The Beer

Pogonip Pale is named in honor of the meadows, forests, and creeks of one of Santa Cruz’s greenbelts. Fresh grapefruit zest enhances the citrus character of cascade and chinook hops. Just as a hike in Pogonip refreshes the soul, Pogonip Pale refreshes the palate with zings of lemon and grapefruit on a delicate malt background.

Historically, a table beer in Belgium or France was meant to be enjoyed at the table in the company of your favorite people, and that is the case with our anniversary beer. Low in alcohol and so quaffable, it goes with whatever you’re eating. An array of grains contributes to its malty goodness, and saison yeast brings a light fruitiness to the table.

Our whiskey barrel-aged imperial stout is dark, rich, and authoritative. Aromas of roasted malt, whiskey, and oak capture your attention, while notes of deep caramel, toasted marshmallow, and fig enthrall your tastebuds. A lingering, roasty bitterness brings all of the elements into triumphant balance.

Indulge in this malty, toasty dubbel enlivened by yeast-generated plum and peppery esters. Maple syrup in the kettle lends hints of creme brulee and a whiff of smoke like sugar caramelizing, fermenting out for an earthy, dry, and crisp finish.

Brett, saison yeast, lactobacillus/-pedicoccus, and time worked their magic on this saison, resulting in a bright, citrusy beer with a dry finish. Notes of lemon, stone fruit, pepper, baking spices, and vanilla captivate the palate.

The Winter Circle is a huge, twinkling pattern of stars that dominates the winter sky. Our Winter Circle casts a prevailing glow that decorates any darkness. This big, complex American Barleywine is a bright, copper-hued beauty with a heady fermented fruit aroma, restrained malty sweetness and a slightly bitter finish.

The Lark, our Maibock brewed each spring to celebrate the season, spent a year in a bourbon barrel.  Then, a bit of The Lark from this spring was blended in to add body and sweetness.  Toffee and biscuit on the nose lead into toasted oak, the pleasing glow of bourbon, and a dry lager finish.  Do you get a hint of dried flowers that suggests an early summer stroll through a sun-warmed field?  Us too.

Let me be clear. I’m a West Coast IPA emphasizing hop character over bitterness. With classic Cascade hops contributing their unique citrus and floral notes, and Azacca and El Dorado offering tropical and stone fruits, bright aromas and flavors come shining through.

Our version of Flanders Red, the famous Belgian Sour Red Ale, is fruity and reminiscent of red wine. A lemony nose leads into tart cherry character on a good malt backbone, with oak notes from the barrels mingling with a suggestion of almonds.

500ml bottle

Tart you glad our tart brown ale features raspberries? The aroma greets you with prominent raspberry character, and rich malt with notes of raisin, prune, and a hint of chocolate complement and soften the tart raspberry. The finish is full-bodied yet so refreshing!

Under the great big sky is where Great Uncle Dave likes to be, sheltered by the stars. In this heightened version of your favorite IPA, bright fresh green pine meets your nose, leading into mouthwatering caramel malt balanced with a bit of candied orange peel and the zing of rye. The twinkle of tropical and piney hop flavors brightens this classic West Coast Double IPA. It’s great!

Brewed with local sage honey from Jeff Walls’ Family Honey just up the road in Soquel, this saison’s aroma bursts with fragrant, floral spice.
A pear-like fruitiness enhances the grain character, and there is a hint of black pepper on the palate. A very dry finish offers a suggestion of
honey. We could all use an Encouraging Word!

Without a doubt, this beer is barrel-aged!  It is the cream that we call into question. There is no cream in our double cream ale nor in cream ales in general.  But the smooth strength, rich mouthfeel, and malty sweetness of Barrel-aged Allegedly are well-proven. Time in a whiskey barrel added notes of vanilla and whiskey. Lively carbonation lifts aromas of pear and accentuates the dry, slightly tart finish. One sip will confirm its deliciousness.

Your splendid tropical fruit and floral aromas lead us eagerly into the opulence of you. Your golden hue promises a wealth of treasures, and you deliver such an abundance of bright and candy-like fruitiness. You whisper of green and resinous secrets, keeping us enthralled.

Parched? Quench your thirst with a glass of Margarita Road. We aged our Mexican-style amber lager in tequila barrels, then added sea salt and organic lime zest. The copper-hued malty lager has a bright and refreshing character that makes for easy drinking.

Our Contemplate beers showcase unique ingredients on a canvas of Belgian blonde ale aged for a year with Brettanomyces in American oak barrels.

Contemplate Grapes stars local, organic Chardonnay grapes. They give a vinous quality to the aroma, with notes of pear, mango, and citrus. Fermentation on the grape skins created moderate tannins which add heft and dryness. The grapes’ acidity lends balance and maintains the refreshing finish. With time, this variation may evolve more complex fermentation characteristics due to native yeasts on the grapes themselves.

Our Contemplate beers showcase unique ingredients on a canvas of Belgian blonde ale aged for a year with Brettanomyces in American oak barrels.

Contemplate Hops displays Jarrylo and Waimea hops. Jarrylo adds its own notes of banana and pear to those same fruit notes contributed by Brettanomyces. Waimea lends bright citrus and pine components that play well with the mild acidity. Together, the hop flavors mingled with Brett’s fruit esters present ripe stone fruit and a tropical touch of pineapple.

