Category: Beer in the news

Great articles that you should read.

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Better Use of Hops

Now that H2OPS is in my local Whole Foods, I will occasionally pick up a bottle partially to spite the La Croix people but also I like the taste of it. I wish it were hoppier and that they had single-hop waters but I am not complaining.

Now Lagunitas with that mad Heineken money is getting into the sparkle water segment with a Citra, Equinox, and Centennial hops water as part of (I guess) their foray into weed water, Hi-Fi Hops.

This water also has brewers yeast “which the company said will “biotransform-ate the hops to just the right flavour.”

Personally, I think the spiked water trend is not long for this world, much like the spiked soda’s seem on the verge of playing out. Maybe this will work but it will need to have some actual hop kick for me to buy more than one.

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Cask Ale Week


Less than a month until Cask Ale Week. Granted this is more tilted to the British beer drinking populace but we have our options here in Los Angeles. So take the opportunity to show your traditional style love with #caskaleweek.

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How Did I Miss Season 1?

Within two weeks, I have heard about First We Feast videos when I they had never come past my radar before. And the second time is beer related with Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione hosting videos by the name of ‘That’s Odd, Let’s Drink It’.

The first season had a true variety of guests such as Chris Bosh, Ken Marino & Joe Lo Truglio, Mac Miller.

Season 2 is coming and “in each episode of the six-part series, Sam leads an entertaining, educational beer tasting with his guests as he takes them on a full-on sensory adventure of sorts where they taste and talk about beer.”

You should be able to find the show on YouTube because it premiered just last Tuesday! Guests for the new season are YouTube sensations Rhett & Link, comedian Bert Kreischer, Flaming Lips lead singer Wayne Coyne, musician Julianna Barwick, rapper N.O.R.E. and First We Feast host Sean Evans.

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Trapp’ed in England


The ranks of Trappist certifed breweries has expanded. And Mount Saint Bernard and the monks living and working in Leicestershire have become the first in the UK added to the tally that stretches from it’s Belgian base to Italy and the US as well.

The first beer from the 12th in line is called Tynt Meadow and is named after the meadow where the monks set down roots starting in 1835.

I would hazard a bet that a future brew is named St. Lutgard’s Day, that is the day that this brewery chose to brew their first batch. Lutgard was known for surviving on bread and beer during fasts.

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Barrels Down


In an unfortunate turn of events, a Barton 1792 bourbon barrel aging facility collapsed recently. You can read more about it HERE.

The barrel market is tight so I can’t assume that this is good news since many barrels were probably damaged beyond repair.

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Climb the Family Tree

Before I finish up my trip to the PNW, I thought I would highlight a cool idea that the now 30-year old Deschutes Brewery has concocted…

The Bend based brewery has “invited several Deschutes Brewery alumni to return and collaborate on seven exciting new brews.”

Per their press release, “The Deschutes Brewery 30th anniversary collaboration “family tree” includes John Harris, Deschutes Brewery’s original brewmaster with Ecliptic Brewery, Frank Appleton a brewing consultant responsible for creating the recipes of Deschutes’ beloved brands such as Black Butte Porter and Cascade Golden Ale, Tim Gossack from Bell’s Brewery, Tony Lawrence from Boneyard Brewery, long time brewer Mark Vickery, Paul Arney from The Ale Apothecary, and Cam O’Connor and Larry Sidor now with Crux Fermentation Project.”

There is also the little thing with….

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Fairground Attractions


To me, competitions are barometers. Some barometers are of higher quality than others of course but almost all have their use.

That disclaimer now aside, The L.A. International Beer Competition was held recently and L.A. brewers from literally, all over the map, took home honors. Many more than last year.

