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Once again, more collaboration brews in the news but this time it is a home and away combo from MadeWest Brewing. First with Tarantula Hill Brewing in Thousand Oaks on California Street and then with Fremont Brewing of Seattle on the latest Short-Lived IPA.
Looks like taste test will be in order.
Just down the coastline, Brouwerij West has a late summer Pilsner out now that they brewed up with Altamont Brew works, the resulting light beer is Live Animals and is a 5.5% West Coast Pils.
Considering it is just four letters, Pivo has spawned quite a few collaborative beers that play with the name for the much loved Firestone Walker ode to Italian Pilsner.
And now there is another one that we might see here in Los Angeles since Creature Comforts is here as well as Georgia.
It is always exciting to me when two new collaborators join forces. This cause for excitement is GameCraft Brewing Anaheim teaming with Beachwood Brewing for a Cold IPA, Ice Beam.
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.”
Hank is just a solid name. For a person, a dog or a beer. And de Garde Brewing from Tillamook, Oregon has a dessert-ish beer ready with a SoCal connection.
“During his visit for our last anniversary, we took the opportunity to taste through some barrels and compose a special blend with our good friend Henry from Monkish Brewing Co. .
It’s a thoughtful and gorgeous combination of both three and five year aged barrels of our spontaneous beer, all built around the cornerstone of a stunning Moscatel dessert wine barrel. There’s mature funk, yet it still carries a remarkable vibrancy. A lot going on here, and a lot to savor.”
If you do not know by now, Smog City Brewing is REALLY community focused. Be it the California craft beer community or our climate changed world.
Their latest collaborative effort is with, Pure Project Brewing, and the , National Forest Foundation for the release of Forest Understory IPA, part of the Smog City Community Impact Series of beers. Pure Project will counter with Beneath the Canopy Murky IPA.
Every purchase of Forest Understory IPA will have a portion of the proceeds donated to the National Forest Foundation.
Ogopogo Brewing and Common Space Brewery are on the line with a hazy pale ale.
Time to talk about it….
Pours a hazy lemonade color. Initial aroma is pineapple but more pineapple smoothie than the sharp fruit. The initial taste is a very creamy tropical fruit. This is another super pillowy version of hazy. The end note is orange juice. Really nice example of how a lower ABV pale can have lovely and complex flavors.
No signs of craft collaborations quiet quitting anytime soon and here is another one to look for, that I particularly like the label for because it combines both breweries trademark look….
As for the beer itself, Riip’d Into Existence has your Mosaic T90 and Cryo, Strata CGX, Columbus Cryo, and El Dorado so should be just a touch hoppy.
We do not see a lot of Belgian beer. Out of trend in 2023 but the collaboration Dry-hopped wheat ale with brett from Brasserie De La Senne in Brussels and Allagash Brewing might just be one to look out for.