Thanksgiving news! Holiday food drive THIS WEEKEND at the Tasting Room. Oh, and White Oak too. And Berliner Weisse Mimosas!

I think that should get me the award for longest blog title ever.  

Thanksgiving is just 1 short week away and I can't believe it!  But believe it or not here we are, so in the spirit of the holiday, we’ll be holding a canned food drive all of this coming weekend!  The food collected will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, a fantastic organization dedicated to fighting hunger. 

To get everyone in the giving mood, we’ll try to do our part too!  Friday through Sunday, we’ll offer a discount on draft beer to anyone who makes a donation to our food drive.  Just bring in canned goods/nonperishable items and we'll give you a deal on your beer.  Let’s toast to the spirit of giving!   

Also, everyone has been asking, so I'm happy to announce that we will be serving White Oak on draft this weekend.  It is a very limited amount, so we will be unable to fill growlers, but we will be serving by the glass.  Also, we do still have bottles of it available, both for individual sale and as a part of Reserve Society memberships.

If you're in town on Sunday, stop in to try my favorite concoction Berliner Weisse concoction, the Hottenroth Mimosa.  Just substitute the beer for the bubbly and you have one delicious Sunday drink.  Sounds great, right?

On Sunday, we’ll be making Hottenroth Berliner Weisse Mimosas for just $2!  Come down and see what you think of this tart and tasty drink.  If your family makes mimosas for the holidays, take home a bottle and show them how to shake things up a little.  

And speaking of holidays, don’t forget you can still purchase gift baskets at the Tasting Room.  We’ll be making these little bundles of beer and joy though the end of the year, but we’ll have plenty of Thanksgiving/autumn themed baskets ready this weekend for you to take with you next Thursday.  Give them as a gift, bring them to your host, or buy one for yourself to pair with your turkey dinner.

We’ll also have a complementary holiday food & beer pairing guide for you to take home starting this weekend to help you plan your beer menu for the big day.  Because honestly what is a meal without the beer?!

So to recap - Food for beer, White Oak, Hottenroth Mimosas, holiday gift baskets...I think that about covers it.  See you there for all this beery goodness!

The Return of KOGI - plus Holiday Gift Baskets now available!

It's been a little under a month since the Kogi BBQ Korean Taco Truck first parked outside the Tasting Room.  We've been craving their sweet and savory offering ever since, and this Saturday night, we can satisfy that need!  

You can find the Kogi truck at The Bruery on Saturday night from 6:30 – 9 pm.  We heard about some great beer & BBQ pairings the last time around, so I’m looking forward to what comes up this time!  

Also, with Thanksgiving coming quickly, we’ll be selling holiday gift baskets for the beer geek in your life starting this weekend.  These baskets will come in two different themes – autumn and winter – and will come with 1, 2, or 3 bottles as well as some other goodies (hints: chocolate, glasses, more!).  We will have some ready made for pick up or if you’d like you can order a basket for pick up later.  They will vary a bit, but they'll look a little something like this...

You may even be the lucky one to win a free basket!  We’ll be holding a drawing for a free basket that you can enter just by making any take home purchase.  When you buy a bottle or growler of any beer, we’ll give you an entry form for the drawing.  We may just pull your name out of the hat (or box?)!

Don't forget, you can still get your Bruery Reserve membership; they're on sale at the Tasting Room.  Come in, sign up, andtake home bottles of White Oak, 2 Turtle Doves, and a special Barrel-Aged seasonal that day! 

See you this weekend!

how do you say Rugbrød?

Many people have been asking how exactly you pronounce the name of our new beer, Rugbrød. As you probably know by now, rugbrød is the Danish word for rye bread, which we decided was an appropriate name for our new juylberg style Danish beer that is brewed with 30% rye malt and resembles the dark brown, dense rye bread of Scandinavia in both smell and taste.

