So. California Brewing Company Screaming Lobster Lager
So. Cal's Screaming Lobster is brewed with 4 different two
row pale malts. Eighty-five percent of the total malts used are pale and
fourteen percent are Munich and other body malts that provide the beer's
sweet character. The last percent is a combination of roasted malts, giving
it its golden color. So. Cal. Brewing Co. hops this one at the beginning
of the boil and 45 min. into it with Northern Bavarian Hersbrucker hops.
This clean lager is mashed using graduated step methods and the finished,
unpasteurized product is naturally carbonated. Not unlike most screaming
lobsters, this one spends a bit of time in a large stainless steel tank.
It's actually also being "cooked" as it ferments for 10 days in
temperature controlled tanks before being lagered (conditioned) for 4 weeks.
Look for a sweet, malty, medium-bodied beer. We found the finish dry and
slightly bitter.
So. California Brewing Company Light Blonde Lager
It's the Southern California Brewing Company's intent to brew a premium
craft brewed light lager when it began to develop the recipe for its Southern
California Blonde. Okay, so the labels a bit on the goofy side, but the
the beer itself, which is brewed with all two row pales malted barley, does
in fact have approximately 30% less calories than the rest of the brewery's
product line... which is nice... if you're watching your girlish figure.
It's hopped with Hersbrucker hops two times during the boil in slightly
lesser quantities than what's used in the Screaming Lobster. We found this
light to medium bodied lager clean, crisp and offering a well balanced pale
maltiness and slight hop bitterness. A great summer session beer.
Sweetwater Brewing Company ESB
This award winning ESB took the silver in the English-Style Bitter Category
at the 1997 GABF (Great American Beer Festival), brought home the silver
again at the 1997 World Beer Championships and wrapped it all up nicely
with the Gold in 1998 at the World Beer Cup! We're confident in saying that
it's truly a champion in its style. Note a deep rich copper color in this
medium bodied ale. Look for a predominately English hop nose, that's fairly
subtle and comes out more so in the body. Note some pale malts in the nose.
Here, the brewery uses Centennial, Willamette, and Cascade for flavor and
then Kent Goldings for aroma. We found the complex malt flavor very well
balanced and offering a pleasant hop bitterness. Look for a slightly malty
sweet finish.
Sweetwater Brewing Company Exodus Porter
Sweetwater's Exodus Porter is brewed with 2-row pale, crystal, munich,
and chocolate malts... and just a hint of malted wheat to give this excellent
porter better head retention. The boys at Sweetwater hop it up with both
Goldings and Centennial hops. Despite being quite dark in color, Sweetwater
Exodus Porter has a medium body and a very distinct chocolate character.
We found it very drinkable and hugely flavorful and would recommend drinking
it at room temperature to enjoy it's big roasted profile to the fullest.Click here to close this window.