I went to meet with my buddy Terrill in
Oakland. We hadn’t had a chance to meet over beers since summer, so I was really looking forward to this. I had
heard of a beer bar called the Trappist in Oakland, which specialized in
Belgian style beers on tap. In the course of looking at SF Beerweek events, I
also came across another beer bar in Oakland called the Beer Revolution. Turns
out that they are only 5 blocks apart, so no need to choose. I called the Beer
Revolution in advance to see if they had anything from Deschutes on tap, as a
gauge of their excellence. Not only did they have something, they had something
very special. Deschutes had brewed a rye beer for them Called Ryeders on the
Storm. Awesome name, so Beer Revolution was first.
The bar is fantastic! They have 47 different craft beers on
tap and constantly rotate, depending on what is available. I saw so many beers
that I’d never seen before it was almost overwhelming. There were 3 from
Dogfish Head alone. Opposite the bar were 3 double-wide refrigerators with
glass doors, fully stocked with individual specialty beers. You can either buy
the bottle for the listed price and take it home, or pay and extra $1 for a
capping fee. We each got a bottle of Dogfish Head’s tribute beer for bluesman
Robert Johnson (Hellhounds on my Ale). Great atmosphere and friendly staff and
clientele. It is easy to get into a conversation with random people about the
various beers available and that they had tried. The place is a beer drinker’s
heaven.
So, the beer: Ryeders on the Storm:
Low alcohol at 4.5%, but it was very tasty. Dark brown color, low carbonation,
and limited hops. The flavor is in the malts. Very smooth, with a nice hint of
smokiness and burnt sugar. I hope to encounter this one again.
The second beer I tried was Port
Brewing’s Midnight Expressions: This is a dark lager. Good slightly burnt malt
flavor, that is reminiscent of a good porter. Less sweet than some porters, and
with a light feel of a lager. I’ve gotten to really like the dark lagers and
this one is right there with Moonlight’s Death and Taxes.
So, Beer Revolution issued last
call and it was off to the Trappist. This is another great beer bar. Oakland is
truly blessed to have both of these fine institutions so close together. The
Trappist has two bars, a front and back, with different taps. Less selection
than Beer Revolution, and definitely more upscale. They also serve food, but it
was more pricey and less pubish than I was in the mood for. They did have these
fried pork things that were interesting, but I really could have gone for some
French fries.
Overall, lots of brick, lots of
wood – good comfortable atmosphere. I started with Jolly Pumpkin’s Maracaibo
Especial. Brown, Belgian style. Almost like a brown sour, like Consecration,
but less sour. Very tasty. It is brewed
with cacao, cinnamon, and sweet orange peel. The orange comes out in more of an
overall citrus taste than distinctly orange. The cacao adds an earthy flavor
well suited to a brown ale. I didn’t pick up on the cinnamon. Definitely one to
revisit. It also makes me want to try more from Jolly Pumpkin.
I finished the night with a
selection from Moonlight. Moonlight is a one-man operation and is only
available on tap. The one I had was Reality Czeck: Light colored lager, but
with a full flavor. More complex malty flavor
than the average pilsner. Nice light citrus hoppiness.
Overall, a fantastic night! And the two bars are only 5 blocks apart and the homeless people we met in the walk in between were very friendly. I did support a few with a dollar or two to keep the local economy solvent, and one of them offered to share his joint. So friendly! Will definitely be back to both.
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