CRAFT by Under My Host® Issue No. 18 Made in America: Part III | Page 130

W W W. C R A F T BY U M H . C O M
WE S TERN
REGIONALS
Alpine, WY
Your IPA
Melvin Brewing
I’ve had a brewer crush on Dave Chichura since he was a guest on Under My Host
many, many moons ago. When he left Oskar Blues it was a pretty big ado, but I
think it’s fair to say Melvin is a greener pasture and Your IPA exemplifies that. This
citrusy, fruit-forward IPA, made with lupin cryopowder, is tasty indeed, but what
makes it ultra-special is Melvin’s commitment to contribute two-percent of its prof-
its to RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit that provides Americans with medical
debt relief. Now, that’s good drinking! Well done, Melvin and Uncle Dave,
well done.
BY CORI PAIGE
Burlington, WA
The Garden Paths Led to Flowered
Garden Path Fermentation
We spent 2017 tracking the progress of Garden Path Fermentation with found-
ers Amber Watts and Ron Extract in their four-part series “Our Journey Down
the Garden Path: Adventures in Brewery Startup”, so I was pretty excited to
receive one of their first full production beers! This blend of barrel-aged beer
and an open fermented blonde ale is delicate and floral with the understated
funk I’d expect from an ale produced by Amber Watts and Ron Extract and
their Skagit Valley microbial lodgers. Totally refined. Totally Amber and Ron.
Keeping it local: made with Pacific Northwest hops, wheat and malt from
Skagit Valley Malting, and naturally conditioned with Skagit blackberry honey
from The Valley’s Buzz.
Gilbert, AZ
Sangio Cerveza
Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
Salem, OR
Rhubard Som Shandy
Gilgamesh Brewing
This shrub-spiked lager is one
of the tastiest shandies I’ve
ever had. Part of Gilgamesh
Brewing’s Chef Series, Rhu-
bard Som Shandy is a limited
release, but I wouldn’t be mad
if Gilgamesh collaborates
with Andy Ricker to create
additional shandies with any
or all Som flavors or surprised
if others nick this concept and
run with it.
This crossbreed (49-percent
wine/51-percent ale), made
with wild ale hopped with
Arizona Wilderness’ own aged
hops and wine crafted with
two tons of Arizona-grown
Sangiovese grapes from Dos
Cabezas Wine Works in Sonoi-
ta, is fermented and matured
for eight months in a French
oak foeder. The end result is a
funky farmhouse rosé spritzer.
Very nice!
Golden, CO
Riva Stout
Holidaily Brewing Company
After a bout with serious illnesses that left her intolerant to gluten, Holidaily Brewing
founder, Karen Hertz, left her position at big beer behind and set out to build a brewery
of her own, one that’s 100-percent gluten-free. Whether gluten is or isn’t an issue for
you, all you need to know is that this is one delicious stout. I think that’s the highest
compliment I can give to my first gluten-free beer. Riva’s robust mocha-anise profile is
accompanied by an almost gluten-full mouthfeel. The grains used to produce Holidaily
beers—primarily buckwheat and millet— are grown nearby in Wellington, CO.
Albuquerque, NM
Oktoberfest Lager
La Cumbre Brewing Company
La Cumbre remains true to this Marzen-style’s roots. Made
with Bavarian toasted malts, Bavarian lager yeast, and German
noble hops means that this crisp, spicy lager doesn’t technically
highlight any regional ingredients … unless I’m allowed New
Mexican water? Whatever. It’s an enjoyable brew, and my first
from New Mexico!
San Diego, CA
Barrel-Aged Old Numbskull
AleSmith Brewing Company Paso Tobles, CA
Bretta Tangerine
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
It’s not an autumn roundup without a barleywine, is it?
After spending time in bourbon barrels Old Numbskull
stumbles out of the oak super scrumptious and smack-
ing of German chocolate cake. A dessert perfect for
sharing, no forks necessary. Zest from one thousand pounds worth of Murcott tangerines grown
at Friend’s Ranches in Ojai was added to barrels of Bretta Weisse
where they coferment for two funk-propagating months. The upshot?
Mouthwatering, o-o-o-o-facing tangy tangerine.
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