Pressing Out Something New

image We have been getting our hands dirty lately and have been testing out a different kind of press. Instead of only waffle presses, we have brought in a nice big panini press to give our customers a bit more spice to their lives via variety!

Eric rocked out a rad Reuben on marble rye from Dean of OC Baking already, and what you see above was our first pressed sandwich - Smoked Turkey Club.  So, if you're not feeling waffly next time you're in, ask for your sammy pressed on sourdough or wheat!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Court is in Session

image Though we had to drag our collective butts out of bed early this past Sunday morning, it was well worth it to be guest judges for The Bruery's Batch #1000 Home Brew contest hosted at the barrel aging facility in Anaheim! Our panel consisted of nine (9) brews that were split into two (2) flights. We started off with a Belgian Flight, which included some rad beers, and ended with a Specialty Flight that had a Russian Imperial Stout that Judge Jerry was drooling over.

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Had some great beer, delicious pizza from Out of the Park Pizza, and met some fun people including Gabriel from www.beersinparadise.com, who was another guest judge.

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We even squeezed Nikki in to help steward the event haha.

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Big thanks go out to Patrick, Jonas, and Benjamin from The Bruery (look out for their Tuesday Tap Takeover on March 5th, 2013 AD)!

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Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Uh Oh

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Testing out some new brews...new beer coming soon. If you're nearby, stop in for a taste!

Smooches, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers – Ballast Point Brewing Edition

Tuesday Tap Takeovers – Ballast Point Brewing Full steam ahead!!!  Just two weeks after a super fun Stone Brewing Tuesday Tap Takeover, we have locked in Ballast Point Brewing in for our next event Tuesday February 12th, 2013 AD.  These guys have been throwing together some rad beer and things are just getting better and better.  Here is the lineup we have for the evening:

Wahoo Wheat (4%) - Our Belgian Wit Beer brewed with Coriander and Orange Peel. Well balanced with nice citrus notes. Longfin Lager (4.6%) - A light bodied helles style lager with subtle hop flavors a clean finish. The all day drinker. Sextant Bourbon BA (5.2%) - We aged our oatmeal stout in bourbon barrels to give it some boozy warmth and oak flavors in addition to its smooth chocolate and roasted character. Steamboat (6%) - A deceptively light bodied steam beer allows the dark malts to shine with subtle toffee and chocolate flavors. Sculpin IPA (7%) - A dry light bodied west coast IPA that has been generously dry hopped. Tropical hoppy flavors and aromas define this beer. Habanero Sculpin (7%) - Our flagship IPA infused with Habanero Peppers that really give this brew a great kick. Tongue Buckler (10%) - A bold viscous american strong ale that clocks in at over 100 IBUs. Not for the faint of heart. Victory at Sea (10%) - A velvety imperial porter made with cold brewed coffee and madagascar vanilla beans. The ultimate desert beer. Dorado (10%) - A big double IPA with citrus hop flavors and a sweet caramel malt body. Barmy (12%) - A caramelized honey ale made with organic apricot puree. Sweet fruity notes with a slightly tart finish make this strong beer too easy to drink.

Eric has come up with some delicious grub for the night:

Cali Cheese Steak - Carne Asada marinated in Long Fin Lager, sauteed peppers and onions with melted Pepper Jack.  Served with Lucky Habanero Salsa.  Pairing : Habanero Sculpin The Press Reuben - Toasted Marble Rye from OC Baking Co. with shaved pastrami, kraut, gruyere, and housemade Russian dressing.  Pairing : Sculpin IPA From Scratch Shephards Pie - Simmered in Sextant Bourbon Barrel Aged.  Pairing : Tongue Buckler

As usual, there should be some goodies for those who come early to our little shin dig!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - Stone Brewing Co. Edition

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - Stone Brewing .Co. After a little bit of a rest for the holidays, Tuesday Tap Takeovers are back in action for 2013.  For this month, we have wrangled in Stone Brewing Co.!  These guys have been crucial to spreading great craft brew along the west coast, including their own.

