At Almanac’s brewing facility, located in a World War II airplane repair hangar in Alameda, Alex Wright-Broughton takes care of brewing details while beer lovers gather in the outdoor beer garden.
A lively taproom and outdoor beer garden welcome beer lovers to Almanac’s 30,000-square-foot, redwood-beamed production and aging facility—a former airplane hangar on the decommissioned Alameda Naval Air Station near Oakland, built in 1942. Sour beers and oak aging As the name suggests, sour beers taste pleasantly sour or tart. They are lively and complex, often exhibiting slightly funky flavors and aromas. Unlike fresh beers, sour beers are brewed with wild bacteria and yeast, resulting in tart, crisp flavors. By adding fruits, brewers can achieve a balance of sweet and acidic qualities with layered fruit flavors. Almanac brewers age their sour beers in hundreds of oak barrels—many repurposed from wineries and distilleries—ranging from 50 to 1,500 gallons. The brewers typically use several yeast strains and lactobacillus (the bacteria used to make yogurt) to create layers of nuanced flavors. They allow these mixed cultures to ferment for months before adding fruit, hand selecting and blending the barrels’
One such blend is Almanac’s Bourbon Barrel Peche, a sour farmhouse ale aged in bourbon barrels using Blossom Bluff Orchards peaches and nectarines, and vanilla beans. Relationships are like safety nets Almanac’s leaders agree with farmers Carlon and Loewen, who say their long- term partnerships are dependent on respect between the farmer and buyer. “Relationships like the one we have with Almanac are not super common,” Loewen says. “Both parties must be willing to grow and be flexible, and appreciate what the other does.” “When you have imperfect fruit, you need someone who can turn it into something that’s valued,” Carlon says. “Good partnerships with people like Almanac who are willing to work with you and take imperfect fruits are like safety nets for farmers. If the weather turns against you or things don’t work perfectly, these are the people who will get you through the rough years.”
contents to create unique flavor profiles. “Oak aging creates a beer that changes over time,” says longtime Almanac brewmaster Phil Emerson. “The barrels allow oxygen in, amplifying and mellowing the fruit flavors more than a beer made only in stainless steel. Sometimes it takes a year to see the result of making a barrel-aged sour, but it’s worth the wait. As with wine, oak-aged sour beers can be cellared and enjoyed years later for their nuanced flavors and aromas. They’re very food friendly. “Barrel-aged beers should be interesting enough for a veteran fan of sour beers and approachable enough for someone who is trying a sour for the first time,” he adds. Seasonal fruit favorites and limited editions The Almanac crew is constantly developing new beers using seasonal fruits, encouraged by the company’s motto of “farm-to-barrel brewing.” “When peaches are in season, we’ll brew with them. Sometimes we’ll create limited editions or experiment with blending them with other fruits,” says lead brewer Tucker Bush.
Jolaine Collins cbmagazine@californiabountiful.com
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