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Review – The Kimmie, The Yink and the Holy Gose from AVBC

I am a fan of the Gose style of beer. Unfortunately, American versions tend to include many additions of fruit and/or spices that stray from the original version.

But when I saw a canned version from Anderson Valley, I raised my hopes again that I might find a reliable source of Gose for the summer.

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And I was not disappointed. The beers pours a dark orange color with a citrusy aroma. There is another smell in the background that I can’t put my finger on as well. The taste follows with an orange hard candy taste that has a touch of sour to it. This is a very crisp and refreshing beer. And the salt is like a light undercurrent with each sip.

Very similar to a Berliner Weisse but that salt adds just a little kick to the proceedings. I can see myself trying this a few more times during a hot LA summer.

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Review – Next Adventure Black IPA from Fort George

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This stranger than usual collaboration between Fort George and Next Adventure is a Black IPA.  Why strange? I don’t know of any other beers done in concert with a new and used outdoor equipment store.  Do you?

It pours a dark black and if you like your black IPA’s to be 50/50 between roast and hops.  (Like I do).  Then this will not be that one.  Not to say it isn’t a good beer.  It is.  But from the aroma to the flavor and the aftertaste, this beer is more roasty.  Loads of coffee ground bitterness in the aroma.  Same with the initial flavor notes.  There is also a floral/spruce/pine note of bitterness floating around as well which does tie the beer up into a nice bow.  The coffee taste wins me over in the end.

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I still won’t buy any camping gear though.

 

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What’s a Crowler

Those who like smashing names together will probably quickly get the new name.  1/2 can and 1/2 growler from Oskar Blues in Colorado.  I have had insanely big cans from Mission Brewing in San Deigo but these you re-use instead of recycle.

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Here is their quickie description, “A Crowler™ (CAN + growler) is a 32-ounce CAN filled with fresh craft beer from the source. Yep, draft beer in a portable growler-sized CAN. It’s the newest innovation coming from the Oskar Blues Brewery taproom and their development partner Ball Corporation, the pioneers of the American craft beer-in-a-CAN movement.”

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Canned Gose

One of the great sites on the beer interwebs is CraftCans.  From time to time, I check out their site and a few weeks back, I did and ran across two unique beers.

First up is a Gose, the old German style brewed with salt that us wily Americans have grabbed and then re-configured in the way we do.  It comes from Westbrook Brewing in South Carolina.  The can design utilizes simple design elements and a minimum of colors but is very effective.

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Now if I only knew someone in South Carolina.

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Stupid Sexy Flanders

You could, conceivably, chill this Simpsonian homage /  Sun King beer with the TurboCool.  It comes in the really cool 16oz Alumitech cans with the twist off cap.

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“Our traditional Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin is fermented with wild yeasts, Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces, which impart tart cherry flavors to glance the malt sweetness.”

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TurboCool

I saw this on the Craft Cans Facebook page and thought it might be of interest to craft beer fans now that more and more beer comes canned.

First, a warning, look past the horrible, horrible brands of beer in this video.  It will only make you weep and not see the Kickstarter project correctly.  Just imagine your favorite Golden Road beer just arrived at home from Trader Joe’s (who doesn’t refrigerate, boo!) (great price though).  You want your Point the Way IPA.  But it is at best lukewarm.  How about using TurboCool

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Canning at the Pizza Port

If you are a Pizza Port and Port Brewing fan then you will like hearing that they have another location in the works (oh and they will be canning some beer there too)

It is in Bressi Ranch, which I am not familiar with but that is beside the point, there is time lapse video to be watched with quirky music……

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Variety is the….

Looks like Colorado has mixed-variety packs on the mind as both Oskar Blues (cans) and Odell’s (bottles) are releasing sets. Maybe Strand (bottles) and Golden Road (cans) can do the same thing here in L.A.
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“Four Dale’s Pale Ales, four Mama’s Little Yella Pils and four Old Chub Scotch Ales will fill the colorful CANundrum box with craft beer goodness. CANundrum gives canned craft beer drinkers an easy way to pack in the big three Oskar Blues brews at the lake, trailside or music festivals this summer.”

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“The brewery plans to issue three different versions of Montage mirroring its seasonal release schedule. Each edition of the variety pack will include brewery favorites 90 Shilling and IPA, the current seasonal offering as well as a new limited release pilot system inspired brew.”

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Review – Sculpin (in cans)

My bier buddy Richard aka Cap’n, recently went to San Diego and he brought back the new, canned version of the iconic Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point.

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Here is what I found when I opened the cans….

Pours a lovely orange color.  I am a little dubious about the variety of fruits listed on the label but I am surprised to get quite a bit of apricot balanced out by a charming hit of hops.  The bitterness isn’t super big but it adds a nice punch akin to sea salt too caramel.  Just tastes more frutier than I remember and I like it.

And here is the website info from the brewer, “The Sculpin is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon. The lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops.”