Category: About the Search Party

General information about the blog.

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In the Tap Lines for September 2020

header_attractionsSoCal just suffered through some heat but I hope that September begins the slow winding down of temperatures.  Still no good news on the ol’ Virus front but it seems that breweries are still being left out of the open up groups.  I will say it again, here is to hoping September will be better.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from the Oakland area in honor of Kamala Harris.
~ special featured reviews of beers from Fieldwork Brewing.  One hazy and one dark lager
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events (Far in the future events)
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Land of the Giants – Netflix
~ Great Beer names and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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In the Tap Lines for August 2020

header_attractionsI keep saying each month that the next month will be better.  And I see no reason to stop now, right?  August has to be better.  Anyhoo, let’s see the good beer news coming over the next 31 days.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from the Garden State of New Jersey – Alementary, Fort Nonsense and Chimney Rustic Ales
~ special featured reviews of beers of Black is Beautiful beers and one Take Action IPA
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events (Far in the future events)
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Creating Cashflow
~ Great Beer names and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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2020 Drinking Stats Update

The first half of the year is way skewed. I had gotten one trip in to Oregon so those breweries are well represented in what I drank. 17 compared to 32 from LA where I have been sheltering, well basically, since that trip.

Other California breweries were 28 in number and outside CA and OR accounted for another 18 breweries. With no Firestone Festival the numbers for other CA and outside are down.

The IPA to all other styles ratio is tilted too far to IPA which leads 159 to 139 and the barrel-aged beer count is a paltry 21.

Eagle Rock, Smog City and Firestone are the most sampled along with Buzzrock since I did a tasting of ten of their beers before the virus shut the calendar down.

This year will be a handy measuring stick for past and future more free to move years.

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Happy 4th

I want to wish everyone out in craft beer world a great 4th of July. I hope you have a safe-cation and can forge some new safe distance fun together for this year and that you will have some great beer as well.

Before I go get my beer, a brief snippet of poetry for these times we live in from Mr. Langston Hughes:

O, let America be America again—
The land that never has been yet—
And yet must be—the land where every man is free.

Cheers!

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In the Tap Lines for July 2020

header_attractionsJuly is the summer month for me.  A time to try to keep cool, have a staycation, visit the beach, use that accrued vacation time.  Two out of four ain’t bad.  But hopefully, I can brighten the world with news and fun about our favorite beverage.

~ e-visits to (3) breweries from across our nation to celebrate Independence Day and independence from bland beer
~ special featured reviews of beers from new Glendale brewery Paperback Brewing
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events (Far in the future events)
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Heaven Bent
~ Great Beer names and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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DIY Project # 2

I am not anywhere in the vicinity of “handy” but with such cool can designs, I felt it was a shame to just chucking the empties into the recycle bin. So first, I made a mobile of Brouwerij West cans to hang in my office and now, I have put some to use in an experimental garden.

I removed the can tops, then punched holes in the bottom of each can, added some soil, and then seeds and water. I used mostly 16oz cans but also a crowler and a 12oz can. Whether the seeds take root or not is up in the air. But it is a fun afternoon spent playing in the dirt.

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In the Tap Lines for June 2020

header_attractionsWe start off June with a five question interview with Partake Brewing who is in the N/A beer space and will quickly move on to….

~ e-visits to (3)  breweries who might need a re-introduction to fans
~ special featured reviews of (5) beers from Partake Brewing!
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events (Far in the future events)
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads The Great Influenza by John Barry
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Forgotten Stories of Football
~ Great Beer names and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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In the Tap Lines for May 2020

header_attractionsWell April was not a fun month either  maybe May will break this bad streak that we are on.  Remember, do not drink bleach or Tide Pods, drink local

~ e-visits to (3)  breweries that have done Quarantine themed beers
~ special featured reviews of beers from Cerveceria del Pueblo and others
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events (Far in the future events)
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Deciding Westworld
~ Great Beer names and Best Beers of the Month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

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Drinking Stats – Q1 2020

Well this quarter has had some highs and lows, hasn’t it? But in an effort to continue continuity, let’s dive into the numbers behind the beers drunk these past three months.

This year, I am trying to maintain. Keep below the 163 ounces a week that I was able to accomplish last year. Currently sitting at 157.35 or 9.8 pints a week. Two ounces below last years finish. ABV has settled into the 6.5% range and won’t move unless I really have to hit the barrel-aged stash.

I have a feeling that this lockdown will play the most havoc with how many breweries are on the list compared to last year. It is not normally something that I track, opting instead for top 10 popular beers and breweries instead.

Gold star faves have been the Galactic Ghost IPA from Allegory Brewing, Apical Dominance from Russian, Hayshaker Saison from Gunwhale Ales and Atomic Jukebox from Fort George.

See you next quarter.