Craft Beer, Wine, Spirits & Pubs 09.08.17

September 8, 2017

THE PRESS

CRAFT BEER WINE, SPIRITS & PUBS SPECIAL EDITION

Craft

BEER FESTIVAL

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SEPTEMBER 16 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM pg 2B

MANNHEIM SOCIAL CLUB

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PETERSEN VINEYARDS 5B

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CRAFT BEER, WINE, SPIRITS & PUBS

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

Craft Beer Festival pouring in Brentwood AMY SCHRADER

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This festival is popular, because the people of East County have come to appreciate and enjoy craft beers that offer more flavor and variety than traditional domestic beers …

et ready to celebrate the art of craft beers at the fourth annual Downtown Brentwood Craft Beer Festival.

Attendees of the popular festival can speak directly to local brewers, sample more than 40 different brews, enjoy delicious food, visit various business vendors and listen to live music from NOVA. “The festival is popular, because the people of East County have come to appreciate and enjoy craft beers that offer more flavor and variety than traditional domestic beers that have been around,” said Dan Torres, event organizer and Brentwood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors member. “This event provides them with an opportunity to sample many different beers and partake in a fun and safe environment.”

This year’s festival will feature several new breweries.

“The changing lineup from year to year keeps the event fresh and exciting,” said Torres. “We will also feature a raffle with prizes donated by local businesses.”

The outdoor beer garden was expanded this year to provide more space for guests to relax and enjoy their brews. Another popular component of the event is the home-brewing demonstration and competition.

The Delta Brewing Club will showcase equipment used to brew beer at home and educate guests on the homebrewing process, and several brewers will also share their beer with attendees, who can vote for the People’s Choice Award and the Best Home Brewer.

Besides homemade brews, guests can sample brews from over 20 breweries, including Ale Industries, Altamont Beer Works, Drake’s Brewing Company, Dust Bowl Brewing, E.J.

– Dan Torres, event organizer Beer Works manager. “We’re bringing some amazing beer and great service and will create a memorable experience for everyone who tries our brews.”

While the festival shines a spotlight on craft beer, the annual event is also a fundraiser for the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization that presents special community events including Hometown Halloween and the Holiday Parade.

Downtown Brentwood’s Craft Beer Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 16, from 1 to 5 p.m., in the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. Tickets are $40 at the door and $5 for designated drivers. Raffle and event T-shirts are cash only. It is also recommended to bring cash for food purchases.

For more information or tickets, call 925-634-3344 or visit www.brentwoodchamber.com or www.facebook.com/ brentwoodcraftbeerfestival.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Phair Brewing Company, Epidemic Ales, Farm Creek Brewing, Fieldwork Brewing Co., Heretic Brewing Company, Hop Valley Brewing, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Lost Cost Brewery, Mendocino Brewing Company, Morgan Territory Brewing, New Glory Craft Brewery, Revision Brewing Company, River Rock Brewery, Seismic Brewing Company, Shadow Puppet Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Track 7 Brewing Company and Working Man Brewing Company.

“We are very excited to be part of Downtown Brentwood’s Craft Beer Festival,” said Vashti Hill, Altamont

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

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Cold craft brews on tap at Mannheim

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n a quaint corner of downtown Brentwood, owners of the Mannheim Social

Jaclyn and Larry Lindsay are two of the three co-owners of Mannheim Social Club and Bottle Shop, a local’s go-to spot for a large selection of craft beers.

Club and Bottle Shop have been working hard since opening in 2013 to bring craft beer to East County.

At first, family co-owners Larry, Natalie and Jaclyn Lindsay launched with six taps of craft beer. Then they expanded to 24 and are now at 64 rotating brews.

“Craft beer is growing, and we’re really excited to bring it to the East Bay on a level like this,” said Larry. “We have one of the area’s largest offerings for craft beer.”

As a locally owned business, the club is supporting small breweries with pint nights and featured events. For the pint nights, a brewery representative presents five to six beers with information, tastings and pint glasses. The entertainment extends to paint and comedy nights, in addition to live blues and more. The social club also sells a selection of local wines, however, the main focus and passion behind the business is on the brews.

