HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hidden Springs Ale Works!! On September 15, 2018, Hidden Springs Ale Works celebrated their 3rd year anniversary being open to the public as a local brewery.
Hidden Springs has become quite popular as of late, and for good reason too! Not only do they offer incredibly delicious craft beers, but they also maintain a very diverse selection of craft beers, ranging from wheats and stouts, to ales and IPAs, to even some of the best sours in the bay. Sour beers have become quite the popular trend amongst the craft beer community and Hidden Springs is not afraid to dive into the deep end and explore.
To kick off their 3rd Birthday Bash, they utilized a token system that took the place of cash. Upon arrival of the main entrance, there was a tent out in front and there were two staff members giving us guidance to the festivities. $20 supplied us with a limited edition birthday glass and 4 tokens. Each token equated to one 5oz pour of your choice of beer, with some specialty items being worth more than 1 token. Many of the tokens had small statements and jokes written on them, and we were lucky enough to find one of the rare bonus coins which was worth double the value.
The party started at 2pm on this fine, yet quite warm Summer Saturday, and at 3pm is when they began serving the Maple Barrel Aged Black Aggie. This is one of their very limited release imperial stouts that was released just a few weeks prior to the birthday event, and sold out very quickly. On the day of the birthday, the line to obtain a sample of this legendary beer was not too long thankfully, and we merely waited roughly 20 mins. This being one of their specialty items was worth 2 tokens, and once it touched our lips, we immediately realized where the extra token went. This stout is very thick and rich, with a sweet and roasty flavor full of the delicious taste of a barrel.
During their Birthday Bash, they had a whole slew of sour beers, including some of the favorites: Man Child, Shun The Non-Believer and I Am The Walrus. In addition to the many exclusives that were on tap, they even had the famous ZFG remixed as the White Oak ZFG. The original ZFG is already on the list of favorites, and this White Oak ZFG was very good and quickly rose through the ranks to enter the list of favorites as well. The ZFG is a delicious pale ale that is brewed with citra, mosaic and motueka hops. So much hop, and surprisingly not as bitter as one might expect, and this White Oak ZFG retains all the goodness with a smooth oak flavor. Also, finally being able to try The Upside Down was a very pleasant experience. With just the right amount of pineapple and vanilla, and the sweet hint of cream, The Upside Down is like liquified cake.
As the party kept going strong, 7pm came around and Hidden Springs was offering yet another, limited sampling of this time, the Double Barrel Aged Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie. This was another one of their specialty items being worth 2 tokens, and like the Maple Barrel Aged Black Aggie, this one was equally incredible. Also being very thick and roasty, there is a strong presence of peanut butter with a deliciously sweet sensation of marshmallow.
We’re sure you can tell by now that we had an amazing time out there and we hope to see you there celebrating with us next year! In the meantime, stay tuned as we keep you updated on the events to come, including their exclusive and limited releases. Cheers!
Written and edited by Fernando and Joshua.