21st Amendment, a great brewpub and restaurant in San Francisco, recently announced they are expanding production.  They are joining the ranks of craft brew superstars Oskar Blues and Surly Brewing by putting great craft beer into cans.  Normally only available at the pub, 21st Amendment is now receiving wider distribution, available throughout California at BevMo, and soon making their way into supermarkets in the Bay Area, Sacramento, Tahoe, and Alaska (what, no LA love?).

Their two beers are Brew Free Or Die IPA, and Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, both of which are quite tasty.

Right now on their website, there’s a note up that congratulates President Elect Barack Obama with a tasty little slice of double entendre:

Find out more about 21st Amendment at 21st-amendment.com

This Saturday, September 13th, Verdugo Bar is hosting their 1st annual Oktoberfest.  In addition to their usual biergarten, they will also be converting their parking lot for the afternoon to make way for all the festivities.

Come on out to Glassell Park for beer, brats, music, and even a few competitions like stein holding, boot racing, beer pong, and more.  Tickets are 20 dollars at the door, and that covers you for 3 beers.  Food and more beer will be available for purchase.  Most German beers don’t go too high on the alcohol content, so there will be room for 4, 5, 6- as long as you’re not boot racing!

Pre-sale tickets are available for $15 dollars.  Call the bar at 323-257-3408 with your credit card handy to pay.

Dirndls and leidenhosen are strongly encouraged (by me).

Visit the Verdugo Bar website for more details.

12 years in business and no signs of slowing down.  Just three years ago they moved into their new building, and already, they are outgrowing it.

Along with a lolcatted picture of their current location, their newsletter also had this to say:

Do you know of a friend’s second cousin with a father-in-law who knows a guy who has a building really close to our brewery that he hasn’t put on the market, but might consider selling to us in exchange for a lifetime’s supply of Stone?*

Truth is, you never know what’s out there around the corner unless you ask. So, we’re officially putting the word out. We’d appreciate knowing what might otherwise be unknown possibilities that could be just ’round the corner. Connect a brother (errr…brewery) up! Trust us, we KNOW how to say “Thank You” in a way that could make you Mr. or Ms. Popularity for a very long time.

It’s important to keep focus though. So hold off on sending the email about your sister-in-law’s boss’ “perfect” property in Duluth. No disrespect to Duluth, but we’re not interested in locating there. Ever. We like it here. So, if what you’ve got in mind isn’t the same as what we’ve got in mind but you just HAVE to send an email to us about it anyway (e.g. you’re halfway through a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale as you’re reading this on your computer at your kitchen table), OK… send that email anyway to THIS email address.

Even better though, contact us HERE if you know of anything that fits the specs below.

We are looking for:

TO PURCHASE
50,000 – 55,000 sf.	4-6 loading docks

and/or

TO LEASE/BORROW FOR 18-24 MONTHS (As an interim step while we build a new place, or keep looking if the search takes us longer than we hope)
15,000 – 20,000 sf. Coldbox Capacity	Minimum of 2 loading dock access

Might just have to crack open a bomber of their Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout tonight in Stone’s honor!

Well, I’ve been busy with another project, consulting and helping to build the fantastic new California Beerzine, which just launched last week.

This site is a great resource for anyone who lives in California, and even for those out-of-staters who are planning a trip to the west coast. There is a California Beer Events page for keeping up with beer tastings and festivals across the state, a California Beer Blog Aggregator for quick digestion of all your favorite Golden State beer blogs, and even a job engine for finding beer-related jobs in California.

But probably the most exciting feature of California Beerzine are the California Beer Forums, a venue for California beer enthusiasts to connect and share local beer info.

Behind the project is an old friend of mine from my Santa Barbara days, Ed Westin. Ed is a great guy with a love of all things hoppy, and I wish him the best with his awesome new site.

In launching the beerzine, Ed is bringing together great beer bloggers from across the state, and giving them a platform to promote their writing and to elevate public awareness of all the fantastic beers that are being made in California. In the first issue, I’d say so far he’s done a pretty successful job.

So far, there are some great articles up, my favorite being Blessed Are the Beer Dorks by Jay Hinman of Hedonist Beer Jive. Jess, the Thirsty Hopster, contributed a great piece about converting your friends into craft brew drinkers, and Steve Sage of Summer of Beers wrote up a piece on his recent trip to the Russian River brewpub.

Head on over and check out the brand new California Beerzine, and tell them Dave sent you. Bookmark them, subscribe, and check back frequently!

Tomorrow! Friday the 11th of April!

Sometime between 6 and 7 o’clock, the Daily Pint in Santa Monica is tapping a firkin of unfiltered Firestone Double Barrel Ale.

That’s right, Real Ale in Santa Monica. A rep from Firestone is bringing by a temporary beer engine for this single keg, and once it kicks, it’s gone.

If there is enough enthusiasm from the beer community, maybe we can convince Phil to put in a permanent beer engine? Bring your friends, and be sure to explain to them what they are getting into. Some people have not yet been exposed to the joys of warm, flat beer.

See you at the Pint.

Cracked the cap on the 750ml can and poured into my favorite frosted mug, it was a hot afternoon so I was glad I remembered to throw it in the freezer the night before. The beer poured out of the can a hazy straw color with minimal head and low carbonation. Before I lifted the glass to my lips to take that first blissful sip, the ding of the microwave reminded me my Jimmy Dean Chocolate Chip Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick was ready for consumption (well, maybe not quite ready. I always throw away the box before reading the “Let stand for 2 minutes before consuming. Product will be hot.”)

I set the glass down and walk back into the kitchen to retrieve my stick lunch. Failing to allow this culinary masterpiece a chance to cool down, my tongue is subjected to 2nd degree burns. As the skin cells burn off and slide down my throat, all I can think is, “Oh, this is what Wildbell’s post-Beer Ride cries of, ‘Painfully delicious!’ were all about.”

