Category: About the Search Party

General information about the blog.

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In the Tap Lines for January 2018

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Welcome to 2018! For L.A. Beer fans, it will be a busy first month to the year with many anniversaries and events already on the calendar, anchored by the L.A. Beer and Food Festival. But we will duck outside for this month’s A Book & A Beer and to Durham, North Carolina to visit some breweries from our computers.

~ e-visits to three breweries from Durham, North Carolina perhaps Barrel Culture Brewing and Blending, Clouds Brewing, Fullsteam Brewery or Ponysaurus Brewing Co.
~ special featured reviews of beers bought during one visit to Sunset 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 The River Why
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your January started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) January 4th – Boomtown Brewery Tap Take Over at Harajuku Taproom
2) January 13th – Transplants Brewing 2nd Anniversary

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My Best Beers of 2017


Last week, I posted my Best of 2017 list over on Food GPS.

Since then, I have had a pair of really great Oregon beers that I believe deserve special mention. One is Fort George’s City of Dreams Hazy Pale Ale which has a really cool “woodcut” vibe design to it and the beer inside is one of the better hazy’s that I have had.

The second was Alesong’s French 75 described as “…this beer draws on some inspiration from the classic French 75 cocktail – a refreshing medley of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and champagne. Our version is dry, citrusy and spicy, with a bubbly effervescence that we hope is worthy of the French 75 namesake.

This beer started as a French-style saison – primary fermented in stainless with saccharomyces, then transferred to Old Tom Gin barrels with brettanomyces. It spent nearly 9 months resting in the cellar, picking up citrus, juniper and peppery notes and a subtle brett-induced earthiness.”

Both the juniper and lemon shone through with the brett being a minor but important note.

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In the Tap Lines for December 2017

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Christmas time in the sun, the perfect time to crack open a big barleywine or barrel-aged bomb. Maybe in January. In the meantime, here is what is coming this month.

~ e-visits to three breweries from anywhere on the planet, no Mars because that is apparently a Bud planet.
~ special featured reviews of Christmas beers, of course
~ 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 Strange Weather from Joe Hill.
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your December started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) December 3rd – 1st Anniversary for Gunwhale Ales in Costa Mesa.
2) December 6th – TRVE Brewing + Burial Tap Takeover at Eagle Rock Brewery

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In the Tap Lines for November 2017

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We are finally sliding into Fall, dammit Global Warming!, and now we can start checking out the holiday offerings without any remorse or looking over the shoulder. Instead we can look forward to more independent beer coverage….

~ e-visits to three breweries that won medals at GABF last month.
~ special featured reviews of some Oregon beers
~ 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 Hook’s Tale.
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) November 4th – Lagunitas Beer Circus
2) November 11th – Three Weavers 3rd Anniversary

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Stats Update


A quick update to my tracking efforts before the End of the Year rundown.

In Week 33, I had the lowest total (by ounces) drunk for the year with 169.4 for the five drinking days of the week. This plus a few days spent with muscle relaxants instead of beer have finally gotten me a shade below my target average for the year of 190 ounce per week. That will probably rise with a planned trip to Portland and Bend coming soon.

Due to the climate change warm weather here in L.A. the ABV is for all intents and purposes locked into a .04 range between 6.41% to and 6.45%. Making the high water mark of 6.94% earlier in the year seem like a super anomaly. Though I did receive a 2017 Black Tuesday in the mail, which could cause a minor disruption.

With only one quarter left in 2017, we will see if anything changes drastically.

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In the Tap Lines for October 2017

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Yes, I did review a pumpkin beer in September but thankfully the too early onslaught did not materialize this year. Leaving me feeling more disposed to talk of them before Halloween.

~ e-visits to three breweries from Oakland in solidarity against Trump and Golden Road.
~ special featured reviews of pumpkin and seasonal beers.
~ 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 Safe by Ryan Gattis
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your October started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) October 6th – Barrel-Aged Beer Day – The Bruery
2) October 7th – Oktoberfest at Enegren Brewing

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In the Tap Lines for September 2017

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Los Angeles is entering the last two months of summer. This is the time for that last hurrah of kolsch, helles and the lighter side of the beer world before heading into our version of Autumn. This month I have “planned” the following….

~ e-visits to three breweries from Houston, Texas. Doubtful any of them will have beers named Harvey anytime soon.
~ special featured reviews of Cloudwater Brew Co.
~ 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 IT from Stephen King
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your August started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) September 9th – Buy a Dog a Beer Festival at Wolf Creek Brewing
2) September 16th-17th – Saaztoberfest Weekend at Angel City.

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In the Tap Lines for August 2017

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The second half of the L.A. summer season is here, time to load up the ‘fridge with warm weather beers and start to be amazed at how early the fall seasonals are on shelves.

~ e-visits to three breweries from with the Beer Bloggers Conference landing in Milwaukee, we visit three Wisconsin breweries.
~ special featured reviews of Unibroue beers
~ 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 Dodge City by Tom Clavin
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your August started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) August 1st – All Your Oats Can release at Eagle Rock Brewery
2) August 3rd – Russian River Tap Take-Over at Lucky Baldwin’s Trappiste Pub location.