Tags
Blue Palms Brewhouse, Brandy Barrel Aged Barleywine, Brewbies Festival, Coronado Brewing, Ernest's Silky Smooth, Full Suit, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Karl Strauss Changing of the Barrels, Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie, Pizza Port, Pliny the Younger, Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA, Stone Brewing Company, Stone World Bistro and Gardens, Stone's Winter Storm
This weekend, my wife and I met up with some friends in San Diego. My parents still live in San Diego, I am from San Diego. Much love. So we did what any respectable person going to San Diego would do, which is we went to breweries.
First stop, Stone World Bistro and Garden, the mothership of Stone Brewing. Great place, if you have never been. Amazing food. We had hummus with veggies, chicken tikka masala, and wild boar ribs. Delicious. There is a huge garden to check out, and the brewery itself(which I have yet to tour, because I am a moron…they give free beer!), a gift shop, a small bottle shop/growler fill spot(which I have yet to use, because I am a moron…they give you beer to take home!), and generally good times. Because I have had all of the Stone selections on tap, I went elsewhere on my beer journey/new year beers resolution. I believe they have 32 taps, so they have a lot of guest taps. I went with some local San Diego brews. I keep it real.
First up we have this beautiful beer. Coronado Brewing Brandy Barrel Aged Barleywine. OMG alliteration!!! A very nice barleywine. I think this style is the most attractive beer. It looks so good, yet it is lethal. I would date it, but not take it home. Is that creepy? It smells sweet. Smells like oak. I am not sure if it smells like brandy, because honestly I have no idea what brandy smells like. Never had it. But this beer probably smells like brandy. Taste is more of the same. Sweet, oak, some vanilla maybe, and what I assume would be brandy. Pretty boozy at 11%. I am a huge fan of this style. Great for a slightly cool afternoon. I am sure this beast would be amazing with some age. I want it now.
Another local, Pizza Port Ernest’s Silky Smooth. So, here is the story. There are 4 separate Pizza Port locations in Southern California: Carlsbad, Ocean Beach, San Clemente, and Solana Beach. There is also a great bottle shop next to the Carlsbad. They used to be associated with Port Brewing/Lost Abbey, but aren’t anymore. They have great pizza. Each location brews on site and they each brew different beers. They also clean up at the Great American Beer Fest. They don’t suck. The Ernest’s Silky Smooth is brewed at the San Clemente location, which I have been to, and enjoyed greatly.
Another attractive brew. At Stone they called it a sweet stout. Beer advocate calls it an oatmeal stout. Either way, it was good. Smells like roasted malt, a little coffee too. It is creamy and pretty heavily carbonated. Tastes fairly sweet, oatmeal, coffee, vanilla, roasted malts, bitter chocolate. Really smooth and drinkable.
So, we home. Took a nap. Dreamed about beer. Like seriously, I did. Then, we out with my parents to Karl Strauss Brewing Company. They have several restaurants in San Diego. I am not a biggest fan of their beer, although Red Trolley Ale is pretty solid. Mostly, they have great food.
Romaine, gorgonzola, tomato, chorizo, and shrimp with a chili citrus dressing? Ridiculous.
I had one beer, which was Full Suit Belgian Brown Ale. It is decent. Pours a great head. Smells like chocolate and Belgian yeast to me. Had a nice, chocolate and Belgian funk taste. A little thin I think. Decent, but not my favorite and would probably avoid unless the other options were Bud Light and crab juice.
Additionally, some cool San Diego beer events if you are into that sort of thing. If you aren’t, well, that is stupid.
Karl Strauss Changing of the Barrels-celebrating their 23rd anniversary
Pizza Port’s Brewbies Festival-A benefit event for Keep a Breast. Beer and boobs seem to go together. I don’t mind this.
Stone’s Winter Storm-an all Stone tap takeover of Stone? Nothing but Stone brews on tap, with most taps taken by rare Stone brews. 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout? 2006 Double Bastard aged in Brandy Barrels? Stonewall Ale? Dude.
And a couple close to home.
Blue Palms Brewhouse is still open. Hopefully for good. They have some limited Occupy Blue Palms shirts. I want.
Ladyface Alehouse has a Sierra Nevada take over that sounds solid. I am interested in trying the new Ruthless Rye IPA.
Also, it is beginning to be Pliny the Younger season. Be on the look out in February.
Cheers!