Pizza and Beer: Los Angeles, California

Pizza and Beer.

I'll say it again, Pizza and Beer.

If those words don't give you a slight tingly feeling, you might be reading the wrong blog.  It is the essence of food pairing.  Not only does one compliment the other, but they work together to create something that neither can accomplish together.

Oggies Special with a Scottish Ale.  Awesomeness achieved!

This place is a little different, the local chain Oggies is primarily known for their pizza, and rightly so.  It's pretty awesome.  But, with the rise of the microbrew revolution, they hit upon a way to separate themselves from other pizza chains in the area.  Most microbreweries focus on their beer and create a menu to compliment.

Oggies kind of flips that around.  The beer stands on it's own, don't get me wrong.  Although it's a pretty standard set of offerings.  There's an hefenweisen, a stout, an amber and, of course, two different IPAs.  I mean you gots to have IPA's especially on this coast.  Each is kind of what you would expect from the style, with one or two slight exceptions, so you're not going to run into a mind-blowing hops and barley related experience.

But remember food pairing.  It's a team effort here and the combined effort is pretty awesome.

California Gold Blonde  Starts with a light, lemony aroma.  Hint of citrusy hops off the top.  It's not the big floral, grapefruit flavor of cascade hops but something lighter with a stronger bitter flavor.  It finishes smooth and is a pretty good light session beer.

Duck Dive Hef:  See above with a fuller, creamier mouthfeel along with a slightly sweeter, spicy taste mixed in.  It really is eerily similar to the point of being almost interchangeable.

Paradise Pale Ale: As expected, it has a Northwest citrus hop aroma.  Cascade hops dominate the flavor profile, without being overpowering.  There are some malty flavors mixed in, but it's a pretty typical pale.

Oggies Tasters Flight

Torry Pines: The aroma is very light, slightly floral, but the flavor is totally different.  It starts out with some port wine and raisin flavors dancing in front of a massive pine and herbal hop background.  It pushes some serious IBU's and if not for the complexity up front, would be enough to knock you off the barstool. Even with the malty sweetness to balance it out, this is a big beer.  

Double Up IPA: This also presents with a very light hop aroma, but it's hiding something under there.  Did I say the other was a bit heavy?  Yeah, this is an atomic hop bomb.  The flavor hits the palate with the subtly and grace of a ballet-dancing elephant.  The flavor is nothing but an explosion of flowery, medicinal hops that run strait to the back of the throat.  As a fan of balanced IPAs, I'm going to pass on this one as it bears too much resemblance to chewing hops resin out of the brewpot.

Sunset Amber: A quick tip for fledgling beer tasters out there; save those massive IPA's for the end of the tasting.  On of those with a high hop bill will carpet bomb your pallet.  Seriously, I think I was still tasting hops when I left the bar.  That being said, I should follow my own advice sometime.  This amber starts with a light fruit aroma. The flavor is warm, hazelnut and malty.   There's decent hop bill with some significant bitterness in the back, but I'm not 100% sure that it wasn't partly because of the previous beer.

McGarveys Scottish Ale: Starts with a caramel and raisin aroma.  It's appropriately malty for the style with lots of caramel and roasted barley flavors with just a little bit of red wine in the back for added complexity.  

Black Magic Stout: This has a nice roasted aroma.  As a dry stout, it lacks the creamy, chocolate flavors of most stouts.  Instead it has lots of black liquorish, herbs medicinal flavors with a bone dry finish.  I'll give it points for it boldness and unique qualities, but its too bitter face inducing for a stout in my opinion.  Those that expect a creamy, sweet stout should probably avoid this one all together.

I've got one, maybe two more stops before the New Year.  Next week, I find myself in the hub city of Indianapolis once again.  Until then, cheers!