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A concise brewery bio
The Firestone Walker Invitational brings loads of people to the Central Coast and so this month, I will feature three breweries from the region that you could add to an itinerary before or after the festival.
Starting in San Luis Obispo at Bang the Drum Brewery. Here is a recent tap list…
From this, I would go for the El Tambor, All Time Special, Lucky Day IPA and the Dozer Special.
Our last stop in the San Diego area is at Barley & Sword Brewing. They are located on El Cajon Boulevard just north of the North Park area and have a refreshing change of style pace in their beers on tap.
Let’s order up a taster flight..
Fiddler’s Green Mild – “A sessionable pub ale that will keep you coming back for more.”
Orkney Ale – “San Diego International beer competition Silver medal winning. Referencing the Orkney Islands, a remote Scottish archipelago where the brewing of strong, malty ales has a long history. A malty beer with light caramel, toast, toffee, and even light stonefruit flavors. The sweetness is offset by roasted malt characters balance the bitterness and provide a dynamic and lasting experience. Toast, roast, bread, and caramel-toffee notes full this medium bodied beer, finishing with a slightly roasty dryness.”
Edwin Fox English IPA – “A clear departure from the abundant West Coast IPA style. This English IPA is intended to be a window into the genisis of the IPA style. Broad and bold malt characters are well balanced with a trio of English Hops to give a unique and delightful experience in aroma and taste. While not as bitter forward, this traditional IPA is enjoyable to both hop heads and less hoppy beer drinkers.”
Wheeler’s Patent Irish Dry Stout – “Everything you look for in an Irish Stout. This pint of black is dark, creamy, and full of malty and roasted flavors. Do not miss this when it’s on cask!”
Yes, this is a bit of a cheat since Audio Graph Beer Co. is the same brewery just with a new name but I thought I would re-1st visit anyway.
I started with a flight comprised of the fairly new Ambient Amber Lager, Flathead Hazy Pale, Noise Violation DIPA, finishing with Bass Clef Barrel-Aged Barleywine at a whopping 15.45% ABV. The last was rich and boozy and I am glad I savored that at the end.
Of that group the amber, a throwback to microbreweries past was my pick. Malty and filling and just great for a cloudy day.
I also got small tastes of the pils, the berry sour and the fermented michelada which was super savory and spicy (for a wuss like me) and really tasty.
And despite the LAFC contingent offending my Timbers vibe, it is still the same cool DTLA space that many don’t know about but should.
We head to the Eastside to encounter a species that I had never heard of before, a Beavercat. This upcoming brewery doesn’t have much information yet but maybe in the coming months more details will be leaked as to the origin story.
Heading north now to Escondido and the Jacked Up Brewery. Where we will start with two of their core (and canned beers) before adding a few others to fill out the taster tray.
El Gato Lager – “El Gato Lager is our newest addition to our core four beers. This light and airy lager is an easy drinking, but still unique in taste.”
Hazy Talk – “The juiciest hazy IPA that you’ll find. This beer is crafted to perfection, giving an orange juice like appearance.”
Then try the Seven Accusations Pale Ale, the Dragon Fruit IPA and then finish with Gallus Scottish Red Ale.
Cribbing from the Winners column from the recent San Diego Beer News Awards, let’s travel to the greater San Diego area and sample some award winning beer, starting with Hoponymous Brewing.
Hoppin’ Pils NZ Pilsner – “a NZ Dry-Hopped Pilsner that leaps with lively hop character, blending New Zealand’s unique hop varieties into a crisp, refreshing pilsner with a twist of bold aromatics and a clean finish.”
Leaving Without Saying Goodbye – “an Irish Red Ale, combines a smooth, malty flavor with a hint of caramel for a quietly complex farewell.”
Gal Fawkes NZ West Coast IPA – “by the Hop Girls, is a revolutionary brew that ignites with vibrant New Zealand hops, offering a spark of tropical and citrus flavors against a backdrop of crisp, clean bitterness.”
What You Need West Coast IPA – “delivers a crisp, hop-forward journey, balancing piney bitterness with a clean, dry finish—the quintessential brew for those seeking the essence of the coast.”
We place a cross into the Utah Royals box by visiting our third and final NWSL themed brewery, Level Crossing Brewing Co.
Let’s check out a taster tray…
Dallas Alice Belgian-Style Blonde – “An easy-drinking Belgian ale with subtle yeast complexity giving off floral, citrus and light honey aromas. The smooth and clean pilsner malt pairs well with the honeydew melon and floral hop flavors. The beer finishes dry with a lingering lemon zest flavor.”
Look Up! Amber – “A well-balanced amber ale with toasted biscuit malt flavors complimented with subtitle earthy pine and floral hop aromas.”
Suss It Out Rye IPA – “A complex and hop-forward rye IPA with three types of rye and a blend of hops to give the beer a resinous and spicy hop bitterness and grapefruit, berry and piney aroma.”
Soul Rex DIPA – “Intense citrus, melon and dank tropical fruit hops flavors and aroma. Medium body and firm yet juicy hop bitterness.”
We head to Louisville and the home of Racing Louisville and their team headed by Taylor Flint and Savannah DeMelo.
The brewery we are visiting is Milewide Beer Co. Let’s check into some beers…
Gish – “Black IPA w/ Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook, & Zeus hops.”
7 Sour – “American Sour Ale w/ Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Moysenberry, Marionberry, Cranberry, Plum, & Vanilla”
Phenomenon – “Hazy IPA w/ Eclipse hops”
Uncle D – “Southern Pecan Coffee Stout”
We start our National Women’s Soccer League journey in the Bay Area with debutante Bay FC. Also debuting in Oakland is Brix Factory Brewing.
Let’s check out some beers to enjoy in the 2024 NWSL season….
Lemon Theory – “A lower abv Blonde ale featuring bright hop flavors reminiscent of an orange/lemon creamsicle, held together with pleasantly toasty malt flavors driven by malted wheat from Admiral malts. Citric finish.”
The Eye of Tasman – “Crisp Pilsner hopped at all stages with resinous Superdelic hops bursting with dank Sativa, bright tropical fruits and aromatic calamansi zest.”
Plunging Waves – “Our West Coast IPA features a stern dose of hops in bitterness, flavor and aroma. Classic, almost throwback West Coast aroma profile dominated by the interplay between the Comet and Simcoe hops. The malt flavor is notably light, with a bit of cracker-like snappiness from the pilsner malt.”
Coffee Siklon Stout – “Our tropical stout, infused with a Timorese coffee, kindly provided by our friends at Royal Coffee in Oakland. The whole bean addition of robusta/arabica hybrid adds an intense complexity to the sweet stout basis.”
Our third and final Washinton State brewery is Recluse Brewing in the town of Washougal. The brewery which opened in December of last year, is helmed by Gus Everson, former Lead Brewer at Wayfinder Brewing in Portland.
Here is my thoughts on a good opening taster tray…
SPECIÁLNÍ 13 Czech-Style Amber Lager – Smooth. Balanced. Bohemian.
BED DENIM Extra Pale Ale – Classic. Pine. Fruit.
RBW EXPORT LAGER – Simple. Gold. Lager
MOOSE MAN Porter – Chocolate. Roast. Cryptic