In the Tap Lines for June 2013

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June in Los Angeles is usually the calm before the heat storm that sits upon the valley’s through October. So now is the perfect time to find a summer beer and I can think of one event that might help with that as Beer Belly and BSP team up to showcase the light and crafty beers that will get us through those triple digit days

~ e-visits to three breweries Micro-Maltsters
~ video reviews tackles two IPA’s from San Diego’s Mother Earth plus more beer reviews minus the videos
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 76 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your June started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) June 1st Firestone-Walker Invitational
2) June 9th Beer Belly + Beer Search Party event.

Hold the Date

Save the date!

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Beer Search Party will be teaming up one month from today with an esteemed L.A. craft beer destination for an event on June 9th from Noon to 4pm.

More details will arrive later this month as options are worked on…..

In the Tap Lines for May 2013

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If April is when the beer events kick up a notch then May in Los Angeles is when it goes up all the way to 11 and in between the new beers and beer reviews and brewery tours (the sit in your chair kind), I will endeavor to keep you updated on what is happening in the Southland.  To that end I have updated the LA Craft Beer Resources page.  More links but easier to find what you are in the mood for beer-wise.  I also updated my personal favorite page as well.  So check out what I like and compare to what You like.

~ e-visits to the newest breweries in the State of Washington. (Justice, West Seattle and Urban Family)
~ video reviews tackles two beers from Mikkeller (one a single hop and one a single yeast) plus more beer reviews minus the videos
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 75 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your May started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) May 4th Dogfish Head Tap take-over at Blue Palms
2) May 18 Smog City tap-room Grand Opening!

In the Tap Lines for April 2013

 

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No foolin’! April is yet another busy month for craft beer in Los Angeles.  And I will endeavor to bring you the news on as many events as possible, plus….

~ e-visits to the newest breweries in Arizona plus one that has been around for a spell (Fate, Dragoon & SanTan)
~ video reviews tackles two canned brews from Natian Brewing in Portland plus more beer reviews minus the videos
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 74 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your April started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) April 1st Beachwood Beer Dinner with Moonlight Brewing
2) April 4th Little Bear Sour Beer Appreciation Night

Enter the Guild

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This month I joined another Beer Writer group.  The North American Guild of Beer Writers.  I was swayed by this section of their mission statement: “Sometimes we act as evangelists, advocates and celebrators. Other times we are antagonists, agitators and truth-seekers. We are authors, writers, publicists, bloggers and columnists. We tirelessly cover the brewing industry — and those who appreciate beer — across North America.”

Hopefully, I will be able to learn a thing or three and bring even better posts to this website and promote craft beer in Los Angeles even more.

 

 

In the Tap Lines for March 2013

My March is full of birthday’s, so it is full of occasions to crack open those beers that have been down in the cellar. What will you be cellaring or drinking during March? It is traditionally a time for bocks and more maltier offerings but in our crazy American beer culture it can be time for anything! Plus…..

~ e-visits to the newest breweries in Tennessee like The Smoky Mountain Brewery and Saw Works
~ video reviews tackles two brown ales (one canned and one not) plus more beer reviews minus the videos
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 73 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) March 1st Beer Appreciation Night at Far Bar with Ohana Brewing/Bierkast/LA Ale Works
2) March 28th Hangar 24 Brew with the Brewer w/ release of Pugachev’s Cobra at all (3) Congregation Alehouses

The 2013 Birthday Beer – Revealed

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Earlier this year, I made mention of two beers in the pipeline from Cismontane Brewing in Rancho Santa Margarita.  And one of them, Oso (bear in Spanish) is my birthday beer for 2013.  A singular honor bestowed yearly that is on par with getting an Oscar or a GABF medal.

All hyperbole aside, here is what the brewers behind Oso have to say about it: “The English yeast imparted a symphony of dark fruity esters which compliment the tasty vanilla/ caramel notes, graciously donated by the Rye Whiskey barrels.”

I certainly liked the smoothness of this beer.  Plus the 10% abv displayed no heat at all.  I got lot’s of vanilla notes and also some baking bread aromas.  You could really taste the underlying porter underneath the whiskey which some barrel aged beers just can’t do.  As it the beer warmed up, I detected some spice notes underneath as well.  Between this big beer and the light Holy Jim Falls XPA, Cismontane has the beer style gamut covered.

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I also have a second birthday beer in mind.  It is the release of a collaboration between Ohana and the in Kickstarter phase L.A. Aleworks.  It will debut at Beer Belly tomorrow night and you should check it out!

 

Pour Some Craft Beer

Beer Sale at LetsPour
The eagle eyed among you (or the people whose eyes have adapted to the harsh light of computer screens) will notice that there is an link to Let’s Pour between what is in my ‘fridge and what is in my cellar on the right hand column.

That is because I am a fan of Let’s Pour and if you haven’t ordered from their service before then you can save $10 and that can buy you some extra beer!

Plus, I get some money out of the deal too! That helps me continue to fund my blog and my support of the L.A. craft beer scene.

So you win and I win. And craft beer wins too!

In the Tap Lines for February 2013

We move on to the shortest month of the year with the most Presidential holiday’s. Oh, and my birthday too! I am still deciding which beer to bring up from the cellar to celebrate this year. Plus…..

~ e-visits to the newest breweries in the DC area
~ video reviews tackles two randomly selected porters plus more reviews minus videos
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 72 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) February 1st – El Segundo debuts their new bottles at 5pm
2) February 3rd – LAB Brewing Super Bowl Party

In the Tap Lines for January 2013

Now that the Mayan death apocalypse (and New Year’s Eve) has passed and beer is still being brewed, it is time to jump into 2013 with both feet for another great year with our favorite beverage. Here is what is on tap here at the Beer Search Party for January.

~ e-visits to the newest breweries in the San Diego area
~ video reviews tackles two randomly selected ‘fridge beers plus more reviews minus videos
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 71 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) January 5th – Sierra Nevada Tap Take-over at Blue Palms
2) January 29th – L.A. Craft Beer Blogger meeting at Chloes at the Pub at Golden Road