Tag Archives: Brewmaster

Beer Meets Cheese: An Afternoon of North Coast Brewing Beers & Cheese Pairings with Janet Fletcher on April 27 in a Benefit for the Mendocino Music Festival

Posted on April 3, 2013

Cheese-&-Beer-Book-Cover(w)

“When you take the time to taste, following certain clues to identify suitable partners, good cheese and beer matches are as good as it gets in the realm of food and beverage.”
Mark Ruedrich – North Coast Brewing Company President and Brewmaster

The Event
North Coast Brewing Company is hosting and underwriting a benefit for the Mendocino Music Festival, Beer Meets Cheese, with author Janet Fletcher, international  authority on cheese and columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle.

What, When & Where
Beer Meets Cheese begins at noon on Saturday, April 27 with Janet Fletcher signing her book, the new Cheese & Beer, at North Coast Brewing Company’s Brewery Store on the northwest corner of Main and Pine streets in Fort Bragg.

At 3 p.m. Beer Meets Cheese moves across the street to North Coast Brewing’s Sequoia Room in the Brewery Taproom for a walk-around tasting of beer and cheese pairings designed by Janet Fletcher and Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich. Janet will be on hand to sign her book as guests explore the pairings at each station. In addition, Janet and Mark will answer questions and share their knowledge and insights about cheese and beer pairing.

All Proceeds Benefit the Mendocino Music Festival
Cheese & Beer signed by Janet Fletcher at the Brewery Shop sells for $24.99
Beer & Cheese Pairing – $25
Beer & Cheese Pairing and book signed by Janet Fletcher – $40

How Can I Get Tickets to Beer Meets Cheese?
Call the Mendocino Music Festival office, 707 937-2044 or online at mendocinomusic.org or, for $25 tickets only, Tangents in Fort Bragg, Out of This World in Mendocino, Four-Eyed Frog in Gualala

 

 

 

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Food Pairing: Le Merle and Wild Mushroom Pizza with Arugula and Fresh Goat Cheese

Posted on January 28, 2013
Mushroom season still reigns on the northern coast of California. We offer some suggestions on food pairings that we like, based on a sold-out dinner this past November. North Coast Brewing’s Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich joined Loretta Evans, Food & Beverage Manager, to create a five-course meal featuring North Coast Brewing’s award-winning ales paired with wild mushroom dishes. You can re-create parts of the the meal or glean ideas for your own feast. In most of the recipes you can substitute mushrooms you find in your local market. We think you’ll enjoy the synergy of our hand-crafted ales paired with food. Just don’t blame us if you keep coming back for more!

Appetizer: North Coast Brewing Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale and Wild Mushroom Pizza with Arugula and Fresh Goat Cheese

Let’s make this simple. You can use your favorite mushroom pizza recipe with the addition of fresh arugula, which has a peppery, mustard-like flavor, and a reputable 100% goat cheese. At the November dinner party we used fresh goat cheese from Navarro Vineyards, but we think Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale pairs especially well with Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog.

North Coast Brewing Le Merle cheese pairingLooking for a good recipe? Here are a couple of suggestions:

Pizza With Mushrooms, Goat Cheese, Arugula and Walnuts (New York Times)

Arugula Mushroom Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese Pizza

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Food Pairing: Red Seal Ale and Grilled Mushroom Polenta, with Wild Mushroom Hash and a Fried Quail Egg

Posted on January 28, 2013
North Coast Brewing’s Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich joined Loretta Evans, Food & Beverage Manager, to create a five-course meal featuring North Coast Brewing’s award-winning ales paired with wild mushroom dishes. You can re-create parts of the the meal or glean ideas for your own feast. In most of the recipes you can substitute mushrooms you find in your local market. We think you’ll enjoy the synergy of our hand-crafted ales paired with food.

