Days of the Beer, July 16

The beer for today is Alesmith IPA.

On July 16, 1769, Father Junipero Serra founded the Mission San diego de Alcala, which was the first mission in California. It later evolved into San Diego.

Junipero Serra was a Spanish Franciscan friar who founded 21 missions in upper California. Under his leadership, Mission San Antonio de Padua, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel, Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission San Francisco de Asis, Mission Santa Clara de Asis and Mission San Buenaventura were founded. Many of these missions became the cities in their name, San Francisco, Santa Clara...

Junipero was beatified by Pope JP2 on Sept. 25, 1988.

The San Diego mission is known as California's First Church. In 1773, it was the site of the first Christian burial in Upper California.

Since then, San Diego has become the second largest city in California, and the eighth largest in the U.S. It's the home of AleSmith Brewing Company.

About the beer: AleSmith IPA

Deep golden to light amber color, and a nice off-white head, with good retention when properly served. Starts off with pleasantly strong hop flavors, balanced by a firm malt backdrop, then fades to a dry finish with a lingering hoppiness.

Medium straw color, pale tan head. Rich malty aroma with a HUGE dose of hops. Medium-full body with sweet malty flavors and a delicious abundance of aromatic a bittering hops.

I haven't had this beer, although I think I may have one in the fridge.