Airdale Brewing Co. The Angry Panda Review

“San Diego Brewery” Airdale, (actually brewed locally in Irvine) recently had to shut down its doors but that doesn’t mean they didn’t make good beer. Early last June, I walked into my local beer store, BottleCraft, looking for something interesting, something new, and really just something delicious. Store owner, Brian, made the great recommendation to try a new Imperial Red that they’d just started carrying called The Angry Panda. I took his suggestion and subsequently fell in love. This is my review.

Brewery: Airdale Brewing Company

Name: The Angry Panda

Style: Imperial Red Ale

ABV: 9%

IBU: 77

Philippe Gagnon is the founder and writer for Craft Beer Culture. Currently residing in Orange County, California, you can find him at the local brewery drinking craft beer or online through Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Iron Fist Brewing Co. Renegade Blonde #299

Brewery: Iron Fist Brewing Company

Name: Renegade Blonde

Style: Kölsch Style Blonde Ale

ABV: 5.2%

Look: Cloudy straw-like color. Highly carbonated creating tons of pIllowy soft white head.

Smell: The yeast aroma hits first, which taste Belgian to me even though it’s labeled as a German Style Kolsch. I could very well be wrong but it’s smells very familiar. Notes of orange and lemon peak through behind a surprisingly noticeable hop bill. Everything sits balanced and appealing, especially perfect for a warm weekend afternoon.

Taste: This beer is both smooth and drinkable without having to sacrifice any flavor which, to me, is the perfect recipe for a delicious blonde. In the flavor, the yeast comes out balanced and mild which lets the fruitiness of the hops come through on the finish. A subtle reminder that this is a beer from a San Diego brewery.

Feel: The mouthfeel is light and crisp with a slight texture created by the yeast. A nice resinous hop character lingers as the beer fades away.

Overall: There isn’t any single thing that stands out in this beer but that’s exactly what makes it so great. Iron Fist’s Brandon Sieminski created a perfect balance of yeast character, pale (maybe pislner) malt, and subtle hop flavor. This is a perfect beer for just about anytime.

Follow my Quest for 366 Beers in 366 Days on Tumblr and Untappd.

Philippe Gagnon is the founder and writer for Craft Beer Culture. Currently residing in Orange County, California, you can find him at the local brewery drinking craft beer or online through Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Zane Lamprey Interview – Part 2: The Career Drinker

Continued from Zane Lamprey Interview – Pt. 1 The Iron Liver

Philippe: We should probably talk a bit about craft beer since that’s what this blog is all about. Would you consider yourself a beer guy? When you find yourself thirsty, what do you drink?

Zane Lamprey: I am a beer guy. I’m definitely a beer guy. I like my cocktails but I’m also really into beer. I haven’t come out with a beer yet because there’s so much good stuff out there already and quite frankly, it’s already made. If I want a good beer, I have a really great selection to pull from. Compare that to what you could find 10 years ago and it’s just amazing. I love the fact that if I wanted to have a different kind of beer every single day, than I could.

Philippe: I’m going to have to take your word on state of the beer scene 10 years ago since I was still only in middle school at the time.

Zane: Well I wasn’t, trust me.

Philippe: Since Three Sheets was based mostly internationally, you must have travelled all over by now right?

Zane: Three Sheet’s is pretty much International while Drinking Made Easy is about North America. Last year, we did the US plus Vancouver and this year we’ll be shooting in three locations in Canada, I think we’re going to Montreal, Quebec, and maybe Ottawa.

Philippe: Ya they’re making some killer beer up there, for example, Unibroue.

Zane: Well there isn’t much to do up there but play hockey and drink beer.

Philippe: Ya well you’re talking to a Canadian so I think you should be careful what you say…

Zane: Listen, I grew up in Syracuse which is even higher than some places in Canada.

Philippe: Well, I think we have a lot in common between beer drinking and hockey. You definitely have an emphasis on craft beer in your show. During one of your earliest episodes, you were in Belgium drinking some really good stuff (looked like Westvleteren 12 to me).

