My plan was to ride up the 101 to Agoura Hills to check out the Lady in the Wood (the Anglicized version of the Ladyface Alehouse 5th Anniversary beer). Due to traffic, I was forced to take a different route but even with the detour I got much more than one beer. Two taster flights to be exact…
The 5th Anniversary was half wine-ish and half woody barrel tasting but even with that bifurcation, it was distinctly one really good beer and it was quite a treat to try it side by side with the 1st Anniversary beer that kicked pretty early in the evening. But the standout of tray 1 was the Onager. It was bright and funky and was one of those beers that separates itself from the pack. The Cherry Picture City Porter had a lovely restrained cherry note and a pie aroma to it that would make it a great dessert beer.
Tray 2 was the sour (in general) group and with the exception of Stack VI which had a strange combo of anise and wood in the old ale that didn’t work for me, were all solid but in the company of the first four were the losing team in the Super Bowl. Still great but not at the same level this night.
For such a small space, Ladyface is consistently strong with their barrel program and if you haven’t had the anniversary beer of 2015, then do yourself a favor and find any route to get to Agoura Hills and try it.
Hey Sean! It was great sharing that beer tasting with you. I entirely agree with your assessment. I found the beers increasingly satisfying as they reached room temperature. I’m writing to Josh today too. I’d love it if you’d both arrange to come out to Abby’s Millstone Baking Co. next door to Ladyface to taste the other masterful deliciousness in the neighborhood!