Half Moon Bay Brewing Updates: Valentine’s Beer Pairing Dinner, New Releases & More

It looks to be a super busy month for both Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and their first outpost – Pacific Standard – located in Berkeley.

First up is a special 4-course Valentine’s Beer Pairing Dinner – prepared by Executive Chef Federico Godinez – at Mavericks Event Center on Friday, Feb. 10 with seating at 7pm.

Menu

First Course

• Slow oven roasted tomato soup served with Cypress Grove True Tremor goat cheese crostini
• Paired with Belgian White Collaboration with Benoit Casper

Second Course

• Cajun seasoned Jumbo prawns – red baby romaine salad with curly beets, tossed in a citrus chili oil vinaigrette
• Paired with Lost in the Fog IPA Collaboration with Hop Dogma

Entrée, Choice of

• Pan seared Australian lamb chops, served with soft polenta and roasted lemon asparagus, pomegranate red wine reduction, or
• Prosciutto wrapped pan-seared Wild King Salmon, served with braised Lima beans, beet-micro salad with citrus vinaigrette, or
• Caprese stuffed garlic butter mushrooms, served with polenta and micro-greens salad
• Entrée paired with Amber Ale

Dessert

• Triple chocolate mousse cake
• Paired with Crazy for Coconuts Porter

The dinner is $100 per person (which includes tax and service), and reservations are required. For additional info. and to purchase tickets, visit the brewery website at www.hmbbrewingco.com. For the direct link to tickets, click here.

Special Releases

Brewmaster James Costa and his team have prepared for the releases of a number of special beers beginning Feb. 10 in conjunction with the kickoff of SF Beer Week. Below are the beers and beer notes courtesy of the brewery:

Belgian White Collaboration with Benoit Casper

• This Belgian-inspired White Beer was brewed in collaboration with Benoit Casper Brewing Company. Half Moon Brewing Company’s house Belgian yeast strain, dried orange peel, coriander, and a bunch of wheat malt make this beer as true to style as possible not mention hazy, fruity, spicy and incredibly refreshing. 5.1% ABV.

Crazy for Coconuts!

• The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company brewed this porter with the coconut lover in mind. Conditioned on toasted cacao nibs, vanilla and 50 lbs. of toasted coconut, this beer is bursting with dessert-like flavors without being cloyingly sweet. 6.7% ABV.

I Need a Miracle XXIPA

• Brewed in collaboration with Peter Hoey from Brewer’s Supply Group, this IPA is all about the hard-to-get hops, hence the miracle. It starts off with a soft bitterness that showcases a blend of Simpsons Best Pale malt and Weyermann Premium Pilsner malt for a nice up front malt hop balance. The miracle hops in this year’s version are whole cone Cashmere and Mosaic hops.

Lost in the Fog

• An IPA brewed in collaboration with Half Moon Bay Brewing Company’s neighbor Hop Dogma uses revived heritage hops such as Citra, El Dorado, Denali, Idaho 7, plus Denali and El Dorado flowers.

Papa Juice Old Ale

• A small batch, limited release old ale, aged six months in Redemption rye whiskey barrels. The deep ruby red color lets you know you’re in for a smooth ride, while the American hops add a well-distinguished dryness to the finish. The sweetness of the beer has been transformed by the oak and whiskey in the barrel, resulting in a treacherously easy drinking old ale that can keep you warm on even the coldest night. 13.1% ABV.

Red Sails in the Sunset

• During the winter months in Half Moon Bay, residents and guests are treated to some of the most beautiful sunsets. As the boats float in the harbor, they are basked in the wonderful colors as the sun makes its daily departure from the sky. That very image is what the Brewing Company hoped to capture in Ocho Barril Series No. 3. A Flanders Red inspired beer, Red Sails in the Sunset was aged in oak for a total of eighteen months, with the last four months aged upon tart cherries from Michigan. This beer is bright, oaky, complex, and best paired with fading daylight. 7.3% ABV.

