Last year I posted about my fantastically fun experience at the OC Brew Ha Ha.  One of my favorite “new find” breweries from that day was Ritual Brewing Company and I vowed to visit the brewery.  My beer buddies and I set off for Ritual Brewing three weeks ago to fulfill this vow and have a firkin good time.

Steve Dunkerken and Owen Williams opened Ritual Brewing Company in November 2012.  According to Ritual’s website, Owen Williams was “the first brewer for BJ’s and while growing the brewing operations for BJ’s he trained many award-winning brewers around the country.  He is a Certified Cicerone® and teaches Beer & Culture at The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California Polytechnic University, Pomona.”  Steve Dunkerken brought manufacturing and distribution industry experience as well as accounting expertise as a CPA.  In addition, Steve “has been a creative homebrewer for 15 years and has been a speaker at the National Homebrewers Association’s annual conference.”  The two decided to combine their skills to start Ritual Brewing.

Another key figure at Ritual Brewing is Director of Sales, Ed Heethuis.  Ed is a Certified Cicerone®, beer writer, and does an amazingly job organizing the OC Brew HaHa and OC Brew HoHo festivals.

Located in an industrial office park in Redlands, Ritual Brewing Company can be a little difficult to spot (Hey guys, get a bigger and better sign!).

We arrived on a clear sunny day.

The inside of Ritual is a large cavernous environment that holds the brewing equipment in a roped off section, the tasting bar and seating area, and a gaming section (with giant Jenga and  Cornhole).

You can drink in the tasting room area as well as buy growlers or bottled beer to take home.

J.J. greeted us as we strolled up to the bar.  J.J. is working on her Ciscerone Certification and did a great job describing the available beers at Ritual.  Thanks J.J.!

I sampled seven (7) beers on tap during our visit.  I’m also adding tasting notes for three (3) Ritual beers I have sampled elsewhere that were not available at the brewery during my visit.  My tasting notes follow.

Ritual Wit’s End (4.8% ABV): Winner of at Gold Medal at the 2013 CA State Fair Craft Beer Competition, this beer is Ritual’s take on the classic Belgian style Witbier. Wit’s End is made with Belgian 2-row malt along with unmalted wheat and barley and then spiced with a dose of orange zest from local orange groves, coriander and other spices.  This beer pours a hazy light straw color with white foam that leaves a spider web lace (more commonly called a “Brussels Lace”).  Wit’s End has a malt and spicy Belgian-yeast aroma with notes of hay and subtle citrus.  The beer is light- to medium- bodied with mild carbonation.  Wit’s End starts with a yeast-based spicy taste that morphs into orange peel zest and coriander.  There is also a subtle underlying hint of clove.  The beer has a crisp, spicy finish that is slightly tart twang.  Wit’s End is very good and quite refreshing.  This is the perfect beer to drink on a hot summer day.

• Suggested Pairings – Mandarin Orange and Chicken Salad; Tempura Halibut
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint or Pilsner Glass

Ritual Extra Red (6.5% ABV / 59 IBUs): Made with 8 malt varieties and 5 hop varieties, this American Amber or Red Ale brings an assertive malty backbone with West Coast hops power.  Extra Red pours a clear red amber color with off-white foam that leaves a nice lace.  This beer has a caramel malt aroma with mild citrus bouquet.  Extra Red is medium-bodied with gentle carbonation.  The beer fills your mouth with initial flavors of sweet caramel malt and toffee, followed by pine, pine resin, grapefruit citrus, and citrus zest.  Extra Red has a dry finish with lingering hops bitterness.  Extra Red creates a delightful marriage of flavors that I enjoyed.

• Suggested Pairings – Roast Beef Dip Sandwich with Horseradish
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Barrel-Aged Extra Red (7.0% ABV): Barrel-Aged Extra Red pours a clear red amber color with off-white foam that leaves a nice lace.  This beer has a bourbon and caramel malt aroma.  Barrel-Aged Extra Red is medium-bodied with gentle carbonation.  The beer has a nice bourbon, sweet caramel malt and toffee flavor.  Any hops presence is muted.  Barrel-Aged Extra Red is very good.

