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C.B. Hannegan's Single Malt Whiskies

Los Gatos Website, http://www.los-gatos.ca.us/los_gatos/los_gatos.html

C.B. Hannegan's has on hand at any one time a selection of more than 90 single malts arranged by region. Each one is unique, different from even its closest neighbor. These differences are the result of many variables: the quality of the local water; how long the drying barley is exposed to peat smoke; the shape of the copper still and if it is heated by open flame or steam coils; and finally, how long the spirit is aged, and whether the cask it is aged in is new or has previously held bourbon or sherry or some other spirit.

Regional differences are, in many cases, a thing of the past. Malts are traditionally divided into four categories. Generally speaking, Lowland malts are lighter, more delicate; Island malts are heavy, peaty and dry; Campbeltown's two distilleries produce spirits that are soft with a touch of brine; and Highland malts are richer, more complex. But exceptions abound. The qualities of any region's malts can range from the sweet and delicate to ones that will pop the pennies off a dead man's eyes.

A Ramble Round the Globe Revisited

Los Gatos Weekly Times

There's a wee bit of Irish heritage in Los Gatos this St. Patrick's Day. John Hannegan and his wife, Patty, who with Chris Benson share ownership of C.B. Hannegan's, an Irish pub and restaurant in Los Gatos, have developed a wide network of friends over the years who work in San Jose and the Silicon Valley. But many of them reside in Los Gatos and come from Irish backgrounds. Over the years, since around 1986, those friendships and connections have also branched overseas to Ireland. Hannegan said San Jose has a long-standing sister-city relationship with Dublin, Ireland, and more recently with the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. Representatives from both cities paid a visit to C.B. Hannegan's during a March 10 trip to the South Bay.

“It started as a small seed in 1986, and it has grown from a group of hundreds of people to thousands,” said Hannegan, in terms of different Irish groups sprouting in the Silicon Valley. “C.B. Hannegan's is one branch in a big tree.”

The purpose of elected officials from Dublin and San Jose developing a sister-city relationship is to exchange educational, environmental and cultural programs as well as business opportunities, Hannegan said, adding that they are using each other and their resources wisely. Kevin Dowling, Dublin's executive manager, said Dublin and San Jose are of comparable sizes in population. Dublin is becoming more involved in the high-tech industry as well. The city has three universities, including University of Dublin Trinity College.

And because of Hannegan's Irish connections—even though he's a native Californian with Irish heritage—the sister-city friendship has spread to Los Gatos. Lord Mayor Councillor Royston Brady of Dublin and Mayor Councillor Shaun Gallagher of Derry and his wife, Mayoress Majella Gallagher of Derry, were among many who celebrated the sister-city relationship at C.B. Hannegan's March 10. To make the guests feel welcome, C.B. Hannegan's featured traditional Celtic and bluegrass musicians on hammered dulcimers, banjos, fiddles and pipes, as well as plenty of food and Guinness by the pint. Los Gatos Mayor Steve Glickman played along during the “jam session” on a drum.

“I'm just very proud that there are so many cultural heritages here that have the opportunity to express themselves,” Glickman said. Gallagher said he and his wife had previously toured Boston and Seattle before coming to San Jose. As for what he thought of Los Gatos, Gallagher said it was delightful and the Celtic music was hospitable.

“It's just lovely. The people here are very, very friendly, and my wife has enjoyed the shopping,” said Gallagher, with a thick Irish accent. In Ireland, Majella Gallagher said, St. Pat's Day—a national holiday—is a one-day-only celebration, unlike the weeklong extended celebrations she experienced during her stay in America. “There are parades and festivals and music in the streets—like Mardi Gras,” she said. “But we don't have green beer.”

Brady, who had just stepped off the plane before coming to C.B. Hannegan's, said his visit would be shorter than the Gallaghers', since he had to get back to Dublin for the March 17 parade. After both mayors were greeted publicly by Glickman, Brady offered his appreciation for the invitation and thanks to Hannegan and to Ray O'Flaherty, president of the All Ireland U.S. Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Dublin_San Jose sister-city program, who helped foster the mutual friendship.

