Lucky Hand Cali Common

Cali Common is the fresh, home-baked version of San Francisco's famous craft beer, Anchor steam. The Lucky Hand interpretation of this type of California lager is kind of like the big, steamy, odd-shaped home baked breakfast scone that's otherwise delicious. For the record, Anchor Steam and the Cali Common are both California steam beers (sneak preview: more on this topic/controversy forthcoming in a post that will seek to disambiguate steam beer vs. Steam Beer vs. California steam beer. Confusing!! I'm waiting for journals from 1898 to arrive in my inbox to better clarify this topic).
 

Touch/taste/smell--toasty, bready, or even donuty, mildly carbonated, with a nice hoppiness. In contrast to the soft, cloudy, strawberry blond / grapefruit color, the foam is hilariously giant and bright white. That kind of adds to the charm, but be warned--this is what happens if you don't pour it SUPER slowly:

For a steam beer it's pretty robust. A fun blend of organic malt, hops and yeast, it can be complex if you want it to be, but never in a way that interferes with your ability to enjoy your food or company. My favorite part of this beer is the wonderful fresh-baked bread smell. Or maybe it's the hops. It has a pleasant bitterness to it and a really great sweet grassy finish that's short, but bold. Cali Common would be a great dinner beer for hearty vegetable dishes, pastas, beans, or big salads with whole grains. One Woman paired it with a meal of cauliflower and roasted garlic pasta with capers and anchovies tangled in spelt pasta, with an orange fennel salad with cured olives. Joined by two Friends in Culinary Crime.

The word on Lucky Hand Brewing--Based in San Rafael, CA, founded by Jesse Edwin Evans, Samuel Evans, and William A. Jablon. Their beers are crafted by Linden Street Brewery in Oakland by brewmaster Adam Lamoreaux. They're both brand new (Linden Street started releasing their brews to the world in early September 2009; Lucky Hand first officially became a product in December 2009). One Woman wishes them many more brews and great success!!

Musical Pairing: Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage (which is part of this ridiculously genius video), but you can hear Herbie playing it if you click on the song name. The sus chords of the vamp feel like anticipation and a sense of you-could-go-anywhere embodied literally in harmonic language. (This song always makes me think of an ancient-to-the-future ship with a unicorn flag floating on a sea of pink velvety clouds. Right, everyone, right????)

Anchor Brewing - Anchor Steam for the Good Times

Mad rocket scientist / architect Molly R digs Anchor Steam, and so should you. Anchor Steam is One Woman's go-to beer for those days when she doesn't know which beer to drink, or isn't so much in the mood to fuss over pairings this and IBUs that. Mellow gold, friendly, and brewed in San Francisco, Anchor Steam is a joyful American beer. (Although, one thing One Woman does find in this beer is that it has a pretty large range of flavors that changes depending on the batch –  sticky sweet, to a bit stale are always disappointing. This batch, though, tasted super FRESH and clean!) It's like a pair of comfy but flattering jeans that every girl needs. Not the little black dress – just the old casual standby.

Molly's rocket ships and space creatures will be soaring this Friday at the Oakland Art Murmur, (held every month on the first Friday) so you should check that out if you're in the Bay Area, perhaps with an Anchor Steam in hand.

Musical pairing: Music of the legendary guitarist of le hot jazz of Paris, Django Reinhardt in the background; engaging conversation, great company, and the culinary creations of the fabulous Chef Seth S in the foreground at a casual Tuesday evening South Berkeley hang.

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Web Edition Bonus! Party pics that didn't make the feature cut: