All you need to know about Silicon Valley’s local brews.
By Mitchell Alan Parker
Summertime is a lot of things, but a season of boring beers it is not. The great weather and eclectic California cuisine has brewmasters all over the Valley cooking up light, flavorful and thirst quenching beers. And with dramatic price increases, caused by what some are calling a worldwide hops shortage, brewmasters have had to get creative with their brews. The result is a selection of increasingly malty, wheat-flavored beers that are different, but no less invigorating or refreshing. So, as temperatures begin to soar, remember that the next best thing to blasting an air conditioner is quaffing a tall pint of cold, effervescent, locally brewed beer.
BJ’s RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 10690 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino (408) 865-6970;
925 Blossom Hill Rd.
(408) 284-4260www.bjsrestaurants.com The Brewmaster: David Mathis, about 14 years brewing Summer brew: “Nit Whit” Style: Belgian-style wheat beer. Very low hop rating. Flavor: Spicy notes; coriander, orange peel. Light, refreshing. Gold color with a nice, white head. Low International Bitter Unit (IBU) rating. An IBU is a measurement of bitterness for beers. It’s typically on a scale of 1-100. Mathis’ “Nit Whit” has about a 10-15 IBU rating, while an American IPA might have anywhere from 45-80. Power: 4.5 percent to 5 percent alcohol Pint price: $4.75 Year rounds: BJ’s Brewhouse Blonde, Harvest Hefeweizen (a traditional German/Bavarian-style Hef so complex that Mathis says “no lemon is needed”), Piranha Pale Ale, BJ’s Jeremiah Red, BJ’s P.M. Porter, Tatonka Stout, Nutty Brewnette Upcoming brew: American IPA
FAULTLINE BREWING COMPANY 1235 Oakmead Pkwy., Sunnyvale (408) 736-2739www.faultlinebrewing.com The Brewmaster: Peter Catizone, 15 years brewing Summer brew: Belgian White Style: Belgian Whit Flavor: Orange peel, coriander, minimal amount of hops, light body, thirst-quenching Power: About 5 percent alcohol Pint price: $4.75 Year rounds: Kolsch, Hefeweizen, English Pale Ale, American IPA, Best Bitter Amber Ale, Stout Upcoming brew: Burton Ale, light colored, medium-hop English Ale
FIREHOUSE GRILL & BREWERY 111 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale (408) 773-9500www.firehousegrill.com The Brewmaster: Steve Donahue, 12 years brewing Summer brew: “Hops on Rye” Style: IPA (India Pale Ale). A lot of brewers usually do an IPA in the summertime, but Donahue says due to the worldwide hops shortage, he made maltier beers earlier this year to save up for enough hops to make his summer IPA. Flavor: Very hoppy; 11-percent rye malt causes a variety of taste dimensions; spicy Power: 7.5 percent alcohol Pint price: $5 Year rounds: Pale Ale, Red Ale, Porter, Hefeweizen. Hef, says Donahue, is a good summer beer – it’s light, refreshing, thirst quenching, with a hint of banana on the nose. Upcoming brews: Porter, a dark, brown brew with hints of chocolate and coffee.
GORDON BIERSCH BREWERY RESTAURANT 33 E. San Fernando St., San Jose (408) 294-6785; 640 Emerson St., Palo Alto (650) 323-7723www.gordonbiersch.com The Brewmasters: Dan Satterthwaite (San Jose), nine years brewing; Jeff Held (Palo Alto), 15 years brewing Summer brew: “Sommergold” Style: Kolsch, a pale-colored German-style ale made with special Tettnang hops from Southern Germany Flavor: Light, dry finish, smooth and refreshing. The Tettnang hops add a touch of fruit and spice, while a slight amount of wheat added during the brewing process creates a nice, foamy head. A special menu was created to complement Satterthwaite’s brew, featuring dishes such as macadamia nut encrusted mahi mahi with pineapple salsa and bok choy vegetables; and a USDA “prime” burger. Power: 4.7 percent alcohol Pint price: $5.50 Year rounds: Hefeweizen, Pilsner, Marzen, Schwarzbier, Blonde Bock Upcoming brews: Golden Export, a malty lager that evokes brews typical to the Bavaria and Munich areas of Germany.
