Hermetus Bottle Opener & Resealer

I have plenty of bottle openers. It is a nice curse of the beer geek. But re-sealers are a different story. I am personally fond of Beer Savers but if you have less room and would like a two-in-one item then the Hermetus is the one to check out…

One tool to open and then reseal those large format bottles that can’t be finished in one sitting.

Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.

Brewers tend to be multi-hyphenates. And by that I mean creative or passionate in more than just brewing great craft beer. And that is the case at hyphenated Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co. which “was founded in 2007 with a mission of producing world class beers that could bring awareness and resources to the preservation of the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains in California.”

Beers to select from include: Tamarack Amber, Half Dome California Wheat, General Sherman IPA, Peak Pilsner and Mount Whitney pale. And you might even see a chili pepper beer the next time you visit the brewery in Fresno.

Review – Eagle Rock Solidarity

From the past of mild we return to the future with Eagle Rock Brewery and Solidarity mild….

“‘Mild’ refers to an English-style beer that is malt-accented yet light bodied and low in alcohol. Depite it’s dark appearance Solidarity Black Mild is light bodied and refreshingly drinkable. A variety of roasted malts lend toasty, nutty flavors and complexity, with subtle notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and a hint of smoke. Pull up a seat and have another round with your best mates!”

City Tavern + Beachwood Brewing =


City Tavern’s Beachwood Brewing & BBQ food & beer pairings – Friday, July 20th, 4:30pm-close

Here is the menu for tommorow night’s event:

Ahi and plum salad with Persian cucumber and lemon mustard vinaigrette ($13)
o Suggested pairing with Mandarin Dream
Potted Duck Confit with crisps ($9)
o Suggested pairing with Knucklehead Red
Light Sabers (Corn Dogs) with Hop Vader Pub Cheese ($10)
o Suggested pairing with Hop Vader Black IPA
System of a Stout Milkshakes with Udder Love backs ($9)
· Foam Top Popsicles ($3)

I would go just for the desserts. I have made my own popsicles but the award winning Foam Top is a great choice to make a frosty treat with. This is the 2nd to last Beachwood 1st year event so if you have been procrastinating despite the fact that I have warned you with many posts about it then get moving to City Tavern or Beer Belly on Sunday!

Prices per beverage vary, and more than 10 flavors from Beachwood will be available.

Beer Advisory

Earlier this year the Four Points at Sheraton LAX hosted a writing contest to gain a seat on the Beer Advisory Board for what is called the Beer Hotel.

And I am now on this board! So I will be able to advance both the cause of craft beer in L.A. but I will also hopefully be able to impress those visitors to Los Angeles who make their way to the hotel about how our scene is evolving.

More on this and the other members of the board in August. But for now there is an event you can go to, tomorrow night
“Wine Warehouse’s Larry James is hosting a Belgian Beer Tasting along with his famous Texas BBQ poolside. Enjoy the Beer Tasting for $30. Plates of BBQ $15. Parking is free.”

Here is the beer list:
Bavik Pils (draft)
Petrus Aged Pale Ale (draft)
Silly Scotch Ale (Btl)
Piraat (draft)
Gulden Draak (draft)
Troubadour Magma (Simcoe dry hop) (Btl)

FoodGPS Teaser – Ladyface Brewery Tour

Tomorrow over on FoodGPS, I will talk about one of my favorite Los Angeles area breweries, Ladyface in Agoura Hills.

One of the great things that they do (other than having a great cask offering) is that the first Monday of every month they do a brewery tour. I will tell more tomorrow but here are some photos to whet your taste…


The brewmaster talking about the Ladyface way of brewing


One of the newer beers being aged in Makers Mark barrels


The finished product.

Top 10 – Ugh, another lopsided Best of List

This interweb piece by Jim Galligan made the rounds earlier this month. But I just recently stumbled upon it and had to add my comments about what I see from this side by side comparison of Top10 lists.

Of these three lists, the Beer Advocate one is by far the most balanced. The list that I held out the most hope for being an even distribution of styles turned out to be the least. The Brewer’s Association list (though filled with fine beers that I would not turn down and will probably buy in abundance in the future) is basically IPA. The RateBeer list is way too stout heavy but that is to be expected from what I have encountered when using that site. (Which I still do)

What I simply don’t understand and will probably rant about until the day I die is why there is such a limiting choice of styles. Craft beer came about due to the overdominance of the lager and pilsner. It was about pushing style boundaries and resurrecting ancient beer styles. Using and creating new hops and ingredients and brewing techniques. Now to be considered great, you simply have to be a stout or an IPA. Or be Westvleteren.

I am not suggesting that each top 10 list include one beer from each style. If 10 IPA’s are the best, then so be it. I guess I am worried and saddened that the beer world is being reduced again. History repeating itself until we become so oversaturated with IPA’s and 15% stouts that there is no choice but to return to Kolsch, cream ales and English Milds.

I recently had the good fortune to try Black Tuesday from The Bruery this month and it was tremendous as I am sure every beer on the list is that I haven’t been able to sample. I guess I am still waiting for a Top10 list that reflects a wider spectrum without sacrificing quality because I know it is out there.

Beer (and Cocktails) for the People


One sure fire way to appreciate our favorite malty beverage more is to check out what the world of wine and spirits are doing. I have already highlighted the Beer vs. Wine annual showdown at Ladyface because I believe that beer people are not alone in crafting high quality drinks. But if you just can’t go without craft beer then how about the new-ish world of beer cocktails? Clear space on the 25th in your calendars.

“Come join Eagle Rock Brewery at Kings Row Gastropub in Pasadena for an evening of beer-infused tiki cocktails, masterminded by 1886’s Brady Weise.

Which beers will be used?? Well, your favorite Eagle Rock Brewery beers, of course! (Shhh… but there may even be some super special beer that we’ll tap a barrel for…) It’s a proper summer tiki party so be sure to come dressed in your best Hawaiian shirt (or hell, a grass skirt and coconuts if you’d prefer) because it may win you a fabulous prize!

The cost for 4 amazing beer-infused tiki drinks (complete with sidecars of the beer that’s in it) is just $15. But be sure to RSVP because space is limited. All you have to do is email james@kingsrowpub.com or call 626.793.3010 to reserve a spot.”

3rd Annual Craft Beer Crawl


Here is your early warning to get your tickets for the Downtown L.A. Craft Beer Crawl!

Here is the info….
“The beer festival so nice, we’re doing it thrice! The 3rd Annual Los Angeles Craft Beer Crawl is happening again this year on Sat. August 18th. Again, we will showcase and celebrate all things craft beer in lively and vibrant historic downtown Los Angeles.

Taste as many samples of over 70 delicious craft beers across 7 different unique venues all within easy walking distance of each other (7 Grand, Golden Gopher, Las Perlas, Cana Rum Bar, Cole’s French Dip, Broadway Bar & Casey’s Irish Pub) We Beer Chicks are curating the beer and are collaborating on this event with Cedd Moses & 213 Ventures that will feature some of the top Craft and Artisanal Brewers in the country!

We’ve also added some awesome and fun specialty beer tasting sessions. We Beer Chicks will be hosting a session on our favorite beers of the crawl, then we’ll be doing a Scotch and craft beer pairing with Highland Park Brand Ambassador Martin Daraz. Beer Expert Tomm Carroll will be doing a special tasting highlighting Italian beers and the amazing craft beer revolution happening in Italy. And, last but not least, David “The Gueuzehound” Watrous will lead a class through a puckering selection of highly sought after sour beer.

A portion of the proceeds will go to Heal the Bay. an organization dedicated to making Southern California waters healthy, safe, and clean.”