California Lagers

Party Cup from North Park
Abaddon from Modern Times
Timbo from Highland Park

Those have been my favorite lagers of the quarantine thus far.

 

Casa's living in lightning is a good one and still available for shipping

 

What is it then?

 

It sounds like you didn't try it? There's an entire thread on BA that's discussing it on a nationally/international level. People are very mixed on their opinions on whether they like it, what style of beer it is, etc. https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/sierra-nevada-2020-oktoberfest.638063

For me, it kinda feels closest to a Vienna lager or generic Autumn lager.

 

I'm four bottles into a sixer. The thought never crossed my mind.

 

Grabbed some beers from Smog, and their kellerbier is fucking fantastic. I don't know how true to form it is, seeing as I've only had a few kellers in my life, but it was very crushable

 

This is the exact official style description in the Rind Height Gears Book that they invented beers with, in Germany. Sounds like they nailed it?

 

Cannot abide recommendation for Casa Agria lagers. I was a member last year and tried somewhere between 6-8 of their lagers and they were all terrible into the extremes of not only did they taste bad but they were poorly constructed from bad attenuation, off flavors, and a general significant lack of understanding of the need to use higher quality malts to actually have any decent backbone to the beers. If you like the price range and don't generally drink lagers regularly fine but please don't recommend these as they are terrible representation of lager.

Moonlight and Enegren are the story of lager in California for top level execution. Moonlight skewing more Czech and Enegren solidly covering German variants. From there both Highland Park and Green Cheek put out good and great lagers with a defined preference in Italian style dry hopped lagers. Down south Bagby's more than earns their reputation on solid output of all classic styles including lagers. Across the board Urban Roots has demonstrated probably the largest upstart brewery surprise performances by executing one of the best Czech pilsner currently on the shelf as well has solid west coast, and a range of other really well made beer. Others to mention would be Brewery X and Gamecraft both have had reliably nice lagers with a few more misses on average but likely to improve with time.The Bruery cans both a nice Helles and Pils that are very well done and affordable for those looking.

Breaking the rule of the topic guidelines slightly I will still have to heavily recommend also picking up both Wayfinder and Heater Allen as you will pay a slight premium for them being from Oregon and distribution cost added but Scott from Windsor Homebrew gets them (both locations) very fresh and both will easily be some of the best lager in the nation hands down.

 

If you haven't tried any lagers from Eppig, you should. They are every bit as good as Enegren to me.

 

I agree with both of the above. Moonlight, Enegren, and Eppig kill the traditional lager game in California. I've got some Urban Roots in the fridge that I'm looking forward to cracking into tonight and tomorrow

 

I think SARA kills it as well when they brew them. Sadly not all the time.

 

I'll also recommend Green Cheek for lagers. A friend who used to brew lagers exclusively loves Wiens Deadpan Pils. I think it's OK. I highly recommend the pils at Austin Beer Garden!

 

Had the Enegren Imperial Pilsner...solid. Super drinkable. Nice malt backbone. Medium light body. Biscuit bready goodness. Delightful

 

I just saw Beachwood HB has their weizenbock barrel aged on tap. Has anybody had it?

 

This guy lagers.

Does Moonlight see good distribution in the LA area? I've been very happy with Enegren and would like to try Moonlight if they're on the same level.