HALF MOON BAY BREWING COMPANY 390 Capistrano Rd., Half Moon Bay (650) 728-2739www.hmbbrewingco.com The Brewmaster: Alec Moss, 20 years brewing Summer brew: “Devil’s Slide Summer Ale” Style: Belgian-style Pale ale or Saison, brewed with Belgian yeast from Antwerp, Belgium. Flavor: Spicy character, malty, crisp and clean, light in color. Power: 5.5 percent alcohol Pint Price: $4.75 Year rounds: Bootlegger’s Brown Ale, Princeton-by-the-Sea IPA, Harbor Light Ale, Sandy Beach Blonde Hefeweizen, Brewer’s Special Stouts and Porters, Pillar Point Pale Ale, Mavericks Amber Ale Upcoming brews: American-style wheat, hoppy and aromatic with light malt flavor and a “bready” taste from the wheat; Double Overhead Imperial IPA.
LOS GATOS BREWING COMPANY 130 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos (408) 395-9929www.lgbrewingco.com The Brewmaster: Kent Wheat, about four-and-a-half years brewing Summer brew: “Resessions Beer” (Wheat says the name is a play on Session beer and the “nonrecession” America is going through) Style: English style best bitter Flavor: Nutty, malt profile with a clean, crisp hop finish Power: 4.7 percent alcohol Pint price: $5.50 Year rounds: Pilsner, Pale Ale, Oktoberfest, British Mild, Hefeweizen, Sherman Stout Upcoming Brews: West Coast IPA
ROCK BOTTOM
RESTAURANT & BREWERY 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Ste. 700, Campbell (408) 377-0707 www.rockbottom.com The Brewmaster: Scott Guckel, nine years brewing Summer brew: Belgian Whit Style: Belgian-style wheat beer; uses a unique strain of wheat that has developed over the centuries on small farms in Belgium. Flavor: Lightly spicy and fruity due to the Belgian wheat strain; flavors of coriander with dry orange notes from added bitter and sweet orange peel. Similar to a Blue Moon. Power: About 5.3 percent alcohol Pint price: $4.50 Year rounds: Faller Wheat, Boulder Creek Pale Ale, Raccoon Red Ale, Brown Bear Brown Ale, Stillwater Stout, Bottom’s Up Kolsch Upcoming brews: Belgian Saison, IPA, new seasonal brews every month.
SEABRIGHT BREWERY 519 Seabright Ave., Ste. 107,
Santa Cruz (831) 426-2739www.seabrightbrewery.com The Brewmaster: Jason Chavez, about 10 years brewing Summer brew: “Thick and Thirsty” Style: English Crème or Gold Ale. Uses 100 pounds of oats in addition to American hops and American yeast. Flavor: Full bodied flavor, although pale gold in color. The Amarillo hops create a citrus-y, floral nose. Refreshing with nice head retention. Similar to a Boddington’s or Sessions. Power: 4.5 percent alcohol Pint price: $4.75 Year rounds: Pelican Pale, Seabright Amber, Sacrilicious Ale, The Blur (IPA), Oatmeal Stout Upcoming brews: The Basshole Brown Ale, IPAs, wheat beer, pale ale, red ale
TIED HOUSE CAFE & BREWERY 65 N. San Pedro St., San Jose (408) 295-2739; 954 Villa St., Mountain View (650) 965-2739www.tiedhouse.com The Brewmaster: Ron Manabe, 20 years brewing Summer brew: IPA Style: An India Pale Ale that uses lots of Washington-grown hops and Canadian malt. The malt is used to offset the bitterness produced by the abundance of hops. Flavor: Floral, citrus-y nose. Nice caramel malt flavor and body. Very hoppy, with a good bitterness that briefly lingers, it pairs really well with food. Light brown in color, and rather heavy for a summer beer. Power: 5.5 percent alcohol Pint price: $5.50 Year rounds: Alpine Gold, Cascade Amber, Ironwood Dark, New World Wheat Upcoming brews: Pilsner lager
CD REVIEWS By Tom Lanham
YAZ In Your Room & ALISON MOYET The Turn (Mute & W14/Decca)
As anyone who attended their recent reunion-tour gig in Oakland will attest, Yaz, that short-lived, early-’80s synth-pop team-up of keyboardist Vince Clarke and soulful diva Alison Moyet, has created what most bands dream of: a timeless catalog that sounds as fresh today as it did when it first frothed onto dance floors 25 years ago. Ergo, this box set is absolutely essential listening, offering remastered versions of the duo’s two subtly Gothic albums (Upstairs at Eric’s, You and Me Both), plus a bonus B-side/remix disc with extended takes of classics like “Don’t Go,” “Situation” and “State Farm.” Like the recent Joy Division and Echo and The Bunnymen reissues, these sharp-hooked but decidedly melancholy tracks come remarkably alive on headphones, with Moyet’s dusky melodies bouncing rabbitlike over Clarke’s rubbery textures. The more minimal the arrangements, the stronger the music has become over the decades (a la “Midnight,” “Mr. Blue” and the pitch-perfect “Only You”).
