Tag Archives: IPA

Show 536, July 29, 2023: Brewmaster Bob Brandt – Red Car Brewery and Restaurant, Old Town Torrance

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Bob Brandt of Red Car Brewery and Restaurant

“At Red Car Brewery and Restaurant in Old Town Torrance, the first craft brewery in Torrance, Brewmaster and owner Bob Brandt oversees the brewing of every barrel of Red Car ale enjoyed by their loyal patrons since 2000. From classics to their seasonal offerings, their fun variety of beers are imbued with personality and crafted with care.”

“Red Car beers are quintessentially English. They use English barley, wheat, yeast strains, and hops. In some of their beer styles, they incorporate domestic hops as well. Red Car Brewery’s small brewing system produces 14 kegs per batch — about 220 gallons.”

“Motorman Reserve™ is one of Red Car Brewery’s classic ales. It shows complex flavor in a beer that is deceptively light. Pale Ale, Maris Otter, crystal and chocolate malts all contribute to an ale of modest strength. This ale is a satisfying tribute to the men who drove the thundering Big Red Cars.” Another popular style is there South Bay I.P.A. “It’s a potent combination of alcohol and fresh hop flavors. Remaining true to the style the Red Car Brewery selection is served unfiltered.”

A future segment will highlight the menu at Red Car Brewery & Restaurant. Think Signature Sandwiches, Brewpub Burgers, Fresh Pastas, Chicken Piccata, Woodfired Pizzas and Salads.

Brewmaster Bob Brandt is our guest to tap the keg on all that is Red Car Brewery.

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Show 422, April 24, 2021: Alexandra Nowell, Brewmaster & Partner, Three Weavers Brewing Company Part Two

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“Three Weavers Brewing Company is an independent craft brewery based in Inglewood with a mission to build a positive sense of community through the collective passion for craft beer. Founded by Lynne Weaver in 2013, Three Weavers is one of the largest independent craft breweries in Los Angeles County and currently expanding production and distribution on the West Coast.”

“Three Weavers has debuted the seasonal release of It’s Blursday, a 5.5% ABV Rosé Sour designed for whatever day this is. It’s Blursday is now available at Three Weavers’ Inglewood taproom and at select California beer sellers in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans.”

“In a world where blursday is the norm, Three Weavers could think of nothing better than this tart, fizzy, rosé-inspired beer to enjoy all blursday long. The Three Weavers brewing team combined a lacto souring technique with additions of cranberry, tart cherry, raspberry and passion fruit for their color and tart flavor properties.”

Brewmaster Alexandra Nowell explained, “The healthy additions of fruit purees during fermentation give the beer its deep pink color. Raspberry is a common flavor descriptor of rosé wines, and it builds upon the ester content of the beer. Then we dose in passion fruit because in small amounts, it provides thiol compounds that translate into tropical characters found in wines – and in our beer.”

Other Three Weavers styles discussed are the flagship Expatriate IPA, Light Trails West Coast IPA and Some Dark Hollow Imperial Stout aged in Jameson Casks.

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Show 413, February 20, 2021: Brewmaster Ian McCall, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach Part One

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Ian McCall of Riip Beer Company

Riip Beer Co. is located in Sunset Beach, a historic sub-district of Huntington Beach, California directly on Pacific Coast Highway across the street from the beach & the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. “Riip Beer Company started in 2014 as a Home Brew Operation on a 20 Gallon Brew Sculpture by More Beer in a small garage in Downtown Huntington Beach, California.”

The winning tradition of Riip has continued under the direction of Brewmaster and Director of Brewing Operations, Ian McCall who is a Huntington Beach resident. Ian joined Ripp Beer Co. (a bit over 2 years ago) from Beachwood Brewing where he was lead brewer of their Long Beach facility. At last year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Riip was in the highly exclusive category of most medaled breweries garnering a Gold and two Silvers! 

For this Weekend Riip has a pair of news brews on tap. Playa Nublada: Hazy IPA dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe. Old School Values: a modern take on a classic IPA. Riip “paired classic American hops, Amarillo, Centennial and Zythos with modern kettle and dry hopping processes and the result is rad!”

We’re tapping the keg with Brewmaster Ian McCall.

