Your Beer Friend

29/01/2024

Vote for Your Beer Friend!

Your Beer Friend: Vote for your favorite beer club!!

05/07/2022

Come eat Oysters with us! This Friday is our Monthly Virtual Beer Tasting for Your Beer Friend club members

25/05/2022

Beer Name: Universal Theory Of Reality

Beer Style: Hazy Double IPA - 8.2% ABV

Brewery Name:

There's actually a ton of similarity between this beer and the beer posted yesterday (Perpetual Journey). They both came into the office on the same day, so we did a side by side tasting and found a tasty through-line of tropical fruit and booze with a similar full body. And in fact, you an find a lot of similar guava notes when you compare this beer to beer No. 166 (Rolling by Cellador Ales) although this beer contains no actual fruit. Bottle Logic makes provocative beers out of Anaheim, CA. A Hazy Double IPA is no longer considered provocative by anyone in the industry, but at one point it was and Bottle Logic was there to figure out how to do it correctly and how it make it taste good.

Flavor Profile: Tropical Fruit flavor, guava

Palate: Billowing, enveloping, very mild bitterness

24/05/2022

A Saison firmly rooted in West Coast expression.

Beer Name: Perpetual Journey

Beer Style: Saison - 7.0% ABV

Brewery:

This beer has a really great take on Saison. They dialed back the phenolics (yeast-derived spice flavors such as clove, pepper and occasionally band-aid) and really dialed back the esters (yeast-derived fruit flavors such as banana, pear and occasionally nail polish remover). Instead they opted for a slightly cleaner fermentation profile that accentuates some pleasant West Coast dry-hopping. The malt bill is made up of pilsner malt and wheat, both aid in fluffing up the body of the beer and creating excellent foam when poured properly. Urban Roots has a knack for taking classic beer styles, understanding the root concept, then adopting them for modern palates. Many breweries claim that as a core concept and this beer is a good example of that approach.

Flavor profile: Tropical fruit aromas, lemony, faint spice complexity

Palate: Full bodied, aromatic hops, little bitterness

Food Pairings: Bratwurst would be great. Crab cakes would also be great

Saison Day! April 23rd was unofficially declared "Saison Day" by Allagash Brewing

18/05/2022

This beer was naturally carbonated in the can, and as a result, some foaming may (will) occur on opening.

Beer Name: Rolling

Brewery:

Style: Rustic Wild Ale w/ Guavas - 6.0% ABV

This beer was aged on some second used guavas from the Cellador brewhouse and then hit with another dose of fresh guava puree shortly before packaging. And while we wouldn't call this beer a guava-bomb, there is a unique guava profile that does peek through the chipper sourness, and the warmer this beer gets, the more guava one will taste. The acidity is considered "medium" for Cellador, although that may register as "high" for folks who aren't guzzling sour beers every day. I think what we have here is an excellent champagne replacement: the bubbles are pleasant and plentiful, there's natural acidity, and nuanced fruit flavor. My hope is that one time this month you'll have a reason to drink champagne and you can pop this can instead.

Flavor profile: Mild guava, strawberry, green apple

Palate: Medium to high acidity, effervescent

Food pairing: Try it with fried chicken at a picnic. The bubbles and acid will help cut through the fat.

Oak Barrel Aged: This was aged in oak barrels, as all Cellador beers are.

Box. 20 NO. 166

16/05/2022

Philisophical Q: Is this "craft beer"? Is "craft" based on the brewery of the beer?

Beer Name: Buenaveza

Brewery:

Style: Lager with Salt and Lime - 4.7% ABV

When Stone Brewing first opened in 1996, they had a tagline: "Fizzy Yellow Beer is For Wussies." They had a whole marketing campaign around it. There were t-shirts and bumper stickers and hats all decrying light lager beers and ridiculously referring to people as "wussies". This beer is a testament to how far Stone has come from their original marketing view that craft beer is only supposed to be high alcohol, bitter, and brash (that also goes for the majority of craft beer). This beer is fizzy, it's light, and it's totally meant to be enjoyed out of a 12 oz can (it's fine in a glass, it just has no head retention). The lime and the salt balance is a personal choice. It could be just right, not enough, or even too much (although, for those people, I suspect any amount of salt and lime would qualify as too much). I think this beer strikes a great balance, but if you want to add some fresh lime to it, that option is available. This is a great pick from the 8th largest craft brewery in the US to have on hand in your fridge this summer.

