San Fran Recap Part Deux

After finally starting to feel like I escaped wine jail…

our beer adventures felt like they were in full swing. Our second full day in San Francisco was definitely the best. We first visited the much-heralded 21st Amendment. This is a local brewpub (whose beers in cans are available nationally) that produces such beers as Hell or High Watermelon Wheat. Everyone I had talked to recommended this place. I have to say, I was slightly disappointed, which no one is more surprised about than me! Lauren and I split the sampler of the available brews, which included South Park Blonde, Trumer Pils, 5 South American Pale Ale, North Star Red, and Monk’s Blood Belgium Pale Ale. My favorite was definitely the North Star Red (second from left), but the others in the group enjoyed the Monk’s Blood the best. They all tasted OK, just not enough flavor for me. Overall, a little bland. Also, the pale ale could have used more hops. The stout probably had the most flavor but was a little liquidy feeling in my mouth. Not too much else to say about that establishment.

After that disappointment, we decided to try and walk over to another brewpub: The Thirsty Bear. Unfortunately, they were closed. Ugh. But sometimes, as they say, good things come to those who wait. And this was the case on this day because after the Thirsty Bear debaucle, we headed over to a brewpub recommended by our friend Laura‘s brother-in-law. Well, in my personal opinion, this was the highlight of the trip (as far as beer goes anyway)! The name: Magnolia Pub and Brewery. Super, super, super hoppy beers. YES! They offered quite the slathering of hoppy brews on tap as well as a few in cask. Our friend Matt started with the greatest name ever bequethed to a beer: Old Thunderpussy. The pub used to be an erotic store owned by an ex-stripper named Thunderpussy. So, I guess this is a tribute? I hope she knows how good her namesake beer is! It was a very unique brew. It was a barleywine, which is not my favorite syle, but was very good and might push me to drink more barleywines. It had a thick head that extended in a way I’ve never seen down into the liquid.

The next beer I had was quite possibly the finest I have EVER had. This is the only way I know to describe it: open up your Miscrosoft Word or similar program, open a blank document onto the screen, and hold the letter “m” for at least 5 minutes. Now, read what you just wrote.  Getting the picture yet? It’s name? The Promised Land Imperial IPA on cask. Ooo, so this is what Moses in the Bible was searching for for 40 years. I bet this would taste great with manna! Anyway, this thing had a reddish color to it, and added a thick, white, foamy head. It had a slight bitter/sweet aroma, but not as bitter as I thought it would be. However, more than the surprise with the aroma, I had a surprise with the taste, and I’ll tell you why: if you take a peek at the list of beers in the pic I posted above, you can notice that this baby pumped 150 IBU – easily the highest IBU beer I’ve ever drank! So, what surprised me so much about this? That it was super smooth and not too hopped out. I tasted the sweetness and the hops, with some citrus and just a hint of pine, but it was incredibly drinkable. Well, it was drinkable to ME anyway; to others, maybe not so much:

Have I built a tolerance to such things???

Lauren drank a Saison de Lily, which she described to me as very refreshing, and although fruitiness in any beverage is not one of her favorite qualities, she said the fruitiness in this beer was perfect. It tasted a little fruity to me, but I agreed that it was refreshing and actually pretty delicious. For my second beer I had an Imperial Common, which was created jointly by the SF Brewers Guild, whatever that means. Even though it only had 45 IBU it seemed hoppier than the previous beer, and although was good in its own right, was not as drinkable as the other. Lauren didn’t even attempt this one! And lastly, for Lauren’s second beer, she enjoyed a Weekapaug Gruit. Quite honestly, I have no idea what kind of beer this was. I only had one sip (mostly because I was too into my own beers) but I do remember it being thick feeling.

My seemingly fast experience of San Francisco ended quite possibly in the most perfect way: with tasting one of the widely-considered not only best beers in America but one of the best beers in the world: Pliny the Elder. Offered year round, unlike its sibling Pliny the Younger (which is supposed to be even better!), this imperial IPA tasted as good as expected. I sampled this glorious brew at a restaurant later that evening. I knew this may have been my last chance to try it, so when I saw it on the menu my mind was easily made up.

I was slightly upset the waitress decided to poor it for me (don’t mean to sound pompous but she didn’t pour correctly) because not much head was formed. It had a citrus aroma to it, but not too citrusy. The taste was not nearly as hoppy as I thought it would be, and I don’t know how else to describe it other than well-rounded. Sweet, citrusy, piny, and bitter were all present. Almost too drinkable, as I believe I would never have gotten tired of drinking it. It also had almost a creamy mouthfeel with some carbonation. Overall: amazing. This will now be entered into my top ten beers. Now, I just have to figure out how to get it in Boston!

