New Belgium has a special beer for National Coming Out Day next month. And it’s has a lot going on, sweet potato, cinnamon, apricot and honey on a Belgian ale base. Sounds like a fun and purple beer to try.
Coming out
Virtual Hop – Week 3
This week the hop news focuses on Fire and hop creep. Virtual Harvest from Yakima Chief via Zoom… plus some extra notes from what competitor Hopsteiner has going…
- Wind blowing down bines was an issue as was smoke stopping work in Oregon
- The picking schedule had to be changed on the fly.
- Thankfully aroma hops were already picked. Alpha hops the last to get and are less sexy so small favors.
- Dara collection and access to that data are super important. Really trying to create a continuous (almost) feedback loop.
- Brewers can have access to lot specs nearly immediately.
- Hop terms – Dribble Belt and Money Belt. The first cleans matter away, the latter is just the hops being moved on.
- Hop Creep – secondary Fermentation brought on by hops. Causes off flavors and delays beer being done. Wasn’t really a problem until hazies and massive hop loads came into being.
- The Creep can be combatted in the brewing process by timing when hops go in and clearing yeast. Some hops may cause it more so variety selection is important.
- Before 2007 80% of hops were UN-contracted. Now 80% are contracted.
- In 2018, 154 hop varieties were used in beers per the Brewers Association.
- High Kiln hops might be a new term to look for.
Hop to the Subscription
We are all getting used to having beer delivered. And now you can get a CURATED beer box each month plus some special goodies. L.A. Beer Hop knows our breweries and will certainly find you 6 awesome beers a month so take the subscription for a spin.
Which Door
Cactus honey is the first ingredient that my eyes locked on when I saw this new label from Cellador Ales. But this “rustic Saison” also has some malt cred with grains from Admiral Maltings. The third piece of note is that ABV, this might need to be a shareable beer.
Sean Suggests for September 2020
To infinity and beyond. To boldly go. Or just ride a hop rocket to the stars in this month’s beer picks.
Lightest
Modern Times – Perpetual Radiance Hazy Pale Ale – 5.5% ABV
“This infinitely sessionable hazy pale was loaded to the rafters with Galaxy, Strata and Simcoe hops. This killer combo of North American hops yields a super-choice amalgam of berries, citrus, & stone fruit underscored by ultra-refreshing notes of pine. It’s a pretty excellent way to approach a balmy summer afternoon.”
Medium
Fremont Brewing – Space Rex IPA – 7% ABV
“What do you do when you’ve crashed on a distant planet, befriended a T-Rex and run out of beer – Intergalactic Beer Run! Space Rex, a cosmically juicy and refreshing hazy IPA from the center of the universe. Moderately sweet with a subtle, growing bitterness in medium body with smooth carbonation.”
Biggest
Trademark Brewing – Star Guide Hazy IPA – 8.2% ABV
“Rocket through the intergalactic haze with this star studded Hazy IPA. Featuring a bouquet of Cashmere, BRU-1 and Hallertau Blanc hops expertly paired with oats, wheat and pale malts. Explore hints of green mango, melon and guava. This is starstuff in a silver can.”
Up From the Cellar – Threes from Eagle Rock Brewery
This 3rd anniversary beer from Eagle Rock Brewery pours an opaque dark orange. Not much head in the pour. This Strong Ale has held up pretty well though for a seven year old beer. The rye spice note is still there. A little caramel/ cola sweetness as well. There is a component here that may be a degradation of the beer, I think it may have been where the alcohol burn may have been, a woody bass line.
Valley
It is going scorch today in the valley, so best to have beers ready, and instead of running around from brewery to brewery, you can head to MacLeod Ales (I suggest online) to get a valley variety pack. You can help out multiple breweries in these tough times all at once.
OverSupervised
Readers of the blog know that I hold a particular scorn for government in these times since they insist on charting a zig zag path to the Corona Virus. With one hand shutting you down and with the other not providing any financial relief so that your local brewery can stay alive.
L.A. County and their Board of Supervisors seem intent on hobbling the craft beer industry. Their fine to eat but not to drink ethos has stuck most of our breweries in a to-go only mode. The food plus alcohol mandate is a load of crap but it would give a little help at least. Here is the one slide that you should read and post.
RIP Brewery at Simmzy’s
The word came down today that the Simmzy’s mini-chain was closing up in Venice and in Burbank. Both not good news but the latter is the stinger. That means a brewery loss to Burbank due to the Corona Virus.
The remaining restaurants will still have a house beer because beer guru Greg Bechtel will be moving over to Smog City with duties including supplying beer to the restaurants.
The brewing operations were shoehorned into an already weirdly shaped triangle corner property but maybe when we reach the daylight of the virus tunnel, I hope that the space can resume brewing operations under a new team.
Summit at Home
The California Craft Beer Summit is on virus hiatus but you can get a simulacrum of the experience with Summit Experience. Head to the link and you will see a nice amount of beer and extra goodies including access to info from the brewers themselves.