Flavor Profile: Beachfront vacation rental with good friends and blue skies.

Palate: Bone dry. Briny. Thirst quenching.

Serving suggestion. Drink from the can. Ice cold.

26/04/2022

OEC means “Ordinem Ecentrici Coctores” which translates to
“Order of the Eccentric Cooks”. And yes, it’s meant to be silly.

Beer Name: Biere de Garde
Brewery:
Beer Style: Biere de Garde - 6.0% ABV

Routinely renowned as one of the most innovative brewers in the US, OEC has built a cult-like following among beer insiders. They don’t mess around with Milkshake IPAs or smoothie beers, their innovation takes the form of all open-fermented esoteric brews, like this perfect interpretation of Biere de Garde, a historic beer style that is often overlooked because of its amorphous background. Biere de Garde falls into the “Farmhouse Ale” category (which is a catchall of beers from the Belgian and French farmlands that can be golden, amber, or brown in color, can use any number of adjunct grains, and can have anywhere from 4-9% ABV). This example we have takes the classical malt-forward approach by using an infusion mash, a process that creates astounding malt complexity. They also go with all French hops which are spicy and herbal. And of course, it has been aged in oak. Look for soft carbonation, round malt sweetness, and a beautiful subtle complexity. Pair with Julia Child’s Coq au Vin.

Box. 19 - NO. 158

20/04/2022

There's no better Dopplebock in the USA.

Beer Name: Mediator
Brewery Name: (Heater Allen Brewing)
Beer Style: Dopplebock - 8.75% ABV

What did you give up for Lent? I bet it’s not beer, but if it is, then maybe you can get a special dispensation from your local cleric to drink this Doppelbock. Just tell your pastor that Doppelbock was invented by the German Paulaner monks who would fast for the entirety of Lent and drink their beer (Salvator) as their sole form of sustenance. Doppelbock is a high abv lager with mountains of carbo-loaded complexity making it the equivalent of liquid bread. The tradition started in the 1600’s inside the walls of the monastery and became available to the general public in Munich shortly thereafter. Technically, this is a lager, a dark, very strong lager with cavernous malt richness and lingering booziness. I’ll just go ahead and imagine what it would feel like to drink this on an empty stomach. Instead, I’ll be sharing the can and pairing it with a meat & cheese plate of Ossau Iraty, dried cherries, candied pecans and cured chorizo.

Flavor Profile: Chestnuts, toffee, cocoa, almost wine-like

Palate: Bracing at first then decadent and smooth

Food Pairing: Meats, cheeses, or even rich desserts

Other Dopplebocks: Salavator, Celebrator, Gyrator, Troegenator, Schtüpulator

Box 19 - NO. 160

18/04/2022

Diligent note taking during a beer tasting 🤓

Join the club. Link in our bio.

17/04/2022

Created in 2009, Daisy Cutter defined the "Midwestern Pale Ale" category.

Beer Name: Daisy Cutter

Brewery:

Style: Pale Ale - 5.1 % ABV

We got a couple of allocated cases of Daisy Cutter delivered to YBF HQ last week and I was seriously considering just drinking them all myself, but then Cindy said, “Don’t”. This is not a big beer, when it debuted in 2009, it was like a version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with restrained bitterness, and that’s what’s beautiful about it. In fact, that’s the beautiful thing about the Midwest, which is where I’m from. It’s a polite, conversational, and welcoming place. Someone once described to me the 5 levels of Midwestern anger: “Hold your horses”, “For Pete’s Sake”, “Woah, woah, woah”, “Geez Louise”, and “Well, now wait a minute”. This is that beer. At its inception, there was nothing like this available in Illinois that wasn’t from a big name brand that was being imported into the state , so it
immediately became a favorite among insiders in Illinois, along with a shot of Jeppson’s Malört (aka, the “Chicago Handshake”) which, if you don’t know what it is... you should be thankful.

