Beer Me! — Mad River Brewing — Blue Lake, California, United States

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Mad River Brewing

195 Taylor Way
PO Box 767
Blue Lake CA 95525
Telephone: +1 707-668-4151
Hours: Monday-Saturday noon-9:00pm.
Brewer: Dylan Schotz
[Contact] [Update]

Notes

Opened: 1990

Annual Production: 15,000 bbl

Contributors: Arash Shahzadi, Diane Crawford, Ralph Wells

Thanks to Mad River's Brian Baku for sending the bottles to me in Wisconsin! It had been nearly six years since I'd had a chance to sample their wares...

Mad River was named Small Brewing Company of the Year at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.

Updated: April 8, 2024

News

2024-03-21: Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians acquire Mad River Brewery in Northern California (Craft Brewing Business)
2010-08-31: Steelhead & Jamaica (Connect Savannah)

Beer List

Double Dread Imperial Red

Imperial or Double Red Ale

8.60% abv.
Jamaica Brand Red Ale

American-Style Pale Ale
Awards:
- Silver Medal, 2011 Great American Beer Festival
- Date: March 22, 2002 (#4279)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: from the brewery
  
  Score: 15½ points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Deep red, good head, some haze from the yeast at the bottom of the bottle. Caramelly-fruity aroma. Medium body, big citrus hop flavor, mild bitterness. Hop flavor lingers a long long time, along with lots of caramel in the finish. A good old-time California pale ale.
- Date: April 29, 1996 (#1407)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI
  
  Score: 11 points
  
  Overall Impression (2)
  WAY too much head. Red-opaque. Caramel and sharp hop aroma. Thick, bitter. Very low carbonation...maybe it all came out in the head. At least it's not sour like it used to be. "CA CASH RFEUND"...gesundheit!
- Date: February 2, 1995 (#750)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA
  
  Score: 12 points
  
  Overall Impression (2½)
  Looks like red mud. No head. Caramel and chocolate aromas. Bitter. Herbal. OK body, but unbalanced. Fairly flat.
- Date: January 15, 1995 (#714)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: Pacific Coast Brewing, Oakland CA
  
  Score: 15 points
  
  Overall Impression (2½)
  Red opaque. Red head. Hop aroma, some caramel. Thick. Chewy with fair bitterness...but not quite balanced. This is almost a Real Good Beer.
- Date: April 25, 1994 (#314)
  
  Package: draught
  
  Place: Pacific Coast Brewing, Oakland CA
  
  Score: 12½ points
  
  Overall Impression (2½)
  Dark red. Opaque. Thick off-white head. Very spicy nose. Thick, malty, but flavors are understated. Spicy bitterness really comes on in finish. Somewhat cloying.

Jamaica Brand Sunset IPA

American-Style India Pale Ale

7.00% abv.

Date: March 5, 2009 (#7708)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 14½ points

Appearance (3)
Amber. Nice thick head.

Aroma (2½)
Sweet and fruity. Yeasty. Hint of autolysis?

Mouthfeel (7)
Medium body, smooth and sweet and really biscuity. Yeasty. Lots of fruity hop flavor, mildly bitter. Sweet biscuity finish.

Overall Impression (2)
Date: March 31, 2002 (#4281)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 13½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Golden, hazy, low carbonation, moderate head. Very citrusy, slightly yeasty aroma. Light body, lots of citrusy hop flavor, mildly bitter.

John Barleycorn Barleywine

Barley Wine-Style Ale

9.00% abv.

Date: March 31, 2002 (#4291)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Orange, hazy, big thick head. Toasty malt aroma with lots of caramel. Big body, hugely malty with lots of toast. Fairly big hop flavor and bitterness. Very mildly warming. Brewed from 100% organic barley.
Date: December 18, 1994 (#657)

Package: draught

Place: Pacific Coast Brewing, Oakland CA

Score: 13½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Nice amber. No head, as expected. Caramel nose, some alcohol late. Bitter and strong...but not very interesting.

