Sean Suggests for October 2024

I am not a Halloween person or a horror movie person but I do enjoy the creativity of Spooky Season beers. But I will also make a nod to the summer season past for this month’s beer shopping choices.

Angel City Zombie Rotbier –  5.2% – “Rotbier is a traditional Nuremberg-style red lager (rot = red) we brew every year just in time for spooky season. This style of beer is perfect for our warm fall season in LA, being a refreshing lager with a maltier backbone.”

Pizza Port Endless Shoreline IPA – 7% – “Endless Shoreline IPA captures the essence of sun-soaked days with a refreshing burst of earthy tangelo and bright Meyer lemon. Brewed with Riwaka, Waimea, NZ Cascade, Crystal, & Columbus hops – the mid-palate reveals a tropical blend of sweet citrus, lush mango, and juicy papaya, transporting you to a beachside paradise. The finish is dry and crisp, leaving behind subtle hints of peppery lemongrass and a touch of slightly sticky resin.”

The Bruery Dear Great Pumpkin – 10.1% – “a crafted golden stout inspired by the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte. Featuring a golden pour and creamy white foam, you’ll notice tastes of cinnamon, milk sugar, nutmeg, and coffee.”

Italian Bruery

Ya’ gotta admire The Bruery for sticking with sours whilst also doubling down on pastry flavors at the same time.  The latest to get my attention is a sour blonde ale, Hold the Cart.  This beer brings together tangerine flavors, milk sugar and pistachios.  An Italian sorbet of a beer.

Sean Suggests for May 2025

This month the theme is unique and hard to find and I have three that will test your mettle as both a beer shopper and a beer drinker.

Homage Brewing The Flower Called Nowhere Barrel Aged Saison – 6% – “This marks the 5th blend of one of our favorite beers to make. A few years ago we conceptualized a Saison with delicate nuances of flowers. We trialed various flowers and settled upon Europe Rose for its soft and fragrant aroma, as well as Osmanthus, which has a unique fragrance of peach and apricot that compliments the stone fruit qualities of the wild yeast. Lastly, we added Chrysanthemum, which has a sweet, hay, and honey like quality that supports the aged hops in the beer, adding a rustic touch.”

New BelgiumTart Lychee – 7.5% – ” sour ale brewed with lychee and a hint of cinnamon that combine to create a beautiful balance between sweet and tart.”

The BrueryCire – 18.9% – “Produced through painstaking care and attention from our Bruers, Cire is more than just a beer; it’s our Solera Blended Anniversary Old Ale. Blended from the best of the Bruery’s stock each year & aged in Buffalo Trace and Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels, Cire carries a deeply complex, layered flavor profile. The perfect way to commemorate 16 years of leadership in the industry.”

Boise?

If I had to pick a state that The Bruery would add a location to, Idaho would not have made the list.  But apparently, this summer (or thereabouts) there will be a Bruery in Boise.

I would have thought that anywhere in California might be easier, or Las Vegas but Idaho it apparently is.

On the Table

We do not have enough Belgian-style table beers in the world, so I am glad to see that The Bruery has canned up their La Petite Provision, an “easy-drinking and full of flavor thanks to additions of Thai basil and lemongrass to the brew. Herbal, floral, and slightly sweet…”

Barrels upon Barrels

The Bruery has a trifecta of bigggg beers coming out.  Let’s go low (but still high) to really high.

14.7% – Fireproof will be an imperial stout (Bayonet) aged in Port barrels that previously held Balcones Distilling Hechicheros single malt Whiskey barrels.

17.7% – Demon Water will be an imperial stout aged in Newport Craft Distilling Thomas Tew Rum barrels.

19.7% – The Malt Mill will be an imperial stout (Black Tuesday) aged in Westward Whiskey barrels.

Twice the Cacao

I am a sucker for a bourbon barrel-aged beer and I am also a sucker for a great beer name, so The Bruery’s Strange Case Of Dr. Elijah And Mr. Cacao is on point.  It is their Monster Stout base aged in 18-year Elijah Craig Bourbon barrels for 12-months with both powdered cacao and freeze-fried cacao.

Barley Smoked

The Bruery has a lot of very creative beers each year. I do scroll by many of them but each time I do see one or two that pique my interest. Such as….

…rye and barrel is just a great start and barleywine and smoked make things unique so I will look for it.