Manzanita Brewing Co.
Santee, CA
Available: CA
Manzanita Brewing has a three-barrel brew house with six barrel fermenters to brew five types of ales. They started distributing bottles in January. The company specializes in session beers.
ABV: 6
ABW: 4.7
Bitterness: 24
Original gravity: 1056
Fine turbid golden color tinged with green, is topped with a creamy head of tiny bubbles. Both delight the eye. Refreshing summer beer with plenty of flavor. Distinctive nose. The mouthfeel is round and flavorful, a nice surprise. We enjoyed it with soft pretzels, made with old fashioned no-till flour and spent grain. Soft on the inside, hard on the outside, the combination makes you believe in the concept of liquid bread.
Highly defined by rich dense head, blonde cloud of joy and coriander spice aroma. Label doesn’t indicate a clue regarding type of brew. Speculate a rendition of a well made “Belgian-style Wit.” Hoppy character is low, yet evident and refreshingly well balanced. Witful indeed; as opposed to witless. Clean, refreshing with a hint of acidity. Nice stuff this be.
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.
