Welcome to California (Beer)

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California has an increasingly astounding concentration of craft beer talent.

Before the craft beer revolution, the beer world didn’t move much. Weeks and months would pass before anything interesting would happen. In fact, most news involved another regional brewery being taken over by a conglomerate or simply going out of business. Flash forward to now, when websites galore chronicle new beers and tracking beer release dates and distribution. You even have beers selling out the day they are released.

I try to point out beers a little easier to get your hands on to try each week, but in looking at my notes, I have more beers to mention than weeks left in the year. So here are just released or soon to be released California brewed beers that will be waiting for you on your favorite beer store’s shelves.

From Novato, California—Moylan’s Brewery, you may know them from White Knuckle and Hopsickle, announces the release of their latest 22oz bomber, Chelsea Moylan’s Porter. This is a rich and robust porter brewed to around the aromas and flavors of espresso coffee malt and Bittersweet chocolate malt. It is named after owner Brendan Moylans’ daughter Chelsea (not the English football club), this is an American-Irish Style Porter that dark beer drinkers will love even though the ABV is a mere 5.0%.

From Paso Robles, California—Firestone Walker Brewing Co. has a six-pack unfiltered wheat beer that will be hitting the market soon. Named Solace, this brew will clock in just under 5.0% ABV and be one of the lighter offerings from the brewers in Paso Robles. Fans of their dark beer should not worry. They are also bottling Parabola, their dark as night beauty that should tide you over until Firestone 14 in the fall.

From Chico, California—Sierra Nevada is doing a special series of beers brewed with great beer pioneers that kicks off with what I am calling Sierra # 1. It is a stout that is collaboration between Fritz Maytag from Anchor and Ken Grossman at Sierra Nevada. It will be released in mid-March and will be followed by a lager brewed with Charlie Papazian and Fred Eckhardt.

From San Diego, California—Karl Strauss not only has the next 10 months of special on tap beers scheduled. March is a Scottish Ale. They also are releasing their 21st Anniversary Ale. They describe it as “…a Belgian Strong Ale brewed with juice from old vine Zinfandel grapes. This original brew features a blend of bold malt flavors, subtle red wine notes and a hint of vanilla oakiness.”

Your Homework is to sign in to your Facebook page and search for your local craft beer bar or favorite brewery and become their friend or their fan or join their group. This seems to be the best way to get updates on new releases or beers that will be pouring shortly or if they have the latest, hip food truck out in front and the line isn’t a mile long. And if you can read Twitter-ese (I can’t), you can get a keg full of information there as well.

Find more of Sean Inman’s writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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Sean Inman

Find more of Sean Inman's writing on his blog, Beer Search Party.

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