Larry said the craft beer trade is a creative one, which utilizes several styles

Photo by Aly Brown

of hops.

“Organic hops is a big thing, too,” he added, noting beers in their rotation, such as Eel River, to be organic.

Additionally, Sticky Chicken and Ribs is subleasing a portion of the building – a pairing that will prove to be a symbiotic relationship in the future, as people hungry for ribs and thirsty for a cool draft can pair the two businesses’ offerings in one relaxing environment.

“I think, in the future, we’ll play a big part in each other’s businesses,” Larry said.

Residents have already found the club to be a great destination to go out with friends, kick back to relaxing tunes or laugh the stress of a long work week away.

“This place is awesome; they have tons of craft beers available. No matter what you like, they’ll definitely have something for you here,” said Denise F. in a five-star, online review. “They had a

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live blues band, which was really cool, and they had plenty of seating available, and the bartenders were also really nice, too!”

With the exception of comedy nights and evening events that call for the over21 crowd, Mannheim is a family-friendly place in the heart of Brentwood. It is located at 561 First St. and is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information or to discover upcoming events, visit https://goo. gl/JLuUxJ or call 925-513-2300.

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

Serve up these cool concoctions on sultry summer afternoons

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ummer is all about

quarters full with ice cubes. Add the sloe gin, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. Stir briefly.

Fill the glass up with club soda. Stir well but at an even pace. Garnish with the orange slice around the rim and the cherry dropped into the glass.

idling away weekend afternoons and letting

the world go by as you relax, ideally poolside or with ocean waves lapping in the

Princess

background.

Refreshing drinks add to the relaxing rhythm of such days and evenings, and the following concoctions, courtesy of A.J. Rathbun’s “Good Spirits,” are tailormade for sultry summer days.

Slow Poke

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Summertime cocktails filled with fresh fruit make for refreshing, sweet-tasting alternatives to heavier drinks.

1.5 ounces sloe gin ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 dashes Angostura bitters Ice cubes Chilled club soda Orange slice for garnish Maraschino cherry for garnish Fill a highball glass three-

PETERSEN VINEYARDS

Family owned and operated Estate Winery Knightsen, California

1.5 ounces limoncello 5 or 6 fresh raspberries Ice cubes Chilled club soda Fill a Collins glass threequarters full with ice cubes. Add the limoncello, humming any coronation march you choose.

Fill the glass to about one-half inch from the top with the club soda. Add the fresh raspberries. Stir slowly but with purpose. Don’t be afraid to bust up the raspberries a little. You want to stir until this is well combined. Serve with a stirrer, long-necked spoon.

Note: Raspberries can be replaced with blueberries, but they

need to be fresh and ripe so they burst a bit when they’re stirred and add just a faint touch of juice to the mix.

Peach Nehi

3/4 ounce vodka 3/4 ounce peach Schnapps 3/4 ounce DeKuyper Pucker Cheri-Beri 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 ounce fresh pineapple juice Chilled 7UP or Sprite Ice cubes Peach slice for garnish (optional) Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the vodka, peach Schnapps, Cheri-Beri, lime juice and pineapple juice. Shake well.

Fill a highball glass halfway full with ice cubes. Strain the mix into the glass.

Top off with 7UP. Stir once in a rocking-chair motion. Garnish with the peach slice.

– Courtesy of Metro Creative

at Not Just a Bowling Alley Home of the Mary-Oke Karaoke Dance Party

www.petersenvineyards.com Call for a tasting 925.890.4841

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

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New winery takes root in Knightsen AMY SCHRADER

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ast County wine enthusiasts have a new winery close to home where they can savor

wine amid a gorgeous backdrop of rolling hills and Mt. Diablo.

Petersen Vineyards, a family-owned winery in Knightsen, specializes in red and port wines made with Portuguese, Spanish and California varietals. Although the family has been making wine for five seasons, 2017 will be the first year they sell their blends.

