Due to insane amounts of rain, Walnut Creek will not be suitable for our Titus Demo on Saturday, so instead we will be holding the Demo at City Park on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. Sunday’s plans will be determined on Saturday, based largely on what you, our customers have to say…

See you guys on Saturday from 9am to 4pm! Come see the new 2010 Titus lineup and give them a spin!

The Titus Demo truck will be pulling into town this coming weekend. We will be hosting a demo at Walnut Creek on Saturday the 24th from 9am until 3 or 4, and Sunday at Emma Long from 9am until noon. Come check out the 2010 Titus lineup, including the FTM, X, and El Guapo. Titus will have a representative on site to answer all your questions, and we’ll be there to get you set up on one of the new Titus models so you can experience it yourself. Come on out!

It’s been almost a month since the fine folk of Independence came to visit, and my beer choices have returned to the normal patterns of IPAs, Dubbels, and recently, Oktoberfest. Inevitably, as the weather cools down and gray becomes the dominant color of the sky, the beer begins to warm up both in drinking temperature and alcohol content; lagers are dropped (save Dopplebocks), Porters, Imperial Stouts tend to take the cake. Around this time I usually get back to home-brewing, starting off with an English Brown Ale. This time, I’m thinking about moving away from the English style, as most commercial examples are a little thin for my tastes.

Samples included Independence Bootlegger, Magic Hat Roxy Rolles (although technically an Amber), Sam Smith’s Nut Brown, and Dogfish India Brown Ale.

Both the Bootlegger and the India Brown have heavier aromatics in the grain bill, with a certain amount of Biscuit / Special-B flavor (unless my taster is off) reminiscent of the old Fat Tire maltiness; the hop tones are much more pronounced in these modern American interpretations of the style than the classical English, but it’s an even bittering. While I know the India Brown keeps to the tradition of using Kent Goldings and Fuggles, I don’t recall what Independence is using….quite likely the same. Furthermore, while I’ve been drinking Bootlegger for a year and being unimpressed, comparing it side-by-side to the Dogfish is an eye opener; they might well be brothers – a comparison I’d find flattering if it were applied to my bottles.

Bootlegger has certainly improved in my book (people always say that….well….I have a book…and you’re in it, Bootlegger) whether it’s in my head or my glass, I’m not sure. Either way, I’m not complaining and will likely use the local flavor as a reference point for my next batch of home-brew. Just a little stronger, a little more nutty and a little-tiny bit less hoppy at the nose, and you’d have a winning home-brew in my eyes.

Regarding the Freestyle Wheat (or American Lager-Wit-Frankenbrew ): I know a few people who drink it during the summer, but it’s not my thing. The Independence Pale has a fantastic cannon on it’s label and packs a respectable taste. However, I’ve got my eyes peeled for their forthcoming Oatmeal Stout! Now that’s a style that works wonders as a winter pre-ride breakfast food!