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Show 412, February 13, 2021: Philip Brandes, Founder, Bravus Brewing Co., Anaheim

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Philip Brandes of Bravus Brewing Company

As Philip Brandes the founder of Bravus Brewing Co. will gladly explain, “Not all non-alcoholic beer is created equal” and he has earned the meaningful accolades to back that statement up.

When beverage enthusiasts want to pass on an alcoholic beer they certainly don’t want to give up the taste of a high quality craft beer and they don’t have to. Bravus’ proprietary brewing process allows them to produce craft beer styles that taste exactly like their alcohol counterparts.

Founded in 2015, Bravus Brewery is the first North American brewery dedicated to non-alcoholic craft beer with their carefully guarded, proprietary brewing process that has the industry wondering how they produce such award -winning beer! (The alcohol is not filtered out as is the standard from other brewers.) Crafted in Anaheim, Bravus was founded as a healthier alternative offering a wide variety of flavors and bold tastes to satisfy just about every beer lover. 

Bravus is currently available in Amber Ale, India Pale Ale (“IPA”), Award Winning Oatmeal Stout, Raspberry Gose, and Blonde Ale. The seasonal style is Peanut Butter Stout. The Bravus Peanut Butter Stout is Philip’s tribute to Belching Beaver Brewing’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout. Bravus’ non-alcoholic craft beers are conveniently available directly from their online store and at Total Wine & More outlets.

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Show 366, March 28, 2020: Green Flash Brewing Co. and Alpine Beer Company with Certified Cicerone and Vice President of Hospitality Dave Adams

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Dave Adams of Green Flash Brewing Company and Alpine Beer CompanyGreen Flash Brewing Co. has been crafting innovative award-winning beers in San Diego since 2002. “We obsess over every detail, because we believe each Green Flash beer should be as remarkable as the last. Green Flash was one of the original breweries in San Diego with a focus on big but approachable beers with tons of flavor and aromas. When the perfect ingredients come together at just the right moment, the result can be magical…a Green Flash.”

“Celebrated by craft beer fanatics as “The Home of Pure Hoppiness,” Alpine Beer Company was established in 1999 by husband and wife team, Pat and Val McIlhenney, with the creation of McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Shawn McIlhenney (Pat & Val’s son) now leads brewing operations in the small town of Alpine, located in the hills at the eastern edge of San Diego County. The brewery includes a tasting room and outdoor beer garden. Just a few blocks away, Alpine beers are on tap at the Alpine Beer Company Pub and served alongside barbecue dishes. In 2014, Alpine Beer Company merged with San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Company, increasing production and distribution of its ales.

Dave Adams, Green Flash Brewing Co’s and Alpine Beer Co’s Vice President of Hospitality and a Certified Cicerone taps the keg for us on both independently-owned craft breweries.

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Show 318, April 6, 2019: Golden Road Brewing’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe

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Adam LevoeThe menu offerings at Golden Road Pub OC are far from the pedestrian. Guest satisfaction is high and repeat business is the norm. Golden Road’s Director of Restaurant Operations, Adam Levoe join us to set the ample table. He started with Golden Road as the chef for the original Atwater Village brewery before their was even a kitchen there.

Look for the Brewer’s Supper Series where Chef Henry Tran gets to strut his culinary stuff with a 3-course, craft beer-paired menu. The next Brewer’s Supper Series is May 14th.

Happy Hour is from 2 to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Special pricing for the craft beers ($4 select Draft Beers) and select menu items (Sliders, Al Pastor Fries, Pub Pretzel and Tacos.)

There are many Vegan options on the appealing menu.

Menu specialties include IPA steamed PEI mussels with Vietnamese sausage, grilled baguette and yuzu beurre blanc; Fried Avocado Taco; Overnight Short Ribs with cornbread, shishito pepper succotash and brown ale demi-glace; and Sesame Crusted Miso-marinated Salmon with cashew green beans, kewpie glaze, Japanese sushi rice and Thai chili oil.

Golden Road Pub OC is enthusiastically both Family and dog friendly.

