January
Yeah, 2024 brought us our first local South Bay brewery closure, this time being Strand Brewing Company. This news was part of a broader reflection on the changes in the craft beer industry as discussed in the 2023 recap. The year would see more closures before it ended. Continue reading
Dust Bowl IPA features a carefully selected blend of hops, including Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, and Strata, which deliver bright citrus, passion fruit, and berry notes. The result is a smooth bitterness complemented by a vibrant, hop-forward aroma that gives this IPA its signature freshness. The beer pours a golden hue, embodying the essence of a true West Coast IPA with its inviting appearance and distinctive character. Continue reading
These photos were taken Saturday afternoon and evening, when my friend Joe, aka Dastardly Brews, and I ventured out to Inglewood to attend Three Weavers Brewing 10th anniversary celebration. Before the day ended we had worked our way over to Tortugo Brewing for their annual Mahalo Days Luau celebration and ended up at Cellador Ales in Torrance, where they were celebrating their 8th anniversary. Continue reading
The new design features a brighter orange colorway paired with familiar graphics that embody the beer’s bold, tropical character. The enhanced packaging is designed to stand out on shelves, drawing attention to Tomorrow’s Clear in the competitive Tropical IPA category. Continue reading
These photos were taken Tuesday, October 29 at Bale Breaker Brewing and The Outskirts Brewing Company in Yakima, Washington. While I may suggest that I hit the Pacific Northwest at this time of year for all the fresh hopped brews available, ever since 2018 the real reason is that I want to visit Bale Breaker Brewing.
Bale Breaker Brewing is one of my two “destination breweries” which is a brewery that if I am within 200 miles of it, come hell or high water (or pissed off girlfriend), I am going to do my best to get there. For those wondering, the first brewery that made the cut as a destination brewery for me was 3 Floyds Brewing in Munster, Indiana. Continue reading
These photos were taken Friday, October 25 at Oregon City Brewing Company and Arch Bridge Taphouse in Oregon City; and Sunday, October 27 at Belmont Station and Great Notion Brewing Company in Portland.
So yeah, Thursday morning I left Novato for the 10 hour drive to Oregon City. Would flying be easier, perhaps even cheaper? Perhaps, but you cannot bring as much beer on a flight as I was planning on bringing back home. Continue reading
These photos were taken Wednesday, October 23 at Moylan’s Brewing Company in Novato, and Saturday, November 2 at Fieldwork Brewing Company in Corte Madera; which were the first and last locations I visited on my Craft Beer Tour 2024.
So yeah, it is that time of year again; that time being fresh hop season, which is my favorite time to visit the Pacific Northwest. While I was definitely out seeking fresh hop beers, I was spending more time hunting down fresh Citra hops for the simple reason that I have become dependent on the Citra hop more than you can imagine. Those that know know; I am still deciding how much of that story I want to reveal, but we shall see how it goes. Continue reading
These photos were taken Saturday evening at Four Points by Sheraton at LAX, where about 150 members, along with their significant others, gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Maltose Falcons Homebrew Club. Established in 1974, The Maltose Falcons are America’s oldest homebrew club.
The event featured a dinner, with Hors d’oeuvres and cake, a couple videos recalling The Falcons history, a panel discussing the days of lore, a silent auction, and live music provided by the Maltose Falcons Band. Oh, and beer. There was lots of beer. Continue reading
These photos were taken Saturday afternoon at the Museum of Latin American Art, in Long Beach, where Obscura LB and Craft Beer LB held their 4th Annual Halloween Hootenanny. The annual event featured craft breweries, cideries, wineries and kombucha makers, as well as a “Macabre Marketplace” featuring 15+ creepy arts & collectible vendors, numerous food trucks, and live entertainment.
Craft breweries in attendance included Altar Society, Ambitious Ales, Artisanal Imports, Beachwood Brewing, Beachwood Blendery, Cellador Ales, Common Space, Dutch’s Brewhouse, Everywhere Beer Co, HopSaint Brewing, ISM Brewing, Long Beach Beer Lab, Los Angeles Ale Works, Project Barley Brewing, Radiant Brewing, RIIP Beer, Smog City Brewing, Syncopated Brewing, and Tortugo Brewing. Continue reading
These photos were taken Saturday, October 5 at Rancho Los Cerritos Historical Site in Long Beach, where Craft Beer LB and Sake Secret collaborated to celebrate World Sake Day by hosting the Second Annual LB Sake Day. For those wondering, World Sake Day is actually held annually on October 1 and celebrates the start of the annual rice harvest and the beginning of sake production in Japan.
Saturday’s event featured literally gallons of sake, from numerous brewers and distributors, several food trucks and popups serving Japanese foods and snacks, Orion beer, and a traditional Japanese performing arts ensemble. It was another lovely day in Long Beach, and all the attendees and vendors seemed to be having a great time. Continue reading
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