Light Course: North Coast Brewing Ruedrich’s Red Seal Ale and Grilled Mushroom Polenta, with Wild Mushroom Hash and a Fried Quail Egg

Grilled Mushroom Polenta
North Coast Brewing Red Seal AleIngredients:
1 cup polenta
½ oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 lb. crimini mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Kosher salt and white pepper
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Asiago cheese

Rinse the dried porcini mushrooms. Place in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let stand 1 hour. Drain and reserve.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions until lightly colored; add fresh mushrooms, garlic and rehydrated porcini and sauté until these additions are very lightly colored. Add the basil, oregano, and stock, and bring to a boil.

Slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps. Reduce heat to simmer very slowly for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. The polenta will be thick and creamy. Add more stock if necessary. Add the cream and cheese, stirring vigorously. Spread polenta out on a buttered baking sheet and chill until ready to grill. Cut into rectangular portions and grill.

Wild Mushroom Hash
Ingredients:
4 red potatoes
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. fresh chanterelle mushrooms diced
½ lb. crimini mushrooms diced
½ bunch fresh basil torn
1 tablespoon butter
1 quail egg (or fresh, organic chicken egg)

Dice potatoes and onions; sauté in a pan with olive oil until lightly browned. Add the chanterelles, crimini mushrooms and butter, and sauté until tender. Turn off the heat, add the torn basil, and toss. Serve over the Grilled Mushroom Polenta and top with a fried quail egg.

Serve with a glass of Red Seal Ale.

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Food Pairing: Brother Thelonious with Beef Tenderloin and Old Rasputin Huckleberry Sauce

Posted on January 28, 2013
North Coast Brewing’s Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich joined Loretta Evans, Food & Beverage Manager, to create a five-course meal featuring North Coast Brewing’s award-winning ales paired with wild mushroom dishes. You can re-create parts of the the meal or glean ideas for your own feast. In most of the recipes you can substitute mushrooms you find in your local market. We think you’ll enjoy the synergy of our hand-crafted ales paired with food.

Main Course: North Coast Brewing Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale and Beef Tenderloin with Sauteed Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms and Old Rasputin Huckleberry Sauce

Brother Thelonious Bottles and PourOld Rasputin Huckleberry Sauce (make in advance)
Huckleberries grow wild in great abundance on the Mendocino Coast. Locals often harvest them in late summer or early fall, freeze them in pint containers, and enjoy them year round. You can use fresh or dehydrated blueberries or wild Maine blueberries as a substitute.

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh huckleberries
40 oz. Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout
10 oz. beef stock
10 whole black peppercorns
5 fresh sage leaves

Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours. Strain and return sauce to pan on low heat. Continue to reduce until sauce is desired thickness, about another two hours.

Sautéed Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 lb. Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms (also known as maitake mushrooms)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter

Heat oil and butter in a pan; add mushrooms and sauté until tender.

Beef Tenderloin
Use your favorite beef tenderloin recipe (here’s an easy one). Slice and top with sautéed mushrooms and Old Rasputin Huckleberry Sauce.

Serve with a glass of Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale.

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Food Pairing: Old Stock Ale with Candy Cap Mushroom Bread Pudding

Posted on January 28, 2013
North Coast Brewing’s Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich joined Loretta Evans, Food & Beverage Manager, to create a five-course meal featuring North Coast Brewing’s award-winning ales paired with wild mushroom dishes. You can re-create parts of the the meal or glean ideas for your own feast. In most of the recipes you can substitute mushrooms you find in your local market. We think you’ll enjoy the synergy of our hand-crafted ales paired with food.

Dessert: North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale and Candy Cap Mushroom Bread Pudding with Old Stock Reduction Sauce

North Coast Brewing Old Stock pourOld Stock Reduction Sauce (make in advance)
Ingredients:
40 oz. Old Stock Ale
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 whole cloves
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole black peppercorns

Put all ingredients in a heavy bottom sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain sauce to remove spices, put back in pan, keep heat low and reduce to syrup. This takes about 3 hours and will last up to a month in the refrigerator.

