Interesting times at the Summer Tasting Fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure event at Rock Bottom last night. Turnout for the event was much better than anticipated, especially with the apparent lack of promotion. As with the Microbreweries Battling Breast Cancer Festival a few weeks back, ladies dressed in pink were out to show their support for the cause. I’m sure it helped that this was not a beer only fundraiser. In fact, there were dozens of wineries represented by proxy through their wines on the tables. Slightly disappointing was the breweries in attendance were also represented by proxy through their tap handles and by the people serving them.
The event had a really informal atmosphere to it. Rock Bottom’s patio served as the space the fundraiser used and it was far from fenced off to the rest of the world. The street in front of the patio was closed off for the live band that played. The kitchen of Rock Bottom provided appetizers the entire evening and we got to munch on salmon bruschetta, mini-sandwiches, ahi tuna bruschetta, fresh oysters amongst other things. Desserts were being served as I tried the baklava and carrot cake. Bucca di Beppo, also located in the Pruneyard, contributed a meatball appetizer. Good stuff.
Even though I lamented the fact that many of the brewers weren’t there, a few were. I’ve been meaning to talk to the brewing staff of Rock Bottom for a while and it was good to have caught Rock Bottom assistant brewery Larry there. Sammy and I first saw Larry at the Beer & Cheese Event held at Firehouse Brewery during SF Beer Week and again at Boonville. Look for a “Spotlight On:” featuring Rock Bottom in the coming weeks.
The other brewer in attendance was Jim of Sonoma Chicken Coop. After introducing myself to Jim and handing him my business card, things got a little… tense. Jim recognized me as the “guy who talked some shit”. I wrote some disparaging things about Sonoma Chicken Coop sometime ago. Much of what was written was based upon second-hand stories that I never bothered to verify. Unsurprisingly, what was written upset a few key people. After talking to Jim and clarifying a lot of things, I have to say that I was in the wrong.
I will address and clarify that Jim stepped up and took the reigns of the Chicken Coop brewery after the former brewer was dismissed. The plan had always been for Jim to step up and take over once Mike decided to move on to different things. Unfortunately things went down the way they did and that’s that. There was nothing shady about the whole thing, there was no undercutting of anyone’s salary. If there was anything shady about the whole thing, it was that original post of mine. It was written quickly and in ignorance.
It was good to have spoken to Jim and get the other side of things. Between Jim and myself, I’d like to think that we are squared off, back to zero. Even though Jim said I didn’t have to write about this experience as he was satisfied with getting the record straight between the two of us, I felt I owed it to not only him but the people who read this blog. I had already planned on returning to the Coop and checking out if there would be a noticeable difference between brewers but it’s a moot point, as I’ve learned. If you’ve enjoyed any of the Chicken Coop’s beers since January, you are enjoying Jim’s handiwork. Ever since he started working in January, he’s been brewing the beers. I am as guilty of this as anyone but the assistant brewers often don’t get the love and respect from the general public as they deserve. Often times they’re brewing as much, if not more, as the head brewer.
In fact, if you’re a hophead, I would recommend heading over to the Coop and trying their IPA. It is a tongue numbingly bitter beer. Have a designated driver on hand as well as the IPA weighs in at over 9.0% ABV. Expect a new “Spotlight On” featuring the Chicken Coop in the near future as well.
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