Mike Hess Brewing (named for its founder, Mike Hess) started out as a Nano brewery off Miramar road in July of 2010. Mike is an entrepreneur with a love for home brewing…and the rest is history. Fast forward four years and the Nano brewery has been converted to a tasting room that pays homage to Hess’s roots while the brewery has been moved to a state of the art facility in North Park. To say that Hess is expanding is a gross understatement. According to their website: “Production at our Miramar brewery grew from 14 barrels in our first quarter (July to September 2010), to 90 bbls in the three months leading to the opening of North Park, representing a 542% increase in just 2.5 years.” Mike Hess has become an industry authority on Nano breweries and his blog, Hess Odyssey Blog, has become the “How To” manual for Nano breweries. To learn more about Hess’s history or Nano breweries, click here.
The Miramar tasting room is a testament to where Hess started. Nestled amongst the business parks in Miramar, the tasting room is nothing more than an industrial warehouse outfitted with a bar, a mish-mash of furniture and most importantly a life-size Jenga. The intention of this tasting room is clear: stay true to Hess’s roots. This is where it all began and Hess is intentionally preserving the Nano brewery feel as a reminder of how they started. They offer tasters for $1.00-$2.00, beer by the pint for around $5.00 – $7.00, or for $14.00 you can sample five beers and walk away with your very own Hess logo glass!
You can’t help but feel like you are at home while sampling the many beers on tap. The casual environment is inviting and familiar. I appreciate the tribute they pay to their beginnings. It is authentic and it made me feel like I was supporting Mike Hess’s dream by being there. They very easily could have shut this tasting room down when they opened the new brewery and tasting room in North Park . Leaving it open speaks to Hess’s values and authentic love for the craft.
Miramar Tasting Room
Life size Jenga
Speaking of the North Park brewery and tasting room, just 14 miles south on the 805 and it’s a totally different story. The facility is state of the art and stylish! Upon entering the brewery a bridge reaching across the sunken brewery delivers you to an expansive tasting room filled with bar height community tables. Everything from the contemporary décor to the shelves of board games and the “snacks are on us” bowl of chips welcomes you in and hopes you’ll stay a while. People play darts, nosh on goodies from a food truck (a different truck every day of the week), and of course, enjoy the various beers on tap. You’re also welcome to bring in your own fare from the outside world along with your four legged friends.
If I haven’t made it clear, the Miramar and North Park locations are worlds apart in almost every way, except one: The Beer. And isn’t that why we’re really all here? So let’s get to it…
Flagship Beers:
Grazias Vienna Cream Ale, 6.3% ABV. According to Hess’s website: “Grazias is a mash-up of the second largest city in Austria, Graz and our second favorite word in the Spanish language, gracias.” By far, my favorite beer that Hess has to offer. A light bodied beer that is dark in color but not quite as brown as a brown ale or a porter. It has a light colored head that clings to the sides of the glass as you drink. Pairing perfectly with spicy food, I used it to wash down a Spicy Baja burger from Smashburger, a match made in heaven. It has mellow flavors of vanilla and chocolate and a tame toasted spice. The nose is subtle but all malts. In my opinion this beer should always be served on nitro as it enhances the smooth texture and allows it to reach it’s full “cream ale” potential.
Hess Vienna Cream Ale on Nitro at Waypoint Public
Claritas (meaning clarity in Latin) 5.8% ABV, A Kolsch style beer. A straw yellow colored beer, this one is similar to a pale ale in color but lighter in taste and slightly more bitter. It has fruit on the nose but is balanced with a clean finish.
Ex Umbris aka Umbrix, 10.2% ABV, a Rye Imperial Stout (on Nitro). A jet-black beer with solid mocha foam head that sticks to the glass as you drink it down. The taste is of mild coffee and cocoa rather than chocolate yielding a bitter after taste as it slides down the hatch. The scent is mild earth and roasted malt. The nitro gives the beer a creamy body that speaks to me. It’s a surprisingly easy drinking beer for such a dark intimidating pour.
Ex Umbris, on Nitro
Gladius (Formerly Amplus), San Diego Pale Ale, 11.3% ABV. This beer should come with a warning label that reads: Drinker be ware, this beer will slap you in the face and make all subsequent beers taste like water. Not only is the alcohol content absurd, the flavor is strong and makes no apologies about it. You can taste the alcohol but there are plenty of other flavors making it drinkable. The taste is full of ripe green apples and citrus zest. It’s a beer that should be sipped, not chugged and I’d be wary of filling an entire 2L Growler unless I had plenty of friends to share with. This was by far, Dad’s favorite beer that Hess had to offer. Personally, it scared me and I was happy to just sample his pint. Imbibe at your own risk.
Dad and his Amplus
Flagship Beers not reviewed:
Habitus, Rye India Pale Ale, 8.0% ABV
Intrepidus, India Pale Ale, 8.5% ABV
Seasonal Greatness:
Jucundus, Honey Orange Wheat 5.3% ABV. Categorized by Hess as a Seasonal beer, this one is totally different. The color is a hazy yellowish/orange with a modest head. It is made with Orange Blossom honey and orange peels. The orange blossoms dominate the nose with but not without a hint of grain. The flavors are commanded by the honey but there are also traces of vanilla, coriander and of course orange. The sweet flavors make this beer as friendly as they come, a non-beer drinkers beer.
Uncategorized:
Grazias Indersco, 5.5% ABV. This is a spin off of the Grazias Vienna Cream Ale with the main difference being it is infused with coffee adding complexity to the flavor. It’s just as delightful as the Cream Ale but not always available.
Heims (meaning winter in Latin) 8.5% ABV – I’m not 100% sure what this beer is classified is but I have it noted as a “winter warmer.” It’s full of malty and earthy hops which are normally a sign of an “Ama beer” but not in this case. I could handle about 6 oz of this beer before I had to throw in the towel. It’s a surprisingly sweet & syrupy beer. It needs more bitter to balance out the sweetness. As for the 8.5% ABV, I could feel myself dehydrating with every sip.
Limited Greatness, not reviewed:
Aurum, Belgian Strong, 8.0% ABV
Brunus Robustus, Robust Porter, 7.4% ABV
Deceptio, Black IPA, 8.5% ABV
Fors Hibernaie, Oatmeal Stout, 8% ABV
Magnus Aenus, Belgian Dark Strong 10% ABV
Venator, San Diego Red Ale, 9% ABV
The only thing I have a hard time with is the names of the beers. All of Hess’s beers have are given a Latin name and are therefore not only difficult for me to pronounce but almost impossible to remember between visits – and I take notes! I appreciate the originality but still struggle with them.
Hess epitomizes the SD brew scene. They started as a garage door operation producing small quantities of quality craft beer and in a few short years expanded by over 500%. With over 13 beers available, not including special releases, and most of their beers at or above 8% ABV, Hess clearly demands multiple visits. I’m excited to see what the future holds for them. Or rather, I’m excited to taste it!!
Bottoms Up!
-Amatece
Year of the Brew.2 