John Barleycorn Barleywine 2006

Aged Beer

Awards:

Gold Medal, 2010 Great American Beer Festival

Mad Belgian Golden Ale

Belgian-Style Pale Ale

6.50% abv.

Date: October 28, 2010 (#8331)

Package: bottled

Place: Hy-Vee Stony Brook, Omaha NE

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (3)
Deep red-brown. Big dense head.

Aroma (3½)
Huge fruity malt. Grassy, floral hops. Alcohol.

Mouthfeel (8)
Big and chewy. Fruity esters and fruity hops. Lots of toasty, biscuity, sweet malt. Mild alcohol flavor. Low bitterness. A bit grainy in the finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: June 12, 2009 (#7810)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 17 points

Appearance (3)
Black. Thick head.

Aroma (3)
Roasty and malty.

Mouthfeel (9)
Big and smooth and roasty. Nice hop bitterness for balance.

Overall Impression (2)
Good beer.

Date: July 14, 2007 (#6588)

Package: bottled

Place: Liquid Solutions, Tigard OR

Score: 16½ points

Appearance (2½)
Amber. Very hazy. Thick head.

Aroma (3)
Huge citrusy hops, big sweet malt.

Mouthfeel (9)
Big body, smooth. Lots of malt under a pile of fruity, bitter, mildly piney hops. Drying sweet hoppy finish.

Overall Impression (2)

Date: April 7, 2009 (#7761)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Amber. Moderate head.

Aroma (3½)
Fruity hops. Biscuity malt.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body, smooth. Sweet biscuity malt background. Fruity hops up front, with just enough bitterness for balance.

Overall Impression (2½)
Good beer.

Date: April 28, 1996 (#1402)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 12 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Golden, moderate carbonation, enormous head. Slightly fruity aroma. Good body. Tastes kinda rubbery...or something. Could be a Real Good Beer.

Date: February 18, 1995 (#781)

Package: draught

Place: The HopYard, Pleasanton CA

Score: 14 points

Overall Impression (2½)
Yellow, some haze, good head. Some hop aroma, not assertive. Nice body and flavors. Balanced a little sweet. Finishes clean.

Date: June 13, 1993 (#68)

Package: draught

Place: St.Mary's College Beer Festival, Moraga CA

Score: 11 points

Overall Impression (2)
Very cloudy yellow. Oregon dry-hopped. Flavorless, mostly. A little sweetness to start and a very quick bitter finish. "Unremarkable" describes it best.

Date: May 15, 2009 (#7797)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 18½ points

Appearance (3)
Black. Thick brown head.

Aroma (3½)
Richly chocolatey. Herbal hops.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body. Smooth. Good malty sweetness with a big roasty, chocolatey note. Finishes malty and clean.

Overall Impression (3)
Real good beer.

Date: March 31, 2002 (#4290)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, moderate dense head. Very roasty, fairly sweet aroma. Medium-big body, very roasty and fairly dry. Real nice clean tasty beer.

Date: November 30, 1996 (#1894)

Package: bottled

Place: Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI

Score: 14½ points

Overall Impression (3)
Very black, short-lived brown head. Black, hoppy aroma. Black, burnt, bitter. Pretty good body. Bitter roasty finish.

Date: June 13, 1993 (#69)

Package: draught

Place: St.Mary's College Beer Festival, Moraga CA

Score: 12½ points

Overall Impression (2½)
Very black, brown head. Burnt aroma, slightly sour. Very sharp taste. Very astringent...puckers you right up. Very astringent.

Date: March 4, 2013 (#9028)

Package: bottled

Place: Hy-Vee Stony Brook, Omaha NE

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Black. Dense head.

Aroma (3½)
Coffee, dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, fairly fizzy. Big chocolate malt flavor, roasty. Grassy hop flavor, medium bitterness. Lots of chocolate in the dry finish.

Overall Impression (2½)

Date: March 9, 2002 (#4277)

Package: bottled

Place: from the brewery

Score: 16 points

Overall Impression (3)
Black, moderate head. Sweet chocolate aroma, with some smoke. Medium body, high carbonation, sweet. Lots of fruity hop flavor. Mildly roasty, fairly smoky finish.