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.
Original and a Homage
I Would Love to Try – Ruby Royale from McMenamins
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.
Review – Infinite Wishes 2024 from Smog City Brewing
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.
Don’t Be Scared…
…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.”
Chalice
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.
First and Hazy
Usually for a collaboration, one brewery takes the lead with the label design and canning. But sometimes, two beers come out of a collaboration.
Smog City and Ogopogo got together and now there are two IPAs out for craft beer fans to try…
- First Stride “a magical concoction bursting with enchanting flavors of ripe strawberries, juicy mangoes, and tangy grapefruits so incredible you’ll hardly believe it’s a West Coast IPA until that nice dank undertone hits you.”
- Hedorah Hazy IPA another mythical monster monikered beer from the San Gabriel brewery.
Review – K-Town Lager from Common Space
Los Angeles has been on a bagel kick over the last couple years and my wife has had me driving from Highland Park to Culver City and points beyond for taste tests.
On a recent Saturday, I was on the road to Calic Bagel for another round when I noticed that there was a featured beer named K-Town Lager. I scanned and saw a few Common Space Brewery beers and deducted that they had made this beer for this bagelry. So, does this lager pair well an everything bagel?
Pours a bubbly and fairly dark yellow color. Got a nice zip to it. A burst of floral hop notes from the German Magnum hops. Followed by a full but not slick mouthfeel with a good corn taste to it without being sweet at all. One of those where the glass is empty before you know it beers.
Best Beers of March 2024
Time to get into the time machine and tab the top beers of March before we head into the April drinking session.
Honorable Mentions go to Long Beach Beer Lab for their Brewte (Brut) IPA, good to see this sub-style pop up on tap and this was a nice executed crisp, dry and pear version. Next to mention is the pilsner High 10 from Highland Park Brewery. The menu board had re-brews of past years and there were many High 10s to choose from but I really liked the West Coast Pilsner. I also quite liked the latest Short-Lived IPA from MadeWest brewed with Firestone Walker. Crisp and biting with nice fruit notes.
The March winners was the strawberry whipped Infinite Wishes from Smog City Brewing. Filled with berry notes and a slight touch of vanilla, it was luxury when paired with a bourbon barrel imperial stout.
Short Lived but Not Too
Usually when I post about MadeWest Brewing Company and collaboration and IPA, I mean the latest installment of their Short Lived series. But Wave Pattern is different.
Yes, it is “an easy drinking IPA, over-flowing with aromatics of guava, bubblegum, ruby grapefruit zest and pine resin! And with a malt bill consisting of Rahr Northstar Pilsner and flaked wheat” but this is an El Segundo Brewing beer done with MadeWest and not vice-versa.
This new West Coast IPA is filled with Strata, Simcoe, El Dorado and Riwaka hops.
Los Farmworkers
We all know that agriculture is integral to being craft beer fans so it is really good to see that Brewjeria along with Norwalk Brew House and South Central Brewing have a collaboration that benefits the United Farm Workers. It is a pineapple and mango wheat beer appearing on March 30th.