I return to my beverage to dowse the flames, and at a serving temperature of 33 degrees, Steel Reserve doesn’t disappoint. I am immediately greeted by malty cereal notes, with hints of battery acid and cat urine. Most traces of carbonation are gone, imparting a cask-like quality to the beer. The battery acid and cat urine undertones open up to a sharply metallic finish, presumably the Steel taste that gives this beer it’s name.

At $1.19 per can, Steel Reserve 211 is an uncommonly great deal. Intrigued by it’s mystique, I researched it’s MySpace page to find out more info. It was there I learned a lot about what Steel Reserve 211 is all about:

Making people have a good, making people have long lasting friendships, and short relationships. 211 is proud to make people lean to the left and has been lowering standards for many years now.

Steel Reserve is slow brewed in limited batches, using only the finest maleted barley & selected hops. We believe this to be among the very best beers in the world. Slow brewed in Fort Worth, TX for exceptionally smooth flavor.

An exceptional beer from an acceptable brewery. Available on college campuses nationwide and wherever Fine Beers are sold.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 9/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 18/20
• Overall: 8/10

Rating: 4.1

It’s that time of the year again. Last week Stone released one of their most beloved seasonal beers, 2008′s Russian Imperial Stout. Buy a couple bottles if you’re lucky enough to find it, this is one of those beers that vanishes off the shelves pretty quickly. Part of the reason for this is because it is great for cellaring, so people tend to buy these beers as an investment in their collection, to be enjoyed years from now.

If you haven’t started a beer cellar yet, this is an excellent choice to get the ball rolling. But if you prefer instant gratification from your beer, there are 4 places here in LA that have this fabulous beer on tap: Library Alehouse, The Daily Pint, Lucky Devil’s, and BottleRock.

This is a beer that makes you glad to live in Southern California, since we get first dibs on it. It has a huge following all over the country, and is probably more appreciated in the Northwest than it is here. If you happen to be walking down the street in Portland, it’s not unlikely to see some guy watering his lawn while sporting his prized Stone Imperial Russian Stout T-shirt.

With their 9% Belgian-style strong ale, Avery once again proves they can do no wrong.

Thanks to Ed, who packed this home with him.

Dropped in at Stuffed Sandwich a couple weeks ago for lunch, and they had nothing but stouts on tap. Old Rasputin, Stone Russian Imperial, Bison Chocolate, Moylan’s Dry, Barney Flats, and Speedway (yum yum) were still flowing while I was there, but once they dry up, they’re gone (*update: they are on to Barleywines. See more below).

The funny thing about Stuffed Sandwich, if you’ve never been there before, is that they only serve beer in paper cups. Sam doesn’t like foam on his beer, so you always get a full pour right up to the rim. But before you pick up your beer to take it to your table, Sam and Marlene always make you bend over and take a sip off the top, so when you pick up the paper cup, you don’t squeeze any beer over the side.

The first time I went, I thought it was a little silly, but this being my second visit, I guess there’s a little charm to it.

I went with a small cup of the Speedway and their French Dip sandwich and OH YES, it hit the spot. Last time I was in I had the pastrami and that was pretty money too.

Another great thing about Stuffed Sandwich is their To Go License.

Sam has an amazing bottle selection, with tons of beers hiding in his cellar in back. If you know what you are looking for, and you get on his good side, you might just walk away with some real treasures.

I picked up a Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws 2004 Barleywine for just under 8 dollars, which I intended to review for this month’s Barleywine Session, but unfortunately I’ve been sick these past couple of weeks and didn’t want to waste this fine aged beer while my sinuses were still stuffed up.

Speaking of Barleywines, I just got an email from Marlene. This month it’s all Barleywines on tap, and they are breaking out all sorts of vintages. From 2007: Butte Creek Trainwreck, Lagunitas Gnarlywine, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Anchor Old Foghorn, and Green Flash’s Barleywine. They’ve also got a keg of the Butte Creek Trainwreck and a Stone Old Guardian from 2006, and from 2005, another Old Guardian and some Bigfoot.

If you’ve never been out to Stuffed Sandwich, February would be a great month to make the pilgrimage.  See if you can make sense of any of their signage above the cooler cases.   I’ve always been a bit too shy to inquire into their Ronald Reagan shrine (not pictured- you need to see it for yourself).  And remember to bring an appetite, because NO FOOD, NO BEER!

Stuffed Sandwich
1145 E Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 285-9161

Remember way back when, before I had ever tried Green Flash? Now it’s a semi-frequent part of my repertoire. Nut Brown, Imperial IPA, the Barleywine, they’re all fantastic. Picked this bottle up for $4.69 at Vendome Toluca Lake.  Map it!

I guess I had just gotten a bit bored with my pedestrian style of reviewing beers. After all, beer is one of my greatest passions. Can you really define your passion by deconstructing it and judging its value by assigning a grade based on a 50 point scale?

Jesus, what was I thinking?

Talk about taking all the fun out of something. So from here on out, I plan to leave all the heavy duty classification and grading to the fine folks at Beer Advocate and Rate Beer.

Thanks to friends and other assorted beer bloggers, I’ve been reminded not to neglect the most important source of creativity, the Muse. You can’t take the time to write about every half-decent beer that enters your glass, you’ve gotta wait for the one that makes you want to go out and buy it by the case. You’ve gotta find a beer that makes you rush to your computer and bang out a loving ode while your glass is still half full. You’ve gotta find the one that makes you phone in sick for work, just so you can spend one or two more hours of half-lucid bliss, snuggled up under the covers, wrapped in their embrace. You need to find the beer that’s so incredible, you can’t think of anything better to name your monthly beer news magazine after. Or for that matter, your beer blog. Hey, meta humor!

