Tag: GABF

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In the Tap Lines for October 2015

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You are now free to roam about the cabin and talk about pumpkin beers. The embargo can be lifted because we are in the actual month of Halloween, also the NBA season kicks-off! So let’s look at what else to come….

~ e-visits to three breweries that you may not have heard of that won Gold at GABF
~ special reviews of beers new to bottles from Ladyface Ale Companie including their new Flanders Red, Flamberge
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ Beer-centric podcast review, Brew Bloods
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world
~ … and Session # 104 will converge bloggers onto a single topic, this month on hiatus.

Here are two events to get your October started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) October 1st – Elysian Pumpkin Beers @ the Federal Bar
2) October 3rd – Sunset Beer 4th Anniversary Party

P.S. – You may have noticed that the Golden Road logo is no longer part of the “My Locals” graphic. I made that decision due to the fact that Tony Yanow is not involved anymore. That departure saddens me because, for me, he was the beer lover/IPA fan in the ownership group. That is gone and been replaced by ABInBev. That crater sized hole, I am afraid, will not be filled by people with that same Tony attitude.

I did not make this decision lightly and I know that it won’t matter a whit in their popularity but I have to draw line for myself and Golden Road crossed it, and crossed it without apology in their awkward video and other interviews that instead of promoting craft beer became salvos against home brewing and playing for the winning team. It’s as if they were sneering at where they came from instead of celebrating it.

Their beer may not suffer in quality and yes, it will be available in more and more places but it has lost the “craft” and become just “beer”.

Now, where can I find a “Craft Beer is the Winning Team” t-shirt?

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The Great American Beer Festival 2015

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I won’t be in Denver for the GABF tomorrow, live Tweeting or SnapChatting about the wave of beer that will descend upon the Blue Bear’s convention center but I will give you a re-cap of the awards and how California and (more specifically), Los Angeles fared.  And I may even live tweet some of the awards like Bernie Sanders with a Republican debate.  You can follow along with the Brewing Network if you are also not in Colorado.

If you are attending this year, make a point to go through the many, many guides out there to help plot your course. The only advice that I can give you is to try the local beer first and foremost. And stay hydrated.  And do take the tour of New Belgium if you haven’t before because it is amazing.

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GABF15

If you have some free time come September 24-26, maybe you should head to Denver for the 34th annual Great American Beer Festival?

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You have five days to decide because tickets will be available for purchase to the general public online on July 29, 2015 at Ticketmaster.

(Make sure to get up at the right time, the tickets go on sale on Mountain Time)

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Denver Brewery # 2 – TRVE

Our second stop in Denver, home of the Great American Beer Festival is TRVE Brewing Company.  And pretty much everything you need to know is summed up with this snapshot from their stark, black website….

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They also advise employees about Slayer tattoos.  So there is that as well.  And though that type of music is more for my brother-in-law, I would not be scared of walking in and ordering the following taster tray:

Hellion – American Table Beer

Scorn – Dry Hopped Pale Wheat Beer

Grey Watcher – Grisette

and I would love to try one of their Solera efforts, their Brett beeers or the Winter Zephyr, a sour black ale which sounds intriguing.  I am sure I would walk away with a bottle cause those labels would be perfect for Halloween.

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GABF – 90 Categories

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Charlie Papazian, the head man at the Brewers Association must have a sore hand from all the fist bumps and be partially blind from the camera flashes due to a staggering 90 categories in competition at this year’s Great American Beer Festival.

From 20 entrants in the Gluten Free and Dopplebock styles to a mind (and palate blowing) 279 in the American IPA category, there is plenty of data to mine. With special attention to my home state of Oregon and my current state of California.

Here are my take-aways from the medalists:

California racked up double-digit tallys in each medal class and swept the Session and barleywine categories. But in the hoppy arena, lost the premier category of American IPA.

Speaking of, it is so cool to have Breakside win. They are literally down the street from my Mom’s house. It was strange and great to hear your hometown (Milwaukie, OR.) get called out.

Staying hoppy, will Hop 15 from Port become more sought after now that it edged out Pliny the Elder in the re-configured Imperial IPA category. Or will Russian River be considered a pils house with their Silver in the German Pilsener style? Kudos to Firestone Walker for the win with Pivo.

Congratulations also to Gabe and Julian at Beachwood for the gold, silver and more importantly Large Brewpub and Brewer of the year. They are cementing an already sterling reputation while previous GABF darling, Jeff Bagby also snared a medal for his just opened eponymous brewery in Oceanside.

No big LA wins this year since Beachwood is Long Beach and Pabst, is well, Pabst. Though, if I see their gold medal cream ale, Primo, I might give it a whirl.

The other surprise was the strong showing of New Mexico. If my count is correct, the turquoise state nabbed 5 Gold Medals and Marble Brewing of Albuquerque won Small Brewer of the year. Another SW state, Texas also did quite well.