Candy Cap Mushroom Pudding
Candy cap mushrooms are the dessert mushroom. They are sweet and smell like maple syrup. You can purchase dried candy caps online. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 loaf brioche (found at quality bakeries) – here’s a link to a recipe if you want to bake your own
6 oz. white sugar
½ cup dried candy cap mushrooms
8 oz. heavy cream
2 oz. dark brown sugar
9 oz. + 2 oz. milk
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
¼ cup turbinado sugar

Cut brioche into cubes and place in a buttered casserole dish or a 13” x 9” enamel or glass pan. Grind white sugar and dried mushrooms together in a food processor and set aside.

Candy Cap Bread Pudding with Old Stock Ale ReductionIn a heavy saucepan, combine cream, the mixture of white sugar and mushrooms, the dark brown sugar, and 9 oz. of milk and bring to a boil. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and remaining 2 oz. of milk. Slowly pour the cream mixture into the eggs, stirring constantly. Strain the egg/cream mixture through a fine mesh screen over the brioche. Let the bread absorb the mixture. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar and bake in a 300° oven for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Serve on dessert plates swirled with Old Stock Ale reduction sauce and a glass of Old Stock Ale.

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Old Stock Ale 2013 Release

Posted on January 21, 2013

North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2013We’re excited to announce the much anticipated release of our 2013 vintage Old Stock Ale. Since it sprang onto the beer scene in 2000 with the award of a Platinum medal at the World Beer Championships, Old Stock has won two Great American Beer Fest medals as well as additional WBC medals.

Brewed in the classic English old ale tradition, the Old Stock recipe includes Maris-Otter malts, Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops and delivers a very friendly 11.9% ABV. The brew’s loyal fan base has learned that the beer cellars beautifully and can be laid down, literally for years, with the rich, winey flavors becoming softer and even more seductive with age.

“I think this is one of the finest beers we produce,” says Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich. “It has an elegance that transcends the usual expectations of beer. We’re quite proud of it.”

Use our Find Our Beers link to locate Old Stock Ale 2013 in
your neighborhood.

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North Coast Brewing Announces 25th Anniversary Plans

Posted on January 2, 2013

Class of 881988 was a seminal year for the budding craft brewing industry on the West Coast. It marked the founding of some of America’s most influential breweries, North Coast Brewing among them. It was also the year Fred Eckhardt published The Essentials of Beer Style—a book that quickly became an essential reference for aspiring brewers and critics.

In recognition of the 25th anniversary of this milestone year, North Coast Brewing and two other west coast members of the pioneering “Class of ’88,”—Rogue Brewery and Deschutes Brewing—are collaborating on a trio of commemorative beers evolving from Fred’s book.

Each of the breweries will create its own interpretation of a barleywine based on Fred’s style guidelines, after which crews from the partner breweries will travel  to each other’s facilities to brew all three ales. Their common heritage and joint  brewing effort will result in a cohesive set that will allow beer aficionados to enjoy three examples of the style.

“It’s amazing to look back over the beer landscape and see what’s happened over the past 25 years,” said Mark Ruedrich, North Coast Brewing’s Co-Founder, Brewmaster, and President. “America’s craft beers are setting new international standards for quality and innovation. They’re the most exciting facet of the world beer scene today.”

These exceptional barleywines will be released in March of 2013 and will be available around the country for a limited time, distinctively packaged in either 22 oz. or 750 ml bottles.

North Coast Brewing will also produce a 25th Anniversary Brew of its own, a worthy successor to its Twentieth Anniversary Ale, in keeping with the northern California brewery’s reputation for exceptional, ground-breaking beers.

Meanwhile, in Europe, the founders of Stockholm’s trend-setting Oliver Twist Pub, including Jörgen Hasselquist, have chosen North Coast Brewing to brew a special beer celebrating the 20th anniversary of Oliver Twist in May of 2013. “We’ve been big fans of the beers of North Coast Brewing since we introduced Red Seal Ale to Sweden with a Gold Medal win at The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival in 2000,” said Hasselquist, “so it was a natural to ask their brewmaster, Mark Ruedrich, to develop something very special for us in honor of our anniversary. We are delighted that he has agreed.”

