Tuesday Tap Takeovers - The Portola Coffee Lab Edition

Hi.  Hello.  We know this is going to be back-to-back Tuesdays, but we really wanted to squeeze this sucker in.  We will be having a special Tuesday Tap Takeover with the boys and girls from Portola Coffee Lab!  "Eh, coffee?!" you say?  That's right!  We will be featuring beers brewed with Portola coffee and tea.  Think Noble's Naughty Sauce or Beachwood BBQ's Tovarish Imperial Stout.

Without further ado:

1. Noble Ale Work's Earl's Grey Dinghy - 3.5% ABV - This English ale uses some incredible English malts and gets hit hard with a dose of Earl Grey Tea from Seventh Tea Bar. The result is light-medium bodied, copper in color and is what is truly meant by a Session beer.

2. Haven's Performance Enhancing Drink - 4.5% ABV | 15 IBU - This American Brown has a light and brown in appearance. Supposed to drink like a morning coffee and showcase aroma and flavor of coffee, yet still drink a beer.

3. Noble Ale Work's El Tigre En Inglése - 4.6% ABV - Their English 101 saturated with Hartmann Estate Geisha from Portola Coffee Lab. An extremely rare coffee that adds elements of Orange and Almond to their full-bodied English Ale that has big toasted bread like flavors. We hope you like it as much as we all do.

4. Noble Ale Work's Naughty Sauce - 5.4% ABV - Head Brewer Evan Price worked together with Roast Master Jeff Duggan from Portola Coffee Lab for this paradox. This golden milk stout is made with oats and milk sugar, coffee instead of roasted grain and then served on nitro to add even more creaminess! Full bodied, deep golden in color, with smooth and flavorful layers of pecan pie, cinnamon and cookie dough.

5. The Guseva - 9% ABV - Old Rasputin (a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish) with an extraction of espresso! Guseva was the person who attempted to murder Rasputin but failed. Hat tip to Steven Dean Thompson for the name.

6. Beachwood BBQ & Brewing's Mocha Machine - 9.4% ABV | 37 IBU - This imperial coffee chocolate porter is a well-engineered endeavor in massive aromatics and rich flavors. Brewed with an array British and German malts, this burly brew is infused with masterfully roasted coffee from Portola Coffee Lab in Costa Mesa, CA. It is then aged on cacao nibs from Equador, adding an awesomely deep dimension of fudge.

7. The Bruery's Mélange No. 8 - 14.5% ABV | 25 IBU - The eighth in The Bruery's Mélange series of blended beers - this robust American strong ale is a marriage of their bourbon barrel aged anniversary ale along with White Oak Sap (their bourbon barrel aged wheat wine), along with locally roasted Geisha coffee from our friends at Portola Coffee Lab.

Gahhhhh, I can't wait!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

The Menu for Tonight’s Tuesday Tap Takeover – The Cismontane Edition

Woo hoo!  Here is what we will be stuffing your faces with tonight:

1. The Iron Press Rice-Waffle Dip - $9 - Our special blend of rice cooked in a waffle iron with a generous portion of prime cuts of rib eye, our Asian sauce, sautéed onions, and spice blend.

2. The Iron Press Ice Cream Bacon Waffle Sam-mich - $7 -  Our scrumptious waffle stuffed with two thick cut smoked bacon strips, held together with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and Cismontane’s Blacks Dawn stout reduction on top.

Below are a few previews for tonight!

As always, DJ LexaKhan will be on the jams for our little shin dig, we hope to see you all there!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - The Cismontane Edition

Here we go again!  We are all set for our next Tuesday Tap Takeover with our close neighbors out in Rancho Santa Margarita - Cismontane.  Join us on September 10th, 2013 AD for great brews, yummy eats, sick tunes by DJ LexaKhan, and fun times!

Check back with us soon for the full line-up for the evening, we have a preliminary list set out, and everything is making my mouth water already!

Annnnnnd, here is the list:

1. Marea Roja Flemish - 4.4% ABV | 13 IBU - This Belgian red is brewed Plymouth style, soured with raw grain that is added to the mix which introduces lactose visalus making for a tart and dry finish. Unique to this style, this beer is unaged, straight from the stainless steel vats, and pulled down naturally similar to a lambic.

