At first the label looked like a cartoon Severus Snape but when I read the beer name, I knew who it was and if you have seen the cult un-classic, The Room, you will too.
Of course, it is a NE styled Hazy and of course when you order it at Mikkeller DTLA (or your closest version), you will have to say it in the Tommy Wiseau voice.
Featured Beer Review – Epoch Fresh Hop IPA from Groundbreaker
Our next out of Cali review is for Epoch Fresh Hop IPA from Groundbreaker Brewing.
Here is the description from their website, “We’re celebrating the era of the IPA with fresh Strata hops, a new hop variety from Oregon State University and Indie Hops. Tropical citrus layered with herbal dankness.”
This is grapefruit juice. And not that ruby red stuff. There is a smidge of pith in the aroma of this darkish orange gluten-free IPA but man does the full bitter grapefruit come out in the taste. There is an underlying fruit punch note as well. Don’t know if this stark flavor is due to the Strata hop. I could see making a radler with this to give a toned down version even though the ABV is not high. This could be a polarizing amount of citrus. Certainly none of the softness of hazy. Overall, I like it but maybe in 12oz cans more.
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.
A Pod of Mod
Los Angeles has been getting a bit of can-action from Washington State’s Fremont Brewing and the above is another to be on the possible lookout for due to one of the hops being used that I think will be talked about more in 2019. Strata hits some of the flavor points that are in demand including, “various tropical fruit notes, citrus notes and dank notes similar to that of cannabis.”
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.
Powerful
The latest 22oz hop bomber from El Segundo Brewing is a coming,
Power Shower is a collaboration with recent GABF medal winners Noble Ale Works that will be released on October 5th. The premise is that the beer is half Noble Showers DIPA and half El Segundo Power Plant and will probably live up to the 8.8% abv.
The Fog is Rolling In
Looks like Anchor is adding more IPA to their line-up. Not surprising in this hop fueled market and they have gone tried and true with the name as well. Fog Breaker is very San Francisco. That can be read as snide but it actually isn’t, I think the label straddles the brand icon of the brewery while adding a little freshness. I think it will pop on shelves and hopefully taste wise as well.
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.
Another Artful Can
I am going to have to find a creative way to display the creative labels on the Brouwerij West cans. The latest for FA Really IPA is another stunner.
And the beers have been as good as the art work too.
Braveheart
I was perusing the shelves at the lovely Vroman’s Bookstore recently when I noticed that next door was no longer an Office Depot but had changed over to a Total Wine & More.
Even though their inventory is a bit skewed to quantity and not enough locals, I decided to browse and I found cans from Bravus Brewing which does Non-Alcoholic beers. So I picked a pair up.
IPA
Pours an opaque light orange color. Aroma is lemony, but in an off way. The can is a hare over two months old and in a can though it was not found in the cooler section. Bitter in a weird way with a metallic end. Even after sitting out to breathe it did not improve. A bit tea like which might be a brewing flaw over a storage flaw.
Oatmeal Stout
Tastes smoky and a bit watery. Head was pretty thin. Weird chocolate taste here too. Bit of metal taste in this one too. Tastes almost like it is turning sour. But this beer is just over a month old. Better than the IPA but still not great. Maybe this is why there aren’t a lot of N/A beers out there.