Well, here to help you with your pronunciation issues are a bunch of fellow beer lovers as well as members of The Bruery team and even a few cameo's from the Stone Brewery team and elsewhere. Good luck! And if you are feeling extra confident in your pronunciation, feel free to tape yourself, post it to youtube and post the link in the comments!!!

The Bruery - Rugbrød Pronunciation from benjamin weiss on Vimeo.

First Firkin Friday; Beer & Ice Cream Social - this weekend!

October was quite a month for us at The Bruery, and we finished it with a great Halloween party on Saturday night.  Thanks to everyone who came, and thanks to everyone who participated in the costume and donut-eating contests.  We had a blast!

Now that November is here, we’re getting geared up for the holidays.  But first things first, and as always, we will start the month with First Firkin Friday.  

This Friday, November 6^th, we’ll be pouring a special cask of Rugbrød dry-hopped with Centennial hops.  I think that extra hop kick will be delicious in this big, malty beer.  

On Sunday, we'll be holding a Beer & Ice Cream Social.  That's right, beer floats all around!  Think of a scoop of your favorite ice cream enrobed by a complementary beer flavor like Pecan Praline & 2 Turtle Doves.  The nutty, caramel flavors of both coming together with the rich chocolate of the beer.  Ok, maybe we were thinking about my favorite flavors!  

We'll have a special flight available as well as a small ice cream bar where you can mix and match to create your perfect beery treat.  We'll kick this off Sunday around 2 pm, so come in hungry for some breakfast or lunch dessert!

Also this weekend we'll have Rugbrød and Mischief #3 back on tap in addition to our usual lineup.  So come try Rugbrød with Centennial on cask Friday and start thinking about your ice cream and beer concoctions.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2nd Annual Halloween Party!

Black Tuesday is behind us, and now it's back to business at The Bruery! 

This Saturday, we’ll be holding our 2^nd annual Halloween party at the Tasting Room beginning at 4 pm.  Come prepared to enjoy a spooky setting, some diabolical drinks, and a gaggle of ghoulish games.  And yes, I do speak that way on a regular basis.      

 We even picked up a 140 lb pumpkin, and you can expect that to be carved and filled with a bewitching beer for your enjoyment.  Patrick and Travis even have a little something special brewing this week for the big night that we’ll be serving if you’re adventurous enough to try it.

 You’ll have your shot at winning our annual costume contest by coming up with the coolest, creepiest, funniest, most creative get-up you can conjure up!  We’ll be dressing up too, so you’ll get to see your favorite Bruery staff members all dolled up for the second time this week. 

 Finally, bottles of White Oak went on sale during Black Tuesday so you’ll be able to purchase those for the first time at the Tasting Room this weekend.

We're really looking forward to it, and hope to see you there!

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who made Black Tuesday a success. We had a lot of stressed out fun and hopefully you all had a good time as well, despite the long line. Hopefully next year will be even better.

The Bruery - Black Tuesday from benjamin weiss on Vimeo.

Black Tuesday Release Details

Black Tuesday Release

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

** If you received this eMail, you may have seen the reference about "Being Served Tonight in addition to our usual lineup". I (Patrick) screwed up, sorry. We will have these beers on Tuesday, but not tonight. However, we will have Kogi BBQ!**

The details have changed a bit from our previous announcement, so please take a look. The major changes are:

-- No more number system (just one line and two registers forming outside-- we'll do our best to keep it moving quickly)

-- All purchased and allocated bottles will be picked up in the front office (we will give you a Purchase Form at the time of purchase)

-- Partridge in a Pear Tree is for the first 250 Reserve Society members only (we only yielded 290 bottles total)

-- Please do not arrive earlier than 4:30 PM so we can less the impact on our neighbors. We will not have a designated line prior to 4:30 PM. Please do not consume alcohol in our parking lot-- it is not part of our brewery and therefore does not have an ABC license.

