Category: Guide to better beer

how to discover new beer to try

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Hank

Hank is just a solid name.  For a person, a dog or a beer.  And de Garde Brewing from Tillamook, Oregon has a dessert-ish beer ready with a SoCal connection.

“During his visit for our last anniversary, we took the opportunity to taste through some barrels and compose a special blend with our good friend Henry from Monkish Brewing Co. . 

It’s a thoughtful and gorgeous combination of both three and five year aged barrels of our spontaneous beer, all built around the cornerstone of a stunning Moscatel dessert wine barrel. There’s mature funk, yet it still carries a remarkable vibrancy. A lot going on here, and a lot to savor.”

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After the Game

Yes, your favorite team getting W’s is important but if you follow this link to Give Me Sport HERE, you will see what is even more important.

How many pubs are in walking distance from the stadium.

Chelsea FC land in 6th way behind league leaders Newcastle with a tremendous 131!

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Itchy Fingers & Lupulin Harvest

I have had one beer made with hops from Sow A Heart Farm (read about the farm in this months Beer Paper). It was a California Common from Boomtown Brewery.

Now time to check a couple more….

Lupulin Harvest from Frogtown Brewing – Pours shimmery orange in color. Sharp bitterness to it. Earthy. Has some navel orange notes to it. A bit one note to me. 

Itchy Fingers from MacLeod Ales – Now this is more like it. Yes, I did pick some of the hops in this beer, so there is a bias but this has a punchy hop of grapefruit and earth to it.

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Up From the Cellar – La Suerte from Eagle Rock Brewery

Taking the beer Tardis back to 2018 for Eagle Rock Brewery’s 7th Anniversary beer, La Suerte. “Imperial Mexican Stout, brewed with Flaked Maize, Chocolate, Vanilla, Chile, and Cinnamon.”

For being 5+ years old and in a can, La Suerte has held up quite well. The chile is still there, prickling the tongue and lips with a touch of heat. There is a slight wine sour note and a bit of thinness in the mouthfeel but the flavors promised on the can – chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon are there if in smaller intensity than the chile. It is a 14% beer but the chile heat covers any of that burn.

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Reviews – Two from Ventura Coast Brewing

Today, I picked two beers from Ventura Coast Brew Co. from two far apart styles.

We start with the Hazy IPA collaboration with Seaward Brewing (also from Ventura). It pours a light yellow with a bit of haze to it. There is a bright sugar candy Sweet Tart aroma to it. Doesn’t have the softness I would expect from a hazy. Light bodied but with a firm hit of earthy / piney bitterness. If just called an IPA, I would rate higher.

Earth Day Dopplebock pours a dark brown garnet color. Lovely foam at top too. Very pretty to look at. Lovely cereal malt smell, like being in a brewery. Big and simple taste here. Getting a bit of Kix cereal. Full mouthfeel without being heavy or cloying. Tiny touches of sweetness and smoke add to the whole.

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More Canned Russian River

Vinnie Cilurzo has been slow and steady on entering the can arena. He wanted to make sure that the quality was top notch. And now more Russian River Brewing beers are a’coming…

“As part of our commitment to brewing more lagers in 2023, you will soon see both STS Pils and Velvet Glow Helles in 12oz 6-pack cans!”

It will radiate out from Santa Rosa then to outside markets later.

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Sean Suggests for September 2023

Small town breweries can get lost when you live in the big city of Los Angeles but sometimes you have to drive away and find the out of the way spots. Here are three worthy of trying….

Heater Allen Bobtoberfest – 5.6% – from my college town of McMinnville comes this excellent example of a festbier from brewer Lisa Allen.

Bright Spark Good Natured Saison – 6.6% – giving off flavors of clove, yarrow flower and peach from a family owned brewery just south of downtown Ventura.

RT Rogers The Crystal Gazers Hazy IPA – 6.7% – The Monrovia brewery tucked up in the mountains has joined the haze craze with this new IPA.

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Some Dry Goods Too

Stanley’s Wet Goods is part of the Los Angeles trend towards fancy grocery shops that every cool neighborhood has to have.  SWG is on Venice a few short blocks off the confusing road patterns of downtown Culver City.

Big high ceilings houses what, to me, is a goodly sized wine selection.  There are tinned fish cans because this is also de rigeur in L.A. now.  A liquor selection that is better gin wise than bourbon and a smallish, kinda old look can collection for craft beer fans.

There is a nice sized bar area, inside and out and predominantly wine by the glass along with a food menu that is a little bigger than what I have seen at other shop and stop spots.

If you need a beer, draft is a better choice.  Only five options but two are Radiant Beer Co. which are always solid.  

The best option is the RTD cooler.  Lots of great options from Ventura Spirits and Death & Co.  and you could get a canned French 75 too.