A Book & A Beer – How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

Faux celebrity and fifteen minutes of fame is the underlying theme of How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann and the author goes to some dark and stark places to bring a new perspective to popularity and its side effects.

Here is the GoodReads synopsis, it’s a doozy, “In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina’s love story will shock them all.”

This was a wild book. Just weirdness on every page. The fairy tale aspects didn’t work for me as much as the more reality show aspects. But it sure wasn’t a dull read at all. And I will certainly be on the lookout for future work when wandering in a bookstore.

On to the beer choices, I would try to find beers for each of the women in the group. Maybe something with rose hips or hibiscus for Ashlee. A dark Czech lager for Ruby. A pastry stout for Gretel. A black IPA for Bernice. And for Raina, maybe a beer with the label removed so you don’t know and have to guess.

Go to N/A?

Still on the market for a really good (and consistent) Non-Alcoholic beer?  Well, I found another one, this time in Illinois in Go Brewing.

They have a Witbier, hazy IPA, pilsner, IPA and a nitro coffee N/A beer amongst other members only beers.

Holiday Cheers – Day 29 – Mulled Memories from Bottle Logic

Getting near the end here, let’s add in a new beer from Bottle Logic Brewing and one of their pastry-esque beers with a memory, a Mulled Memory.

“Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Mulled Golden Ale with elegant aromas of wintery apple cider curl from the glass of this Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Golden Ale. A subtle wisp of lactose twists through the base, tethering the delicate apple character to a warming blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and citrus peel.”

9AM Tomorrow

I usually only post a Thanks to the readers post today, but this was something that needed to be sent today….

“Letting you in on a little secret…we’re dropping a special LABG 12-pack just in time for the holidays! Pre-sale launches on Friday at 9AM. Stay tuned for updates on participating breweries! Beer Boxes will be on sale until December 9th and will be available for pickup, delivery, or CA statewide shipping on or before December 16th with guaranteed arrival before December 25th. *Must be 21+ to purchase.”

Set your alarm clock.

R.I.P. – MacLeod Ale Brewing Company

There were some troubling signs from MacLeod Ale Brewing Company in recent days but today the hammer came down as they announced the closure of both the original Van Nuys brewing operation and the just recently opened satellite pizza and bar in Highland Park.

The reasons cited for the closures:

1] We’re over budget in several categories
2] We have too much debt due to expansion
3] Sudden crash of sales [down 15% in Oct, 21% in November! Bad timing!]
4] Our 2nd location opened too late and is underperforming.

You have to be a risk taker to brew beer commercially and you also need angel investors to backstop when good bets go wrong. Hopefully a new chapter can emerge from the brewery and it employees.

Style Education

Would you like to know more about Cream Ales?  Maybe you want a refresher on the refreshing wheat beer style? Either way, Sense of Beer Style could be the beer educator you need.  Hosted by not one but two Advanced Cicerones in Julia Herz and Jeremy Storton, there a few lessons up now that you just may want to listen to.

On Wheels

There are many beer styles that peek out only occasionally, wheatwine is certainly in that group but Firestone Walker is using it in their latest Vintage release from their Barrel Program.  It is called Houses In Motion. 

Here is the beer description, “After aging this wheatwine ale in whiskey barrels for 12 months, we incorporated whole roast coffee beans, cocoa nibs, and cinnamon spice to accentuate its core flavors.”

Give Them a Hand

Hand-Brewed Beer Co. have reached that magical age of 8 and they have teamed with the LA County Brewers Guild to add oomph (in the form of more breweries) to the party.  

The event will be on Sunday, October 16 in Chatsworth alongside a selection of local food trucks, and a local artist bazaar! Tickets include a commemorative glass and unlimited tastings.