Beer Reviews – Page 63 – Beer Search Party

April 10, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Expedition Stout from Bell’s

While the IPA obsessed on the West Coast were giddy about getting Two Hearted (and it is deserved giddiness). I was more excited about the stouts and porters. Ales made to warm on cold days. Cold days that L.A. brewers don’t normally experience. So let’s check out what the Expedition Stout from Bell’s is like.

It pours an inky black with some nice coffee colored foam that fades off but clings to the edges of the glass for a pretty picture of light and dark brown. Expedition is a really dark bitter roast. In line with a Starbucks coffee. There are also some burnt wood notes. This is a heavy, slightly viscous brew that lingers on the palate. Not much in the way of chocolate or fruit notes to balance out the near rauch character. Some balancing flavor or a rounding of the sharp edges would make this stout more tuned to my palate but it is a good late night beer.

April 8, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Cabotella from Baja Brewing

I didn’t quite know what to expect from this beer. Cabotella is the flagship of Baja Brewing of which I knew little about until the beer arrived at my doorstep.

I was expecting light to watery. Hoping for more, secretly. And what I tasted was quite strange. But not in a bad way at all. It was very grainy yet had notes that reminded me of Naughty Sauce from Noble. It was no blonde for sure and I wouldn’t consider it a thirst-quencher in the model of a kolsch or crisp pilsner. It is also a bit too much for food in my opinion because of the malt heaviness and sweetness. Though it would be interesting to taste it on nitro to see if that amps it up.

Disclaimer – This beer was provided free of charge for review.

April 5, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Two Hearted from Bell’s

Is this what the Doctor would drink on Gallifrey? Too geeky? Probably but I see a chance for cross promotion. Which I think would be cool especially since I do not like the label for Two Hearted at all. Though to be fair the rendition on the Bell’s can is much better.

On to the beer, it pours a lovely medium orange. To be frank the aroma is muted from my west coast perspective. A bit of spice orange teas drifts up but that is primarily it. The taste is almost more session wise except for the beefy malt base. The main note that I get is orange. Almost a candied, creamsicle type of orange which works really well. More smooth than carbonated but that works here and the bitterness rounds it out in the back. You can taste why this is popular.

March 30, 2015August 31, 2018

Home Brew Review – Cranberry Wheat

Well, it is certainly a wheat beer. But for the life of me, the cranberries are hard to find. And that is the only ding I can levy against this home brew. It is crisp. The flavors linger without cloying. There is a subtle tartness to the aroma as well, that I really enjoy.

The power of cranberry would have added such a potent effect to this beer and made it a really good match with a salad with blue cheese dressing. As it is, there is a touch too much wheat and not enough punch to make that match.

March 27, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Steamers Lane Lager from Uncommon Brewers

Certain ingredients can overwhelm a beer. And a beer like a California Common lager is especially at risk of being lost to a potent ingredient like lavender blossoms. So I was curious to see if Uncommon Brewers has succeeded or not with their Steamers Lane lager….

I think the can design is lovely, especially the ragged top of the label and the color scheme. The color is right in the Cali Common spectrum and the lavender is light,which is good because it can be too much even in small doses. The dominant note in the flavor thoug is apple cider. There is a really nice crispness that balances with the malt notes and a nice British bitter aroma as well. But in the end it doesn’t quite work for me. It tastes a little old and I would like a bit more spice to work with the lavender.

March 23, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Sweet Crude from Beach City

The second Huntington Beach brew to review is Sweet Crude Stout. And though I don’t like comparing beer to petroleum products, I am glad that Beach City bottles their scaled down or small version of their Imperial Stout.

Now, on to the review: Dark chocolate and a smokey roast greet the nose from the Sweet Crude. There is a sharp tinge with some metallic note to it that is the dominant take-away from the beer. Underneath is a coffee ground taste that would play well as a brunch beer if there wasn’t also a smoke note there as well. A well-carbonated rauch meets stout.

For me, there is too much of a spike to this beer where it needs to be velvety. Also the taste really sticks to the top of the palate and makes me want a drink of water to release it. Nothing technically wrong here, it just doesn’t have the flavors that I desire, in the right balance, for me to really enjoy it.

March 18, 2015August 31, 2018

Home Brew Review – Imperial Pepper

Now I am not a fan of the “heat”. I keep trying pepper laced beers and I keep having to hose my burning tongue down.

But this beer gives me a nice hit of spice mixed with vanilla and chocolate. Balance! Thanks God for the brew that mixes well. There is a really heady capsaicin hit on the nose that worried me but the flavor brings out a milder and milk stoutier taste that I like. Even though no lactose was added

Some people enjoying the “crime” and “punishment” of pepper, but I much prefer the balance and this beer has it.

March 15, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Hang Five IPA from Beach City

I have been hearing good things about Beach City beers but I haven’t been able to visit their space. But thanks to the enterprising folks at Sunset Beer,I found two bottles that I could bring home.

First things first. Both the beer name and label need work. Compared to other L.A. Breweries, those two aspects pale. Maybe use a more obscure surfing reference and find a cleaner, less busy piece of label art.

On to the beer. It pours a light orange witha bit of head to it. The aroma is spice with some wood notes. The taste is fine though I think it is faded a bit. Maybe too old of a bottle. Still has a bit of hop hit to it but seems less rounded. Even the carbonation seems dulled.

I will have to reserve full judgement until I have it fresh on tap but this is only so-so.

March 12, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Rye Like An Eagle

How do you impress in a saturated barrel-age marketplace? Well you let Beachwood concoct an Imperial rye brown ale aged in American Rye Whiskey barrels for a year.

This beer packs the whiskey heat but it is no one trick eagle. There is a load of milk chocolate flavor here that matches the rye whiskey and wood notes. There is a bit of vanilla cream sweetness here as well. Texture wise it is almost silky but far from syrupy where many a barrel beer ends up.

I don’t know if it is the touch of Udder Love blended in or the age but this is one of the rare 10%+ beers that is drinkable right now. Three months into the year and I may have found one of the best beers of 2015. It totally reminds me of the Firestone Walker anniversary beers.

Expensive, yes. But this beer is worth it.

March 10, 2015August 31, 2018

Homebrew Review – Mustard Brown

After a volcanic opening and a bit of clean-up, I was able to taste a beer that I was a bit wary of. See, I am not a mustard person. Not really a condiment person in general.

The ale pours a dark brown and the aroma is what I would consider British. Not much mustard at all except at the end where a touch of spice. This is nice and lively. Great malt taste here.
Simple and flavorful.

Probably my favorite because it doesn’t rely on a big flavor punch.