More VooDoo I saw on the way. New Belgium is rolling out a new Ranger. A fall / autumnal Imperial IPA with the glowing hops. I can tell quite tell if they are glowing hazily or not though.
Higher Plane
Extra Featured Review – Avocado Ale from Angel City
New label design for the 2020 Avocado Ale. Angel City won’t be able to hold their popular Avocado Fest this year but you can enjoy the beer with you’re favored pairing at home.
Pours a slightly green tinted orange. I wish the lime and cilantro were more pronounced. Aroma is muted. There is a nice extra slickness which must come from the main attraction, the Avocado. The grain bill gets more of a starring role. The label claims more Avocado in this year’s batch.
In the Air
Yesterday saw the debut of a new R&D series from the hop fans at El Segundo Brewing. The Takeoff series honors nearby LAX as well as the creativity of smaller batch brewing. Almost IPA is the first departure. If any of these beers click, you might see them again.
Russian Citra
I may be slow to hear about the Citra Mob. Fast or not. But if SoCal gets another Russian River drop, and this is in it. Well, I will have to pick up one. I am liking this trend to pales.
Smoking Hell
Don’t tell me the beer style but tell me that it is a collaboration between Wayfinder and Heater Allen, and I would point to the glass and say pour. Even me, not a rauchbier fan, would want to try it.
Sails
I have heard nothing but good things about Humble Sea beers. Haven’t had more than two if my memory serves. One reason, availability and the other is that their label designs don’t grab my eye, little too reliant on puns and IP. But, this one did. Primarily because my day job has been promising me Salesforce for years, so when I saw this, I chuckled. Plus I should probably have a foggy IPA before they get played out.
Dank You
Sierra Nevada has announced that has a new IPA coming. Dankful IPA, is “a hoppy West Coast-style IPA to help the brewery raise funds for a variety of charities, including a donation of $250,000 to World Central Kitchen for COVID-19 relief.” The Jose Andres charity does some great work plus I bet that the beer will taste real good too.
Featured Review – Black is Beautiful x3
I rounded up three of the local versions of the Weathered Souls Black is Beautiful beers to review in one big post. Smog City, Los Angeles Ale Works and Ogopogo.
Smog City
Pours s dark brown/ black mix. Big espresso head of foam. Burnt notes big here. Lowest abv of the trio. Chicory. Coffee. A bit watery but only just barely so. Direct and simple.
Los Angeles Ale Works
Pours a dark black. Coconut strong to start. Lovely aroma. Sorta like a salted caramel. Sweet and salt. Tilted a bit much to the salt side though in the end. Does not taste 10%.
Ogopogo
Cinnamon is the dominant flavor here. Alcohol more prevalent here too. Very smooth mouthfeel. Sorta like a fall coffee drink. Minor roast notes. Minor sweetness.
Action
Another way to show support to the BLM movement is in canned form from Common Space. Here is what the brewery says about the new beer, “This Citra IPA is brewed in support of the Black Lives Matter movement right here in our community. Common Space support BLM Los Angeles.”
Like Totally
When I first saw the above image, my immediate thought was that The Rare Barrel was doing hard seltzers. After a breath, I saw that, in fact, a canned golden sour and that is exciting. First because it will be a lower price point (hopefully) and second because the 16oz size is better to appreciate the acidity for us with sensitive stomachs. Lastly, it will shatte the myth that spurs have to be presented in bottles, as lovely as those presentations are.