“A small winery has to compete on quality, and I was certain from the beginning the quality of the wine starts with the grapes going into the must (juice of freshly pressed grapes),” said Peter Petersen, winemaker and owner of Petersen Vineyards.

Peter was an electronic engineer who designed cell phones, design chips for cell phones and test equipment for Wi-Fi before giving up his tech career to pursue his dream of making wine.

He and his wife, Pauline, purchased the property in Knightsen and began working on their new family business in 2012. Petersen Vineyards sits on 20 acres, with 12 acres of grapes and 3 acres of cherries. As a complete

Photo by Tony Kukulich

Petersen Vineyards, a family-owned winery in Knightsen, specializes in red and port wines made with Portuguese, Spanish and California varietals. estate winery, the Petersens grow and process their own grapes and make and bottle their own wine.

“Due to our focus on port wine, we grow special grapes with origins in Portugal and Spain,” said Peter. “These unique grapes lend for fantastic, full-bodied and robust red wines.”

While researching equipment for his winery, Peter learned that many wineries leave

a lot of unwanted material – referred to as MOG (material other than grapes) – in the must. According to Peter, machine harvested and processed wines can contain 5 to 7 percent MOG, which includes stems, leaves, shot grapes, birds nests, small insects and other unwanted materials.

“That did not seem acceptable to me,” said Peter. “I chose equipment that allows me to remove it all – virtually zero percent MOG

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– and the result is no harshness or bittertannic wine and a more smooth wine with a pleasant mouth feel. Even better, it enables me to use less sulfites.”

Before Peter began purchasing equipment, pressing grapes and bottling wine, he learned about winemaking from the ground up, including working with farmhands in the fields, studying online and speaking with other winemakers.

“I believe in education, knowledge and entrepreneurs going the extra mile to create achievements and accomplishments,” he said. “I have always enjoyed learning something new and wanted to learn the wine trade from the ground up.”

Peter’s education in the craft and dedication to winemaking has resulted in a selection of award-winning wines. Tinta de la vida, a Portuguese grape blend, was recently awarded gold at the 2017 Central Coast Wine Competition. Valdepenas, a singlegrape wine, won silver at the same competition, and Diablo Sunset, a blend of petite sirah and zinfandel, won bronze.

Petersen Vineyards is also quickly becoming a favorite of local wine enthusiasts.

“I fell in love with their wine the first time I tried it,” said Discovery Bay resident Rita Cap. “Their ports are to die for, and the estate is beautiful.” see Winery page 7B

R MEDAL VE AWARD

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ack Roads is a wine, beer and cheese bar where one can experience unique and inspiring cheeses paired with exceptional wines and beers. We take pride in featuring local California wine and rotating craft beer on tap.

A place to explore cheeses with a glass of wine or beer in a comfortable setting with an approachable elegance.

B ack Roads Craft Beer Wine Cheese •

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925.420.3188

1520 Discovery Bay Blvd., Discovery Bay • www.BackRoadsBartending.com

Wine Bar & Tasting Room Pint Night

Every 3rd Thursday with live music.

We feature local breweries!

Over 40 Wines Offered Private Tastings • Private Rental

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633 First St., Brentwood 925-634-9463 | www.cocowineco.com Wed-Thur 4-9pm Fri 4-11pm Sat 9am-11pm

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

Low-alcohol wines making a big splash

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s more consumers appreciate the balanced elegance of lowalcohol wines, the California

wine industry is responding with a new guide that provides savvy travelers to Sonoma or Napa with the best ways to identify and appreciate these beverages.

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Jordan Winery introduced the first Napa Sonoma Wineries Lower Alcohol Wine Tasting Map to guide consumers seeking elegant, lowalcohol wines.

The definition of low-alcohol wine varies; much of Europe considers low-alcohol wine to be anything 13 percent or less. Jordan Winery set the cutoff for its low-alcohol map as below 14 percent, which allowed for inclusion of 39 wineries – 26 in Sonoma and 13 in Napa – about 4 percent of the regions’ producers. The neighboring wine appellations are home to more than 800 vintners.

