Cerveza Cito: Welcome to Santa Ana!

Santa Ana, California is bit of an anomaly when it comes to identity. The rich culture and heritage are visible, audible, and palpable when you walk around downtown with an assortment of modern-day hangouts in the mix. Cerveza Cito is the newest addition to join to ethos of Santa Ana.

The location should be familiar to those familiar with the Orange County beer industry. Cerveza Cito has taken over the location where The Good Beer Company called home for many years. The location was purchased by the grooming product company Sauvecito and, while already having many different products and apparel, now they have a beer brand to add to their ever-growing portfolio.

Kevin Buckley (formerly of Barley Forge) joins as Head Brewer while Brittany Costello (formerly of Backstreet in Anaheim) brings her managing skills to the tasting room and is the creative mind behind their social media. “There will be Mexican infused of classic styles,” Buckley said. “Along with typical ones, we will use Latin ingredients like, lime, habanero, watermelon, mango, and so on,” he added. This is present off the bat with Firme, a Mexican-Style Lager available in both clean or lime and sea salt versions, a watermelon seltzer, and a habanero pineapple blond ale.

Firme Lager is not only a style one would expect to see at a brewery such as this, but it one of the best items on the opening-day menu! A refreshing and crisp lager with just a touch of hop bite and a quintessential clove note that is typical in all commercial mass-market lagers of the same style. The lime and sea salt version only enhance the experience. The Sandia Seltzer is extremely thrust quenching. A pre-opening collaboration with cross-town colleges Santa Ana River Brewing resulted in an Imperial IPA that’s quite wonderful and a must try.

The surrounding atmosphere is full of the hustle and bustle typically found in any downtown area. “The décor in here will calm with and ethnic touch to it,” Costello said about the tasting room. A welcoming and inviting contrast of the busy life outside. The community will feel comfortable stopping in for a beer. “We are building a team based on community and diversity,” she added when pointing out the various backgrounds and experience levels the front of house staff has. Judging by the first impressions, Costello has delivered; the staff was attentive and friendly.

¡Bienvenidos a Santa Ana, chicos! Cerveza Cito is located on 309 W 4th Street and can be found on the Web, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They will be open to the public beginning October 1st.

¡Salud!

Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®

Enbeerment’s Oktoberfestbier of the Week (2020): Oktoberfest by Stereo Brewing

1L "Stein" of Stereo's Oktoberfest

O’zapft is! Oktoberfest in Munich may have been cancelled this year for health safety reasons (rightfully so), but that doesn’t mean we still can’t celebrate in our own way here locally as safe as possible. With that spirit of celebration, the malty lagers are beginning to shine at breweries all over OC. Stereo’s Oktoberfest is one of many, but it stands out as a wonderful example that deserves recognition. Oktoberfest by Stereo is the first of the Märzen/Festbier focused Lagerbier of the Week from now until the end of October!

This golden copper colored lager resonates with rich malty aromas resembling toasted biscuits and nuts, and brown sugar. Flavors are toasty with some toffee-like notes that finish dry on the palate. Enough bitterness to keep the sweetness at bay and add to the crisp nature of the dryness. Wunderschöne!

Last year’s version was by no means a standard lagerbier and was a great representation of the Vienna Lager style. There’s just something beautiful about the display of balance and complexity all at once in this more traditional Oktoberfestbier.

If you were part of the Road Crew last year and/or were able to snag up a large 1L Krüge, keep a close eye on their social media’s for deals where you can bring it in and receive a discounted fill of Oktoberfest.

Visit them in Placentia at 950 South Vía Rodeo, or on the Web, Instagram, and Facebook.

Prost!
Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®

Enbeerment’s Brew of the Week: Ausflippen by Bearded Tang

Jon Chiusano and Jerrod Larsen looking like rock stars!

Are you flippen kidding me? A German Pilsner brought to you by some award-winning brewers in one of OC’s newest breweries. Bearded Tang’s Ausflippen is the first lager of what will become many testaments on the brewing talents of Jon Chiusano and Jerrod Larsen. Combined, they both have earned well over a dozen medals from the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.

A German Pilsner (Pils) was Germany’s answer to the growing popularity of the Czech Pilsner. A bit of history on the styles (written for Orange Coast Magazine, March of 2020) can be found here. While the two are very similar, German Pils tend to be drier and have a sharper bitterness to them. Ausflippen is a wonderful example of the style.

The beer pours out golden in color with a thick cap of white foam. The nose is fantastic with aromas of mint, peppery lemon zest, and water crackers. On the palate, Ausflippen is crisp and wonderful. Notes of hay, spicy citrus, with a snappy yet refreshing bitterness. It drinks way too easy.

These guys are going to crush it in Stanton and will be a stand-out at the Rodeo 39 Public Market. This isn’t their first rodeo and Bearded Tang will be the talk of the “Rodeo” once the officially open for onsite consumption, slated for some time next week. Business partner Brandon Smith is hard at work making sure the operations run smoothly for everyone.

Order a crowler on-line or swing by once the official announcement of onsite is made. Check up on their social media for updates and for into on how to order.

More on Bearded Tang here!

Bearded Tang can be found in the Rodeo 39 Public Market.

12885 Beach Blvd #23, Stanton, CA 90680
Website, Insta, Facebook

Prost!

Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®