Ayinger Celebrator is at the pinnacle of those special beers. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been saving it in your fridge for 6 months, waiting for a special occasion to crack it open. The very occasion of opening an Ayinger Celebrator is special enough on it’s own.

Cracking the cap is enough to start your mouth watering. Dark dark brown beer, almost black, with a sudsy tan head that stays for the duration. Celebrator has a perfectly thin and bready maltiness. It doesn’t hammer you on the head with over-the-top complexity and brilliant flavors bursting left and right, it’s more subtle and refined than that. Balanced and delicate. I’ve only had it by itself, but if I could choose any meal to have accompany it, a great pairing would be braised lamb shanks and mashed potatoes.

I’m curious, have any of the Session writers out there NOT tried Ayinger Celebrator? With this post I am declaring my fervent and undying zealotry for this beer. Much like a Ron Paul supporter standing on a freeway overpass in the rain, waving a hand-stenciled “REVOLUTION 2008″ poster, I want to share this beer with you.

Now let’s go check out some of the doppelbocks that you guys have been drinking.

A special thank you to Wilson at Brewvana for hosting today’s Doppelbock Session.

Anderson Valley, can you do no wrong? Ever since I tried your Summer Solstice back in July, I knew I’d found something special. That Cerveza Crema coats my gullet with velvety goodness that rivals even a snug velour jumpsuit in tactual pleasure.

I had high hopes for the Winter Solstice, and I’m happy to say my expectations were exceeded.

It has all the creamy sweetness of the Summer, but more going on for it in the spiciness department. Now, some beers have a maltiness to them that makes you think, “Hmm, this tastes like bread.” But Winter Solstice’s maltiness just makes me think about graham crackers and Whoppers (America’s Favorite Malted Milk Balls, not BK value menu you sicko).

At 7%, this guy definitely brings a bit of warmth with it. Great weight to it; not too heavy, not too light, this is the porridge that Baby Bear would eat. Highly sessionable despite the higher %, and what better evening to enjoy it than the longest night of the year.

This may just be my favorite domestic Christmas beer of the year.

Picked up a single bottle of this stuff just for the sake of experimentation. It stayed in my fridge for a while until I filled up a cooler to take up to Malibu for the afternoon.

Tasted terrible, like artificial whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Bleh. Luckily I had also brought along some Avery Salvation, which lived up to it’s name.

Might be worth giving a try, some people love this sort of thing, but I say avoid. If you are in the market for what some would call “chick beer,” a much better choice would be Pete’s Wicked Strawberry Blonde.

I know I can’t be the only one who thinks this beer is overrated. And five bucks for an 8 oz beer? Maybe I would pay that for some Thomas Hardy Vintage that’s older than I am, but for Belzebuth? Never again.

The label kinda annoys me too. Hey guys! Look at me! I’m 13% alcohol by volume!

I don’t mind paying 10, 12, 14 bucks for a nice Belgian 750, but I am (rightfully) wary about spending extravagant amounts for single 8 or 12oz bottles. But next time I spin the wheel, I will probably give one of the Avery beers a try (Beast, Mephistopheles’, Samael’s).

Avery has earned a great reputation in my book with solid offerings like The Reverend, Hog Heaven, and Maharaja, which I found on tap a while ago at Johnnie’s in Highland Park.

Belzebuth, on the other hand, is the only beer exported to the US by the French brewers Grain d’ Org, so I’ve got no loyalty.  Try something else.

How could you not love a beer with head like this?

Spicy, citrusy, and easy to find around town.

More of a summer beer, but who am I kidding? This is LA, drink this stuff whenever you like.

I really want to try and like this stuff because it’s brewed here in LA, but all I can say about it is “meh.”

Too sweet for my tastes, and a weird mustiness to it like moth balls in my nana’s closet. There is no way I could finish a bomber of this stuff. I hear their beers are better when it’s fresh on tap. Best to stick to the pilsner, which you can find at Booth 326 at the Fairfax Farmer’s Market.

Today, the third Tuesday of October, is Sticke Day. So take a moment to educate yourself about this rare style of beer, courtesy of the German Beer Institute (skip down if you find this sort of thing boring, otherwise, it’s time to geek out!):

Twice a year, on the third Tuesday in January and on the third Tuesday in October, a ritual is re-enacted in the dark and smoky recesses of the hallowed halls of an old brewpub, the Uerige in Düsseldorf in the Rheinland. There, a crod of cognoscenti gathers expectantly in the taproom, as if they are members of a secret society about to witness an exclusive event—the tapping of the season’s first wooden cask of a rare, aged ale, called Sticke Alt.

Sticke is the strongest and scarcest Altbier there is! To understand its strange name, we must first delve into a bit of linguistic history: “Sticke” is a mangled version of the “plattdeutsch” (low-German) word “stickum,” which translates into English as “secret.” The origin of the Sticke, according to local lore, dates from a time when beer ingredients were still measured rather haphazardly by the bucketful. If the brewmaster made a “mistake” and mashed in too generous an amount of malt, he also had to add an extra dose of hops for balance. The finished beer from such a batch would be a strong and substantial beverage. In a sense, Sticke is to Altbier ale what Bockbier is to a regular lager. Because the Sticke started out as a mistake, it was rarely brewed the same way twice. The news of a brewmaster’s mistake, of course, normally would get around quickly among the initiated, who would pass the secret by word of mouth, behind cupped hands, in a “stickum” or “sticke” sort of way… and to be in on the secret was quite a privilege. It is said that this “stickum” hot tip, shared among the aficionados, then became the origin of the beer’s name. Nowadays, however, Sticke brewers have abandoned the secrecy surrounding the unveiling of the Sticke. Instead, they keep the Sticke tradition alive by advertising the dates of their special offerings in the media, on posters, and on their websites.

