There is a new player in Surf City and Orange County.  Beach City Brewing opened on May 10 and is well on its way to creating a major impact in Orange County brewing.

Founder Glenn Clossen decided to turn his love of craft beer into a business and is now “living the dream”.

To do so, Glenn recruited Derek Testerman, Head Brewer, and Bob Weden, Assistant Brewer. With a degree from the American Brewers Guild in Intensive Brewing Science and Engineering as well as two and a half years working as an assistant brewer at the prestigious Iron Hill Brewery, Derek Testerman brings outstanding brewing education and experience to the team that is readily apparent in the quality and consistency of the beers at Beach City Brewing. Bob Weden brings home brewing experience and non-stop brewing action.

 

Beach City Brewery is basing their flagship beers around the themes of Huntington Beach and Orange County.  They currently offer five year-round beers: Overcast Summer Wheat; PCH Pale Ale; Rye’t Black IPA; Hang Five IPA; and Sweet Crude Stout. Beach City Brewery will also feature seasonal and variety beers. Their first seasonal release is a Berliner Weisse-style beer called Beach Cruiser.

Last Friday (June 6), I traveled up to Huntington Beach to visit Beach City Brewery for the first time and for their very first Firkin Friday (I hear this may become a monthly event at the brewery). Firkins are small casks that are typically used to hold cask-conditioned ales – beer that has not been cold-filtered, pasteurized and carbonated by outside equipment. Beach City’s first cask-conditioned ale is called Overcast Summer Heat – a version of Overcast Summer Wheat made with chipotle peppers. The evening also featured the debut of another Beach City beer called Beach de Garde – a French farmhouse-style strong pale ale.

Beach City Brewery is located in a small industrial park on Woodwind Drive in Huntington Beach near the 405 freeway.  The building and entrance are not particularly well-marked so stay alert.

However, once you enter the co-located brewery and tasting room, the atmosphere is very relaxing and congenial. The tasting room is open daily from noon to 10 pm. Sample flights are available. Picnic tables provide ample seating and encourage conversation between customers. All of the staff at Beach City Brewing take the time to ensure customers feel welcomed. Both Glenn and Derek were gracious enough to spend time with me and answer any questions I might have.

I sampled all of the beers mentioned above (on tap).  My tasting notes follow.

Beach Cruiser Berliner Weisse Style (2.8% ABV): Berliner Weisse is a cloudy, sour, wheat beer of around 3% ABV. Beach Cruiser is Beach City Brewing’s version of this style. Beach Cruiser may be low in alcohol but it is packed with delicious flavor. Lactic acid is added to give a tart punch to the easy drinking wheat based malt bill and raspberry, peach, or traditional woodruff syrups are added to the beer in the Tasting Room for a refreshing change of pace. Woodruff or “Waldmeister” (The Master of the Wood), is a plant used by Germans to sweeten some white wines or beers.  I really enjoyed the combination of tart and sweet flavors. To me, Beach Cruiser was like drinking a beer lemonade. This beer is perfect for quenching your thirst on a hot summer day.

Overcast Summer Wheat (4.5% ABV): This beer is an unfiltered American wheat ale that is dry-hopped with an experimental hop that is not yet named but currently designated as HBC 342. HBC 342 is a high alpha aroma variety hop plant selected for its pleasant aroma. Its aroma can be described as mild, pleasant, citrusy, and tropical, with some melon notes as well. Overcast Summer Wheat produces a thick white foam that leaves nice lace rings. The beer is a hazy copper gold color. This light-bodied beer tasted of wheat and tropical fruits. I enjoyed the beer.

PCH Pale Ale (5.5% ABV): PCH Pale Ale is Beach City’s flagship beer.  The beer is made with All-American malt and hops. PCH Pale Ale pours a clear dark copper amber color with white foam that leaves a great “Brussels” lace. The beer has an aroma of malt, mild citrus, and flowery hops. PCH Pale Ale is light to medium-bodied with mild carbonation. The beer has a nice malt flavor up front, followed by very mild citrus, grapefruit pith, and finished with a delightful lingering hops bitterness. The flavors are excellently balanced and integrated. This beer will get your motor running so you can head out on the highway!

Rye’t Black IPA (8.4% ABV / 80 IBUs): This beer pours a dark brown color with tan foam. Rye’t has an aroma of rye grain and sweet dark roasted malt. The beer is medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation. Rye’t has a great flavor of rye grain spice, followed by mildly sweet dark roasted malt, and then finishes with an assertive (but not overpowering) hops bitterness. The flavors are excellent and this was one of my favorite beers of the day.

Hang Five IPA (7.0% ABV / 73 IBUs): This IPA is made using Willamette and Magnum hops in the boil for flavor and a Falconer’s Flight / HBC 342 dry hop for aroma. Hang Five IPA is a clear light gold/copper color with white foam that loved to cling to the side of the glass. The beer has a very mild aroma of malt, pine, and tropical fruit. Hang Five IPA is medium-bodied with hop oils that coat your tongue.  The beer has a malt and straw flavor up front followed by assertive hops bitterness and dry finish. Think I just caught a 15 ft. wave of towering hops flavor.

Sweet Crude Stout (5.6% ABV): This beer pours a very dark brown color (almost black) with tan foam. Sweet Crude Stout has huge, intoxicating aromas of coffee and dark cacao chocolate. The beer is light-bodied with very mild carbonation. One taste results in a burst of coffee and dark chocolate flavors, followed by a slight bite. Sweet Crude Stout brings complex flavors with an elegantly straightforward presentation. This beer was my favorite of the day and kept enticing me to take a drink.

 Beach de Garde (? ABV): Beach de Garde is Beach City Brewing’s version of a Bière de Garde (which means “beer for keeping”). [Bière de Garde is a strong pale ale traditionally brewed in the northwest region of France. These beers were originally brewed in farmhouses during the winter and spring, to avoid unpredictable problems with the yeast during the summertime and then saved for drinking later in the year (much like a Belgian Saison).] Although I don’t know the ABV of Beach de Garde, this style of beer is typically 6 to 8 % ABV. Beach de Garde pours a hazy copper color with off-white foam. The beer has a toasted malt and slightly tart aroma with fruit esters. The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. Beach de Garde has an earthy flavor with slightly sweet malt, followed by fruit/citrus (lemon rind and apricot). The beer has a dry finish.  This beer is refreshing and delicious.

Overcast Summer Heat (4.5% ABV): Beach City’s first cask-conditioned ale is a version of Overcast Summer Wheat made with chipotle peppers. To be honest, I normally approach any beer made with peppers with some trepidation. This is due to having so many made so poorly. Fortunately, this time I was in for a pleasant surprise. Overcast Summer Heat produces a thick white foam that leaves nice lace rings. The beer is a hazy copper gold color. Overcast Summer Heat is light-bodied with very mild carbonation. The beer tasted of grain and very mild tropical fruit with a subtle smoked chili presence that was very sophisticated and elegant.  There is a dry finish that is perfectly integrated. Bravo gentlemen, you have a firkin winner!

A big thanks to Glenn, Derek, and all the staff for making my visit so welcome. I’m already anxious for a return visit.