Although the Napa wineries include four makers of sparkling wines, the warmer Napa climate is less conducive to lighter wines in general and produces more cabernets, according to the guide.

The map, which will be updated

each summer, requires that more than 90 percent of a winery’s production be labeled as 13.9 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) or below for inclusion.

Below are some of the highlighted wineries and their popular low-alcohol wines: ♦♦ Cobb Wines: The pinot noirs from Cobb Wines check in below 13 percent ABV. ♦♦ Corison Winery: Known for Napa Valley cabernet sauvignons that are both powerful and elegant and enjoy a long, interesting life. ♦♦ Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Cabernet and chardonnay are the focal points of Jordan Vineyard & Winery with lower alcohol and intense fruit notes that complement a variety of foods. ♦♦ Nalle Winery: A small family winery that has resisted the high-alcohol zinfandel style for decades; the only Dry Creek Valley vintner on the map. ♦♦ Scribe Winery: In addition to chardonnay and pinot noir, Scribe Winery offers low-alcohol wine enthusiasts silvaner and riesling at 13.5 percent ABV and lower.

For more information about the low-alcohol, wine-tasting map, as well as travel tips for exploring wine country, visit www. winecountrytable.com.

– Courtesy NewsUSA.

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SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

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Pouring the perfect cocktail party the warm-up or wind-down for the evening, and nothing

makes a party sparkle like the barware. ♦♦ The coupe There’s a movement toward more elegant cocktails, and people want to serve those beverages in something equally elegant. That’s why coupes (often referred to as champagne-sherbet glasses) are really stepping into the forefront. Not only are vintage coupes a great conversation starter, these glasses are highly collectible.

You can also use them for desserts. ♦♦ Old fashioned Old fashioned or even double oldfashioned glasses are used for serving spirits straight up or on the rocks. The glass is named after this whiskey-based

Winery from page 5B Today, the winery offers private tastings at the facility by appointment and has a wine club with a number of benefits, including discounts on new releases and attendance to membersonly events, such as their summer barbecue,

drink, which muddies bitters and sugars with a citrus twist. They’re great for mixed cocktails, such as old fashioneds, whiskey sours or even Bloody Marys. ♦♦ Highballs Highballs are perfect for serving taller, refreshing drinks such as a Long Island iced tea or Tom Collins. You may see highball glasses referred to as tumblers in vintage patterns. Most of the Depression glass patterns have unique shapes such as footed tumblers, which can really step up your game. ♦♦ Bar carts Getting away from the tradition of keeping liquor hidden away, these days people want to show it off. A well-stocked bar cart is the perfect accessory for any living space. Plus you can move your cart around as needed, so you’re not stuck in the same place with your guests glued to a bar.

– Courtesy of Brandpoint (BPT)

harvest and holiday events and more.

Petersen Vineyards is located at 101 Blaine Lane, Knightsen. For more information, visit www.petersenvineyards. com or call 925-890-4841.

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Mannheim Social Club BAR & BOTTLE SHOP

• • • • •

64 rotating Craft Beers on Tap 300+ Craft Beers by the Bottle Finest Selection in East County Pint Nights Monthly Top Bay Area Blues Venue Fridays and Saturdays • Comedy Nights Monthly • Paint Nites with Bindu • Trivia Thursdays 7-10 pm NOW FEATURING

Mannheim Social Club

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CRAFT BEER, WINE, SPIRITS & PUBS

SEPTEMBER 8, 2017

Presents the

4th Annual

Craft Beer Festival Sat. Sept. 16 from 1-5 pm in the

Brentwood Community Center 35 Oak Street

Sample locally made, artisan craft brews from 20 breweries with over 40 different beers to sample!

Tickets $40 • Designated Driver only $5

• Food available for purchase • Outdoor Beer Garden • Home Brewing Demo & Competition • Photo Station • Music by NOVA Limited Capacity. Cash Only Raffle, Food, T-shirts and Tickets, if available.

For more info, call the Chamber at (925) 634-3344 To order tickets go to BrentwoodChamber.com

PARTICIPATING BREWERIES & RESTAURANTS:

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