Mutineer Magazine is pleased to announce that we are once again sponsoring Firestone Walker’s From The Barrel event held at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, CA. The March 30th event, now in its second year, will feature the finest ports, bourbons and barrel aged beers beers in a celebration of all things barrel aged.

Bourbons scheduled to pour include Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam Black, Angel’s Envy, Woodford Reserve, Eagle Rare 10 year and several others including small production California spirit makers.

Ports and Porto wines from some of the Central Coast’s premiere wineries will also be featured. Wineries scheduled to pour are Cass, Roxo Cellars and Le Vigne with several more to come.

Rare barrel aged beers from California breweries Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Lost Abbey, Ballast Point, Anchor Brewing and Russian River. New this year will be two out of state breweries, Jolly Pumpkin from Michigan and Crooked Stave from Colorado. Stay tuned for announcements of other breweries.

Guests will also have the chance to snack on tapas from local restaurants and dance to stirring sounds of the Tipsy Gypsies, all making for a perfect evening.

When: Friday, March 30 from 7pm-10pm

Where: Historic Santa Margarita Ranch
9000 Yuerba Buena Rd.
Santa Margarita, CA 93453

Price: Tickets are very limited and are $60 a person.

Visit FromTheBarel.net for more information and to buy tickets.

Napa’s Kitchen Door has teamed up with hometown brewery Napa Smith Brewery for a celebration of Northern California craft beer, great food and San Francisco Beer Week. Kitchen Door, recently honored as a Michelin Guide Recommended Restaurant as well as one of Bon Appetit’s 7 Best Restaurants on Napa Valley, will be pairing four delicious courses with four great beers from Napa Smith on February 13 including their Pilsner, Ginger Wheat, Pale Ale, Amber Ale and Grateful Dog Barleywine.

Tickets are very limited for this intimate dinner and are $65 each, tax and gratuity included.

Mutineer will be on hand at the event and we hope to see you there.

Call or email Tim Sebeberson ASAP if interested in attending.
707-226-1560 // tim@kitchendoornapa.com

Visit the SF Beer Week listing for the event here.

Sean Z. Paxton adding the dulce de leche during the brewing process. Photo courtesy of Sean Z. Paxton

Calling all Bay Area Readers!

SF Beer Week is almost here and Chef Sean Z. Paxton, most commonly known as Homebrew Chef, is getting ready once again to strut his stuff. He is collaborating with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, Shmaltz Brewing Company and Ninkasi Brewing Company to orchestrate a boisterous carnival of craft beer, incredible food and a circus performance.
 
Sean will be pairing the meal with twelve mostly “rare and unusual beers”, one I am particularly excited about the Three Ring Circus Ale is flavored with dulce de leche and dry “peanuted.” It is a collaboration brew brought to you by the aforementioned breweries and was concocted at Speakeasy in San Francisco. Dinner will be a “whimsical, circus-inspired 9-course menu to accompany the show” and knowing what I do of Mr. Paxton it should be one hell of a show meal. 
 
For tickets to the Three Ring Circus Dinner go to: www.threeringcircus.eventbrite.com

For more information on SF Beer Week events check out: www.sfbeerweek.org
 

John Dannerbeck, president of Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, and Steve Hindy, president of Brooklyn Brewery in New York, agreed to pour beer from the winning brewery and outfit their own brewery’s tour staff in jerseys from the opposing team for a week should their team lose in the battle between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants for the NFC title.

The Giants were the winners in a tightly contested overtime game, so Anchor brewing staff will wear Giants jerseys and pour samples of Brooklyn’s Sorachi Ace beer during tours of its San Francisco brewery Monday, January 30 through Friday, February 3.

“The Niners played a great game but the Giants came out on top, so we’ll stand by our word,” said Dannerbeck. ”We’ll be pouring beer from Brooklyn Brewery and wearing the Giants’ colors this week, but don’t worry, our Niners will be back next year and we’ll be hoping for a chance to even the score.”

“We hope our friends in San Francisco enjoy the Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. Let’s hope for a rematch in 2013,” said Brooklyn Brewery President Steve Hindy.

Public tastings of Brooklyn Beer will not be available during this time, as Anchor tours are available by advance reservation only. Unfortunately, all tours are full this week, but you may call the brewery directly at 415.863.8350 to inquire about any cancellations.

Want to get a look at Anchor Brewing staff wearing the “Big Blue” colors? Connect with the breweries online:

Anchor Brewing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anchorbrewing
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/anchorbrewing

The Brooklyn Brewery
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thebrooklynbrewery
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/brooklynbrewery

Full Sail Top Sail Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter
The newest batch of Full Sail’s very limited bourbon barrel-aged beer is set for release on February 1st. Top Sail Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter has been aging in oak bourbon barrels deep in the brewery’s cellar for an entire year.

