Review – Unity 2015

I first sipped this beer near the end of the Kick-Off festival but after so many beers on the day, it was hard to get a true look at it. So, once bottles started showing up around town, I grabbed a few to re-test.

IMG_4478.JPG
It is a very simple beer. The initial sip has a spark of tart and that tartness is there the rest of the way but not puckeringly so. The aroma would lead you to think it is more sour than it is. There is a good amount of farmhouse yeast aroma as you swirl the beer in the glass. There is some notes of grapefruit and a bit of the sweet tart intermingled.

I have had various saisons from Smog City with the kumquat being excellent and the plum, not so much. I would like to see fruited variations on this beer in the future. It is good with a nice low ABV but it is missing a little something like a spice or fruit note to add another layer to the beer.

New Breweries – New Moderator

I had planned on maybe taking my Mom out to a simple tap take-over tomorrow.

But with Tomm Carroll being called away from hosting duties for “So You Think You Want to Open a Brewery, Volume IV”, I will be filling in as moderator.

Capture
Here are the details and I hope to see you there!
“Held on the lawn at the Pub at Golden Road in North Atwater Village, the panel will get under way at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24. Admission is free and draught beers from the breweries represented on the panel will be available for purchase. Participating breweries include Golden Road Brewing, Hand-Brewed Beer, Mumford Brewing, Santa Monica Brew Works and Solarc Brewing, along with such breweries-to-be as Angry Horse Brewing, Arts District Brewing, Brewyard Beer Company, Dry River Brewing, Indie Brewing, Lucky Luke Brewing and Transplants Brewing.”

Milo

Milo ERB
No, Eagle Rock Brewery did not host the Unity brew this year but that does not mean that they can’t add a new beer to the #LABW7 mix.

Hence, Milo the Oatmeal Pale Ale, a quite sessionable 5% ABV filled with El Dorado hops and oats. Check it out at their tap room before, during or after L.A. Beer Week.

Fest Review – LABW7 @ Exposition Park

After one bus and a Red and Expo train I entered Exposition Park through the Rose Garden for a more calming experience, then through the California Science Center, then around to the Natural History Museum and the Butterfly Pavilion.  

All before one beer had passed my lips at the Kick-Off event for the 7th L.A. Beer Week. It reminded me of the first festival that was held at Descanso Gardens way back in the day. 

While dodging the suns UV rays, I sampled:

Santa Monica Brew Works Cucumber Kolsch which was excellent particularly for this day and learned that they will be receiving their bottling line soon.

Ladyface Magnanimous IPA in their oasis which had tables and chairs. 

Kinetic’s Wild Ale for their 3rd anniversary which was just as good as some Belgian dark sours that are raved about. 

King Harbor Coconut Swirly which I thought was a little too much. I guess I am a regular Swirly man. 

Then it was time to try the two Cascade collaboration beers. First up was the Phantom Carriage / Cascade Vermiste Kat.  Which I found pleasant but not any better than the regular line-up. The El Segundo Perfect Strangers was more interesting flavor wise but the hops of ESBC were fully in charge over the sour power. 

FIrestone Walker’s Velvet Merlin was as smooth and delicious as ever plus Anders had the most shaded spot along the History Museum steps. 

Phantom Carriage Citra Muis showed how versatile a base beer Muis is. A touch of the lemony hop was just right. 

Boomtown Brewing from the Arts District was new to the fest this year and my first beer from them was the Ingenue white ale which could have had more spice to it but did hold it own and was slightly better than the Personal Assistant Pale which was good as well for a new outfit.  Look for more from them as they expand out.

I also had my first Rev Brewing beer. Great to see them at the fest. Unfortunately the pale ale that I sampled, though fine, was less interesting and balanced than I had hoped. I will need to head to Covina and try the full range though. 

Three Weavers Return of Sassy Rye was my favorite on the day. I had wanted to try the Watermelon saison but it had tapped out. If this beer is any indication, I am going to love Arts District Brewing. 

Noble Ale Works brought a bevy of beers. They almost brought a mini-OC fest with them. Mosaic Yum Yum was the star but I opted for We Saved Latin a Belgian tinged IPA that I hope makes it to bottles. 

Highland Park Brewing has some of the best beer names around and even though it was my second to last beer the Simcoe Bonkers IPA really stood out. Great aroma and a sprightly taste. 

Overall the Kick-Off was run well. There was plenty of elbow room. You could park yourself on the ground and sit if you needed. Restrooms and water were strategically placed and in more abundance than last year. And with hopped water and coffee in booths, you could easily stay hydrated. The layout was well executed.  You didn’t get stuck in traffic jams and the few rare lines moved fast. 

On the con side of the ledger, the expected absence of Craftsman and unexpected absence of Eagle Rock left a gaping historical hole. I also don’t get the need for both music and seminars. As educational as they may be, the beer education just gets swallowed up by the music and by the time they start, most people are sheets to the wind. Food trucks are also becoming a drag.  They never don’t have lines. Lines that never seemingly move.

