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Stone Brewing has done a good job of retiring then bringing back old favorites by not going too overboard on but also not letting interest flag in beers like the newly back Old Guardian Barleywine. Though I do think that a 12oz can would be better for such a big beer.
Well, I will need to try this during the summer….
A few years back, I was instructing at a summer school on the culinary history of the Caribbean. During the interactive workshop, students devised food rituals, summoned significant food memories, and crafted a Caribbean cocktail. They chose to make a Guinness Punch—a favorite on several British-colonized islands. This mixture of strong stout beer, creamy, sweet condensed milk, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg is a delightful fusion of flavors.
Guinness was known to me through both sides of my family. The Irish connection was apparent since Guinness was founded in Dublin, but why was it also known from the Caribbean side? As it turns out, in the seventeenth century, the Irish were engaged as contract laborers on plantations in the Caribbean. Due to their substantial presence in the area, Guinness decided to export beer there—with more alcohol and hops, ensuring it stayed good during the transatlantic journey. When I learned this, I felt a strong sense of connection: the unlikely merging of two clashing cultures had given rise to something beautiful and tasty and no, I’m not referring to myself!
Ingredients
Instructions
Heard this on the Good Food podcast. Which I highly suggest listening to.
I have never been a “shots” type of drinker. I prefer to analyze and enjoy the first few sips of beer or a spirit before then relaxing into it. The whole down the gullet thing never appealed. Candy-fying it with jello seems even weirder still but for those that love their gelatin and alcohol mixed, there is…..THIS.
Ya’ gotta admire The Bruery for sticking with sours whilst also doubling down on pastry flavors at the same time. The latest to get my attention is a sour blonde ale, Hold the Cart. This beer brings together tangerine flavors, milk sugar and pistachios. An Italian sorbet of a beer.
It is still close enough to L.A. Beer Week to sneak in another L.A. beer review so here we go with 7-ish from Los Angeles Ale Works…
This special anniversary IPA pours a dark orange color with yellow highlights at the bottom of the glass. The aroma is a little spicy and little orange. Getting a bit of a dankness and citrus on the first sip. The juiciness does linger if it is not super strong. It also lands a bit heavier on the palate which I kinda expected since I am tasting this not super fresh and some of the early vivaciousness might have worn off.
Absolution, the Torrance based brewery will be celebrating double digits this year with a big 10th anniversary party. Might be a good time to re-acquaint yourself, if like me, you get stuck at Smog City and Monkish and have a hard time moving past.
SoCal can get its first half taste of the popular Brujos Brewing from Portland with the cleverly named Exercising Demons a DDH Hazy DIP made with Everywhere Beer Co. Loaded up with Citra, Cryo Citra, Galaxy and Rakau hops.
The second weekend of L.A. Beer Week for 2024 is done, here are some photos and recollections from me about what events that I went to….
El Segundo and Beachwood came to my neighborhood of Glendale to We’re Pouring (the best pizza in town according to my wife, with a fantastic beer list according to me). They brought in a few beers each of new to me beers.
I planned to have one from each brewery but the choice was hard. Pairs Well with Pizza from Beachwood would have been a solid, safe pick but I went with the Silver Fern IPA which was bith crisp and dank. For my second choice, the new DDH Citra Pale Ale which was so, so lemony and quite light even for a pale.
MacLeod Ales X Anniversary was one that has been in doubt but they made it to 2024 and threw a weekend party to celebrate 10 years. I tasted a cask ale first because, yeah, ya’ gotta. It was a New Zealand hopped ale, named The Crisis and it was delicious. I then ordered up the Triple Hazy IPA and was less than enthused. It had a bit of a weird taste to it and was not soft or pillowy or fruity. Had me looking at the cask menu again.
One of the events that I underlined twice in my mind was the Highland Park CanJam. They borrowed a similar idea from Threes Brewing on the East Coast and brought lagers in cans to their patio.
I started with Human Robot because esteemed drinks writer Lew Bryson has mentioned them plus when else am I going to get Pennsylvania beer? And it was real good. After that, went to Threes Brewing which was ok but not really a hoppy pilsner to me before finishing with Green Cheek for a bit of SoCal. The sign of a good event is that you leave wanting more, and CanJam did that.
San Diego’s Karl Strauss has added some math to their Tower 10 IPA with the release of Tower X² Double IPA on draft and in 16-oz cans. The new variant is an 8.5% ABV bringing it in 1.2% higher than Tower X West Coast IPA.
Per tasting notes, “Tower X² has elevated notes of citrus and pine, a medium body, and a dry finish with a lingering citrus hop bitterness. Tower X was originally named in honor of collaboration partner 91X FM Radio and Karl Strauss’ origin story from Tower 10 in Mission Beach in 1989.”
Setting aside that the Chill Pill is also the same name as a sleep aid, why would you buy something that requires you to add ice? Would that not mean that you have refrigeration handy? Gadgets that do not do bulk work, do not work in my world. Just get a regular cooler, there are plenty out there.
Not Needed!