Available for Purchase

Special Releases

- Black Tuesday Imperial Stout bottles - $30 (3 bottle limit per person)

- White Oak bottles - $15

Special Black Tuesday Tasting Flight - $20

Includes:

- 2 Black Tuesday tickets good for 4 oz. pours of Black Tuesday and/or Chocolate Rain

- 2 General tickets good for 8 oz. pours of any other beer on draft (Black Tuesday tickets can also be used for this)

- Bruery logo tulip glass, yours to keep

- To keep everything moving along somewhat smoothly, the Tasting Flight will be the only option (no full pours, etc.)

Bruery Reserve Society Memberships - $195

- 1st 250 memberships will include 1 bottle of Barrel Aged Partridge in a Pear Tree (Reserve Society Exclusive Release) in addition to White Oak and Saison Rue. The other 150 members will receive Barrel Aged Autumn Maple in addition to White Oak and Saison Rue.

- See membership form for additional information

Additional Bruery Merchandise

- Black Tuesday T-Shirts - $15

- Bottles To-Go (Orchard White, Saison Rue, Autumn Maple, Papier, Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, 2 Turtle Doves) - $8-18

- Other Bruery gear (t-shirts, hoodies, workshirts, etc.) - $15-40

- Bruery logo champagne stoppers/keychain bottle openers - $5

- Sorry, no growler fills on Black Tuesday

Being Served in addition to our usual line-up

- Black Tuesday

- Chocolate Rain (Cask conditioned Black Tuesday with Vanilla Bean & Cocoa Nibs)

- White Oak

- Our usual rotating lineup (Orchard White, Black Orchard, Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, Saison Rue, Autumn Maple, Sour in the Rye, Snicklefritz, Mischief #1, Mischief #3, 2 Turtle Doves)

Forms of Payment Accepted

-Cash (preferred)

- Major Credit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)

Please have ID ready and available at the time of purchase for credit card sales! No checks, please.

Details & Instructions

While in line, please fill our a Purchase Form indicating all of the items you’d like to purchase (including Tasting Flights and Reserve Society Memberships).

Once you’ve been checked out and your Purchase Form has been approved by Bruery employees, you may pick up your bottles/merchandise at anytime in the front office or proceed to the bar to redeem your drink tickets. You will need your Purchase Form to pick up your bottles!

If you’d like to purchase an additional Tasting Flight, you may do so in the same line (which unfortunately means leaving the Bruery and waiting in line again).

Complimentary snacks will be available inside.

Looking forward to seeing you on Black Tuesday!

Reserve Society Details

The Bruery Reserve Society is a revered group of beer enthusiasts who wish to gain access to the most esoteric beers The Bruery has to offer. In this inaugural year, we'll be offering 400 memberships to the Reserve Society. Reserve Society members will have first pick at special releases. There will be releases that will only be available to Reserve Society members. As an inaugural member, you'll also have the first right of refusal to join in 2011.

Reserve Society registration will begin in person on Tuesday, October 27th at 6 PM. In person registration will continue during tasting room hours (Friday & Saturday, 4 PM - 10 PM, Sunday, 12 PM - 6 PM). Registration through our website (www.brueryprovisions.com) will begin Friday, October 30th. The registration period will close on December 31st, 2009, or when all memberships have been sold.

Cost: $195

Benefits:

- At the time of signing up, the first 250 to join the Reserve Society will receive Barrel Aged Partridge in a Pear Tree (only 290 bottles produced), White Oak, and Saison Rue. The last 150 to join will receive Barrel Aged Autumn Maple, White Oak, and Saison Rue.

- Reserve Society Zip Hoodie (available in early January)

- Entrance for two to the Reserve Society Initiation Celebration (scheduled for early January)

- Access to Reserve Society-only events (barrel tastings, release parties; additional charges may apply)

- Access to purchase special bottle release allocations (in person or through our website; allocations only for Reserve Society members. Bottle limits will vary from release to release.)

