Review – Fresh Wave XPA from El Segundo Brewing

El Segundo Brewing is throwing it back to the ’80s in both beer style and font with their Fresh Wave XPA, Extra Pale Ale. Like most monikers XPA is a bit weird give it is basically just word replacing. Session IPA is a bit cleaner and understandable.

That said, let’s taste the liquid inside and not get too hung up on verbiage. At 4.9%, this is low ABV but that first sip doesn’t give too much away because the hops come in the front door, loud. There is a second wave of malt where the lightness of the body shows up but at the end, it tastes almost like a hoppy Wit as a tropical burst comes in.

a year round Almanac

One of the more interesting brewery and beer release schedules comes from Almanac Brewing. They have done three different beers timed to the seasons with different seasonal produce. Now they are coming out with year round beers!

“Our Honey Saison and Extra Pale Ale are the first farm-to-bottle Almanac brews available year-round in convenient 12oz. bottles. Perfectly balanced, these beers are brewed with California barley, hand-selected additions from local farms, citrusy hops and a touch of oak. Whether shared with friends over a celebratory dinner or afternoon picnic, we invite you to enjoy a new line of beers that could only come from California. Now available in 4-packs of 12oz bottles and on draft.”

Honey Saison : 4.8%ABV
“Our Honey Saison is a beer for all seasons. Brewed with Bay Area honey from Marshall Farms, wheat, California two-row barley and fresh, local ginger root for a hint of spice. Balanced with earthy Mount Hood and Saaz hops and finished with a touch of French oak, this is a refreshing brew enjoyed best with your favorite seasonal fare.”

Extra Pale Ale : 6.0% ABV
“Our Belgian-style Extra Pale Ale is brewed with heaps of sweet Mandarin oranges from Blossom Bluff Farms and California two-row barley. We dry-hop with generous doses of aromatic Cascade and Columbus hops and finish the beer with a hint of lightly toasted American oak.”