review – Page 22 – Beer Search Party

December 23, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Groupe G Belgian RyePA from Headlands Brewing Co.

This beer was part of my haul back from my Thanksgiving trip to the Bay Area. Just now finding time to squeeze in the review. All the Christmas beers monopolized space (in a good way).

This hybrid RyePA / Belgian Style from Headlands Brewing Co. pours a dark luminescent orange color. Lots of lacing left on the glass. I have never heard of this brewery until I saw the shiny silver can with a simple label stuck to it at City Beer in San Francisco. It has a kick of citrus to it. (Which is why the Satsuma is in the photo). It has a sharp Belgian twang of farmyard funk to it. They rye gets subsumed by those two notes though it does show up briefly in the aftertaste. Quite interesting and I am glad I took the chance on the 16oz can. And I wish I had seen their pilsner, Pt. Bonita. Because I would have picked that up too.

I was going to recommend the book, The Telling Room in this spot but I am part-way through and I am not digging it. Not at all. This book has more footnotes than actual writing and it makes reading a bit of a slog. So instead, I will recommend that you download and watch the Doctor Who Christmas special. It will probably be available on the 26th. You can wait if you wish because the next season won’t start until late 2014.

November 23, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Shipwrecked DIPA from Mission Brewery

Before I get into my brief review of the quart sized “cannon” of a DIPA from Mission Brewery, here is my 2010 review dusty from the archives….

Pretty orange/copper color. Hop aroma is pronounced. Nice and malty with a good amount of hop heat to it. A good representation of the DIPA style without going overboard.

Horrible pun there at the end I know and yes that is a bottle opener in front of a can. Made for a prettier picture. 32Oz makes this one to share with a friend or two. It is strong. Really strong. It is not a subtle DIPA. I got some grapefruit notes from it but the predominant taste is a battle between the malts to keep up with the hops are mostly of the dank and pine variety to me.

The cannons are an interesting presentation and one that might make for a cool gift for the beer lover on your Christmas list or to share around the Thanksgiving table. Of the two that I sampled courtesy of the brewery, I liked the XPA better. The hops were more punchy and the wheat really let the citrus taste grow on you.

My non-beer side is reading a collection of 6-word memoirs from Smith Magazine. And thinking to myself that it is a lot easier in some respects to fine tune 6 clever words than writing 1700 per day for National Novel Writing Month.

November 22, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Pit Stop Porter from Half Moon Bay Brewing

Mavericks, the sessionable series of beers from Half Moon Bay Brewing arrived at Bevmo when I wasn’t looking and in addition to the porter there are a Pale Ale (Back in the Saddle) and a Wit (Pace Setter) in cans.

The Porter pours a dark brown. The taste is straight up a mix of chocolate and vanilla and the latter is what comes through to my palate. Semi-sweet but not cloying. A tiny fraction of roast notes sneak in there as well. Quite smooth as well.

National Novel Writing Month is taking it’s time toll on me, but I have found the time to watch a bit of Almost Human (one of the two Fringe people shows), the other being Sleepy Hollow. I don’t know where this show is headed but I am intrigued. Maybe it is the SciFi geek in me but it looks promising.

November 12, 2013September 10, 2018

Review- Feminist from Monkish

Great to see this Monkish flagship beer in Bruery style bottles. I think that Henry is doing some really creative things in Torrance and I am glad that I have a growler to use at will, or whenever the traffic allows. Feminist pours a reddish brown color. I first get hibiscus notes. Followed by a dry, antiseptic Belgian yeast strain. Puts cranberries in mind for some reason. I have found that hibiscus can be way too overpowering but it works here. It also puts me in mind of Thanksgiving. I think this would be perfect with turkey and stuffing.

November 7, 2013September 10, 2018

Mid-Western Beer Review – 5 Grass Hoppy Ale from 5 Rabbits

Here is the second review of a Mid-Western beer brought back from Chicago, 5 Grass from 5 Rabbits…

Was expecting a little more hop to this one, considering the name and all. Pours a nice clear amber color. Spices really take the forefront here. The sage is coming through and I am getting some savory ginger type notes as well. Some pepper too. A little metallic note as well. Tasty, just mis-named for me. I much prefer the 5 Vulture which was a take on the mole, in beer form. I am intrigued to try more of the line-up from this brewery though.