Zane:  That’s when it really happened. That’s when I saw that there was more than just the fizzy yellow stuff. I’m pulling a line from Greg Koch of Stone by the way (of course). That was a real eye opening experience and I’ve learned so much more about Belgian beer consumption since I’ve left. When I was there, it was all too much to take in.

Continue reading »

Zane Lamprey Interview – Part 1: The Iron Liver

When the opportunity came to interview, the man, the legend, the Iron-liver himself, Zane Lamprey, I couldn’t pass it up. Initially, I wasn’t even sure if he liked craft beer but the more I talked with him, the more I saw a true passion for the finer elements of the drinking experience.

In 2006, Zane started his first drinking related TV show called Three Sheets. The premise involves a man who travels the globe imbibing with locals and experiencing their culture, one drink at a time. Think, a version of Anthony Bourdain that drinks a lot. Well, I guess that doesn’t work very well but you get the idea. His current show on HD Net, Drinking Made Easy, explores the local drinking customs throughout North America which has recently seen a heavier emphasis on local craft breweries.

Zane and I discuss everything from his experience working at Foot Locker to drinking Maui Brewing Co.’s Coconut Porter. This first part focuses on the man behind the persona while the second half will take a closer look at his life as a professional drinker. From the fifteen year old boy working at the mall, to the aspiring actor taking any interview he can get. This is Zane Lamprey.

Philippe: Hey Zane, how are you tonight?

Zane Lamprey: I’m doing well, thank you.

Philippe: Sorry to keep you in the office so late. I’m sure you’d rather be somewhere else?

Zane: No, no it’s one of those days. I work long days. We record and put together our podcast on Monday and Tuesday and we release it on Wednesdays so there was a lot of pod casting happening today.

Philippe: Cool, well let’s start out with the basics. What’s in your glass right now? Are you drinking anything?

Zane: I do have a drink, not that I’m always drinking at my desk but we just did the cocktail mixology segment for our podcast so Jacopo Falleni came in and made something with St. Germain, and grapefruit juice. We made a big one as a joke but then he left and the podcast was done so I’m sitting in my office, meeting with one of my producers, and I’m sipping on it thinking to myself ,”wait a minute, why am I sipping on this drink?” Working I guess.

Continue reading »

Lagunitas Brewing Co. Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale Review

Kicking off The Quest for 366 Beers in 366 Days is one great beer. As a big fan of Lagunitas’ Wheat IPA named A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale, I found the “wild version” had that little sumpin’ that really made it stand out from the rest.

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company

Name: Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale

Style: Belgian India Pale Ale

ABV: 9.4%

IBU: 72

The label describes it best.

“Net Contents: 12 fluid oz’s…. of hops, malt, hops, hops, yeast, hops, water, and hops.”

Look: Golden yellow (like many IPA’s). Sticky and resinous with a slightly off-white head that sticks to the side of the glass.

Smell: Blend of belgian funk and lemon with a bit of honey on the finish. Super pungent and full hop aroma.

Taste: Starts out really hoppy and citrusy then bam… that Belgian yeast flavor hits. I actually found this nice and balanced even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the other Belgian IPA that I tried which was Stone’s Belgo IPA. The yeastiness was a bit much for me in that one but Lagunitas hit the spot with the amount of flavor from both the hops and the yeast. The finish is earthy and spicy fading into the taste of Belgian’s finest.

Feel: I wouldn’t call this beer dry but it isn’t particularly resinous either. It has just the right amount of sweetness to help counter the heavy-handed hopping, the high gravity and to ensure that it sticks around on your palate long enough to tease you as you anticipate the next sip. It’s definitely a solid beer and a great example of the “Belgian” IPA style.

Join me on my Quest for 366 Beers in 366 Days on Tumblr and Untappd.