The Bat Flip XXXIPA

• Brewed with Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic, Denali, and Ekuanot, in all the different hop formats available. The beer is also made with whole cone, pellet, CO2 extract, and Lupulin powder. 11.4% ABV.

Special Release Pourings and SF Beer Week Events

Half Moon Bay Brewing is set to pour their special releases at the following locations, which include a slew of South Bay spots:

• San Francisco Beer Week Opening Gala
  Friday, February 10, 6 to 10 p.m.

• Brews and Brats, Hayward – Tap Night
  Friday, February 10, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Stuft Pizza, Milpitas
  Monday, February 13, 4 to 7 p.m.

• Liquid Bread, Campbell – Tap Night
  Tuesday, February 14, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

• Wine Affairs, San Jose – Tap Takeover
  Tuesday, February 14, 5 to 9 p.m.

• SPiN, SF – Brewmaster Ping Pong a Palooza
  Wednesday, February 15, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Taplands, Santa Clara – Tap Night
  Friday, February 17, 5 to 9 p.m.

• Hermitage Brewing Company, San Jose – Meet the Brewer Festival
  Saturday, February 18, 1 to 5 p.m.

• Zeitgeist, SF – IPA All Day
  Sunday, February 19, 9 a.m. to close

Lastly, below are additional events coming up at Pacific Standard (2055 Center St., Berkeley) unless otherwise stated.

Limited Draught & Bottle Release Party
Saturday, February 11, starts at 7 p.m. 

• Half Moon Bay Brewing Company will kick off San Francisco Beer Week with their biggest beer release ever of seven never-before-seen brews. Special draught releases include a Double and Triple IPA, a Belgian White Ale collaboration with Benoit-Casper, an IPA collaboration with Hop Dogma, and a chocolate-vanilla-coconut Porter. In addition, 22 oz. bottles of Papa Juice Old Ale aged in Redemption Rye Whiskey barrels, and 750 ml. bottles of the Ocho Barril Flanders Red, Red Sails in the Sunset, will be available to enjoy on premise or to-go. 

Baby Brewery Night
Monday, February 13, starts at 7 p.m.

• Check out some of the newest breweries in the Bay Area at Baby Brewery night, one of San Francisco Beer Week’s most popular events for more than a decade. Once held at Barclay’s Restaurant & Pub, Baby Brewery Night will be held for the first time at Pacific Standard Taproom & Growler Station. Participating breweries include Beniot Casper Brewing Company, East Brother Beer Company, Gilman Brewing Company, Hop Dogma, Novel Brewing Company, Tesmescal Brewing and more.

Beer & Comedy Night
Thursday, February 16, starts at 8 p.m.

• In celebration of San Francisco Beer Week, Pacific Standard & Growler Station will host its first annual Beer & Comedy Night. The event will feature local comics courtesy of pilots Brandon Garner and Jesse Hett, some of the best local craft beer and organic bar bites.

Bay Area IPA Challenge
Friday, February 17, starts at 7 p.m.

• The long-running Bay Area IPA Challenge has been a mainstay of San Francisco Beer Week for more than 10 years. The event, once held at Barclays Restaurant & Pub, has found a new home this year at Pacific Standard Taproom & Growler Station. Guests are welcome to enjoy a fun night of healthy competition in this blind challenge. Participating breweries include Altamont Beer Works, Beniot Casper Brewing Company, Drake’s Brewing Company, Faction Brewing Company, Fort Point Beer Company, Hop Dogma, 21st Amendment Brewery and more.

Half Moon Bay and Hop Dogma Specialty Tap Takeover
Saturday, February 18, starts at 6 p.m. at Hopwater Distribution (850 Bush Street, San Francisco)

• Half Moon Bay Brewing Company and Hop Dogma are joining forces and coming up the Coast to showcase several beers in celebration of San Francisco Beer Week. To add to the fun, Hopwater’s beloved Chef John will make his famous Beer Braised Beef and Cheese SuperFrys so guests are encouraged to bring their appetites.