Herlinda Heras and Kevin McGee

Kevin McGee, President and CEO of Anderson Valley Brewing Co, AVBC, joins Steve Jaxon and Herlinda Heras on Brew Ha Ha.

The foundation of brewery dates to 35 years ago. It is the world’s first solar powered brewery. Kevin explains how they recently streamlined their lineup of IPAs, including their classic west coast IPA, Hop Ottin’. They are tasting the Coastal Ale which is a partnership with the Surfrider foundation.

Anderson Valley Brewing Co. will be taking over the ale stands at the Dickens Christmas Village in the Cow Palace in San Francisco. They will be pouring 11 different beers. Some of them are seasonal, like the Winter Solstice beer.

Herlinda describes the fun and excitement at the Dickens Christmas Village, including old fashioned Victorian games and a fencing school. There are character actors and skillful character portrayals of Charles Dickens himself as well as many characters from the story A Christmas Carol. They perform plays and there is tea time, to do a proper British tea and also a Sherlock Holmes mystery attraction too.

The name of one of their beers, Baal Hornin’ means good drinking in Boontling, the local dialect.

Since 1997, every year Anderson Valley Brewing Co. has hosted the Booneville Beer Festival. Proceeds going to hyper-local charities, within 10 or 20 miles of the brewery. Over the years they have raised over 1.8 million dollars. The next Beer Fest is Saturday, May 4, 2024.

If you visit Booneville, don’t try to drive home too late in the day. The road is perilous, but there are lots of lodging opportunities around.

The next tasting is the Winter Solstice beer. It is rich tasting and at 6.9% ABV it is stronger than the easy drinking varieties.

Beer plus deer = beer, hence Barkley the mascot of Anderson Valley Brewing Co., a bear with antlers.