“It's an honor to be here. We are extremely excited,” Brady said. “We've been twinned for over 16 years now. It's one of the longest ones we've been associated with, and we're going to do our part to keep it going.”

An Irish motif, boisterous crowds, lively staff and vast beer and whiskey selections equal decades of success.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene

The carpet is green, the bar wood-lined, and the whiskey prominently displayed. The walls are splattered with photo collages of crazy patrons, staff and the two original owners--Chris Benson and John Hannegan. The mellow groups of locals, business folks and dot-commers cram the bar early on, but the scene turns into more of a 20-something pickup scene as the night wears on.

The Draw

Though it caters to a beer-swilling crowd (Bass, Harp, Redhook, Newcastle, Guinness, Murphy's, Wyder's, Amstel, Pyramid, Sierra Nevada, Samuel Adams and Gordon Biersch are all on tap), true aficionados will want to explore the vast whiskey selection, single-malt Scotch being the house specialty. Fish and chips, shepherd's pie and corned beef and cabbage sit side by side on the menu with sandwiches, pizza, appetizers and barbecue.

Metro Publishing

C.B. Hannegan's

208 Bachman Ave, Los Gatos 408.395.1233
Hours: Daily 11:30am-2am 
Crowd Age: Gets younger as the day goes on 
Music: Rock on special occasions Decor: Rich old wood and dark lighting 
Signature Drink: Chill'um, single-malt whiskey, imported ales Dancing: No 

Games/Amenities: Management smartly refrains from giving customers anything sharper than a rubber ball

Cabbage ain't just for rabbits at C.B. Hannegan's, where Irish eyes meet funky comfort. The neighborhood bar is described by locals as whiskey heaven--and its menu of close to 100 single malts has the awards to prove it. Fish and chips, burgers, pizza and, of course, corned beef and cabbage give the whiskey something to settle on.

If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: A friendly lion

Popular Ovens retires after 29 years behind the bar at C.B. Hannegan's.

by Judy Peterson

jpeterson@community-newspapers.com

Posted: 03/21/2011 07:34:10 PM PDT

There was someone noticeably missing from last week's St. Patrick's Day celebration at C.B. Hannegans: It was Tom Ovens, who retired recently as the pub's longtime daytime bartender. Ovens started work at Hannegan's 29 years ago, with previous stints at Number One Broadway and the Gazebo Restaurant in Old Town [now the California Cafe]. "He's been a stalwart in town," Johnny Hannegan said. "By that I mean he's an old-school bartender by profession." Customers attending Ovens' retirement parties (there were two), recalled how he had become a fixture in town. "He's a gentleman," Cathy Farwell Davies said. She and Ovens have been friends for more than 30 years. "I love him. I'm happy for him and I want him to find the best in his new life." Ovens' new life will take him to Port Townsend, Wash., where he owns a 1920s home that he's refurbishing. He plans to keep his residence in Los Gatos, however, so he can visit if it gets too cold up north. Even though Ovens knew all the gossip in town, he was not one to spread tales. So asked to talk about his days behind the bar, he simply wouldn't. But Ovens did point out that he was proud of Hannegan's reputation for serving the best single malt scotches on the market. Ovens became something of an expert on single malts, with Hannegan's subsequently receiving two national awards for its high-quality inventory assembled by Ovens. "I like scotch and I didn't know anything about it, so I decided to go to Scotland to learn about it," Ovens said. Working for an Irish pub also found Ovens trekking to Ireland and one time he took an elderly friend, Norm Petersen, with him. Petersen, whose wife Fern owned a store in town for years, was a Hannegan's regular before he died in 1999. "Tom has a caring heart," Davies said. "He took Norm under his wing and really helped him." A different Norm Peterson was one of the main characters on the sitcom Cheers, causing regulars and friends to draw many comparisons between the TV show and the Los Gatos pub. With 29 years of longevity, Ovens clearly was integral to Hannegan's becoming a place where everybody knows your name.