Other strong California statements came from High Water, Figueroa Mountain and Bootlegger’s who all bagged two medals each. With Port Brewing picking up what has almost become a routine amount of medals from their various locations.

Let me finish by saying, that like a list, a competition in craft beer is more important for non-judges as a way to choose where next to go. Taste is subjective and the best Ordinary Bitter may not be to your fancy but if you find yourself in Austin, a Salt Lake City or Green Bay, you now know of three breweries that have wowed judges in that category and that they probably make some other fine beers that you should try.

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No Reason Not to be in Denver

Unless you are me, and think it is better to go Denver for the Great American Beer Festival every three to four years.  But for brewers, it can be invaluable which is why last year’s overflow situation sucked, to be perfectly frank.

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News from the excellent Brewbound site explains that this year will be different: “The Brewers Association (BA) has streamlined the registration process for this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in hopes of avoiding a repeat of a debacle that made securing a spot at the event difficult in 2013.

Last year, brewers flooded the BA’s servers in an attempt to register, which resulted in the festival selling out in half an hour. As such, not all beer companies were able to sign up. Additional “technical problem[s]” with Ticketmaster, which the BA contracts for general public and member ticket sales, “had a negative impact” on some members, as outlined in an apology issued by the BA at the time.

……to ensure that brewers aren’t excluded from participating, the organization said it plans to accept every applicant wishing to submit products for judging — unless more than 1,400 companies apply.

But while the amount of breweries able to participate in the medal competition has increased, the number of beers a company can enter for judging has not. That number will depend upon the total number of brewers competing, the BA said.”

It won’t make the medal ceremony any shorter but hopefully those who want to go will get the chance and those who don’t want to will also learn that it might be better to step aside.

 

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Review – Ladyface Pro-Am – Dark Horse Belgian Strong Ale

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Last Sunday, I drove out in the stifling heat to Agoura Hills, parked right next to the Ladyface van (of which I did not try to even peek inside or try the door handle) all so that I could taste their new Pro-Am beer for the Great American Beer Festival.

I am a huge Ladyface fan but what makes their Dark Horse – Belgian Dark Strong even better is that I know the “Am” half of the equation as well.  Pipe Dream Brewery fronted by the great Kingsley and Brian got to take one of their beers to the taps!

It has already won accolades at the Mayfaire Competition (Best in Show) and at the L.A. County Fair this year.  And now I got to taste it!

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Not a big surprise that I really enjoyed it.  It is a big, big beer but the alcohol is effectively masked so that the dark raisin taste and the nice bubbly carbonation can take more of the stage.  There is a bit of sweetness but overall this is more a dry beer with some minor caramel notes that really lets that typical Dark Belgian flavors shine.  It pours a dark brown but when the light catches it, it gets a red glow to it.  The aroma is mostly dried raisin and prune but is not too bold and it doesn’t contradict the flavor either.  My only regret is that it was really too hot to enjoy it fully.

 

 

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GABF Brewery # 3 – DC Brau

While at the Great American Beer Festival, of the 35+ some odd 1 ounce samplers that I had, one was called the Corruption from DC Brau.

Once you get past the political themed names, you find some solid beers. Before GABF, I had their collaboration fall beer, Fermentation without Representation that they brewed with Epic from Utah and really enjoyed it. The Corruption IPA also fell into the enjoyed category. A crisp beer that had enough bitterness for a left coaster like myself.

Two other tidbits that raise their approval ratings for me are that they are canning in the Capital and that they are politically active in the arena of DC statehood. Canned beer has a better chance of making it out to me and if we got DC as a state maybe people will stop talking about Ohio for half a second. (Sorry, election year rant)

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GABF Brewery # 2 – No-Li Brewhouse

One of the new breweries that I tried at the recently concluded Great American Beer Festival was No-Li Brewhouse out of Spokane, Washington.

I was drawn to their booth by their simple but cool bottles that they had next to the pitchers of their beer.

L.A. people may bristle at the W.S.U. Cougar roots of No-Li. They will not at the beer. I sampled Silent Treatment (One of the best beer names ever) and it cut through the other beers that I had sampled at the convention hall.

Next time, I will try the following….

BORN & RAISED IPA

“This big bold copper colored ale showcases a big malty body and sweetness contrasted against a substantial hop presence which begins in the nose, continues in the flavor and ends with a lingering hop finish.”

CRÉME ALE

“Very pale, flavorful version of an original American beer style which combines the fermentation characteristics of an ale with the smoothness and maturity of a lager. Look for delicate soft maltiness complimented by the finest Northwest hops.”

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Sean suggests for October

Been back from the Great American Beer Festival for a couple days and getting back into the swing of the blog again with the monthly beer shopping list….

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Click the link (once or twice depending on the type of computer) then print out the list or memorize (depending on the type of brain) and then shop for beer. It’s my favorite pastime.