Category: About the Search Party

General information about the blog.

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The Beer Allowance – April

Beer geeks don’t typically get beer at a major grocery chain. Either the selection is sub-par or the good stuff has been sitting for awhile because the typical buyer is picking up the cheapest or largest box of industrial water lager they can get into the cart.

But the Ralphs near me has really improved of late. Hangar 24. Dig from New Belgium. Some good Widmer bombers and I even saw Sublimely Self-Righteous on the shelf. So I have been making a point to buy beer there on occasion to endorse the changes. Letting my wallet do the talking and taking advantage of the fact that they are tracking my purchases and someone in data analysis will see that I started buying when the changes were made.

And one of those purchases was my April beer allowance money from my wife…..

I have heard good reports on the Discord and Outburst IPAs from Pyramid and throwing in a maibock and their decent but not exciting hefe is a steal. And like the first three months. I even saved a bit of my $20 to spend at the end of the year!

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In the Tap Lines for April 2012

~ e-visits to three breweries in the Inland Empire of California
~ video reviews of three beers with no recurring theme or style
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 62 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 Grand Re-Opening party at Blue Palms
2) April 1st – 7th Ladyface Hella’ Hop Week

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The Beer Allowance – March

Instead of waiting until the middle of the month or till the end, in March, despite having a well filled ‘fridge. I took my $20 allowance that I received for Christmas and went to Vendome in Toluca Lake and picked up two beers and still had $3 to spare!

Now in February I bought Rayon Vert from Green Flash which I did not care for. Too medicinal and overpowering for my tastes and I also bought Kili Wit from Logsdon which I haven’t popped open yet.

This month’s choices were Epic Brewing (the Utah one) and their Brainless Golden. Epic has just entered the L.A. market and I wanted to try a “base” beer before getting Big Bad Baptist or Brainless on Cherries. Choice # 2 is from Telegraph of Santa Barbara. Part of the Obscura line. But this one is made with artisinal chocolate.


If they all get opened, I will follow up with my notes and to see what I bought back in January, click HERE.

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In the Tap Lines for March 2012

~ e-visits to three breweries in Ireland
~ video reviews of three beers purchased during my recent trip to Portland
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 61 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 March started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) March 21st at Beer Belly in Koreatown a One Night Stand with Golden Road Brewing
2) March 30th From the Barrel hosted by Firestone-Walker Brewery

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The 2012 Birthday beer!

Each year on this very blog on this auspicious day, I make a note, so to speak, of the special beer that I decide to have to celebrate another year in the life.

Last year it was North Coast Old Stock Cellar Ale 2009 which was a great beer but super thick and huge ABV that almost made me wish the bottle was smaller.

This year, even though I am celebrating at Golden Road Brewery. My featured beer is a home brew from my brother in law. It is the enigmatic BP11.

It took my poor, enfeebled with age brain a while to figure out that BP more than likely stands for Baltic Porter. I will add the review to the bottom of this post later, so for now, cheers and may you all have as good a beer on your birthday too!

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The Beer Allowance – February

For Christmas, one of the best gifts that I received was an extra $20 each month for beer or beers that I would normally not buy. And even though, I just came back with a ton of great Portland beer. There was one that I left behind. From….

And luckily the Sunset Beer Company had Logsdon in bottles for the first time and one on tap as well! So, I spent my $20 on this…
That would be Kili Wit. The Belgian Wit Bier with coriander and then on the side some Green Flash action with Rayon Vert which I have never had before. And that still leaves me with cash to spare. Even though I did partake of a Lagunitas IPA while I was shopping.

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Portland Beer Trip – Part the Second

And the Portland craft beer photos continue….

Third time was a charm to finally walk inside the Hair of the Dog taproom. I tried a Little Dog and then this..

That’s the 2009 version Michael (which is my middle name and my Dad’s name). Quite the delicious beer. Slightly fruity with a minor sour note.

One of the great things about Portland is that great beer is literally everywhere. While my mom and wife were shopping, I was watching English Premiere League Football and having Secret Alt at the 2nd outpost of Hopworks Urban Brewery which is basically next door to the Lompoc Sidebar which is next door to the 5th Quadrant bar. Choices. Choices.

Then heading north from HUB, I hit Breakside Brewery which was #2 after Hair of the Dog of places that I wanted to see.

I got the sampler tray and was blown away by the Hoppy Amber and IPA as well as the Italian Amber. The Dry Stout and pepper infused Aztec were good but not to my particular taste.

I capped off my visit with a first visit of Bazi Bierbrasserie. A Belgian themed beer bar just off of Hawthorne. I picked up the licorice-eqsue Kopstooje from Upright and toasted another successful trip.

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Portland Beer Trip – Part the First

Last weekend, I journeyed up to Portland. I brought some Golden Road Point the Way IPA and Hefeweizen for people and brought back some goodies for me. But in between those deliveries, I did this….

I found this wine and beer shop in Sellwood while picking up dinner next door. Great spot with a nice choice of bottles and (4) taps. I sampled the New Belgium / Elysian Trip XI which was odd but refreshing. I also spied this bottle in the middle.

I made my pilgrimage to Belmont Station as well but I also found another bottle shop with taps in the Mississippi district.

SO hard to choose from a small list!

I decided to go with the Good Life Pale Ale which was only OK in my book. Too hoppy to be a pale and heavy on the vegetal hop notes that are not my favorite at the moment. But it looked gorgeous in the glass.

I went by this “cart” twice but it was not open on either occasion.

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In the Tap Lines for February 2012


It’s birthday month!! For me anyway. And I get an extra day in my birthday month this year. Makes one want to leap with joy straight to what is coming up this month.

~ e-visits to three breweries that opened in 2011
~ video reviews of two beers from my cellar
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 60 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 February started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) February 2nd – Meet the Brewer from TAPS at Congregation Alehouse – Pasadena
2) February 3rd – El Segundo Brewing night at Sunset Beer Company in Echo Park

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Reserve Society – Trip # 1

For Christmas, I received the luxurious gift of membership in The Bruery Reserve Society. I feel like a humblebragger just mentioning it.
Driven by beer buddy Richard down to the excellent provisions store in Old Town Orange, I entered to receive my “initiation package”

Not only did I get a membership card but I also got a hoodie with the 2012 Reserve Society logo and three beers!

Two of which went directly to my cellar which will be 60% Bruery related for the near future and then we headed up to the tap room to try (4) different versions of Saison de Lente. 2010. 2011. 0% Brett and 100% Brett. I don’t know if I should have started with 0% first and moved from there but starting at 2010 gave me the impression at 2011 was the best of the bunch. Still sparkly with the barnyardy-ness mellowed a skosh. It hit my palate the best.

Stay tuned for more visits. Next time, I pick up some new beers including a collaboration with Bootlegger’s.