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Natalie and Vinny Cilurzo discuss the We Love LA wildfire relief collab beer, with Leah Scurto from PizzaLeah who is sitting in for Herlinda Heras on Brew Ha Ha with Steve Jaxon today. Andy Link will also join us on the phone from Common Space Brewery in Los Angeles.
Herlinda Calling from England
First, Herlinda Heras calls in from England where it is 1:00 in the morning. Herlinda was on this episode last year about the 2024 edition. She is there for her eleventh year judging the British Pie Awards in Melton Mowbray, about a four-hour train ride north of London. There are 26 categories of pies and all but one are savory pies like fish pie, steak and kidney pie, cold pork pie and many more. This year there 879 pies and 167 judges. Herlinda was the only American judge and she even got an interview on the BBC. They judge in an 800-year-old former church. The English tradition of savory pies extends even to football, rugby and cricket clubs, which have their own team pies. As we would get a hot dog and a beer at a baseball game, they will get a hand pie and a beer for their day at the stadium or grounds.
Russian River Brewing Co. is open in Santa Rosa on 4th St. and at their big Windsor location. Visit their website for up-to-date hours, menus, beers and more.
Herlinda judged the steak and ale category which alone had 67 pies. There is even a gluten-free pie and a vegan pie. Shepherd’s pie is different, that has mashed potatoes on it. These pies have to have a full crust on top and bottom. Appearance is important so the pies are decorated on top. The first thing they look for is a soggy bottom, which is a quick DQ.
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The LA fire relief beer “We Love LA”
The folks at Common Space Brewery in LA have spearheaded this, the same way that Russian River Brewing Co. helped organize the Sonoma Pride fund-raising campaign after the 2017 fires. There are about 200 breweries that have so far collected pledges for almost $300,000. There is no beer style requirement, so the breweries can make whatever style is convenient for them. So RRBC is making a West Coast Pils, a style that Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles developed. Vinny describes the West Coast Pils as having a light body like a Pilsner but it is more heavily hopped like the IPAs. They used Adena hops, “on the hot side” then later it is dry hopped with Tangier and Nectaron, that gives it the big aroma. All the proceeds will go to the United Way of Los Angeles.
Andy Link from Common Space Brewery joins the show on the phone to describe the collaboration in the LA area and around California.