- Shipping of allocated beers (shipping cost not included, will ship only within CA)

- 15% off all tasting room and Bruery Provisions purchases (Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts)

- Access to special growler fills

- First right of refusal for 2011 membership

- A nifty Bruery Reserve Society ID card

Anticipated 2010 Special Bottle Releases:

- Oude Tart - Flemish Red

- Melange #1 - Flemish Red / Imperial Stout Blend

- Melange #3 - Barrel Aged Strong Ale Blend

- White Zin - Sour ale with Zinfandel Grapes

- White Oak - Blended Barrel Aged Wheatwine / Golden Strong Ale

- 100% barrel-aged Coton - Barrel Aged Old Ale

- Black Tuesday Imperial Stout - Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

- 100% barrel-aged 2 Turtle Doves - Barrel Aged Holiday Beer

- Perhaps a few other releases up our sleeves

A few details:

Membership begins on January 1, 2010 and ends December 31, 2010. Due to unfair and archaic alcohol laws, we cannot ship out-of-state. Those who are out-of-state may be members, but they must elect a trustee to pick up or receive your shipments within California.

Big things happening at The Bruery!

So, you've now heard about the epicurean excellence that is Kogi BBQ coming here on Friday night from Ben.  We are all super excited about this development and hope you will come enjoy some tacos and other treats at The Bruery with us!  

We'll still be serving Cuvée Jeune at the Tasting Room this weekend in addition to our usual lineup.  We'll be pouring another special new beer as well...

Ever wonder what a Partridge in a Pear Tree tastes like in an oak barrel?  Well you can find out at the Tasting Room this weekend.  We'll be serving this delicious beer, which is last year's winter seasonal that's collecting complex flavors of oak, vanilla, and sherry-like oxidation over the year that it's spent in bourbon and rye barrels.  

Bottles of Barrel Aged Partridge in a Pear Tree are very limited and will be available EXCLUSIVELY to the first 250 Bruery Reserve Society members.  Memberships will go on sale on Black Tuesday (October 27th) and members will get to take home a bottle of this upon sign-up.

Black Tuesday is happening in less than a week and we hope you're all prepared for it!  We've been readying bottles (and ourselves) for the unleashing of this massive 19.5% Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.  With Black Tuesday on tap and Chocolate Rain (that's Black Tuesday with vanilla beans and cocoa nibs) on cask in addition to our usual line-up, there will be no shortage of delicious beer to drink.  

Also, mark your calendars - our annual Halloween bash is rapidly approaching as well!  Costume contests, games, and pumpkin casks are all on the agenda for this sinister celebration.  Come by post-Trick-or-Treating and enjoy the madness we're cooking up for this party.  More details to come soon!

So that's it for the moment.  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty giddy about all this excitement at The Bruery.  We definitely hope to see you Friday for Kogi BBQ at The Bruery!!

See you soon!

Korean BBQ Tacos at The Bruery?!?!

We usually wait until later in the week to get info on the Tasting Room, but I just couldn't wait for Stef to reveal this week's super awesomeness. After hoping and praying for months and months, the super famous Kogi BBQ truck will be parking outside of The Bruery this Friday from 6pm to 9pm!

For those who aren't familiar with Kogi, they are single handedly responsible for the recent food truck craze in Los Angeles. Their incredible Chef Roy Choi has combined the sweet and spicy flavors of Korean BBQ with the savory handheld meals that Mexico is so famous for. Short rib tacos, Korean breakfast burritos, kimchi quesadillas...its all incredible and will all be available right outside the Tasting Room doors!

If you have never tried Kogi, this is a great chance. If you have never been to our Tasting Room, this is an incredible chance. And if you ever wondered how many tacos each member of our staff can eat, this is a stupendous chance to watch us all gorge on deliciousness and then wash it all down with a beer. I'm thinking Rugbrød might help relieve my tongue of the spice...but we'll have to figure out that night what pairs best with a black jack quesadilla.

For those who want some more info on Kogi, here is a fun video.

And don't forget to follow kogi on twitter at @kogibbq and follow The Bruery at @thebruery.