Unlimited. Craft. Beer. Tasting. What a dream gig to be able to organize and promote those four words. We've been working away on this year's event and we've got lots happening. The breweries are confirming, the tickets are being sold, and all the elements are coming together. Stay tuned as we publish this year's brewery list and share all kinds of great stuff! Last night the team met at 19 Handles, a pub in Arden Arcade (formerly known as the Kilt Pub). This was the first official meeting of the 2016 West Coast Invitational planning committee.
There is a lot that goes into putting together any event, whether it is a one day professional conference or a multi-day Blues festival or, and afternoon of craft beer tasting. Over the year's I've been blessed with volunteers and associates that did an amazing job helping to build the region's best brewer festivals including the world famous West Coast Brew Fest. After 15 years of the WCBF, it was time for an evolution. We marked that evolution with the first annual West Coast Invitational. It is a truly exciting time in the world of Craft Brew. The Sacramento region alone has 40 breweries with new ones starting all the time including the newest edition, Sactown Union Brewery. We plan on bringing some incredible West Coast Brews to the WCI for you to savor. Stay tuned. We're putting the band back together!
With 2016 well underway, it's time to start putting together all the elements for the West Coast Invitational. Stay tuned as we get the big ball rolling! We were very proud to meet with Members of the Board of the Robla Education Foundation, the beneficiaries of the proceeds from the 2015 West Coast Invitational. An extremely grateful group! The WCI was, essentially, a first year event (new concept, new name, new layout) and we were extremely grateful to the early adopters who stepped up to try the new concept out. While attendance was lower then we were expecting, we were still proud to donate $4,000 to the Foundation.
Robla is using the funds for their Strings Program - a program that gives the benefit of world-class music education to disadvantaged youth. We are all thankful to everyone involved in the WCI and the Robla Education Foundation is looking forward to an exciting 2016! The inaugural Commercial Craft Competition has come and gone... the triple blind tasting of this BJCP Sanctioned event was a combination of seriousness and just good old fun. I mean, who can beat sitting around tasting beer after beer after beer?!?!
We are truly thankful to all the volunteers who joined us as judges, stewards, cellar masters and of course the competition coordinator Mike Brennan, who's expertise and professionalism are second to none. And here are the winners... (see Best of Show here). Light Lagers to Light Hybrids 1) 101 North Brewing Golden Naked Al (Blonde Ale) 2) River City Brewing Sactown Gold (German Pilsner) 3) Ninkasi Brewing Lux (Munich Helles) Pales, Irish/Scottish, American Ale, American Brown 1) Oak Park Brewing Broadway Pale Ale (American Pale Ale) 2) Golden Road Brewing Get Up Offa That Brown (American Brown Ale) 3) River City Brewing Woodenhead (American Amber Ale) Mild/Porter/Stout 1) Firestone Walker Parabola (Imperial Stout) 2) Six Rivers Brewery Macadamia Nut Porter (Robust Porter) 3) Ninkasi Brewing Oatis (Oatmeal Stout) IPA 1) Heretic Brewing Co Evil Cousin (Imperial IPA) 2) Dust Bowl Brewing Therapist (Imperial IPA) 3) Out of Bounds Two-Headed Rooster (Imperial IPA) Wheat/Saison/Belgians 1) Monk’s Cellar Biere Blanche (Witbier) 2) Golden Road Brewing Golden Road Hefeweizen (Weizen/Weissbier) 3) Monk’s Cellar Saison (Saison) Fruit, Spice/Veg/Herb, Wood, Specialty 1) Dust Bowl Brewing Barrel Aged Rye Baltic Porter (Wood-aged Beer) 2) Dust Bowl Brewing Coconut Vanilla Scotch Ale (Specialty Beer) 3) Dragas Brewing Co Weisse Apple (Fruit Beer) Session Beers 1) Firestone Walker Easy Jack (Session IPA) 2) Monk’s Cellar Hop Shoot (Session American Pale Ale) 3) Out of Bounds La Matadora (Session Pale Wheat Ale) AND FINALLY, the CIDERS... The West Coast Invitational is striving to be a Craft festival that promotes the art of the craft for both breweries and cideries. We hope the cider category continues to expand in future competitions. BEST OF SHOW - CIDER 1) Two Towns Ciderhouse Cherried Away (Made with Oregon-grown sour cherries and whole Hibiscus) 2) Sonoma Cider Company The Anvil (Common cider infused with bourbon essence) 3) Common Cider Lemon Saison (Tart sweet apple infused with citric notes) If you didn't get a chance to try any of these at the West Coast Invitational, make it your mission to find them and try them. That's an order. ;-) |
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April 2019
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