Tag: Torrance

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Review – Dat Moi from Monkish

If all goes according to plan, this will be on tap at Beer Belly for my “Light and Crafty” event on the 9th of this month.  Along with Pivo Pils from Firestone-Walker it is a new favorite summertime beer and perfect for a growler buy because it will go quick.

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Dat Moi pours a striking yellow color with a bit of a floral perfume aroma.  Nice big fluffy head as well.  The first sip is sharp but I don’t get either metallic or corn pop like certain lagers I could name.  Instead, I am getting notes of grapefruit and flowers.  Very crisp with nice bubbles.  For a primarily Belgian influenced brewery, Monkish has made a mean lager that I really enjoy. Beer-Hope-Love indeed.

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Food GPS Teaser – Events Past & Present

L.A. has so many craft beer events on any given day that it can be hard to keep up.  My weekly Food GPS column could consist each week of a review of a past event and the 411 on a future one.  So I decided to do it.

Today’s teaser includes some photos from the Eagle Rock Session Fest…..

Grapefruit Kolsch and Mint Mild.
Grapefruit Kolsch and Mint Mild.
Cap'n enjoying the Berliner Weisse.
Cap’n enjoying the Berliner Weisse.

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And don’t forget to head to….
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…on May 18th from 12-9pm “to celebrate the end of construction and the beginning of BEER” at Smog City in Torrance.

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Sean Suggests for April 2013

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Since April in Los Angeles is a bit hotter than in most of the country, I have selected three beers with a little less ABV oomph to them than usual.  And all three will be good NBA playoffs choices.

LIGHT

Widmer Columbia Common 4.7% abv

“The Columbia Hop was near extinction when we brought it back to create this crisp, easy drinking common ale. With a rich amber hue, Columbia Common, the new Spring Seasonal Release for 2013, has a Mild grassy and spicy hop notes are complemented by a fruity character and clean finish brought on by the use of hefeweizen and lager yeasts and unique malt bill. It’s the perfect beer for Spring.”

MEDIUM

Strand 24th Street Pale 6.1 % abv

“This is what we had intended to brew when we made Genesis. Serving as our flagship ale, 24th Street Pale contains exactly the same hops but is less malty than Genesis which leads to less masking of the hop profile. It’s a smooth little Pale with a bitter finish. Slightly floral, slightly fruity. It is dry and drinks quickly. ”

DARK

New Belgium Hoppy Bock 6.9 % abv

“Meet the first in our new Hop Kitchen series: A German-style springtime lager brewed with rye then loaded with Hallertauer, Perle and Fuggle hops for a spicy, earthy aroma. This Hoppy Bock Lager offers a medium body and slightly sweet malt character perfect for your spring hop-fling.”

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The Dudes’

61759_1271311066342774_1555416094_sFrom the 15th to the 17th, up and down the coast you can get your first taste of a new Torrance based brewery.

The Dudes’ Brewing Co. will be at Naja’s in Redondo Beach, Simmzy’s in Manhattan Beach and the Tavern on Main in El Segundo.

As more information pops up on the interwebs and/or I get my first taste of their beers, I will add more posts about the 3rd of four breweries in Torrance.

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Strand in Bottles

It is getting easier than ever to get your favorite LA craft beers in bottles!  El Segundo and Beachwood are now available and Monkish may be following suit soon and Strand Brewing will be jumping into the game mid-month.

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And you can grab some of these handsome bottles at their tap room this Saturday March 16th from 12-8

the following Beers will be available in bottles:

24th Street Pale Ale
Atticus IPA
Beach House Amber Ale
Second Sleep Imperial Stout

*Bottles are for take out only, same as a growler

And while you are there you can also sip on the re-released White Sand Double IPA on draft that day and/or sample a Special Cask of Oaked Second Sleep Russian Imperial Stout tapped at Noon.

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FoodGPS Teaser – Smog City

Early in January as the concrete was drying at the in-progress Smog City brewery, I was treated to a tour of the facility by Porter and Laurie the hard working duo behind such beers as The Nothing and Sabre-Toothed Squirrel.

I will talk more about what I saw and what I heard but check out some photos here…..
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The “sign” that shows you that you have found Smog City
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Remember this photo when you are sitting in their taproom.

And check out the info for their event tonight at the Venice Ale House….
“Come join TapHunter at Venice Ale House as we celebrate our LA launch with 2 of LA’s most promising breweries, LadyFace Ale Companie and Smog City Brewing. No strangers to one another, brewmasters and co-founders Dave Griffiths of LadyFace and Porter of Smog City once worked together at BJ’s Brewery before parting ways to start their own breweries. Now TapHunter is reuniting this duo, that represents both the light and darkness of the LA craft beer scene. Join us for a night of fun:

– Meet the folks from TapHunter, LadyFace and Smog City
– ‘Craft Table’ for the ladies we provide the t-shirts, ribbon, scissors; you provide the creativity! prizes for the best customized shirt!
– $5 pours, door prizes, burger specials
– DJ provided for the children

First 100 RSVP’ers, show us your TapHunter App and TapHunter will buy your first pint!”

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Monkish Brewing


On the last day of March, I visited the newly opened L.A. brewery by the name of Monkish that has opened in Torrance. (And I squeezed in a visit to Strand and their new tasting room too)

These photos are the teaser for the main article on Monkish that will arrive tomorrow over on FoodGPS.

Henry Nguyen with a flight of Monkish Belgian ales. Oblate, Crux and Rosa’s Hips.

The brewing operations and a saint too!

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Strand Tasting Room Opening Party

I haven’t mentioned Strand Brewing in awhile. Very remiss of me. But now I have an excellent reason. April 14th and 15th will be the opening shindig for the new tasting room next to their brewery.

If, like me, you haven’t had a Strand beer in awhile. This will be the perfect opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the delights of the Atticus IPA or, my personal favorite, the Beach House amber. Both of which I had while checking out the new space and both are as good as ever which isn’t surprising with their exacting quality standards.

And like at the new Monkish tasting room (which is also a must stop location nearby), the atmosphere is very convivial and laid back. Easy to sit and stay and enjoy.

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Let’s REALLY Tour – Strand Brewing

Foreword
Usually my tours are of the electronic variety, I wish I could tour breweries and write about them for a living but that is not the case (yet!). But today is different. An actual visit, with photographic proof.

I have met the fine people (Rich and Joel) behind the Strand Brewing enterprise at a few events over the last few months. And two days ago, I got to visit the brewery!

The iconic Strand logo on the door to the brewhouse
How about a hoppy IPA?
The beer bubbling away
Tap Handles that are made by the brewer!
A keg ready for the road

There is no one successful model in creating a brewery. But there is one constant. Caring about the quality of the beer first. Yes, the branding is important. Yes, the customers are important. And I learned a lot from talking to Rich about his views on those topics. But I could tell that the beer really comes first at Strand. They want a product that is up to their expectations and it is why Rich is especially proud of his re-order rate (100%).

I can assure you that Strand will be talked up even more this year as more people taste the Beach House, Atticus and 24 Street.