Tarot

Belgian brewer Lindemans has two new mixed fermentation beers coming out under the Tarot name.  Both are low in sugar and have no sweeteners or colorants.

“The brilliant, golden blonde Tarot d’Or has a beautiful white foam collar. The pleasant, sultry aroma refers to mango, lemon and honey melon, among other things, with nuances of ripe pear. The flavor is full, juicy and round with hints of ripe exotic fruit. The beer has a nice sweet and sour balance and a pleasant, smooth drink.

Tarot Noir is also a blend of high-fasting beer and lambic to which blueberries, blackberries and black elderberries have been added. The beer colors dark purple in the glass and has a full, compact foam collar and a sultry and intense aroma of dark and red fruit (black berry, cherry, cherry, strawberry… ). The natural flavor is juicy and round and reminiscent of red and black berries with a hint of cherries. Tarot Noir has a nice acidity and a surprisingly soft and fresh drink.”

d’Or would be my first choice but Noir sounds great too.

Deer in the Barn

Angel City has a new sour with a bit of a barrel twist, Fawns in the Farmhouse

Here are the interesting beer details: “We took a farmhouse saison and aged it in 2nd use Cognac barrels for 7 months to develop some sour and funky flavors with sour and wild yeast cultures. Then we crushed fresh Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Twin Fawns Vineyard in San Miguel, CA and fermented the must and skins with Brett Lambicus and natural yeast on the grapes. Finally, we added the fermenting grapes to the farmhouse sour in barrels and let it age for another 5months.”

Super Sour Friends

The L.A. County Brewers Guild teamed up with Eagle Rock for their Session Fest and now the Guild is working with Cellador Ales on their LA Beer Week sour spectacular on June 22nd. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

With just a few cool breweries tucked into the Cellador space…

Beachwood Blendery
Brouwerij West
Casa Agria
Cellador Ales
Craftsman
Dionysus
Highland Park Brewery
Horus Aged Ales
Homage Brewing
Long Beach Beer Lab
Mikkeller SD
Modern Times
Pure Project
Sour Cellars

The Bruery
+one Northern CA honorary guest, The Rare Barrel

& newly added, Central Coast honorary guest, Firestone Walker Barrelworks!

Sour Fields

If you need an excuse to visit the food section of Banc of California stadium then sour beers provides it on Friday April 26th @ 5pm.

Sour selections pouring from Hill Farmstead, Evil Twin, (our own) Brouwerij West, BFM, Crooked Stave, (again, our own) Homage, OEC Brewing, and a Sour IPA from Modern Times and Upright Brewing.

Two New Rolls

I just emptied a cellar beer from 2011 from the Hangar 24 brewery and the branding was much different from two new aged ales coming from Redlands….

I am most intrigued with the blueberry sour blonde. After not liking several fruited beers, I have had some better examples lately and think this one might be good now or in the future.

Featured Review – Americana from Prairie Artisan Ales


Wow. This be filled with funk. When you want to get a dose of Brett. This beer covers you.
This beer pours a musty orange/brown color. The hops are muted but in the background with a touch of bitterness. But that funky aroma on the nose really catches the flavor and holds on for dear life. As it warms the hop shows more but still can’t take the spotlight.

So, yeah, this wasn’t sour, per se, but man I had to review it.

Social Sip

Southland Beer has recently introduced what they are calling Social Sipping Sessions. The first ever Session is scheduled for Sunday, March 20. It is your chance to “fuss over” beers with like-minded beer nerds. You will be at their communal table and given a curated flight of 4oz pours to taste.
Capture
This will be a ticketed event and there will be seatings at 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm.

The first Session focuses on the sour with…..

Almanac Hoppy Sour w/Azacca – Sour Blonde Aged in Wine Barrels w/Azacca Hops
Eagle Rock The Yearling – American Sour Aged in Oak Barrels
Tahoe Mountain Aurelia – Golden Ale Aged in French Oak Foudres
Paradox Skully #37 (We Jam and They Jelly) – Sour Ale Brewed with Cherries & Aged in Oak Wine Barrels
To Øl Sur Amarillo – Dry-Hopped Sour Ale w/Amarillo Hops
HaandBryggeriet Funky Black – Sour Black Ale

Sour Fruit-ure

If you missed the bottle release for Infinite Wishes the barrel-aged stout from Smog City or if you are more a fan of the sour then today is your lucky day because Cuddlebug, Snugglebug, and Ch’nooks & Crannies Release Party tickets start today at Noon. With pre-sales pick up begin on the day before Valentine’s.
Here are your choices:
Cuddlebug – Sour Blonde with Peach and Apricot.
Snugglebug – Sour Blonde with Raspberry and Boysenberry.
Ch’nooks & Crannies – Sour Blonde with Cranberries, dry hopped with Chinook.

Visit the BPT link for details!
Brown Paper Tickets Link: HERE