Watch beer brewed in L.A. traffic in the new 'That's Odd, Let's Drink It' web series

Watch beer brewed in L.A. traffic in the new ‘That’s Odd, Let’s Drink It’ web series

By John Verive

Oct. 27, 2015 10:10 AM PT

In “That’s Odd, Let’s Drink It,” a web series premiering Wednesday on FirstWeFeast.com, one of craft beer’s most compelling personalities teams up with celebrity guests to brew some crazy beers.

The show is centered around Sam Calagione, founder of Delaware’s Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. Calagione opened the Dogfish Head brewpub in 1995, and is known for his “off-centered” ales brewed with unique ingredients and for his frequent collaborations with artists and musicians.

The new web series combines Calagione’s love of uncommon additives with his collaborative spirit to create a six-pack’s worth of brews tailored to the palates and personalities of the celebrity guests. Guests for the six-episode run include names such as Mario Batali and basketball superstar Chris Bosh, with the latter episode shot in Los Angeles.

>> Your guide to craft beer in L.A.

Calagione said Bosh was already a craft beer fan and home brewer before he teamed up with the Dogfish Head brewer.

“Chris grew up in Texas and lives in L.A.,” Calagione said. “He loves BBQ and he loves stouts.”

To combine a couple of L.A. and Texas elements, Calagione rigged up a miniature brewing system in the back of a stretch Hummer limousine, so he could literally brew beer in traffic. It doesn’t get much more L.A. than that. Then the two headed to Bludso’s Bar & Que to chat with Kevin Bludso and devise a way to use Bludso’s special brisket rub in the beer.

“Brewing is well suited to the visual medium,” Calagione said about making a beer TV show -- and he’s speaking from experience. Dogfish Head was the center of the “Brew Masters” show on Discovery Channel in 2010. Five episodes of that show aired before the plug was pulled by the cable outlet.

The new series is a joint venture with the Complex Media Network, and its primary goal, as Calagione put it, is “to show the growing community of people just now getting into beer that beer is more than IPAs. [Beer’s flavor] is only limited by the brewer’s imagination.”

ALSO

Keeping it light: 5 great salad recipes

There’s a chicken finger restaurant opening in Costa Mesa

One of L.A.’s first craft brews is going away, and you can blame the obsession with hops