Here are the results:
Gold: 11 Wins
Arts District Brewing Compatny, Gretzky (Historical Beer)
Arts District Brewing Company, Honeycut (Session IPA)
MacLeod Ale Brewing Co., Van ICE (American-Style or German-Style Light Lager)
Angel City Brewery, Marilyn Blonde Ale (American-Style Cream Ale)
Claremont Craft Ales, Pistil Pale Ale (American-Style Strong Pale Ale)
El Segundo Brewing Co., Hammerland (Imperial India Pale Ale)
Verdugo West Brewing Co., Brass Jar Hoppy Amber (Imperial Red Ale)
Sanctum Brewing, Your Destiny (German-Style Sour Ale)
Bravery Brewing, Hammer Hef (German-Style Wheat Ale)
Arts District Brewing Company, Spirited Saison (Classic French and Belgian-Style Saison)
Pocock Brewing Company, Being All Fancy (Special Saison)
Ladyface Ale Companie, Trois Filles (Belgian-Style Tripel)

Silver: 12 Wins
HopSaint Brewing Company, Fistful of Peel (Belgian-Style Fruit Beer)
Smog City Brewing, The Nothing (Chocolate or Cocoa Beer)
Innovation Brew Works, Cattle Rancher (American-Belgo Style Ale)
Smog City Brewing, Bourbon O.E. (Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer)
Bravery Brewing, Bourbon Barrel-Aged The Shroud (Wood and Barrel-Aged Stout)
Angel City Brewery, Pinot Fresa (Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer)
Alosta Brewing, Highway 39 (Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest)
Smog City Brewing, Sabre-Toothed Squirrel (American-Style Amber or Red Ale)
Claremont Craft Ales, Buddy (American-Style Black Ale)
Ladyface Ale Companie, La Grissette (Belgian and French-Style Ale)
Old Stump Brewing, P Town Porter (Brown Porter)
Eagle Rock Brewery, Stimulus (Imperial Stout)

Bronze: 13 Wins
The Dudes’ Brewing Company, Juicebox Series: Boysenberry Wheat Ale (Fruit Wheat Beer)
Three Weavers Brewing, Southbounder (Coffee Beer)
Beachwood BBQ, Why We’re Here [Black Lime] (Wood and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer)
Angel City Brewery, Black Lager (Schwarzbier or Black Lager)
Pacific Plate Brewing Co., German Kolsch (German-Style Kolsch)
Three Weavers Brewing, Deep Roots (Ordinary or Special Bitter)
Pocock Brewing Company, British Volunteer (Extra Special Bitter)
Ladyface Ale Companie, Lady La Blonde (Belgian-Style Blonde or Pale Ale)
Eagle Rock Brewery, Manifesto (Belgian-Style Witbier)
Beachwood Blendery, Careful With That Peach, Eugene (Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale)
Ladyface Ale Companie, Blind Ambition (Belgian-Style Dubbel or Quadruple)
Claremont Craft Ales, Irish Dry Stout (Classic Irish-Style Stout)
Bravery Brewing, The Shroud (Imperial Stout)

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Funk is Werking in SoCal


Funkwerks is venturing to SoCal. Adding distribution to Southern California to it reach with draft and limited six-packs.

Stone Distributing has been tapped to handle the influx of Funkwerks Saison, Tropic King and Raspberry Provincial beers, to name a few from the Fort Collins, Colorado brewery.

Hopefully a solid supply has been stashed for this large market.

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MT in SB


The coastal march of Modern Times continues as the San Diego brewery is now working on a branch in Santa Barbara on the main drag of State Street. As with all things Modern Times, the name is long and flowery and most will just call it MT – Santa Barbara.

Here are the details on the Academy of Recreational Science:
Located on South State Street in downtown SB
Restaurant will include an indoor bar and table seating
2,500-square-foot outdoor area
Pickup location for online special release sales

To keep a tally, MT has their San Diego locations, Encinitas (in the works), Anaheim (in the works), Los Angeles, Santa Barbara (in the works) and Portland.

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New Bo Pils & IPA


Smog City is refreshing the label look for their two flagship ales. Making their Sheep a little tougher and tapping the hop for all of the lupulin it has inside. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing this in my ‘fridge.