I haven’t been keeping up with the world of beer blogs recently, so I don’t know if anyone else has written about this, but you, dear reader, can now consider yourself among “the initiated.”

To be in on this secret is “quite a privilege,” so don’t say I never did nothing for ya.

You can find Uerige Sticke Alt in tiny little bottles at Wine House for around $5. I bought mine a month or two ago, so it was probably from the January batch. No matter, it was still a great beer.

The whole idea behind the beer is they brew it with more malt and hops than normal, creating a richer taste. I haven’t tried the regular Uerige altbier, so Alaskan Amber is pretty much my benchmark.

Uerige Sticke is a mellow malty fellow that I sucked down a little too fast. Smells a bit like toast and the hop flavor seemed buried behind the sweet malt.

A bit pricey for the less-than-12oz bottle, but this is definitely something I would buy again, most likely for the third Tuesday in January. Mark your calendars, and I’ll try to give you a little more advance notice next time.

Picked up a single bottle over at Jerry’s on Wilshire. I had never seen this beer before. Probably wouldn’t have given it a try if I had to buy a whole six pack, but thankfully, you can purchase singles.

It really surprises me that so many people on Beer Advocate have nothing nice to say about this beer. Granted, I haven’t tried any other pumpkin beers like Dogfish Head Punkin’ or Smuttynose, so I don’t have any frame of reference, but I thought the Shipyard was interesting and enjoyable.

Great color and aroma. Smells like pumpkin pie, a bit cinnamony. It’s very light, almost lagerish, with prickly carbonation on your tongue. Tastes like spiced pumpkin puree, the delicious stuff you buy in a can to make pie.

Come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ve ever tasted actual pumpkin. Love roasted pumpkin seeds, I wouldn’t imagine they use real pumpkin, but I don’t think I’d want any actual pumpkin gunk mixed in there anyways.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 11/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 16/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 4.0

[Update: You can purchase this Unibroue glass online at Beer Geek Shop]

On my last night in town, my lovely friend Mauree took me to Stella’s on Commercial Drive, a tapas bar with a great selection of Belgian beers. We snagged a great table on their sidewalk patio and ordered a Leffe Belgian Pale and a glass of Belle Vue Kriek, both of which were on tap. I was enjoying the kriek more than Mauree was, so she ended up holding on to the Leffe most of the time.

The Kriek is a deep red color with not too much head on it. Sweet cherry aroma and a bit of a sour twang, which I just can’t get enough of. Just a few days earlier, my New Belgium buddy and I drank a bunch of Rodenbach at Brouwer’s in Seattle. It was then I figured out I need to try more sour beer.

The kitchen was about to close up, so we put in an order for a pound of Mussels Normande (Granny smith apples, mushrooms, bacon, shallots, apple brandy, cream).

We finished up our first round and decided to go for one of those corked Unibroue bottles. By the time our huge dish of mussels came out, we had decided on the Éphémère Framboise, which turned out to be a great pairing (although the apple Éphémère might have matched better).

The beer definitely had that uniquely Unibroue carbonation to it, but thinner and a bit lighter than your Fin du Mondes or Maudites. Fresh raspberry smell that I was reminded of two days later when I was picking actual raspberries on Conner and Sarah’s farm. Not so sweet that you forget you’re drinking beer, but just fruity enough to compliment the apple-bacony goodness of our mussels. I think raspberry has got to be the best possible fruit to use in beer.

Way to go, Canada, for having Unibroue. And way to go, Vancouver, for your delicious seafood. I need to go back soon.

Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar
1191 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
604.254.BIER (2437)

Anderson Valley keeps turning up in all the best beer stores in LA. Whole Foods in Santa Monica has six packs of Hop Ottin’, Barney Flats, and Boont Amber on the shelves. You can get their Boont Amber on tap at Sonny McLean’s, the Otheroom, and the Daily Pint. I don’t know where you can find Barney Flats on tap, but a couple of weeks ago I picked up a 22 oz. bottle for $3.99 (tax & CRV included) at Pagliari’s Liquor on Main.

This stuff looks thick. I know this is an overused phrase when talking about stouts, but this beer really pours out like motor oil. Dark brown head that doesn’t leave rings around the side of the glass, it slides right down with the beer as you drink it. Probably too heavy to stick.

Sugary aroma with a malty chocolate flavor. The head may not stick to the glass, but it sure does stick to the inside of your mouth. A delicious oatmeal stout. You might want to use a fork.

I don’t know if I could handle a full six pack, but a 22 oz. bottle was fantastic.

• Appearance: 3/3
• Aroma: 7/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 16.5/20
• Overall: 8/10

Rating: 3.8

I bought this bottle at Lucky Stop Liquor on Abbot Kinney and California, the same place I picked up Black Sheep’s Riggwelter for last month’s Session. I don’t really see Alleycat too often, maybe at the Ralph’s on Cloverfield. While it’s not too prevalent, their Great White and Downtown Brown are practically staples around town.

The best thing about this beer is probably it’s label. Isn’t that cat cute? He’s drinking beer in a trash can! Adorable. Kind of like a pirate Heathcliff. Oh wait, I hate Heathcliff. Moving on.

It pours out gorgeous. Look at that creamy head in the top picture. Aroma is not bad, malty and sweet, but this beer loses me after a couple of sips. It has a sort of sour bitterness to it that distracts from the rest of the flavors.

I didn’t go crazy for this beer, it’s not one of my favorite ambers, but it’s definitely still drinkable. Give it a try if you’re curious, but I say instead of Alleycat, pick up a bottle of Lost Coast’s Great White or 8 Ball Stout.

