Even the traditional beers of Europe are starting to show up on our shores in cans. Paulaner will be bringing their Germanic beers such as the Hefe-Weizen and Lager to us in 16+oz cans.
Another Canned Import
Featured Review – Mosaic Pale from Figueroa Mountain
Our second canned beer from FigMtn is their Mosaic Pale.
Pours a dark orange. Initial biscuity malt strikes me. Orange rind aroma. Orange and pine bitterness. Medium hoppy for this drinker. As it warms the pine needle taste takes the center stage. Tastes fuller than 5.5%. Almost like a Red IPA which is one of my favorite sub-styles because of the heightened interplay of malts and hops.
Featured Review – Point Conception from Figueroa Mountain
This month, the featured review spotlight is on Figueroa Mountain and we start with their newest IPA, Point Conception.
Point Conception pours a bright orange clear color. Jammy and spicy hop nose. First sip brings the West-Coast bitterness that is quite different from many IPA’s today. Pepper note constricts the mouth a bit. Grapefruit notes come in lightly. This is quite a wet beer despite the spice profile.
Over the Milk
Not in a too much lactose way, but in a positive way because of new Guinness – Baltimore cans of…
Love seeing old styles translated back into cans.
Komorebi
Three Weavers Brewing has an international collaboration on shelves soon with Japan’s Coedo Brewing. The beer is Komorebi, a tart and tropical IPA, in 16oz cans.
Coedo brewer Yasuki Mizunuma teamed with Alexandra Nowell in Inglewood for the beer that has about 3 pounds of Citra, Strata and Galaxy hops. at about 3 lbs per barrel plus hibiscus and lactobacillus. Komorebi is named after the Japanese word for “the feeling you get when you see light filtering through leaves.”
Flagship Beer Review # 4 – Hefeweizen from Widmer Bros.
Saving the Blazer emblazoned can for last. Portland beer news has been sad this month, with Bridgeport being shut down by Gambrinus and with Widmer closing their gasthaus/pub. So let’s go to a happier place and talk about the Hefe from Widmer.
Drank this Flagship while the Blazers eked out a win against the Celtics at the Garden no less. The classic NW Hefeweizen pours originally cloudy and I am getting more estery character than normal. A little spice and a little banana more in the flavor than the aroma. The mouthfeel is pillowy and finishes wet which makes it a quenching beer to really take full drinks of and not sips. Now I just need cans with the Timbers and Thorns logos.
Dry Cans
I don’t know much about kombucha and it does scare me a little but I am on board with the other two parts of this Dry River initial can release, especially seeing La Roja in canned form. I am a big proponent of putting all kinds of beer styles in cans, not just the hazy.
New from F-W
Firestone Walker continues to add new SKUs to their portfolio in two of the popular categories (IPA and Coconut).
Side note: is it just me or is coconut practically everywhere. I mean more than usual.
The Cashmere XPA, thanks to the luxe name of the new hop is one I expect to see more of. Three Weavers has one out currently as well. Will this hop take-off? And is it better in lighter, sessionable or bigger with DIPA and TIPA?
Since I am a F-W fanboy, I am looking forward to both.
Do Not Reply at All
Flipping the other way the Matthew Laurence Knott designed can label for the newest hazy double-dry-hopped double IPA from Angel City showcases the artist well and fits with the POV of the Arts District brewery. Just do not Reply All.
The Orange Tile
If you haven’t watched either Fyre Festival documentary or read about it then the following beer from L.A. Ale Works might not make much sense (except for the hops, of course)
I am sure that this beer will stand on its own but a little backstory never hurt. Orange Crushed Dreams will release on 2/9/19.