In the Tap Lines for May 2019

header_attractionsYesterday, I re-capped the 3rd Anniversary of the Propagator branch of Firestone Walker and that was just a small taste of the FWIBF coverage that will appear in the run up to the 2019 festival as well as my coverage of the actual fest itself.

~ e-visits to three breweries that will be pouring at FWIBF 2019
~ special featured reviews of from Four Corners Brewing
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads The Best Mystery Stories of 2018
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your May started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) May 4th – Yorkshire Square 2nd Anniversary
2) May 15th – May 22nd – Naja’s Place IPA Festival

In the Tap Lines for April 2019

header_attractionsHope you are ready for pranks today.  I fell for one briefly already before catching myself.  Hopefully, the beers you have this month are not pranks.

~ e-visits to three breweries that made the Fastest Growing Breweries like Werner Brewing of Tillamook, Oregon, Humble Sea of Santa Cruz, California and Oak Road Brewery of Summerville, South Carolina
~ special featured reviews of Orange County beers since it is there month for beer week.
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads The Milkman by Anna Burns
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your April started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) April 9th – Tuesday’s at Tonys features the beers of Enegren Brewing
2) April 20th – Smog City Anniversary Party

A Book & A Beer – The Traveling Cat Chronicles

The book for March is all about cats and saying goodbye. The Traveling Cat Chronicles is a simple and effective tearjerker that alternates between the point of view of the cat owner, Satoru and the Cat, Nana. Named after the # 7 which the cat’s tail resembles.

The book is divided into trips that the owner takes to find a new home for his cat that he rescued from the streets. Each trip brings up memories from when Satoru was younger and when he met the people for the first time that shaped his life. Each trip ends up with Nana getting back into the van with Satoru due to some good/bad reason that the cat would not like it there.

It doesn’t take long to figure out that the owner is dying and that he needs to get this done before he dies but he also doesn’t want to let go for fear of not having the cat to stay alive for. It is blatant with its affections and wears the emotion on the sleeves of everyone in the book but by the end it works. Maybe not because of the book itself but because having and giving away a pet is such an emotional tie.

The first beer choice is from Baird Beer. Kurofune Porter has a bittersweet taste of chocolate and malt that matches the tears you will spill. If you are into trading SingleCut from New York has 本から来たネコ (some cat from japan) IPA. Or my last choice is the La Roja from Jolly Pumpkin that has a swashbuckling cat on the label.

In the Tap Lines for March 2019

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We have entered the last month of the first quarter.  How are you doing on your craft beer resolutions?  Visited new and re-visited old?  Made a beer trip out of your comfort zone?  Tried a new style of beer?  Well time to get crackin’!

~ e-visits to three breweries from small towns like Double Barley Brewing, Mackinaw Brewing and Mountains Walking
~ special featured reviews of more Figueroa Mountain beers including their new Point Conception IPA
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads The Traveling Cat Chronicles
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your March started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) March 2nd – Border X Grand Opening
2) March 9th – Select Beer Store’s 7th Anniversary

In the Tap Lines for January 2019

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Now we can focus on the best holiday of the calendar year and all of the fun winter seasonals that will start to burrow onto shelves and into coolers of your favorite beer shops. I wish you a fabulous Christmas season! Now onto what is happening this month in addition to the holiday beer a day…

~ e-visits to three breweries from Eugene, Oregon such as ColdFire Brewing, Claim 52 Brewing and Viking Braggot.
~ special featured reviews of Beer that I got for Christmas
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Adjustment Day from Chuck Palahniuk
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your January started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) January 12th – Trustworthy Brewing 2nd Anniversary
2) January 26th – Eagle Rock Brewery 9th Anniversary

In the Tap Lines for November 2018

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As Los Angeles makes the slow transition from summer to late summer before heading to early summer, we can start to look at the bigger beers, the snifter beers. While also searching for the perfect beer to go with the fall sports season. Stay tuned for both this month.

~ e-visits to three breweries in NBA cities.
~ special featured reviews of beers over 10% ABV
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Big Game by Mark Leibovich
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) November 10 – Three Weavers 4th Anniversary
2) November 16 to 18 – Brewery Draconum 1st Anniversary

In the Tap Lines for September 2018

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OktoFest beers are starting to show up as if to will us out of one of the continuously hit SoCal summers in memories. Raise a glass to fall coming and to the coming pumpkin debate and other social media debates. Let’s keep talking people. Don’t retreat to a corner!

~ e-visits to three cider houses in British Columbia. Left Field Cider, The Naramata Cider Co. and Dominion Cider
~ special featured reviews of canned beers from Figueroa Mountain
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Taco USA by Gustavo Arellano
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your September started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) September 5thStalking Horse 1st Anniversary
2) September 9thSeeing Double at Angel City

In the Tap Lines for July 2017

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This month will be a recovery of sorts from Firestone Walker and L.A. Beer Week. But that doesn’t mean the posts will be any less fun. For July Roadhouse Brewing sent me a “care package” introduction to their beers that will be talked about all month.

~ e-visits to three breweries from Wyoming
~ special featured reviews of Jackson, Wyoming’s Roadhouse
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your July started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) July 11 – Summer Fermantality Dinner at Beachwood Blendery
2) July 22 – DTLA United Festival 4.0

In the Tap Lines for June 2018

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The first week will be taken up with all things 2018 Firestone Walker Invitational and then, well, wall-to-blog-wall of L.A. Beer Week, the 10th L.A. Beer Week mind you.

~ e-visits to three breweries from the LA Brewers Guild that I have still yet to visit.
~ special featured reviews of the Unity beer for 2018 plus other special LABW10 Beers Lyke the Indie / Hopped LA collab.
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Happiness is a Choice You Make by John Leland
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your June started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) June 3rdBig Summer Brew at Indie Brewing
2) June 10thMumford Brewing Third Anniversary Shindig

In the Tap Lines for May 2018

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Lots of good stuff on tap for May (now that the blog is back up and viewable). There will be weekly nods to the upcoming Firestone Walker Invitational as well as a report from Oregon where I will be heading back to the alma mater.

~ e-visits to three breweries from the New England area.
~ special featured reviews of two new cans from L.A. Ale Works
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads whatever the library finds for me from my long list!
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your May started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) May 4th – System of a Stout Release at Beachwood
2) May 13th – Mother’s Day at Boomtown Brewery