Tell me that these two versions of LambicX do not sound good. I just wish I could have found one last year. But I will be on the hunt for these so you may see me prowling around the local beer shoppes.
“Aroma of white grapes, sweet apples, fruit, tobacco, honeysuckle and hay. Restrained tartness.Bright, but not acidic, round and soft body, some chardonnay butteriness. Fine astringent finish with hints of quinine. Slightest hint of carbonation. Not quite cask still, but almost!”
“Aroma of sweet grass, smoke, peaches, sour apples all spiked with a background barnyard funk. Big, round acidity in the mouth with notes of lemon, tangerine and grapefruit melting to a rich, sour-sweet finish, balanced by the full presence of tannic and wood notes. Slightest hint of carbonation. Again, not quite cask still, but almost!”
The Beer Allowance – July
Each month in 2012 I have an extra $20 (courtesy of my wife) for craft beer and this month, I decided to go all Widmer….
I have tasted all of the Rotator series of IPA’s and so far, my favorite of the bunch is the Spiced IPA. Primarily because it was sooo different from the normal IPA. I first encountered Shaddock at the Oregon Brewer’s Festival a couple year’s back and was mildly impressed but I wanted to re-visit thinking that the recipe may have been tweaked.
I had two Omission choices. Lager or Pale Ale. I went with the lager simply because I don’t normally buy lagers and it was a hot day when I bought it. We shall see if that decision pays off.
You can check out what I bought in June (also from Oregon) HERE
Venice Beach Beer Company
The L.A. brewery boom continues on and in expensive land prices, Venice of all places. I like the SoCal specific beer names of AWOL and June Gloom too. I will attempt to get a taste and report back.
But first, here is the full press release…..
“Known for it’s laid back vibe and artistic culture, Venice is home to some of L.A.’s leading restaurants, galleries and cutting edge business. The Venice Beach Beer Company, launched in June 2012, is the latest addition to this culture, and the first beer company to call Venice home.
Started by Tim Benedick and Kerr Smith, longtime friends, Venice residents and beer connoisseurs, Venice Beach Beer Company brings a passion for good beer and the beach to life in two new ales available exclusively in Venice, California. With a slogan of “Shut Up and Drink It,” the beers offer a distinct flavor profile that reflects the local culture.
“Our beers are specially brewed for the Venice Beach life,” says Smith. “We have lived here for many years and realized that there wasn’t a beer in existence that captured the essence of our unique city, so we decided to put ‘Venice’ in a bottle.”
Smith is a longtime Venice resident and notable Hollywood actor. Benedick is a bar manager with over 20 years in the bar business.
“Venice” is a unique, American amber ale with a blend of caramel and biscuit malts, jammed packed with five different hops, creating an eclectic war between bitter and sweet. “June Gloom” is an untraditional, White Belgian beer combining the taste of coriander and orange peel.
“Our take on a Belgian White with a bit of a twist. We decided to get away from the traditional yeast selection on this one,” says Benedick. “By using a much cleaner yeast, this beer becomes about the delicate blend of coriander and orange peel instead of the traditional clove and banana notes, producing an easy to drink wheat beer that is quite refreshing on those hot summer days. Our June Gloom beer will take those clouds away.”
Venice Beach Beer Company plans to produce approximately 1,000 barrels in its first year. “Venice” is currently available in Venice, CA at The Venice Whaler, Hinano Cafe, Larry’s, Chaya Venice, Venice Beach Wines, Bin 73, Mercedes Grill, Ozumo and Whole Foods on Lincoln Blvd and will be quickly followed by “June Gloom.” The third VBBC beer, A.W.O.L. IPA (Always West of Lincoln), an American IPA, will be available next year in 2013. Plans for a storefront and retail location are on the horizon.
tomorrow on FoodGPS
The full scoop will hit the interwebs on FoodGPS tomorrow but here are some photos from my recent visit to Angel City Brewing in downtown Los Angeles….
TAPS + Far Bar
Tonight, yes tonight at Far Bar in Little Tokyo of L.A. ! Get your fix of some rarely seen in Los Angeles TAPS beers from the wonderful Victor Novak….
Here is the List:
Remy w/Balinese Coffee ( Espresso infused Bourbon-Barrel Aged Stout)
Taps Double IPA
Obscura (Euro Dark Lager)
Crystal Pils and
Cream Ale
I highly recommend ALL of these beers. But if I had to pick one. Get the REMY!
Join us for a night with Victor Novak and his award winning beers. We’ll be tapping a very special keg of Remy (2010 GABF Silver Medal Winning Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout). We’ll have five other Taps beers on as well this evening. So come and enjoy some outstanding beers with one of our favorite brewers.
