Author: Sean Inman

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Colorado Report # 3

After walking through Sloan Lake Park, I emerged in the Edgewater District and on the corner was Joyride Brewing. Opened in 2014, this local is kitty corner to the park. I went with two IPAs, a fresh hop and an experimental IPA. Their 35th one. Both tasted super fresh. 

Also near the lake is the pilot brewery of Odell Brewing. Earlier in the trip, I had the flagship IPA and the flagship 90 Shilling and neither were on the menu here. I opted for a flight.  Where I went all over the map from table beer to fruited lager to pumpkin beer.  The five beers got better as I moved along with the pumpkin, double IPA and sweet stout being the best of the bunch.

For the third point in the beer triangle, head to Toast – Wine and Spirits a truly lovely little curated neighborhood shop.  I got a sixer of Lady Justice Sandra Day IPA but man, if money and airport security were no object, I would have bought more.  Leopold Brothers and Laws Whiskey and a whole pumpkin beer section.  

In a week of ticking beer bucket list items, heading to Hops & Pie was a coupe de grace.  A real “peach” of a final hurrah as I got to taste the Peach version of Weldwerks Brewing’s Juicy Bits IPA. I did not order the hoppy fries but the pumpkin soup and roasted pear salad were great.

To conclude, a special shout out to Chip and Erika for shuttle service and helpful tips.

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In the Tap Lines for November 2024

It is peak holiday season with Halloween decor still up (probably) and Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching. As with previous years, the elves, reindeer and I will start highlighting holiday beers, but only AFTER Turkey Day.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries inside airports for those flying this holiday season

~ special featured reviews of two beers from The Rare Beer Club

~Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events

~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark

~ A Book & A Beer reads Wool by Hugh Howey

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to My Unsung Hero

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the coaching carousel

~ New Beer Releases and Best Beers of the Month

~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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The Firkin for October 2024

It is easy nowadays to summon a car to deliver you to a brewery or from one brewery to another. You also will find running clubs associated with a brewery. And if you really want to take your life in your hands, you can bike. I hate to run but even I would take that over bicycling.

My choice A is walking and whilst in Denver, I was able to saunter from a brewery, to another and then another. The next day, I walked around a lake from one corner to another to visit two breweries. I miss being able to do that in Los Angeles as there are relatively few neighborhoods where multiple breweries exist.

Torrance on Del Amo is one. Arts District in DTLA is a second. Both have their charms and drawbacks. And maybe if economic times improve or a new gust of brewery wind hits the sails we will be able to create more walkable beer paths.

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Best Beers of October 2024

This is going to be the all Pumpkin, all Colorado vacation edition of the Best of the Month.

Here are the contenders:

Bristol Brewing Pumpkin Ale weighing in at 5.9%

Our Mutual Friend Porch Pumpkin at 8.8%

Odyssey Beer Works Fluffy Pumpkin lowest at 5.6%

4 Hands Pumpkin Ale at 6%

Odell Brewing Pumpkin Spice Dottie 6.4%

Fluffy Pumpkin edges out Bristol Brewing because that marshmallow and pumpkin combo just had the Halloween vibe, even though Bristol has the most gourd to it.

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Colorado Report # 2

Took a Lyft from LoDo to Novel Strand Brewing for a first visit to a truly neighborhood spot. Houses on the other three corners. Looks like a typical pub or coffee house, which it also is in the AM. Had the Ninja Shit and Green Showers on the beertenders recommendation. Both were easy drinkers. 

After a Vieux Carre cocktail night, it was time to hit a really good brewery triangle centered on Larimer Street. First point was Our Mutual Friend Brewing where I taster tray-ed a few beers from their selection that held quite a few Belgian and funky choices like their two time GABF winner Biere Ovale. Which was quite a tart burst. I also quite enjoyed the Industry Appreciation IPA. You can’t miss the space as it is brightly colored outside.

Ratio BeerWorks is the punk brewery and again, Denver surprises with an eclectic beer list including a scotch ale and multiple saisons such as the carrot and elderflower that I chose. Bigger footprint than OMF but familiar garage door, indoor-outdoor set-up just one block up from OMF.

A slightly longer walk of three blocks led me to the very large industrial space of Bierstadt Lagerhaus where I had to notch the beer bucket list item of a slow pour pils at the source. The presentation, after the requisite time had elapsed, was spot on with the fancy gold embossed glass and the little paper doily and the parfait of foam is something to see. And of course to taste.

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GABF Medal Winning Brewery Tour # 3 – Olfactory Brewing

Off to San Francisco for our last GABF winning brewery, Olfactory Brewing and Blending. They won gold for Proverbial Fork a mixed- culture Brett beer.

Here are some fine choices to get to know this Bay Area brewery:

Tsunduku Rice Lager – “decocted and naturally conditioned local pilsner malt and jasmine rice. Hopped in abundance with Sterling, Loral and Saaz.”

Mind Fuzz Fuzzy IPA – “Brewed pilsner malt, oats, and wheat and hopped with Simcoe Cryo, Mosaic, Nelson and Motueka.”

Manic Pendulum Batch # 2 – “Mixed fermentation Saison aged for over a year in oak and blended in stainless with an abundance of Citra hops.

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Fall Into IPA

Institution Ales Fall Seasonal is back with a Black IPA.  It is “brewed with Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops. Deceptively dark in appearance, this beer drinks similarly to a piney, citrusy West Coast IPA with only small hints of toasty and chocolate malts.”