Tag: Halloween

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The Firkin for October 2020

I have ranted about IP (intellectual property) casual theft on the part of breweries across our nation. In fact, got a post coming up about a specific example.  But instead of using the same old adjectives like lazy and stealing or making a comment about if they try to get away with those type of labels, imagine what they are doing with the actual beer.  I am going to give some constructive ideas so that a brewery can stop doing it.

  1. Hire a local artist – there are great design artists out there, and a flock of great artists as well.  Contact your local universities or ask your regular fans to make suggestions.
  1. Create your own cartoon character – if you are so keen to put a toucan on your still fermenting fruit pop beer, then create your own mascot.  Hire a caricaturist to design one to be the face of your next beer.  Explodey the Covered in Beer Eagle is available.
  1. Use photography – rarely used so it will stand out if that is all you are looking for but you could document your since day one fans or your neighborhood.

Now get creative!

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Best Beers of October 2020

Sadly, no pumpkin beers made the list for best of the month, thankfully no winter seasonals did either. In the bronze and silver spots are the Gaviota Coffee Ale reviewed on this very blog at the beginning of the month. I still remember that bright green coffee bean flavor. Next is a beer I had yesterday, Tiki IPA from AleSmith. This beer popped with coconut aroma in a way that other tiki themed beers haven’t and then it settled into a well done IPA.

The winner though is Black Tuesday from The Bruery. So smooth and surprisingly not needing to age to get to that point. Just a lovely bourbon barrel beer just in time for the fall.

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Delighted

Boomtown Brewing has a Spooky Season release! The next installment in their artist series, is Devil’s Delight. Here is the info: “This Hazy DIPA design was created by Keenan Shur (@not.shur), who brought an old-school graffitied twist on everything creepy to house flavors of Orange Marmalade, Honeydew, and Herbal Tea.”

The devil does look delighted on the label.

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In the Tap Lines for October

header_attractionsHave we entered Fall?  L.A. has seen 90+ then practically shady temps, then back up again.  The weather whipsaw might be best suited to those lighter Oktoberfest beers.  Now onto what is coming up this month….

~ e-visits to three breweries from Ohio (see A Book & A Beer below)
~ special featured reviews of the Firestone Walker Hoppy Lion Variety Pack
~ Heads-Up on Los Angeles Beer Events
~ Three suggested beers to buy this month. One light, one medium and one dark
~ A Book & A Beer reads Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
~ A Podcast & A Beer listens to Eaters Digest
~ I will tap the Firkin and give my no holds barred opinion on the craft beer world.

Here are two events to get your October started in the Los Angeles craft beer world:
1) October 1st – MacLeod Ale night at Tony’s Darts Away
2) October 13th – DTLA Brewers United Fest

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Review – Evil Dead Red from AleSmith

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What could be more perfect for Halloween?  For a SoCal hop fan, AleSmith’s Evil Dead Red is a perfect Halloween treat.  It pours a reddish brown and has a fragrant hop aroma coming off the glass.  The taste starts off with some chewy maltness that is quickly overcome by some sharp carbonation and a wild melange of hops.  I get a little citrus, some fruit punch and some floral notes.  And they are strong. But the whole thing is well balanced.  You get some more cereal notes at the end to really round the beer off.

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And in keeping with the zombie theme on the label, my favorite Halloween film to watch is Shaun of the Dead (tragically mis-spelled).  Followed by the first Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Arachnaphobia and the Blair Witch Project.  I am not a big horror fan.  Don’t like the chain saws and knives and crazed pyscho’s on the loose.  I prefer a little more realism and some humor.  Maybe it is because I watched a Pinhead movie when I was young and was turned off the whole blood and gore thing.  Obviously, Evil Dead should be paired with it’s namesake movie but for Shaun of the Dead, I would go with Fuller’s Black Cab Stout.  Dark but light bodied.

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Where to be on Halloween (or the 25th)

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The party to be at for Halloween, and I don’t say that lightly because….

a) I hate dressing up and won’t do it

b) There is no B, just see point A

Anyway, here are the instructions for the night:

HALBREWEEN PARTY at NOBLE ALE WORKS!

Hey Ghouls, Witches and Hop Heads. Beers in Paradise and Noble Ale Works are teaming up to throw an epic Halloween Party at the brewery on Friday, October 25th.

Come dressed up and join us as we enjoy a live music, delicious food trucks, costume contest, and a special cask release from Noble Ale Works specifically for this party!

When: Friday, October 25, 2013 – 7pm to Closing

Where: Noble Ale Works – 1621 S. Sinclair St., Anaheim, CA 92806 – 714.634.2739

Admission is free and dressing up is highly encouraged! Prizes will be given out to the most ingenious costumes. So tell your friends and join us at Noble Ale Works this October 25th.