Napa Smith Brewing

Posted in Napa Smith Brewing, New Beers
Posted in Beer News, Coming Soon, Napa Smith Brewing

Napa Smith’s Hopageddon Is Bottle Worthy

Napa Smith HoppageddonNapa Smith Brewing (Napa, CA) has seen great success with Hopageddon, a barrel aged imperial IPA. The name suits the beer, as this imperial IPA not only wet-hopped, but aged in Chardonnay & Cabernet barrels.  Tentatively, the brewery will be putting the complex hop bomb (that combines both beer, and the wine country in which they reside) into bombers.

Hopageddon is an end-of-the-world imperial IPA that defies expectations and induces an intense hop-stupor that will leave you wondering what just happened.  At 144 IBUs, Hopageddon glows with a gorgeous fiery orange color and showcases a distinct, full white head.  The added character given by the Chardonnay and Cabernet barrels accentuates explosive papaya and lychee flavors along with herbaceous aromas.  Chewy, grassy, wet-hop flavors, hints of dried apricot, and impressions of barrel tannins are evident in mutiple layers. The distinct Barrel-hopped flavors and shockwave of bitterness lingers on the palate and leaves hopheads with a Post-ahopalyptic yearning for more.  

Style: Imperial IPA (Barrel Aged)
Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Warrior, Columbus, Mt. Hood, Centennial

Availability: Draft. 22oz bombers soon.
Bottle Arrival: TBA

9.2% ABV, 144 IBUs 

Posted in Napa Smith Brewing, New Releases

Napa Smith Hopageddon, A Post-ahopalyptic Beer

Napa Smith Brewing (Napa, CA) is soon to release Hopageddon, a barrel aged imperial IPA.  It truly is a Hopageddon, as this imperial IPA not only wet-hopped, but aged in Chardonnay & Cabernet barrels.

Hopageddon is an end-of-the-world imperial IPA that defies expectations and induces an intense hop-stupor that will leave you wondering what just happened.  At 144 IBUs, Hopageddon glows with a gorgeous fiery orange color and showcases a distinct, full white head.  The added character given by the Chardonnay and Cabernet barrels accentuates explosive papaya and lychee flavors along with herbaceous aromas.  Chewy, grassy, wet-hop flavors, hints of dried apricot, and impressions of barrel tannins are evident in mutiple layers. The distinct Barrel-hopped flavors and shockwave of bitterness lingers on the palate and leaves hopheads with a Post-ahopalyptic yearning for more.  

Style: Imperial IPA (barrel aged)
Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Warrior, Columbus, Mt. Hood, Centennial

Availability: Draft only, 5.2 gal kegs
Arrival: Nov-Dec, 2011

9.2% ABV, 144 IBUs 

Posted in Coming Soon, Napa Smith Brewing

Napa Smith Grateful Dog Mixes Beer & Wine Flavors

Napa Smith Grateful Dog

Napa Smith Grateful Dog

Napa Smith Brewing is set to release “Grateful Dog” an imperial porter in a few weeks.  Napa Smith is situated in the the heart of Napa Valley- aka wine country, you’ll understand the interesting list of ingredients for this brew.

About Grateful Dog:
Limited release barleywine that contains 2-yr old barrel-aged porter and late-harvest Semillion grapes from Roger Harrison, one of the most noted desert wine specialists in California (he makes the Nightingale dessert wine for Beringer). It is soft on the pallet, with a creamy off-white head; a nice hop balance, containing Cluster, Mt Hood, Centennial, and Cascade hops. The malt bill includes Gambrinus ESB and Caramel 40 which contribute to a lingering finish. The Imperial Porter added to the blend has been aging for over 2 years in a combination of new barrels and barrels that previously contained Zinfandel wine.

