From the past of mild we return to the future with Eagle Rock Brewery and Solidarity mild….
“‘Mild’ refers to an English-style beer that is malt-accented yet light bodied and low in alcohol. Depite it’s dark appearance Solidarity Black Mild is light bodied and refreshingly drinkable. A variety of roasted malts lend toasty, nutty flavors and complexity, with subtle notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and a hint of smoke. Pull up a seat and have another round with your best mates!”
Beer (and Cocktails) for the People
One sure fire way to appreciate our favorite malty beverage more is to check out what the world of wine and spirits are doing. I have already highlighted the Beer vs. Wine annual showdown at Ladyface because I believe that beer people are not alone in crafting high quality drinks. But if you just can’t go without craft beer then how about the new-ish world of beer cocktails? Clear space on the 25th in your calendars.
“Come join Eagle Rock Brewery at Kings Row Gastropub in Pasadena for an evening of beer-infused tiki cocktails, masterminded by 1886’s Brady Weise.
Which beers will be used?? Well, your favorite Eagle Rock Brewery beers, of course! (Shhh… but there may even be some super special beer that we’ll tap a barrel for…) It’s a proper summer tiki party so be sure to come dressed in your best Hawaiian shirt (or hell, a grass skirt and coconuts if you’d prefer) because it may win you a fabulous prize!
The cost for 4 amazing beer-infused tiki drinks (complete with sidecars of the beer that’s in it) is just $15. But be sure to RSVP because space is limited. All you have to do is email james@kingsrowpub.com or call 626.793.3010 to reserve a spot.”
Brew with Jeremy of Eagle Rock
HOMEBREW DEMO w/ OWNER & BREWMASTER JEREMY RAUB
“Curious about making your own beer at home? Looking for new friends to brew with? Wanna hone your brewing skills? Or just looking for new brewing techniques or recipes to add to your repertoire? We’ve got just the solution!! And, since we’re in a brewery, as opposed to the garage, the batch we brew will eventually go on tap in the tasting room!
Come watch ERB Co-Owner & Brewmaster (and Maltose Falcon) Jeremy Raub brews up a batch from 9am to 4pm on June 2nd.
The cost is $12 and will include a simple lunch and a pint of one of our house beers. The taps will be available at their usual prices if you’re still feeling thirsty. You’re also welcome to bring your own homebrews to share or to get objective opinions.Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP to save your spot soon! It will be a full brew day, so be prepared to spend some quality time with your favorite brewery staff and to make some tasty beverage!”
#ACBW12 in review
The week began in flight. A flight of Craftsman beers in Highland Park at Maximilliano. Three of which I hadn’t had before including Ochre (a sour ale), Point Five (the session IPA), Juniper (made with, you guessed it juniper) and the new Maximilliano House beer which is on a 1903 lager base but with oregano added. It is the one on the far left in the photo below.
Tuesday was a double shot. Finished at the Pub at Golden Road and had some Double Jack and Parabola from 2010 in Burbank at Tony’s Darts Away during Firestone-Walker night.
Wednesday was Beer Belly and the Bruery, hello again Fruet!
I also got a taste of Carmen with cranberries. Though not as sour as Filmishmish this was two distinct sour notes. One from the beer and one from the fruit.
I took Thursday and Friday off in preparation for two events on Saturday. First was the Farmer’s Market FestivAle at Blue Palms and second was the Eagle Rock Session Fest.
Blue Palms put quite the menu together in honor of fruit and vegetables. 
. Of the beers that I sampled the Honey Bee Hefe from nearby Golden Road was my favorite. Lost some of the hefe-ness but made up for it with a strong honey and pollen taste. And it was beautifully cloudy. I was a bit disappointed by the Almanac Fennel Biere de Mars and the Magnolia Gruit but the Ballast Point Winter San Salvador with all San Diego ingredients was quite nice though heavy on the bay leaves. 
Then lastly on to Session Fest at Eagle Rock and boy was I shocked by how much I enjoyed the two beers that I had. By far the most flavorful and interesting of 2012. I started with the Citrus Basil Party and it was just that. Both ingredients there in ample amounts but not over the top. Light and refreshing and a pretty yellow. (Though not as pretty as the pink Kolsch). 
I followed that up with the Brett-a-Colada which was fantastic. Funky light farmhouse nose and initial taste followed by a wallop of coconut and fruit and then a gentle cooking spice note. Really interesting take that I enjoyed.
Then on Sunday the Beer Search Party rested.
Eagle Rock Session Fest
On Saturday, starting at 4pm is one of the most unique beer events in Los Angeles. The Eagle Rock Brewery Session Fest.
“Session Fest is coming back! All our taps will be pouring unique pilot batches of beers 4.5% ABV or lower brewed by the Eagle Rock Staff. Low on alcohol, but big on flavor. It was a hit last year, come and see what we brewed up this year! Grill’em All Truck will be here to feed ya!”