2. La Crema - 4.5% ABV | 15 IBU - Cream ales are some of the most drinkable in the beer world. Our open fermenters allow this style to flourish with a bit more ester profile and full body. This beer is for sessions with friends on a hot day.

3. Holy Jim Falls - 4.5% ABV | 45 IBU - This XPA is named after the falls at the end of Holy Jim trail in the Trabuco Canyon. The refreshing flavor and hoppy aroma will certainly be enhanced when standing in the cool waters of the falls when you reach the end of the trail. Throw a couple of these in your bag for the hike and enjoy it to the sound of running water.

4. Session Saison - 4.7% ABV | 20 IBU - A traditional Belgian table beer. Light yeast driven notes of orange and clove. Quaffable, easy drinking and refreshing, this style is perfect for hot days in Southern Cali.

5. Wild Buckwheat Oktoberfest - 5.6% ABV | 30 IBU - Inspired by the season we took advantage of the fact that the California Buckwheat is going to seed and integrated this native species into the beer. The beer is a deep copper color, smooth and refreshing with a malty finish that has a touch of honeysuckle from the buckwheat.

6. The Citizen - 6.0% ABV | 45 IBU - The California Common almost disappeared after prohibition as did the term Cismontane. Our interpretation of this style is a golden warm fermented lager with sufficient hop aroma. As a brewer and citizen of Cismontane California it is our obligation to produce a fine Californian Common.

7. Coulter - 7.2% ABV | 60 IBU - Named after the coulter big cone pine tree this is a well-balanced rye I.P.A. It brings the beer style back to its roots. Brewed with a hit of rye for head retention and a deeper malt character, this beer has the best of all worlds, great hop aroma, a strong body and deceiving strength.

8. Zythos IPA - 7.4% ABV | 85 IBU - This is a classic Californian IPA brewed with all California grown malts. Zythos hops make for bright citrus notes are prevalent on the nose with a dry and pronounced bitter finish.

9. Saison Extra - 8.0% ABV | ?? IBU - This beer was brewed strictly for barrel aging so we didn’t pay too close attention to much outside of its gravity. Also, this beer literally carbonated itself! We used the DuPont yeast strain during primary fermentation. After filling wine barrels we had a about 50 gallons left over. We stored the ‘extra’ beer, uncarbonated, in kegs all summer where temperatures climbed well into the 80’s in our storage space. This encouraged the beer to re-ferment in the keg, naturally carbonating itself much like breweries in Belgium have been finishing saisons for centuries. Famously, Saison DuPont ferments at or above 90 degrees for some stages, so we are really looking forward to the ester profiles we created in Rancho Santa Margarita!

10. Blacks Dawn - 8.5% | 50 IBU - A heavy strong stout brewed with coffee, brown sugar and oats. With its powerful quality and morning ingredients it seems parallel to a solid dawn surf session at Blacks. With an inside connection to boutique roasted fare trade beans we were granted the opportunity to make this exceptional brew even better.

11. 3rd Anniversary Belgian Strong - 9% ABV | 20 IBU - Our 3rd anniversary beer has sweetness with a light to moderate spiciness. The malt is prevalent and has light caramel toast and bready aroma. The fruity esters are moderate, and contain raisin, plum, dried cherry, fig and prune notes. Alcohols are soft, spicy, and lightly perfumy. Coppery-brown in color with huge, dense, cream colored head. The varied flavors blend smoothly and harmoniously. This is a dark, complex, very strong Belgian ale that is rich, smooth and dangerous.

In the meantime, you guys can check out what the brewery looks like:

And Head Brewmaster, Evan, checking on some barrels:

See you guys soon!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

WOOKIE ALERT!

WOOKIE ALERT! Just one day after the talented and wonderful Anne Watson snapped a picture of our new gooey chocolate chip waffle cookie topped with French Vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, OC Weekly threw this up:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2013/08/the_iron_press_wookie_waffle_cookie.php

We just started making a peanut butter one, too. Woo(kie) hoo!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

The Menu for Tonight’s Tuesday Tap Takeover – The Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Edition

Here's what we are jamming into your mouths for tonight:

1. IRON PRESS MEATLOAF - $9 - A robust mix of lean ground beef and pork with chorizo, mild green and white chili peppers, garlic and a touch of spices, topped with our BBQ gravy (using Beachwood BBQ's sauce!) resting on a tater tot waffle garnished with a dollop of mashed potatoes.

