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Peppermint morphs into candy cane this time of year so no surprise to see it in a holiday stout from Ska Brewing in Colorado.
“A delicious Stout brewed with Animas Chocolate
Company Peppermint Bark – 55% dark chocolate layered with white chocolate and sprinkled with candy cane pieces.”
I have really only heard Gustavo Arellano before and not read either of his books or his famous “Ask a Mexican” column. That voice is distinctive and opinionated which is why I like hearing his take on everything from Orange County politics on KCRW or tacos on the Netflix show Ugly Delicious with David Chang.
So, after watching the taco episode (finally, I know that I am behind), I picked up Arellano’s book Taco USA to further my knowledge.
And it was a fun survey of Mexican food and its impact on the United States and its food culture and how the tectonic clash has created all sorts of sub-styles across the country. I learned about so many different dishes but more interesting were the little histories of tortillas in a can or the creation of “American” salsa. Remember “get a rope” from the Pace commercials?
And, thankfully, Arellano’s voice comes through loud and clear in print as well. Whether it is a take down of Rick Bayless or describing a trip to see the shards of a tortilla that supposedly had the face of Jesus on it.
To drink while reading the book, it seems appropriate to head to Santa Ana and the Good Beer Company. Maybe have their Senorita Gose or Abuela Wild Ale.
Or you could pick up something from the not-as-hot now Mexican Lager category. Dos Topas from Topa Topa Brewing or Mexican Lager from Ska Brewing come to mind.
Or as an authentic option, pick up a bottle from La Insurgente, a Mexican craft brewery.
Christmas beers are coming but let’s sample some of the diversity of beer styles this month, Sour-Spicy and Fiery.
~LIGHT
Ska Brewing/ Sour Apple Gose5.1% ABV
“The scent of sweet apple blossoms give way to honey and a lemony tartness from the Citra hops and souring. Tastes like you’re sipping on a crisp apple juice with a bright tartness that’s refreshing, not drying.”
~MEDIUM
SoLArc/ Sunset Cleanse6.4% ABV
“Hoppy Pale ale with lemon, Cayenne pepper, and ginger. Brewed in celebration of 6 years of Sunset Beer Co.”
~DARK
Firestone Walker/ Leo vs Ursus Inferos8.2% ABV
“Inferos is a rye imperial IPA that is fiery in color, hellacious in hoppiness and bursting with spicy rye goodness. Forged with 25 percent rye grain and loaded with more than four pounds of hops per barrel, Inferos is ultimately a big, lively beer that will keep the soul warm as summer transitions to fall.”
All of these beers can be found at Sunset Beer Co. (unless they got bought up real quick)
There is a good and a bad way to deal with long-term contracts that now seem unfavorable to you.
Ska Brewing has taken the high road or you could also call it the creative road. They have taken their hop contract and immortalized it on their label. BHC – Bad Hop Contract may not use the hippest hops on the market. The hops may not be that fancy lupulin powder or work as well with the new NE IPA’s but they have been able to weave this hop learning experience into the fabric of their brewery and I think they will be stronger for it.
Other breweries seem to have taken the low road which I also call the “I hope I don’t have to deal with these hop brokers in the future” road. 47 Hops has entered bankruptcy due to hops either not being paid for, or contracts not honored. Those that bet on a hop or amount of growth that did not occur need to, at least, call back. That is courtesy. Suggest a modified contract. Don’t behave like Trump and just run roughshod over vendors.
The holidays can make you demented, luckily Ska Brewing has the beer answer for you…
Ska aged their winter pale ale Euphoria in Peach Street Distillers’ bourbon barrels to create: Dementia.
Hot days in L.A. will be the norm and I am glad that I will have a supply of Mexican Logger from Ska Brewing to turn to in the heat.
This Colorado brewed lager pours a very light yellow. It is neither bubbly (on the tongue, certainly is in the picture) or creamy but in the middle of that spectrum. It is very flavorful. I get grapefruit pith, floral accents and a nice amount of cereal grain as well. This is an impressive set of flavors for such a light beer and puts the Saaz hop right in the spotlight. It certainly made me wish it was in a 16oz can instead of the 12. And it once again disproves the lager is boring myth
The only downside being the design, which is certainly striking but not the type of artwork that I prefer on a can. It does make me wonder if there is a differently hopped version out there.
Every once in while in craft beer world, you take a sip of a beer and it is so unexpected that you pause before the next sip. And that happened with Decadent from Ska Brewing. It wasn’t due to the creepy Hop Chompin’ skeleton in hipster attire. Or to the wax around the neck and cap. This was a grape bomb while still holding on to the taste profile of an Imperial IPA. There is a lovely viscosity to this beer as well. The website claims citrus notes that I do not get at all but the caramel malt is surely there. It tastes the full 10% of alcohol and it has the bitter punch to it but there is a serious amount of concord grape sweetness here that really adds an unusual layer to a beer style that can sometimes (let’s face it) get a little boring.
Imperial IPA’s are big but they lack the complexity (usually) of a barley wine and they usually don’t have the pop of a regular IPA. But Decadent is totally different. With Session IPA’s hogging the spotlight currently, it is nice to have a grown up big IPA that isn’t afraid to showcase a big fruit taste as well.
Ska Brewing Company is the latest Colorado brewery to announce that they are coming to SoCal. But this is big because it is the “first new market in five years.”
Why now? Because they have added “a new high-speed canning line that has relieved capacity issues for the Southern Colorado brewery.’
And what beers will be coming to our Golden state? The flagship Modus Hoperandi India Pale Ale and Ska’s popular canned seasonal beers; Mexican Logger, Euphoria, and the Seasonal Stout Series.
I am looking forward to seeing their beers on our shelves.
In honor of the Portland Timber MLS kick-off and since they start the season in Colorado.
They can pick-up this logger beer…..
…from Ska Brewing in Durango.
Another canned beer that I would love to try from SKA Brewing in Durango Colorado. This is # 3 on my must try canned beer list along with Monk’s Blood and Surly Zwickelbier.