Anderson Valley Brewing Company

After the previous evening’s dinner at YETI’S Wild PDR Series at SingleThread Farm and waking up at The Madrona Hotel, I had one goal: burn as much gas as possible before my flight back to Los Angeles later that day. Somehow, I had wildly overestimated the distance between San Francisco and Healdsburg. Combined with my full sized rental’s excellent fuel economy, I found myself with extra miles and time to fill.

Scanning a map of Northern California for inspiration, I remembered a trip years ago when I’d taken my camera and driven up Highway 1. I’d driven past Fort Bragg and deep into Redwood Country. That was the feeling that I yearned for. The freedom of being in nature, surrounded by trees. But a few hours north still sounded perfect.

A quick search offered several ideas, and then I saw it: Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

The drive was exactly what I wanted – beautiful, windy and mentally freeing.

When I arrived at Anderson Valley Brewing Company, it felt familiar – but I couldn’t place why.

Walking up to the bar, it was easy to scan the selections and order my usual favorite styles.

My tasting board was soon filled with:

• SALTED CARAMEL PORTER (ABV 9.5% – Borbon Barrel Imperial Porter
• HUGE ARKER (ABV 15.5% – Russian Imperial Stout – Aged in Whiskey BBL 12 months)
• BARNEY FLATS OATMEAL STOUT (ABV 5.8% – Amber Ale)
• BOONT AMBER ALE (ABV 5.8% – Amber Ale – Flagship Ale)

Jason, the new owner of Anderson Valley Brewing Company joined me in conversation. The beers were easy drinking and the conversation was interesting. We discussed everything from his ongoing divorce, his recent travels in Thailand, his upcoming travel to Mexico to visit distributors and his vision to bring sake brewing to the brewery.

While we spoke, it clicked – yes, I’d heard of Anderson Valley Brewing before. Earlier in the year, a person I used to know sent me a link to the Boonville Beer Fest. I’d debated attending; the year’s theme, The Big Lebrewski, had caught my eye. Instead, months later, I found myself here talking to the man behind it all. As Jason told me about what he’s implemented and done since purchasing the brewery, he was exceptionally proud of bringing back the previous head of brewing at the brewery – Fal Allen – who also serves as the Captain at Anderson Valley Fire Department.

Jason was one of those people you could talk to for hours without realizing it. And, as often happens, he shared his life story with surprising openness. I never mind that. My writing is about the human experience through food and travel, and I like to think that listening without judgment gives people space to heal a little.

Just as I decided it was time to leave, Jason insisted on showing me the brewery’s copper stills. Having recently toured Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, I understood that particular brand of male pride.

There were two framed documents on the wall. Curious, I took a photo of them. Later, I ran them through a translator.

As early as the Hallstatt period (850 – 550 B.C.), beer existed in this region. Excavations in the Pfarrholz area uncovered amphorae. Detailed chemical analyses proved beyond doubt that these vessels – holding about 13 liters – once contained beer.

The coat of arms of Kasendorf bears, as a heraldic rarity, a cat on its shield – an erroneously adopted household symbol, named after a man called Caspar, who around the year 1300 was the owner of the property, descended from the Seeliger family.

Magnus Brewery, Kasendorf
Proprietor: Adam Düll
Printed by Sonntag Bavarian Printing Works, Bayreuth

The other one was also interesting.

A document from the year 1753 states, among other things, that he was granted permission – then and for future times – to operate a permanent and respectable inn at his guesthouse under the sign of the “Black Horse.”

He was allowed to pay the customary dues for malting and brewing beer, to host meals for all occasions of joy or mourning, and to slaughter small livestock on the premises of his inn.

Inn “Black Horse”
Magnus Brewery, Adam Düll, Kasendorf

My visit to Anderson Valley Brewing Company turned out to be a full circle experience. It was unexpected and deeply satisfying. And with Pennyroyal Farm just across the road, it was the perfect beginning to a lovely afternoon in Boonville.

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