Post #10 - Pliny the Elder is overrated

   Beer enthusiasts and adventurers alike swarm to the north bay area a few times a year in search of one single beer. It seems crazy, but driving two hours to north bay and waiting in line for just that long is just what some people do to taste Russian River Brewing's Double IPA called Pliny the Elder.

   A rarity, because to attain such a specific type of beer is to brew fresh and enjoy fresh. India Pale Ale's were designed to last for years due to the extra hops added acting as a preservative. But in order for one to enjoy Pliny the Elder, the brewery itself on their website advises that it should be enjoyed fresh.

   I have tried Pliny, I enjoyed it. From what I remember it was crisp, citrusy, and went down smoothly. I did not wait in line for it and I would never. It's a good beer and just that. The only reason why people wait so long in line is the combination that it is an OKAY beer and is released only a few times to keep the freshness. 

   The beer itself has turned into a novelty item for beer heads all over the bay area. With little nod to how it actually tastes, and if that taste is worth the travel and time to wait.

   I think that it is definitely not worth the wait, but if I saw it at a liquor store I would buy the whole box. Good beer is hard to come by, but not "waiting in line for 2 hours" hard to come by.

   Goodbye, drink responsibly.

Post #9 - What an Arrogant Bastard

   Deep within the early days of my passion for beer, when my brother was in his early 20's and I was just a teenager, one of my favorite brews I was encouraged to try was called Arrogant Bastard. A classic ale out of Stone Brewing just north of San Diego, Cal.
   Being around 17 or 18 years old, my taste was starting to shift. I stopped drinking Dr. Peppers every day and began to like regular black coffee. With this I was able to tolerate more advanced flavor combinations.
    Before I move on, Arrogant Bastard ale isn't a bad beer. I wouldn't be writing about it if I didn't respect it. To me, Arrogant Bastard was basically my first car. It was my 1996 Honda Civic.
    You never asked for the 20 year old car, but you had to deal with the cards life gave you. It stung sometimes. Mostly it felt unnecessary. But other times you enjoyed it and knew that once you could afford it, or once you were old enough, you could appreciate better quality products.
    This was my attitude towards the Arrogant Bastard. I didn't know better, and for an ale it tasted a lot more like a triple IPA. It was dank, harsh, but it conditioned me to appreciate better beer. And in all honesty, for the price, you can't beat it. It is available in almost every convenience store in California and is a benchmark to which I judge most other beer by.
   If you don't like beer, or have never tried it and want to get into craft brews. I recommend having two Arrogant Bastards every weekend for a few weeks. It's not that the beer is so dank and strong that everything afterwards tastes better. It's that it contains all the components necessary for recognizing the spectrum of flavors that are demonstrated with most craft brews today. The hops, the dankness, the malt taste, and the crisp and slightly bitter aftertaste can all be found in an Arrogant Bastard.
For now, this is the end, more to come. Drink responsibly.

Post #8 - San Diego Brews

   It's nearing the end of my blog assignment and what I meant to do this quarter was highlight local breweries around the Bay Area. I did for the most part, but unfortunately this is another post about beer outside of the Bay Area. About 400 miles away, to be more exact.
   I went down to San Diego this past weekend as I am considering transferring to SDSU later this Fall. Of course, as a 21-year-old transfer college student, I had to sample some San Diego brews.
   Taking the advice of my brother, my father and I went to Pure Project, in Mira Mesa, San Diego. It looks like a fairly new building with new and modern designs decorating the inside. After chatting up the UC San Diego student working behind the bar, I started my sampling. First was "Proper," a regular, English style pale ale. Smooth, creamy, zero dankness. This beer was simple but done extremely well. It made me want to jump ahead to the heavier duty drinks.
   The one beer that stood out to me the most was an unfiltered, west coast style IPA. The name was "Fly By."
   For lack-of-better words; holy shit.
   Extremely hoppy and dank, but you didn't get the overwhelming bitter aftertaste. This beer packed quite a punch, but was arguably one of the most crisp and refreshing drinks I've had. Upon the first smell it contained pine, citrus, and marijuana.
   It tasted just how it smelled. Godly.
   When I transfer to San Diego State you will find me at Pure Project.
For now this is the end, more to come. Drink Responsibly.

Post #7 - Don't speak too loud, or too quiet, speakeasy

   San Francisco days, San Francisco nights.
   Nights in the city just haven't been the same since the brewery "Speakeasy" closed it's doors last year. With their grand re-opening this year, I took the opportunity to check out what the new venue had to offer.
   Just north of the Bayview, as you drive up the steep driveway you see the dark warehouse with wooden steps leading up to the entrance, next to the large beer conditioning vats.
   As you walk in you're greeted by the security and an old baby grand piano in the dark corner. A quaint and dimly lit bar awaits.
   Starting with the "Scarlet Red Rye Ale". This deep rust-brass color combined with the amber ale taste made for a very flavorful but mellow start. Excellent taste and would be a good catch-all for any beginner beer drinker.
   Next up was their famous "Double Daddy Double IPA." This beer packed a hell of a punch but only after experiencing the rich flavor of the hoppy highs combined with a deep malt tone.
   Shortly after my brother and I grabbed some cocktails at Holy Water. This blog is not about cocktails as I'm not too big on mixed drinks. But I just had to add that that was probably the best cocktail I've had in my life.
   For now, this is the end.
   Drink Responsibly.

