Beer of the Week of August 8, 2021

Our Bottlecraft North Park manager, Gene, selects his favorite beer of the week. You can stay up to date on our beer shop favorites through our news feed and also through our Instagram.

1. Burgeon / San Diego Beer News – Cover Story  
   West Coast IPA, 6.8%
     
   In honor of this very publication, Burgeon has thoughtfully brewed a commemorative beer! San Diego Beer News debuted a year ago this week, as did this column – a collaboration of a different sort in its own right. It has been my distinct honor to represent both Bottlecraft on these pages and I look forward to many future editions. Cover Story is a real hop salad, with Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe, Motueka & Cashmere in the mix. This one goes out to our dedicated readers in San Diego and beyond!  

2. Japas – Matsurika Jasmine Pilsner, 5%

   Fernanda, Maira and Yumi of Japas continue to impress with their explorations of classic styles with unorthodox ingredients appended. The Brazilian operation has been sending beers more frequently of late – a boon for those interested in both the South American craft beer scene as well as women-owned breweries. Matsurika is a pilsner brewed with the petals of jasmine, lending subtle floral aromas to a light-bodied lager. Saúde / Kanpai!  

3. Fremont– Rusty Nail  Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout, 12.3%

   Full disclosure: I do not typically care for cinnamon or licorice in beer – yet I adore Rusty Nail. This is a neat trick to pull off – who better than Fremont to achieve it so effortlessly? A massive oatmeal stout base with brewer’s licorice is then aged on cinnamon bark before 15 months’ rest in bourbon barrels, resulting in a brooding beast of a beer. With their signature overlong wax treatments drooping as far as the bottom of the bottle, Fremont’s barrel program and branding are second to none.