In a year of hugely anticipated releases from the likes of Omnipollo, Cloudwater and Siren, here at Brew Cavern we decided it was the perfect time to highlight a series of understated breweries that deserve more exposure.
Over a series of Blogs we will feature amazing beers that keep outside of the limelight, brews which are hard to come by, and make unique gifts.
The Brewery
Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
It all started with pizza.
Siblings Vince and Gina Marsaglia began a pizza restaurant in San Diego, CA in 1987.
Pizza Port offered quality pizza complimented by exceptional craft beers from a burgeoning American scene.
Vince was a keen home-brewer, and the restaurant would showcase guest brews from home brewers around San Diego.
The premises offered extra space allowing him to brew on site. By 1992 a 7 barrel brewing system has been installed and Pizza Port was transformed into a microbrew-pub.
This model was expanded to four other locations around Southern California, San Diego itself becoming a hot bed for craft beer with breweries like Stone, Alesmith and Ballast Point.
As popularity grew, one location at San Marcos became the headquarters for the Marsaglia’s first true brewery.
As Port Brewing LLC, they eventually moved into former Stone Brewing premises and installed a canning unit to meet huge demand.
The brewery is responsible for Wipeout IPA, Old Viscosity and Shark Attack amongst others, beers which are highly desirable in the US and hard to find outside of it.
This new headquarters is shared by sister brewery The Lost Abbey.
The two breweries are both owned by Vince and Gina with brewery operations managed by former Pizza Port head brewer Tomme Arthur.
Steve Burchill is head brewer at Port Brewing and part of a team of four headed by Arthur at The Lost Abbey.
The Lost Abbey is responsible for creating Belgian Styles, Wild Ales and other specialities. Utilising wild yeasts, like brettanomyces, in a lot of the complex styles they produce. There is a sign reading “In illa brettanoymces nos fides” or “in brettanomyces we trust”, which welcomes you into the barrel room.
We have been lucky enough to have a few beers in stock from each side of Port Brewing/Lost Abbey.
Port Brewing
Older Viscosity
12%
100/100 Rate Beer
Each year a portion of core beer Old Viscosity is a put into Heaven Hill bourbon barrels for six months. Various barrels are used and then the contents blended to create, Older Viscosity.
Aromas of vanilla, chocolate and bourbon soaked raisins. Pouring a thick jet black with tastes of sweetness, and dark chocolate bitterness. Slight vanilla and huge bourbon aftertaste. The palate is thick, sticky and softly carbonated.
The Lost Abbey
Track #8
13.7%
99/99 Rate Beer
Track 8 is the end result of a line of incredible Belgian style beers created at The Lost Abbey.
Starting with Abbey Ale - Lost and Found, the brewers upped the recipe into a beast of a beer. Released as Judgement Day, this was a strong dark Belgian Style Quad made with four fermentable sugars, malted Barley, Raisins and Candi Sugar.
Previously The Lost Abbey had taken Judgement Day and aged it in bourbon barrels over sour cherries with wild yeast. The end creation being, Cuvee De Tommee.
Before the addition of cherries the brewers tasted the beer, influencing them to create a bourbon barrel aged version of Judgement Day.
They noted how central the raisin flavours were and went on to recreate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. So, instead of adding cherries they added cinnamon sticks, and for a further kick, dried chiles.
With no set release time each year Track 8 is released “when it is ready”
A luscious dark Quad, with huge raisin and dark fruit character, smooth mouth feel and gentle booziness, carried through with a building chilli heat, chocolate and cinnamon.
This beer is part of the Lost Abbey Box Set, rock and roll inspired beers each linked to a classic rock song, in this case Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast.
