Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
They’re watching you. They see your every move. Sorry. Got some Hall & Oates stuck in my head. Anyway, I am super excited about this new saison from Smog City because I love beers aged in gin barrels and there are so few of them. This could be a great New Years Eve at home beer.
I trekked down on sunny November Satruday to the beer oasis Torrance to check in on the 1st Cask’s Not Dead Fest and forthwith are my take-away’s and photos….
I was able to not only get excellent cask ale (and shade) but also I was able to have beers from breweries new to me like the new-ish Imperial Western Beer Co. They brought their Benjamin ESB which was a great way to delve into the beer menu. I also had a German cask from Weissenohe, their Kellerbier which was up there for my favorite beer on the afternoon. I also really enjoyed the HopSaint Pure Intention IPA which was smooth but then the bitter would kick in.
I went for another IPA from a spot that I have only visited once, Riip Brewing and it was fine in a dank meet creamy sort of way. Green Cheek (more later) had an autumnal beer which was solid and simple and nice. My least favorite pour was a lactose red ale from Chapman Crafted. The sweet was too much in comparison to the other beers.
I finished with the big Full Malted Jacket from Beachwood Brewing which is always good. Sometimes you have to go out on a known quantity. By the time that I departed the hot day was trying to chill and the VIP turn out was starting to ramp up as more people arrived.
They also had a judging component and…
here are the winners in Traditional:
First Place: Pizza Port (San Clemente), Nerf Herder
Second Place: Green Cheek Beer, Fallen for Autumn
Third Place: Yorkshire Square Brewery, Early Doors
The winners of the Abnormal Ales category were:
First Place: Smog City Brewing, Bloody Knuckle Fist Fight
Second Place: Trustworthy Brewing, Trustworthy IPA
Third Place: Transplants Brewing, Ocarina of Thyme
Yesterday I was in Torrance to congratulate Smog City on reaching another anniversary milestone.
Here are my personal highlights from the day….
I was able to try quite a few new beers, most of which of the saison persuasion and though the Awkward Teenager was really good, balance on the edge between rustic and hoppy, I have to say that Floret 2.0 a wild saison with seven different flowers was my top beer. And when their new outdoor patio is complete, that will be the perfect beer to enjoy for as long as it lasts.
One month from now, get your cask on to honor one year of British-style beers in Torrance. Saturday, May 5th, Yorkshire Square Brewery will have a bottle release, new beer and cocktails.
There is a mark on Torrance now because Yorkshire Square Brewery has become only the second brewery in all of California to have the Cask Marque affixed to their brewery.
Cask Marque’s Certificate of Excellence “recognizes the high standards necessary for a great cask ale program so that beer drinkers can know that a particular establishment is a likely site for the sublime experience for which proper cask ale is held in high regard.” The brewery is checked twice a year to make sure they stay up to snuff.
You can see the other locations at the Cask Marque’s Cask Finder listing
The art of brewing meets just art as Strand Brewing uses their huge new space to showcase art.
First up, tonight (since it is the third Friday) will be the acrylic paintings of Sam Harang and the tattoo imagery of Max Becker. Both artists are local to the South Bay.
Isn’t art better when you have a glass of beer in your hand?
In honor of today’s cask ale opening of Yorkshire Square right next to the big Honda HQ, here are some photos from the inside….
So this good news dropped onto Facebook…
Starting in under two weeks, you can get an early look at what Yorkshire Square Brewery will be like when fully open.
Saturday, March 11th. That is when Monkish Brewing will hit the big 5 milestone.
Follow the Monkish Facebook page to get all the updates. If they are pouring any of their IPA’s, it could get very crowded, very quick.
Time for Strand Brewing to have their first celebration in their new (and much larger) Dominguez street location.
No tap list has been presented, at present, but expect a crowd of well-wishers because Rich and Joel have made a lot of friends with not only their beer but their hard work.