Laguna Baja
North Coast Brewing Company’s newest beer to love
Trust us, you’re going to love it!
I pulled open the hefty door of the Tap Room and stepped through from the chilly darkness of a Fort Bragg evening to the cozy warmth inside. The atmosphere was bustling, friendly, and totally relaxed. I felt myself smiling as I craned my neck and stood on my tip toes to search the busy tables for the friends who were meeting me here at the North Coast Brewing Company’s pub for dinner – was it the easy energy in the room, or just my delight in having arrived at the end of my work day and my anticipation of a good time with people I loved? Probably both, plus the knowledge that I was about to crown the day with one of my current favorite beers.
“May I please have a pint of the Laguna Baja?” I inquired of the waiter as I slipped into the booth alongside my dinner companions, a big silly grin on my face. I was perhaps maybe just a little bit excited. The cool glass arrived along with the nachos my friends had ordered as an appetizer. Mmm. My eyes drank in the rich, deep caramel brown of the brew. And oh, that first ice cold sip. So good. So smooth and creamy. Yet not heavy. A hint of chocolate. A delicate tingle like sassafras that just barely danced across my tongue. It was perfect.
It was a good night at the Tap Room - while I delighted in the Laguna Baja, my friends enjoyed the new Foggy Days IPA.
I sighed in contentment and looked up. My friends were laughing at the expression of enraptured enjoyment on my face, and I laughed with them. Why not? That Laguna Baja was too good! By itself, with the nachos, with the ceviche I ordered, with French fries stolen from one of their plates; at every moment and with every bite of the evening it was just plain fantastic!
The next day, I was chatting with Joe Seta, North Coast Brewing’s Visitor Service Marketing Manager, and remembering my beer from the night before, I asked him about the story behind the Laguna Baja.
So you guys label your Laguna Baja as a Mexican dark lager. What exactly is that?
“Sometime in the late 1800s, there was a wave of German immigrants that came out west. Some rooted themselves across the United States – that’s where we got Anheuser-Busch, and even Acme, which was actually bottled here in Fort Bragg back in the day. Others in this wave of immigrants ended up in Mexico. One particular group of brewers from Vienna that settled down south began roasting the malt a little bit longer when making their favorite lagers. This “dark lager” eventually became pretty iconic for Mexico. “
How did you pick up that idea of the dark lager?
“Well, we were intrigued by the idea of playing with a fresh beer style that we didn’t have in our repertoire yet. We wanted to bridge that gap between the lighter roasted lagers and pale ales, like the Scrimshaw and the Acme Pale Ale, and the reddish hue of the Red Seal Ale. I’m pretty sure we started tossing around the idea about 3 years ago. We made a test batch, took it over to the Tap Room, and everyone really liked it. We made it a seasonal beer around 2 years ago, and it was so popular that we had to make it a year round brew – the public demanded it!”
Photo courtesy of North Coast Brewing Company - they’re stoked at the honor their Laguna Baja won at the World Beer Championships!
And why name it Laguna Baja?
“Being an environmentally conscious group, we love focusing the attention back on the world around us. Grey whales are a huge part of our culture here in Mendocino, and since they spend winters calving down in the lagoons of Baja California, it just made sense to celebrate our ocean-dwelling neighbors with this Mexican style beer. We’ll actually be pouring it at several of the Whale Festival events going on in March, including the Chowder Cook-off in Mendocino on Saturday, March 7th. You should come!”
…You don’t have to tell me twice, Joe, I’ll be there!
Get a tall, frosty pint of Laguna Baja at the North Coast Brewing Company’s Tap Room on Main Street in Fort Bragg. They are open Thursday-Monday, 11:30am-9:00pm. You can get a six pack or case from the Tap Room, from their shop across the street, or from Harvest Market. Or ask us for a glass during Wine Hour when you come stay with us here at the inn – we’ve usually got this favorite stocked in the fridge.
Like live jazz? Pair your pint with great music at the Brewing Company’s Sequoia Room, where they have dinner shows most Friday and Saturday nights. Check out their calendar for a list of upcoming events.
Words and top two pictures by Laura Hockett