AleSmith Old Numbskull Barley Wine

Unfortunately, I forgot to write a review of this one when I drank it, but it was very good. AleSmith has been making some very tasty and creative brews recently and I'm a big fan, this barley wine was no exception.


Here's my Dad tasting it, not sure why he's wearing a I heart NY shirt in LA.

Sonoma Farmhouse Hop Stoopid

I don't know much about the Sonoma Farmhouse brand that Lagunitas created a few years ago, but their motto is "A traditionally brewed non-traditional all-malt ale." I know they've brewed a couple different styles, and I'm assuming this is their hop heavy version. It's a beautifully orange/ambered colored beer, not a lot of head, at least in my pour. The aroma is a pleasant sweet malt with just a hint of hops. The taste is similar to the aroma except with a hint of hops on the front end. But most of the flavor is a mellow malt that's great for sitting back and relaxing with.


Hop Stoopid: ****

Russian River Brewing Co. Blind Pig IPA

What's most impressive about this beer is the way they've managed to mix the malt and hop flavors for a very pleasing result for both tastes. There's a little bit of history behind the name that you can read about on the bottle, little details that I'm always a fan of. This beer tickles your tongue on the front end with hints of the hop flavor. As it hits the back of your tongue the first thing you notice is the malt and grain flavors, which then blend and finish strong with great flowery citrus hops. There's one final kick of bitterness to remind you it's an IPA. Suprisingly, this beer is only 6.1 % alv.



Blind Pig IPA: ****

Angelino Heights, Victorian IPA in the making

I've already finished and tasted my IPA, but I'm a bit behind in posting pictures of the process. So I'm posting some pictures of the 2nd fermentor and the bottling process here, and I'll talk about taste and show you the final brew in the next post.

In other news, I've decided to start calling my pseudo brewery, Angelino Heights, after my neighborhood, and this new brew is aptly being called, the Victorian IPA.

2nd Fermentor






Bottling