Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, July 29, 2017

Mountain View News Saturday, July 29, 2017 3 Mountain View News Saturday, July 29, 2017 3 
Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side



by Deanne Davis 

“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, 
they can be depended upon to meet any national 
crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, 
and beer.” Abraham Lincoln 

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be 
happy.” Benjamin Franklin 

I first met Kelly and Ryan Rogers, the genius guys 
behind RT Rogers Brewing Company, last March 
then checked back with them this week to see how 
it was going. Well! When I first stopped in, I found 
Ryan and good buddy Dave Bergman up to their 
armpits, wielding shovels in a trench in Units 1 
and 2 of the 38 E. Montecito site. Now the trench 
has been filled in, the new restrooms, which will be 
ADA compliant are piped, there is a lovely cement 
floor and framing all over the place. Shelves, bar 
rails, storage, flooring for the beer vats are all under 
construction and it’s going to be so nice when it’s 
all finished. You can see the guys here with some 
of their tools. Kelly, Ryan’s dad, is the one with the 
brand new bandsaw sort of thing.

I asked Ryan about what kind of beer he is 
planning for RT Rogers Brewing Company and 
he got that beatific expression on his face that 
all true artists have when talking about their art. 
There will be four confirmed beers to start with at 
their soft opening, which will be mentioned when 
the moment arrives: First, a French Saison which, 
according to Wikipedia, began as a pale ale brewed 
in the cooler, less active months in farmhouses in 
Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium 
and stored for drinking in the summer months. 
These were generally a group of refreshing summer 
ales made by farmers. Modern Saisons are generally 
highly carbonated, fruity and spicy. 

There will be a Belgian Saison, which is gold to 
light amber in color and craft brewers, like Ryan, are 
adding a variety of ingredients to enhance the yeasty 
flavor. 

There will be two pale ales, Belgian, noted for its 
yeast flavor and American, which is more heavily 
flavored with hops and malt. Ryan intends to add 
a variety of beers and ales, including two varieties 
of IPA’s. There will also be a number of seasonal 
rotational beers and ales and the occasional 
experimental. Here’s what I learned: Brewing is 
complicated! Ryan is opening with a 15 barrel 
system producing stouts and IPA’s. 

Starting with an on-line course in brewing, and 
experimenting constantly since he was just 16, Ryan 
has read everything there is to read on grains, hops 
and yeast. For instance, California IPA’s are very 
heavily hopped, creating a brew which is higher 
in alcohol, not sweet, leaning toward a bitter taste. 
Hops lend aroma, a fruity or bitter taste and the 


amount of roasting the grains undergo create the 
tastes of chocolate or coffee. Let me go back to that 
brewing is complicated thing! There is no facet of 
brewing upon which Ryan is not a consummate 
expert. In short, best craft beer any of us has ever 

experienced is coming our way!

For those of you in the know, there will be an 
English Brown Porter – which falls somewhere 
between dark stout but with less coffee and more 
chocolate and a Milk Stout made with milk sugar/
lactose. 

The walled garden with partial shade, pleasing 
the sun lovers and the shade seekers, right outside 
the glass doors of the main tap room, where one can 
sit and enjoy a moment of peace and a refreshing 
glass, is still very much under construction, but 
it’s coming! Ryan and Kelly are creating space for 
Quoits – the traditional game which involves the 
throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set 
distance to try to land over or near a spike – in case 
you didn’t know. Inside there will be standard dart 
boards and, for all the bicycle enthusiasts who make 
Sierra Madre their destination, a hanging bike rack 
on the outside wall. 

Kelly and Joanna, Ryan’s mom and dad, are both 
retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District 
where he started as a maintenance engineer and 
worked his way up to Complex Projects Manager, 
while Joanna was that woman no school can do 
without who ran the book store, got all the text 
books ordered and, in general, made it work for the 
teachers. Son, Jesse, is the family artist-webmastersocial 
media guy, who teaches art in the LAUSD and 
his wife, Deanna, is a speech pathologist. And Ryan 
is a brewing genius! The whole family is heavily 
involved in R T Rogers Brewing Company and all of 
Sierra Madre will benefit when they are ready to roll 
this October. 

You can check out their website at rtrbrew.com 
or come by and say hello. The welcome sign on 
the door really does mean welcome, come on in 
and take a look! They’re on Instagram, too. Really 
looking forward to October! Quoits anyone? 

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 
Blog: www.authordeanne.com 

“A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter” 
is now available at Sunrise Books + Coffee at 
Pasadena First Church of the Nazarene – just down 
the road on Sierra Madre Blvd. 

Kindle readers, give yourself the gift of: The 
Crown – An Easter Story It’s on Amazon.com on my 
book page!

Follow me on Twitter, too! https://twitter.com/@
playwrightdd 

SIERRA MADRE POLICE BLOTTER 


During this time period, the Sierra Madre PoliceDepartment responded to approximately 366 day andnight time calls for service. 

Monday, July 17 At about 4:07 p.m. officers respondedto the 00 block of E. Montecito Ave., to investigate 
a reported vandalism. It appears that unknown 
person(s) broke several window panes and a damagedscreen door protector. Case to Detectives for follow 
up 

Wednesday, July 19 Officers made contact with two 
male subjects who were riding a bicycle and skateboardon the roadway. During the contact, it was revealedthat the subjects were in possession of hypodermicneedles. The subjects were arrested, booked and citedat the Sierra Madre Police Department. Case referredto Detectives 

Thursday, July 20 At approximately 5:50 a.m., officersresponded to Bethany Church regarding suspects 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 


breaking into a donation bin. A suspect was arrestedand transported to the Pasadena jail. Case to Detectives

7:30 p.m. At about 9:00 p.m. officers were dispatchedto the 100 block of Esperanza Ave., regarding a theftof a bicycle report. The victim reported that his redCannondale M700 was taken from his open garageearlier that evening sometime between 7:30 and 8:50
p.m. by an unknown person(s). Case to Detectives 
Saturday, July 22 Unknown suspect(s) entered therear yard through an unlocked gate and entered thehome by removing a screen and smashing a windowin the 200 block of S. Canon Ave. The suspect(s)
ransacked two rooms placing items in pillow cases,
then exited the residence at the same point of entry inan unknown direction. Case to Detectives 

NOTE: Several traffic stops made during this timeperiod for drivers operating their vehicles withsuspended and/or expired driver’s licenses. Make sure 
your driver’s license is current!