November 4, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Clown Shoes Galactica

Yes, I am deeply afraid of clowns. But I am growing fonder thanks to the beers of Clown Shoes from Massachusetts. The Sci-Fi heroine on the label points to a hoppy concoction from the hop staff she wields. Galactica pours a bright orange color. Thin head on this one, a quick dissipation of bubbles. A bit of caramel on the nose with some slight citrus behind it. My initial taste is of grape and grape juice. And that taste doesn’t fade as it warms up. It is almost like a grape barley wine. Good little sparkle to it as well so it doesn’t get too cloying. I would like to see this in an XPA version to get a little more of the hop character. As is, it is more an East Coast big malt bill that leads the way.

The Terrible Real Estate Photos blog is my new favorite site (after mine of course). Photo after photo of some really bad home shots that shouldn’t have seen the light of day. Hit the delete button people! Or better yet, don’t. I love reading the pithy little comments below each one.

October 31, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Evil Dead Red from AleSmith

What could be more perfect for Halloween? For a SoCal hop fan, AleSmith’s Evil Dead Red is a perfect Halloween treat. It pours a reddish brown and has a fragrant hop aroma coming off the glass. The taste starts off with some chewy maltness that is quickly overcome by some sharp carbonation and a wild melange of hops. I get a little citrus, some fruit punch and some floral notes. And they are strong. But the whole thing is well balanced. You get some more cereal notes at the end to really round the beer off.

And in keeping with the zombie theme on the label, my favorite Halloween film to watch is Shaun of the Dead (tragically mis-spelled). Followed by the first Paranormal Activity, The Exorcist, Arachnaphobia and the Blair Witch Project. I am not a big horror fan. Don’t like the chain saws and knives and crazed pyscho’s on the loose. I prefer a little more realism and some humor. Maybe it is because I watched a Pinhead movie when I was young and was turned off the whole blood and gore thing. Obviously, Evil Dead should be paired with it’s namesake movie but for Shaun of the Dead, I would go with Fuller’s Black Cab Stout. Dark but light bodied.

October 26, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Whale’s Tale Pale Ale from Cisco Brewers

Los Angeles has been the recipient of some East Coast beers of late including this British style pale ale from Cisco Brewers. I love the simple label, especially the 3/4 pint notation. Pours a very clear and dark orange color. Aroma is more British pale for sure so kudos to brewing to style. Taste is primarily cereal malt with a small dose of hops. Does taste a bit watery which is odd for a 5.6% beer. Upon re-checking the aroma, you can almost smell the lack of oomph behind the beer. I am not arguing for a more hop approach but this does taste a little on the weak side to me. Then again my palate has had to work through Green Bullett and Carrack from San Diego brewers so maybe this is just an adjustment.

October 11, 2013September 10, 2018

Video Review – Angel City Angeleno IPA

I usually reserve my October reviews for pumpkin beers but in a fit of pique, I have decided to skip over them this year as punishment for coming out too early in the season. Petty, I know but I have a great replacement, Angel City from right here in Los Angeles is now bottling (Oddly enough in Ohio) some of their core line-up. So let’s get to the review for the Angeleno IPA…..

And here is the description from the Angel City website for reference, “Big, bold, grapefruit hop flavors and aroma best characterize this medium-bodied, copper-hued beer. Angeleno IPA is hopped with Citra, Nelson, Simcoe, and Nugget to make the perfect treat for hop heads.”

October 9, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Cluster from Double Mountain

One of the favorite beers from my recent Portland trip. I had one while I was there and had to bring one home as well. This orange hued beer has a big hop aroma and the taste is really herbal and spicy with a background of citrus. All three tastes play well together. Certainly a NW hoppy beer as opposed to a San Diego HOPPPPPPY beer but I like the difference. Glad that Artisan Ales in Pasadena will be bringing Double Mountain into SoCal, now we just have to get their single-hop beers as well. Plus the label hints at a certain different Cluster. Very cool.

I have been listening to the latest Elvis Costello album (do they still call them albums?) “Wise Up Ghost” that he made with The Roots and I am still trying to say if I really like it or if it is just so different from the mainstream that it pricks my ears up.