Elysian Idiot Sauvin
Elysian Brewing Company is planning to make brewing life a little more challenging by kicking off its IPA Specialty Series in February of 2012 with Idiot Sauvin, an IPA both fiercely fruity and floral, made with New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops. The beer has appeared before only at Elysian’s pubs, and will be issued in both 22 oz bottles and draft.

Karl Strauss 23rd Anniversary Old Ale
The 23rd Anniversary Old Ale was aged for 12 months in American oak barrels and is the first Karl Strauss barrel-aged beer to be offered unblended. It’s loaded with complex layers of toffee, molasses, dried figs, and toasted oak. A pronounced warming bourbon flavor contributes to the beer’s 12.2% alcohol content—making this strong ale an ideal after dinner sipper or accompaniment to desserts like bread pudding.

Weyerbacher Riserva 2011
This year’s batch is perfectly carbonated, more full-bodied than any in the past and nicely tart as a sour beer should be! Riserva is an 11.7% abv amber ale, fermented with wild yeast and red raspberries.

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name…

And other times, you want to go to a smart gastropub with a crowd of well-dressed peers and a massive selection of really good beer.

SmithHouse Tap & Grill opened in August 2011, by Curtis NySmith and Top Chef all-star Angelo Sosa. With the exposed brick and low, swooping arches, this place could easily be something far more lofty and less approachable. But in this case, the elegant interior comes across as comfortable and warm – the perfect setting for happy hours and get-togethers with good friends to…

wait for it…

wait for it…

Pour your own beer, tableside, from one of the restaurant’s five built-in taps.

Yes, LA is in the middle of an explosive beer Renaissance, and you can’t swing a wilty hop without hitting a new gastropub or beer bar. But SmithHouse stands out not only for its hefty 120 beer offering, but also in their dedication to serving these beers the way they were meant to be served. They boast six different temperature lines and different pressurizations, so each draft comes the way God or, (more likely), some monk, somewhere, intended.

And what is a gastropub without the grub? SmithHouse’s food is solid, if mostly dressed-up bar food. Their tuna pastrami is fresh with good spice, the onion rings are very onion ringy. They have the requisite chicken fingers, chili, wings, dips. There are a few Asian dishes, including a dumpling appetizer, banh mi and a few rice bowls. You won’t go wrong ordering any of the burgers – the cheddar crunch burger actually tastes like Fritos! – Their proprietary cheddar disc is almost exactly like a perfectly round hard tortilla shell. Kinda nifty. I didn’t bother trying a salad, because anyone who orders a dinner salad at a bar is a d-bag…

But the real winner and must-try is the beer fondue. I like to think of myself as a pretty classy dame, but I had to fight the urge to run my fingers along the inside of the bowl and lick each digit clean. It’s this creamy/salty concoction, with a kick of spiciness at the end. It’s served with a side of three soft pretzels (but, based on empirical research, tastes good on almost everything – especially french fries). On the menu, they say the fondue is infused with Harp’s Pale Ale to “bring out the salty/sweet flavor of the cheese;” I felt the beer actually brought out a savory, nutty quality, and dialed the cheese’s lactic sweetness down a notch or two. I invite you to try it and see for yourself…

SmithHouse – come for the beer, stay for the beer fondue. Or come for the beer fondue and stay for the beer… Either way, come: Your tableside tap is waiting.

Every year I make cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. This year on a lark I decided to use 21st Amendment Fireside Chat in the recipe with delicious results. I tweeted a rather ugly photo of my yummy breakfast (it looked like Jabba the Hut) and the next thing I knew 21st Amendment, at 110F (do this in the microwave at 15 second increments) was tweeting me back asking me to post the recipe. I had been thinking about saving it for something else, but who am I to keep this to myself, so here it is.

The idea to make one giant cinnamon roll was born out of my obsession not only to create a seriously gooey roll, but out of my love for cinnamon roll French toast which is something seriously lacking on California breakfast menus. Although I didn’t have the restraint to turn this into cinnamon roll French toast, I am positive that this giant roll would work fabulously in that application. I digress.

I really love the Fireside Chat in this. It is a really delightful winter brew nuanced and rich with spices, brown sugar and cacao that really adds an interesting element to the cinnamon roll. Since it is a seasonal brew, it will probably be out of stores soon, but you still might be able to find it. If you can’t find it try using another dark ale with undertones of caramel, cocoa and winter spice.

