The best brew sampled was the vibrant pork and Szechwan cabbage.
Strain P. damnosus LMG 28219 was present in large numbers in the mature brew sample (data not shown) and was used for genome sequencing.
A mature Belgian red-brown acidic ale brew sample was serially diluted in 0.86% (wt/vol) saline and 50 μL of each dilution was plated on de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS, Oxoid, Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom) agar medium, supplemented with 5 ppm amphotericin B (Sigma-Aldrich) and 200 ppm cycloheximide (Sigma-Aldrich) to favor the growth of LAB and inhibit yeast growth.
In Novato, Baeltane Brewing samples its ales just off Highway 101, and beer enthusiasts line up for pints of Pliny the Elder at Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa.
The brew we sampled was creamy, rich and blessed with a centerpiece of black caviar and frizzled leeks.
While sipping our brews, we sampled crispy crab wontons (more greasy deep-fried batter than crab), wild mushroom-leek ravioli with truffle essence (in a rich, satiny cream sauce, rich with shiitake and oyster mushroom bits) and smoked chicken and corn quesadilla (generous and served with jalapeño jack cheese, salsa, avocado and a dab of sour cream).
A total of 11 beer samples were brewed from the malt of eight cultivars having different levels of protein modification.
The tours focus on the process of brewing beer, and samples are modest, Mr. Dardenne said, underscoring the importance of safe driving for visitors who plan to drive from one brewery to another.
While it isn't a great IPA, it's very approachable, and it's easily the best gluten-free brew I've sampled (and I've tried as many as I can get my hands on).
At Beachwood BBQ and Brewing (210 East Third Street; 562-436-4020; beathwoodbbq.com), sithet the long counter and watch steam rising from stainless steel brew house tanks while sampling house-brewed beers like Beachwood's potent Annihilator American barleywine or Onyx Imperial Stout ($6 for a four-tasting flight).