2. PEANUT BUTTER WOOKIE - $7 - Warm waffle shaped peanut butter cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

A little peak at the mouth watering goodness:

DJ LexaKhan will be spinning up Funk tunes all night long in honor of Funky Fridays back in the days at Beachwood BBQ!  See you guys tonight!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Publish X The Iron Press Jogger Pants Release Event

Yo!  So, The Iron Press will be feeding the masses at the Publish Jogger Pants Release Event this coming Friday August 16th, 2013 AD from 8 PM - Midnight PST.  We have a limited amount of tickets for this private event and would like to invite some of our friends!  If you are interested, please hit me up as it will surely be a lot of fun!

Jerry is bringing in a bunch of his family's famous Lucky Habanero Salsa, Peligroso Tequila has two bartenders mixing up some funn drinks, PBR is throwing it back to our college years, Instant Party Pix will have a rad photo booth there, Gilbere Forte will be performing, we'll be shoveling grilled cheese sandwiches, tater tots, and fried chicken and waffles into your tummy, etc. etc. etc.

The event will be hosted at: The Great Company 1917 Bay Street Los Angeles, CA 90021

See (some of) you there!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

To Live & Dine Chef's Challenge

Hiya!  So Riviera Magazine is throwing a really nifty event over at SOCO (the plaza where we are stationed at) tomorrow Wednesday August 14th, 2013 AD from 6 PM - 8 PM PST.  You can sample and fill yourself up with signature dishes from Orange County's most talented chefs...and us!  In addition to all the food, there will be a ton of liquid guys out there with beer, wine, spirits, juices, water, etc.

It's twenty (20) bucks and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County, so it's kind of a no-brainer if you have the night free.

Full details can be found here:

http://www.modernluxury.com/riviera-orange-county/events/live-dine-chefs-challenge-0

We hope to see you guys there!

Smoochies, Len

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - The Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Edition

We are locked in with our next Tuesday Tap Takeover on August 20th, 2013 AD.  Not only will we be featuring some delicious beer from Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, we will be gathering up some of their tasty sauces and featuring special dishes with them!

Here is the super fun line up for the evening:

1. Tart Simpson - 3% ABV | 4 IBU - A naturally tart wheat beer brewed in the traditional Berliner Weisse fashion. Equal parts of German pilsner and wheat malts are mashed in an oxygen free environment for 72 hours. Natural cultures on the grain husks sour the wort (unfermented beer) during this period in what's know as "sour mash." The beer is then gently boiled for a short period to preserve the fresh doughy notes present. Tart Simpson is fermented with one of our favorite German ale yeasts and cold conditioned for a period of three weeks to smooth our the flavors. The result is a light-bodied and refreshing wheat beer with subtle acidic notes and lively carbonation.

2. Breaker APA - 5.5% ABV | 51 IBU - A hopped up American pale ale (APA) with a generous dose of Pacific Northwest hops. Brewed with American 2-row malt and a touch of light caramel malt, this APA is dry hopped with Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade hops for a burst of fresh aromatics that greets every sip.

3. Udder Love Milk Stout - 5.9% ABV | 30 IBU - A traditional milk stout that's packed with rich flavors. We begin with British Maris Otter malt for a toasty foundation, then layer on three different types of British roasted malts for coffee and bittersweet chocolate flavors. The beer is finished with milk sugar from the heart of America's dairyland, Wisconsin, adding a silky mouth feel. Enjoy this smooth and luscious milk stout and fall utterly in love. Contains lactose. Gold Medal at 2012 Great American Beer Festival® in Sweet Stout Category.

4. Hop Drops - 6.2% ABV | 63 IBU - Hop Drops is a Belgian-inspired beer brewed outside the box. A base of German pilsner malt and a hefty helping of rye pave the way for a smattering of floral and citrusy European hops; we even used Mandarina Bavaria, an experimental German variety that adds distinctive tangerine accents. Brewed with our favorite Belgian yeast, Hop Drops is dry and highly sessionable.