Post #6 - Knee Deep Brewing

   This week I think it's time I showcase one of my favorite microbreweries at the moment. Known for its immature artwork and prominence among beer gardens and bars alike. Out of Auburn, Cal. comes Knee Deep Brewing.
   With names like "Breaking Bud", "Hoptologist", and "Hop-De-Ranged"; combined with the unmistakable artwork, it's nearly impossible not to notice at least one of Knee Deep's brews. My solid go-to on the list of beers has to be the "Hoptologist" double IPA. It's crisp, dank, and a little citric. It's hard-hitting, and does the job ever-so deliciously. Just like any good double IPA. I picked up a bottle of that beer just this past weekend, along with a new brew out of Knee Deep. The Tahoe Deep IPA.
   I went into this purchase not expecting much. I don't usually give into the whole art on the can thing. All I care about is whatever beer is inside. To me, the simplistic artwork on the can smelled of over-hyped hipster praise. This didn't stop me from picking up 64 ounces of it. Man, was I glad I picked up 64 ounces of it.
   For an IPA, it's refreshing, slightly creamy, just a tad dank, and it left a small crisp pine after taste. If I'm at a bar filled with craft brews I have yet to try, and I see this on the menu, I will always start with the Tahoe Deep IPA.
That is all. Drink Responsibly.

Post #5 - San Jose Brew Bike

   What better way to do a beer crawl in downtown San Jose than to travel by bike with all your friends to each location. San Jose Brew Bike offers just that.
   My side job is a Brew Bike tour guide, meaning I steer, while up to 15 people pedal a mechanical tandem bicycle(with an electric motor assist).
   On Sunday, Feb 25, I took out a group of 13 people as we went to Original Gravity, San Pedro Square Market, and ending at 55 South Cocktail bar. My job is to steer the bike with the electric assist motor, make sure the party is safe and not too buzzed, and taking them to wherever their heart desires that involves alcohol.
   More of a novelty for many San Jose visitors, the brew bike is slow and hard to pedal, but with the right friends, is a fun way to better know the downtown layout. And still get you your beer fix.
   Ranging from $25 a person to $35, and tours from two to three hours, there are many choices to choose from.
   To top it all off, every stop thats on the Brew Bike list offers discounts on all their alcohol. Many tourists want to get a wide range of beer and mixed drinks. But I always recommend the breweries as they offer the best discounts(and the better food).
   Most of the places that I try out new beers are recommended to me by people I meet either on the Brew Bike or at any of the stops. I also find a lot of my good food recommendations from people I meet in downtown.
   Could it be the whimsical nature of downtown? Or maybe the alcohol? Maybe its Maybelline, either way, downtown San Jose is open to great conversations and great food and alcohol recommendations.
   While this article didn't quite highlight specific beers, I hope you use this information to go out and find your own favorite spots and talk to people who offer good suggestions.
   Drink responsibly.

Post #4 - Pacific Northwest Brews

   The purpose of this blog is to highlight great beer in the Bay Area. This post is not about great beer in the Bay Area. This post is about great beer in Seattle, Wash.
   This past weekend, in what would've normally involved work and editing, was replaced by a vacation to Seattle. I stayed with my friend who is currently in an internship at Microsoft.
   Luckily for me, my friend recently turned 21. This led to adventures in the international district, Pikes Place, and the University of Washington community.
   The night I'm emphasizing was when we met up with my old coworkers who now attend UW. There were quite a few spots we hit up, so if you're a beer lover and leaving for the pacific northwest soon, pay close attention.
   People who frequent UW's campus know that the most popular form of transportation is done on a bicycle. So what better theme to follow for a campus brewery than a bike themed brewery. Peddler Brewing offered a cozy atmosphere within a cold and dark Seattle night in February.
   Starting with the Pedal Strike pale ale, the dank aroma was hinted with citrus and pine, this combination of hop smell was notably unique to the area in which I tried these brews. For a starter it was strong, but my next two were both IPA's which just enhanced the taste of the non-indian pale ale(IPA stands for indian pale ale).
   My personal favorite from Peddler was their Tropic Thunder IPA. This beer tastes like how a Shocktop should taste. Fruity, tart, thirst quenching. This beer, according to the breweries website, "will hit the spot wherever you take it." The kicker for me was the strong aftertaste. This reminded you that it was an IPA and not sparkling juice.
    More on the list was Stoup Brewing and Holy Mountain Brewing.
For now, this is the end. More to come. Drink Responsibly.