IT is no understatement to say that the election of Donald Trump as US President in 2016 was a transformative event, no matter what point on the political spectrum your views reside.
One of the more radical reactions which gained traction back then was that liberal Californian, a cast-iron Democrat stronghold, should secede from the United States and become an independent nation.
The state clearly has an independent streak, and that's no more evident in the fact that it is home to the largest number of independent breweries in the US, and by some considerable distance. Figures from 2020 show that there are 958 craft breweries in the Golden State, more than double that of second-place New York's 460.
For beer drinkers on this side of the Atlantic, our knowledge of Californian beer probably begins and ends with Sierra Nevada, but a few more have made their way eastwards.
One which has made it across the pond is Bear Republic, taking their name from the animal emblazoned across the state flag.
I picked up a couple of beers from Bear Republic at the Drink Link in Newry, about as far a cry from California as you can get (the surfers of Warrenpoint may beg to differ).
First up was a 6 per cent IPA, which was solidly true to its west coast roots. Having said that, the malt profile is a bit bolder than you would get in a west coast IPA, there's a bit more of a fuller, caramel feel to it than the light touch of a sweet biscuit malt.
There is, though, the characteristic juicy flavours before piney, resiny finish to it all although the bitterness is a tad understated.
Next was another IPA called Thru The Haze, a name which leaves you in no doubt about the look of this beer for a start.
This one is crammed full of fruity flavours, with a host of hops chucked it to produce all manner of citrus and tropical tastes. There's Citra and Galaxy hops, as well as another variety known as Vic Secret, which kind of sounds like a low-budget James Bond.
It clocks in at 6.4 per cent, which is not an insignificant strength, but there's little hint of it as you chug away at a beer with flavours of orange and lemon, all leading to the inevitable description of this beer as highly crushable.
