Uncommon

Despite the name and rumors swirling about an Anchor Brewing comeback, the California Common is not that common on beer menus and I do nor think that Russian River Brewing would launch one during the Pliny Season but here we are.

And its an interesting malt too, read on…

“Excited to announce our collaboration with craft maltster Valley Malt from Western Massachusetts! Established in 2010 by Andrea and Christian Stanley, Valley Malt specializes in malting grains for breweries and distilleries while sourcing from farms primarily around the Northeast. For our collaboration we used Golden Valley Pale malt in a California Common beer recipe which really showcases this malted barley.”

Cerveceria del Pueblo – Photos

Pasadena was set to get a new brewery in May, but now Cerveceria del Pueblo is soft opening with to-go sales of their (4) core beers including a variety pack that allows new customers a taster tray of sorts.

I drove the much quieter streets over to their location on Bellevue to pickup some beers but also to take a safe peek into their little but brightly painted space.

The next post will cover capsule reviews of the Kolsch, California Common, Pilsner and Wheat beer but you should check out this L.A. Times piece that talks about the brewery as the opener and closer to the article.

Review – Steamers Lane Lager from Uncommon Brewers

Certain ingredients can overwhelm a beer. And a beer like a California Common lager is especially at risk of being lost to a potent ingredient like lavender blossoms. So I was curious to see if Uncommon Brewers has succeeded or not with their Steamers Lane lager….
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I think the can design is lovely, especially the ragged top of the label and the color scheme. The color is right in the Cali Common spectrum and the lavender is light,which is good because it can be too much even in small doses. The dominant note in the flavor thoug is apple cider. There is a really nice crispness that balances with the malt notes and a nice British bitter aroma as well. But in the end it doesn’t quite work for me. It tastes a little old and I would like a bit more spice to work with the lavender.

Linden Street Brewery

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Linden Street is a fairly new place in an industrial park in Oakland. Not all beer is made in SF you know. They have a Burning Oak Black Lager, and ESB and the Urban People’s Common Lager. They will be hosting the first annual Brewing Network Winter Beer Festival. Check them out at Linden Beer.