Mammoth Brewing Co. opens new Tasting Room with a mammoth view

Mammoth Brewing Co. has solidified itself as an iconic mainstay in the tight-knit community of Mammoth Lakes, and last Friday, April 18,  the brewery toasted to a new chapter with the opening of their tasting room. The new tasting room, located at 18 Lake Mary Road, in the old Whiskey Creek location, will feature 13 beers on tap, as well as the brewery’s extremely popular “Mammoth Imperial Root Beer.”

“This building is iconic, and now it will be occupied by Mammoth Brewing Co.’s iconic brewery,” Mammoth Lake Mayor Rick Wood said during the ribbon cutting ceremony. “Mammoth Brewing Company is a quintessential Mammoth business, and I know that from here the changes and growth will continue and so will the success.”

Wood joined co-owners Sean and Joyce Turner and Chamber of Commerce President Jeremy Goico for the Grand Opening of the new tasting room, which is now housed in the same building as the actual production of the beer.

“We are now here next to our entire production facility,” said Joyce Turner, co-owner of Mammoth Brewing Co. “Our loyal customers can now sample our beers just steps away from where our brewers work so hard to brew them. The experience, the backdrop will all provide for a exciting atmosphere.”

Mammoth Brewing Co., a staple in the Mammoth Lakes community, is the highest elevation brewery on the West Coast at over 8,000 feet above seal level. Sean Turner said that what makes Mammoth Brewing Co. unique is that at 8,000 feet, water boils at 198 degrees, rather than 212 degrees, resulting in a softer flavor profile during the brewing process. He added that the mountain water that is used in the brewing process is as “pure as it gets.”

Mammoth Brewing Co. has been brewing award-winning beer since 1995, with its most recent and most prestigious awards coming at the 2012 World Beer Cup, with a gold medal for its Double Nut Brown Porter in the Brown Porter Category and a bronze for its Real McCoy Amber Ale in German-Style Brown Ale/Dusseldorf-Style Altbier category.

In addition to the opening of the new tasting room, Sean Turner announced plans for a seasonal outdoor Beer Garden, which is expected to open this summer, along with an on-premise pub in the future.

“The history of Mammoth Brewery and the great community of Mammoth Lakes go hand-in-hand,” Sean Turner said. “We think our passionate craft beer aficionados as well as those who look to enjoy a drink in an incredible venue will be pleased; the new tasting room space is large, it’s much more comfortable and the views of the Sherwin Range mountains are amazing.”

The Grand Opening of the tasting room was also the kick-off event for Mammoth Lake’s largest event of the year — the 19th annual Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza Festival.

The annual event is just three months away and has been recognized as one of the most renowned craft beer festivals thanks to its rich history and amazing collection of craft beer and blues talent. The festival this year will feature more than 20 bands throughout the weekend and beers from over 80 craft brewers during Saturday’s Grand Tasting.

The 19th annual Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza Festival will run from July 31 through August 3, and tickets are on-sale now both at Mammoth Brewing and online.

Mammoth Brewing Co. has more than tripled in size since 2005, and Sean Turner said that this is the upward trend he wants to continue.

“The opening of the tasting room is just the start,” Sean Turner said. “We are extremely excited to take not only the brewery but also Bluesapalooza to the next level.”