• Appearance: 3/3
• Aroma: 8/12
• Palate: 3/5
• Flavor: 13/20
• Overall: 6.5/10

Rating: 3.35

After much hype, and a lot of patience on my part, I was pleasantly surprised to see Craftsman Triple White Sage on tap at Father’s Office last night. I have been a fan of Craftsman ever since I turned 21 and started going there. Before my coming of legal age, I had never heard of Craftsman, probably because they don’t bottle it (a revelation I came across a couple of weeks ago).

Craftsman is, without a doubt, LA’s claim to craft beer fame. Mark Jilg has been brewing in Pasadena since 1995, but has kept the production scale small to maintain quality. According to his interview with LAist last month, Mark (and his 2 full time employees) produce about 2400 half-barrel kegs in a year. They make, sell, and distribute it themselves, oftentimes filling kegs and delivering their beer within 24 hours of receiving the order. Distribution-wise, they are mostly in LA, but can be found in San Diego and Santa Barbara.

The Heavenly Hefeweizen was their first beer I ever tried, and this was back when FO still offered beer by the pitcher. They stopped doing pitchers though, something about how pouring that much beer back and forth over-agitates the beer, and by the time you get to the end of the pitcher, the beer’s not the same. Sounds logical enough, I’ll take their word for it. Even so, wouldn’t it be awesome to still be able to order a pitcher of Great White?

While we’re on the subject of Father’s Office, be sure to check out Food and Wine’s interview with Sang Yoon (via Appellation Beer).

Craftsman can be found all over town; Father’s, the Otheroom, Weiland, Library Bar, The Village Idiot, Third Stop. Susan of Immaeatchu had a glass of Triple White Sage last year at Lucques on Melrose. (Photo credit: Immaeatchu: Saturday Lunch at Lucques)

I didn’t take any notes on this beer, so the review will be a bit skimpy. Sometimes you just want to drink a beer and not have to analyze it. It also gives me reason to go back for more.

First off, I must disclose I’ve always loved the smell of sage. Smell is the sense that is most linked to memory, right? So for me, as I’m raising the glass towards my lips, I immediately think of hiking in the Santa Monica mountains, camping trips, and my incense and sage burning phase in middle school. It’s always nice when a beer “brings you back.”

Have you ever had a Pyramid Apricot Weizen? You know how ridiculously apricotty it smells? Well, Triple White Sage is just as fragrant, sage-wise, but without being overpowering or artificial. It’s crisp, and surprisingly mellow for a beer that’s 9%. The sweet and light tastes of sage mask the high alcohol content quite nicely. Read some of the glowing reviews on BeerAdvocate for more on how amazing this beer is.

This is a very special beer that I recommend to anyone. Father’s is charging $7.50 per glass, and sometimes it’s hard to justify paying that much, but in this case, it’s worth every penny.

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 11/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 19/20
• Overall: 9.5/10

Rating: 4.6

I picked up a 12 oz bottle of Fin du Monde at Pavillions on Montana a couple weeks ago for $2.79. After drinking it one night for dessert, I was feeling pretty fine myself. At 9% abv, it’s hard not to.

As you can tell from the picture, Fin du Monde pours a cloudy orange. By the time I snapped that photo, the head had settled down from where it started at the top of the glass. The beer has a spicy, floral bouquet, and when I stick my nose in there and close my eyes, I kind of feel like I’m at Father’s Office. I’m not entirely sure that they have this at Father’s, but they do have it’s cousin, Maudite, on tap.

There are slow rising, thin streams of bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Strange looking tulip glass, right? Very long stem, but that’s all that was available. The bottle told me that I had to pour it into a tulip glass, so I took it’s advice and raided my mom’s china cabinet.

The beer tastes sweet and light. When I hold a little bit in my mouth and then take a breath, I am overwhelmed by the alcohol content. The first few sips sting the front of my mouth. There is a bit of a sour, yeasty finish to it. Good texture, but a bit heavy on the alcohol. After a 12oz bottle, I feel a bit floored. When I stand up, I’ve got that extra bit of spring in my step, and when I walk around a little, I feel like I am marching.

Good beer, but you definitely can’t drink this stuff every day.

• Appearance: 3/3
• Aroma: 11/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 15/20
• Overall: 7.5/10

Rating: 4.0

[UPDATE: You can buy the official Unibroue La Fin du Monde glass online at Beer Geek Shop]

Here in the good ol’ US of A, we have a knack for taking marginally important cultural holidays from other countries and turning them into National Binge Drinking holidays. There’s a bit of Chicken v. Egg controversy as to who is responsible for this national paradigm shift. Is it the beer companies with their hyper-aggressive ad campaigns? Or the consumers, who seek feelings of camaraderie in their beer selection?

All I know is, Cabo Cantina is the last place I’d want to be this evening.

Interesting side note: Both St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo were on Saturday this year. Is this some vast conspiracy within the beer industry to outsell water? ON TO THE BEER.

Corona comes in a more-phallic-than-normal clear bottle (ever ponder the name?). There’s really no need to pour it out into a glass, since its much better with a lime stuck in the neck.

I know there are a lot of purists out there who say, “I only drink beer that doesn’t need fruit to make it taste good.” To them I say: Go rain on somebody else’s parade.

Corona is a skunky beer, but I find its skunkiness more charming than, say, Heineken. Yes, it is a bit thin and watery. Yes, it’s a bit bland (that’s why you add lime). But no one can deny Corona is crisp and refreshing, and a perfect session beer for the beach, picnics, barbeques, or in this case, Drinko de Mayo.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 6/12
• Palate: 2/5
• Flavor: 13/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.0

(UPDATE: For the full Session roundup, check out the Brookston Beer Bulletin)

It was tough finding a beer for this month’s Session. This is my first time participating in Beer Blog Friday, so I really wanted to knock it out of the park and find something obscure and interesting. But finding an English Mild in LA is like finding an honest mechanic.