Flavor Profile: Citrusy, pine, mango, little biscuity

Palate: Dry, crushable, restrained bitterness

Food Pairing: Make a Chicago style hot dog at home - believe it or not marthastewart.com has a great video on it

Availability: Common in the Midwest, and exceptionally rare outside there

Box 19 - NO. 157

14/04/2022

Far Field is a relatively new brewery in Los Angeles that's cranking out super dialed-in beers

Beer Name: All Terrain
Brewery: (Far Field Beer Co.)
Beer Style: Cream Ale - 5.0 % ABV

Cream Ale. It’s an ale that drinks like a lager, but let’s be clear, no cream was added to this little freshie. Think of it like an American version of a Kölsch. It’s an indigenous American style that came about in the late 1800’s that was described by frontiersmen as being “Creamy”. And what’s that Far Field? You made this beer even more crushable by adding a bit of flaked corn to the grain bill? Are you trying to get me in trouble... Here’s the trick: as you sit in the yard, knuckle to elbow covered in dirt and scratched from an afternoon of dead-heading your hydrangeas and trimming back that juniper tree that was hanging over your roof, you can only drink one of these. You’re going to want to drink more, and oh, you will, but first you have to light the charcoal and get the chicken that’s been brining out of the fridge. *Cracks open another one*. Yup, that’s the trick.

Flavor Profile: Subtle grainy sweetness, super clean

Palate: Mouthwatering, crisp, round and faintly sweet

Grill Pairing: Grilled pineapple chicken skewers

Other Cream Ales: Spotted Cow, Champagne Velvet, Genessee

Box 19 - NO. 156

11/04/2022

I'm not sitting at a desk in an industrial park in Signal Hill, California. No, I’m thousands of miles away. I’m on a beach.

Beer Name: Piña Gose
Brewery: (To Øl)
Beer Style: Dry-Hopped Gose with Pineapple and Coconut - 5.5%

I’m sharing the shade of this palm tree with a steel-belted cooler that’s packed to the brim with ice that’s melting quickly. But that’s okay, the ice is only keeping the Piña Gose’s cold, and we’re drinking them fast enough that melting ice doesn’t matter. I can’t tell if it’s the sea air, but this beer has just the right amount of salt to replenish the glow I’ve created throwing a frisbee around. And I love how the light tartness makes my mouth water while I crinkle my toes in the dry sand. Maybe we’ll go into town for inner tonight, you know, do some dancing. Ah s**t! Is that the UPS truck that’s here too early... again? No, it’s a whale. Yeah, that’s it... a beautiful whale. Hello, friend!

Flavor Profile: Beautiful blend of piña colada flavors, with fruity dry-hop aromas

Palate: Creamy, light briny salinity, pleasantly tart

History: Gose was invented in Goslar, Germany in the year 1000, ten re-popularized in Berlin by Lothar Goldhahn in the 1980's. To Øl is a provocative Danish brewery founded in 2010.

Box. 19 - Beer No. 161

06/04/2022

100% for Charity, 100% Mosaic Hops. Want to learn more? We'll have a link in our bio that leads to Stand With Ukraine page

Beer Name: IPA for Peace
Brewery:
Beer Style: West-Coast Mosaic IPA - 7.1% ABV

Lots of beer out there. I mean, lots (You can check the link in our bio to find a map of the near 10,000 craft breweries in the US). But here at YBF, we drink beers that have a reason to exist. Extremely well-executed, single-hopped IPAs have a reason to exist. And charity beers also have a reason to exist. So here ya go, 100% of the proceeds of this 100% mosaic beer go to charity.

They’re spreading the donation out to four charities: 1.
2.
3.
4.

Common Space is one of the most forward-thinking
breweries we know of and they’re also insanely technically proficient. Both skills are showcased here with this super classic Mosaic West Coast IPA. Look at it shine

Flavor Profile: Blueberry? Sure! Limey? Yeah! Fruity Pebbles? Maybe!

