What’ll ya have: Davy Brown Ale, Wrangler Wheat, Paradise Pilsner, or Hoppy Poppy IPA?
These are just a few of the new, locally made beers to tickle the taste buds of Central Coast residents come September, courtesy of the Figueroa Mounting Brewing Company.
In a recent interview with the Sun, brewery co-owner and Buellton native Jaime Dietenhofer said he’s already had the property at 45 Industrial Way in Buellton zoned for a microbrewery. Now he and his father Jim are working on getting a conditional use permit to open a beer-tasting room.
“My father and I have been looking to do something like this for over 13 years,” Jaime said, adding that he really wants his company’s beer “to focus on the Santa Ynez Valley and the region.”
That desire to localize the business is apparent in the company and brew names.
When asked why he chose to christen his business Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, Jaime said: “When I was a kid, I’d get up in the morning and look out my bathroom and stare at the mountains.”
The name also pays homage to the Figueroas, a hard-working, rustic family who lived near the mountain, he added.
The Dietenhofers might not live as rustically as the Figueroas did, but they’ve definitely been working hard to get the brewery up and running (Jaime’s wife Meighan and mom Judy are also part of the brew crew).
One of the most important parts of making the business a reality, of course, was finding the right brewmaster.
“It was a long process because we were very picky about what we wanted,” Jaime said. “The master brewer is like the quarterback of the team.”
So, for two years, Jaime and his father interviewed brewers across the country—until they found Jason Courtney, an award-winning beer maker from Texas.
“We were looking for the right fit,” Jaime explained, “someone who not only made great beer, but had that start-up capability and fit the vibe and structure of how my dad and I work.”
The fact that the Great American Beer Festival named Courtney its 2002 Brew Master of the Year didn’t hurt either.
“Our goal is to make super high-quality beer in relatively small batches and serve it locally,” Courtney explained.
Currently, he’s working on pilot batches of four of the label’s nine starter brews: Davy Brown Ale, Wrangler Wheat, Paradise Pilsner, and Hoppy Poppy IPA.
Courtney described the Paradise Pilsner as a German-style, easy-drinking lager.
“The Dietenhofers are German, so we have to have a German pilsner,” he said with a chuckle.
The Wrangler Wheat will be a West Coast-inspired Hefeweizen, which Courtney said means it’ll “have more hops and be more aggressive” than its traditionally crafted East Coast cousins.
“A lot of brewers are handcuffed by the guidelines of what a beer can and should be,” he added. “Our beers are going to be more unique.”
The Hoppy Poppy IPA will, as its name indicates, have lots of hops and a higher alcohol content. And the pioneer-inspired Davy Brown Ale will offer a heartier roasted malt flavor.
“I really think it’s going to be our flagship,” Courtney said.
But he might be a little biased. When asked what beer he enjoyed making most, the brewer said: “The American-style Brown Ale because it’s a dark beer balanced with a really nice background. It’s not too hoppy, it’s not too sweet, and it’s not too overpowering. And, for the ladies, it tastes like chocolate.”
Contact News Editor Amy Asman at aasman@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 12-19, 2010.