So, my wonderful trip to San Francisco ended, as do all great things. I unfortunately didn’t make it to as many places as I wanted to visit, beer-wise, but I guess that just means I will have to return sooner than later! So my recommendation, go to San Francisco and experience it for yourself if you haven’t already. And if you do, let me know where you go and what you do so I can start planning for next time!

San Fran Recap Part Uno!

What a week in Cali! It’s official, I want to move there! Left Boston and the temp was 25 degrees and snow, arrived to about 50 degree weather.

Amazing. So after we landed, we grabbed the rental car and drove straight to Sonoma for some wine tastings. I’m not going to go all in to that part of the trip, but in case you’re interested you can check out Lauren’s blog, which I highly recommend. Anyways, you don’t want this guy telling you about wine. Look at me, I’m just winging it, obviously!

There were three breweries in the Sonoma area that we considered visiting: Russian River, Bear Republic, and Lagunitas. Unfortunately, they just didn’t work out. Two partial days and one full day was just not enough for all that we wanted to do, especially with all the driving! So, we forwent the breweries for wine and decided to enjoy the beers in the city instead.

Our first day/night in San Francisco was a wash, more or less, due to trouble with the rental car and hotel. We grabbed a quick bite near the hotel then walked over to a local pub named Lefty O’Doul’s. Not a bad little Irish pub. They offered a decent beer selection, but most importantly they offered local beers. Unfortunately, no pictures were taken this night (click on the links to view the beers). I started with a beer from Oregon called Deschutes Inversion IPA. Since it was out of the tap, the head was not fantastic, but it did appear to have a nice rusty color to the brew. It had a strong grapefruit aroma, even noted by one of my peers from across the table. Overall, this is what I would expect from a West Coast IPA. A little more fruity than, say, Harpoon IPA, but smoother and with little carbonation. Very drinkable. Definitely would try this beer again.

My second beer of the night was by a brewery that everyone should know: Anchor Steam. I decided to try their Porter for “dessert” and was not disappointed. This actually was tapped with a mighty head, and was oil-black in appearance. It definitely smelled of mocha, and maybe a bit nutty. The taste was much the same. It also presented a nice bitter taste from the hops, which was both surprising and welcomed. As with porters, the mouthfeel was thick and creamy. Overall, a solid beer. Might be a while until I come back to this one if there are other options, but I wouldn’t turn one down, for sure!

The second day in the city did not allow for much beer drinking. We ventured to a bar that I had really wanted to visit due to their enormous beer list: Monk’s Kettle. We approached the door with a group size of about 10. I began to sweat as I noticed the pint-sizedness (word? – also no pun intended) of the establishment. As the first of our group was turned away, I realized something: this is not a good place to come with a big group. O well, sometimes there are things that are more important than beer. We instead come upon a shady looking bar (one of my favorite qualities in a bar, by the way), named Elbo Room, that was modeled after a “speakeasy” of the twenties. Pretty cool place, but not a great beer list. I settled for an awful beer named Racer 5. Just kidding, one of my favorites. BUT, not a new beer to me, but at least it was local.

Will be back tomorrow with the exciting finale! See what beers our hero will battle next!

Super Beer Part 2

Ok, so Saturday I tried two new beers to tell you about:

The first was produced by one of my old stand-bys: Harpoon. It was their new Belgium Pale Ale. Belgium Pale Ales are more or less new to me in general. From what I have read, Belgium pale ales are different because they have less hops than a normal pale ale or IPA. This beer poured a nice amberish color, maybe a little red in hue. As a Belgium pale ale, it definitely had less hops than the Harpoon IPA, but they were present. They were noted in the smell, which was not strong with a bit of fruitiness, and in the taste, with was light and drinkable. A little bitterness was noted. All and all, a beer I would drink again soon. It is available in the sampler from Harpoon, along with other great Harpoon offerings.

 

My next beer nearly knocked my socks off! My intention was to share it with Lauren, but she fell asleep before I could open it, so I drank it as a “dessert.” The beer’s name was verified with smell after the pop of the bottle cap: Rogue Chocolate Stout. Wow, just wow. An intense chocolate aroma wafted from the bottle, and I knew I made a good choice to open it by myself! It poured a great, thick head, and the beer was dark as night. The first sip was not as chocolatey as the smell led me to believe, but it was delicious. I tasted chocolate and coffee, and was only slightly bitter, as if I was eating a bitter chocolate bar made for baking. The more it warmed, the more chocolatey it became. Just delicious.

