Beach to Brewery Beer + Music Fest

The following is from Karl Strauss Brewing Co. about their annual, not to be missed event.

"Beach to Brewery Beer + Music Fest is set for Saturday May 8, 2010 from 2:00p-7:00p at our Main Brewery in Pacific Beach. We’re celebrating our 21st Anniversary with 21 beers for 21 years. This year marks the 7th year of supporting the local San Diego Surfrider Chapter and we’re looking forward to another sellout event. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information on the beers, the bands, and the bike ride from the beach.

Admission includes a souvenir taster glass and 5 samples. Tickets are $25/pre-sale and $30/at the door. All proceeds go directly to the Surfrider Foundation, San Diego Chapter."

The perfect beer glass?

I don't know, I haven't tried it. Have you?

Stone Oakquinox

What do you get when you combine great craft beer with wood? You get great craft barrel-aged and wood-infused beer. Where can you find nearly 100 of these fine brews from around the country, all in one place, all at one time? Stone Oakquinox! They'll be on tap. They'll be out of the bottle. They'll be awesome! Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 18. Set your watch for 10:00 am. Set your GPS for Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, CA. The festivities will run until exactly 7:19 pm in the evening. You won't want to miss the woody festivities. Click here for all the details, beer list, and to purchase tickets. $35 gets you 10 tasters and a commemorative glass. A Stone Oakquinox t-shirt is available with your ticket for a few dollars more, or you can purchase one at the event. This is an event you won't want to miss. I'll see you there!

Do you suffer from cenosillicaphobia?

If you do, you have a fear of an empty glass.

Beer Delivery

What is a Lambic?

Spontaneously fermenting style of beer brewed from malted barley and unmalted wheat and is unique to Belgium.

Do you drink out of the bottle or a glass?

Now you don't have to choose!

San Diego America's Beer Capital

San Diego Magazine has a nice article in the March issue about the local beer scene. Go pick up a copy, or read the article on their website.

Happy cows come from Oregon

Forget California, I'd join this herd any day! Except for the slaughtering part, of course. Click here if you don't see the video.

Brewing News National IPA Champion

Head Hunter IPA from Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania took top honors at this year's event. This West Coast style IPA from the East Coast beat out 127 other entrants to become the champ. Our local Islander IPA from Coronado Brewing Co. made it to the final 4 where it lost to Head Hunter, which then went on to beat Union Jack by Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in the final round. Maybe Islander will take the crown next year, we'll just have to see. Until then, I will be looking for the reigning champ to give it a try for myself.

Bear Republic Brewing Co.

If you don't know of them already, here is an introduction to a great California brewery. Click here if you don't see the video.

Alpine Great

I love Alpine Beer Co. I believe they have some excellent beer, from their over-the-top Exponential Hoppiness, to what I believe to be the best Red on the market, McIlhenney’s Irish Red. I didn't, however, ever imagine them to be a contender in the sipping beer market. I never dreamed that I would be enjoying a large, full-bodied barleywine with an Alpine label on the bottle. I was wrong! This barleywine isn't just good, it’s “Great”! This big beer clocks in at 14% alcohol, is lightly carbonated, and should be served at room temperature. I am a proponent of a cold beer, and you can certainly drink this one at any temperature you prefer, but at room temperature all of the big, bold flavors come through. After being aged for a year in bourbon barrels, the warm, whiskey notes that this brew has picked up are noticeable and enjoyable. It pours a single-finger head, which quickly dissipates. Hints of sweet raisin and prune fill your mouth, but then trail off to a warm, dry finish. At 14% the alcohol is impossible to hide, but the warmth of it is perfect on a cool, winter night. I give this a solid 4 stars. This beer is very hard to find, but it is well worth the search. If you are looking for a “Great” barleywine, you can’t go wrong with this one!

More Beer Inspiration

Public Service Announcement

Please, don't drink green beer! It isn't supposed to be that color, the color does nothing for the taste, and chances are if the beer can be turned green it was originally extremely light and lacking in any real flavor. Drink what tastes good, but make sure it is a quality, handcrafted brew. Thank you.

