LA-beer-week-headerEarlier this month the LA Beer Week committee gathered together and brewed their very own official LA Beer Week beer to serve during the 11-day beer event across Los Angeles and Orange County. The beer is named “L.A.’s Team Beer –Unity” and it’s nearly ready!

Beer History Lesson

The beer is an Imperial California Common style beer, also known as a Steam Beer. The amber lager originated from California during the days of the Gold Rush, when immigrants came to California seeking gold and jobs, which were usually with the railroad companies.

Jeremy Raub, co-founder and brewer at Eagle Rock Brewery explained, “Many immigrants were German, and brought over their German lager yeast strains and brewed what they knew.”

German immigrants weren’t used to the California climate, so they did the best they could with available ingredients in the California heat. What evolved was a lager that is fermented at an ale temperature so you get a beer with more of the fruity esters which is a characteristic of ale.

The California and railroad theme is particularly fitting for LA Beer Week since the huge closing festival will be at the very picturesque and snazzy Union Station in Downtown LA (not to mention terribly convenient for those of us who want to drink and not have to drive).

Sampling Beer Is Fun!

Jeremy let us sample the beer before the completion of fermentation. Since it has a few more days to go, it looked cloudy and bubble-less. It smelled of caramel and had a very strong malt characters. Once it completes fermentation it will be clear, carbonated, and a little less sweet.

Imperial Means Stronger

See You at Union Station!

The event will draw all kinds of brewers, beer geeks and people that are learning about craft beers. Jeremy expressed how the beer community strives to be as inclusive as possible, continually educating those new to craft beer.

When Jeremy first started brewing in Los Angeles, only 9 months ago, he was disappointed to see how small the beer community was in the vast city. “We were really bummed out that L.A. was this wasteland of good beer.” He made it a goal to help turn the city around, and now with the help of a fervently growing beer community, his dream has become very real. “Everything that we all had hoped for, it’s happening right now, and we are a part of it.”

Jeremy has yet to release a finalized list of where the beer will be available, but it will be at locations run by those who helped brew it, including Tony’s Darts Away, Blue Palms Brewhouse, Eagle Rock Brewery’s tap room, and most certainly at LA Beer Week’s Beer Festival at Union Station on October 17. Get your tickets! We’re placing bets on it selling out.

Additional Information
DrinkEatTravel’s coverage of LA Beer Week 2010
http://www.labeerweek.com/