Belgium by brewery De Proef Brouwerji.
Fast forward a few years and we're living in San Diego and Mikkeller has just opened their first U.S. tasting room in San Francisco. Shortly afterwards, they opened their first U.S. brewery in San Diego. I joined their Viking Club and really enjoyed some of my best-ever beer experiences there. Mikkeller's IPA's were solid, but their barrel-aged stouts and barley wines were off the charts.
Of course, it all came crashing down during COVID - Mikkeller pulled out of California and now their beers over here are contract brewed by AleSmith.
Hence, this fabulous barrel-aged coffee stout at the Coffee and Beer Festival. Rich and full-bodied, with biscuity, creamy nutty notes, with light bourbon flavours and mild coffee. There was a beautiful balance with maple flavours coming through towards the end with a sweetness that is classic Mikkeller. I had two of those and slept like a baby that night.
A special mention needs to be made to all the canine companions at the festival. It was like Crufts Dog Show with beer!
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