Without further ado, here is the lineup for the night:

1. IPA - 6.9% - True to style with a huge hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness throughout. 2. Ruination - 7.7% - Massive hop monster with a wonderfully delicious and intensely bitter flavor on a refreshing malt base. 3. Pale Ale 1/6 bbl - 5.4% - Robust and full flavored with a delicate hop aroma complemented by a rich malt. 4. Arrogant Bastard Ale - 7.2% - As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. 5. Smoked Porter - 5.9% - Dark, smooth and complex, with rich chocolate and coffee flavors balanced by a subtle smokiness 6. Levitation - 4.4% - Deep amber ale has rich malt flavors, a big hoppy character, and citrus overtones - courtesy of the hops and Stone's special brewers yeast. 7. Tiger Cub Saison - 7.7% - This guy is so new and so rare, we have no details on it. Ask us when you get here what we think of it. 8. Sublimely Self Righteous Ale with Espresso Beans - 8.7% - superb roasted coffee and cocoa combination up front followed by some subtle citric hops. A play on their normal SSRA. 9. Mix Tape Vol. 2 - 9.8% - Incorporates 2012 Imperial Russian Stout, 2011 Old Guardian Barleywine, 2011 Double Bastard, and 2012 Smoked Porter. Starts with a hit of bitter hop and moves to a sweet malt with notes of chocolate and caramel that sticks around into the grassy hop finish. 10. Mix Tape Vol. 3 - 7.8% - Blend includes 2011 Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine, 16th Anniversary IPA, Levitation Ale, Dogfish Head / Victory / Stone Saison du BUFF, Cali-Belgique IPA, and Pale Ale. Flavor of the parsley/sage/rosemary/thyme from the saison along with tangy hops, lemon verbena from the 16th Anniversary, and fruitiness from the Belgian yeast in three of the contributing beers. 11. 2011 Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout - 10.5% - Pours pitch black with a deep tan head, with aromatic notes of anise, coffee, and cocoa jumping from the glass. Coffee and dark roasted malt flavors dominate, with a robust compliment of anise and oak, which leave a lingering blend of vanilla, licorice, and dark malt on the palate. 12. 2011 Old Guardian - 12% - Malty rich flavors give a bold array of caramel, buttered toast, molasses, and brown sugars. Mild bread flavors allow for the reminiscence of toast and honey. Hoppy flavors combat with early citrus, turn pine, turn resin for a clean bitter finish.

OK, so Eric went a little crazy this time with the food specials!  Here are the dishes we will be whipping up for the event:

1. Smoked BBQ Burger : Bacon, cheddar, beer battered onion rings, and BBQ sauce reduced with Stone Smoked Porter all over homemade Kenebec potato chips. Pairing : Stone Smoked Porter 2. Smoked Salmon Frisée Salad : Alaskan Salmon grilled with a mustard apricot glaze served over a bed of frisée, arugula and spinach with sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Pairing : Stone Tiger Cub Saison 3. Ruination Irish Nachos : Proscuitto, cabbage, and jalapeño peppers simmered in Stone Ruination IPA served over waffle fries and covered with sharp cheddar sauce. Pairing : Stone Ruination IPA 4. Banana Tart Cheesecake : Made with all natural ingredients from our friends at Tarts N Things served with Stone Sublimely Self Righteous brewed with Espresso beans.

As usual, for all you early birds, there will be some giveaways.  We hope to see you guys there!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - Flight of Darkness Edition

Continuing our fun little Tuesday Tap Takeovers over here at The Iron Press, we have hand (errr...mouth?) selected, in collaboration with Orangey and his crew at Beer in Orange County, about a dozen dark ales to ring in the holidays.  We have some rad barrel aged, seasonal, specialty, and rare suckers coming in this coming Tuesday - December 4th, 2012 AD from 5PM - 10PM PST.

