Cambria Brewing

I usually head out to Cambria every summer. This month when I visited, I noticed the Cambria Beer Company just off the main drag. Being a super beer geek I had to check it out. I popped in one evening and meet the owner/brewer Aaron. He had 4 beers on tap when I visited. I believe they were a barrel aged oatmeal stout, a robust porter, a pale, and an IPA.

I ordered a sampler of all 4. By far the best beer was the barrel aged stout. It provided a really nice spin on a pretty standard beer style. I forgot to even ask what type of barrel was used. However I am sure it was not bourbon (the typical barrel for a stout). My guess is some type of wine barrel was used. Given the location, it would be the best choice.

The other beers were pretty run of the mill. I am glad people are enjoying the IPA, but maybe it's a little too tame for my taste. I like my hops to really stand out more. I hope the DIPA will be around during my next visit.

My only advice would be to drop the Pearl Jam beer naming convention. It’s a great idea if your brewing beer for Pearl jam fans, but my guess is that’s not who’s coming in. The brewery is located in a pretty magical central coast location and I think it makes sense to pull names that represent the area.

All in all it seems like Aarons got a great thing going. I purchased his last Cambria Beer Co. work shirt and will wear it proudly on my brew days.

I definitely look forward to my next visit.

 

Hey I remember that guy! That shirt looks GREAT on you! Thanks for the kind words, and regarding the IPA, i would like to see the hops a bit more upfront. We will get it there. That was test batch #1 for the IPA. Next time we will add just a it more bittering hops and more flavour and aroma hops at the end. Maybe like 10-15% more IBU's.

On the beer naming front. I appreciate your thoughts. The beers need to be named after something right? I am just combining 2 passions, I don't care who gets the reference or not. Most don't, and some ask (like you did) and I stand by the names. We will do an american wheat beer which will be called Nit Wheat (after Nit Wit ridge). It is not like i am breaking new ground naming beers after songs or band references. FW has Parabola which Matt says is named after a Tool song, and also Wookie Jack, named after the Phish Fans who travel show to show. I will say that when ever I can name a beer after a PJ reference I will. If it doesn't fit then I won't. I just don't like Elephant Seal Stout... lol.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. If there is more feedback please let me know, privately or publicly.

 

Was just there for 3 nights in July but didn't get a chance to pop in. Next time! Love me some Cambria

 

Hey guys, any ideas of what to brew up soon? I have the following on the brew schedule: Oatmeal Stout, Amber, Belgian Table Beer, Belgian Dark Strong, Triple. If you have a choice what would you like to see brewed?

eta: current beers are: Robust Porter, Dortmunder Export, Dunkleweizen and IPA

 

Do you want to establish some flagship beers, or do you prefer to just brew something different every time?

I think a mix would be best for you - keep one or two of your lines dedicated to one or two beers (like your DIPA and your porter or stout) and then rotate new beers off the others. That way, people can try the new ones, but go back to your regular offerings if they don't like your experiments. Perhaps this is what you're already doing?

How did your German beers go over? I think that's a heavily underrepresented style on this coast, and I'd love to see more.

 

A fruited Berliner for next spring. And then my standard plea: **Petition to make Green River year round!!!**

 

So far I have been trying to keep up with what is popular on tap with the locals. So far that is IPA, Robust Porter, Stout, and Amber.

The German beers, Dortmund Export and Dunkleweizen have been HUGE hits, much more than I though. I will probably have 1 tap of a lager beer on at all times. The Dortmund was judged informally by 2 separate judges in a weekend. One gave a 43, and the other a 41. Thrilled is not the word describing how well this is received.

Up next is a Stout, and the amber re-brew, followed by the 3 belgians (table, BDS, and Triple).

GREEN RIVER is a year round beer. I plan on keeping the malt recipe the same, but depending on hops the hop bill will change every 3 or 4 brews.

 

8 months ago I set out to duplicate one of the best beers I have ever been a part of brewing. It was a Belgian Dark Strong aged in a petite sirah barrel that had some Brett bruxellensis which soured the beer. What came out was a superb beer one of the best American sours I have tasted in a long time. This was done as a group brew project with the San Luis Obispo Brewers (SLOBs for short). My five gallons was gone in about 2 months.

Sooo.. shortly after Cambria Beer opened I had the idea to try and duplicate this beer, but on a smaller scale like 3 gallons small!! Tucked away in the back of the brewery sat 3 gallons of Belgian Dark Strong with oak chips soaked in Petite Sirah wine and some Brett B thrown in to complete the experiment.

8 months later the result is a 12% abv Belgian Dark Sour. Raisin, currants, figs and other dried fruits complemented with more than a hint of sourness. Extremely drinkable.

I would take a picture of the beer, but I have so little of it that I don't want to waste any. (pictures on the facebook page)

Available only in 8 ounce pours for $8. One per customer per day.

 

Please save me one glass on Friday. Promise to make it out there. If Green River IPA is still there it would be amazing.

 

Hours for the week: Closed Wed thru Friday, back open again on Saturday at Noon. Hope that works for you.

 

Dang! Foiled again! Leaving on Saturday morning. Hopefully you have something fun on tap the week after Christmas.

 

What time on Saturday? Also we will be back in town sometime Friday, maybe between 4 and 6 pm. Any contact info for you?