California Beer Reviews
The birthplace of craft brewing and people who love hoppy beer.
by Matt | American Amber / Red Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Company, California, Mug, Pilsner Glass, Pint Glass, United States |
Appearance – dark, reddish brown, ruby. Unfiltered and cloudy, small head, no sediment/yeast in the bottle. Aroma – Hops, IPA-esque, but slightly muted, not as pronounced as an IPA. Hints of caramel as it warms. Taste – Bitter, a tad bit alcoholic, malty, spicy and...
by Team | Belgian Pale Ale, California, North Coast Brewing Company, Snifter, Tulip, United States, Wine Glass |
I’m going to go ahead a gloat for just a moment, if that’s permissible, because there are certain days in life that just can’t be allowed to seep into the vacuum of the unmemorable, attenuate into the mash of the unexceptional if you will (a Timmy...
by Michael Larson | California, Dry Stout, Mendocino Brewing Company, Mug, Pint Glass, United States |
I met a few guys at the local pub this evening, enjoyed a Two Brothers beer and then salivated over one of my comrades’ Guinness. While the notorious stout didn’t currently grace the shelves of my personal fridge, a brother stout, Medocino’s Black Hawk, did. I also...
by Michael Larson | American Amber / Red Lager, California, Mendocino Brewing Company, Mug, Pilsner Glass, Pint Glass, United States |
Its not often you go somewhere with no direction. You just turn the key on your car, put it into drive and see where the blacktop takes you. Today, in the quiet of Door County’s tree-line drives, we did just that. It was freeing, to find your way by bumping along the...
by Nate | AleSmith Brewing Company, American Amber / Red Ale, California, Imperial Beers, Mug, Pilsner Glass, Pint Glass, United States, Winter Ale / Warmer |
One moment I’m sitting in my living room on a cool, February evening in San Diego and I pop the cap of an Alesmith bomber. I pour. Immediately I am transported to a pine forest. Lots of resiny pine going on here. Towering, resiny pines. Am I having a stroke? No,...
by Tom Smillie | California, Flute Glass, Maibock / Helles Bock, Mug, Pilsner Glass, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, United States |
I like, if not love, Sierra Nevada, don’t get me wrong. I respect Ken Grossman’s pioneering spirit and craft. However, I feel they are a typical California massively hopped beer company. I rate a brewery on how well it can produce a plethora of styles that are...