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This month, the featured review spotlight is on Figueroa Mountain and we start with their newest IPA, Point Conception.
Point Conception pours a bright orange clear color. Jammy and spicy hop nose. First sip brings the West-Coast bitterness that is quite different from many IPA’s today. Pepper note constricts the mouth a bit. Grapefruit notes come in lightly. This is quite a wet beer despite the spice profile.
Rose styled beers are not one unified flavor profile. This point was vividly driven home by a recent side-by-side of two California regional breweries exploration of the style.
First up is Sparkale from 21st Amendment. This one boasts apples an cherries in the recipe and that is pounded home. This is what a Martinelli’s Sparkling cider would taste like, in beer form. Apple up front with cherry notes at the back. It pours a much darker red which puts it out of rose pink range.
Second is Rosalie, which I have effused about on this blog before. The difference in color is striking as is the flavor. This is a wine-beer hybrid. With a dry but effervescent character.
I have also tasted the Eagle Rock effort in this sub-style and found it in taster size, to be cloying with a lead note of sweetness.
Whether or not this category settles on a recipe or not, I believe the more sweet may rule but they are too close to juice boxes for me.
Next up in my #FlagshipFebruary reviews is the newly released in L.A., Lager from Brooklyn Brewery.
Called Amber Lager on the 2019 collage designed label. Orange colored and clear as day. Initially sharp with minerality also quite bready. A very wet mouthfeel and also a touch viscous. Aroma is minimal but toasty comes through. This screams fall football on campus. Complement to BBQ.
The (early) Halloween beer is from Portland’s Ex Novo Brewing. They have collaborated with The Hollywood Theater on a beer named Movie Madness Cult Classic Pale. The beer is made to celebrate the start of beer and wine sales at Movie Madness the classic video store in Portland.
On to the review: Cult classic pours a bright orange color. This tastes like an old school NW ale. Bracing with a bite. Grapefruit is the dominant aroma. General citrus pith leads the flavors of what is called a pale ale though I would call it IPA. There is a little rye like malt spicy component. Finishes lightly which allows a final pop of hops.
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.
Let’s review a lager! Haven’t done enough of that. And continuing on the theme of south of L.A. breweries we head to Mike Hess Brewing for their Steel Beach lager.
I do like the drink straight from the can pop top from Hess. Big malty aroma up front. Not a super light beer though there are some scrubbing bubbles here. Getting some sugary notes as well. Some toast notes come through as well. I would classify as a Vienna Lager. As such, it does the job and then some.
Heading down south again and this time for a collaboration between Mason Ale Works and Horus Aged Ales (of which this is my first 1/2 of beer from)
Really detailed can design with Horus and their logo on one side and Mason on the flip side, plus little logos in the background. This DIPA poured a clear orange color. Orange rind and malt aroma duking it out. Getting some grapefruit notes as well. This comes across really strong. Much more alcohol hit from this than an earlier beer drunk with ABV close to it. More triple than double to me. Sticky on the tongue. This is a sipper.
Recommend? Take a flyer. One can will only be about $3 so go for it.
This month, I will be featuring reviews from the Wyoming brewery, Roadhouse. We starting with the two lightest options….
Family Vacation
Called a crushable ale. Pours a vivid lemony color. Super light. Bready with minerality. Can label is a bit much. There’s a little beer story, an image of a growling bear, a style/ pairs with and notes, the independent seal plus a red band across the bottom. This is a simple and nice beer. Family Vacation is a great name for it. Malt sticks to the roof of the mouth.
Trout Whistle
Pours a nice orange color with good head and lacing. Smell seems a bit off. Butter and pine. First sip is fine though. Some tangerine notes. A little creamy. Nice subdued level of bitterness
Pride Seattle Kolsch from Fremont Brewing pours a super clear yellow. The can design and the sentiment in the LGBTQ message makes one feel better drinking it. This is a pretty simple beer almost to the point of too watery. There is a vague perfume aroma. This would be a good World Cup watching beer.
The second of two IPA releases from Los Angeles Ale Works has a kitten in a spacesuit. Not driving a Tesla though.
This IPA pours a yellowish orange color with a bright orange and melon aroma. Very soft and pleasant. Fruit forward but with a really good kick of hop bitterness that sticks around. Doesn’t taste like 7.5% at all.