Blue and Yellow

To the Universe: When I said to myself that I could not wait until Covid wasn’t the lead and only story, I didn’t mean that I wanted something worse. So, please help Ukraine, OK Universe.

In the meantime, drinkers from all over can help in three different ways by visiting one website, Drinkers for Ukraine.

There is a collaborative brew for brewery owners, an auction for beer fans as well as a live stream fundraising event later this month. Hopefully, this will be resolved in Ukraine’s favor before then.

You can also be on the lookout for local, to you, events where proceeds go to assist the Ukranian people. I have already seen at least one beer in a blue can with yellow accents.

The Dog has Retired

Looks like Alan Sprints has decided to retire which means that Hair of the Dog Brewing, the much lauded Portland brewery will be retiring as well.

From a video that Sprints posted, he will be done in the summer, there will be a few more new beer releases but mostly, it will be selling what is in stock until the last bottle is sold.

This is a legendary brewery and I highly recommend snaring a bottle or two to have for special occasions.

Will the Next Haze Please Stand Up

Cascade Lakes Brewing may have put a name to a new IPA trend, Red Haze.

Here is their description, “Our Seasonal NW Red is full of sticky, dank tangerine hop character with just the right amount of malt to accompany you through to warmer days ahead.”

Is the current IPA customer needing a turn back to dank, will the malt add enough sweetness. We will see of 2022 brings more of the red haze.

Or, who knows, maybe French Pilsner is the next new thing.

Sweeter California

SweetWater Brewing Company recently announced expansion all across California. The march west includes the opening of SweetWater Colorado in Fort Collins plus the acquisition of passed around San Diego beer brands, Alpine Beer Company and Green Flash Brewing Company.

The Georgia based brewery is the nation’s 11th largest craft brewer and is turning 25th this year, both impressive numbers but I don’t think if you asked California beer fans to name five out of state breweries they would like to see here that SweetWater would make the list except for Marvel movie crew members who shuttle from L.A. to Atlanta.

4 of 8

Modern Times is halving their West Coast footprint as they seek a less perilous financial footing.

Portland, Oakland, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles will be closed. Not coincidentally, those are the furthest away from HQ and in the case of Los Angeles and maybe the others as well, the smallest outposts.

The San Diego brewery bolted out of the gate when they opened and followed that with ambitious plans but the last two to three years have brought lots of challenges and a new leadership team which did not like what they saw and hit the re-trench button.

Hopefully, Modern Times can navigate back with a leaner company.

Indie is Done

You have this month minus a day to visit Indie Brewing as the Boyle Heights brewery announced on social media that it is closing on the 27th for good.

With Dry River already closed practically next door, that means that south of Downtown is bereft of breweries. Sadly, this is probably not the end of closure notices but maybe there is a next generation that can use the equipment or space. Trying to stay positive here.

Thanks for the beers Indie and may your future endeavors in beer or elsewhere be bright.

Sallanches is Where?

It is not often that you see a second location announcement with the location being the French Alps. But that is what Colorado’s Outer Range Brewing is doing…

“Colorado’s Award-winning craft brewery and apres hub, announced Saturday that they are taking their quality craft beer and mountain lifestyle concept to the heart of the French Alps, with a second location in the picturesque, quaint town of Sallanches, France. Set to open in winter 2022, the Sallanches brewery will include a Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant, coffee roaster, a private event space for large parties or weddings, and a climbing wall with floor-to-ceiling views of Mont Blanc.”

Label Art Playoffs

NoHo bottle shop, Hop Merchants harnessed the opinions of the interwebs to determine March Madness bracket style, the best can label currently out there…

I voted in a few of the rounds but my choice did not make it far, instead, the winner was…

…which to me looks more candy wrapper than beer label art. Brouwerij West, El Segundo and others like Highland Park and Los Angeles Ale Works had better art in my humble opinion.

That said, I hope that Hop Merchants does this again next yeat.

Threadless

It appears that Five Threads Brewing is calling it after six years in Westlake Village.

I had seen them start to gain some traction with their high ABV – 5X line of beers. Even seen them on the FOMO shelves at Arroyo Shell in Pasadena, which is a sign of popularity but I guess that was not enough after all the hardships of the last few years. Maybe the space or the equipment can find a new lease on life.