Lost Coast Brewery - Alleycat Amber Ale

The alley cat reference is a bit misleading if you think of alley cats as untidy, unkempt creatures; this beer couldn't be less disheveled. Deep amber in color—darker than many brown ales—it gives off a great bouquet. Expect caramel, citrus and lightly peppery hop notes, with a faint roasted malt quality and a flourish of fresh dough. We found this a superbly easy-drinking brew with a nice arc to the flavor profile—starts with a bitterness that's quickly slaked by the sweet caramel malt notes. These then intertwine with citrus and pine notes. Finally, the moderately bitter finish sneaks in, positing gently floral evergreen hop notes. Overall, wonderfully balanced from aroma to finish—approachable for microbrew newbies, yet crafted with enough smarts to keep session-beer-seeking aficionados happy. We suggest using half a bottle to cook up some chicken breast in a reduction of brew and a bit of toasted sesame seed oil—then chop up the chicken into thin strips, serve in a salad with diced pecans and sliced cucumbers tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar and toasted sesame oil—served with a pint of the same beer.

We first featured the Lost Coast Brewery of Eureka, CA about two years ago and we knew then that we'd be back for some more. Their line up of microbrewed beer is downright solid, our only dilemma was a self-imposed one: we can only run two beers from the same brewery per month—so, here's another two of their VERY northern California brews (from San Francisco, head north along the 101 freeway for about 5 hours. A visit to their brewpub is worth the drive, seriously, we've done it, took us about 10 hours coming up from Southern CA, but definitely worth it). The roots of the Lost Coast Brewery go back to Barbara Groom's realization that she wanted to become a brewer—an epiphany experienced shortly after the first post-prohibition brewpub opened in California in 1983. After honing her homebrewing skills, visiting several famed international breweries and pubs, and some formal brewing education at the University of California, Davis and the Siebel Institute in Chicago, Barbara and her partner Wendy Pound quit their day jobs. In 1989 they purchased their brewpub location, an historic building constructed in the late 19th century. Barbara and Wendy purchased the property from its original owners, The Fraternal Order of The Knights of Pythias; from their name, we suspect they might appear in Dan Brown's sequel to The Da Vinci Code. With the Fraternal Order replaced, this brewing pair (a 'Sorority Sect' if you will), opened for business in 1990. Their brewpub décor is a mixture of art nouveau set within a classic gold rush age Saloon and is quite a hit with locals and thirsty travelers alike. In 2000, a second bottling and production site (their full fledged microbrewery) was added down the road in order to keep up with demand. Today, Lost Coast Brewery is the 46th largest brewery in the United States and distributes its fine ales in 19 states. While the northern California gold rush may have died out, Wendy and Barbara ensure that Eureka will always be rich with great beer. Thanks ladies! For more information about the brewery, brewpub and/or scheduled tours, call (707) 445-4484 or check out their web site at www.lostcoast.com. The drive through Northern CA along the 101 freeway is breathtaking, the brewpub atmosphere is unique and inviting, the food is top notch, and each of the 10 beers on tap is expertly crafted. Plenty of variety means there's something for everyone, including apricot- and tangerine-flavored wheat beers, a raspberry brown ale, to name a few.