This Brett-ed wit with coriander, pink pepercorn, and chardonnay pomace was aged in a Windy Oaks pinot barrel for 18 months. The aroma is oaky, spicy, citrusy, and pear-like, with vanilla and some chardonnay notes. The light refreshing flavor starts with a kiss of tannin and gives way to a silky, oaky fullness.

We support the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, which works to preserve local lands and critters.

Hi Citra! We will never get tired of hanging out with you. Your exceptional aromas and flavors of orange, guava, melon, and green pine are so alluring. You make such a sweet first impression, and then you continue to entice and refresh us. You can come over any time.

Is there anyone better to sit around a campfire with, telling stories, IPAs in hand? We think not. Cheers, Uncle Dave! Our Rye IPA has fruity/herbal hop aromas with a substantial supporting maltiness. The rye contributes a hint of peppery spice to this full bodied, complex IPA.

Available in 12oz and 19.2oz cans.

Put away the flashlights. The darkness is friendly and brings into focus the night’s scents and sounds. In our Night Walk, a dry-hopped black ale, bold hops mingle with chocolaty roast malt. Can an IPA be the color of night?

Aged for over 15 months in French oak barrels, this old ale’s brettanomyces character expresses itself as fruity funk on the nose, with flavors of dried cherry leading to a dry finish.

Three Fawns is a Belgian-style tripel aged in American bourbon barrels. A boozy warmth redolent of vanilla, black pepper, and honey, along with soft berry notes, leads into a dry peppery finish influenced by oak.

Tens of millions of flowers were visited by local bees to make the honey that gives a taste of place and a dry finish to our Kolsch-style ale. Vinous esters mingle with a wisp of honey in the nose. The delicate malt flavor is gently accented with a touch of orange zest in this refreshing, food friendly beer.

This new-school hazy IPA is brimming with aromas of tropical fruits. Hops, hops, and more hops were added to this beer throughout the production process to create a distinctively succulent IPA with notes of pineapple and guava. You wouldn’t be blamed if you thought this was some sort of “new juice” rather than our latest IPA.

Originally brewed for the Redwood Mountain Faire, this blonde ale is a favorite for sipping beneath our beloved, towering redwoods.  Delightfully bright and refreshing, its low bitterness and subtle malt expression will win you over.

Now available in 12oz. cans!

The Winter Circle is a huge, twinkling pattern of stars that dominates the winter sky. Our Winter Circle casts a prevailing glow that decorates any darkness.

This barrel-aged version of our American Barleywine (3 months in Colorado Whiskey barrels) is a big, complex, copper-hued beauty. The whiskey barrels in which it is aged add notes of vanilla and oak to this luscious, heady sipper.

On the porch you can wave and chat or just sit back, observe, and appreciate, sheltered yet still a part of the wide world. On The Porch Pale Ale is an easy-drinking pale ale with bready malt flavors and a balanced, expressive hop profile.

Amazing panoramas await when you take the scenic route. Scenic Stout is a robust yet smooth stout with a rich aroma of bittersweet chocolate. Oats round out its roasty, deep, dark cocoa flavor. Scenic Stout is the way to go.

Cruzer Weisse is our Santa Cruz version of Berliner Weisse, the sour wheat beer from Northern Germany. Pleasantly tart and effervescent, Cruzer Weisse is the perfect thirst quencher, bringing a refreshing zing to your warm weather fun.

Lars and Kathleen spent a week wandering around Dublin during a heatwave, and all the Dubliners were in the parks with their shirts off enjoying the feel of the sun on their skin. Day by day they walked through St. Stephens Green seeing redder and redder skin as everyone excitedly burned.  It was a sunburn celebration. This is a traditional Irish Red: malty with a wee bit ‘o hops for balance. Sláinte!

While we wait for the rains, foggy forest walks reassure us with green, misty promise. This IPA hints of forest pleasures with its dank, resinous, piney hop aroma.

Our old shepherd Faith would’ve made a great brewery dog, but she didn’t live quite long enough. (Dogs never do.) Here’s to her and to all the good dogs. Good Faith is a Strong Ale, with malt derived toffee and dried fruit notes.

Mickie Malone’s Irish eyes were usually smiling. She had a kind heart and a smile that beamed. I miss you Mom; this one’s for you.
Love, Michael

Irish-Style Dry Stout served on Nitro

Oh Black Lager, Keep on Rollin’… The sound of the black lager happily burbling in the brew house brought this song to mind. Similar in style to a German Schwarzbier, this lager is dark brown in color with a roasted malt aroma and a lingering finish.  Its flavor is malty and mellow with a slight roasty edge reminiscent of bitter chocolate.

She has a shimmery depth, like light on the fathomless sea. Our brewer’s wife, Eileen, inspired the name of this beer.  Shimmer Pils is a crisp and refreshing German-style Pilsner, a true lager with a balanced hoppiness.

Our brewer always has a song in his heart, and it makes us happy when we hear it. May you, too, have one, whether shared or all your own. “Song” is a British-Style session beer with soft roasty caramel notes and no bitterness. A song goes well with just about anything!