More Oktoberfest beers from SoCal? You read my mind. We head south to Bixby Knolls and then further south to Orange for two more to look for. First up is Ambitious Ales and right below that is the Chapman Crafted seasonal…
Oktoberfest SoCal – Part 5
Does Not Compute
LA County and Orange County team up on a hoppy pilsner. Broken Algorithm is the combo of Chapman Crafted and Smog City Brewing
It will arrive in February, and features a “blend of Citra, Motueka, and Nectaron hops, with a twist of Muscat grape must for a dry, refreshing finish.”
Barrel Day – Oaks & Owls
Even in the dog days of summer, I like to see barrel-aged beers released and Chapman Crafted, who recently hit their 7 year mark has a new one out…
“Oaks & Owls is our Barrel-Aged Barleywine aged in Blinking Owl Distillery (from nearby Santa Ana) rye barrels for 18 months. The American oak barrels give this brew a subtle spice with a hint of vanilla.This beer is malty and has notes of sweet bread, toffee, and dried fruit.”
Featured Review – Zodiac Series: Pisces from Chapman Crafted
I don’t believe in “signs” but this a fun IPA series idea from Chapman Crafted. Pisces pours a hazy light orange. If it weren’t for a bit of wood chip type bitterness, could be mistaken for a witbier. That bitterness grows with successive sips. Getting a bit of peach / apricot aroma. Gives off a little fuzzy feeling in the mouth.
Pisces
The Chapman Crafted Zodiac has finally come around to my sign. Not that I believe in it at all. Anything based on when and where your parents had some…. fun isn’t super science-y to me. But I think this is a cool idea for an IPA series that also tells you if it is fresh or not, subtly.
Now I have to look for Huell Melon, Citra and Amarillo hopped hazy on shelves next to hopefully only Aquarius.
Chapman Crafted – Coffee
Chapman Crafted is now more than just beer. On January 23rd at the more beer than coffee hour of 6:00pm, they will launch their cold brew, drip, and espresso that are made with their house blend roast, which they have named, Composition. Also on tap will be their First Roast Coffee Porter as well as other limited-release coffee beers.
Oktoberfest Review – Sierra Nevada v. Chapman Crafted
Now that we are in September, it is seasonally appropriate to talk Oktofest beers. Today, I will compare and contrast the gold standard (since the German collaborations have started) Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest and a local marzen from Chapman Crafted in Orange.
Starting with the latter. This is really quite biscuit rich. That creates a backbone for other flavors to play off of. I get a little citrus note as well as a bit of nutty. Good sparkle to this. May not have the mineral tinge that a classic may have but this is a beer that reminds what happens when malt is in the fore.
The Bitburger 2019 version of the Okto pours a red/brown color. Another malt forward beer but this is a notch or two lighter in both malt character and heft. There is a nice hop character here but the beer overall still tilts to the German side. Searching my memory, this seems like the lightest version so far. Part dunkel and bigger part lager.
What’s Your Sign
I do not hold much stock in Astrology. Personality based on when your parents hooked up doesn’t seem as science-y to me but I do like that both my believing wife and non-believing me are both the same sign. All as pre-amble to a new series of beers from Chapman Crafted. The Zodiac Series. They are starting with Aries with the following information…
♈ Zodiac Series: Aries Hazy IPA
6.7%, 30 IBU brewed with Galaxy, Simcoe, & Citra
Ripe • Pineapple • Outgoing
In the Tap Lines for August 2018
August. The end of the silly festival season is in sight and maybe we will see an early slide into fall so that we can slide from lighter pilsners over to heavier malty options. Unfortunately, I do not control the weather but I do control the contents of the blog where we will be covering…
~ e-visits to three breweries from New York
~ special featured reviews of a TBD style
~ 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 Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.
Here are two events to get your August started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) August 4th – SoCal Mead Fest at Great Society
2) August 11th – Chapman Crafted 2nd Anniversary
Review – Pils from Chapman Crafted
Finally back on track with a review of a non-hopcentric beer. Pils from Chapman Crafted from Orange, California.
Really refreshing. Light to almost the watery point. A nice bright yellow color. Getting almost a blonde ale vibe to this one and less pils when sipping but the aroma is straight up lager. A bit of corn taste malt lodges on my tongue.