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Show 318, April 6, 2019: Mark Kamarauskas. General Manager, Golden Road Brewing Part Two

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Mark KamarauskasMark Kamarauskas is the seasoned and vastly experienced General Manager of Golden Road Brewing. He joined Golden Road just under two years ago after 15 years with Chicago’s giant craft beer success story, Goose Island. For most of his tenure there Mark was the Director of Operations. He worked with Goose Island’s founder, John Hall, and also orchestrated the transition after their purchase in 2011 by Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Mark continues with us to discuss the challenges of growing the Golden Road Brewing enterprise while maintaining the product quality and preserving the hard-to-duplicate, entrepreneurial corporate culture. Golden Road Brewing is now part of the Brewers Collective, whose corporate parent is Anheuser-Busch InBev.

Mark also talks about cause marketing and Golden Road’s long history of being part of the communities they serve. Since Heal the Bay IPA was created a portion of its sales are donated to Heal the Bay. The brand new Hazy Heal the Bay will follow the same course.

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Show 276, June 2, 2018: Shawn O’Shaughnessy, GM, Ola Brew, Kailu-Kona, HI

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Shawn O'ShaugnessyThe newest craft brewery on the Big Island of Hawaii is the community focused, Ola Brew. Unusually it was partially crowd-funded to launch and also just completed its 2nd round of crowd-funding to expand brewing capacity and build an on-site kitchen. Ola Brew’s world class beers and ciders are made from island-sourced ingredients.

Think Watermelon IPA and local favorite, White Pineapple Cider.

“Did you know that a) More than half of the tropical fruit grown in Hawai’i falls to the ground and never makes it to market; b) U.S. demand for craft alcohols has doubled in the last 5 years, and c) Most beer and cider consumed in Hawai’i is imported? Our conclusion: it’s time Hawai’i County had its own brewery designed to turn the state’s abundance of produce into revenue for local farmers. And as the experienced beverage entrepreneurs who started Hawaiian Ola, we are the best team to do it.”

Brett Jacobson
CEO, OLA BREW CO.

General Manager Shawn O’Shaughnessy taps the keg for us.

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Show 175, June 11, 2016: Mason Jar Brewing Company, Menifee

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Mason Jar Brewing CompanyOne of the smallest craft breweries participating in the Pechanga Microbrew Festival is Mason Jar Brewing in Menifee founded in 2014. It’s the creation of the determined husband and wife team of Robert Carter and Grace Santiago. They transitioned into becoming a production brewery from their hobby as passionate and award-winning home-brewers.

Husband and wife team, Robert Carter and Grace Santiago, are active and participating residents of Menifee, California. Robert, a home inspector/youth football coach and Grace a local Real Estate agent, have both found their true creative calling in brewing beer.

Their tagline : “Life and beer have one thing in common…Chill for Best Results!”

Now, they have launched their next dream. . . Menifee’s first Craft Brewery! Locally known for their homebrew, Robert and Grace have won 22 medals out of 24 competitions entered over their last two years as home brewers for their delicious traditional and dessert inspired beers.

The most recent medal won as home brewers (2014) was in the fruit beer category at the National Homebrew Competition (NHC). At NHC, they took home a GOLD medal for their dark chocolate, raspberry, coconut stout besting hundreds of competitors.

Robert’s favorite style is Swamp Water. It’s a very unusual black rye Kolsch.

Last year at the Microbrew Fest their Coco Loco attracted long lines until it was gone. It’s a refreshing coconut-lime pale ale.

Currently on tap is their signature IPA. It’s characterized by nice citrus notes, a slightly dry finish and is incredibly tasty! 7.2% ABV and 58 IBU.

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Show 118, April 18, 2015: Left Coast Brewing Co.

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Shawn HadjisShawn Hadjis of Left Coast Brewing Co. (Director of Sales and Marketing) continues.

Left Coast Brewing Co. primarily distributes beer to bars and restaurants in kegs and bottles. The brewery also produces 8 full-time beers for the Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. restaurants. They project to produce 15,000 barrels of beer in 2015.

They also operate a Taproom at The Brewery in San Clemente that is open at night on Weekdays and extended hours on Weekends. All of the year-round styles and the current seasonal beers are available to sample in 5 oz., 10 oz. and 16 oz. pours. All beers are available in half-gallon growlers to go.

Left Coast produces six beers year-round with the flagship beer being Hop Juice Double IPA. The other year-round beers are the Asylum Belgian Style Tripel Ale, Trestles IPA, Voo Doo American Stout, Del Mar St. Dortmunder Style Export Lager and Una Mas Amber Lager. The seasonal beer for Spring is Red Tide Belgian-Style Red Ale.

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