• Suggested Pairings – Smoked Gouda Cheese and Club Crackers
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Hop-O-Matic (7.1% ABV / 80 IBUs): This American IPA pours a beautiful clear copper color with off-white foam that leaves a persistent light lace.  (I’ve read that the bottled version may have yeast clumps.) Hop-O-Matic smells of subtle malt with big bouquets of pine, citrus, and citrus zest.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  Hop-O-Matic tastes of mild malt biscuit with vigorous overtones of pine, pine resin, citrus fruit (grapefruit and orange), honey, and citrus zest.  The beer has a dry finish with lingering hops bitterness.   This is a very good American IPA packed with pine and citrus.

• Suggested Pairings – Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Sauce
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Hop-O-Matic Cask Conditioned (7.1% ABV / 80 IBUs): What a difference! This American IPA pours a beautiful clear copper color with creamy off-white foam that leaves a magnificent sheets of lace.  Hop-O-Matic Cask has a much milder and more refined aroma of malt grain and caramel complemented with nicely balanced bouquets of pine, citrus, and citrus zest.  The beer caresses your tongue and mouth with creamy and silky textures and gentle carbonation.  The biggest difference is in the flavor – where the hops impact is more integrated and the beer provides a titillating union of malt and hops to deliver eloquent flavors of malt biscuit with pine, pine resin, citrus fruit (grapefruit and orange), honey, and citrus zest.  The beer maintains a dry finish.   I think I just had a tongue orgasm.

• Suggested Pairings – Cedar Planked Grilled Salmon
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Single Rye IPA: Ritual’s Rye IPA is actually a series of single hop IPAs.  Single Rye IPA is released on draft on a rotating basis with each batch showcasing a different hop variety.  The beer is brewed with a clean, simple malt backbone that is designed to showcase the hop character of Ritual’s hop variety choice.  I really like this concept and approach by Ritual Brewing.  As of this writing, I have sampled three of Ritual’s Single Rye IPA’s – two (El Dorado and Columbus hops) during my visit to Ritual and one (Centennial hops) during an earlier visit to Haven Gastropub.

Ritual Single Rye IPA  with El Dorado Hops (7.0% ABV / 85 IBUs): El Dorado is a hops variety that was created through cross-breeding at a single Yakima Valley farm.  Originally thought by the grower to be too bold and intense for brewers, this hops variety did not become available on a larger scale until 2012 but is now one of the new big “trendy” hops for IPAs and Pale Ales.  Ritual’s Single Rye IPA with El Dorado Hops pours a clear light gold with some copper hue and an off white foam.  This beer had a spectacular stone fruit aroma that I was having some difficulty identifying but decided was apricot and kiwi (the experts say pear, cherries, and Lifesavers so I’d love to get another whiff of this beer).  This IPA was light- to medium-bodied with moderate and prickly carbonation.  The beer has flavors of malt, rye, pine, and stone fruits.  This IPA finishes mildly dry with a lingering strong hops bitterness.  I found this beer to be different from the typical IPA but very good.  My beer buddies really enjoyed this beer also.  This beer makes me want to cue up a John Wayne and Robert Mitchum movie and kick ass!

• Suggested Pairings – Turkey and Bacon Panini with Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Single Rye IPA  with Columbus Hops (7.0% ABV / 85 IBUs): The Columbus Hop is a great dual purpose hop, providing a bitterness kick as well as strong aroma that may include citrus and spicy notes in fresh batches.  This hop variety is often used to establish the bitter foundation for Pale Ales, India Pale Ales, Stouts, and anything Imperial.  This variety is also commonly used for late-boil or dry hopping for its herbal, earthy character.  Ritual’s Single Rye IPA with Columbus Hops pours a clear light gold with some copper hue and an off white foam.  This beer has a mild oranges aroma very similar to an Orange Cream Ice Cream Bar.  The beer is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.  This IPA tastes of malt, rye, orange fruit, and orange zest.  The beer has a dry finish with lingering hops bitterness.  I really enjoyed this version of Ritual’s Single Rye IPA and thought the beer did a fantastic job of bringing out the best features of the Columbus Hops variety.