The big con was, of course, the heat. It didn’t damper the fun but I did come home with a white line where my wristband had blocked the sun.

In comparing the last three festivals, this is the clear winner.  The beer quality and selection was high.  So high that Mother Nature’s heat couldn’t compete. 

LABW7 – Angel City

unnamed[1]

We are one day into L.A. Beer Week but there are still events that need to be talked about. Angel City has a full slate of fun parties. 

June 22nd, 7pm – Ale Academy: Beer + Cheese Edition

Beer and cheese are two of the best things on earth. Join Angel City for an educational evening about the basic principles of pairings. Attendees will be walked through a curated flight of five Angel City beers and five cheeses from Vagabond Co.

June 24th, 7pm – Desert Dreams Beer Release

New brew alert! Angel City is releasing limited-time Desert Dreams, a one-of-a-kind beer brewed with organic black Mission figs, buckwheat honey, orange peel, prickly pear cactus juice and dry spiced with just a touch of desert sage. The beer was the brainchild of Lori Newman, the winner of Angel City Brewery’s ‘What Would You Brew?’ contest. Brewers will be on hand to talk about the making of the beer and lead guests through a tasting. Tickets can be purchased here.

June 25th, 7pm – Employee Battle of the Beers

Which Angel City staff member’s beer recipe reigns supreme? That’s for the fans to determine. It’s all part of Angel City’s first ever employee brewing contest, ‘Employee Battle of the Beers.’ The three beers will go head-to-head as fans vote for their favorite after sipping a flight that includes a sample of each.

The contenders are:

– Raspbanero, an ale brewed with raspberries and habanero

–Citra IPA, a single hop IPA featuring strong citrus and tropical fruit aromatic notes

–Rosemary Honey Amber Ale, a classic American Amber accented with notes of honey and fresh rosemary

It’s Back….

…are you ready for #7?
LABW7
Here are my hints to make the next week+ better:

plenty of water
plenty of sleep
have Metro and Uber ready apps ready
plan ahead
don’t expect door tickets to be available
visit at least one brewery on a non-event night
bring a non-craft beer friend
social media it with #LABW7
buy a bottle of Unity 2015
enjoy the beer (no need to photograph each and every one)

LABW7 – Rock & Brews

If you want a little Rock with your #LABW7 then the Rock & Brews in El Segundo has a trifecta of beer enthusiasts events for the beer fan.
Capture
Starting with :
June 20 with a very special luau in honor of Maui Brewing Co.’s founder Garrett Marrero, who will be at the restaurant pouring some of Hawaii’s finest beers.

June 25 with a tap takeover by local favorite King Harbor Brewing Company.

June 28 a special Cask night with neighbor El Segundo Brewing featuring “The brewery’s White Dog IPA has been Pina Colada-fied with the addition of coconut, pineapple, and rum soaked oak chips, making a refreshing summer drink. The “real ale,” meaning it is unfiltered, unpasteurized beer made in the most traditional way, will only be available while supplies last.”

LABW7 with Mom

Father’s Day falls at the start of this year’s L.A. Beer Week but what about Mom.  Mom likes beer too. Well, my Mom does and she will be in town for 1/2 of beer week and I have been scouring the interwebs for something that she will enjoy.

All that research shouldn’t go to waste so here are my suggestions for mom  and you…..

It would be easy to drag Dad from pretty much any event to the next one as a thank you for Father’s Day but thankfully this year, it is also pretty easy to show Mom a good beer time as well. Starting with….

The Los Angeles Chapter of the Pink Boots Society at Three Weavers Brewing in Inglewood on Monday, June 22nd.

Then on June 24th at the Angel City Public House in DTLA try Desert Dreams! The winner of the Angel City, “What Would You Brew?” Contest whose recipe includes “organic black Mission figs, buckwheat honey, orange peel, prickly pear cactus juice and dry spiced with just a touch of desert sage”

Next, on the 26th at Public School 818, the brew focused gastropub chain plays host to THE Lady of Ladyface Ale Companie, Cyrena Nouzille at 7pm.

The very next day, the Girls Who Like Beer blog hosts the Ladies of L.A. Craft Beer at Mohawk Bend at 4pm. $35 gets you a seat at the table to listen to the wisdom of Alex Nowell of Three Weavers, Devon Randall of the soon to happen Arts District Brewing and Lauren O’Neill the beer buyer for Mohawk Bend plus pizza and beer. A special flight to be more exact and vague.

Find the details and the ticketing information here at L.A. Beer Week!

 

LABW7 at the GT

My local, local has a pair of LABW7 events to tempt you to my ‘hood.  Yeah, Glendale can’t be called a ‘hood by any stretch of the imagination but play along with me cause the Glendale Tap is way cool.  Which one would you pick to attend?

Screen Shot 2015-06-08 at 8.56.53 PM

OR

Screen Shot 2015-06-08 at 8.57.18 PM