I Like Your Style

It’s no secret that I am a big fan of beers crafted to a defined style. Be it a classic style like a Helles or lesser known styles like an American Strong Pale Ale (no, it’s not an IPA). Within a short drive of either my residence or place of work, I feel lucky to have several breweries producing beers that are stylistically solid.

Although several may happen to be one-off's or special/seasonal releases, the fact that these breweries are making beers to style is worth mentioning. I appreciate and admire the hard-working brewers that created these amazing beverages.

Currently, at the time of this article’s publication, these are my current stand-outs…

Bottle Logic – Anaheim, CA

Heliosphere (Helles Lager)

Availability: Please check with the brewery

Like father, like son. Yup, that's my pops enjoying his beer. Recently made available on draught at the tasting room, this Helles Lager is amazing! Soft, subtle, and elegant. One of the most difficult styles to create because it is so gentle on the senses, Bottle Logic took the challenge and recreated this old-world beauty perfectly.

Bootlegger’s Brewery – Fullerton, CA

Rocco Red (American Amber/Red Ale)

Availability: Year Round

Bootlegger’s make some unique beers and plenty of one-off’s which are all great in their own right, but nothing stands out more than Rocco Red. This American Amber is layered with citrusy and piny hops on top of a sweet and bready malt backbone. If you’ve ever had their popular Knuckle Sandwich IIPA, it’s as if Rocco Red is a baby version of it. Not as aggressive, but quite flavorful. I like to call it a “juicy” beer.

Tustin Brewing Company – Tustin, CA

Galaxy Hopper (American Strong Pale Ale)

Availability: Specialty every few months

Tustin Brewing Company continues to impress me and I find it disheartening to know that many still do not consider them a great beer producer. Galaxy Hopper is a great example of how remarkable the beers are there. This American Strong Pale Ale showcases Galaxy Hops out of Australia. The best of both IPA and APA (American Pale Ale) -IPA aromatics of immature tropical fruits, an earthy white grape trait, and grassiness; Pale drinkability with a stiff, yet not too sweet, maltiness- all in one satisfying pint.

The Bruery – Placentia, CA

Saison Rue (Saison/Farmhouse Ale)

Availability: Year Round

What can be said about The Bruery that has not been mentioned before? They make some of the most unique and eccentric beers you will ever find in this ever-expanding beer world. Yet behind the veil of powerful spirit barrel-aged beers, puckering wild ales and sours, and unusual creations lays one of their original gems. Saison Rue is a near perfect example of the Saison style. Light tart and funkiness, pepper and spice flavors, refreshing bitterness, plenty of explosive carbonation, and dry. I’ve heard many suggest that this Saison might still fall short of being a proper representation of the style. In my opinion, it’s spot on!

Noble Ale Works – Anaheim, CA

English Bitters

Availability: Please check with the brewery

Noble has established itself as creating some the best IPA’s around with the likes of Tongue Tickles DIPA and I love It! IPA (both are award winners, mind you). However, they are the only brewery around me that constantly makes English style ales accurately. At the moment you can find a few English Bitters in their line-up with The River Thames being especially good.

TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Brea, CA

Dortmunder (Exportbier)

Availability: Please check with the brewery

TAPS has always been known for making solid stylistically accurate beers, and the Dortmunder is no exception. Basically a super-charged Helles, this golden bright beer has just enough malt character to draw you in while the pleasant bitterness keeps you coming back for another sip.

I will focus on other breweries that are not so near me at a later time. For now, check these out when you have a chance! Please visit the brewery’s social media outlets and/or websites for availability.

Cheers!

-Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Certified Cicerone®

Related Articles:

Helles History Lesson

Galaxy Hopper Quick Review

Rocco Red Quick Review

Photo Credits:

Bootlegger's Website

Tustin Brewing Co.'s Facebook

The Bruery Website

Noble Ale Works' Facebook

TAPS Website (Mobile)

The Best of 2013

Now that 2014 is here, we reflect on all the delightful events and/or memories this past year brought us. For me, all the great moments from 2013 revolved around beer. I co-hosted a beer dinner, converted a few non-beer-drinkers or helped kick-start a love for the craft, explored the German state of Bavaria and its many breweries, and it has even brought my father and I closer together. Beer has an awesome power in my life and I’m lucky enough to have had some remarkable beers with some of the best people in the world that I’m proud to call friends and family. If you’re reading this, you are one of them.

Now that the mushy stuff is out I the way, I have made a list of my top 10 beers from this past year. These beers are not necessarily top-rated or highly sought after, rather beers that impressed and/or had a moving effect on me this year in one form or another. Enjoy!

10. Stone Brewing Co. – Dayman Coffee IPA

*In collaboration with Aleman and Two Brothers, Stone created a remarkable beer where hops and coffee had a tug-o-war on your tastebuds.


9. Russian River – Pliny the Younger

*I had Younger for the first time at Russian River and the experience alone was awesome. It’s not the best beer in the world, nor the best IPA style. It was the experience alone that put this beer on my list.

8. Southern Tier Brewing - Crème Brûlée

*Wow! A high ABV sweet stout that actually has flavor notes similar to a Crème Brûlée. I don’t even want to know the calories in one glass of this potent brew...


7. Tustin Brewing Co./Stone Brewing Co. – The Mothership Connection DIPA

*Tustin and Stone collaboration!? Yes, and it was incredible. Mosaic hops took center stage on this clean, crisp, fruity DIPA.


6. Bootlegger’s Brewery – Sour #3

*This Wild Ale was available during the Bootlegger’s 5th Anniversary celebration. I love sours and this one is one of the most puckering beverages I've ever had and I absolutely loved it!


5. Brauerei Spezial - Spezial Rauchbier Märzen

*A hidden gem while visiting the Germany earlier this year. Walking down a common looking street in Bamberg, I stumbled upon the Brauerei Spezial Bierstube. I loved all the Rauchbiers they offered but the Spezial Rauchbier Märzen stood out as one of my favorites of the entire trip!

4. Bottle Logic – Leche M’olé

*A milk stout with cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, coffee, and Ancho/Anaheim chilies. What a medley of flavors!! And they all worked so well together.


3. The Bruery – Melange #1

*A blend of Black Tuesday and Oude Tart. The strong, assertive flavors of the bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Russian Stout (Black Tuesday) are in flawless harmony with the funky, sour, fruity flavors of Oude Tart. The blend sounds strange, but it works. The perfect marriage of strength and finesse.


2. Brouwerij Verhaeghe – Echt Kriekenbire

*Coming from the same producer of Duchesse de Bourgogne (the best Flanders Red, in my opinion), this tart, tangy, funky brew is forever imbedded in my mind as a one of the best I’ve ever had!! Duchesse de Bourgogne is easily interchangeable with this Echt.

1. Noble Ale Works - Naughty Sauce (includes the casked variations such as Naughty Island and White Russian)

*If you have not had this yet, you need to! This beer is almost indescribable and the masses that turn out for each release is quite impressive. Naughty Sauce takes creativity to a new level by creating a coffee milk stout that is golden in color (What?!) that is sweet and flavorful. Arguably, Naughty Sauce was the best beer in Orange County this year.

I'd love to hear what you beers made the most impact on you. Feel free to comment and share. Cheers to all and happy New Year!




-Gilbert "Charlie" Perez, Certified Cicerone®