The 2013 Birthday Beer – Revealed

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Earlier this year, I made mention of two beers in the pipeline from Cismontane Brewing in Rancho Santa Margarita.  And one of them, Oso (bear in Spanish) is my birthday beer for 2013.  A singular honor bestowed yearly that is on par with getting an Oscar or a GABF medal.

All hyperbole aside, here is what the brewers behind Oso have to say about it: “The English yeast imparted a symphony of dark fruity esters which compliment the tasty vanilla/ caramel notes, graciously donated by the Rye Whiskey barrels.”

I certainly liked the smoothness of this beer.  Plus the 10% abv displayed no heat at all.  I got lot’s of vanilla notes and also some baking bread aromas.  You could really taste the underlying porter underneath the whiskey which some barrel aged beers just can’t do.  As it the beer warmed up, I detected some spice notes underneath as well.  Between this big beer and the light Holy Jim Falls XPA, Cismontane has the beer style gamut covered.

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I also have a second birthday beer in mind.  It is the release of a collaboration between Ohana and the in Kickstarter phase L.A. Aleworks.  It will debut at Beer Belly tomorrow night and you should check it out!

 

2 New from Cismontane

I haven’t spoke about Cismontane in awhile. They fell off my radar a bit but they have two beers that I am looking forward to finding and trying!
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1. “Holy Jim Falls is officially a part of our core beer lineup. A sessionable IPA weighing in at just under 5%, this beer is perfect for thirst quenching and time wasting. Expect a clean and crisp palate that will pair nicely with spicy foods. Complementing the taste graciously is a hearty dose of “herbal” dankness which overwhelms even the most seasoned of schnozes. This beer will be available for tasting, pints, growler fills and 16oz bottles. Try one, try as many as you like, Holy Jim is here to stay!”

2. “Label approval for our Whiskey Rye Barrel aged Oso has finally passed! We have been sneaking secret tastings of Oso over the last couple weeks and it is incredible. The English yeast imparted a symphony of dark fruity esters which compliment the tasty vanilla/ caramel notes, graciously donated by the Rye Whiskey barrels. This beer is super limited and will be available for tasting, ½ pint pours, and takeout 750ml bottles while supplies last.”