Sean Suggests for June 2023

We are going full on L.A. Beer Week beers for this month’s shopping list. From two Freaky Friday South Bay friends to a Crenshaw collaboration.

El Segundo Squirrel-Toothed Tiger – 6.7% – “We went hoppier, Americanier, and, dare we say, downright more majestic than a pre-historic squirrel on their best day. Sure, the tiger may look friendly, albeit a little funny, but it remains a tiger with an inherent instinct to kill nonetheless!”

Crowns & Hops / Los Angeles Ale Works Down Crenshaw IPA – 7% – Mosaic, Nelson and Enigma hops headline this dank West Coast IPA Boulevard.

Smog City Smogberry IPA – 7.2% – Smog City re-imagines the iconic Mayberry IPA.

LA Beer Week – Covid Hangover

In the before times during L.A. Beer Week, there was always a panel discussion, So You Want to Be a Brewer?. Tomm Carroll would moderate with brewers who had just gotten started or still wet from beer foam behind the ears.

I don’t have statistics on it but many a brewery owner attended these discussions. Henry Nguyen from Monkish Brewing being one of them.

But even panels have to pivot, so this year the theme was the cheery, upbeat pandemic.

L to R – Ben from Lawless, Joel from Strand, Samantha from Lucky Luke, Brendan from Paperback, Jennifer from MacLeod and Tomm.

Whenever there is a discussion, I start looking for golden nuggets of wisdom or weird but true stories and there were plenty last night. Covid created weird circumstances, such as….

Macleod – had 12 kegs of green beer ready for St. Patrick’s Day since they had sold out too quickly the previous year, took months to sell

Paperback – had focused their investment on their taproom but had to pivot to new canned beers each week. Basically doing things backwards from their plans.

Lawless – had bad timing strike the, as they were two weeks from their CUP when it hit. Postponed their journey to opening by six – nine months

Strand – the closure casualty of the group was another timing victim, they were in the midst of trying to get three other breweries in an alternating prop agreement to use their Torrance facility when lockdown hit

Overall though, the tone was one of gratefulness to the brewing community and the customers. It sounded very much like the extra positive times when craft beer was really growing. Lawless and Paperback were happy to have been going through the process close together and both leaned into knowledge from MacLeod so despite all the trials and tribulations, they got through together.

LABW13 – Cellador Friends Festival

I actually went to a beer festival! The first one since 2019! Cellador Ales hosted the kick-off event for the 2022 L.A. Beer Week and here is my rundown…

Before I start with my best beers though, I want to say that I love the fact that Cellador has embraced magnum pours. They had a whole “magnum island” booth plus bottles were being walked around the festival alley.

On to the beers, this was not a sour only event as in years past, but there were sours aplenty. Rare Barrel had Space Jellies with Strata hops, Craftsman had some barreled Flors and many others had bottle or can pours at the ready.

That said, some of my favorites on the day were from North Park who brought their historically named DIPA’s …

Probably a notch above was the Green Cheek version of Timbo Pils which was bright and hoppy and refreshing on a hot day.

Another stand-out was Craftsman Brewing, OG in L.A. bringing their famous 1903 Lager as well as three barrel-aged ales including 3rd and 4th Flor. I tasted 3rd which used Sherry yeast and was different from every other taster I had.

I like the set-up lots of colorful branded pop-up tents in a row with food at one end and wine and cider inside. I was hoping for more seating and shade options. It was telling that the slim strip of shade near the building quickly became a hang out spot.

I will need to get my festival legs back. I was like a kid in a candy store who hadn’t had sugar in a bit but was also was too wary of crowds. But, my pacing and technique will improve as I get back in the swing of things.

Thanks to Kevin and Fran for setting up a great return to festival action in Los Angeles.

LABW 13 – BFE 2022

If you are in the northerly section of L.A. County, then you are in luck since you will be having your own mini L.A. brewery festival at Lucky Luke in Santa Clarita, BFE.

And this festival will be marking in Tiki time.

L.A. Beer Week 2022

Get your calendars (or should I say phones) out to mark off L.A. Beer Week for 2022.

June 18th through the 26th in what is being called “a modified format”. I will keep you apprised of cool events not to miss right up until the end.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the Unity 2022 brew was done recently and the host was Highland Park Brewery. Crossing my fingers that it is a pilsner and not an IPA.

Aftermath- Part 5

Next post crisis agenda, L.A. Beer Week. Each June the beer community gathers around our wide geographic area and celebrates. This year will be markedly not business as usual.

But, I do believe there is opportunity here. Yes, even if still locked down and isolated or out of business can provide hope. First, I think there must still be a Unity beer produced. And I would suggest that it be a strong golden ale that provides ABV but a golden hued glimmer as well.

If we are still isolated, there should be Zoom parties set-up for each day of the week, Jerry Lewis telethon style where brewery A hosts for 30 minutes, then a second brewery takes over with four breweries a night talking about their history, how best to support them and how to buy their beer. Or videos, can be made that guide people through a breweries beers and put up on the main Guild website and a dedicated YouTube channel.

If we are allowed outdoors in June, I would propose a Socially Distant Beer Festival. If only 10 people are allowed together in one venue, sell 9 tickets and have everyone properly spaced and then have a curated flight of local beers to offer them. Use the rules to make new events that abide by them. Or set a date for a Christmas Festival as a make-up. That is far enough in advance that it could actually happen.

We want people to get re-engaged with local.