In a little over two weeks, El Segundo Brewing will unleash their 13th anniversary upon Los Angeles craft beer fans so get that calendar updated either paper or digital or both.
Save the Date – 5 / 18 / 24
Best Beers of April 2024
Time to look back on the 30 days of April and come up with some best beers of the month.
I need to start with the stovepipe can of Imperial IPA from Lagunitas that is Tiki Fusion – Zombie. I did not expect to like it as much as I did. It had a plethora of ingredients to Tiki-fy it and although it was a touch too sweet it had the hallmarks of a cocktail inspired IPA.
Switching gears, if not ABV, the Infinite Wishes – Almond Joyous variant from Smog City was really good and a nice counterpoint to the Strawberry Whipped variant. Both had sweetness that was knocked down just enough to avoid being treacly.
Another winner was the 2024 American Reinheitsgebot Helles Lager from Enegren Brewing in collaboration with Bierstadt Lagerhaus. Crisp and clean with just a wee touch of pear to it made for a really good Sunday starter.
The winner for the month came from an unexpected source. Not the brewery. Firestone Walker has been tagged in my monthly round-ups a few times. But it was the fact that it was Wookey Jack. A beer I have a few of in my life and liked but for whatever reason, on draft at the Propagator it really shined. The hops were there but the malt was not sidelined at all. Fresh on draft can sometimes make a big difference.
Review – Luponic Distortion 2024 from Firestone Walker
Seems like forever ago when Firestone Walker started their quarterly hop adventure, Luponic Distortion. I believe I collected them all and even reviewed quite a few as well.
LD was a rotating IPA with each version utilizing different hops on the same base beer. Now, it is back as part of a variety pack in cans or bottles.
The new blue canned Distortion is pretty close to pale ale strength and pours an orange-y / yellow color. Aroma is quite strong. I set the glass down and could smell it from over a foot away. I get a bit of sweet tart followed by a bready malt note in equal measure. Berry fruit in particular on the second sip and a bit of a rough hop bite which I like. But still quite light on the palate and the malt keeps this from tasting watery which is an issue I have encountered a bit lately.
Passport to Craft
Beer, check. Pizza, check. Sandwich, check and then beer again, check. Sounds like the only passport one needs and a great weekend idea in Long Beach. It’s the Downtown Long Beach Craft Passport which also has a sake coupon too.
Tomorrow in Hawthorne
You have a Common Space Brewery Anniversary…
Way Out West is the theme for their 6th but I will need an explainer on Chainstitching.
Schreiners for German Beer
Glendale is in the middle of a lot and places that have been around forever can be missed, even places close to me like Schreiners Deli in Montrose which has old school German beer to buy in single cans or packs.
…and sandwiches and German treats like my favorite Haribo Gummi Bears. Or you can get your Oktobefest sausage here.
Here is a snapshot of the beer selection…
…it has a tilt towards Alkohol Frei but they also have Weihenstephan and Kostritzer though not much in the deep cut vein. Think stalwarts. Think more than you will find in even good bottle shops.
I grabbed a Gaffel Kolsch can to pair with my sandwich.
Sith
Star Wars geeks know the importance of Kyber Crystal and what happens if the crystal is red. It means a hoppy red ale from Long Beach Beer Lab that even a Sith Lord could love. Masters and apprentices alike.
From Foreign Shores – Part 2
The Trappists of Mount St Bernard produce their flagship Tynt Meadow ale but they also have a blonde ale, described as “a lighter, refreshing English style blond with hints of clove and peppers on a layer of delightful bitterness.”
From Foreign Shores – Part 1
There are numerous Rodenbach riffs from brewmaster Rudi Ghequire but one I just was made aware of is the Rodenbach Evolved Grand Cru at 6.0% and it has quite an age statement.
“Instead of the usual 18 months being matured in oak barrels, the base beer is a whopping 10 years! Then blended. Complex and mature. This Flemish red-brown mixed fermentation beer has the intense flavours of sour cherry, red fruit, balanced acidity and woody oak.”
In Process # 2 – Beavercat Brewing
We head to the Eastside to encounter a species that I had never heard of before, a Beavercat. This upcoming brewery doesn’t have much information yet but maybe in the coming months more details will be leaked as to the origin story.
