I may be the only one wondering why there an IPA called Super Cluster is hopped with Citra and not, well, Cluster but naming aside, this might be an interesting hop bomb from Lagunitas…
Review – Field to Ferment 2017
The last two years, I have been lucky enough to grab some Field to Ferment Fresh Hop IPA’s from Fremont Brewing of Seattle. Being in L.A. you have to be real careful with this sub-style since we are not in a hop growing region and we may end up getting “old” freshies. Date codes saved me though.
Amarillo – Canned 9/15/17
Dark and clear orange. Grassy. Dank. Orange peel. Maybe a pineapple note. Sits heavy. No session here.
Citra – Canned 09/22/17
Lemon and grassy character. A bit lighter than Amarillo. More grain forward. A bit of citrus peel to it.
Beer Review – Bursted
Recently, El Segundo Brewing came out with their take on the single hop beer. They call it Bursted and the initial batch all clocked in at 6% abv and came in three different colors/hops.
I don’t know if this has happened to you, but I had all three bottles in the ‘fridge and I opened the Simcoe and was absolutely blown away by the aroma. It was as if a bunch of hop pellets had been dumped into my kitchen. I loved that beer from ounce 1 to 22. I was so jazzed to try the other two but, alas, the Mosaic and especially the Citra paled in comparison.
You open one beer and suddenly your expectations are raised to a point where the remaining beers have no chance of competing. But that Simcoe is an early contender for Beer of the Year. Bright and vivid aroma with a touch of spice.
Here is my order of the beers:
1. Simcoe
2.
3. Mosaic
4.
5. Citra
I am certainly intrigued to see how this series progresses.
Review – Two IPA’s from Crux Fermentation Project
When you get a WOW! beer. You just can’t get enough. I review many beers on this blog but very few make me go WOW! Off Leash from Crux Fermentation Project is such a beer.
A mega amount of Belgian Farmhouse funk is here but it doesn’t overwhelm like it can. Why? The hops are right there. Fruit and mango and pineapple in abundance. Then there is a spice note that is just as strong. And yet, it works. Despite having three major competitive forces. Which is usually a death knell for a beer.
This beer makes me want to find any other beer with a combination of Crystal, Citra and Centennial hops.
I am a cat person but the dogs and bones on this label might change me. The beer is that good.
And since, Off Leash was so good, the next night I uncapped the Outcast IPA in search of another hop experience and I got it. A notch or two below but since that is in comparison to a WOW! beer that is still pretty darn good. Lots of grape notes here. Almost Concord-y in intensity. The bitterness is a lighter shade to my overworked palate but it is still a zippy beer. The Galaxy hops come through with flavor and aroma and the bitterness doesn’t fight the malt but work as an undercurrent to it.
Both beers show a deft touch for balancing flavors and I wish I had bought more. ‘Cause I got no bottles left.
Review – Organic Hop Cuvée
With new organic rules in place that now include hops, it is heartening to see an organic IPA already. Here is my review of this offering from Bison.
Pours a bright yellow with streaming bubbles. Not too much hop notes on the nose. The taste is pretty mild too. An organic XPA as it were. Get a touch of citrus and a little floral flavor but otherwise a mild showcase.
And I liked that their website had a definition of Cuvee as well….”Used by both winemakers and brewers, the term cuvée indicates a blend—typically, a special blend of higher quality. Each year, “Organic Dan” will work with organic hop growers from the Pacific Northwest to select the best organic hops as well as explore the development of new organic hop varietals to be used in all of Bison’s organic beers—especially Hop Cuvée. The 2013 Hop Cuvée recipe includes Citra® and Simcoe, two new and exciting organic hop varietals not previously available as certified organic, as well the classic Centennial hop. This year’s hops were grown by Carpenter Ranches, Perrault Farms and Roy Farms, respectively.”
Organic Hop Cuvee
Bison Organic Beer has a tough road to navigate now that hops have to be organic as well to be able to label a beer as organic so it is good to see them tackle it head on with….
“The 2013 Hop Cuvée recipe includes Citra® and Simcoe, two new and exciting organic hop varietals not previously available as certified organic, as well the classic Centennial hop. This year’s hops were grown by Carpenter Ranches, Perrault Farms and Roy Farms—three family-owned farms in Yakima Valley, WA.”
Citra returns to El Segundo
As opposed to the fuss and muss involved in PtY, I spent part of my Saturday in El Segundo with a double dry hopped citra pale ale that has returned (for as long as it lasts) to taps in Los Angeles.
It poured a lovely orange color and the aroma introduced itself proudly. Big lemon and citrus notes. The bitterness really hung with me and coated my palate. Which I learned may have been influenced by me eating something sweet beforehand. Good to know. The more I drank the more grapefruit notes came through.
I heard from reliable sources that the previous night a keg went really quickly and to ensure some beer karma. I just had the one glass. But I look forward to having it again the next time the two of us meet.
Odd Label Art – March Edition
I am a HUGE fan of the Mikkeller Single Hop beers. Don’t believe me? Type Mikkeller into the search box to the left and find out.
But I gotta say that these new labels are not an improvement. The old ones were boring but in line with other Mikkeller beers. These just look a little too computer cute to me. I will still drink them, of course, but it certainly is an odd graphic choice.
What do you think?
Let’s Tour – Kern River Brewing
If you haven’t heard of this brewery yet, you soon will. And the beer that you will probably here about first is the famed Citra DIPA. The beer that I could just smell all day. A pure blast of lemony citrus fragrance that lives up to the hype.
But then you had better delve into the rest of Kern River line-up which includes the Class V Stout and the Just Outstanding IPA for starters. Then maybe a growler of Sequoia Red or Isabella Blonde.
And if you want further proof then check out Drink Eat Travelfor their experience at the brewery.
Limbo from Eagle Rock Brewing
2 great pieces of news from Eagle Rock
From the press release, “After all the waiting, we FINALLY have our Growlers! Hooray!
Also we will be releasing our newest seasonal beer. Limbo is a Citra-Hopped Saison, bursting with tropical fruit character, and perfect for this hot summer weather. This beer also marks another collaboration project with a local homebrewer, this time fellow mug-club member, beer writer, homebrewing author, and Saison expert Drew Beechum. Congrats to Drew, and thanks!”