Blind Pig Brewing Company - Golden Ale

Considered Blind Pig's flagship product, their golden ale was the first and currently their only bottled product. This medium-bodied beer achieves its unique flavor partially by blending 80% 2-row pale, 12.5% Dextrine Caripils, 5% Wheat, and 2.5% Caramelized Crystal malts. Caripils are unfermentable malts which Vinnie uses in all of his beers to add body without increasing the alcohol content. Using malted wheat in addition to barley increases the beer's head retention. Blind Pig's Golden Ale is hopped at the beginning of the 60 min. boil with 25% Perle hops, at 30 min. with 9% Columbus hops, and at 45 min. with 13% Cascade hops. The remaining 55% of hops used are also Cascade and added immediately after the boil.

A very nice pale, clear color with excellent head retention. This beer has a great hoppy nose with cascade hops and some esters evident. Look for a very hoppy flavor in this surprisingly medium-bodied ale. Its mild maltiness up front is dominated by a strong hop flavor and clean bitter finish. Overall, this is an excellent product, very fresh, clean, and offering a wonderful hop character.

While many American cities endured prohibition, the Temecula Valley was fortunate enough to have a fair share of their own bootleggers. As Bootlegging became increasingly popular, many legal saloons began to serve 'bootlegged' products. During prohibition, there were no bottles available, so to hide the illegal beverage, bootleggers would store it in a 'pig', the slang term used for a mason jar. An unmarked mason jar became known as a 'blind pig' and soon anyone seeking an illegal brew knew to ask for it by this term.

In Temecula, a man by the name of Joe Winkels ran a local establishment fronted by the Ramona Inn, which was not only a motel, but a boxing ring,brothel and tavern at which one could purchase a number of different varieties of blind pigs. The saloon, which also became known as The Blind Pig, became so successful that it was one of only a few dozen like it across the country to escape the prohibitionist's sledge hammer. Many Hollywood celebrities of that era ventured down to Temecula to sample the legendary products served at 'The Blind Pig'. By the 1950's, the Blind Pig Saloon was no longer operational.

Determined to make history again, proprietors of the Blind Pig Brewing Company, Vinnie Cilurzo and Dave Stovall began producing a line of hop-assertive beers in July of 1994. The brewhouse is a 7 barrel system which allows brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo to produce only 3000 barrels per year at this time. The brewery's other products include a very hoppy India Pale Ale, an American Stout, and two seasonal beers, an Amber Ale and a Barley Wine. Until just recently, all Blind Pig products were only available in kegs. You are sampling products from the brewery's first ever bottling run.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (909) 695-4646.