Brew with Jeremy of Eagle Rock
HOMEBREW DEMO w/ OWNER & BREWMASTER JEREMY RAUB
“Curious about making your own beer at home? Looking for new friends to brew with? Wanna hone your brewing skills? Or just looking for new brewing techniques or recipes to add to your repertoire? We’ve got just the solution!! And, since we’re in a brewery, as opposed to the garage, the batch we brew will eventually go on tap in the tasting room!
Come watch ERB Co-Owner & Brewmaster (and Maltose Falcon) Jeremy Raub brews up a batch from 9am to 4pm on June 2nd.
The cost is $12 and will include a simple lunch and a pint of one of our house beers. The taps will be available at their usual prices if you’re still feeling thirsty. You’re also welcome to bring your own homebrews to share or to get objective opinions.Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP to save your spot soon! It will be a full brew day, so be prepared to spend some quality time with your favorite brewery staff and to make some tasty beverage!”
Buzz Wine and Beer
I slowly am visiting all of the new and (at this point, not so new) L.A. beer locales. And last Tuesday, I finally checked in at Buzz Wine and Beer in Downtown L.A.
The Beer is just inside the front door to the left and all chilled as well with many a style including what I purchased, Adnam’s Broadside and Grand Teton’s Snarling Badger Berliner Weisse as well as locals like Eagle Rock and Golden Road.
And if you are not grabbing to-go, you can also take a seat at their small beer and gaze upon the taps.
I went with the new 2012 Hoptimum from Sierra Nevada which to my palate tasted better than I remember from the past.
Good to have another addition to not only Downtown LA but to the L.A. Craft Beer scene in whole.
The Beer Allowance – May
Last month, I picked up a box of spring seasonal’s from Pyramid Brewing.
This month, I took my $20 to Sunset Beer Co. and picked up Solidarity, the beer from Eagle Rock that really made their name in the beginning.
Then I picked up a Dupont beer by the name of Posca Rustica that I had seen in many mouth watering e-mails from Vanberg & Dewulf who brings them to the U.S. I am curious about it because part of the description said “odiferous”.
Brewer’s by the Bay
Usually, if I am asking for the beer geeks of the world to spend some cash to help a start-up, it is for a brewery. Or for a film about beer. This is for the latter, so we can all learn a bit more about what is brewing past and present in San Francisco.
“The Story
The history of brewing beer in San Francisco spans over 150 years, beginning with the Adam Schuppert Brewery in 1849. Between 1849 and the present there have been more than 100 breweries in the beautiful city of San Francisco, today history is still being brewed within nine active breweries.
Brewers by the Bay is the cinematic tale of the past, present and future of San Francisco brewing, told by the owners and brewmasters themselves within the following establishments:
21st Amendment
Anchor Brewing Co.
Beach Chalet
Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery
Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery
Social Kitchen and Brewery
Southern Pacific Brewery
ThirstyBear Brewing
Speakeasy Ales and Lagers
The film is written by Mike Pitsker the Associated Editor of Celebrator Magazine and is hosted by Brenden Dobel the Brewmaster at ThirstyBear Brewing Co.
The brewmasters have opened up their kettles and have shared tales of mishaps, fortune and the amazing friendships and camaraderie that stirs among each other.
Christian Albertson from the Monk’s Kettle
Tomorrow over on FoodGPS, I will have an interview with Christian Albertson from the Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco about aging beers, what to buy and tasting dinners. But to borrow the Hollywood movie lingo, here is a teaser of one question and one answer….
Q. What are your recommendations for beer geeks to cellar for themselves?
This advice goes out to not just people at home, but also other restaurants that are doing a vintage beer program. I think the most important thing that I’ve learned first-hand is that if you’re going to do it, you need to do it right: you need a cool constant temperature between 55 and 60. Good cellaring conditions make all the difference. We have had the opportunity (due to the large number of different beers in our cellar) to test other cellars/warehouses: there were a few times when a beer came in and I realized that it’s the same batch that we housed, and did a side by side tasting. Hands down, every time, the beer is better in the bottle we cellared—sometimes it’s a slight difference, and sometimes the contrast is stark (in some cases, it’s not the same beer at all). Get a “wine cabinet” and keep it in there at cellar temp—or at worst, your fridge (it will slow the aging process, but it won’t ruin it as much as a fluctuating, too-high temp will). We are talking here about the best beers in the world, some that can last 20 years and keep improving—it is necessary that the conditions are right. Wine enthusiasts are not putting their ’96 Burgundies in the back of their closet—don’t do the same with beer’s equivalents.