Super Beer Part 1

So this past weekend was a great couple of days for beer testing and tasting. Friday, I went and met Lauren at her work (since I had off) in Brookline. Brookline is known for having good beer restaurants. It’s a wonderful thing to have restaurants competing for best beer selection, which is what is going on over there. Good stuff.

Anyway, we went to a restaurant called Craft that had a decent beer selection, but I apparently wasn’t feeling very adventurous as I decided to drink a Victory Hop Devil. If you’ve read my Favorite Beers list, you know this is on there. I couldn’t resist it because it is not often that I come across it outside of the liquor store. It is a very hoppy IPA, but is not too overpowering. I say that, but it does have a way of numbing your tongue due to the bitterness/hoppiness! Just a good all around beer in my opinion.

After we left Craft we trekked on to Publick House. This is a super cozy bar that has a German feel to it. They also happen to offer an incredible beer menu that seems to change every time I go there. This time my eyes led me to a beer I have been hearing about lately. It is a German beer named Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier (felt inspiration from the establishment). From the name you can probably tell it was a hefeweizen, which I have never been a huge fan of unless it is the middle of summer. However, I can see what all the buzz is about! It was light colored beer, orangy-yellow with an intense white colored head. It tasted fruity and malty, with slight carbonation. It had low alcohol content making it VERY drinkable, but they made up for it by giving me a 19 oz glass. Very refreshing, to say the least. The coolest part of the drink was that apparently this brewery claims to be the oldest in the world. Makes you feel like you are drinking history! COOL!

“We” decided after those beers that “we” were tired, so “we” paid the bill and left for home. I kinda wanted one more beer before calling it a night, so I swung by Shaw’s (not a great place to get beer but they usually have a surprisingly half-decent selection) to pick up something new. I chose a beer by: 1) Which I had heard of and 2) Which company I had tried and enjoyed. My decision was Lagunitas Hop Stoopid. Lagunitas makes a great IPA, and this didn’t disappoint in either flavor or hops. It came as a 22 oz bottle, and offered great color (burnt orange) and head (thick and frothy). Not as fruity and citrusy as other ales of similar make, but still piney. It felt kinda thick in my mouth, which was an interesting texture. Not a beer to drink many of due to the intensity, but pretty solid.

Well, that was Friday…I will return tomorrow with a couple more reviews from Saturday. Anyone have any beers they tried this weekend they want to share?

Top 5 Beers to Drink During the Super Bowl

I’m gonna start by getting the possible obvious out of the way here – there will not be any Bud Light or Miller Light on this list. However, like many people, I am prone to drinking a lighter beer if many are going to be had (which I assume will be the case since, if you include the pregame shows, the game, commercials, halftime shows, and excessive postgame shows, the “game” lasts about 5-6 hours). Not only do you have to worry about possible quantity, but also the almost sure fact that there will be an abundance of food involved. This also leads me toward a lighter beer choice.

Thus, a list of recommendations for this “holiday” is in order. Again, this list will lean toward lighter beers (and on the affordable side), so if you want something heavier, sorry. Alright, so on to the list:

1. Victory Prima Pils – I like this beer because it is light, obviously, and easy drinking. Oh, and it tastes amazing. I have enjoyed everything from this company, as a matter of fact.
2. Long Trail Pale Ale – I actually prefer the IPA this company offers, but it can be a bit heavy if you have more than two. This is a bit heavier than the Pils, but has a ton of flavor.
3. Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen – Anyone who has had this knows how drinkable it is. Light, slightly fruity, and easy drinking.
4. Allagash White – Probably one of the best beers/beer companies you can have in general (in the Northeast, anyway). This may be better for a summer beer, but it is so drinkable to me, and I’m ready for summer anyways…
5. Brooklyn Lager – Somewhat heavy, but still equally drinkable. More flavor than some of the other options (and possibly more affaordable).

So, there you go. I would love to hear other opinions. I love choices!

What I Drank This Week

Hey guys. Hope everyone has had a good week so far. I happen to have today off from work – comp. day for working this weekend. I wanted to share a couple of beers I tried this week.

Wednesday, Lauren, a couple of friends and I went out to the movies (Black Swan was surprisingly good and not chick-flicky) then went to a local sports bar for some drinks and game-watching. I experienced a beer that has now entered my Top Ten favorites.

