The 2018 Great American Beer Festival will be held next month from September 20-22, with over 4,000 craft beers from 800-plus breweries. But a separate contest is also being held where pros brew the entries of amateurs who have previously won at an American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned competition. Last year saw 118 entries, and it’s become a popular feature of GABF because this is where you see the next generation of taste and technique.

This year, Riip Beer Company of Huntington Beach will partner with home brewer Thien Le, whom I previously interviewed. With the help of Riip’s Head Brewer, Ian McCall, and Assistant Brewer Danny Priddy, Thein was able to ramp up his recipe for Parts Unknown (6% ABV). Normally, he would just use some Pandan leaves from his Mom’s backyard, but he had to shop at 2 different markets to buy 32 pounds of the sweet-tasting leaves. They also did a cask of Parts Unknown with Guatemala La Base single-origin coffee from @risingtidescoffee. The resulting Pandan Stout is perfectly balanced—you get coconut but not too much, while the Pandan leaves has a vanilla-like sweetness that isn’t too saccharine. Get down to Riip and enjoy Thien’s wonderful creation before it runs out! #BobbyKnowsBeer

Riip Beer Company 17214 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach,  (714)248-6710; www.riipbeer.com

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Last modified: September 7, 2018