Blind Donkey + Beachwood

by Sean on May 23, 2013

On Saturday, 5/25 at 2pm Beachwood BBQ & Brewing will Tower Takeover The Blind Donkey.

bd

It will be the ”very first tap takeover” for the Pasadena joint and Owner Gabe Gordon, Head Brewer Julian Shrago & Creative Manager Jarred Ekstrom will be in attendance with the following on tap:

Foam Top – American Cream Ale – 5.5%ABV (GOLD Award 2012 World Beer Cup – Blonde or Golden Ale)
Hef Leppard – Bavarian Style Hefeweizen – 5.1% ABV
El Verano Saison – Belgian Style Saison – 6.7% (Bronze Medal at 2012 Great American Beer Festival® French/Belgian Saison)
Street 3, Block 2 – American Pale Ale – 5.5% ABV – 70 IBUs
Hops of Brixton – English Special Bitter – 6.1% ABV
Knuckle Head Red – American Red Ale – 5.7% ABV (Bronze Award at 2012 San Diego International Beer Competition)
The Falcon – West Coast India Pale Ale – 7.1% ABV – 99 IBUs
Full Malted Jacket – Wee Heavy Scotch Ale – 9.2% ABV
Still Life – Smoked Double Oat Stout – 8.8% ABV – 69 IBUs
Beyond a Reasonable Stout – American Imperial Stout – 10% ABV – 85 IBUs

{ 0 comments }

Brewing in the Works in Santa Monica

by Sean on May 23, 2013

Los Angeles is a tough town to navigate if you want to build a brewery from scratch.  And to try to do it on the Westside would seem close to crazy considering the cost of a large amount of space would cost.

But according to the L.A. Eater, “someone” is trying to start one up in Santa Monica.  That would be big news and a large step forward for a brewery to open there.

When/If more news develops, you will here it here.

{ 1 comment }

Review – Saint Archer Pale ale

by Sean on May 22, 2013

IMG_4499

Here is my thumbnail review of my first ever beer from San Diego’s Saint Archer, their pale ale…..

“Pours a light orange. Has almost a Nelson Sauvin aroma and taste. Some herbal dankness as well. Almost a white wine set of notes. Bitterness is medium. A bit sharp. I am a bit conflicted on how to rate this.”

Here is the description from the brewery, “Balanced toward the hoppy end of the spectrum, this straight-foward, California-style pale is eminently sessionable. Crystal and Munich malts provide a backbone to showcase the bright, citrus, piney notes of Cascade, Chinook, and Simcoe hops.”

IMG_4501

{ 0 comments }

Food GPS Teaser – Brouwerij West

by Sean on May 22, 2013

This week’s Beer of the Week over on Food GPS is from California’s Brouwerij West.  And instead of giving extra tasting notes or talk of ingredients, I thought I would focus on the odd but endearing labels that they have on their bottles….

elephants mockup jan26 D_640

Screen Shot 2013-03-05 at 11.31.20 AM

Screen Shot 2013-01-15 at 9.36.03 AM

What do you think of their artwork?

{ 0 comments }

Review – Sculpin (in cans)

by Sean on May 21, 2013

My bier buddy Richard aka Cap’n, recently went to San Diego and he brought back the new, canned version of the iconic Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point.

IMG_4495

Here is what I found when I opened the cans….

Pours a lovely orange color.  I am a little dubious about the variety of fruits listed on the label but I am surprised to get quite a bit of apricot balanced out by a charming hit of hops.  The bitterness isn’t super big but it adds a nice punch akin to sea salt too caramel.  Just tastes more frutier than I remember and I like it.

And here is the website info from the brewer, “The Sculpin is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon. The lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops.”

{ 2 comments }

Video Review – Mikkeller Yeast Series 2.0

by Sean on May 21, 2013

For the second and final video beer review, which switch from hops to yeast as the focus as we tackle an entry from the Mikkeller Yeast Series 2.0 …..

{ 0 comments }

Brewery Tour – West Seattle Brewing

by Sean on May 20, 2013

wsb

West Seattle Brewing is still fermenting, so there is not much information to cut and paste but all that means is that you need to put this on your near future radar because I have a feeling this one might be worth a visit to try a sampler of the pale ale, porter and the intriguing bourbon barrel bitter.

{ 0 comments }

Brian’s Cellar Collection

by Sean on May 19, 2013

LogoBluePalmsSmall

Blue Palms continues to hatch new plans to get people to keep returning to the venerable Hollywood beer destination, as if the beer wasn’t enough.  But one of the most intriguing option is Brian’s Cellar.

You can follow which beer will be making it’s way topside to the bar HERE.  Maybe you will see a rare beer that you have to try.

 

{ 0 comments }

Lip Balm

by Sean on May 19, 2013

pack_large

If you head to the Atlantic Farms website, you will be confronted with a choice of which hoppy lip balm to buy.  I have seen hops in lip balm as swag from Sierra Nevada at some beer events but this is the first that I have seen Double IPA and grapefruit.  Grapefruit works well with beer so that would be my choice.

 

{ 0 comments }

Heater Allen Lenzbock – Pale Bock

by Sean on May 18, 2013

51129769e4b0917ed28d672b

Now that we are firmly in spring and May, it is time for “Maibock, it is the last beer of Germany’s Starkbier (strong beer) season.  It is the transition beer from the Bocks, Porters, and Dopplebocks of winter to the Pils, Helles, and Wheat beers of summer.”

Lenz Bock is one of the many great German style beers that Heater Allen from McMinnville produces and I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries