By Laura Bachmann

Global Gourmet Catering recently visited Almanac Beer Co. in Alameda, CA, for a private tour and tasting experience with their Director of Sales, Kevin Scoles. After all, when we sell products in our bar packages, we want to make sure we’re only selling the good stuff!

Founded in 2011 by Damian Fagan and Jesse Friedman, Almanac Beer Co. brews “bold and innovative beers inspired by California’s rich pioneering and agricultural traditions.” The name “Almanac” itself refers to the Farmer’s Almanac, the farmer’s trusty seasonality reference guide.

We tried four flavors in Almanac’s private lounge room, each beer unique in its taste and appeal. But hands-down, their best-selling and most popular beer is their classic Love Hazy IPA. This crowd-pleaser differs from the traditional IPA taste because Almanac uses Kolsch Yeast instead of the typical London 3 yeast.

Fun fact: Almanac is the only brewery that uses San Francisco sourdough yeast in its beers! 

You’ll probably recognize this brand from your treks down the aisles at Safeway and various liquor stores because of its eye-catching artwork, which rotates seasonally, much like its flavors. The Love Hazy IPA, however, dons a special uniform in May and June. In these months, their most popular brew switches over to a pride label to represent the LGBTQ community, and one dollar from every case sold is donated back to support the community.

After finishing our taste tests, Kevin took us on a backstage tour of the brewing process. We walked down Fermentation Alley, stared in awe at the flawless automation process of the canning line, and caught only a bit of frostbite in the cooler (beers like to be in the dark and cold, but me, not so much…). 

After the tour, we returned to our own private lounge area to enjoy the rest of our libations with some cupcakes. We also used this opportunity to celebrate the birthday of our fearless Director of Sales, Elaine Burrell!

Inquire about hosting a custom beer experience with Almanac Brewery in your next catering package at 415.701.0001 or info@ggcatering.com.