Dust Bowl Brewing Company
Craft Beer Tour 2018: Lost Coast Brewery and Dust Bowl Brewing
These photos were taken Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, which were days 20 and 21 of my Craft Beer Tour 2018.
When I left Oregon I set my GPS for Eureka so that I could visit one of my oldest friends (Cathy) and see what had changed in their craft beer world since my last visit in 2010. It turns out not much has changed; in fact the only brewery I could find was still Lost Coast Brewery, which is where we went since Cathy does not drink but would join me for lunch.
Lost Coast Brewery is a brewpub that was founded in 1990; they have since opened a larger brewery and tasting room in 2014. I went to Lost Coast in 2010, but I didn’t remember them being so crowded back then; business must be good. Continue reading
Dust Bowl Brewing Introduces Mouthful of Miracles
Now available from Dust Bowl Brewing
“For our first release of a canned Brut IPA, we chose to take it to the imperial end of the style,” shares Don Oliver, Brewmaster. “At 8.5% alcohol, it still has a very dry finish and a crisp hop note with grapefruit and passion fruit up front.”
With Brut IPAs trending, the timing was welcomed by Dust Bowl Brewing Co.’s wholesaler network. According to Founder and Owner, Brett Tate, “Mouthful of Miracles is just a glimpse of what’s ahead for us. Now that we are settled into our new brewery, we are able to manage growing production of our core brands while being nimble in the specialty category. This keeps the portfolio interesting to our distributors and consumers alike.” Continue reading
Dust Bowl Brewing Introduces Taco Truck Lager in Cans
Taco Truck Lager – Now in 12oz Cans
Available year-round, the Mexican-style beer has resonated with loyal lager fans as well as beer drinkers who are new to craft. It’s approachable and sessionable at 4.7% ABV. The brewery’s data provides every indication that the cans will be well received. Wholesalers and consumers alike want more cans and the summer launch falls in line with outdoor activities – the number one draw for can consumption.
“Taco Truck Lager is a great all-occasion beer,” shares Don Oliver, Brewmaster. “With the summer upon us, it made sense to offer Taco Truck Lager in cans. Whether you’re heading to the beach, mountains or simply poolside in your own backyard, cans provide the ultimate in convenience for the beer fan. Active, outdoor lifestyles demand it.” Continue reading
Dust Bowl Brewing Introduces Lateral 3 Hazy IPA
Lateral #3 from Dust Bowl Brewing Company
“For the third addition to the Lateral Series we wanted to move toward more citrus/orange character and away from the tropical that shows in Lateral 1 and 2,” shares Don Oliver, Brewmaster. “We switched up the yeast and hopping and opted to head into a double IPA territory at 8.5% ABV.”
Lateral 3 falls into their specialty can release category for Dust Bowl Brewing and is mostly pre-sold to wholesalers. The latest in the series is expected to hit retailers the last week in May, just in time for summer. At 8.5% ABV, Lateral 3 boasts a higher than typical alcohol content for a hazy IPA. In keeping with Brewmaster Oliver’s notable style, the alcohol is well-hidden for a smooth finish. Continue reading
Taking a self-guided craft beer tour of California Highway 99
This particular self-guided craft beer tour will be a five (5) part series that covers a visit to 22 production breweries and brewpubs between Los Angeles and Santa Rosa. Let there be no mistake, there are far more than 22 craft breweries in that geographical area but we had a set amount of time. It was another of those “so many beers, so little time” situations. When I set out from LA there were three basic routes to take; I could drive Interstate 5 which is definitely the fastest route but the desert is a barren wasteland when it comes to craft beer. Taking US 101 up the coast takes significantly longer than I-5, but there are barrels and barrels of beer all along the way and if time is of any importance, there are far too many distractions. The third option and the one I opted to take was California Highway 99. When I opted to take 99 I knew the drive would take a little longer, but I also know that I would be able to find some craft beer along the way. This particular route was set going northbound, but you can easily reverse the map provided below and plug in your own starting point.
The locations visited on this leg of the self-guided craft beer tour were Lengthwise Brewing in Bakersfield, Full Circle Brewing Company in Fresno and Dust Bowl Brewing Company in Turlock. You can find the photos of the three locations at http://craftbeerguy.com/lengthwise-full-circle-dust-bowl-brewing/.
Craft breweries of California Hwy 99
Since I was going up to Santa Rosa for a project about the Pliny the Younger release, I decided to leave a little early and see what craft beers I could discover along the way. I could have taken the easy route and gone along the 101 but there are so many quality brewers within the first 200 miles I would never make it on time. Instead, I decided to travel up CA Hwy 99 through Central California. I do not really travel Hwy 99 much so I did not know what to expect. I decided that my first destination would be Lengthwise Brewing, a brewpub in Bakersfield since it is a couple hours out from the beach and some food would be a good thing. We tried a flight and really enjoyed their Harvest Moon Wheat Ale (although not sure why they added the lemon slice) and Kern County Crude Porter. They also brewed root beer which was quite tasty. They gave me a taste of their new Zeus Imperial Ale which was a very smooth Double IPA; I had to get a bottle. We also had a chicken salad that was great. I don’t know the name, but had artichoke hearts with it and was big enough for the two of us. It was a great start for our journey.
A couple hours north we found ourselves at Full Circle Brewing Company, a microbrewery in Fresno right off the 99. Full Circle has been around about 15 years and is probably Fresno’s best kept secret. I could go on and on about what a great time we had there, the 12 different brews on tap going back to 2006, the meads and the hospitality but suffice it to say, you owe it to yourself to stop by and check this place out. The owner and head brewer Bill will tell you all about beer and its history and beertender Kenny will ensure you have a great time. It really was a highlight of the day.
Another 100 miles north and we ended up in Turlock and Dust Bowl Brewing Company, another brewpub. This was a really cool location with a lot of history about the Dust Bowl and the migration of farmers to Central California. I’d like to go back just to check it out for the history aspect. We got there a little before they closed so the kitchen was not available to us, but the beer was. I let their manager Nick put together a flight for me as they had too many choices and not enough time. Their Hops of Wrath IPA was definitely the best IPA of the day and made for a good ending to a fun day. Continue reading
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