“Sweden is more than one of our largest markets,” said Ruedrich. “We’ve been embraced by beer lovers throughout Scandinavia in the last decade or so and love sharing our beers with them.”

Click here for a printable PDF of this press release.

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Audio Interview with Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich on Beer Obsessed

Posted on December 14, 2012

Thanks to BeerObsessed for posting his great interview with Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich! Here’s an excerpt from his blog post.

Thanks to Mark Ruedrich and North Coast Brewing Co. for taking the time to do the interview and for his hospitality in general.

We talk about why he came to Fort Bragg (mainly due to his love of Steinbeck and tidepools).  We talk distribution: how far and wide North Coast beers are (45 states and 7 countries). Also plenty of great info on his beers, how he formulated Old Rasputin, other beers, etc.  The last third of the interview is a tour on the production floor including: the brew system, fermentation tanks, bottling, and his cold storage area. Mark talks about future expansion and also a bit about his barrel program (yes, more good things to come in barrels).

Navigate over to BeerObsessed to hear the interview.

Posted in Acme Ale, Blue Star, Brother Thelonious, California, Le Merle, Old No. 38 Stout, Old Rasputin, Old Stock Ale, PranQster, Red Seal Ale, Reviews, Scrimshaw | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Mendocino County Beer, Wine & Mushroom Festival Brewmaster Dinner—SOLD OUT!

Posted on November 5, 2012

North Coast Brewing Old Stock pourJoin Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich for an exceptional Brewmaster Dinner at the North Coast Brewing Company’s Taproom & Grill. This five-course dinner will feature award-winning beers paired with a selection of wild mushroom dishes designed by North Coast’s culinary wizard Loretta Evans. This not-to-be-missed event is one of the highlights of the Beer, Wine & Mushroom Festival!

November 7, 2012, 6 PM

$50 per person plus tax (includes gratuity)

As of November 5, all seats are now SOLD OUT. For more information, please call Terrie at (707) 964-2739, ext. 117.

1st Course
Wild Mushroom Pizza with Arugula and Fresh Goat Cheese
Le Merle

2nd Course
Wild Mushrooms/ Heirloom Tomato Salad with Barrata and Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
North Coast Grand Cru

3rd Course
Grilled Mushroom Polenta, with Wild Mushroom Hash and a Fried Quail Egg
Red Seal Ale

4th Course
Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Hen-of-the-Woods and Old Rasputin Huckleberry Sauce Brother Thelonious

Dessert
Candy Cap Bread Pudding with an Old Stock Reduction
Old Stock Ale

Click here for more info on the Mendocino County Beer, Wine & Mushroom Festival

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John Ash Benefit for Mendocino Music Festival

Posted on May 11, 2012

John Ash with North Coast Brewing's Mark Ruedrich and Doug MoodyRenowned California wine country chef John Ash dazzled a sold-out crowd of Mendocino Music Festival supporters at North Coast Brewing’s Sequoia Room on Wednesday night, April 25. The James Beard Award-winning chef created a spectacular menu, collaborating with North Coast Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich. Each course was paired with a North Coast Brewing beer so successfully it was generally agreed that it was difficult to determine where the food ended and the drink began.

The evening represented a continuation of North Coast’s support of the arts with 100% of the proceeds going to the Mendocino Music Festival, for which the brewery is a sponsor. Among North Coast Brewing’s other music sponsorships are the Monterey, San Francisco, and Healdsburg Jazz festivals, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, the Redwood Coast Jazz Alliance, the American Jazz Museum, and Ensemble VIII, a Texas-based early music group.

Menu from John Ash dinner at North Coast Brewing, 2012Ash is a well-established culinary figure and educator who first came into national prominence in 1985 when he was named as one of the “hot new chefs” by Food and Wine. Since then, among other accomplishments, he has opened John Ash & Co. restaurant; taught regularly at the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) Greystone facility; been the Culinary Director at Fetzer Vineyards; served as dean of the Brown-Forman Center for Global Wine Education; written three books; received both the James Beard and Julia Child awards; contributed to the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, as well as numerous other publications; and taught, lectured, and consulted on culinary matters for decades. He is truly one of the community’s living treasures.

