From the Beer Writer: Recently, I found myself at Escondido’s Welk Resort, a sprawling property with spacious suites, a golf course, theater and more. Having vacationed there with my family a decade prior, it was a pleasure to return, but I went there expecting little-to-nothing in the way of craft beer. So, you can imagine my surprise to discover the resort had its own private-label, locally-produced craft beers. And you can imagine my delight to discover that one was my favorite beer offering from Vista’s Iron Fist Brewing Company, Velvet Glove. An imperial oatmeal stout, it wowed the powers that be at Welk Resort (as did Iron Fist’s Blond Kölsch-style ale, which is also available under the getaway spot’s name), and is now available in a 750-milliliter bottle that sports unique artwork, while crediting the brewery that made the sultry yet powerfully delicious brew. A luxury property like Welk Resort realize the significance of craft beer—San Diego County craft beer, no less—represents another forward step for the artisanal brewing industry.
From the Brewer: “Velvet Glove was originally one of our homebrews that we made before opening Iron Fist, so it has a particularly sentimental place in our hearts. It’s an imperial oatmeal stout brewed with nine different grains, four of which are roasted, leading to a very well rounded, complex, dark chocolate and coffee flavor. The addition of oatmeal to the mash gives the beer a velvety, smooth mouthfeel. You can also get hints of vanilla, dark fruit and just the slightest touch of anise. As it ages, more and more chocolate begins to emerge. Finding the patience to cellar it is about as tough as brewing the beer in the first place. One of the challenges of brewing this beer is trying to keep the mash from getting stuck. The huge dose of roasted malts, the oatmeal and the fact we overload our mash tun to brew it make it a constant concern. One fateful day, we lost the battle. After collecting about one-fifteenth of the wort we usually do, the lauter came to a screeching halt. After several hours of trying everything I could, I finally gave up and opened the mash tun door. The entire mash evacuated onto the brewhouse flour, covering it in its entirety with one-to-three inches of what can only be described as “malt mud.” I spent the next six hours disposing of it. That was a late night!” —Brandon Sieminski, Brewmaster, Iron Fist Brewing Company