On another note, I just started tweeting about food and beverage under the name @hungrymutineer. It would be awesome if you joined the conversation.

Giant Fireside Chat Cinnamon Roll

• 1 cup Fireside Chat by 21st Amendment, at 110F (do this in the microwave at 15 second increments)
• 1 tsp. yeast
• 5 TBS. brown sugar
• 8 TBS. butter, melted and cooled + 8 TBS. more for the filling
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt
• 4 c. flour + a bit more for the board during kneading

Measure out all of your ingredients. Take the warm Fireside Chat (or some other equally delicious dark brew) and add in the yeast and 1 TBS. of the brown sugar and proof the yeast in a medium bowl. The beer will foam up a bit at first, so be sure to use a bowl that can accommodate it. Allow this to sit at room temperature while you assemble the other ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar and butter mixing until they are well combined before adding in the egg and yeast mixture. Slowly mix in the flour, using dough hooks if necessary. Turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes adding flour as needed. Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover and raise in a warm part of the kitchen for 90 minutes.

At this time, prepare the filling (listed below).

Thoroughly grease an 8 or 9 inch baking pan.

Turn the dough out onto your floured cutting board and punch down. Form the dough into a smallish square and slice the dough into 3 even pieces. Set 2 aside and roll out the first piece to be around 5 inches wide and two feet long. Spread some filling on this strip, roll it up and place it in the baking pan. Roll out the other two and spread with the filling in the same fashion, then wrap them around the first roll, thus creating one giant cinnamon roll to rule them all.

If you are making this the day before, stop, cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Remove the pan from the fridge two hours ahead to bring it to room temperature before proceeding.

Raise the dough in a warm place for about 30 minutes or so.

Bake the giant cinnamon roll at 325F for 45 minutes or until the roll is golden. Top with Fireside Chat glaze, slice and serve.

Filling

• 1/4 c. cinnamon
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 8 TBS. butter

Warm the butter in the microwave, remove and stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside until needed.

Glaze

• 1/2 c. Fireside Chat
• 1/4 c. water
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

Combine your ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil. Cook the glaze down about a third of the way and cool partially before pouring over the cinnamon roll. Be careful with this stuff, when hot it can really hurt.

Napa’s Kitchen Door has teamed up with Folsom’s Lockdown Brewing Co. for a celebration of Northern California craft beer and great food. Kitchen Door, recently honored as a Michelin Guide Recommended Restaurant as well as one of Bon Appetit’s 7 Best Restaurants on Napa Valley, will be pairing three delicious courses with three great beers from Lockdown Brewing Co. on January 23rd including their Emma’s Blonde Ale, Sutter Street Common and Stony Bar Scotch Ale.

Tickets are very limited for this intimate dinner and are $65 each, tax and gratuity included.

Mutineer will be on hand at the event and we hope to see you there.

Call or email Tim Sebeberson ASAP if interested in attending.
707-226-1560 // tim@kitchendoornapa.com

BOSTON, Jan. 13, 2012 — The brewers at Samuel Adams have crafted a brand new seasonal beer, Samuel Adams Alpine Spring. This beer has the balanced maltiness and hoppiness of a helles, the strength and smoothness of a bock, and the unfiltered haze of a kellerbier. Although it’s categorized as an unfiltered wheat lager, this one-of-a-kind beer transcends any one style, and the crisp, citrus flavor notes make it a perfect offering for spring.

To create Samuel Adams Alpine Spring, the brewers sourced a German Noble hop variety called Tettnang-Tettnanger, steadily cultivated on vines dating back 100 years in hop gardens at the foothills of the Alps. The beer is brewed using only hops from this region — approximately half a pound per barrel — which gives the beer a bright, orange-citrusy aroma.

Although it’s being released for the first time this month, Samuel Adams Alpine Spring was awarded a pre-release gold medal in the Munich-Helles category at the Beverage Testing Institute’s recent World Beer Championship with an “exceptional” score of 93.

Samuel Adams Alpine Spring will be available nationwide from January to April in six-packs, with a suggested retail price of $7.99.

Today, another situation came to light. This time involving Freetail Brewing from San Antonio, Texas and a redacted brewery. If you look hard enough in the blacked out text under the date, it’s a brewery from Eugene, Oregon and if I had to guess I’d say it’s probably Steelhead Brewing. The situation involved the use of a trademarked name, Hoposaurus Rex, for a beer which the redacted brewery is accusing Freetail of using.

Below, find the pure winning response of Freetail Brewing.

That is awesome.