Beer Me! — Gordon Biersch Brewing — Palo Alto, California, United States

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Gordon Biersch Brewing

(CraftWorks Restaurants and Breweries, Inc.)

(Closed)

640 Emerson Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
[Update]

Notes

Visited: March 31, 2007

Opened: 1988

Closed: 2015

Annual Production: 1,936 bbl

One of my favorites. The best time to visit is a weekday afternoon. Excellent beer, excellent food, excellent service, high prices on the menu. A controlling interest in the company was sold to a Las Vegas casino in November 1995; the new team opened Barley's Casino and Brewing in Henderson NV in early 1996.

Directions: 101 to the University Avenue exit. Go west on University to downtown Palo Alto, turn left on Emerson. Gordon Biersch is two blocks along on the right.

Updated: September 16, 2015

News

2015-09-16: Gordon Biersch Closes Original Palo Alto Brewpub (Brookston Beer Bulletin)

Beer List

Blonde Bock

German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock

7.00% abv.
- Date: March 31, 2007 (#6455)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: at the brewery
  
  Score: 16 points
  
  Appearance (3)
  Shiny gold. Moderate head.
  
  Aroma (3)
  Mild grainy malt with just a hint of fruitiness.
  
  Mouthfeel (8)
  Fairly big body, low carbonation. Smooth sweet malt with dark-fruity esters — blackberries: tasty, but unexpected.
  
  Overall Impression (2)

Bock

Traditional German-Style Bock

Date: (Date unknown) (#2534)

Package: draught

Place: Gordon Biersch Brewer's Lunch #1, Palo Alto CA

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Hazy. VERY good head. Thick, not sweet.

Czech Lager

Bohemian-Style Pilsener

Date: March 31, 2007 (#6453)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Very mild grainy malt.

Mouthfeel (7)
Medium body, smooth and malty. Big resiny-floral bitterness. Resiny-bitter finish.

Overall Impression (1½)

Dunkles

European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel

Date: September 14, 1994 (#444)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 13 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Brown opaque, thick brown head. Malty (black) aroma. Black malt and carbonation bite. Long burnt finish. Not particularly clean. Young batch?

Date: May 15, 1993 (#22)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Yellow. A little hazy...surprising because this is usually a "brilliant" beer. Aroma is a little malty, with a good dose of those European hops. Good body, nice carbonation bite. Bitter but clean finish.

Date: (Date unknown) (#2532)

Package: draught

Place: Gordon Biersch Brewer's Lunch #1, Palo Alto CA

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Clear, good head. Malt aroma, no hops. Thick, malty.

Date: March 31, 2007 (#6450)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Deep yellow. Opaque. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Mild banana, mild clove. Lots of wheat.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light body, low carbonation. Pretty sweet, with lots of bready wheat flavor. Some banana, much bigger in the sweet finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: June 9, 1995 (#1006)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 17 points

Overall Impression (3)
Dark yellow opaque. Big head. Banana and wheat aroma. Good thick body, fairly high carbonation. Banana flavor pretty strong, but doesn't overpower the wheat. Touch of clove, too.

Date: March 31, 2007 (#6452)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16 points

Appearance (3)
Bright amber-brown. Moderate head.

Aroma (3)
Nicely malty. Some caramel.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, fizzy. Huge toasty caramel malt flavor. Fairly sweet. Nice noble hop flavor, low bitterness. Sweet caramel earthy finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: May 15, 1993 (#23)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
More amber than yellow...much darker than Export. Aroma similar to Export, but much maltier. Much higher alcohol flavor, and nice crystal malt. Strong beer but not strongly flavored.

Date: (Date unknown) (#2533)

Package: draught

Place: Gordon Biersch Brewer's Lunch #1, Palo Alto CA

Score: 12½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Thick head, amber but lighter than Spaten Oktoberfest. No aroma. Thin. Good finish.

Date: March 31, 2007 (#6451)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden. Moderate head.

Aroma (2½)
Very clean.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body. Lots of grainy, toasty, almost smoky malt. Nice herbal hop flavor. Not bitter, but not sweet either. Some SO₂.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: March 31, 2007 (#6454)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 14½ points

Appearance (2½)
Deep red-brown. Translucent. Tight head.

Aroma (2½)
Roasty and burnt. Darkly sweet.

Mouthfeel (8)
Light body, low carbonation. Sweetly malty with lots of roast. Hints of chocolate and grassy hops.

Overall Impression (1½)