Palate: Shiny bright, dank, surprisingly mild bitterness

Canned on: 3/22/22 - enjoy by 6/22/22

Box. 19 NO. 159

06/04/2022

Saludos al Cinco de Mayo!
⁠
We're getting ready for Cinco de Mayo!
⁠
If you're interested in private virtual beer tastings, check out the link in our bio to learn more.

28/03/2022

This isn't your Uncle's Monthly Beer Subscription Box.
Join the club. Link in bio.

27/03/2022

Lisa Allen, the head brewer at Heater Allen, makes a perfect pilsner built for classic drinking.

Beer Name: Pils

Style: Czech Style Lager

Brewery Name: Heater Allen

Rick Allen founded the brewery Heater Allen, I know, he’s a guy and this month is all about women, but just give me a minute. Rick’s wife’s maiden name is Heater, so he named the brewery using that name and his last name to form “Heater Allen”. Rick’s daughter, Lisa Allen is their head brewer, and she is certainly both a Heater and an Allen. This is her Pilsner. It’s an absolute bucket list pilsner, based on Pilsner Urquell (of course). It’s very round and very clean, having been lagered for a minimum of 8 weeks. This is what this brewery does. They have a whole “On Lagers” section of their website that describes how and why and to what extent they love lagers. For that matter, they also have a code of conduct section on their website, elucidating how and why and to what extent they are a good and safe workspace for people. A+ all around.

Flavor Profile: Lightly toasted bread, nice little sweetness

Palate: Unfiltered, round, nice fresh hop presence

Food Pairing: Homemade poutine: cheese curds, gravy and air fry some potatoes.

Similar Beers: Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen

Box 18 NO. 150

26/03/2022

Frankly, this black lager is perfect. Clear, crisp, refreshing with subtle dark flavor notes.

Beer Name: Kill the Lights

Beer Style: Black Lager

Brewery: Three Weavers

In an earlier post I mentioned how we ran into a few challenges this month with procuring beer, this is a result of that. We originally had Czech Style Dark Lager from a different brewery, and it just wasn't cutting it. We ditched that beer and we hit up for some beer. The result is this beer. Three Weavers is a woman-owned brewery with a female brewmaster and they make darn good beer.

Box 18 N0. 151

25/03/2022

Beer Name: Rosé It Ain’t So

Beer Style: Rosé-Inspired Kettle Sour - 6.9% ABV

Brewery: Topa-Topa (collab with Wild Fields Brewhouse and Carhartt Winery)

This month was a challenge. We had a few bad beers come in that we just didn't want to include in the box so we had to delay packaging and look for more good beer. For this beer, the distributor got the order wrong, pushing our packaging two days late and, as the distributor pulled up, I was biting my nails that the beer wasn’t gonna be good, but damn, it’s good. Bright, easy drinking, good flavors, pretty color, and it made my day. I hope it makes yours too.

Flavor Profile: Strawberries, candied lemon rind (that's a thing, I swear)

Palate: Yummy, vinous, lightly bracing acidity, clean finish

Food Pairing: Let's picnic! Make a cold fried chicken sandwich and head to the park

Serving Suggestion: Serve cold! That acidity is best when it's ice cold

Box 18 NO. 153

24/03/2022

Dank has become the “umami” of the beer world. It’s that sixth
taste that’s nearly indescribable, but you know it when you find it.

Beer Name: Dank Goodness

Beer Style: West Coast Double IPA

Brewery: Arrow Lodge

There are roundabout ways to describing dank, like comparing it to
wet earth, a musty basement, or a green onion. People also compare it to ma*****na and the signature aroma that it has. However you describe it, brewmaster Amy Heller knows how to create it. This is a poignantly bitter beer. The bitterness creates an appetite for another sip. It also has an effect of cutting through sweet or strong foods. The bitterness may not be for you, but it serves a purpose, and if it isn’t for you, try pairing it with something sweet or strong to help offset the bitterness. Just be cautious, while the bitterness can help offset some flavors, it can also amplify other notes like spicy and piquant flavors causing them to shoot through the roof.

