The first time I have DFH Aprihop it was on draft at my local watering hole.  I found the bottle to have a much more pronounced fruity apricot nose.   I find the citrus smell from the hops and the sweet smell from the apricot a very interesting combination in this seasonal release.  Get it […]

After my random poll today at the brewery, I surmised that there are very few of these floating around.  After a long-ass, and hot day, this is perfect.  One of those not-so-big-beers that tastes like a big-ass beer.  Really..how often do you get that.  Too bad we have to wait until next fall to get […]

It was a beautiful day to sit outside, put your feet up and read while sipping a beer by the pool.

A guy at work, said that to me and handed me a bottle of  Michelob Ultra Cactus Lime.  I reluctantly took the bottle, thanked him and told him I would share it with some friends of mine.  If the ingredients were on the label I would expect the first two to be carbonated water and […]

Lona is having a Blind Pig and I’m having a West Coast IPA.

For my after dinner beer I am tying the last of the Samuel Adams Imperial Series, their Imperial Stout.  Of the three (Imperial White, Imperial Bock and the Imperial Stout) I like the stout best.  I kinda figured I would and, whether purposely or subconsciously, I saved it for last.  9.2% Alcohol by Volume.

Relaxing with one of the beers given to be by Ninkasi Brewing when I visited Eugene, Oregon in April.  After sampling many big beers on tap yesterday (Cuvee de Tomme, Older Viscosity, Angels Share (Brandy), 3rd Anniversary IPA,  among others) something like this is nice..very refreshing.  It’s perfect to sip while chatting in the neighbors […]

I was eager to hit the road after a week of playing.  To eager to go home, but I wanted to have time to visit a few breweries before we took off at 4pm.  We said our goodbyes and hit the road.  Snow flurries just east of us detured us from taking the route in […]

Here I was, sitting on the back patio taking a picture of my Hanger 24 IPA..my first pour off the growler that I got from the brewery last weekend….and wouldn’t you know…the dog, eager to play ball, jumped in my beer! For those of you concerned, the dog was able to drink his way out […]

Sierra Nevada and Ken Grossman have joined the party!

The Brett Pack. Vinnie is stuck in traffic, but on his way.

Greg Koch and Stone are on board as well.

Vinnie made it! Natalie’s here too.

my birthday cake

Sage is having an Alt Beer from Hangar 24. excellent on ahot day

9 Downington” Lost Coast “Old Ale” Sat: Coniston Brewery “Old Man Ale” Lagunitas “The Censored” Brouwerij Strubbe “Ichtegem’s Grand Cru” Spezial “Rauchbier” Lager Brouwerij Drie “Fonteinen Oude Geuze” Avery “Out of Bounds” Stout So far, so GOOD!…. –0016362836a03b62e5046a9fb049 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable After recovering from a bout of flu early in the week, I […]

having a fresh Bad Boy from Alpine Beer Co. Thanks to Charles!

Drinking beer brewed a few miles from home. We were lucky enough to get two cases of Goose Island IPA for 20 bucks each a week or so ago. 83 cent bottles of IPA will go nicely over the holiday weekend!

Though I have consumed some of the liquid samples that were stored in my fridge, I still have some.  The whole bottom shelf, the bottom shelf of the door, and now bottles have moved up on to one of the condiment shelves.  I really need to dedicate some time to some spring cleaning; a day…maybe […]

waiting for our tour at dogfish

This is 75 min IPA. It’s a blend of their 60 and 90 min IPA’s. Even better that this particular batch is on cask. Very creamy and a very good East Coast IPA.

Home after a long-ass week, and enjoying a great beer. As I pulled the bottle from the fridge I realized I still hadn’t  posted my pix from my last day in Oregon.  I made time to hit a couple breweries before my flight of flavorless beer.  I hit Hopworks Urban Brewery (we met them when […]

We’re sitting in Church hiding from the heat and enjoying a fresh keg of Drakes 1500 Pale. only 5.5 abv but really hoppy and smooth.

