Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Some end of the year good news for us here in California. Little Beast Brewing from Portland, Oregon will be distributing in the Golden State.
If you need some sour beer in your life, then I would suggest picking up some of their beastly delights.
I dare not type this winter ale’s name for fear of unleashing the wrath of Santa and Mrs. Santa so this review is posting safely after. Frogtown Brewery debuted Christmas is Cancelled this year and it has a very cool retro Palm Springs look to it.
Now on to the liquid inside. The Cancelation pours a dark brown and a bakery spice pours out when the beer is poured. Lovely nice light brown foam as well. This tastes like a classic British Winter Warmer just with amped up American spice and hops. If it pops up next year, I will get it again.
We have another entrant in the West Coast (aka hoppy) Pilsner market. This time from almost Glendale’s Paperback Brewing.
For the record, not a clown fan at any time, even on a beer label.
I had the chance to check out a new to me brewery in Santa Barbara this month, Validation Ales. And they have an interesting hook or gimmick, they pit two beers against each other and whichever sells more gets brewed again and then matches up to a new recipe. Their website joins in on the fun as well which makes for repeated engagment.
I sampled an Italian Pilsner, a Cold IPA and an IPL and found all three to be quite good. I wanted to get an overview so I did only the one head to head match up. You can taste two seltzers or two light or get a taster tray with two match-ups.
The staff and the space were warm and engaging making for a fun visit.
With the coming of yet another new college football playoff format, the old school traditional slate of bowl games are fast becoming even more irrelevant than they were before the advent of sponsored games. If you have lost track, check out this doozy of a LIST.
At some point, these games are going to become extinct. It is a costly endeavor to put together a good game but when all you have left to pick from are a bunch of 6-6 teams, no one is going to watch these shelf turds let alone buy a ticket to one.
I say, that you start a second tournament for teams that have at least 9 wins but did not make the big tournament and have a Best of the Rest tournament. Then next year that winner plays the national champion in the first game of the year.
Now, on to the beer….
When I get a 4-pack or 6-pack, I tend to give a can or bottle away because by the time I work my way through a full pack months have passed because I see newer beers and my FOMO (is that still a craft beer thing?) kicks in before I notice the forlorn last can in the hiding in the back where the new beers pushed it. If you too, have lonely singles, break them out while you watch these also ran bowl games.
I do like seeing brewing history dusted off and worked with now and again so that craft beer fans do not forget our flavorful beer past and a beer that I would really like to try is the new Burton which is a collaboration between Thornbridge Brewing and The Kernel. Two British craft heayweights that I have yet to taste anything from. A boy can dream.
Happy Christmas Eve and last beer of the holiday beer advent calendar, we end at Creature Comforts from either Athens or Los Angeles.
“Winter is a Cold Red IPA crafted for a season of festivities with family and friends. Bold and snappy with a piney aroma, this beer will keep you toasting all season long.”
I am out of the glassware game. Got more than I can shake a fist at currently but if you have a craft beer geek on your shopping list this holiday, then maybe you should check out The Pretentious Glass Co. They have a good variety of unique containers for your fav hazy or crispy boi.
Kris Kringle time. Papa Noel. Klaus. Whichever AKA you choose, there is probably a beer for you. Today we stick with the first one with a McMenamin’s NW Winter beer…