Flavor Profile: Decidedly Dank, clear hop aromas and overripe fruit

Palate: Gorgeous clarity, resiny, resonant bitterness

Cheese Pairing: Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese

Hops: Nelson and Mosaic

Box 18 NO. 154

23/03/2022

An industry-wide collaboration beer with a big goal: a safe and discrimination-free beer industry. Link in our bio to find out more about it.

Beer Name: Brave Noise

Beer Style: Hazy Pale Ale

Brewery: Trademark Brewing

Brave Noise is an industry-wide collaboration where breweries are asked to do three things:
• Brew the beer, a pale ale that uses the same recipe and can artwork.

• Create and publish a code of conduct that states their commitment to making their workspace a safe space and inclusive environment for all types of people, including, but not limited to, women, BIPOC, and the LGTQ+ Community

• Make a donation. As of this writing, there are 246 breweries around the world that have participated.

Trademark Brewing in Long Beach, CA was the most recent brewery available in distribution to participate and they made this beer perfectly. Just a little juicebox of a hazy pale ale.

Flavor Profile: Candied melon (is this a thing?), tropical fruit

Palate: Soft, round beer, with mild bitterness and low carbonation

Editor's Note: This beer is a direct result of the instagram event that happened in May 2021. Good to see actual change come about from social media

22/03/2022

Umi Kumā Lua translates to “12” in Hawaiian, which is
appropriate for this Tiki-Inspired 8.0% IPA that’s celebrating ERB’s 12th anniversary.

Beer Name: Umi Kuma Lua
Brewery:
Beer Style: Tiki-Inspired IPA - 8% ABV

Eagle Rock was one of the first wave of breweries in the country to offer a commercial tasting room and certainly the first brewery to offer a Women’s Beer Forum, a series of events that was dedicated to creating an inclusive and welcome space for women to discuss and enjoy the world of craft beer together, organized by one of their founders, the incomparable, Ting Su. Our founder, Cindy Mooney, was lucky enough to attend many of those meetings as well as speaking at a few of them herself (including a meeting about beer + spirit pairing that I heard was particularly interesting).

Flavor Profile: I wish the tiki flavors were stronger, but Im also glad they're not too strong.

Palate: Still hop-forward with sticky coconut and pineapple rind notes

Food Pairing: Teriyaki plate lunch, spam musubi, mac salad

Serving Suggestions: Let it warm up a bit to start getting the fruit and nutmeg to show more clearly.

Box 18 - NO. 155

21/03/2022

This month, all of the beer in this box comes from breweries that are either owned by a woman or actively employ a female brewer. Women represent 6% of the brewing workforce in America and their presence is growing.

21/03/2022

This month, all of the beer in this box comes from breweries that are either owned by a woman or actively employ a female brewer. Women represent 6% of the brewing workforce in America and their presence is growing. And with that growing presence, more women are able to look across the bar and see a familar face that is welcoming, warm and makes them feel included in the world of craft beer same way that I did (and still do).

17/03/2022

Happy St. Green Beer Day everyone! What’s next for us? Spring beers, then Cinco de Mayo with brewers like and .de.agua.

08/03/2022

Yesterday wasn't Christmas but today is certainly boxing day!

28/02/2022

Rarely seen outside of the Massachusetts area,
we’re very excited to get a drop of this juice.

Beer Name: Sunlight
Brewery:
Beer Style: NEIPA - 6.8%

Vitamin Sea was named Hop Culture’s “Brewery of the Year” when they debuted in 2019 and they quickly built a cult-like following around Massachusetts, with drinkers eager for their heavily-fruited concoctions and, as shown here, their smooth, non-bitter Hazy IPAs. In an interview, Founder of Vitamin Sea, Dio Funari, mentions that texture is the first thing he thinks of that makes a Vitamin Sea beer stand out. His IPAs get their signature velvety mouthfeel because they have an oat content of up to 35% of the malt recipe (most brewers consider 20% high). Oats contribute mouthfeel and body to beer because of their high beta glucan content, a specific form of soluble dietary fiber (which has been linked to numerous health benefits, by the way). WORD TO THE WISE: There is sediment at the bottom.

