by Ed Solt
After sitting in bourbon barrels for 11 months, El Segundo Brewing Company was ready to release a special version of its Standard Crude Imperial Stout. Primarily known for its award-winning IPA’s, every winter ESBC brews a few small batch, particularly potent beers. ESBC founder Rob Croxall also decided to take on something ESBC has never before brewed, a barley wine.
“It was a total crapshoot,” Croxall said. “Especially because we chose not to have a pilot batch. It makes things fun. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, that’s all right too.”
With a snippet of the barrel bourbon flavor, Barrel Aged Standard Crude Imperial Stout is an orgy of dark fruits, cola, vanilla, and chocolate, while the malt flavor lingers throughout the tasting experience. Croxall first thought the barrel-aged take on the proven ESBC beer would be easily the better of the two.
“We are stoked on the Barrel Aged Standard Crude, but we were more stoked on how our barley wine, Old Jetty turned out,” he said. “With a 12.3% ABV, putting us in the wine ABV, everything that goes into a barley wine is bigger — a lot more ingredients, a longer time, more sugar.”
The Old Jetty flavor profile has moderate notes of bourbon and oak over a lightly sweet, toffee, caramel base.
Croxall said that “it is an amazing beer,” something he never says about his own beer.
“It’s nice to step away from the production of, say, Passionate Dog, and reconnect with why I began and love brewing,” he said. “We’re the only local brewery who’s got a barley wine out right now.”
Small batch means ESBC only brewed 180 barrels of Barrel Aged Standard Crude Imperial Stout and 80 barrels of Barrel Aged Old Jetty Barley Wine. Both beers are only offered in bottles and on draft at the brewery’s tasting room in El Segundo.
As a testament to how rad and unified our local craft beer scene is, Croxall brought up another recent release from the other side of the South Bay — Strand Brewing Company’s DIPA One.
“I’m always on the look out to see what everybody is brewing,” Croxall said. “It’s pretty cool that the local scene is trying new things.”
One is a part of a chronologically released special series that SBC will offer through 2017.
“Our special release series will showcase the innovation and the imagination of the brewing team,” said Rich Marcello, co-founder of SBC.
Bucking the domination of West Coast IPA scene, One possesses a creamier round flavor with less bitterness. It is categorized as a Northeast style IPA. SBC is one of the first local breweries to brew their take on the new genre.
“One is a Tropical Double India Pale Ale fashioned after the Northeast style of IPA’s that are revitalizing hop-centric beers throughout the country,” he said. “The Strand Brewing team hand selected intensely aromatic hop varietals to create an IPA filled with fruit aromas of mango and papaya.”
To add to the soften rounded mouth feel, One is left unfiltered and pours amber/orange. “One” is dry hopped with El Dorado, Idaho 7, and Jarrylo hops.
“We added an acute tropical fruit aroma without the additional bitterness for a fruit forward nose,” he said.
One has a 9% ABV with a 75 IBU and only comes in 16.9 ounce bottles sold exclusively at SBC’s tasting room in Torrance. Keep your eyes open for Two, scheduled to be released next month.
Hoppy Happenins’
The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild is proud to present the first annual L.A. Beer and Food Festival at the historic Mack Sennett Studios in Silverlake on January 28. Join over 40 independently-owned craft brewers from the Los Angeles County for unlimited tastings of over 100 beers plus complimentary bites from some of our favorite local restaurants and purveyors of fine foods. A series of educational panels discussing beer and food pairings and the art of fermentation will also be on the schedule.
In January, Smog City Brewing Company is releasing their seasonal bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout, Infinite Wishes, as well as The Nothing, both aged for 12 months. The Nothing is a double chocolate imperial stout. From the depths, this beer is loaded with two types of chocolate malt, and is finished on two types of cacao nibs to give a rich and complex chocolate character.
Bill from Zymurgy Brew Works and Tasting Room said, “Come brew the newly released Tiki Hut IPA with Phil Mc Daniel, head brewer at King Harbor Brewing Company on January 18 from 6 to 8 pm. $45 per ticket. Includes four 22 oz bottles of the Tiki Hut IPA you brew this evening (to be picked up at a later date), samples of beer from King Harbor Brewing and Zymurgy Brew Works, and the special opportunity to brew with Phil and learn all things King Harbor Brewing!”
Did you know Naja’s Place Manager Jay Ousten is a “proto-jay” of legendary surfer Mike Purpus. Purpus deemed Ousten as the “hottest up-and-coming surfer in the South Bay.” Naja’s continues their Thursday movie night with “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Rudolph” on December 22. To kill off 2016 properly, “Die Hard” (I and II) is playing December 29. As always, Naja’s will be throwing a kickass New Year’s Eve party.
Absolution Brewing Company is throwing its annual Ugly Sweater Party and Dogmas this Saturday from 5pm to 10pm. Bring in a dog toy for your local shelter and receive two-for-one beer. New on tap is Cardinal Noir, a popular red ale barrel-age in Pinot Noir.
To contribute to the brew of local craft beer culture, email ESolt@easyreadernews.com. ER
