Here is the second half of the photos I took at the 2008 World Beer Cup Gala Awards ceremony, which was held last Saturday in San Diego, California.

Brendan Moylan and Arne Johnson, from Marin Brewing, picking one of the three medals Arne won.

The hard-working staff of the Brewers Association who put on Craft Brewers Conference and the World Beer Cup competition. For many more award photos, go to part 1 of the photo gallery, followed by part 2.

For many more photos from the second half of this year’s World Beer Cup Awards, visit the photo gallery.
 

The 2008 World Beer Cup Gala Awards ceremony was held last Saturday in San Diego, California. 2,864 from 644 breweries in 58 countries competed for medals in 91 categories. In each category, usually a distinctive beer style, a gold, silver and bronze is awarded, though on occasion one medal within a category is not given if none of the beers meet the written criteria for the style. Approximately 268 medals were awarded (91 x 3 = 273, minus 5 awards not given).

Of the 91 categories, an average of 32 beers was entered in each, with IPAs getting the most (77) followed by German-style Pilsener (72). Of the 58 countries entering, beers from 21 won medals, with the US winning the most (158), Germany in second (25) and Belgium in third (11). Beers from the State of California itself won 35 medals, with Colorado winning 22 and Oregon 16.

Bas and Hildegard, from Urthel, accepting their award. For many more award photos, go to the photo gallery.

For many more photos from the first half of this year’s World Beer Cup Awards, visit the photo gallery.
 

Trying desperately to catch up, here are photos from Friday and Saturday, the last two days of the Craft Brewers Conference held last week in San Diego. Friday was a day of seminars, the trade show and visits outside the resort. Saturday was more seminars during the day but the World Beer Cup Gala Awards Dinner in the evening. I still have to post the awards, but here is everything up until that point.

Tom Kerns, from Maui Brewing, Greg Koch, from Stone Brewing, and Chris Black, from Falling Rock in Denver, Colorado, at the reception before the dinner.

My vote for best-dressed at the dinner, Natalie Cilurzo, from Russian River Brewing, and Garrett Oliver, from Brooklyn Brewery. Bruce Paton, the Beer Chef, did the menu and created the meal from past World Beer Cup award winners. It was my second of three beer dinners in four days.

Friday night, Karl Strauss Breweries hosted a party at their local production brewery and bussed everyone out to the grounds for food and grog. Here, Tomme Arthur and Luke Nicholas, who makes Epic Beer in New Zealand, enjoy a pint.

For many more photos from this year’s Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego, start with Random Photos From the Last Two Days, the party Friday night at Karl Strauss Breweries and then finally the World Beer Cup Gala Dinner, all at the photo gallery.
 

I was lucky enough to be invited to a beer dinner last Thursday night thrown by The Lost Abbey, held at the Port Brewing facility in San Marcos. Tables were set up inside the small brewery, making it a very cozy evening. Luckily, everyone knew one another and didn’t mind being in a candlelit brewery with over 120 others.

One of the main reasons for the dinner was the debut of Isabelle Proximus Collaborative Sour Ale, a beer made by Tomme, along with Adam Avery, Sam Calagione, Vinnie Cilurzo and Rob Todd; and inspired by their trip to Belgium two years ago with Italian beer writer Lorenzo Dabove, better know simply as Kuaska. This was first time all six of them were able to try the beer at the same time.

Sam drew the artwork for Isabelle Proximus Collaborative Sour Ale, shown here on a cask of it. We were treated to a five-course meal paired with Lost Abbey beers inside the brewery. It was a great evening and my first of three beer dinners in four days.

For many more photos from the Lost Abbey beer dinner, visit the photo gallery.
 

The well-known Toronado bar in San Francisco is coming to San Diego … soon. Rumored for almost two years, I attended a reception Thursday afternoon at the new location currently under construction at 4026 30th Street in San Diego’s North Park. If all goes according to plan, it should be open with the next month.

Fal Allen, with San Diego Toronado owner Ian Black. Ian worked at the Toronado in San Francisco for some time before moving to San Diego.

Dave Keen, owner of the Toronado in San Francisco, was on hand and pouring Duvel for Ian and a packed house of revelers.

For more photos from the San Diego Toronado reception, visit the photo gallery.
 

For the second time in four years, the annual Craft Brewers Conference again descended on San Diego, California. It was an opportunity for beer people from around the world to get together and interact, learn and, of course, have a great time.