The last load of laundry in drying on the line, the pool has been vacuumed and skimmed, weeds pulled from the back lawn and did a little watering, I even made a trip to the library to drop off and pick up books as well as catch-up on some of my Oregon postings.  Time to […]

Eugene City Brewing is a couple blocks south from Steelhead, and is owned by Rogue.   The place was empty.  Now it was before noon on the Monday after Easter, but still…where was everybody?  They had a large group of taps so I got closer to take a look. Instead of me choosing I told my […]

Everywhere I went I asked my server, or other patrons, where they would recommend I go for my next beer.  My server at Steelhead pointed me to Ninkasi Brewing.  Unlike all the other places I had visited, this was not a brew pub; it was a production brewery only. Their taps for tasting while I […]

While out today I purchase one each of the Samuel Adams Imperial Series.  Today’s sampling was the Imperial White, a wheat ale brewed with spices, which clocks in at 10.3% alc./vol.  wow

Considering that the Oregon brewpub Guide is only ten pages, and that includes the cover and the pull out map, and that McMenamins Pubs covers over two pages front and back, it would seem McMenamins is as common to Oregon as taco shops are to southern California.  McMenamins represents 48 of the 138 listed brewpubs […]

Having had Bend Brewing and Deschutes beers before, I pretty much knew what to expect.  Silver Moon Brewing, on the other hand, was someone I had not heard of.   It was also just a couple of blocks east of Bond and within walking distance. The first thing I noticed was the tight range of alcohol […]

I arrived at Deschutes Brewery yesterday just in time to watch the last of their guests leave and witness them dragging in their  “Beer Tasting” sign. While the rest of my party enjoyed the comfort of a warm dark movie theater, I decided to sit outside in the sun, have a pint and down load […]

My Friday included visits to four brewery/ brewpubs (Bend Brewing, Deschutes Brewery & Public House, Silver Moon Brewing, McMenamins Pub & Brewery) and two watering holes (Summit and Blacksmith). My first stop of the evening was Bend Brewing Company. I had them pour samples of Elk Lake IPA, Outback Old Ale, Axe Head Red, Pinnacle […]

Between Portland and Crescent we had winds, rain, snow, hail, sleet and fog.  We were lucky we didn’t hit any ice coming over the 58.  After 4-hours of crazy weather and car snacks, the pizza and beer tasted awesome.  The beer is a light bodied ale from Cascade Lakes Brewing Company called Rooster Tail Ale.  […]

The last bottle from my case of Sculpin IPA.  Stored in the fridge is has kept very well.  I believe it is from last falls batch when the McNair’s picked it up for me (thanks again McNair’s).  The nose lost a bit of the floral-citrus, but still smells yummy…tastes yummy too.  I hope I don’t […]

At about 2pm yesterday we were told that the 5-gal keg of Ballast Point’s Victory at Sea, which was tapped Friday, was still pouring.  5-hours later it was still on tap…lucky us. Victory at Sea is a coffee vanilla imperial porter.  I enjoy the bottle but prefer it on draft.  Get it when you can. […]

the key to a successful beer fest is a good base. Our choice was Don’s Country Kitchen

Session one of the Belgian Beer Party, at Carlsbad Pizza Port, has already started and I hope to finish this post before the live posts start trickling in.  Beer gathering #2 had some real treats.. First was Surly Brewing Co Oktoberfest beer called Surly Fest Lager. Followed shortly by Weyerbacher Riserva 2008.  Ale with Raspberry […]

mmmm…..yummy

Here it is Friday, and I haven’t even posted pix from last weekend.   It was one hell of a work week and I am looking forward to a great beer weekend.  I have emptied my camera so I am ready…for whatever.  Last Saturday I had two small beer gatherings. The first one was a friends […]

More work at home, a Midnight Sessions next to me and movie called Wassup Rockers on TV in the back ground.

Not quite a full 22oz pour, but still better than a 4oz taster.   I expect to be up late, so I doubt this is my only post for the evening.

…@the Alesmith Dinner at 3rd Corner in Encinitas

Local 2 is brewed with Honey and Citrus Peel. It’s 9% abv. This beer is similar to a Belgian Quad. It’s very effervecent and very clean. This is a very nice beer that will find it’s way into some care packages.