Category: About the Search Party

General information about the blog.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for December 2025

Congratulations for making it 11 months. That is no joke. If you are still around and not checked into an asylum then you are doing well ’cause it is weird out there right now. To help get you through this hectic month, here is what you will find in December….

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from wherever Kris Kringle flies

~ special featured reviews of random beers from the ‘fridge as well as a Winter Ale or two

~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 Death Comes at Christmas

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to The Official Welcome to Derry Podcast

~ Sports & A Beer returns with sports at Sphere and Cosm

~ 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.

Posted on

The Firkin for November 2015

It is probably too early but if Sierra Nevada can release their holiday IPA closer to summer than Christmas well, then I have a little extra latitude when it comes to predicting 2026 in November.

Prediction # 1 – worsening politics will lead to a temporary drinking bump.

To say it has been a turbulent 2025 is an understatement. And I expect more of the same for the Grand Dame USA next year. It is pretty grim which may lead some to party like it’s 1999 but then when it inevitably gets even worse and the rise and fall becomes more obvious sales will head back downward.

Prediction # 2 – more closures ahead

I try not to be the boy who called wolf especially when things are good now compared to 25 years ago but I fear that more closings are coming as tariffs and a reeling economy shrink profit margins even more.

Prediction # 3 – a new beer trend will emerge

I will not predict what the style or sub-style will be but it has been a hot minute since the last real craft beer trend and though it may be a short-lived brut IPA experience, it could also be a longer term niche that shows ups.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for November 2025

We are heading into the silly season of American holidays from the just completed Halloween to Thanksgiving and then the grandaddy of them all, Christmas. As per protocol, once Thanksgiving has been given its proper due, we will start in on the Christmas seasonal beer celebrations.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from GABF Medal Winning breweries

~ special featured reviews of random beers from the ‘fridge as well as a Winter Ale or two

~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, well, still deciding which to pick from the TBR pile

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Doctor Who – The Missing Episodes

~ Sports & A Beer returns with underwhelming Premier League teams

~ 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.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for October 2025

We are heading into back-to-back-to back holidays until the end of the year and we are heading into the same for craft beer. From Oktoberfest to Fresh Hop to Winter Ales, which should not be on shelves, Lookin’ at You, Deschutes.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from Baseball Playoff Cities

~ special featured reviews of two drastically different choices from Sierra Nevada Brewing

~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 The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to The Water Road

~ Sports & A Beer returns with NFL teams that have Regressed

~ 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.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for September 2025

September when one turns away from Oktoberfest beers because it is now Christmas season according to all the stores and because all the Festbiers came out early in August and are now kaput. But it is also the time for…..

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from Baltimore

~ special featured reviews of a bevy of hoppy beers from the likes of Russian River and Stone

~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 some Stephen King

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Hard Knocks

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the Portland Trailblazers have been sold!

~ 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.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for August 2025

California is now entering the 3rd of three months of hot weather, sure, there have been some June Gloom mornings and it hasn’t be triple digits hot but it does wear on you and it does challenge one to find beers that don’t lead directly to naps. BSP will endeavor to help you chart a fun course through the sunny days to just the right beer(s).

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from Riverside, California

~ special featured reviews of a bevy of beer styles

~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 The Murderbot Diaries

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to All Systems Read

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the Premier League Kick Off

~ 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.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for July 2025

We are no entering the back half of this Annus Horribilus, aka 2025. And here I want to make a plea to Los Angeles craft beer fans to go out and visit an L.A. brewery. Use a vacation day, head out on a Sunday but please go out and support our breweries. Then post about it, let people know that L.A. (or your city) is not some bad place that must be warred upon by its own Federal governmenr.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from Vinepair’s Best New U.S. breweries

~ special featured reviews of a bevy of beer styles

~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 Weep – Slack Jaw by Eion Brady

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Lost Notes – Groupies

~ Sports & A Beer returns with Club World Cup

~ 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.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for June 2025

Back in the states for hopefully some June gloom as I was starting to like the rainy Irish weather. This is L.A. Beer Week Month, so expect some posts from around the Southland as we all celebrate L.A. even in these uncertain and troublesome times.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from Northern Ireland, more specifically, Belfast

~ special featured review of the 2025 Unity Brew from ISM Brewing.

~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 Going to the Match by Duncan Hamilton

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to DC High Volume – Batman

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the off season

~ 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.

Posted on

The Firkin for May 2025

I was recently watching a reel on Instagram from The Beery Godmother where she gave the 411 on the science of drinking on planes. Several lines and control points later at the Shannon Airport, I saw two beers on tap steps from my gate. One for Carlsberg and one for Beamish.

The Beamish, inexplicably, was 20 cent Euro cheaper. But on my flight over Aer Lingus was passing out Carlsberg like water and charging extra for Heineken.

And when one travels, which gate you land at will dictate what beer choices you have. Whenever I fly into PDX, I have limited beer choices because I generally use Alaska. I do have Westward Whiskey, which is a positive.

Cities should be demanding that the airports have local craft beer, spirits, heck even kombucha which I can’t stand. Don’t wait for someone to have a strange beer choice and diminished flavor on a plane.

Get ’em arriving and departing instead. That is just economic science.

Posted on

In the Tap Lines for May 2025

You may be asking yourself why there is a green glow around May. Surely, March would be a better month to talk toasties and spice bags. The reason behind the Irish centered posts this month is that, I will be there on the Wild Atlantic Way seeing what places like Galway, Limerick and Tullamore ( home of the D.E.W.) are like in 2025.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from the Emerald Isle

~ special featured reviews of Irish beer

~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 Tilt by Emma Pattee

~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Stakeknife

~ Sports & A Beer returns with the sports of Ireland

~ 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.