Ruedrich is well known throughout the Craft brewing community as a brewer who consistently produces exceptional beers garnering critical recognition. His beers have received Gold Medal awards at the Great American Beer Fest, the World Beer Championships, the World Beer Cup, the Stockholm Beer Fest, and the Hong Kong Beer Fest, among many others. This marks the third occasion that Ash and Ruedrich have collaborated on food/beer pairings, and each one has been grander than the last. There already have been requests for a repeat performance by the duo. Stay tuned.

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Save the Date: Chef John Ash Returns to North Coast Brewing April 25, 2012

Posted on April 24, 2012

Brewmaster Dinner with John Ash
6 pm, Wednesday, April 25, 2012 | Fort Bragg, California
Sequoia Room, North Coast Brewing Co. Taproom and Grill
SOLD OUT

Pears Poached in North Coast Brewing Old Stock AleCelebrity chef John Ash is returning to North Coast Brewing for another memorable dinner benefiting the Mendocino Music Festival. Ash, a well-known restaurateur and educator, will once again work with Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich to prepare a menu demonstrating the delicious synergy between North Coast Brewing beers and Ash’s exquisite offerings. In a continuation of its long-term support of the arts, North Coast Brewing will again be the presenting sponsor of the Mendocino Music Festival, now in its 26th year.

All proceeds benefit the Mendocino Music Festival, www.mendocinomusic.com

Click here for a printable PDF of the press release.
Click here for a PDF of the menu.

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Lemon Pilsner Cake Recipe Featuring Scrimshaw

Posted on April 20, 2012

North Coast Brewing Scrimshaw PilsnerThanks to Jackie Dodd for sending us her recipe for Lemon Pilsner Cake using Scrimshaw. Jackie says:

“If you have ever had the opportunity to talk to a brewmaster, you have seen it. You’ve seen that look that lets you know that there is an art and a respect for what they do that goes far past what most Americans experience at their day jobs. The look that tells you that the paycheck isn’t the reason he does the job. The flavors, the journey, the solving of the problems that yield to an end result of a drinkable, shareable masterpiece. You’ve seen that look.

“It’s because of that look that I try to create recipes that respect the years of love and hard work that go into the process of making Craft Beer. I had the idea of making a lemon cake with pilsner, but the issue is always the hops. Hops are a hard ingredient to cook and bake with, given that they often reduce to a very bitter product. Scrimshaw Pilsner, while still a pilsner, has a low, and well balanced hop taste. It is also from one of my favorite breweries, North Coast, that produces an incredible variety of craft beer. And you can bet that if you are ever lucky enough to take a tour of the brewery, you will see that look I’m talking about, all over the place.”

See the recipe and full post at her blog, The Beeroness.

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Vic & Anthony’s Features North Coast Brewing in Houston

Posted on November 19, 2011

North Coast Brewing's Old Stock Ale, Le Merle, and Grand CruChef Michael O’Connor of Houston’s nationally-known steakhouse collaborated with Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich to develop a menu of showcase pairings. Read the full press release here.

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Swedish paper praises Brother Thelonious

Posted on October 20, 2011

Brother Thelonious in DNBrother Thelonius (# 1588, 24.95 Swedish kronas, 355 ml) is made by North Coast Brewing Company, located just north of San Francisco.  This ale plays on the brewery’s finer taste bud harmonies, and pays tribute to the jazz musician Thelonius Monk.  It displays a reddish-brown teak-color and a heavy foam crown.  The well-balanced aroma hints at rye bread and flowery chamomile.  The flavor is sweeter than the scent and doesn’t deliver the same knock-out punch that Mark Ruedrich often prefers. Article here.

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North Coast Brewing Teams with Whole Foods and Haddington’s for Beer Dinner

Posted on September 30, 2011

New restaurant Haddington’s in Austin, Texas recently featured North Coast Brewing in a Beer Dinner pairing craft brews with artisanal cheeses. Read more….North Coast Brewing Le Merle cheese pairing

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