Lost Coast Brewery - Indica IPA

2003 saw this brew rated as “One of the World’s Must Taste Beers” in All About Beer Magazine. Considering their proximity to the hop haven that is Oregon and Washington state, one expects a radically hoppy IPA, but this version is a fantastic blend of traditional British IPA with a moderate Pacific Northwest hop kick. Expect firm, edgy and earthy hops to fill the nose with their characteristically citric zing, but these big hops are restrained compared to many IPAs out there. A healthy dose of malts gives this beer a firm, mouth-filling body and support as the hop bitterness takes firm hold of the tongue and lasts literally for minutes in the aftertaste. Quite nice with lemon-soaked whitefish.

This marks the Lost Coast Brewery’s first appearance in our club’s roster of fine fermented beverages and we’re very excited to have made their acquaintance. In fact, not only did we sample their fine brews through the mail, we dispatched one of our own newsletter writers/beer panel members all the way up to Eureka, CA so that he could experience their famed brewpub and brewery fresh beers first hand (lucky stiff!) We saw the pictures (gorgeous country up there), heard his traveling tales (he actually drove through a California Redwood tree), read his rave beer & pub reviews, and all agree that if you’re ever in the northern CA area, you ought to head on up to Eureka and pay these fine folks a visit. The drive through Northern CA along the 101 freeway is breathtaking, the brewpub atmosphere is unique and inviting, the food is top notch, and the beer is expertly crafted and makes for some great drinking. Plus, they’ve got at least 10 beers on tap, with plenty of variety and something for everyone (including apricot- and tangerine-flavored wheat beers and a raspberry brown ale). The roots of the Lost Coast Brewery go back to 1986 when a couple of sharp young women decided to quit their 9 to 5 jobs and start brewing and selling their own beer. The history of their brewpub location goes back much farther, however, to the end of the 1800’s when the building was first built. Wendy Pound and Barbara Groom purchased the property from its original owners, The Fraternal Order of The Knights of Pythias, a secret order we know nothing about but suspect might appear in Dan Brown’s sequel to The Da Vinci Code. The Fraternal Order was replaced by this brewing pair (A ‘Sorority Sect’ you might call them), and the rest is brewing history. The brewpub décor is a mixture of art nouveau and classic gold rush age Saloon and is quite a hit with locals and thirsty travelers alike. After 10 years in business, a second bottling and production site was added down the road in order to keep up with demand. While the 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.