AleSmith is not letting their foot off the new release gas pedal as they have a new DIPA out now, look for the pink labeled can and the name Hopwright.
Hop Right
Reviews – Two from Ventura Coast Brewing
Today, I picked two beers from Ventura Coast Brew Co. from two far apart styles.
We start with the Hazy IPA collaboration with Seaward Brewing (also from Ventura). It pours a light yellow with a bit of haze to it. There is a bright sugar candy Sweet Tart aroma to it. Doesn’t have the softness I would expect from a hazy. Light bodied but with a firm hit of earthy / piney bitterness. If just called an IPA, I would rate higher.
Earth Day Dopplebock pours a dark brown garnet color. Lovely foam at top too. Very pretty to look at. Lovely cereal malt smell, like being in a brewery. Big and simple taste here. Getting a bit of Kix cereal. Full mouthfeel without being heavy or cloying. Tiny touches of sweetness and smoke add to the whole.
Review – Skaze Race from Alvarado Street
For the first review of July, lets dive into thiols. 2X thiols per the label from Alvarado Street’s Skaze Race.
Here is the description from their website, “This thrilling SKAZE is double dry hopped and thiol boosted for maximum juicy radness. Select lots of Mosaic, Nelson, Citra Cryo and Cryo Pop are teeming with tropical hop oils and potent thiols. A blast of tangerine and pineapple blasts you off a wave of gooseberry before you splash down in an invgorating spray of passionfruit and blueberry- leaving a hint of coconut candy in your wake.”
I certainly get that big passion fruit aroma which seems to be a thiol hallmark. The beer pours a murky yellow color, almost golden. The first flavor note I get is blueberry. I also get a big orange creamsicle hit as this beer is super pillowy soft. At the end, I get a medium strong banana note which is odd but works with the other fruit flavors.
Fuzzball
Beer and Star Wars goes together like protocol droids and astromechs. And if you are looking for a May the 4th beer, well Claremont Craft Ales has you covered…
Though for a hazy, the more appropriate quote might be…
“Your eyes can deceive you. Don’t trust them.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi
R.I.P. Peter Mayhew
Firestone Day – 2 New IPAs
I previously posted on the Anniversary blend from Firestone Walker and now add this to the upcoming beers from the Paso Robles brewery…..
Make sure to drink these fresh.
Colorful Collaborative Cans
Not a huge fan of returning to the ’80s but I do like the idea of having a West-Coast forward, 22oz bomber forward brewery teaming with a haze forward, crowler brewery to learn new tricks. All in a VERY colorful way.
State Brewing and El Segundo Brewing are going all Vice and Versa on October 13th, here are the beer details:
“It’s two breweries, one hop profile and two different styles of IPA. State showed us the way of the Hazy, we showed State the way of the West Coast and we’re each doing simultaneous can releases.”
Check their websites and social media for music, shuttle and food details.
Beer Review – Sass Machine from Arrow Lodge
Arrow Lodge can branding has been a bit hit or miss for me. One can is all green and the next is a wavy psychedelic unicorn. But I could not pass up on such a sassy beer. The Mavhine oours a hazy lemonade ice tea color. Very soft and pillowy mouthfeel, bitterness is there but a couple blocks away. There is a tropical fruit aroma. Pineapple and banana to me. I wouldn’t call it sassy. Getting some citrus flavor notes as it warms. Almost sorbet like in the flavor. I noticed that Untappd has an entry for a peach version which might be even better.