Count me as a big fan of festivals that populate those smaller niches and Pale Fest from Institution Ale Co. easily falls into that category.
Keep up with their social media to get the date and ticket details.
Pale February
Shift
There is no slowing the collaboration train. Whatever happens this year will not move that needle. Speaking of, there is a LA – SAC out now from Arrow Lodge Brewing and Moksa Brewing, Tectonic Shift West Coast IPA hopped up with the quartet of Mosaic, Nelson, Nectaron & Motueka.
“a dank & crispy West Coast IPA – the type of pint we’d reach for after a long shift. It so happened that California got a bit of an earthquake and tsunami scare right in the middle of brew day, so we added that little bit of inspiration to the name! With its big dank and citrus zest aromas, super light and clean body, and a lingering resinous finish, we’re all shook up over this one.”
Sage Advice
Do not piss off vegans is good life advice overall and even more for any restauranteur in that space. Echo Park’s Sage found that out when they added regenerative farmed meat to its menu in an attempt to climb out of a financial deficit and though no official word has been seen by me, that probably means that the brewing operations are kaput as well. During the last hop harvest that I attended, I kept hearing Texas in discussion and that appears where the owners are consolidating down to.
With the loss of Mohawk Bend and Sunset Beer, that makes Echo Park a bit of a craft desert.
Blue and Gold Reality
Moonlight Brewing ended 2024 (or started 2025) strong with a winter pils. “A nod to our classic Reality Czeck Style Pilsner and the Czech holiday tradition of higher gravity beer. 14° P Special clocks in at 6.7% ABV with extra special hops, grains and all the mouth watering deliciousness of a Moonlight Pilsner with a little
extra to keep you warm and fuzzy.”
Two New to Listen To
When the San Diego Beer News makes a recommendation, I tend to listen. And listening is the key word as there were two recent podcasts highlighted….
I found I Like Beer in my Overcast app and you can check out the Beer for Breakfast show HERE.
Prognostication Time
Today I have three links where various and sundry beer folks smarter than I talk about what they expect to see in the coming year. The first two are in podcast form and the final is the written word.
What will or won’t come true is up for our future selves to figure out.
Hop Culture Best of Brewery Tour # 1 – Outskirts Brewing
I am not one for Best of the Year lists, more of a in the moment person so I am grateful for outlets like Hop Culture that go in on the whole look back at a whole year thing. You can read their list HERE but first a visit to the Yakima Valley and one of the breweries on the list, The Outskirts Brewing Co.
We start the flight off with an award winning pale ale….
Canyon Crusher Pale Ale – “Light, crisp American pale with notes of Citrus and tropical fruit cup. Too aromatic to be a traditional pale, but too crushable to be a traditional IPA. Hits right in the middle in the perfect way. This recipe won 1st place pale at the 2023 Fresh Hop Ale Fest and People’s Choice at Public House Pre-Harvest Party.”
Barn Raiser NW IPA – “Our flagship IPA. Big notes of Pine, Citrus and Dank (cannabis). Great beer for the IPA fan. Still very clean, but with the extra kick an IPA drinker is looking for.”
My Oh My IPA – “We hit a home run with this one, just in time for baseball season. Go M’s! A clean and clear IPA with huge aromatic notes of berry, pineapple and tropical fruit. Medium body, with a sweet (but not malty) backbone and low bitterness.”
The Bracket is Set
Starting tonight, Native Son craft beer bar in Downtown L.A. is having friendly contests. Each Thursday is a Thirsty Thursday with two breweries going head-to-head.
The first duel is between ISM Brewing and There Does Not Exist. And the rest of the bracket is similarly stacked.
4.8% if by Land
Sierra Nevada will be going agricultural with their upcoming new Estate Series Heirloom Landbier that will be brewed with 100% homegrown purple Egyptian barley. This new 4.8% lager will come in 16.9oz bottles so quite different from the current can culture.
Wander
Firestone Walker has a heads up on a future beer release. Wandering Don a West Coast IPA brewed in collaboration with Colorado’s Odell Brewing has been unveiled as the official beer of what is now being called the FWBC Beer Fest which will be happening in Paso Robles on May 31st of this year.
