Driving around the California foothills and Gold Country offers an entirely different perspective of this state.  There are many small towns that echo the past of the 1800’s, including the gold rush, the logging boom, the thriving fruit industry, and birth of the western railroads.

And now there’s an expanding beer industry. I managed to sample a small representation of the breweries in this area.

My first stop was in Camino, CA and Jack Russell Farm Brewery. Jack Russell Farm not only has a Brewery, but also Winery, Cidery, and Meadery! Spacious outdoor seating is available (I’ve heard this place is packed on weekends) as well as some indoor seating. Picnic tables dot the area to support family seating.

Jack Russell is actually modeled after an English Farmhouse Brewery and the site is nestled in the Apple Hill region that is known for apple, pear, and stone fruit orchards.

I sampled several beers but the two I want to recommend are the Farmhouse Saison (6.7% ABV) and the Oatmeal Stout (5.7%). The Farmhouse Saison pours a clear gold color with white foam and provides flavors of funky Belgian yeast, hay, clove, and malt that may whisk you away to a farmhouse in Belgium. The Oatmeal Stout pours a dark black color with tan foam, has a rich aroma of coffee and dark chocolate, and provides a strong dark coffee flavor with background of dark cacao chocolate and toasted malt.

Jack Russell Farm Brewery is the perfect spot for a brief rest stop while driving through Gold Country. 

However when I reached Truckee, CA, I struck the mother lode at FiftyFifty Brewing.

FiftyFifty Brewing is an award-winning brewpub known for their barrel aged beers. FiftyFifty’s Totality Imperial Stout is one of their flagship beers and a 2008, 2009, and 2011 Bronze Medal Winner in the Other Strong Beer Category of the Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

Totality is also the base beer for FiftyFifty Brewing’s Eclipse Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. Every year, some of this beer is set down in a variety of barrels (including brandy, whiskey, and bourbon) for aging to make Eclipse. Each bottle of Eclipse is sealed with a colored wax that indicates the type of barrel aging. Bottles are then sold directly from the brewery or served on premises. 

My server at FiftyFifty Brewing was Christine. She did an excellent job guiding me through FiftyFifty’s beer offerings. Thanks Christine!

I sampled nine beers at FiftyFifty Brewing. My tasting notes follow.

Spring Fever Seasonal (4.5% ABV / 39 IBU): Spring Fever is brewed with lemongrass, orange peel and honey. This beer pours a clear light-straw color with white foam. Spring Fever has an aroma of lemongrass and orange peel with faint honey in the background. The beer is light-bodied with mild carbonation. Flavors of lemon, lemongrass, orange peel, and honey all complement a background of malt biscuit. I found Spring Fever unique, light, and refreshing.

Manifesto Pale Ale (5.4% ABV / 32 IBU): This beer pours a clear light copper gold color with thick white foam. Manifesto has a toasted malt and biscuit aroma with slight hint of caramel. The beer is light-bodied with mild carbonation. On the palate, Manifesto provides rich toasted malt and biscuit flavor followed by light sweet caramel and then finishing with a mild hop citrus/pine bitterness. This is a very good session pale ale that will likely have you drinking more than a pint and not regretting one moment.

California Pale Ale – CA.P.A. (6.0% ABV / 45 IBU): This beer pours a hazy gold color with rich white foam. Brewed with Citra and Eldorado Hops, CAPA resonates with luscious pine and grapefruit citrus aromas. The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. CAPA provides delicious pine, grapefruit citrus, and grapefruit pith flavors over a mild malt base and finishes with a mild hop bitterness. Now here is one California initiative I can heartily support!

Rockslide IPA (6.7% ABV / 70 IBU): Made with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ and Summit, this West Coast style IPA pours a gold color with white foam. Rockslide provides grapefruit and pine aromas. The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. One sip and the palate is filled with grapefruit citrus, pith, and pine resin flavors over a malt base that peeks through at the last possible moment. Rockslide finishes dry with a lingering hop bitterness. Danger! This avalanche of delicious flavors is addictive!

Donner Party Porter (6.7% ABV / 30 IBU): Truckee is located near Donner Pass so there had to be at least one beer named in reference to the infamous and tragic Donner Party. The good news is that there is nothing infamous or tragic about this porter. Donner Party Porter pours a very dark brown color with tan foam. Rich aromas of dark cacao chocolate, coffee, dark fruits, and molasses prevail. The beer is medium-bodied with mild carbonation. Made with hand toasted oats and molasses, Donner Party Porter is smooth and lush in flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, dark dried fruits, and hint of molasses. The beer has a delightfully dry finish. I’m hitching my wagon to this party and plowing through the pass for more!

Old Conundrum Barley Wine (9.8% ABV / 80 IBU): This beer pours a dark brown/amber color with tan foam. Tantalizing aromas of sweet malt and raisins waft from the glass. The beer is full-bodied with mild carbonation. Full rich flavors of roasted, toasty malt and raisins are balanced with an intense hops bitterness. This beer is complex and amazing. The only dilemma you’ll face drinking this beer is trying to just sip this warming and outstanding brew.

Old Conundrum Barley Wine Barrel-Aged in Pappy Van Winkle (9.8% ABV): What do you get when you take an outstanding brew like Old Conundrum and age it in barrels of what many say is the world’s greatest bourbon?  A world-class result that delivers intense aromas of bourbon, raisins, and prunes; creamy, full-bodied texture; and magnificent flavors of bourbon, malt, raisins, and prunes with a delightful alcohol warmth at the end. I had to beg for the dregs of the last keg of this outstanding brew while at FiftyFifty Brewing and I’m so happy I did so. I sold my pride for a taste of this beer and am proud of it – now there is a conundrum.

Totality Imperial Stout (9.5% ABV / 75 IBU): This beer pours black and provides a rich brown foam. Espresso coffee and dark chocolate aromas leap from the glass. Totality is full-bodied with mild carbonation. One sip fills your mouth with intense and delicious flavors of espresso coffee, mocha, and dark chocolate. A dry finish with moderate bitterness creates the perfect ending. Outstanding!

Eclipse Barrel-Aged in Maker’s Mark (~10-11% ABV): This beer pours a deep black color with thick, rich brown foam. Bourbon and prune aromas seize your olfactory senses. Full-bodied and intense, magnificent flavors of espresso, bourbon, dark chocolate, figs, raisins, and prunes dominate the first wave of flavors – followed by toasted malt, tobacco, oak and vanilla. The finish is dry with a mild bitterness that accentuates the tobacco and oak presence. Sip this beer in your lounge chair while sitting next to a roaring fireplace. Should I be ashamed that I’m quivering in delight and longing right now?

If you find yourself within a hundred miles of Truckee, make your way to FiftyFifty Brewing for barrel-aged beer wonderment and delight. I’m ready to return as soon as possible to this gold mine of barrel-aged beer.