Don’t call it a soft opening per se since Dry River won’t have a tap room but the event at Elysian was a premiere for the very soon to be flowing Boyle Heights brewery.
Three beers were on tap to show the range of brewer Naga Reshi. Starting with Lady Roja which is their gateway beer. No blonde or amber here though. This beer has tamarind and sea salt which added to the predominant taste of apple makes for a complex beer. A portion of this batch is also aging in wine barrels which should add yet another layer of flavor. Future batches will have an increased tamarind level which I think should balance the beer a bit more. There is a touch of sour at the end but I would not have called it a sour.
Copper Witch was # 2 in the line-up card and described as a hoppy farmhouse ale. It was my least favorite of the trio. It was a little thin and too minerally for my taste and the hops were earthy but didn’t add enough to make this beer truly run. The yeast used is a combo of Saison and other wild yeasts that the brewer has been cultivating so this is much more an American farmhouse and not Belgian/French.
The last offering was my favorite. A Wheat Wine that was poured young and without a key change from when it gets bottled in time for New Years celebrations. Champagne yeast will be added to again push this beer into a new direction. There was a solid malt base here with some cinnamon spice notes. It tasted like a winter beer for sure.
Dry River doesn’t have huge capacity so your best bet to ensure that you get to sample their offerings is by joining their Collectors Club. That way you get three beers each quarter plus heads-up when new beers are being offered. As well as other membership perks.