Finding themes for in-between the notable anniversaries like 10, 20 or 25 can lead to some interesting ideas and I do like that Stone is making # 23 a bomber only DIPA and eschewing the can.
Uncanny
Party Magic
Following on the heels of their Special Effects (low alcohol) amber comes the IPA version from Brooklyn Brewery, Party Trick. It will be interesting to see if this one becomes part of the SoCal distribution because I want to do a taste test between these two.
Review – Unity 2019
When I went to Sunset Beer to pick-up a 4-pack of the 2019 Unity, I saw an empty cooler where the beers should have been lined up. I turned to the helpful staff who pointed me where I needed to go in the store and off I went with my prize.
Truth be told, I was kinda hoping for something more strange this year. Maybe some fruit or herb that is local to the Claremont area where Claremont Craft Ales is located could have been added.
But the fact that the cans were in short supply must mean a level of popularity that the style still draws and economics does factor into the equation when selecting a beer style.
And yet, this beer, fine as it is, seemed like something down the middle. It is a bigger beer, north of 8% but other than that it was a DIPA. It lacked a certain spark in the aroma, flavor profile or bitterness. Park this beer amidst three or four other West Coast Old-School DIPA’s and I could not have picked it out or said, that it had an ingredient that screamed L.A.
I know that a Unity beer will evolve. It can’t always be strange beers and it does need to be of the moment. The moment now seems simple and businesslike
Review – Ochos Locos from El Segundo
Happy Ocho-versary to El Segundo Brewing, now lets dive into Ochos Locos…
First aroma off this bottled the day I popped the cap DIPA is tropical. Fruit forward. Then the bigness kicks in. I would call the flavor imperial and not double. Oaky notes and dankness take over. Pine needles peek through. This one burns. A real palate wrecker.
Dino-Mite
Well, this one is probably going to go fast due to two words, Great and Notion…
I will look for it because of the wicked cool design and because I love how Brouwerij West uses the good malt from Mecca Grade.
Featured Review – El Chingon IPA from Four Corners Brewing
I received a pair of media sample beers from Four Corners out of Texas so I started with their canned IPA.
Pours a clear orange color. Aroma is old school pine / grassy. Getting orange jello touch of sweet tart in the taste. This is very West Coast. Big malt presence balances out the action. To me this is pretty darn close to a red IPA which I would like to see more of.
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
Bounces
Brouwerij West has awesome can designs. Multiple stickers creating a collage effect on the shiny silver cans. For their new IPA, they have given the artist one full sticker to render a happy (and toothy) cat who is either named Bounce or is filled with bounce.
Dots
I saw this photo on Facebook and swooned…
…then I remembered the dates and un-swooned. I bet though that the response might actually prompt cans in the near future from Hair of the Dog. Blue Dot is a darn good, old school DIPA and the (fake) duo to the right sound good in theory too. I don’t doubt that brewmaster Alan Sprints could make all three and make them well.
Review – Komorebi from Three Weavers and Coedo
I hit up two beer spots to find and purchase this beer from Three Weavers collabing with Coedo, Komorebi.
Tart & Tropical pours a pretty orange pink color. Aroma pops as soon as the can opened. Super tropical. Almost tiki drink tropical. This is barely tart but the hops add in to make a good combo. Neither are duking it out. More mellow vibes from each. I would equate this with a popsicle as weird as that sounds.