So far, we have on the lineup we have: * Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast - 9% ABV rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. * Mint Chocolate Porter from Bootleggers - 6.1% ABV refreshing mint balanced with subtle hints of dark chocolate notes winter ale. * Groundwork Coffee Porter from Tustin Brew Company - 6% ABV COFFEE beer rather than a beer with coffee. Imagine a chocolate covered espresso bean. * Smoking Wood from The Bruery - 10% ABV imperial porter brewed with beachwood and cherrywood smoked malt, and aged in rye whiskey barrels. * Winter Warmer from Hangar 24 - 7.8% ABV blended together locally harvested spruce tips from Angelus Oaks, maple syrup from Wisconsin and cinnamon from Saigon. * Bourbon Barrel Aged Marlin from Ballast Point - 5.8% coffee and caramel notes aged in bourbon barrels adding oak flavors. * He’Brew Jewbilation Sweet 16 from Shmaltz - 16% ABV, 16 malts, 16 hops, 16 years in the making. * Blacks Dawn by Cismontane - 8% ABV heavy strong stout brewed with coffee, brown sugar and oats. * Wild Turkey Bourbon Aged Stout from Anderson Valley - 5.8% ABV aroma of fresh-baked bread, toffee, and espresso mingling with the woody vanilla and roasted notes of bourbon. * 90 Schilling Scotch Ale from Taps - 8.2% ABV full bodied, malty, with a hint of toastiness with a slightly sweet finish. * Speedway Stout from Alesmith - 12% ABV strong coffee and dark chocolate sensation, then fades to a multitude of toasty, roasty and caramel malt flavors.

and...wait  for it...wait for it...

* The Perfect Crime Black Smoked Saison from a collaboartion by Evil Twin, Stillwater, and Stone -  6.8% ABV crafted a beer that cleverly exploits the definition of a saison.

Build-Your-Own-Flights will be available for most of the guys we have on tap by way of four (4) x five (5) ounce pours offered up at $12, $10 if you pick up and demolish one of our sandwiches!  Our Chef Extraordinaire Eric has also whipped up a super tasty Stout BBQ Burger : Bacon, Cheddar, Onion Rings, Potato Chips, and an Old Rasputin Reduced BBQ Sauce.  We look forward to stuffing your faces with great food and swelling up your liver with delicious dark libations.

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers – North Coast Brewing Edition

In what we hope to be the start of a great tradition over here at The Iron Press, we have locked down another great California craft Brewery to bring some really fun beer in for a super limited run in our humble little shop.  This coming Tuesday - October 9th, 2012 AD from 6 PM - 10 PM PST, North Coast Brewing will be hosting our latest Tuesday Tap Takeovers!  The lineup we have going this time will be:

*Pranqster - A 7.6% Belgian Style Golden Ale.  A semi-permanent resident at The Iron Press, this brew uses a mixed culture of antique yeast strains that produce a floral nose, a full fruity flavor, and a clean finish. *Le Merle - A 7.9% Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute exotic aromas of tropical fruit. *Old Rasputin - A 9% Russian Imperial Stout. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. This bad boy will be served up on NITRO.  That's right.  You heard me. *Brother Thelonius - A 9.4% Belgian Style Strong Dark. Another semi-permanent resident beer is rich, dark, robust, and simply delicious. *Old Stock Ale - An 11.9% Old Ale. Meant to be aged with a dark chestnut-amber hue, exotic winey aromas, and shockingly vinous fruit. *Grand Cru - A 12.5% Oak Aged Ale. It's subtle, complex and lightly hopped with a deceptive strenght, and aging it in oak gives this unique beer an extra dimension. The result is really "champagne-like." *Red Seal - A 5.4% American Amber Ale. Full bodied, generously hopped for a long, spicy finish.  This is where things get really interesting, folks.  We will be offering a back to back pairing of the Red Seal with...wait for it...wait for it... *Red Seal Cask Conditioned - This is an unfiltered and unpasteurized version of the beer served using a traditional English beer engine or through NITRO in our case.  No additional carbonation is added to the beer in this process.  This sucker is meant to be served a bit warmer, so enjoy the normal Red Seal first, then sip a bit after.

