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Suggested websites to visit to further your beer education.
Hopped LA is posting a cool series of podcasts where host Gary Magnone dials up brewers and talks about one specific beer from their range and then proceed to drink said beer for immediate tasting notes. Ten Mile has been on to speak about their Kentucky Common, Hidden Hollow and before that Common Space Brewing was the guest. Check it out and then the website also has a handy to-go page as well to give you ordering info.
I have been lurking around beer related Zoom parties since they started popping up as a way to keep people engaged with brands and as a replacement for taproom or bar visits.
Some, like the Bruery discussion about spontaneous fermentation are quite professional except of course for that darn mute button which forces the moderator to remind the speaker to unmute.
Others are fine with discussions between two or three people over a certain beer or beers. But much like a great podcast versus a mediocre one, pace and questions that lead to conversations branching off are vital.
Last Thursday, I back-to-backed a pair of Zooms. One featuring a beer icon group of Cilurzo’s of Russian River, Rob Tod and Jason Perkins from Allagash and Jean Van Roy of Cantillon. There was business talk and tasting notes and thoughts on blending but what was most fascinating to me was the talk about the Cantillon cellar.
Their gueuze stash is 25K bottles strong. Crazy. I so want to visit. Real bad. And this is the best type of golden nugget that you want from a Zoom. You want to be sparked to excitement.
Then I tuned in for a Beer Paper LA chat with David Walker from Firestone Walker. Here the interesting tidbits related to their cancellation of the 2020 Invitational and having a brewmaster in Belgium.
Overall, tune in to those brewers you like but don’t be afraid to stop if it isn’t tickling your fancy.
I have been a Guild member of the NAGBW since it started and they have started up a blog where members can express some of their beer writing to the world. Called The Reporter’s Notebook, there is currently a piece on proper day drinking etiquette with more beer knowledge to come. I highly suggest adding it to your reading list.
Anyone who has had someone chosen before them, will be able to relate to Dead Eyes, a new podcast that combines humor with great guests to a dissection of an event that happened 20 years ago.
You get cast in Band of Brothers but then Tom Hanks has second thoughts and suddenly, you are not in it anymore, not even in the tiny role you booked. All because of Dead Eyes.
Actors will really feel for the guy but everyone will be able to relate to the tale of woe that is now a defining part of Connor Ratliff’s life.
To pair with this podcast, I would pick beers with Brothers in the name likeWidmer Bros. or Two Brothers. Perhaps looks for beers with Band in the name, like Jam Band from Boulevard or Critical Band from Modern Times or to cover bases pick up Hollywood Acid from Brouwerij West.
If you missed the bi-weekly posts over at Food GPS, then here is your chance to catch up….
January 9th – I highlight some coming soon and in progress breweries to look for in 2020, the 40th Anniversary Ale from Sierra Nevada and Brewbies # 11.
January 23rd – A trip to Whittier Brewing Company inside the Poet Gardens, a flowery beer from Homage plus some Infinite Smog City Wishes.
Henhouse Brewing has started up a new podcast which is two (maybe now three) episodes in. It is a blend of beer talk, upcoming events and information on all things Henhouse. A useful tool if you are planning to visit their taproom.
If you want to go deep into the Star Wars universe after seeing Rise of Skywalker, then Binge Mode: Star Wars will give you all the info you desire.
From the horrible prequels to the stand-alone films, to the original trilogy and finally, the final three movies of the Skywalker Saga. The laughter is infectious and even though I didn’t like some of the movies as much as they did, it does bring back some of the childhood vitality that I remember from A New Hope that has been somewhat lost in subsequent films where money seemed a little more important. Which thankfully was found in time for Rise of Skywalker, my favorite of the new trilogy.
There are so many star systems and so many themes that can be chosen for beers to drink alongside this podcast and there bad Star Wars named beers aplenty. But I would suggest that you alternate from blonde ales (the light side) to dark lagers (the Sith way) because these podcasts are long and you will need session beers otherwise you might not make it to the end where they reveal the hero of each movie.
Here is your handy link spot to read what I covered in Brew & You in December on Food GPS….
December 12th – The Brew & You Top 10 Beers of the Year, Lavabeer from Tortugo Brewing and The Bruery completes its 12 Days of Christmas.
December 26th – Trends for 2020, Californio from Brewjeria Company and what to do with the last weekend of 2019.
I know next year will be really political and I will climb into a sound proof booth until November but I am a fan of Gustavo Arrelano who writes about food and politics with equal aplomb so I tuned in to his 3-part podcast about the infamous Proposition 187.
It is a three-part series with a kicker at the end where former Governor Pete Brown states his side of the issue.
To pair with this, you could go for a local Mexican lager or for the classic Dos Equis but if you are in SoCal, I would suggest plugging your podcast into the car and taking a drive to Pico River and the newly opened Brewjeria Company and have some of their beers.
Why? Because they show why inclusion is better than exclusion just in how they chose their name – ” The term Brewjeria is a ‘Spanglish’ word combining the English word “Brew” with the suffix of the Spanish word “Brujeria”, which means witchcraft. We feel that this captures some of the essence of what it is to live in Southern California. Brewjeria is the swirling chemistry of ideas, language, culture, science and spirituality intertwined in wonder and community.”
This month we talk business, with Startup to Storefront. I interviewed Diego Torres-Palma that I have pitched and that is where I learned about this great podcast. He and his co-hosts Nick Conrad, Natalya Cappellini cover ground that you don’t usually hear about. Finding the right space, earnings, how to find an architect. You get the backstory on each business but then it goes into the nitty and the gritty of getting a start-up started.
To drink with this podcast, I would go out and find the newest brewery in your area, then take a seat with a taster flight and take a good long look at your surroundings to see what you like and don’t like about the space. Are there not enough seats at the bar? How does the space affect the service? Then take a few sips and see what you would do different and if it matches with the lessons learned on the podcast.