My local, local has a pair of LABW7 events to tempt you to my ‘hood. Yeah, Glendale can’t be called a ‘hood by any stretch of the imagination but play along with me cause the Glendale Tap is way cool. Which one would you pick to attend?
OR
Blend It
Why would Gabe Gordon build “a temperature-controlled barrel room inside a 100-year-old downtown Long Beach building”?
Here is the reason: “Starting this fall, Beachwood Blendery will produce beer using ingredients, equipment and brewing methods that are both steeped in tradition and admittedly modern. Gordon, Julian Shrago and Beachwood Blendery’s Barrelmaster Ryan Fields (an award-winning brewer formerly of Lost Abbey and Pizza Port San Clemente) are embarking on an undoubtedly geeky quest to create American-style lambics.”
This grand sour experiment will take time as good lambics do but the wait will be broken up into phases. “The first year will see what will be called the “Propagation Series.” These beers will be made to test how the different yeasts and bacteria preform in the Beachwood Blendery environment. The results of these experiments will factor into what will become their signature lambic-style beers.”
Then the “Blendery will begin producing a contemporary series of flavored lambic-styled beers, flavored not with traditional flavors like cherry (kriek), raspberry (framboise), peach (peche) or blackberry (cassis), but instead tropical fruits and spices inspired by Gordon’s many surf trips around the world.”
Then the coup-de-grace, “three years after opening—an American-made “gueuze”, blended from a selection of one-year-old, two-year-old and three-year-old “lambics”.”
The brewing begins this month with the first releases arriving by mid-2015.
One last quote to ramp up the excitement, “A tasting room attached to the Blendery will open at the same time as the first release, with 10 taps of house beer as well as wine from the vineyards whose barrels were used to ferment the beer.”
With Barrelworks humming up north, the Blendery will add to California’s destination status for aged wild beer. Maybe an appellation is in our future.
Bottle that Beachwood
Count me as a Beachwood fan. It seems like everything that Julian brews has such a lovely balance without sacrificing huge flavors and now you can grab some Tovarish to go because Beachwood is bottling!
The 1ST BOTTLED BEER:
TOVARISH RUSSIAN IMPERIAL ESPRESSO STOUT
Here is the news straight outta Long Beach, “Well craft beer fans, you asked for it and it’s finally here—Beachwood Brewing’s first bottled brew, Tovarish Russian Imperial Espresso Stout will be released on December 14, 2012 at Beachwood BBQ & Brewing in Long Beach, CA.
For the first time Beachwood Brewing fans will be able to sip this limited edition stout, available in 22oz bottles. “We are so excited to start bottling Beachwood’s beers for customers to take home, enjoy, and share with their friends,” explains Beachwood’s co-owner, Gabriel Gordon. “This is just the first of many more to come.”
Tovarish was carefully crafted by Beachwood Brewing’s brewmaster and co-owner, Julian Shrago. Brewed on Beachwood’s 10-barrel system, Tovarish is a highly coveted beer! Tovarish is a bold Russian imperial stout brewed with a base of British Maris Otter barley, heaping amounts of roasted barley, and specialty malts. It is finished with a touch of blackstrap molasses along with a custom roasted coffee blend by Portola Coffee Lab in Costa Mesa, CA. “Tovarish is a very special brew to the Beachwood family and we’re looking forward to sharing the love,” concludes Shrago.
This remarkably rich and complex beer is not to be missed! Savor the layers of roast, coffee, and dark fruits with every sip!
Tovarish bottles will also be available at various local Los Angeles and CA retailers.”
Count me as happy too!
Tovarish Russian Imperial Espresso Stout
Brewed & bottled by Beachwood Brewing, Long Beach, CA
11.2% ABV
Retail Price: $20/22 oz. bottle
www.beachwoodbbq.com