Triple Rock Beer Tasting
Meet Peter.
Peter is getting married next weekend, to my cousin Juliet. As is customary leading up to a wedding, family members are put into service for planning everything. For my part, I was put in charge of beer service. We’ll be serving a homebrewed Vanilla Bean Ale which is a simple light ale, with three plump tahitian vanilla beans added into the secondary. Then there is homemade ginger ale (10 hands ginger, 5 lemons, 5 Lbs sugar, carbonate until delicious.) But given the unusually summer like weather we’ve been having in the bay area this summer, another beer is needed. I turned to Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley to supply a keg for the thirsty wedding attendees.
I thought a beer brewed by this guy was just what we needed:
Luckily, Rodger is a better brewer than model. Peter and I snagged a table at Triple Rock’s outdoor garden, and were joined by Jesse (yes, yet another brewing Jesse), who serves as the restaurant manager, assistant brewmaster, floor sweeper and reservationist.
Jesse brought up this fine looking tray:
We were given a little guidance on what we were looking for: a crowd pleaser that is food friendly, and nothing too hoppy so the bride would enjoy it too.
Chocolate Stout: I had tasted this at NHC, so knew what it was like: rich, full bodied, and brewed with TCHO cocoa nibs which provide a deep chocolate finish. This instantly went to the top of the list.
Porter: Slightly thinner than the stout, with a more nuanced roasted malt profile. Really easy drinking dark beer, would be great with grilled food with a nice char on it.
Dragon’s Milk: A brown ale which is dry hopped to create a well balanced west coast interpretation of the style. Really nice coffee notes. Peter liked it enough to have a pint with dinner.
Titanium: A malty pale ale with a higher than expected ABV of 6.8% It’s eminently drinkable, but I think one of their less distinctive brews.
Hefeweizen – Brewed as a traditional Bavarian wheat beer, this cloudy straw colored beer is a classic example of the style. With a nice phenolic bite, it has hints of clove, banana and a slightly tart finish. Ideal for a warm day in the sun.
IMAX – Wait, what? A Double IPA, overflowing with Simcoe hops? While this didn’t fit the profile of “not too hoppy” it was a welcome addition to the tasting. I think this is a great double IPA – tons of bittering and aromatic hops, supported with a nice carmel malt backbone. If it were my wedding, maybe. But there were certainly be more hop heads in attendance then.
Then we went around again, and tried them once more, just to be sure.
After one more go round, we settled on a choice: the bavarian style hefeweizen. Its tart bite and flavorful yeast should make it a great compliment to beer lovers and beer novices alike, and be a great addition to what is sure to be a fun party. I’m picking up the keg this weekend.
Tags: triple rock