I will get to that in a second, but I started with a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, which is already in my Top Ten. What a great beer. Nice and dark with a solid head upon pour. First sip is SMOOTH. Nice musky/nutty flavor with a slight bitter finish. Great drink to have at the end of the night. I planned to have a second, but something else on the menu caught my eye…

Allagash Tripel. I have had many Allagash brews in my time, and am always pleased. I have found a new love for Tripels. Apparently, triples get their name due to the triple amount of malt. This means that the alcohol content is increased, usually equating to about 9% ABV or more. Allagash happens to be right at 9%. The beer was available via draft, so by the time it got to me the head had reduced, so I can’t fairly explain the head, but the color was unique. It was dark gold in appearance, lighter from what I’ve experienced from a tripel, with a sweet aroma. My first thought of the taste was sweetness, as well, but the finish was spicy. I don’t know how else to describe it. I liked the fruitiness of it because it wasn’t too overwhelming. Easy to drink, surprisingly, considering the alcohol content. The price was not cheap, but if you’re only having one or two, even for the cash-strapped, it is worth it. Go out and try this, it is terrific.

I’m going to post again tomorrow about my picks for the Super Bowl (and I don’t mean the teams playing in the game). Have a good weekend!

What Does Wine Enthusiast Know About Beer, Anyways?

Apparently, more than me…much, much more. My Dad sent me an e-mail of Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 25 Beers of 2010, which can be viewed here. What I learned from reading this piece: You and I have a lot of work to do! I believe I have tried about 2-3 of these beers (among them being #1! – I’m cool), and have heard of about 5-10 of the breweries.

The choices I am most interested in trying are the Uinta Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale and the Alaskan Brewing Company Smoked Porter.

The Uinta Cockeyed Cooper Bourbon Barrel Barley Wine Ale intrigues me because I have had barleywine in the past, and had not been a big fan. If you haven’t had one before, it tastes very much like a bourbon (via the barrels it’s aged in – hence the name). Not high on drinkability for me, but maybe my tastes have developed.

The Alaskan Brewing Company Smoked Porter interests me because: 1) I have never heard of this company, and am excited to know that there is civilization up there and 2) Because it sounds like such a unique flavor experience. The article points out that the malts are the component that are smoked. Wonder if it would be good with my favorite food: BBQ? I’m assuming this will pose some difficulty in obtaining, but with a little effort, you never know, right? 

Have you had any of these? Which do you want to try? I can’t wait to try some of these and review them with you. Thanks Dad (I know your choice to try is going to be Samuel Smith’s Yorkshire Stingo)!

Why I Feel Special

So there is this fantastic little beer/cheese/bread store in Brookline, MA named Publick House Provisions. I visited the store many-a-time when living over in that area. Anyways, for Christmas Santa* gifted me a great selection of hoppy beers (how does he always know what I like? Always!?) that apparently came from the previously mentioned store and were recommended by one of the clerks.

The day after Christmas I had the first of the gifts: Green Flash West Coast IPA (left). I had never heard of this company, but they are located in San Diego so chances are they know what they are doing. When poured, the first thing I noticed was the huge head on this beer. The aroma was VERY hoppy. My first taste, from what I remember, was full of hops. Almost too many, even for me…almost. Very tasty, and had a sharp finish. Maybe not a good beer to drink many of (although only 7% ABV), but two was perfect.

My second gift was a Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Ale (right) opened a couple days after Christmas. It is actually a combination of three of the brewery’s top beers: Oak-Aged Bigfoot, Celebration Ale, and Pale Ale. This was my first experience with a beer that was corked like champagne (22 oz). Good fun. This beer had medium head, and a very light aroma. For an ale, it was fairly dark colored. It was a very easy drinking beer. Sweet, but at the same time hoppy.

My third and last present was a Wachusett Larry Imperial IPA (left) that I enjoyed last night. Funny name, perfect beer. It was apparently first brewed for a competition held at Publick House Provisions and was received so well they kept brewing it. I really enjoyed this one. Not huge head, but what a fantastic smell. Piney, citrusy, maybe even a little caramel, but not too hoppy and over-powering – although for my tastes more hops would have been acceptable! The flavor had some nice sweetness to it (one of my new favorite flavor traits), but also had a decent amount of hops. I’ll admit, I probably could have had more than just the one bottle (22 oz). Too easy to drink!

As with all good stories, this story, too, has it’s ups and downs. I have recently been informed that Publick House Provisions has closed. Who knows, maybe I will be the last person to have ever drank this beer (by the way, this is why I feel special). At least I can say I enjoyed it to the fullest. I’m not much for eulogies, so that’s about the best you’re gonna get from me! Guess I won’t be moving back to the Brookline area!

*I should probably point out that the role of Santa in this story is being played by my fiancé, Lauren.