Beer Aficionados?

[Dino Brown]

Originally Posted by jasonmason

Welcome! Nice to see another beer advocate her on STR...

Stone 11th has definitely been a big hit around here (except for allison, who for some strange reason doesn't like hops...), and alot of us seem to be hop heads. Things like Stone IPA, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Racer 5, all tend to be favorite post-ride beers...as we speak i'm sipping a Stone 11th anniversary! Tough to say what all my favorites are - i did have a great porter last week from FiftyFifty brewing up in Truckee last weekend...

Are you heading to the strong ale festival this weekend at pizza port in carlsbad? If you've never been before I'd highly recommend it - 40+ beers, all over 8%, for 12+ hours, with all kinds of beer advocates hanging out, pouring, and enjoying goodness...mmm...wish i could make it...

Strong Ale Festival? I told you JasonMason was a PIMP!
Join us at ROSCOE'S (post Fully Ride) for a TRUE education on beer!!! We should call him "The Professor."

Paging Mr. Master... Mr. Brew-Master! Grab a chair, it's gonna get good!

[katonk]

Originally Posted by CPATCRASH

Have any of you been here? Weird hours but great beers in bottles and on tap.

http://hollingshead4beer.com/Home.html

This place is KILLER. I can't remember the owner's name, but he is super cool. Last time I was there they had a great selection of Drake's and Belgium brews. I'm not really into German beer, but if you are this is the place to go.

Sadly, they're never open when I can go there anymore.

[BrewMaster]

Welcome. As jasonmason said, its good to see another beer lover here.

Too many favorites to pick just one. I've been really into sour Belgian beers lately. It's an acquired taste for me as I used to hate them and anything else sour.

Here are my top 11 readily available beers. By readily available I mean they are not one-off special releases, you can find some or most of these at a good beer shop or even BevMo.

Why 11? Because it's louder than 10...

1. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock - Brauerei Heller-Trum , Bamberg, Germany

2. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen - Brauerei Heller-Trum, Bamberg, Germany

3. AleSmith IPA - AleSmith Brewing Company , California

4. Bender - Surly Brewing Company, Minnesota

5. St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV, Belgium

6. Stone Imperial Russian Stout - Stone Brewing Co., California

7. Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Impériale Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs s.a., Belgium

8. Old Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / The Lost Abbey, California

9. Allagash Grand Cru - Allagash Brewing Company, Maine

10. The Reverend - Avery Brewing Company, Colorado

11. Westmalle Trappist Tripel - Brouwerij Westmalle, Belgium

Originally Posted by Dino Brown

Strong Ale Festival? I told you JasonMason was a PIMP!
Join us at ROSCOE'S (post Fully Ride) for a TRUE education on beer!!! We should call him "The Professor."

Paging Mr. Master... Mr. Brew-Master! Grab a chair, it's gonna get good!

http://pizzaport.com/festivals.htm

I've been to many of their festivals and they are good. But if you go, bring a designated driver, cab it, or stay at the hotel nearby. I tend to stay away from festivals now. I prefer drinking in a more calm environment, like Roscoe's.

[Dino Brown]

BrewMaster JasonMason
The two of you are (simply) in a BEER DRINKING league of your own!

[katonk]

Originally Posted by jasonmason

Are you heading to the strong ale festival this weekend at pizza port in carlsbad? If you've never been before I'd highly recommend it - 40+ beers, all over 8%, for 12+ hours, with all kinds of beer advocates hanging out, pouring, and enjoying goodness...mmm...wish i could make it...

Haven't heard of it. If I didn't already have plans with the Cub Scouts, I would seriously think about heading out there.

Strong ale + 12 hours + long drive. What could go wrong?!

[BrewMaster]

While we're on the subject, here are my top places to buy beer in SoCal. These are places to buy beer and take home, not bars or restaurants. Forgive me for being LA/OC centric. There may be great places in SD, I just don't know about them.

1. Hi Times in Costa Mesa. If you've never been, GO!

2. Red Carpet Wine in Glendale

3. Walnut Liquorette in Walnut. Tell Joe that Sam sent you.

4. Hollingshead Deli in Orange

5. Vendome in Fullerton. Go. See. Spend too much. Enjoy.

6. BevMo in Brea. They just tend to have a better selection of new stuff there.

Start buying your beer at some of these shops and you will surely encounter new beers that blow your mind.

[katonk]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

10. The Reverend - Avery Brewing Company, Colorado

Yes that is a tasty beer. We had it last year for Christmas brunch. I've not had it post-ride, but I think I'll remedy that soon.

To me, the best Avery Brew is "The Maharaja", not be confused with their regular IPA.

[BrewMaster]

Originally Posted by katonk

To me, the best Avery Brew is "The Maharaja", not be confused with their regular IPA.

I think Maharaja is Hindi for "strips paint off of the walls." Good stuff, but it is one hoppy sumbitch.

[mcgyver0302]

Racer 5 for now...

[nando benish]

New fav here in the northwest is Moylans Hopsickle.

