Author: Sean Inman

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Leaves of Oak

Brouwerij ‘t Verzet has a unique spin on an already unique beer style with their 10th Edition of Oud Bruin called, Oak Leaf.  

Here is the description, “Freshly harvested from a local forest just 500 meters from our brewery, our Oak Leaves are handpicked with care. These late summer leaves impart a woody taste and astringent mouthfeel that truly captures the essence of the season.

The wild yeasts that call these leaves home work their magic, fermenting the residual sugars in the beer and creating a symphony of complex, organic aromas.”

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8Zero5

Seeing as how a N/A Parabola would not be the best course of action, Firestone Walker has made the much more logical choice of creating a non-alcoholic version of 805, with the clever insertion of the word Zero for the number Zero.

Could be a popular beer this summer, up and down the Central Coast.

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Sean Suggests for April 2024

Time to play, one of these things is not like the other. I am a fan of collaborative beers and so that is two-thirds of the theme this month.

Enegren Brewing / Bierstadt Lagerhaus American Reinheitsgebot – 4.8% – “Being two breweries that share a passion for exceptional, filtered, and crisp German lagers, we decided to brew one of our all-time favorite beers for this year’s American Reinheitsgebot: an American Helles Lager. This classic beer is crafted with American malt and hops, staying true to its style. Make sure to swing by Frühlingsfest and grab a taste before it disappears!”

Santa Monica Brew Works Todo Chido Mexican-Style Lager – 5% – “this crisp Mexican-style ‘surfveza’ is pure golden refreshment. Enjoy the bright, well-balanced taste with delicate notes of orange blossom and a touch of tangelo.”

Wagon Wheel Brewing / Tarantula Hill Wagon Full of Tarantulas –  6% – “We set out to brew a Hazy Single IPA and the resulting brew is a Tropical fruit bomb that is out of this world! Wagon Full of Tarantulas is a Hazy IPA featuring HBC 630 and Mosaic hops. This beer is layered with flavors of papaya, grapefruit and pineapple.”

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Teenager

BSP blog favorite Smog City Brewing is primed to celebrate their 13th anniversary of brewing beer in Torrance.  There will be a special anniversary beer along with their new ESB made from Infinite Wishes second runnings and maybe even some bottles of Infinite Wishes to buy.

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Review – Tiki Fusion Zombie Cocktail Inspired IPA from Lagunitas Brewing

Lagunitas Brewing has dipped into cocktail culture for a Zombie inspired IPA. With notes of orange juice, fresh lime, grapefruit and allspice.

Let’s dive in….pours a very faint yellow. Not a see through yellow but not hazy. Very orange liquer aroma. Orange is the first and foremost flavor followed by a hint of lime. The spice arrives on their heels. Quite bubbly but that ABV is super underground. There is enough bitterness and carbonation to tamp down the citrus sweetness that wants to escape. I was worried this would be a bit chaotic but it says cocktail and IPA.

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Rasputin Goes Westward

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing is a classic of the style, but even a classic can change it up a little.

Back in April 2022, North Coast Brewing Company partnered with Westward Whiskey. “Single malt barrels were shipped to Fort Bragg and filled with Old Rasputin in August 2022. Now the results of our hard work have paid off, and we are proud to bring you a special offering: Our iconic Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout aged to perfection in Westward Whiskey Single Malt barrels!”

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A Book & A Beer – The Bullet Swallower by Elizabeth Gonzalez James

If you have the actual Specter of Death in your book, you better make the most of the character and Elizabeth Gonzalez James does in the time sprawling The Bullet Swallower.

There are two tracks in this book, one set in 1895 with Antonio Sonoro a restless bandido and the swallower of a bullet off to rob a train and then in 1964 with descendant Jaime Sonoro, a singing cowboy. And of course, death is along for the ride as well.

I have a hard time deciding if one half was better to me than the other. 1895 was very action-y but Antonio was not a super likable character to me as much as the people he encountered. Whereas 1964 was a slower pace but I truly liked the inquisitiveness of Jaime.

For beer pairing, I would suggest finding a brewery where past brewers have left to start their own breweries and having one from old and new. Or if you know of a brewer that has brewed at multiple stops, find beers from each stop. Then you can track changes and see which you prefer.