The tightknit San Diego brewing community went out of thier way to make everyone feel welcome. Tomme Arthur, from Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey, and his lovely daughter Sydney, greeted people from far and wide at the Brewers Reception hosted by Stone Brewing.

It was an opportunity for friends from around the world to see one another again, often for the first time since GABF.

For many more photos from the day before this year’s Craft Brewers Conference, visit the photo gallery.
 

Today is Steve Wagner’s 50th birthday. Steve is a co-owner of Stone Brewing and the new president of the California Small Brewers Association. In the late 1980s, Steve was a member of the band “The Balancing Act,” who put out several albums on I.R.S. Records. Now he just presides over one of the most successful microbreweries. Join me in wishing Steve a very happy Five-O birthday.

Mitch Steele, Stone Brewing’s brewmaster, with Steve, at CBC in Austin last spring.

Last night, the Beer Chef, Bruce Paton, held his latest beer dinner with Chuck Silva and the beers from Green Flash Brewing near San Diego. With some new Green Flash beers to try, and some wonderful food, it was another terrific evening of beer and food.

The beer chef, Bruce Paton, with Chuck Silva, from Green Flash Brewing.

For more photos from the Green Flash beer dinner, visit the photo gallery.
 

Port Brewing / The Lost Abbey will holding their first ever Carnevale di Lost Abbey on Groundhog Day, February 2 from 6 to 10 p.m. to celebrate the Venetian holiday with a masquerade ball and new beer release, appropriately named Carnevale Ale. The beer will be the Lost Abbey’s interpretation of a saison, but made with American hops.

From the press release: For centuries Venetians have celebrated mid-winter and the beginning of Lent with a temporary upending of the social order. Denizens of the canal-lined city disguise themselves as paupers, princes, ladies, lovers and fools, and gather in the Piazza di San Marco to dine, drink and dance at the Carnevale di Venezia. Shortly revelers will soon be gathering in another San Marcos half a world away to carry on the Carenvale tradition with a New World twist. On February 2nd, 2008 Port Brewing will throw its first Carnevale di Lost Abbey complete with masquerade and a special beer release to honor the ancient tradition. Beginning at 6pm the Lost Abbey will transform from brewery to Venetian piazza, offering party-goers food, music and, of course, Lost Abbey’s award-winning ales. Coinciding with the celebration the brewery will also issues its first release of Lost Abbey Carnevale, a blonde Saison accented with American hops. Carnevale di Lost Abbey will run from 6pm to 10pm, Saturday, February 2, 2008. Attendees who attend the masquerade in costume will be admitted free. A $10 charge will apply to those not in costumes. Food and music will also be free of charge. Beers will be offered at regular price. The new Carnevale ale will also be available for purchase that evening. The beer is being released in 750ml cork-finished bottles with a price of $8.99 per bottle. Carnevale will also be available through Port Brewing’s standard distribution channels. More information on the Carnevale party and beer release can be obtained on The Lost Abbey website.

I got the word today that The Lost Abbey will finally be releasing their Red Poppy Ale on January 19.

From the press release:

The Lost Abbey will issue its long-awaited first release of Red Poppy Ale on January 19, 2008. A Flanders-style red ale made with sour cherries and aged in French Oak barrels for one year, the 60 case limited edition release will only be available directly from the brewery.

A medium-bodied ale, Red Poppy has a reddish-brown hue, rich fruit aroma, and a complex mélange sour cherry, plum and red wine flavors accented with notes of chocolate and vanilla. The beer’s name was inspired by head brewer Tomme Arthur’s annual springtime sojourns to Flanders, a time when fields of the Northern Belgian province are covered with the fiery red flowers.

Release Details:

60 cases
375ml cork-finished bottles
Four bottle maximum per person
5% ABV
$15 per bottle

And from the website:

Perhaps no country embraces the use of fruit in beers more so than Belgium. Numerous traditional as well as regional specialty ales are infused with every sort of fruit imaginable. In this way, the flavor of the fruit becomes especially prominent. Red Poppy Ale is a veritable celebration of Sour Cherries in an explosion of aromas and tastes. Brewed from a brown ale base and aged in our oak barrels for over 6 months, this beer is not for the faint of heart. The Golden Poppy is the state flower of California and the Red Poppy is found in Flanders Fields where our inspiration for this beer comes from.

I just got word that the Wet Hop Festival originally scheduled to take place this weekend at Tom Nickel’s place, O’Brien’s Pub, in San Diego, California has been postponed one week due to the fires raging through southern California.