Flavor Profile: Citrus, tropical fruit, dank mango smoothie

Palate: Velvety, fluffy, juicy, low (to no) bitterness

Music Pairing: Fortunate Youth () - a band who collab'd on this

Hops: Citra, Nelson, and Galaxy

Box 17 NO. 147

25/02/2022

Surprisingly complex, this Baltic Porter is a great closer for these frigid Feb nights.

Beer Name: Geeks of the Industry
Brewery:
Style: Baltic Porter - 7.8% ABV

We’re reaching 10k breweries in the US. Of those, YBF supports breweries that we find alignment with in terms of beer flavor (obviously), but also fair business practices, label (we’ve got a thing for labels), independent ownership, and social justice. Does Urban Roots nail all of those things? Pretty much. To see what I’m talking about, go online and read co-owner Rob Archie’s interviews to get his perspective on employment practices, being black in the beer industry, hospitality, and his love for beer. Or just drink his beer and enjoy that it was brewed by talented beer nerds. They call this beer “Geeks of the Industry” because only geeks care that it was brewed with a lager yeast, making it a Baltic Porter.

Flavor Profile: Mocha, dark coffee beans, burnt toast, earthen

Palate: Think tan head, rich body, lingering finish

Cheese Pairing: Mt. Tam Triple Cream from Cowgirl Creamery

Comparison: We did a Baltic Porter 2 months ago and this one is more luscious.

Box 17 NO. 149

23/02/2022

Be your beer's best friend by using proper glassware. Celebrate your German beer by drinking from this authentic European half liter stein.

21/02/2022

Captain's Log - Day 1095 . . .

Beer Name: Ariana
Brewery:
Beer Style: Can-Conditioned Farmhouse IPA or Dry-Hopped Wild Saison - 7.7% ABV

An angry storm came last night. The rain poured as furiously as the wind blew, and the wind blew furiously. I spent the night on high ground in the cave, dreaming of the last time I laid eyes on another human. To my count it has been three years to the day. Had it not been for the bounty of Ariana beer that I was shipwrecked with, I would not have made it past year one. Daily, I awake to the crack of a new can bursting with memories of fresh cut pineapple, juicy apricot and peach skin. Long ago, I argued with the palm trees about how it shouldn’t be called a Farmhouse IPA. I did not know this would be my desert island beer, but here I am, and I am happy, for each day this beer brings new flavors and new
hope. Now, to fish for lunch.

Flavor Profile: Juicy peach over the sink, dry-hop aromas, hay, dough

Palate: Mild tartness, low carbonation, med+ body

Food Pairing: Wild mahi mahi blackened over coals, oysters

Similar Breweries: Jester King, Oxbow, Sainte Adairius, Hill Farmstead

Box 17 NO. 148

13/02/2022

Anchorage Brewing launched in 2010 and gained
immediate notoriety for their range of super technical beers 🐺🐺🐺

Beer Name: Kindness
Brewery:
Style: Session Hazy IPA - 4.0% ABV

Yes, I did a double-take when I read that ABV. At first I was like... wait, why? Then I drank it and I was like... wait, how? It’s just a darned miracle how some brewers can pack so much flavor into a beer with so few alcohols (and calories for that matter), but leave it to the hop gods at Anchorage Brewing to pack this puppy full of character. One question - What is this rare, mythical Phantasm Powder? In short, it’s an extraction made from Marlborough, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes. In beer, Phantasm Powder helps produce thiols, highly aroma-active compounds that typically come from hops. So look for a blast of pineapple, tropical fruit, and white wine aromas when you pop this Alaskan freshie.

Flavor Profile: White wine, pineapple, tropical fruit 🍍

Palate: Straw colored, med bodied, nearly no bitterness
💡

Event Pairing: Definitely a beer to drink during the Super Bowl 🏈
Hops: 100% Mosaic with Phantasm Powder

Box 17 NO. 146