LADY GaGa The Fame (Cherrytree/Interscope)
Tired of watching that creaky old crone Madonna spiderleg her way through another uncomfortable, unbecoming MTV video? Maybe it’s time to start auditioning for her replacement – and believe it or not, this kooky kitten is one helluva hot contender. On paper, the ingredients don’t exactly spell success: Though she dresses like a ’70 stripper, she comes from a privileged convent-school background and is hell-bent on putting the laser-lit glitter back into the dusty old disco ball. On record, though, her ideas truly jell. Not only can she belt it out like vintage Alicia Bridges, she can write some ultraclever ear candy. While hip-shaking singles like “Just Dance” follow a predictable Euro-dance pattern, she really comes into her own on ABBA-adorable thumpers like “Poker Face” and “Nothing I Can Say.” While the debut isn’t a complete smash (some so-so filler slows things down), GaGa already has enough hubba-hubba hooks to make the once vogue Material Girl very, very nervous.
THE ALARM Guerilla Tactics (Twenty First Century)
Okay, quick clarification: This is not the same Alarm from a couple of decades back, of Dave Sharp/68 Guns renown. All of those original members have left, save one: Front man Mike Peters, who has patched together this mach two version with stellar sidemen like bassist Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy), axeman James Stevenson (Generation X) and drummer Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers). But here’s the surreal surprise: This Alarm is no tired retread, but instead comes blasting out of the gate on track one (“Three Sevens Clash”) with punk-fueled fervor. Peters means business on revved-up fist-pumpers like “Fightback,” “Alarm Calling” and “State of Emergency,” all of which document his recent battle with leukemia. Now in remission, his words ring with resonant lived-to-tell truth on the plaintive plea for “Love, Hope and Strength.” Using guerrilla tactics, he waged war on a deadly disease and won, giving this set an extra poignancy.
LOW vs. DIAMOND Low vs. Diamond (Epic)
The standout of this atmospheric debut isn’t so much the songs themselves, but the guy who’s crooning them: Lucas Field, a moody, dark-timbred stylist with an uncanny knack for elevating even the simplest phrase to almost sermonlike seriousness. Prodded along by the propulsive, often relentless, beats of drummer Howie Diamond, Field rises to most occasions here, especially on the Queen-elaborate “Heart Attack,” as well as such sinister stabs at decadence as “Wasted,” “Song We Sang Away” and “Don’t Forget Sister.” Don’t be surprised if there’s more than a hint of The Killers showmanship wafting through: The LA outfit was discovered by The Killers’ manager himself. Another promising young band to watch in 2008.
NOW PLAYING Titles currently receiving high rotation in The Wave offices.
Johnny Brafford Events Editor
Supertramp, Breakfast in America, 1979
There is no better music suited for summer chillin’ on the back patio than Supertramp’s Breakfast in America. This former No. 1 LP is fun, full of catchy piano lines and yet is somehow innocent. You’ll find yourself humming along to “Gone Hollywood, “The Logical Song,” “Goodbye Stranger,” ”Breakfast in America” and “Take the Long Way Home.” Okay, you’ll actually be humming along through the whole album, even though you may never have heard a single track before. So, saddle up the hammock, don’t forget the sunscreen and have a cold one.
Various Artists, Asian Lounge: Asian Flavored Club Tunes, 3rd Floor, 2003
The use of “Asian” in the title of this three-LP set should be used loosely. Yes, there are some slight hints here and there, but when push comes to shove, it’s just a great down tempo/ambient album full of remixes from such notables as Thievery Corporation, ZEB, Seductive Souls, Soul Surfer, Moodorama, Morcheeba, Eastenders and about a zillion others throwing down some sweet low mood mixes. If you dig this, be sure to pick up the 1st and 2nd Floor box sets as well.
Jon Sontag Graphic Designer
Ed Harcourt, The Beautiful Lie, 2006/2008
At 30, singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt has developed into an amazingly prolific artist. His recent release, The Beautiful Lie, features some of his most soulful and creative works to date: Soft yet stunning melodies such as “Late Night Partner” and “Last Cigarette” are joined by piano-driven rock songs that flow in and out of eerie moods and jazz tempos. Hits like “Revolution in the Heart” and “Until Tomorrow Then” leave a lasting effect through memorable lyrics and unique character. Operatic at times and extremely sparse during others, Harcourt proves that whatever the composition, his heartfelt music continues to speak through rich and emotional expression.