• Suggested Pairings – Seared Scallops with Wild Rice
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Ritual Single Rye IPA  with Centennial Hops (7.0% ABV / 85 IBUs): Bred in 1974 and named/released in 1989, Centennial Hops are often referred to as “Super Cascade” and their use in brewing has recently skyrocketed.  For example, Centennial is a key component in beers such as Lagunitas IPA, Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale, and Bear Republic’s Racer 5 IPA.  This hop variety provides a unique floral aroma as well as citrus notes.  As this hop variety ages, it can develop a distinctive cedar wood aroma.  Ritual’s Single Rye IPA with Centennial Hops pours a clear light gold with some copper hue and an off white foam that left beautiful sheets of lace down the side of the glass.  This IPA has a floral and pine resin aroma with citrus notes.  The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  This IPA tastes of malt, rye, pine resin, and grapefruit.  The beer is puckering dry and a lingering, intense hops bitterness  remains.  Hop Heads (including me) will enjoy this major hops throw down celebration.

• Suggested Pairings – Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Serving Temperature – 45-50 degrees F
• Glassware – Pint Glass

Two of Ritual Brewing’s signature products that I have tasted were not on tap at the brewery during my visit – Hellion Belgian-style Golden Ale and Big Deluxe Imperial Oat Stout.  I’ve had bottled versions of these beers and my tasting notes follow.

Ritual Hellion Belgian-style Golden Ale (8.4% ABV / 28 IBUs): Hellion pours a hazy copper gold color with white foam that settles quickly.  The beer has an earthy hay/straw and malt aroma with fruit and spice notes.  Hellion is medium-bodied with mild carbonation.  This beer tastes of malt, earthy hay/straw, honey, and other spices with a some alcohol punch.  There is a subtle peppery spice that accompanies each sip and the lingering finish is dry with mild hops bitterness.  I enjoyed Hellion very much and found it true to style for Belgian Golden Ales.

• Suggested Pairings – Lemony Shrimp Scampi Pasta
• Serving Temperature – 50-55 degrees F
• Glassware – Tulip Glass or Oversized Wine Glass

Ritual Big Deluxe Imperial Oat Stout (12.2% ABV / 85 IBUs): Brewed with 10 different malts, this powerhouse from Ritual is not for the weak.  Big Deluxe pours a dark brown (almost black) color that may just absorb all the light in a room.  The beer also has a brown foam that settles a little more quickly than I’d like but nevertheless leaves dots of lace down the side of my glass.  Big Deluxe has a superb roasted malt and coffee aroma with notes of cocoa and alcohol.  The beer is full-bodied and chewy thick with mild carbonation.  You need to sip this beer slowly to be able to appreciate the flavors – starting with roasted malt, coffee, and char; followed by licorice, dark fruit, and alcohol; and then finishing with pronounced hops bitterness and Belgium dark chocolate.  The overall result is an intense experience.  This Imperial Stout is only for those who like massively assertive flavors with a bold and bitter attitude. I qualify!

At OC Brew HoHo, I sampled a Manhattan Barrel-Aged (High West Distillery) version of Big Deluxe (a limited version not generally available).  To be honest, one sip and this enchantress captured my heart and soul.

• Suggested Pairings – Grilled Rib-Eye with Bourbon Reduction Sauce; Belgian Dark Chocolate; Vanilla Ice Cream
• Serving Temperature – 50-55 degrees F
• Glassware – Snifter

Ritual Brewing Company is definitely worth visiting.  Turns out the brewery is located near my tax accountant’s office.  For the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to doing my taxes so I can swing by the Ritual Tasting Room afterwards.  Thanks again to J.J. for making my visit so much fun!