Category: Brewery Tour

A concise brewery bio

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Thousand Oaks Duo

With restaurant restrictions lifting even here in SoCal, travel is going to return to its normal traffic-y condition but I made a quick jaunt to Pedals & Pints and to the very nearby Tarantula Hill Brewing to check out their beer. Not really a 1st visit since I am not ready to dive back into sitting inside (or outside, or on sidewalks) just yet.

Beer buddy’s Rich and I each bought a different four pack to split (more on that later) which I will review briefly below.

P&P looks a bit like a new house dropped at one end of a currently quiet mall. There was a nice indoor/outdoor facing bar on one corner and then a bigger bar inside. It was nice if lacking in personality. I had placed an online order for the Lizard IPA and once there, I was told it was not canned and that I could get a growler. I was also given the option of a mixed four-pack and as that is what I would have ordered anyway, took that option. It came with a lager, Vienna lager, pale ale and stout. Richard ordered online as well and his order wasn’t found in the system. He did eventually get it.

The second stop was a mere five minutes away and it is a huge space. All the bigger seeming with the tables and chairs removed from the inside. Here, once we got to the bar, our precise orders were ready. They have converted some of their parking lot to outdoor, properly spaced seating and the place overall was pretty bustling.

I tried two of the Tarantula Hill IPAs first. Gettin’ Zesty With It a grapefruit tinged combo with the 2020 Pink Boots Hop Blend. Both the fruit and hops were quite well balanced. Second was the Sabro hop focused Saaah Bro which was also well done and not a bitter meets coconut bomb that the hop usually comes across to me. I also liked the label design, especially the amount of information presented about each beer.

The Pedals & Pints labels were a little more DIY but I really liked the Vienna lager that I started with. Crisp and crackery with a beautiful garnet color. The Pale Ale was of a different stripe, a bit tilted to dill and grassy notes and it had that same reddish color but I enjoyed it. Caught a little orange hidden as well.

Beer wise, I have come away impressed.

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Pandemically Funny Brewery # 3 – Diametric Brewing

For a final funny this month, we have the B plot line of 2020. Murder Hornets. The other reason why I chose to highlight Diametric Brewing Company is that the brewer (and one of the owners is a fellow Sean!)

Here are some of their other beers that I would like to sample the next time I find myself in Lee’s Summit, Missouri…

Under Koalafied Austrailian Sparkling Ale

“Crisp Australian hop flavor shine through this sessionable lager-ish pale ale. Brewed with an Australian yeast, Pride of Ringwood and Ella Hops.”

Grisette a’laise Grisette

“Deceivingly flavorful with notes of citrus and clove with a subtle background of banana and bubblegum.”

Two Hops Dis Time- Bravo & Vic Secret IPA

“Fruity hop character followed by a nice danky-citrus bitterness fill out this hazed up IPA.”

Gone Yard- Nelson Sauvin Sour

“We take our kettle sour base and hit it with a double dose of Nelson Sauvin dry hop.”

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Without Law

Well, I must have been asleep at the switch. I totally missed the Indie Go Go campaign for Lawless Brewing Co. which will be taking over a movie equipment rental house in North Hollywood. The brewery will open, sometime in this eventful year and mark the first brewery in this part of Los Angeles.

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Pandemically Funny – Brewery # 2 – Casa Agria

Casa Agria is now shipping throughout California and one that caught my eye for design amidst an unfunny pandemic was this kinda Hitchcockian twist, that the brewery describes as “Room with a View is a decidedly West Coast IPA dry hopped with Mosaic, Enigma, Strata, and Nugget. Fruity, Dank, and Piney!”

What really caught my eye was the not so subtle masks floating on the street. Hopefully people might get the message about wearing them.

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Send Good Thoughts Brewery # 3 – Ten Mile Creek Brewery in Montana

Ten Mile Creek Brewery is a six barrel brewery located in the historic Last Chance Walking Mall in Helena, Montana. The brewery opened in October of 2015 and is close by to the The Hawthorn Bottle Shop.

Here is what I would select for a taster tray…

Queen City Pale Ale – “Queen City is our award-winning, light bodied, hop forward pale ale. The Queen City Pale Ale is brewed with Amarillo and Chinook hops. It has a piney character with a subtle grapefruit aroma. The combination of Montana grown 2-row, rye and crystal malt create a golden colored ale with a dry, crisp finish.”

Aiteall Irish Dry Stout – “this jet black beer has a huge roasty flavor from the high percentage of roasted barley. The lighter body lends a hand in making it very drinkable.”

Torpor Belgian Strong Ale – “A dark, complex, very strong Belgian ale with a delicious blend of malt richness, dark fruit flavors, and spicy elements. Complex, rich, smooth and dangerous.”

Tree Knocker IPA – ” part of our Sasquatch series Tree Knocker is named for the call of the illusive Sasquatch. Our IPA has a crisp, floral citrus taste with a bitter finish. We use three different base malts including Montana grown malted barley along with three hop additions of Chinook, Cascade, and Citra.  We end by dry hopping with an abundant amount of Citra and Cascade.”

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Cerveceria del Pueblo – Photos

Pasadena was set to get a new brewery in May, but now Cerveceria del Pueblo is soft opening with to-go sales of their (4) core beers including a variety pack that allows new customers a taster tray of sorts.

I drove the much quieter streets over to their location on Bellevue to pickup some beers but also to take a safe peek into their little but brightly painted space.

The next post will cover capsule reviews of the Kolsch, California Common, Pilsner and Wheat beer but you should check out this L.A. Times piece that talks about the brewery as the opener and closer to the article.

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Send Good Thoughts Brewery # 2- Indiana’s Function Brewing

I wish that Function Brewing was functioning normally. Having to navigate an online ordering and contactless purchasing world is weird.

Here is what I would order to-go from their online store if I was in Bloomington…

Archimedes Pale Ale, Digit Red Ale, Equidistant IPA – notice a math trend? I really like breweries that have a theme to their names.

Anyway, here are a couple more fun sounding beers…

Bernoulli Saison and then one or both of their American Porter’s, Hypotenuse or Hyperbolic.

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Like, Yesterday

If the failing to provide for sick people was any more starkly shown than now, then it never will be. I do not care if you are a good person or bad but you, and all of us, deserve a way better system of healthcare. The beer above from Modern Times ain’t gonna solve it but if enough people post photos of the sub-title of this special beer, maybe, just maybe we can continue a discussion that this virus has started.

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Send Good Thoughts Brewery # 1 – NY

Since New York has been super hard hit by this world stopping virus, I thought we should focus on a brewery from the Empire State first. And I know the name is too on point but let’s take a little taster tray tour of Brewery of Broken Dreams in Hammondsport.

Here are the beers that I would like to taste….

Stop and Wonder Rye – Smoked Rye Lager

The Crying Loon – English Style Pale Ale

Old Antics – Amber Ale

Unfinished Business – Scottish Style Ale

As you can tell, this brewery is hewing to old classic styles and they are a New York State Farm brewery that uses all New York hops and malts. All the more reason to plan a visit when visiting plans can be made.