Jonna Lee, 10 Pieces,
10 Bruises, 2007
Partnering with Ed Harcourt to make this record was a good move for Jonna Lee. Though he only lent his voice to a few tracks, overtones of his musical spirit lie just beneath the surface throughout the entire album. With so many wonderful female artists rising up over the past few years, Lee also offers an exceptional handful of personable and radiant songs. Thoughtful, charming, and silently strong tracks like “Dried Out Eyes” and “Prints” graciously lift emotions with a calm breeze of harmony. Note: Because of minimal distribution, this album is not easy to find. Try downloading it at www.klicktrack.com/klicktrack/releases/jonna-lee/10-pieces-10-bruises.
Kellen Dickinson Editorial Intern
Jason Mraz, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, 2008
For his third album, Jason Mraz manages to step out of his comfort zone, away from his earlier, more stereotypical pop-sounding tracks and into different genres. “Only Human” is a soulful ballad, while “Coyotes” is a faster-tempo, almost techno-inspired track that makes you want to get up and dance. But don’t worry – for those of you who like Mraz’s acoustic guitar, it appears in “Details in the Fabric,” a soothing, feel good track featuring James Morrison. “I’m Yours” was the perfect choice for the album’s first single, just in time for summer. With its reggae feel, the only thing that’s missing here is the beach and an ice-cold beverage.
Augustana, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt, 2008
It’s tough to imagine that Augustana got its start only three years ago with one single and a few songs to their credit. This sophomore album proves they have staying power. With thoughtful songwriting and modern, original tracks, the piano-driven rock/pop album manages to grow above and beyond the young band’s 2005 debut. “Sweet and Low” can be compared to their hit song “Boston” with its catchy lyrics and soft melodies. “Dust” and “Rest, Shame, Love” seem to stray a little more out of the box with dark, edgy rhythms. The growth this band has achieved is evident in the emotional and heartfelt lyrics, revealing a story beneath each track.
CONCERT PREVIEWS by Mitchel Allen Parker
A Southern honky-tonker, an ascending rock star and an alt-music festival bring a touch of cool to the sweltering summer heat.
Alan Jackson July 14, HP Pavilion, San Jose www.hppsj.com
Aw, shucks, if it ain’t that good ol’ boy from Georgia galumphing through San Jose to stomp his boots for American pride. In support of his recent studio album, Good Time, Jackson brings his honky-tonk and traditional country music sound to the stage. And with a slew of awards and multimillion-dollar concert endorsements under his belt, expect an amazing performance, even if you don’t know what honky-tonk is. Jackson epitomizes the country music singer/songwriter persona, and if you drive a Ford truck or watch NASCAR religiously, you probably already knew that. Interestingly enough, the antithesis of the Coldplay joke mentioned in the film Knocked Up [see below] could go something like this: “You know how I know you’re straight? You listen to Alan Jackson.” Yee-Haw!
Coldplay July 18,HP Pavilion, San Jose www.hppsj.com
Despite receiving monumental disrespect as the impetus for a gay joke in Knocked Up, Coldplay has once again emerged as one of the biggest bands in the world – and lead singer Chris Martin may know that all too well. Their recently released fourth album was coordinated by famed producer Brian Eno, resulting in a more dynamic record that shies away from Martin’s early lovesick, hopeless romantic, bleeding heart tunes. But it seems Eno may have unknowingly unleashed in Martin a bigheaded, self-proclaimed ruler of the world. Expect a lot of outstretched arms and Jesus-on-the-cross poses from Martin at this concert, nonetheless accompanied by some killer music. It has been said that if you can master a Martinesque falsetto, you, too, can rule the world.
DOWNLOAD 2008 with The Jesus and Mary Chain, Gang of Four, Brand New, Mute Math, Cut/Copy and many more
July 8, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View www.livenation.com
Festivals have become the monumental concert-going experience, with good reason. Why pay $65 to see one big-name performance when you can pay $20 to see more than 20 acts in one day? Mates of State, M83 and a bevy of other amazing bands will grace the stages at Shoreline for hours of alternative music. These festivals can be tough to get through. You will need endurance. It’s like soccer for the music scene, and you’re not keeping goal. Be sure to bring a refillable water bottle, lots of sunscreen, food, beer money, sunglasses and all around good vibes. Do this, and you’ll have an unfettered experience. Don’t, and you’ll probably end up in a medical tent with heatstroke screaming about how your brain is bubbling in your skull.
*This Article appeared in Volume 8, Issue 15 of The Wave Magazine.
Various Artists, Asian Lounge: Asian Flavored Club Tunes, 3rd Floor, 2003
Ed Harcourt, The Beautiful Lie, 2006/2008
Jonna Lee, 10 Pieces,
10 Bruises, 2007
Jason Mraz, We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things, 2008
Augustana, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt, 2008