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by nando benish

New fav here in the northwest is Moylans Hopsickle.

northwest? where you at? I'm currently in stump town (Portland)

back on topic: been to full sail? I might be there manana

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

Welcome. As jasonmason said, its good to see another beer lover here.

Too many favorites to pick just one. I've been really into sour Belgian beers lately. It's an acquired taste for me as I used to hate them and anything else sour.

Here are my top 11 readily available beers. By readily available I mean they are not one-off special releases, you can find some or most of these at a good beer shop or even BevMo.

Why 11? Because it's louder than 10...

1. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock - Brauerei Heller-Trum , Bamberg, Germany

2. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen - Brauerei Heller-Trum, Bamberg, Germany

3. AleSmith IPA - AleSmith Brewing Company , California

4. Bender - Surly Brewing Company, Minnesota

5. St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV, Belgium

6. Stone Imperial Russian Stout - Stone Brewing Co., California

7. Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Impériale Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs s.a., Belgium

8. Old Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / The Lost Abbey, California

9. Allagash Grand Cru - Allagash Brewing Company, Maine

10. The Reverend - Avery Brewing Company, Colorado

11. Westmalle Trappist Tripel - Brouwerij Westmalle, Belgium





http://pizzaport.com/festivals.htm

I've been to many of their festivals and they are good. But if you go, bring a designated driver, cab it, or stay at the hotel nearby. I tend to stay away from festivals now. I prefer drinking in a more calm environment, like Roscoe's.

you argue with that

[katonk]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

While we're on the subject, here are my top places to buy beer in SoCal.

I'm still sulking after the loss of Morry's Of Naples (Long Beach). They still sell some beer, but not as much, and it's not cold. They used to have a huge selection of cold beer. Probably even more than even Hi-Times. A recent boon has been that they opened a BevMo in Long Beach. It's not as good as some of the other BevMo's, but it's still a BevMo.

Nowadays, it's possible to get some good beer at Pavillions. Heck, you can buy a case of Fat Tire at Costco now. I hope it doesn't cut anymore into some of the more "boutique" shops.

[jasonmason]

Originally Posted by BrewMaster

While we're on the subject, here are my top places to buy beer in SoCal. These are places to buy beer and take home, not bars or restaurants. Forgive me for being LA/OC centric. There may be great places in SD, I just don't know about them.

1. Hi Times in Costa Mesa. If you've never been, GO!

2. Red Carpet Wine in Glendale

3. Walnut Liquorette in Walnut. Tell Joe that Sam sent you.

4. Hollingshead Deli in Orange

5. Vendome in Fullerton. Go. See. Spend too much. Enjoy.

6. BevMo in Brea. They just tend to have a better selection of new stuff there.

Start buying your beer at some of these shops and you will surely encounter new beers that blow your mind.

...and to add to the list, Town and Country Liquor in Fullerton (Corner of Raymond and Commonwealth) is pretty good too. Another of those places you'd never expect to have the selection they do - they've even got multiple Jolly Pumpkin beers somehow! Many times i'll find older vintages of limited release beers that just hadn't made it out - stuff like 2006 Double bastard, 2005 Alaskan Smoked Porter, Lagunitas 13 - and they've all been stored cold and out of light, so they're good.

SlowSSer/other PNW guys - Anybody know if Full Sail is putting out any Old Boardhead this year? I haven't had that in 3+ years, and when i last did it was the 2001 vintage - if you get the opportunity to have some at the brewery, do it!

[jasonmason]

Speaking of sour beers, just got me thinking of Petrus Old Bruin. Now there's a unique taste - sour brown ale!

1. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock - Brauerei Heller-Trum , Bamberg, Germany

Wow. I like smoked beers and all, but that one's just too much for me to have much of. Almost meaty, like bacon; i think i'd pair it with an omlette!

[jasonmason]

Hey slowSSer - if you have the time and a desire for some really interesting beers, head over to Hair of the Dog. They're in Portland somewhere (here's their link http://hairofthedog.com/ ). They're amazing brewers, small but very interesting and excellent beers - their Adam is styled from a previously extinct german style called adambeir, Fred is a strong ale named in honor of Fred Eckhardt the beer writer, Rose golden ale for Portland (the rose city), and Doggie Claws is their winter barleywine (which ages very well)...

Enjoy!

[Endo Verendo]

I made the mistake of going to Ballast Pt. Brewing over Thanksgiving. I have to say I like their Sculpin IPA better than Ruination, which I love, and the Sea Monster Stout was sublime. Only problem is they're only available as growler fills (unless you live in SD). Otherwise they'd be in my post-ride cooler.

As I was reading this thread I ran to my fridge to check the inventory... All the Lost Abbey's, a Vertical Epic, Calico Amber, Alpine Pure Hopiness, Kona Pipeline Porter and hiding somewhere are my Dogfish Head 60 an 90 Minutes.

[LBmtb]

You've messed with the rest. Now taste the best . . .