beer

Going Back to LA

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It’s cool when I to go to Sweden, cos I get to go home to visit my family, and then I get to go home again when I go back to LA. 

I took the train from Katrineholm to Stockholm and saw this awesome prawn sandwich at the Stockholm Central Station. I felt I didnt have time to stop and get it as I had a connection to go to the airport. As I was sitting on the train waiting for it to depart I got more and more bummed at myself that I didnt stop to get it because it really did look awesome. The first thing I did as I had passed the security check at the airport was to get myself a open face prawn sandwich and a beer!

I had a connection flight in Chicago, they had put up a bunch of Star Spangled Banners in the American Airlines terminal – just in case you forgot which country you’re in!

Wurstkuche Venice

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I had friends in town from Sweden and we went for rattlesnake sausage and beers at Wurstkuche in Venice

Santa Barbara

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We had tickets to go see Friends and Tune-Yards in Santa Barbara, and had planned for a full Sunday of chill with our cameras in Santa Barbara. I had charged my camera battery overnight but after just one shot it ran out of power.

I think it’s something with Santa Barbara, last time I went up I forgot my memory card.
We had a great day anyway and stopped by Santa Barbara Brewing Company for a flight of beers.

Fathers Office

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Ending the work week/year with beer and fries at Fathers Office in Culver City!

Dec 25th, Santa’s Little Helper

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Last beer of the season; Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout from Port Brewing Company, San Marcos, CA.
A super dark beer with pretty high alcohol content; 10%/vol. I could really feel the alcohol in the first few sips but then, the alcohol either got to my head (i.e. I got drunk) or I got used to the taste. Over all, not too impressed, 3 out of 5!

The label says;
Each year Santa works up that famous list. He takes notes of who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. To the nice people he brings good cheer. For the people who have been anything but nice, he loads up on big fat lumps of coal.
Thankfully, Santa knows this one is seriously nice beer. Brewed only once a year since it was first released in 1997, Santa’s Little Helper has been our annual insurance policy against lumps of coal in our stockings.
Each year, we look forward to the release of this beer which signals the impending arrival of the jolly old fat man and his merry band of elves. Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout is all black as Christmas Eve with a decidedly smooth finish. We know you’ll find it the perfect companion for chestnuts roasting by an open fire paired with that lump of coal you will receiving.

Dec 24th, Lump of Coal

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I was excited to open up the Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout from Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
Just what you expect from a Christmas Beer! 5 out of 5!

The label says;
Much More Than ou deserve for Xmas This Year…
Yet another bummed-out holiday? Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout is liquid consolation. It’s a deep, rich sweetly rewarding stout to take the edge off of that grim family gathering, that cheerless annual festival of alienation. This brew is as dark as it gets, as black as the lump of coal you’ll be getting for Christmas. Because, let’s face it, you’ve been pretty bad this year.

Dec 23rd, Santa’s Private Reserve Ale

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I am a huge fan of Rouge so I was happy to unwrap the Santa’s Private Reserve Ale from Rouge Ales, Newport, OR. And it bothers me a little that I only give this one 4 out of 5. I think I had really high expectations. It is a really really really good beer, but taken it is Rouge and a special edition beer, I wanted something extra. It felt a little like this could have been any other of their excellent ales, just packaged in a different bottle. Still an awesome beer that I would drink any day, but I wanted a little more!

The label says;
Reddish-copper color with a roasty, malt flavor and a well balanced, sprucy finish.

Dec 22nd, New Grist Beer

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Beer of the day; New Grist Beer from Lakefront Brewery Inc, Milwaukee WI. Made from sorghum and rice extract. Not good at all! The first DNT (Did Not Finish). Very sweet and no fun. I dont really want to rate this one at all, but it’s a 1 out of 5.

The label says;
A crisp refreshing session beer.

Dec 21st, Christmas Ale

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Anchor, another well known and favorite! Excited to try their holiday beer;  Christmas Ale from Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA, 5 out of 5!

The label says;
This is the thirty-seventh “Our Special Ale” from the brewers at Anchor. It is s old only from early November to mid-January. The Ale’s recipe is different every year, but the intent with which we offer it remains the same: joy and celebration of the newness of life. Since ancient times, trees have symbolized the winter solstice when the earth, with its seasons, appears born anew.

Dec 20th, Ellie’s Brown Ale

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I thought this label was super cheesy and I dont like the logo, but the beer was OK. Ellie’s Brown Ale from Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, CO. 4 out of 5.

The label says;
Named after our beloved chocolate lab, this beautiful, deep russet brew is dominated by a chocolate and brown sugar maltiness with hints of vanilla and nuts, producing a very smooth, well balanced and quaffable brown ale.
Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops, and yeast.