In the Tap Lines for November 2011

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We are nearing the end of the year and the holidays come at us fast and furious. Each time this year, starting AFTER Thanksgiving, I start posting up the labels of different holiday winter warmers but before then, the same great mix of news, events, reviews and opinion.

~ e-visits to three breweries from Canada.
~ special reviews of beers from my recent trip to Solana Beach.
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ Beer-centric podcast review, …..
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 105 asks us to compare and contrast in Double Feature.

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) November 15th – Local Craft Fest at Rock & Brews El Segundo
2) November 21st – Stout BeerFest for Beer Geeks.

P.S.You may have noticed that the Golden Road logo is no longer part of the “My Locals” graphic. I made that decision due to the fact that Tony Yanow is not involved anymore. That departure saddens me because, for me, he was the beer lover/IPA fan in the ownership group. That is gone and been replaced by ABInBev. That crater sized hole, I am afraid, will not be filled by people with that same Tony attitude.

I did not make this decision lightly and I know that it won’t matter a whit in their popularity but I have to draw line for myself and Golden Road crossed it, and crossed it without apology in their awkward video and other interviews that instead of promoting craft beer became salvos against home brewing and playing for the winning team. It’s as if they were sneering at where they came from instead of celebrating it.

Their beer may not suffer in quality and yes, it will be available in more and more places but it has lost the “craft” and become just “beer”.

Now, where can I find a “Craft Beer is the Winning Team” t-shirt?

Xmas 2012 – 10 Barrel / Pray for Snow

We head to Bend, Oregon and 10 Barrel for today’s holiday offering……

“This delicately balanced Strong Ale starts with dark copper color mixed with slight reddish hues and a light tan head. Big malty aroma with a Munich character give way to a slight caramel & toffee mixed with spicy noble hop aroma, all wrapped together with a medium-bodied mouth feel. German malt flavor profile with slight roasty notes give Pray for Snow a subtle toffee sweetness balanced with spicy hop bitterness and slight alcohol warming.”

Xmas 2012 – Cigar City / Sugar Plum Ale

For the next 24 days, I will treat you to some of America’s holiday offerings and we start in Florida at Cigar City…..

“A rich-bodied brown ale forms the stage for holiday flavors which dance a festive ballet highlighted by pirouetting leaps of Christmas inspired spices. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, rose hips and chamomile compliment the subtle chocolate and light coffee notes of the malt and the addition of roasted carob and chicory complete the performance.”

In the Tap Lines for December 2012

Every December here on this very blog, I highlight a holiday/Christmas/winter warmer every day up until Christmas. Some of these beers aren’t available here in Los Angeles but your holiday travel plans may take you near one of them that you can taste.

~ e-visits to three breweries from the Austin, Texas area
~ video reviews tackles two new beers from The Bruery
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 70 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your November started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) December 1st – Mohawk Bend features Oregon’s Ninkasi Brewing all month
2) December 6th – Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach will be hosting a Firestone-Walker 16th Anniversary event

In the Tap lines for December 2011


December is all about the holiday ales. I started highlighting individual seasonal offerings right after Thanksgiving. So we all could celebrate each holiday in it’s proper time. It will end with a review of Anchor Christmas on Christmas.

Also, again thanks to Charissa Santos, for the above logo. If you like the look of it, check out her site HERE. She does branding, print and web design and she is easy to work with and she really made me take a hard look at where I am going and what my design does to help me get there.

~ e-visits to three beer-y spots that might catch Santa’s eye
~ video reviews of three wintertime beers including Anchor’s holiday offering on Christmas Day
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 58 will converge bloggers onto a single topic
~ plus many more posts about new beers, beer products and breweries

Here are two events to get your December started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) December 3th ColLAboration Holiday Pop-Up Beer Garden
2) December 10th – Jingle Bell Jubilee at Blue Palms