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BSP blog favorite Smog City Brewing is primed to celebrate their 13th anniversary of brewing beer in Torrance. There will be a special anniversary beer along with their new ESB made from Infinite Wishes second runnings and maybe even some bottles of Infinite Wishes to buy.
Lagunitas Brewing has dipped into cocktail culture for a Zombie inspired IPA. With notes of orange juice, fresh lime, grapefruit and allspice.
Let’s dive in….pours a very faint yellow. Not a see through yellow but not hazy. Very orange liquer aroma. Orange is the first and foremost flavor followed by a hint of lime. The spice arrives on their heels. Quite bubbly but that ABV is super underground. There is enough bitterness and carbonation to tamp down the citrus sweetness that wants to escape. I was worried this would be a bit chaotic but it says cocktail and IPA.
Old Rasputin Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing is a classic of the style, but even a classic can change it up a little.
Back in April 2022, North Coast Brewing Company partnered with Westward Whiskey. “Single malt barrels were shipped to Fort Bragg and filled with Old Rasputin in August 2022. Now the results of our hard work have paid off, and we are proud to bring you a special offering: Our iconic Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout aged to perfection in Westward Whiskey Single Malt barrels!”
Need to add a little Belgian beer to your craft diet? Well, the Landing in Burbank has an event for you.
Get your tickets HERE, space is limited.
Considering the popularity of Angel City FC in the NWSL and how much better Juju is than Bronny at USC, it is way past time for a women’s sports bar somewhere, anywhere in Los Angeles.
Enter Long Beach with THIS.
Hopefully, more will follow.
Homage Brewing has answered a question that I have had since 19.2oz cans became cool (but only for DIPAs). That answer was why isn’t a lager in this size? They have put one out for the spring/summer season.
Well, haven’t had a Ruby Ale in far too long. Should have got one when I was in Portland in February and now more envy and FOMO with the imperialized version, Ruby Royale. In time for the can you believe it 38th anniversary!
Need to clone myself so I can have time for all these craft beers I want from McMenamins alone.
Back to Smog City Brewing and their 2024 edition of Infinite Wishes, a barrel-aged stout, after a lager review detour.
The 2024 pours an inky black with a nice coffee foam head that dissipates in a bubbly fashion. For such a big ABV beer, this is not thick sludge but rather a sprightly beer. The predominant note is oak. Dark and roasty and far more dry than sweet. As it warms, a little chocolate pops through the wood but curiously not much bourbon coming through on this. Just perfect though for a spring day.
…away by the last ingredient listed in the latest Stone Brewing One Batch Dispatch offering, Down the Rabbit Hole.
“Our Innovation Brewer Fritzi Lara Lino concocted this creation along with our Small Batch team using coffee, chocolate, strawberry… and mushrooms.”
Not too many beers are named after the glass you pour them into, but Super Bolleke (the bowl-shaped chalice in which beer is served) a collaboration from Ommegang with Brewery De Koninck from Antwerp, Belgium is.
The beer will be a Belgian-style amber ale (an imperial version of the classic Bolleke) that hits 7.8%-ABV.