I searched everywhere; Whole Foods on Wilshire, Fireside Cellars on Montana, the Co-Op on Broadway, Star Liquor and Surf Liquor on Main, even BevMo! in West Hollywood. I couldn’t even find a good English Brown Ale (besides the obvious Newcastle). I resigned myself to play it safe and go with Lost Coast’s Downtown Brown, which is widely available, even at the local grocery.

I felt a little lame choosing an English Brown that’s made in Northern California. Sam Smith’s Nut Brown would be solid, why not go with that? No, still too easy. I want to try something I’ve never had before. The days ticked down as I begrudginly prepared my Downtown Brown review.

But yesterday, by sheer chance, I drove past Lucky Stop Liquor, on Abbot Kinney. Hmm, never been here before. I’ll just pop in for a quick second.

Lucky Stop indeed. This cavernous liquor store has a fantastic selection of bombers and premium 6-packs. Sitting in the last cooler at the end of the row was a .5L bottle of Black Sheep’s Riggwelter.

I’ve tried their Black Sheep Pale Ale, and it was more than decent, so I knew this would be a great choice for Misunderstood May Milds. At 5.7%, the alcohol content isn’t exactly mild, but luckily there aren’t any Style Nazis out there.

The name of the beer comes from Old Norse. Rygg means back and velte means to overturn, so when sheep get stuck on their backs and can’t get up, they are riggwelted. I didn’t even know this happened to sheep. Cows and horses, sure, and turtles, that’s basically what they’re known for, so why not put a turtle on the label? Dumb question, nevermind.

I dumped it out into a freshly handwashed mug. I love my pair of mugs, they must have a 26oz capacity or so, because a 22 oz bomber pours out perfectly with about 2 fingers left for the head.

Riggwelter is a little smaller than a bomber, but I had to pour the second half slowly because I was already looking at 4 or 5 fingers of thick, foamy head ready to spill down the side. Awesome.

The beer is black, with a little dark brown showing around the edges, and the head is a soapy tan.

Aromas are interesting, roasted coffee with a hint of butterscotch. After a couple minutes, the head died down to about one centimeter. Meh, I had higher hopes.

Flavor was unique. I was a bit put off at first, but as I drank, it grew on me. Tastes of roasted malt, with a subtle bitterness throughout, with the tiniest hint of sourness in the finish.

Texture was thick, almost sticking to the inside of my mouth. Very little carbonation.

Overall, I’m glad I picked this up. A complex beer that reminds me there’s more to Browns besides my faithful Newcastle. Definitely not going to go for it on a monthly basis, but a good beer to file away in the back of my head for the right occasion (or to pair with the right food).

As for the true Milds: I’ll drink you next time I’m in England, buddies. I’ll probably enjoy you more there anyway. Lets face it, you’re practically a dead style in the US. With a little help from Stonch, I will track you down the very afternoon I arrive.

• Appearance: 1.5/3
• Aroma: 9/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 15/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.65

I picked up a bottle of Moretti’s Doppelbock while I was getting a Godmother at Bay Cities. I used to drink their pale lager every once in a while with a college friend who had studied abroad in Italy.

She used to drink it at the bars there, surrounded by old, mustachioed Italians who looked exactly like the guy on the label. This isn’t too surprising, considering their logo was meant to capture the essence of the Italian Everyman. Sort of like the Italian version of Bud Man or Barry Duffman.

From Birra Moretti’s website:

One day Commander Leo Menazzi Moretti saw a nice, moustached, old gentleman sitting at a table in the Boschetti Restaurant in Tricesimo (Udine). Commander Moretti believed that it was this old gentleman who embodied the character and personality of the actual beer – genuine, traditional and authentic. Commander Moretti didn’t let the opportunity slip but approached the gentleman and asked his permission to take a photo of the man drinking Birra Moretti. When asked what he wanted as a reward the gentleman replied “Cal mi dedi di bevi, mi baste” which in friulano dialect means, “a glass of what I am drinking, is sufficient for me”. They took the photo and it was later published just after the turbulent period of World War 2.

Over the years, the old gentleman or Mr. Moretti, as he is now known, has been played by a variety of actors and later in the 1970’s the famous designer, Bruno Bozzetto, produced a series of cartoons that used Mr. Moretti and his faithful tankard of Birra Moretti. Finally in 2000 Mr. Moretti came to life with a new advertising campaign where he is surrounded by expert contributors to the secret behind the quality and tradition that is Birra Moretti. Today, Mr. Moretti is played by the famous actor Orso Maria Guerrini.

La Rossa pours a nutty amber brown. Sweet, caramelly malt smell and a bit bready. I did a great job pouring, an inch of head settled down to a thin film that perfectly covered the murky brown beer. Nice taste, malty and nutty. Tastes better cold.

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 8.5/12
• Palate: 3/5
• Flavor: 15/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.6

Carlsberg Elephant is a malty, piss yellow beer with a heavy smell. Head is fizzy and immediately disappears. Tastes skunky and bitter. Palate is thin and grainy. That malt liquor taste is way more liquor than malt.

Elephant is 7.2% alcohol, which would explain why I thought it tasted so bad. It seems like they are more focused on making a strong lager than making a good tasting beer. I can’t remember the last time I had regular ol’ Carlsberg, but I remember it tasting much better than this.

• Appearance: 1/3
• Aroma: 5/12
• Palate: 2/5
• Flavor: 10/20
• Overall: 5/10

Rating: 2.3

• Appearance: 1.5/3
• Aroma: 10/12
• Palate: 5/5
• Flavor: 17.5/20
• Overall: 8/10

Rating: 4.2

Interesting to know that Red Hook was just ranked #12 of this year’s top 50 breweries

The tap itself is shaped like (gasp) a long sledgehammer. The pint poured a light yellow with no head. Spicy aroma, I guess that’s the yeast. Very pungent smell, a lot of character to it, almost citrusy. Alright texture, hardly any bubbles. Taste is flat, but earthy, and a bit metallic. OK for an IPA, but I would rather have a pint of the Blonde, or their Copperhook.