From the press release:

I am going to postpone the Wet Hop Festival until next weekend, November 2nd, 3rd and 4th. I will have some wet hop beers on tap this weekend. Right now we have several from Sierra Nevada including Harvest Ale, 20th Street Fresh Hop Ale and the ESP — Extra Special Pale, which is the pale ale with wet hops added. I should also have the Port Brewing High Tide IPA on tap this weekend. I am still expecting about 25 beers for next weekend and we will have the Harvest and Riptide casks on tap on Friday, November 2nd.

Other word on the street is both Stone Brewing and Ballast Point are open again after being evacuated earlier this week.

Stone brewing is doing a beer vs. wine dinner next week that sounds like it should be great fun, not to mention informative and delicious. Here’s the press release for the dinner:

Stone Brewing CEO Greg Koch is a tireless exponent of the virtues of great beer, and is nothing if not confident of his company’s handiwork. Yet he concedes that the image of beer still has room for elevation in the culinary world. “The understanding of the extraordinary culinary aspects available in the world of beer is lagging,” says Koch. He maintains that beer offers more range and depth of flavor than what is found in any other beverage. And he aims to prove it. “I will never argue that you can’t carefully pair a great wine with certain select dishes with very good results,” says Koch. “However, I have no hesitation in arguing that, more often than not, great beer is a superior mate for great food.”

It does appear that the culinary world is waking up to the reality that great beer compliments great food. In the June 2007 issue of TIME a full-page article began with the headline “Instead of uncorking a vintage red, Michelin-starred chefs are tapping into a long list of artisanal beers.” The article continued to state that “Now some of the country’s best restaurants are offering craft beers – produced by small, independent brewers – on the menu and often suggesting food pairings.” Recently, National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition program ran a story extolling the virtues of pairing craft beers with food; and NBC’s Today show aired a similarly themed segment featuring Stone’s very own inimitable Arrogant Bastard Ale with Food & Wine magazine’s Senior Wine Editor in which it was proclaimed “Beer is the new wine.”

Celebrated Bocuse d’Or Chef Gavin Kaysen—of the Rancho Bernardo Inn’s equally celebrated restaurant El Bizcocho—may have yet to be convinced. After all, it’s not “Food & Beer” magazine that Chef Kaysen currently graces the cover of, it’s Food & Wine (which to the magazine’s credit recently featured a surprisingly enlightened article on the artisan beers of California’s Napa Valley). Koch indeed realizes he is placing the odds squarely against himself by agreeing to hold the challenge dinner at the clearly wine-centric environs of El Bizcocho. “I want the challenge to be extremely fair, if not even stacked against me,” says Koch.

Guests at the “Beer v. Wine” dinner will sample both a craft beer and fine wine selection specifically chosen for each course. Koch will introduce each beer, and Certified Wine Educator and Sommelier, Barry Wiss will introduce each wine. Wiss is Vice President of Trade Relations at Trinchero Winery in Napa Valley. Once guests taste both the beer and the wine, they will have a chance to fill out a small card with their preferences as to which beverage pairs best with the dish. Results will be tabulated and announced at the end of the dinner. Allowing that there are more gustatory possibilities than could possibly be represented by one meal, one of the contest’s stipulations is that the loser of this round has the right to challenge the opponent to another dinner at a venue of their choosing.

While Koch might be very confident when it comes to beer’s prowess in pairing with food, Wiss is somewhat more dubious. “There is no doubt that some foods are complemented by the tastes and flavors of beer, but those foods tend to be less complex, with the possible exception of spicy Latin and Asian cuisine,” explains Wiss. “For centuries wine has been the preferred accompaniment to the world’s finest dishes, and there is little doubt that it will remain that way.”

Who is correct? You can help determine by attending the Beer vs. Wine Dinner. Reservations can be made by contacting El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.

Located at 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr. in San Diego, CA, the Rancho Bernardo Inn, recently completed a $25 million enhancement and expansion project. The hotel is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide and is the distinguished holder of many honors, including Mobil Four Star (18 years), and AAA Four Diamond (31 consecutive years) ratings. Rancho Bernardo Inn is owned by JC Resorts, whose other holdings include Surf & Sand Resort, Temecula Creek Inn, and JC Golf. For reservations and additional information, please call 800.770.7329 or visit www.ranchobernardoinn.com.

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Craft Beer vs. Fine Wine Dining Challenge at El Bizcocho

Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego, California
250.383.2332 [ website ]