HEADY DAYS IN A.V. : BREW PUB AWASH IN TOGETHERNESS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Jay McGough dumped his career of 13 years as a computer network analyst to turn his hobby of six years - brewing beer at home - into his new career.

McGough took courses from the brewer's guild and worked for a microbrewery in Bakersfield before becoming the brewmaster for Antelope Brewing Company, the first brew pub in the Antelope Valley.

``I slaved myself to get experience. I never found anything I love as much,'' McGough said. ``The industry is so friendly and everyone is striving to come up with a good product. Where else can I sit and watch a football game and brew?''

Owned and operated by an extended Antelope Valley family, the 2-month-old Antelope Brewing Company offers hometown brews with European tastes and names like Windy Weizen and Devil's Punchbowl Porter.

The owners are Rudy and Dee Nafarrate, their daughter Cindy and her husband David Gregg; daughter Gina and her husband Sean Burch; and son Tim and his wife Carol. Brewmaster McGough is the friend of a friend.

Rudy Nafarrate is a retired Northrop Grumman employee, David Gregg works as a paramedic in California City, Sean Burch works for Northrop Grumman, Gina Burch works in a dental office, Tim Nafarrate is a big rig truck driver and Carol Nafarrate works in the medical field.

The senior Nafarrate had been looking around for a business of their own, and eventually decided it would be a good idea to go in with their children and their children's spouses: they had a big family with a lot of talent and it would let them spend more time together.

The family hit upon the idea of a brew pub about a year ago when they were discussing what kind of business they could open. Brew pubs are all over the Los Angeles area, but not one was in the Antelope Valley.

``People can come in and have a glass of their favorite beer brewed in their own neighborhood,'' said David Gregg. ``The attraction is being able to sit down and have the production of what you're drinking going on around you.''

The centerpiece of the brew pub is a $250,000, 8,000-pound brewing system. The brewing equipment has four tanks, each capable of holding 310 gallons, for each of the house brews.

``Everything we do is right here,'' Gregg said. ``This is the Rolls-Royce of brewing systems.''

Antelope Brewing Co. is considered a brew pub, not a microbrewery. A brew pub sells at least 50 percent of its beer on its premise, and brews no more than 15,000 beer barrels - about 46,500 gallons. Most have restaurants, like Antelope.

A microbrewery sells more than 50 percent of its product off premise to local accounts or distributors.

All Antelope Brewing's beers were named by the customers in a naming contest.

There is Golden Poppy Blonde, a golden ale light in body and color; Windy Weizen, a traditional German style wheat beer with yeast still in it; Red Dawn Ale, described as a mild porter with a ``nice roasted aroma''; and Devil's Punchbowl Porter, a ruby red-hued beer midway between a porter and a stout.

Brewmaster McGough estimates he has tasted 3,000 different beers in 100 different styles.

``The English recipes fit my palate more,'' McGough said. ``Every once in a while I have to have a German lager.''

The key to a good beer, McGough said, is balance between the malty, sweet tastes and the hoppy, bitter taste.

``You're looking for a balance of the sweetness on the tongue and the bitter on the back of the throat,'' McGough said. ``You want a balance of the sweet and sour effect.''

Unlike in his former job as a network analyst, McGough said the brew pub gives him immediate feedback on his performance from customers.

``Someone will come in with a friend and say, `Hey, this is Jay the brewmaster. Look at how great his beer is.' That's my reward,'' McGough said.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in AV edition only) David Gregg, brewmaster of the family-owned Antelope Brewing Co., examines a glass of the brew pub's product.

(2--ran in AV edition--color) The key to a good beer, says Antelope Brewing Co. brewmaster Jay McGough, is the balance between the malty, sweet tastes and the hoppy, bitter taste.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News