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You do not get many collaborations between breweries from Montana and, well, most of the other 49 states so don’t sleep on this new release from Surfridge of El Segundo and Philipsburg Brewing Co. Plus, you get a riff on the amber ale in the bargain.
There are collaborations and then there are super collaborations. Highland Park + Beachwood, well that is the level above super.
Here are the double details…
“Natural Born Shredder – West Coast-style IPA, our version of the previous beer collab released at Highland Park Brewery.
No Chestnuts in This Beer – Hoppy & crisp Italian-style pilsner, just in time as the warm weather creeps upon us for this pilsner.”
Another AleSmith collab is dropping soon, this time Tower of Flower with Beachwood Brewing. Julian has been busy!
The new release will be a double dry-hopped west coast-style IPA with Galaxy, Cashmere and Nelson hops.
If you like Strata, Citra and Mosaic hops, then I think this new collaboration IPA, Born Dreaming might be up your flavor alley.
OR
If you are a fan of Highland Park Brewery or the coming to LA (still?) Creature Comforts then you will probably like this.
It can be a fun game to predict which breweries might collaborate on a beer. I certainly did not have Tarantula Hill and Mumford on my collaboration bingo card. But here they are with a Beastie of a hazy IPA complete with a dangerous robot.
Future SoCal brewery, Creature Comforts has teamed with Green Cheek on a hot new release…
…Citra and Nelson hops combined with what the label describes as “Fire” make up this upcoming beer.
I am actually kinda surprised that there have not been more Guild beers out there currently. Maybe the All Together and Black is Beautiful initiatives took all the thunder combined with a few CCBA beers.
No matter, it is here now and for us in L.A., lets lend our hand to our neighbor to the south.
It was really only a matter of time before Boulevard Brewing added Firestone Walker to their collaboration series of beers. Them being cousins and all.
Collaboration No. 6 will build on the blending know-how of Firestone Walker with a brewing dream team of Matt and Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels will be pulling beer from Boulevard’s stockpile and then will “brew, ferment and age Firestone Walker beers at Boulevard in Kansas City using recipes created by Matt and his team in Paso Robles to complete the final blend.”
More concrete information on the beers included in the blend will come later.
The beer is slated for a July release, will be available on draft and in 750ml bottles throughout Boulevard’s distribution network.
One of my favorite breweries, Beachwood has joined the growing list of Stone collaborators to create an Unapologetic IPA along with third partner, Heretic Brewing.
This IPA that was kindly provided to me by Stone pours a bright and cheerful orange. The first taste that comes through is Concord grape. Grape Ne-Hi to be exact. Then a heavy bitterness hangs like a shroud.
The aroma is great on this one. Zippy and filled with grape notes. But that promising start is undone by the heaviness. There is just an astringency that makes this below average. And then the cat pee notes kick in a little too harshly as well. And since these are such new hops. Belma? Yakima #’s without catchy names? I don’t really know what is causing the high points or the low.
This just verifies that the Stone IPA palate is not mine. That is no knock on Stone. Their Hophead fans are legion, so they are playing to their customer base for sure. And I know they have a session IPA out there that is more in line with my delicate sensibilities but I would have liked to see less hops here. Toned down the ABV a skosh as well.
All apologies but this IPA is not for me.