As we have done in the past for you early comers, we may have some special little giveaways for ya *wink wink nudge nudge*.  We are super excited about what we are bringing in this time, especially to see everyone's reactions and hope to see all you beer heads here!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Tuesday Tap Takeovers - Hangar 24 Edition

Soooooo, yeaaaaahhhhh, sorry we have not been updating our blog lately, but we have been fervishly working on improving things at the shop.  Alas, things are starting to mellow out a bit and we will begin focusing on bringing some more fun into our little joint.  To kick things off right, we have been working with local breweries and having them bust out new, rare, and creative beers at The Iron Press!  If you guys remember, we had our first test run with Bootleggers back in June which was super rad.  This time (Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 AD from 7 - 10 PM PST), we are bringing in Hangar 24, a crazy good brewery located out in Redlands.  WIthout further ado, the lineup we will be pouring for the evening will be:

Hammerhead - A 13.8% barrel aged barley wine that is amaaaaaazazazing. 4th Anniversary Archive - An 8.8% double version of their Alt-Bier. DIPA - A 9% double IPA, 'nuff said. Polycot - A 7.2% apricot wheat beer, super refreshing. Local Fields Essence - An 8.5% imperial IPA brewed with navel oranges, blood oranges, and grapefruit. Oktoberfest - A 5.7% true German amber brewed with imported German hops, malts, and yeast. Orange Wheat - A 4.6% crisp wheat beer brewed with locally grown oranges. Chocolate Porter - An 8% intense porter brewed with chocolate malt, raw cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans.

For you early comers, we may have some special little giveaways for ya *wink wink nudge nudge*.  We hope to see all you beer heads here!

Smoochies, Len & Jerry

Hollerrrr from Hollarrrrr

We got another shout out in the OC Register.  This time by Leah Hollar:

http://www.ocregister.com/news/waffle-356608-press-iron.html

This article mentions a little bit about the oyster bar Noah and I are working on, as well as the wood-fired oven and classic cocktail concept Noah's got going on (Arc) right across the pavement from The Iron Press!  Back when we first visited SOCO, we were a bit unsure of how things will turn out, but sitting down and seeing the vision of the plaza and how huge the potential was convinced the few of us to sign on the dotted line for our little beer and waffle joint.  Here we are almost a year later and seeing how the center has grown has been super exciting/nerve wracking/ulcer inducing.  Regardless, we would not have chosen a different spot and can not wait to see what we can do to help this community grow from here.

Smoochies, Len and Jerry

Food Menage a Trois

No seriously.  They took maybe ninety-two (92) shots of us and who knows when this one was snapped as we were actually getting down to some nitty gritty business stuff then.  Anyhoo, the Daily Pilot had a little write up explaining all the trenches Noah and I have been getting into and what Jerry, me, and the crew over at The Iron Press has been skipping along to.  We were not notified when the article was going to the presses and unfortunately someone called in sick that morning it was published!  Man o man, we were running around like crazed lunatics trying to keep our customers happy that morning.  For all of you who visited us then and it took a wee bit too long to get that food into those mouths of yours, we asure you that things have improved by leaps and bounds.  That is not to say we have worked out all of our of problems, but every day looks a little bit shinier!

Hop on over here to check out the article:

http://www.dailypilot.com/news/tn-dpt-0506-shuck-20120505,0,7697359.story

Then hop on over to our shop and try some beer, oops I mean waffles (and stay for more beer).  If you are more inclined to enrich your knowledge, take a bigger leap over to http://shuckoysterbar.wordpress.com/ to see what the shuck we are up to.

Smoochies, Len and Jerry