5. El Verano Saison - 6.7% ABV | 41 IBU - A traditional Belgian-style saison that begins with a base of German pilsner malt and a generous portion of malted rye. Malted spelt and flaked wheat adds a pleasant earthiness while softening the mouth feel. We've incorporated local sage honey to accentuate the floral German hops used in the kettle. Fermented with our favorite Belgian yeast, El Verano has aromas of fresh fruits and delicate spices with a refreshingly dry finish and lively carbonation. Bronze Medal at 2012 Great American Beer Festival® in French/Belgian Saison.

6. Kilgore Stout - 7.1% ABV | 77 IBU - An American stout brewed with rye malt for a silky body, Kilgore is brewed with British roasted barley and chocolate malts for a roasty backbone with notes of coffee and cocoa. Hopped with Chinook, Columbus, Centennial and Cascade hops for a citrusy Pacific Northwest punch.

7. Hop Tub IPA - 7.1% ABV | 99+ IBU - Slide right in to a pint of this delicious West Coast India pale ale and let the fun begin! Hop Tub is right in line with Beachwood's "West Coast" IPA philosophy: hoppy, aromatic, and light on the malt to let the hops take charge. Dry hopped with Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook, and Summit for a pungent and juicy aroma.

8. Laurel IPA - 7.2% ABV | 99+ IBU - Beachwood’s newest addition to its portfolio of West Coast IPAs. The foundation is laid with a base of American 2-row malt and a dash of light British caramel malt. Five different hop varieties are added to the kettle for massive layers of hop goodness. Amarillo, Summit, Columbus, Centennial, and Simcoe intermingle for an energetic burst of citrusy hop flavors. A generous dry hop addition of Amarillo, Centennial, and Summit make for a dank and pungent aroma that is sure to entice the most discriminating "hophead."

Check back with us soon for the next Tuesday Tap Takeover menu.

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

The Menu for Tonight's Tuesday Tap Takeover - Drake's Brewing Edition

Here's what we will be stuffing your faces with tonight!

1. It’s all about the GRAVY, JUICE, or AU JUS.  We just call it THE SAUCE!  We make ours from scratch simmering for twenty-four (24) hours pulling every ounce of flavor into THE SAUCE.  We use the finest cuts of prime rib eye beef cut thin, don’t forget to ask for sweet or hot peppers. - $9

2. Hawaiian bread dipped in our special maple syrup egg batter then pressed in our irons topped with a scoop of fresh vanilla ice cream and garnished. YUM! -$7

A little preview of the beefy goodness today:

It goes without saying, but DJ LexaKhan will be spinning the best (beer) tunes on the planet for your aural pleasure - ooh la la!  Freebies go out to those ordering a Drake's flight.  See you guys tonight!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Karl is New and Tasty

Yes, that is me in Karl's unmentionables.  Yes he is tasty, well his beers are!  Within the past two (2) years or so, we have seen Karl Strauss go from borderline big boys in the industry to really focusing on their beer again.  From their core offerings to a great variety of seasonal, anniversary, and specialty brews.

We were lucky enough to get invited out to their brand new tasting room down in San Diego before the grand opening by our friend and rep, Nina last week!

That's Nina and Nikki in front of some Bourbon barrel aged Wreck Alley Imperial Stout.  Nina sneaked some tasters of this guy and wowee, it was super tasty!  We are looking forward to getting our grubby little hands on a barrel of this juice and bringing it into The Iron Press soon.

A happy surprise came about an hour and a half into the evening when Paul Segura, the head brewer for Karl Strauss, tapped a cask of the Tower 20 Imperial IPA!  Creamy, bitey, yummy.  I had like five (5) glasses in the first hour, tee hee.

To keep not just our beer buds happy, we were stuffed plenty full with Phil's BBQ and our ears happy with some great music.

Even at night, the beer keeps brewing!  They had a brewer on hand checking on the batches there, but the kegging and bottling system was shut down for the night.

Anyhoo, it's Saturday and you guys shouldn't be spending all your time reading this stuff, but before your pretty eyes leave us for the day, here is some information for the tasting room:

Who: All y'all who enjoy great beer and can make the little jaunt down to San Diego.  All ages welcome, but alas, beer for those 21+
What : Karl Strauss' New Tasting Room Grand Opening
When : July 27th, 2013 AD
Where : 5895 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109
Why : Really?

For more information, poke here: http://www.karlstrauss.com/brewery/index.html

Smoochies,
Len & Jerry