It is a rite of passage each year to have the latest numbered DIPA from Port Brewing….
Look for it in 22oz bombers.
Getting Older
Talk about a flashback. I have not had a Viscosity beer from Port Brewing in some time. But all I had to do was see the truck for my mind to connect the dots. Now I will have to just find it on shelves and then have the right day to drink it.
The View
Only in California would I be able to post about a new golden ale can release so soon after Christmas. But yet, Port Brewing has another can on the horizon, Grandview Golden Ale.
Event Review – Flip-Flop Fest
Not only does Blue Palms have a BIG anniversary party coming up, but they also found time to do their Flip-Flop fest of Port Brewing beers, named after the iconic logo that double as footwear.
Following BSP procedure, I arrived near opening time to best find a stool and have a full slate of choices. Such as…..
Once You Go Blackberry Saison w/ Blackberries – Gnomercy Belgian IPA – Flyin Hawaiian Hef – Trashkannon Brown Ale – California Honey Blonde Ale – Kung Fu Elvis Strong Ale – Way Heavy Scotch Ale – La Flama Dorado Belgian Triple – May the Port be With You Imperial Stout – Rocky Top American Stout – Dust til’ Dawn Imperial Coffee Porter – Red Leader Imperial Red Ale – Beer Monkey IPA – New Break Pale Ale – Chronic Amber Ale – Ponto Session IPA – Kook Double IPA – Pick Six Hoppy Pilsner
(That list are the ones that I didn’t try off the tiki themed tap handles)
Here is the report:
Saison Persuasion was my first choice, I was beguiled by the Yuzu and peppercorns and I was let down, the beer was a little harsh on the palate and there was barely any peppercorn or yuzu or even ginger to be found.
So I went with a taster flight of (4) fruit IPA’s
Well three at least, the One Love was a Mandarina Hop and it was the weakest of the quartet. Coming in at number 1 was the Haole passion fruit IPA which had a big and bold aroma that was almost too much but the beer itself was super well balanced bitter and fruit in equal amounts then at # 2 was Grapefruit Puncher which also had an excellent aroma and really brought the citrus. The Lono Mango was only third because the other two were so great.
I finished up with County Line Pub Ale on Nitro which was quite solid. Super smooth. Nice malt texture to it and a perfect hop antidote. Plus, it looked super cool in the glass.
Sean Suggests for June 2015 – Unity 2015
First and foremost, get your hands on a bottle of Unity 2015. The official tart saison of #LABW7. Then look for the rest to supplement your beer buying adventures.
~LIGHT
Left Hand/ Polestar Pilsner 5.5% ABV
“Once you have tasted a true Pilsner, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have seen the light, and there you will always long to return. Let Polestar guide you out of the wilderness, just as the North Star has guided explorers to their destinations and back home again. Light, crisp and elegant, pilsner is the true test of brewing prowess. Less is more.”
~MEDIUM
Port Brewing/ Summer Pale 6.0% ABV
“Our massively hoppy West Coast-style pale ale, we use Chinook, Cascade, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops to really put our mark on the beer. An initial nose of dankness with some subtle pine, Summer Pale Ale starts with a bite from the hops and finishes with a refreshing tangerine bitterness. Our Summer Pale Ale is the perfect accompaniment to any summer night! ”
~DARK
Saint Archer/ Scottish Export 7.0% ABV
“Cleanly malty with a drying finish, perhaps a few esters, and on occasion a faint bit of peaty earthiness (smoke). Most beers finish fairly dry considering their relatively sweet palate, and as such have a different balance than strong Scotch ales.”
New(Port)
Port Brewing Co. “will change up its original branding of a “port hole” and “pint glass”, to a recognizable icon seen on beaches worldwide, the flip-flop.”
And that branding change will encompass the label designs and the newly refurbished website with the Port motto, “Laid Back but Hop Forward™.”
“We’ve been using the Flip-Flop tap handles to brand our draft beer for the past 7 years” said Tomme Arthur Director of Brewery Operations for Port Brewing. “Adding these icons to everything from our new website all the way down to our bottle caps makes perfect sense.”
Agreed. I wasn’t a huge fan of the artwork on some of the bottles and I think a unified image will be better in the long run both artistically and commercially.
7 Times as Hoppy
Port Brewing’s Anniversary Ale has reached the 7 year mark. And I bet that each year it gets hoppier! This year the recipe is brewed with Columbus, Amarillo and Simcoe and then to add more kick, dry-hopped with Columbus, Amarillo and Citra hops.
According to folks at Port, “Anniversary Ale has pleasant tones of citrus and pine, a screaming hops presence and just enough malt character to add a hint of sweetness. Port Brewing’s Anniversary Ale comes in at 10% ABV”
Anniversary 7 will be available at the brewery and through distribution in draft and 22oz bottles.
Review – Port Brewing Board Meeting Brown
Board Meeting is one of those great beer names. Either you need this brown ale after escaping a Dilbert-esque hell or you are relaxing on the shore after a session on the surf.
This newly bottled offering from Port Brewing pours a black with a foamy tan head. A bit of dark rum in the aroma and when you taste it you get milk chocolate and a skosh hit of coffee. Full bodied but not heavy.
Here is the word from Port on this brew, “Port Brewing beers are typically boldly-flavored American and hop-forward West Coast style ales or lagers, and Board Meeting Brown Ale is no exception. An amplified brown ale, the beer is brewed with liberal additions of coffee from local San Diego roasters, Ryan Brothers, and cocoa nibs sourced from famed San Francisco chocolate maker TCHO.”
Hate to see this happen
I never like to see a batch of beer having to be tossed. But I do give kudos to Port / Lost Abbey for documenting what happened. I am always fascinated by what happens in the brewhouse in good times and bad.