Philippe Gagnon is the founder and writer for Craft Beer Culture. Currently residing in Orange County, California, you can find him at the local brewery drinking craft beer or online through Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

The Quest for 366 Beers in 366 Days

A beer a day keeps the doctor away. At least I think that’s how the saying goes. Over the last 18 months, I’ve been fortunate to explore the many depths of craft beer through beer festivals, tasting events, and trips down the beer aisle. Many were highlights and hardly any were deemed lowlights, although I have been accused of liking every beer that I try.

I’m a beer lover, simple as that. I’m even guilty of drinking a macro now and then. Save your gasp, even though they brew it with rice, the stuff won’t kill you. Trust me.

June 17th 2011. That’s the day I started using Untappd and logging each beer as I tasted it. As a personal goal, I’d like to check in to one unique beer for every day of the year day. The final 3 month stretch is almost here and I want to bring you along for the ride. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be posting pictures and mini reviews on Tumblr as I taste the final 70 beers.

First, will be reviews of beers that have been personal highlights from the past 9 months. That includes the likes of Port Brewing’s Old Viscosity, the now defunct Airdale Brewing’s The Angry Panda, and Lagunitas Brewing’s Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale. After those, expect a consistent flow of new reviews as I get closer to my target number of 366. Follow the journey on Tumblr and Untappd.

Which beers do you think I should try over the next 3 and a half months? Comment on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or even right here and share your recommendations.

Cheers,

Philippe

Philippe Gagnon is the founder and writer for Craft Beer Culture. Currently residing in Orange County, California, you can find him at the local brewery drinking craft beer or online through Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Russian River Brewing Pliny the Elder Review

Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company

Name: Pliny the Elder

Style: Double India Pale Ale

ABV: 8%

IBU: 100

Look: Ultra clear. This beer defines clarity in an IPA as you can literally see your fingers through the side of the glass. Nice bright orange hue and decent hoppy head that foams up than dissipates out slowly.

Smell: Hops… Lots and lots of hops. Hard to smell beyond them as they’re so floral and fragrant. Light notes of grass and lemon. Swirl it around and the earthiness comes out leaving it smelling fresh like the air after heavy rain. Incredibly aromatic.

Taste: Beautifully bitter and perfectly hop forward. This bottle was really fresh so there was hardly any sweetness at all. The citrus notes come through at the end. In a sense, tt doesn’t taste like it smells, which in this case is fine because if you take a big sniff as you sip, you get an aroma explosion that complements the flavor profile nicely.

Feel: My favorite part of Pliny is the mouthfeel. Russian River is definitely using highly attenuative yeast which rips through the sugar leaving the mouthfeel really light with a clean dry finish. This makes this 8% ABV Double IPA, very easy to drink and delectably light on the palate, especially considering the extreme hop bill. Definitely one of my favorite IIPA’s even considering the intense hype.

Follow Craft Beer Culture on Tumblr for more beer reviews like this one.

Philippe Gagnon is the founder and writer for Craft Beer Culture. Currently residing in Orange County, California, you can find him at the local brewery drinking craft beer or online through Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Pliny the Younger Orange County Watch 2012

February is a special time of the year for any beer lover, and no I’m not talking about anything “V related”. Over the span of two weeks, hundreds, if not thousands, of beer enthusiasts line up outside of Russian River Brewing Company with the hope of tasting the all elusive and ever scarce, Pliny the Younger.

Orange County is fortunate enough to be a part of Pliny the Younger’s yearly distribution but that doesn’t mean finding it will be easy or quick. Year after year, craft beer bars experience huge lines of thirsty beer geeks at the slightest mention of “Younger”. This area will be no exception but if you’re willing to brave out the elements (current temperature: 73° and sunny), I’ll do my best to help you find a pour.

Inspired by San Diego Beer Blog’s, Pliny the Younger in San Diego 2012 post, this is Orange County’s guide to finding Pliny the Younger in 2012.

Continue reading »