It’s funny, I used to know a kid in elementary school whose name was CJ Longhammer. If Longhammer was my last name, I would probably have a much higher opinion of this beer. Like my aunt and uncle, Bridget & Mike Miller. They love them some Miller.

I guess by this reasoning, I should be a big fan of Sticke Alt, but unfortunately, it’s a style I have yet to try. Maybe next time I’m in Deutschlandia.

• Appearance: 1/3
• Aroma: 10.5/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 12/20
• Overall: 6.5/10

Rating: 3.45

Singha pours a crystal clear yellow, with a spicy aroma and a thick, frothy head. A tiny bit skunky. There were almost no bubbles, which made me wonder if I had served it below the correct temperature. I put my hands around the glass to let the beer warm up a tad. As much as I like cold beer, sometimes you get more flavors out of it as it warms. The sharp taste and velvety texture add character to this otherwise unremarkable malty beer. I would order a glass at a Thai restaurant, but wouldn’t go searching for it.

• Appearance: 1.5/3
• Aroma: 8/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 13/20
• Overall: 6.5/10

Rating: 3.3

The beer poured a gorgeous copper orange. Diminishing head, fruity/citrus aroma. Low carbonation. Interesting flavor, with a hint of orange or maybe banana, but overall malty. Its a little tart, almost like a Belgian but not the same bite to it. Overall, a very enjoyable beer.

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 10.5/12
• Palate: 2.5/5
• Flavor: 18/20
• Overall: 8.5/10

Rating: 4.2

This beer poured out a golden blonde. Mostly diminishing, slight lacing, and almost no bubbles. It had a lemony taste. The carbonation was thin, and it definitely a tangy finish, but I couldn’t find the Buttermilk Biscuits. If anything, it was a slightly breadish taste more than a bisquity taste. Not what I expected, but still a tasty beer.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 9/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 15.5/20
• Overall: 7.5/10

Rating: 3.75

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 8/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 16/20
• Overall: 8/10

Rating: 3.8

Melissa had a Young Oatmeal Stout in front of her, which looked much more appealing. We traded glasses, she took a whiff, and then hit the nail right on the head.

“This smells sour, like turned milk.”

My God she’s right. It smelled (and tasted) like milk gone bad. Disgusting. I wasn’t sure if that was the way it was supposed to taste or if it was a problem with the tap. In retrospect, I should have sent it back. But I just kept on taking sips, trying to find its redeeming qualities. After half a pint it was a lost cause, and I was very disappointed. We ended up leaving it on the bar, still half full.

As bad as it was, this is a beer I will try again. It makes no sense for a beer to taste this bad, there had to be some sort of contamination between the brewery and my glass.

Update: Rating has been removed. This deserves a do-over. Right after I do the write ups for Dead Guy and American Amber. Mmmmmm.

Next week I think I’m going to get into mainstream beers. I just realized, I’ve sorta been alienating a lot of potential readers with a bevy of beers they’ve never heard of. So next week I think I’ll do some of the solid, go-to beers like Newcastle, Red Stripe, perhaps even Corona? I’m talking about stuff you can buy at your local gas station. ON TO THE BEER.

Fischer Amber is solid. I’ve had it a few times, way before I even came up with the idea for this site. It comes in a Grolsch-like bottle (except brown instead of green) and I have been saving the empties up to use for bottling once I finally start brewing my own beer.

Fischer pours a cloudy brown. Medium bubbles, OK head. Good malty smell, and fragrant hops, but I can’t quite put my finger on the smell. Not the greatest body, a bit too much carbonation on the tip of my tongue and lips. It seems a bit thin or watery, but what it lacks in texture it makes up with flavor.

A tad sweet at first, the middle is almost sour, with a lightly bitter finish. At $3.99 for a 22 oz. bottle, it’s a bit expensive for what it is, but definitely worth a try.

• Appearance: 1.5/3
• Aroma: 9/12
• Palate: 2/5
• Flavor: 16/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.55

Let this be a lesson to you. When a beer is on sale for $4.30 for a six-pack, something is wrong. Yes, this beer was on sale for 75 cents a pop at Pavillions. I should have judged from the lame cartoony label and the terrible tagline across the bottom, “Traditionally Brewed Premium Ale,” but no, I decided not to judge the book by its cover.

Most of the time, when things have exclamation points behind them, I love them. Two good examples are Jeopardy! and Reno 911! But Eureka really dulls the whole impact of the exclamation point, if you catch my drift.

The beer started out alright, dark brown with an off-white creamy head and decent lacing. But the smell was off, a bit musty. Eureka is tart, but not in an appealing way. Tart in a metallic sort of way. The texture is alright, and the creamy head adds to the character, but overall, the taste was way off.

Unfortunately, I bought one of their Honey Weiss beers too. I don’t know if I even want to try it. Maybe the same day I finish those Killian’s that have been taking up space in the back of the fridge. Meh.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 5/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 7/20
• Overall: 4/10

Rating: 2.15

Optimator pours a reddish dark brown, with a diminishing off-white head. So-so lacing. Nose is malty and sweet, but not that enjoyable. This doppelbock has a toasty, nutty start, and a bitter finish. Medium body, dark and flavorful.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 6/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 14/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.3

The beer pours a deep mahogany color. Off-white fizzy head that is mostly diminishing. It has a very unique aroma, sweet and hoppy, with a hint of cherry. With such a sweet sugary aroma, I didn’t expect the taste to match the smell as much as it did.

I didn’t know I liked beer that tastes this sweet. The cherries were waiting for me up front, with a hint of amaretto backing them up. This stuff goes down easy, with a slightly malty aftertaste. Alaskan’s got a light body, the beer is a bit thin, but that can be easily forgiven.