Style: Imperial Porter (wine barrel aged)
Hops: Cluster, Mt. Hood, Centennial, Cascade
Malts: Gambrinus ESB, Caramel 40

Semillion Grapes

10% ABV

Posted in Coming Soon, Napa Smith Brewing

Napa Smith has a Crush

Napa Smith Crush

Napa Smith Brewing is nestled in Napa Valley, California – in the heart of wine country.  Don Barkley, 30 year veteran of brewing approaches brewing with the idea that the world needs great beer that makes food taste even better.  Being from Napa, it’s only fitting that this next release is brewed with grapes.

From Napa Smith:

Crush Beer is our autumn offering developed in tribute to the grape harvest here in Napa Valley. In keeping with the Bavarian tradition of Oktoberfest, this beer is an Amber Lager made with traditional malts. Since we are in the wine country, we also add a small amount of grapes to each batch. They say “It takes a lot of great beer at harvest time to make great wine.” It’s appropriate for Napa Smith to use grapes in one of their beers, since they also run a winery.

Style: Amber Lager (Brewed w/ Grapes)
Availability: 22oz bottles
Arrival: Fall

6% ABV

Posted in Napa Smith Brewing, New Launches

NEW BREWER: Napa Smith Brewing

Now available in Atlanta are beers from Napa Smith Brewery in Napa, California.  The launch brings 3 beers in tow, one of them a hoppy certified organic IPA.

History:

Life is meant to be experienced to the fullest, and that means the constant search for new and better things: whether it is the perfect wave, a newly discovered forest, a secret trout stream, a Montana sunset, or whatever you want it to be.  It is about having great meals with good friends, and having a party.  It is about having fun.

The Smith family loves life.  We decided that what the world really needed was a great beer that makes food taste better.  A beer that you can be proud to serve at dinner with friends and family.

We set out to make a beer that paired well with all food types.  We asked ourselves the age old question, “What wine do you serve with shrimp?”, and came up with the answer.  “You don’t serve wine with shrimp; you serve BEER with shrimp, because it tastes great with them.”  So we got to thinking that we should make beers that not only taste great all by themselves, but go with a variety of foods as well. We also believe in cooking with beer, just like wines offer flavors and textures to sauces, beer can do the same thing.

We wanted to make a family of beers that you can enjoy on a fishing trip with your friends, your next football party, or can serve on a linen table cloth at a black tie affair.  After much experimentation (and a lot of tasting), we have come up with beers that meet these challenges.

We are dedicated to producing the highest quality beer  in the craft brewing industry, and are insistent on using only the finest ingredients to assure this.

We were aware of the challenge that we were taking on when we used the word “Napa” in the name of the brewery.  The Napa Valley has developed a well deserved reputation for producing fine wine; and a lot of hard work, artistry and craftsmanship has gone into the development of that reputation.  We are committed to producing a beer that is worthy of the Napa reputation for fine food and beverages.

The Napa Smith Brewery was able to woo Don Barkley, a Master Brewer with over 30 years experience in the craft brewing industry, to join us in our undertaking.  Don joined us because he too believed in the concept,that beer should pair well with food, and shared in the dream of turning the concept into a reality.

Napa Smith is owned and operated by family and friends, only.   Our sons and daughters work daily to bring you this fine line of beers.  You can talk to any one of us, at any time, and, should you decide to visit us at the Brewery, we will gladly drop what we are doing and show you around

We hope that you will try our beers and enjoy them as we do.  Please remember, always drink responsibly, and let moderation be your guide.

Launch Beers:

Amber Ale – 5.75% ABV.  Lots of caramel malt in this amber.  It’s definitely malt forward.  Bready, some grassy hops.

Lost Dog – Red Ale, 7.2% ABV.  Some fruity sweetness.  Flavors of caramel & vanilla appear, followed by some light citrus hops.

Organic IPA – 7.1% ABV.   Hops are piney.  Also perhaps some light citrus.  Malts – caramel, even some toffeee. A balanced American IPA.

Availability: 12 oz bottles.  Future draft offerings..