Who said that?

"They who drink beer will think beer."
- Washington Irving

Monday

Just another Monday. Here is some inspiration to get you through the week.

Beer Facts

Molson, Inc. is the oldest brewery in North America.

Date Night

My wife and I are still sick and miserable, but date night has rolled around once again. Having 3 kids we are not always able to go out, so we put them to bed and relax in the living room with food, drink, and usually a movie. Tonight is extra special because we are breaking in our brand new (at least to us) couch. We got a great deal on Craigslist for a couch, chair, and ottoman. We couldn't be happier with the set! A date night with my love, great food, and beautiful new furniture. What could be better? How about a bottle of The Reverend from Avery Brewing Co.? Perfect!

Great American Brew Trail

This ought to be good! Click here if you don't see the video.

What do you drink when you are sick?

Usually when you are sick you lose your appetite in general, let alone your appetite for a good beer. For some reason, though, when I am sick I crave a nice barleywine. The rich malt sooths the stomach, while the higher alcohol content dulls the aches and pains. Do you crave something when you are sick, or does the idea of alcohol make you want to run away screaming?

What should I drink?

Babies in bars?

As a father of 3 I found this article on CNN.com interesting. What do you think?

What is Bock?

German word for strong beer. It is a lager, usually dark, made from barley malt that usually displays a malty sweetness and relatively high alcohol content while limiting the presence of hop bitterness. Bock beers are traditionally served in autumn, late winter or spring.

Sweet ride!

Brewing News National IPA Championship

Congratulations to Coronado Brewing Company for advancing to round 5 in the 3rd annual competition with their Islander IPA. They beat out Stone IPA in round 4, and join the "Elite Eight" in the next round. The 128 entries will be narrowed down to a single winner on the 20th of this month in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We'll be rooting for our local boys, and will announce the winner right here!

Hops

K&B Wine Cellar

"Grapes Hops and Fine Food" is the tagline for this Del Cerro liquor store/bistro. When you walk in the door, to the left all you see is floor to ceiling alcohol. With the ceiling reaching 20 feet in some areas, they had to install rolling library ladders to be able to access the "top shelf" liquors. The wine selection is equally amazing. Most importantly, the beer assortment is fantastic. From hard to find vintage rarities to new releases, they are all present and accounted for. Pricing is a bit inconsistent, with some bottles being steals and others far overpriced. My biggest complaint is the lack of marked prices. If I want to buy a bottle of beer, I want either the bottle to be clearly marked or the shelf correctly labeled for the corresponding bottle. Neither is the case here, but with everything else going in their favor I am willing to overlook that. On the right side of the building is the bistro. It is small, intimate, and very laid back. They have a nice rotating tap list, and I decided to try the Full Sail Slipknot IIPA. You can also open and drink any bottle of beer or wine that you purchase from the retail side of the store, so that is a nice option. The food is wonderful. The Artisan Cheese Plate of the Day features a diverse selection of cheeses sure to tickle your palate in one direction or the other. The Lavash, or Armenian flatbread, is delicious. The one I sampled had pancetta, Gruyere, and caramelized onions. A feast for the eyes and stomach! As pleasing as the food and drink was the service. The owner came to the table and asked how the evening was going, if everything was satisfactory, and if there was anything they could improve upon. That is customer service! After dining I picked out a few bottles of beer to take home. When I got to the counter the owner came over to help me check out. I happened to ask him if he had any beer of a specific, rare nature. He said he had plenty, just at another location a mile or so down the road at Keg N Bottle, another one of the several liquor stores he owns. He actually called over to have them hold a couple of bottles for me! He truly went beyond the service level I have come to expect from stores of this nature. A great beer selection, wonderful food, and stellar customer service make this a must for any beer, wine, or fine food connoisseur. Go to http://www.knbwinecellars.com to learn more about them and plan your own visit. You can thank me later!

What is a Lager?

Any beer fermented at low temperatures using bottom fermenting yeast and then stored (lagered) in cool conditions in order to clear away imperfections to ensure a clean taste. Usually golden in color but can be dark.

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Beer Family Tree