October at North Coast Brewing Co.: A Look at What’s Brewing
October is an exciting time around North Coast Brewing Co. The seasons are changing, the hops are ready for harvest, and there’s always something new making its way into the Pub.
This month, we’re sharing a few of the things keeping us busy, from the latest beers in our Innovation Series to a new step toward more sustainable brewing, plus a special new release that’s perfect for a cozy fall evening.
Brewing More Sustainably
In September, we took an exciting step toward making our brewing process more sustainable with the installation of a Dalum CO₂ recapture unit. The system captures CO₂ that is naturally generated during fermentation and makes it available for reuse at the brewery. The reuse means that we’re not releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere, and the reuse process also results in a cleaner CO₂ product that improves the quality of our beer. Not incidentally, the reuse of CO₂ results in a significant cost savings and also ensures that we have CO₂ available when the CO₂ supply chain is interrupted.
Getting the Dalum unit up and running took plenty of hands-on work. Brewmaster Chuck Martins and Chief Engineer Jason Ross played key roles in bringing the system online, from the initial installation to a week of fine-tuning and integration with our existing systems to ensure everything was running smoothly.
It may not be the kind of brewery project that shows up on the tap list, but it’s an important example of how we keep improving what happens behind the scenes. By capturing and reusing the CO₂ we produce, we’re making efficient use of a scarce resource that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
Welcome to the Innovation Series
If you’ve spent time in our Pub, you’ve probably noticed that there’s always something on tap that you won’t find anywhere else. That’s the idea behind our Innovation Series – a place for specialty beers that give our brewing team a chance to experiment, get creative, and try something a little different.
At the heart of the series is Assistant Brewmaster and Chief Innovation Officer Obed Salazar, who oversees our small-batch program. The Innovation Series gives Obed the freedom to follow an idea and turn it into a beer, whether that means playing with an unexpected combination, brewing something that fits the season, or exploring a classic style that we don’t keep in our regular rotation. We also use the Innovation beers to test new brews to see what should be moved into a bottle or can for distribution outside Fort Bragg.
Because these beers are brewed in small quantities, they don’t stick around forever. If you see something interesting in the Innovation Series, don’t wait too long to visit the Pub and try it!
Oktoberfest, the NCBC Way
Our Oktoberfest beers are a great example of what the Innovation Series is all about. Our Festbier has become a yearly tradition in the Pub. It’s clean and balanced, with elegant German malts and hops coming together in a crisp, approachable lager that encourages a refill. Due to its popularity, it may have already made its way off the Pub’s tap list by the time you’re reading this, but we’re already looking forward to bringing it back again next year.
A few weeks later, we introduced Ausländer, a small-batch Dortmunder Lager. It’s a traditional German pale lager known for its balanced, malty flavor, medium body, and crisp finish.
From Pub Hops to a Future Small Batch
Some of our ingredients are growing a little closer to home than you might think. If you’ve visited the Pub during hop season, you may have noticed our “Please Don’t Pick the Hops” sign. Sometimes people think they are just for decoration on our patio, but we really do use them to brew beer!
In September, Obed and Cellar Supervisor Cuco Huerta harvested hops from the Pub patio for another special small-batch brew. Those freshly picked hops went into Wet Coast Pale Ale, our latest wet hop beer for the Innovation Series, which we’ll be pouring in the Pub starting October 29th. Stop by, grab a pint, and enjoy a fresh taste of the hops grown right here in Fort Bragg!
A Belgian Tripel for Fall
Not every small batch coming out of the brewery is kegged just for release at our Pub. Our Belgian Tripel started out as a special offering for our Beer Club, and after giving members first pick, we’re now opening it up to everyone for purchase in our Brew Shop inside the Pub.
With its delicate fruit notes, gentle spice, and crisp, dry finish, our Belgian Tripel is a versatile beer to bring to the table this fall. Try it alongside a classic roasted turkey dinner, a wedge of Camembert, or a hearty seafood stew with mussels. For a pairing with a little more kick, try it with Obed’s personal favorite: pad thai.
It’s available in the Brew Shop for a limited time, so if you’re looking for something different and delicious to bring home this fall, this one should definitely be on your list.
Fall is a busy time at the brewery, and there’s always a reason to stop by and see what’s new. Curious about what’s pouring in the Innovation Series? Follow us on social media for the latest updates and stop by the Pub to try the latest brew. These beers are small batch and taproom-only, so once they’re gone, they’re gone…unless you let us know that you love them so much, we should bring them back!
Can’t make it to Fort Bragg? You can check out our Limited Release beers in the shop, with shipping available within California. And if you’re outside California, you can still find North Coast beers near you using our Beer Locator.
Thanks for continuing to follow along with us and for being part of what makes brewing at NCBC so much fun. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the Pub!