After such a great impression, Alaskan Amber really stuck in my head. Just a couple days ago, I realized they have this on tap at FO. Highly recommended. You will want to have more than one.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 11/12
• Palate: 3/5
• Flavor: 18/20
• Overall: 9/10

Rating: 4.3

About a week into the run, I discovered a quaint little pub around the corner from the venue called Proctor’s, a great place to drop in for a wee dram. I would say they had between 65 to 80 bottles of single malt scotch. Every bottle had a ribbon tied around its neck, which signified its price. It was off the beaten path, and there was always the exact same group of weird Scottish barflies that would always hit on Melissa and Allie. We would stop in 2-3 times a week after performances for a pint of McEwan’s or some wine.

One day, while investigating some new beer choices, I asked the bartender about the tap with the little swirly B on it.

“Euh, thet’s Buedweiser.”

What the shit? Do people really drink this stuff over here? I couldn’t believe it, and expressed my dismay to the bar. The guy sitting two stools down enlightened me.

“Neu, neu, neu. Thus isn’t yeur American beer, thus us theu Real Buedweizer” (The Scots that hung out at this place were harder to understand than most).

I didn’t know it at the time, but Anheuser-Busch is widely despised in Europe. It is pretty annoying how they stole the name Budweis (a type of beer brewed in the South Bohemian Region town of Budějovice, just like how the Pilsner style originated from the town of Pilsen) and then copyrighted it, branded it, and sued anyone else who tried to use that name. In fact, Budvar wasn’t available in the US until 2001, when it rebranded itself as Czechvar to appease Budweiser’s lawyers.

In an interesting turn of events, this past January, Anheuser-Busch and Budějovicky formed an agreement for A-B to market and distribute Czechvar in the U.S. But will this agreement help resolve any of their century-old legal battles? Don’t count on it.

Well, there’s your history lesson for today. Now on to the beer.

Czechvar pours a solid golden yellow. There are light malt notes with a skunky yet sweet bouquet. The texture is a bit watery, but this seems acceptable for the style. The taste is crisp and clean, and definitely a lot better than American Budweiser.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 8/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 13/20
• Overall: 7.5/10

Rating: 3.4

Spaten (which is German for ‘spade’) is brewed in Munich by the same people who make Franziskaner. Can’t make it to Munich for a tour of their brewery? Their website offers an online virtual tour, a reasonable alternative if you haven’t budgeted for any Beer Tourism this year. (Dang!)

Spaten Pils pours a light straw yellow, with a quickly diminishing head and almost no bubbles. Has a light malty smell, a little earthy, a little spicy. The flavor is crisp, malty, and clean, with a bitter finish. Medium body, with light to medium carbonation.

While I didn’t go crazy over it today, I still think this beer would be an excellent choice to accompany some greasy pub food.

* Appearance: 2/3
* Aroma: 9/12
* Palate: 4/5
* Flavor: 14/20
* Overall: 7.5/10

Rating: 3.65

True to it’s name, the beer poured into the glass with a golden honey hue. An inch or so of head to begin with, but it didn’t stick around for long. A ton of champagne-like bubbles. Sweet caramelish/honey aroma with a light maltyness. This beer is crisp, with a sour twang to it. Light body, with a good amount of carbonation, Oregon Honey is a bit tingly when it touches your lips.

• Appearance: 3/3
• Aroma: 10/12
• Palate: 3/5
• Flavor: 16/20
• Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.9

After a minute or two of trying to get his attention, the bartender poured me a damn-near perfect pour. On tap, Boddington’s is a cloudy light yellow (dare I say ‘manila’?) color. The head was a great consistency, with excellent retention, and extremely thick lacing. I took a big whiff and was greeted by that classic malty smell.

That familiar first sip was such a relief, in that “thank god I’m done with work” sort of way. Boddington’s isn’t the most complex beer, but that might be why I love it. It doesn’t really have a start or a finish, its bitterness is consistant throughout. Low carbonation, and that creamy head stays with you til the end.

This should be a staple at every self-respecting pub.

• Appearance: 3/3
• Aroma: 8/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 15/20
• Overall: 8/10

Rating: 3.8

The coffee-like flavors are reminiscent of some incredible Green & Black’s dark chocolate I had last week. Finishes clean.

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 9/12
• Palate: 3.5/5
• Flavor: 16/20
• Overall: 8.5/10

Rating: 3.95

Killian’s was originally an Irish Red Ale, but when the original brewery went out of business, Coors bought out the rights to market this drink in the US. They screwed around with the formula and re-released this beer as an amber lager in 1981. The unsuspecting population either didn’t notice, or didn’t care.

The body is clear and sparkling, and when held up to the light, the redness of the beer really shows. Do they get this color from the brewing process or do they just dye it to make it pretty?

Hoppy aroma is overpowered and dominated by a sweaty, sticky floor smell. Medium body & good texture. Slighty bitter at first with a malty acidic finish.

• Appearance: 2/3
• Aroma: 4/12
• Palate: 3/5
• Flavor: 10/20
• Overall: 6/10

Rating: 2.5

It was on tap all over the place, you could get it at Woodstock’s with a Garlic Bird pizza, MMMmmmm. But in LA I am just as content to drink it out of the bottle.  Fortuately, it’s starting to show up more and more around here, in grocery stores and on tap.  I found one at Ralph’s the other day. Such a pleasant and soothing taste that always puts a smile on my face.

Small & diminishing head, clear (and quite loverly) light brown color. The hops give an earthy, flowery smell. It has a complex, full body with medium carbonation. Sharp and crisp at first, yielding to a medium bitter, short lasting finish.

• Appearance: 2.5/3
• Aroma: 10/12
• Palate: 4/5
• Flavor: 17/20
• Overall: 8.5/10

Rating: 4.2