This is a great fest that really showcases creativity and maximizing flavors. The range of styles last year was amazing and this years brews will probably yield a great many tasty beers.
The Beer Allowance – May
Last month, I picked up a box of spring seasonal’s from Pyramid Brewing.
This month, I took my $20 to Sunset Beer Co. and picked up Solidarity, the beer from Eagle Rock that really made their name in the beginning.
Then I picked up a Dupont beer by the name of Posca Rustica that I had seen in many mouth watering e-mails from Vanberg & Dewulf who brings them to the U.S. I am curious about it because part of the description said “odiferous”.
One Week in May
It is that special time of the year where we celebrate craft beer even more than we usually do. American Craft Beer Week!
So, get out there and show the craft brewers that you appreciate that they offer you so many great choices in beer!
Here is a snapshot of where I will be headed.
Monday, Maximilliano for pizza and Craftsman beer flight
Tuesday, I will be at Tony’s Darts Away for a Firestone-Walker night. Maybe snag some more Wookey Jack.
Wednesday, On to Beer Belly to taste Fruet from the Bruery for the first time.
Saturday, the Farmer’s Market themed event at Blue Palms. Followed by Eagle Rock for their annual Session Fest. Low ABVs with big flavors.
Drinking with Mom – Eagle Rock Equinox
A new (occasional) feature on this here blog is what I’m calling “Drinking with Mom”. I will be sending beers to her in Portland and she will send some to me in Los Angeles. Or we will pick a beer we can both get and we will compare notes on the beer. The point being to get a different perspective on the craft beer revolution. One beer at a time. A little background. My mom is primarily a wine drinker with a particular soft spot for champagnes. When it comes to beer she prefers the porter/stout style. But not the imperial stout.
First up is Equinox from Eagle Rock Brewery.
It is a sour blonde ale with Brett yeast. Now this was a reach on my part. This is out of my mom’s comfort beer range for sure. Back in 2010, my review of the beer when it first came out was as follows, “pours really yellow. aroma is faint but a little fruity. sourness is minimal but the acid does leave its mark. very refreshing. one of my favorite sour ales so far because it doesn’t try to pucker your mouth into a grimace” I gave it a 3.7 out of 5.
My mom was “pleasantly surprised” despite not being a sour fan. She found it refreshing, easy to drink and effervescent. She appreciated the light touch on the sourness. She explained that it was similar in many respects to champagne. The Brett didn’t register as too big either because she didn’t even mention it. Maybe the cage and cork played into the wine aesthetic?
On a final note, my brother in law tasted as well and with he gave it a thumbs up too. So there you go, three different enthusiastic reviews! Check Eagle Rock’s taproom to see if any bottles are left of that or their second anniversary beer, Deuce.
Libertine returns
Fresh off the release of their anniversary beer, Deuce, the Eagle Rock crew will be bringing Libertine back in a release party tomorrow night.
Here are the details…..”Yay! Libertine is coming back online after a long long wait! Our Belgian Amber Wit is made with honey and is the perfect Valentine’s Day treat for you and your hunny bunny to share… Or if you don’t like to share, then get a growler for each of you!
Whether you’re having it for Valentine’s Day or not, hurry up and get some because it won’t last long!
@iHeartPies will be onsite as well, to feed you some amazing treats (and gift ideas?)
It’s also TRIVIA NIGHT, so come test your brains against our Trivia Hosts…ones MIT, one drives things on Mars. Three rounds per night, and your welcome to join in at anytime. Each round you and your team (no more than 4) can win the best prize off all, FREE BEER. The nights overall winner gets some ERB swag to go with their already great night. What more could you ask for?”
Eagle Rock’s 2nd Anniversary
Eagle Rock Brewery celebrated the Deuce yesterday. Both the anniversary and the anniversary beer. It was a bright sunny day with a big crowd ready to sample a wide spectrum of Eagle Rock’s brews.
Beer Buddy Richard and I waited in line and quickly grabbed our taster glasses and tickets. I started with Tarte Noir a lovely sour beer with big dark fruit tastes and then went bigger with the Deuce.
This anniversary edition (in bottles too!) is an amped up version of their classic Solidarity. Which has also spawned a vanilla bean nitro version which I also had a glass of too. It is big and defies easy adjectives. It isn’t super chocolately or roasty and it is almost more Belgian-y than English. Dark fruits and some light coffee notes.
Oddly enough, the biggest line was for the taps that housed Stimulus and Red Velvet instead of the new beer. Then I tried the Red Velvet which had been run through a randall and tasted why. It was lighter and less hoppy than I remembered the original award winner being and it had a lovely tea taste infused all the way through it.
It was my favorite even though I went back for seconds on the Deuce and bought a bottle later at the brewery.
Thanks to Jeremy and the hard working Eagle Rock crew who had to man the tap room right after the party. And also a big shout out to Ryan Sweeney and the Verdugo folks for hosting.
