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2024 seems to be the country year, Cowboy Carter and now Trademark Brewing in Long Beach is breaking out the mechanical bull and line dancing for their fifth anniversary in Long Beach.
I will take my chances with the bull as my dancing could cause way more harm.
It is probably not much of a shock for Stone Brewing to have an anniversary IPA. The only question is, what sub-style will it be? The answer, at least for year 28 is a hazy double IPA brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops. More details below…
My Orange County brewery visit list is getting too long and one of those on that list is Villains Brewing in the old Modern Times spot near Unsung and Monkish.
But they have made things a little easier with….cans!
Each year Firestone Walker finds a partner and concocts their own Festbier and the style has run the beer gamut. Now we know this years beer is….
“Trailing West is this year’s Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival signature, collaborative release. A limited-edition pilsner made with our friends at Half Acre Beer, the recipe pairs a decoction mash of an Austrian barley variety over 100 years old with old-world Hersbrucker and Hallertaur Mittelfruh hops.”
Sorry for putting that song into your head but it had to be done for the collaborative beer from Beachwood Brewing and North Park Beer Co.
Santa Monica Brew Works always has a big weekend crowd on their large patio. People dart in to order and then return to the sun and their parties.
New to me was the traffic flow changes as the brewery and Emmy Squared Pizza expanded. Now there are two bars to order from, more interior seating and the noise level has been spread out.
Just the slight amount of extra space makes all the difference. And I really prefer the electronic signage of the beer list than the one that is used on the first bar. It allows for a bit mor creativity as well as just being cleaner and more clear to read.
And I also quite liked the Posh London Lager. Super low ABV at 4.1% but it was not a water bomb at all. There was a lovely malt note that filled you up while not filling you up.
One of the breweries that I am hyped about is ISM Brewing in Long Beach. I grabbed a couple in cans recently and it is review time.
Coastal Curves is the hopped up West Coast Pilsner and it pours a bright and bubbly yellow. Aroma is definitely hoppy. Getting a bit of Simcoe, I think. There is a bit of berry here. also a peppery note as well. Not super crisp but there is a minerality there that keeps this from veering into pale ale territory.
Sonic Substance a collaboration with Creature Comforts and it too pours a bubbly, vibrant yellow color. Getting a bit of a soft pine near a citrus grove feeling from this one. Not dank but not a fruit bomb either. Tastes heavier than the 6.66% listed ABV.
If forced to choose, I would go toward the pilsner. But it is a close race.
This month the theme is unique and hard to find and I have three that will test your mettle as both a beer shopper and a beer drinker.
Homage Brewing – The Flower Called Nowhere Barrel Aged Saison – 6% – “This marks the 5th blend of one of our favorite beers to make. A few years ago we conceptualized a Saison with delicate nuances of flowers. We trialed various flowers and settled upon Europe Rose for its soft and fragrant aroma, as well as Osmanthus, which has a unique fragrance of peach and apricot that compliments the stone fruit qualities of the wild yeast. Lastly, we added Chrysanthemum, which has a sweet, hay, and honey like quality that supports the aged hops in the beer, adding a rustic touch.”
New Belgium – Tart Lychee – 7.5% – ” sour ale brewed with lychee and a hint of cinnamon that combine to create a beautiful balance between sweet and tart.”
The Bruery – Cire – 18.9% – “Produced through painstaking care and attention from our Bruers, Cire is more than just a beer; it’s our Solera Blended Anniversary Old Ale. Blended from the best of the Bruery’s stock each year & aged in Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels, Cire carries a deeply complex, layered flavor profile. The perfect way to commemorate 16 years of leadership in the industry.”
It’s been a bit since I have talked up Claremont Craft Ales but they have recently released their first New Zealand hopped beer….
If you haven’t visited their taproom, it is well worth the trip especially for a summer road trip.
If I had to pick a state that The Bruery would add a location to, Idaho would not have made the list. But apparently, this summer (or thereabouts) there will be a Bruery in Boise.
I would have thought that anywhere in California might be easier, or Las Vegas but Idaho it apparently is.