Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
These are the beers that I wish I could taste for the first time.
You can’t miss the Frida Kahlo mural at Trademark Brewing but you may not have seen or remember the quote from her that is on it, “I am my own muse, I am the subject I know best.”
Obviously, they needed a Kahlo inspired beer so there now is My Own Muse, a “West Coast Pilsner that features this year’s exciting hop blend of Loral, Ekuanot, and HBC 586.”
Belgian brewer Lindemans has two new mixed fermentation beers coming out under the Tarot name. Both are low in sugar and have no sweeteners or colorants.
“The brilliant, golden blonde Tarot d’Or has a beautiful white foam collar. The pleasant, sultry aroma refers to mango, lemon and honey melon, among other things, with nuances of ripe pear. The flavor is full, juicy and round with hints of ripe exotic fruit. The beer has a nice sweet and sour balance and a pleasant, smooth drink.
Tarot Noir is also a blend of high-fasting beer and lambic to which blueberries, blackberries and black elderberries have been added. The beer colors dark purple in the glass and has a full, compact foam collar and a sultry and intense aroma of dark and red fruit (black berry, cherry, cherry, strawberry… ). The natural flavor is juicy and round and reminiscent of red and black berries with a hint of cherries. Tarot Noir has a nice acidity and a surprisingly soft and fresh drink.”
d’Or would be my first choice but Noir sounds great too.
Allagash Brewing has a new bourbon barrel-aged beer coming and by the name of it, it sounds like beer fans should meet-up to enjoy it.
Gatherwell is an 11% imperial stout. That’s it. No special ingredients added.
A usual collaboration is two breweries. Some go to a trio. But rare are the quadlaborations. But Lucky Luke, Telco, Wolf Creek and Brewery Draconum are celebrating their neck of the L.A. woods with a new Cold IPA, Four Corners.
A Sazerac is a classic cocktail and two Ventura beverage makers have a beer version, Mystik Krewe Breux, a festive rye beer from Ventura Coast Brewing and Ventura Spirits.
That feeling when you take that first sip of a beer can be Ahhh! Take that into the realm of aroma and you get a new juicy IPA from Glendale brewery, Brewyard Beer. Co.
Brewjeria has a Benefit Beer Release on the way. They have “teamed up with Mexicali Biennial to make a Farmhouse ale, or as we’re calling it ‘Cerveza del Campo’ with local Oro Blanco Grapefruit. This beer will be available on tap and in four packs on March 25th.”
And if you want to pair the beer art, the Mexicali Biennial recently launched a new exhibition “Land of Milk & Honey’ at the Cheech Center which is on my list of SoCal places to visit. But maybe they should call the exhibit Beer & Honey instead.
By law, beer bloggers must always talk about pilsners as if they are on the cusp of popularity. (they are popular, just not IPA popular). So, I present a local option for you pils believers…
….P(alos) V(erdes) Pils from Burning Daylight Brewing.
Stone Brewing has been outside apparently, which is probably why Patio Magic Double IPA is now out.
“This 8.8% botanical creation uses a special ingredient from New Zealand called Phantasm, which is made from Sauvignon Blanc grape skin extract. When making white wine, grapes are pressed off their skins. The skins produce some of those amazing fruit characteristics also found in hops. In combination with certain yeasts and hops it intensifies the flavor and aroma experience.
Combine that with a hefty dose of the experimental hop HBC 843 from Hop Breeding Company, and you’ve got an immensely complex but simply amazing IPA.”
Figueroa Mountain Brewing is joining the N/A realm with their Hoppy Poppy IPA getting a sibling.
“Hoppy Poppy IPA is brewed with the same bold hop flavors and aromas as the original Hoppy Poppy IPA, but with less than 0.5% alcohol. This allows beer lovers to enjoy the taste and experience of a traditional IPA no matter the occasion.”
Hope this is the N/A IPA one that uses lots of hops.