Tags
Eagle Rock Brewery, Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie, Lucky Baldwins. Sierra Nevada Big Foot, Pliny the Elder, Stone Old Guardian, Verdugo Bar, Victory Headwaters Pale Ale
On Monday I went to a local bottle shop to pick up some provisions. Some new, some old. Here are two. There are four more. Suspense ensues.
Yesterday I cracked open a bottle of Pliny the Elder while watching my SDSU Aztecs dominate New Mexico in basketball. It is much sought after but fairly easy to find in bottle and on tap in the Southern California area. It is a great Double IPA and I think the best IPA to introduce someone to the style. It has all the great characteristics of IPA: classic amber look, large head, heavy lacing, great piney smell, piney citrus taste, and incredible clean and more balanced than you would expect. Especially so if your only experiences with IPA are massive west coast style. This is much more drinkable if you are not huge into bitter, hoppy, IPAs. Great beer. I always pick it up when I see it. Well not always, but most always.
Also, Pliny the Elder is a real person too. Like, historical. Not just a silly name. I want to name my first born Pliny. Or Rutherford, after the President. Nevermind. Anyway.
Next up was a new beer for me. Victory Headwaters Pale Ale. I have seen this on shelves for a while, but never picked it up. Now I did.
I didn’t really take any notes on this as a drank it. I also took a picture of it on our dirty as hell table on the patio. That is dust. A lot of dust. But it was a smooth and totally drinkable beer. If you like Pale Ales, this one is hard to beat. And the bottle is pretty. That counts for something I think, especially because of the dust.
I have been alerted to all sorts of fun beer events coming up, so here is the round up. This is mostly for my purposes, so I remember to get my ass out of my apartment. Otherwise, I would just sit around hoping someone texts me.
Stone Brewing is releasing their fantastic Barley Wine, Old Guardian on February 12th. To celebrate, they are having a Vintage Celebration. They have past vintages on tap and in bottles, including the last remaining kegs of 2001 Old Guardian and 2005 Old Guardian aged in Bourbon Barrels and the last case of 1999 Old Guardian. This is so epic, I can’t breath. I have a few vintages of this in the fridge and have had a few more on tap. Always epic.
Lucky Baldwins, my favorite pub, is having a Sierra Nevada Big Foot tasting on January 25th. They have 2001-2010. Big Foot is also a Barley Wine. I have only had the 2011, which was boozy as heck, so trying some older vintages would be great, see how it has mellowed. I have another bottle of 2011 as well. I want it so bad. Lucky Baldwins also has epic apple pie with vanilla custard, in case you were wondering.
Ladyface Ale House is having their 2nd Anniversary. To celebrate they have a week of events January 22nd-28th. Pretty awesome, hope to make it out just to make it out.
Eagle Rock Brewery is also having their 2nd Anniversary party. It will be at Verdugo Bar on January 28th. Probably won’t suck.
My liver hurts.
Cheers!
beerdialogue 