Beer of the Week: Without Exception

From the Beer Writer: I’m a San Diegan of 46 years. I’ve spent my whole life in this wonderful county and I love that. But when you spend so much time somewhere, it’s easy to accept your locale’s interpretation of things as the way they should be. Take, for instance, Mexican food. I believe our fairly unique hybrid of SoCal-meets-TJ casual cuisine is the best form of what the Mexican side of my family calls its “soul food”. Others from places like Texas, New Mexico or even L.A. (where it’s close to ours but just a tad different) would argue. And, of course, they’d be wrong. The same can be said for beer. I don’t think…I know we have the best West Coast IPAs, particularly the extra-dry hop conveyances named for our homeland. But in embracing these truths about California burritos and San Diego-style IPAs, I’ve learned I must also admit that some of the things we may try really hard at here in America’s Finest pale in comparison to where they originate or are held as dear as a fish taco. Hazy IPAs, for instance, are so different, and in so many cases so much better in New England or the greater East Coast region. Ditto most hip-kid styles like over-fruited smoothie sours and pastry stouts. Like so many Gulf Coast brewers, Dave Ohmer used to craft those bangers when working for Urban South Brewery. In moving to San Diego and setting up shop in North Park’s Brewery Igniter facility, he has won points for his tight lager game as well ultra-modern offerings at his eight-month-old Seek Beer Co. I’d venture his prowess where the latter is concerned is partially a result of coming from a place where those new-wave brews are the norm. Everyone’s making them and, much like here in San Diego, brewers are sharing info with one another in an attempt to refine processes and generate a rising tide that will benefit them all. The lessons Ohmer learned pre-migration are certainly benefiting San Diegans and earning him plenty of collaboration partners, including Daniel Cady from TapRoom Beer Co., who worked with him on this week’s featured beer, Without Exception. A milk stout with added saccharinity and silken viscosity brought on by milk sugar and marshmallow, it’s designed to carry the roasty, caffeinated oomph of Vietnamese iced coffee. A velvety front-end creaminess is kept in check by java acidity that gives way to a sweetness that steers clear of confectionery territory. Though it wasn’t brewed in recognition of the holiday season, this stout is perfectly suited for a peaceful night by the fire or a raucous evening guffawing at Clark Griswold’s hilarious travails. And Seek will be open all weekend (including 2 to 8 p.m., December 25) if you’d like to pick it up for yourself or as a last-minute gift for that person on your shopping list you forgot about.

From the Brewer: “Without Exception is a collaboration with Taproom Beer Co., and if you can believe it, it’s a 6.8% (alcohol-by-volume) stout. Yes…a single-digit ABV stout. And a Vietnamese coffee milk stout at that. We really tried to go for that Vietnamese iced-coffee flavor, so it has condensed milk in it, plus lactose. Then we hit it with all kinds of coffee to build in that rocket-fuel flavor you get in a Vietnamese iced coffee. Marshmallow and vanilla were then added to really push that creamy side of it. I think you’ll dig it.”—Dave Ohmer, Co-owner & Brewmaster, Seek Beer Co.