Posts

Posted on

NWSL City Brewery Tour # 3 – Level Crossing Brewing

We place a cross into the Utah Royals box by visiting our third and final NWSL themed brewery, Level Crossing Brewing Co.

Let’s check out a taster tray…

Dallas Alice Belgian-Style Blonde – “An easy-drinking Belgian ale with subtle yeast complexity giving off floral, citrus and light honey aromas. The smooth and clean pilsner malt pairs well with the honeydew melon and floral hop flavors. The beer finishes dry with a lingering lemon zest flavor.”

Look Up! Amber – “A well-balanced amber ale with toasted biscuit malt flavors complimented with subtitle earthy pine and floral hop aromas.”

Suss It Out Rye IPA – “A complex and hop-forward rye IPA with three types of rye and a blend of hops to give the beer a resinous and spicy hop bitterness and grapefruit, berry and piney aroma.”

Soul Rex DIPA – “Intense citrus, melon and dank tropical fruit hops flavors and aroma. Medium body and firm yet juicy hop bitterness.”

Posted on

Short Lived but Not Too

Usually when I post about MadeWest Brewing Company and collaboration and IPA, I mean the latest installment of their Short Lived series.  But Wave Pattern is different.

Yes, it is “an easy drinking IPA, over-flowing with aromatics of guava, bubblegum, ruby grapefruit zest and pine resin! And with a malt bill consisting of Rahr Northstar Pilsner and flaked wheat” but this is an El Segundo Brewing beer done with MadeWest and not vice-versa.

This new West Coast IPA is filled with Strata, Simcoe, El Dorado and Riwaka hops.

Posted on

1st Visit – Long Beach Beer Lab Zaferia

It was an eventful first visit to the second Long Beach Beer Lab location in the Zaferia District of Long Beach. I had taken a couple sips of Brut IPA (you remember that sub-style right?) when that too familiar crunch sound made me swivel on mybar stool.

There was one car flipped over and one car with all air bags deployed. The fire and police departments were soon on the scene and attention could be turned back to the space and the beer and the pizza.

I have to say that the Wrigley location is more my speed but the more I thought, if this was in my neighborhood, I would be glad it was there. Yes, too many TVs but thankfully, most were about the brewery and bakery. And the cooler with mix and match and 4-packs is great.

And I did love the Brut (Brewte IPA) which was super dry but sweet with a pear note. So, thumbs up even for someone not from the neighborhood.

Posted on

San Diego Beer News Awards 2024

San Diego Beer News held their 2024 awards at Stone – Liberty Station a couple days ago with the theme of Celebrating the Next Generation.

Here are some takeaways from the event…

Burgeon, Pure Project and GOAL brewing won the most medals

I love that there are not only awards for beer but for customer service, expansion and interior

I was heartened to see that each medal was “presented by” a business which augurs well for an industry beset of late.

You can get the full recap HERE

Posted on

Brandied About

Chimay has been putting some of their classic Belgian ales into barrels and this year, the new Barrel-fermented Grand Reserve is aged in “barrels of Brandy sourced from one of the oldest wine regions in the world”.  It is certainly on my extra long wish list.

Posted on

Not 42 Yet

Science, along with agriculture underpin beer and a brewery who is deep into both has another experiment coming out.  Actually two as Russian River Brewing recently released RnD IPA #40 & #41.  

They “were born from a collaboration with Omega Yeast for a special discussion at the 2024 CCBA Summit. Similar in taste yet distinct in appearance – one embraces a subtle haze while the other stands clear, all due to a genetic variation in the yeast.”