Founders Breakfast Stout

Always have one of these on Thanksgiving morning. 3 year tradition.
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Pizza Port Solona Beach Swami's IPA

Easily one of the best IPA's in southern california. Tastes great even before 10am! Sister thinks it's not bitter enough, says it doesn't have enough bite. Seriously? This is a very dry beer with an above average bitterness (the dryness factors in there). She must be having a Lupulin Threshold Shift- such the life of an IPA lover.
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TAPS IPA

Very tasty IPA, quite a nice bitterness, pretty dry. Underrated IPA in the So Cal area. Very consistent from year to year too.
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TAPS Pumpkin Ale

My first pumpkin ale of the year. Not really a big fan of this style but do enjoy it in limited quantities. TAPS makes a very tasty one.
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Guinness Cupcakes... Psshhhhh. How About Southern Tier Choklat Cupcakes!

Just to confirm how little I really know about my sisters (whom I've always been super close with) I find out my older sister is quite the flourishing baker, and has started a little blog called Cupcake Wednesdays. I have been bugging her to make beer cupcakes for a long time, and I think she did for my graduation party back in May. If memory serves correct she used Firestone Walker Reserve as the beer. Blame alcohol induced retrograde amnesia for the foggy details. However, I still have a couple bottles of Southern Tier Choklat, an uber chocolatey stout which I think can take a chocolate beer cupcake to the next level (forget that recipe of Guinness beer cupcakes you see everywhere) . If you haven't had it lemme just say it tastes like alcoholic dark chocolate milk, and is by far the most chocolatey "chocolate" beer I've tasted (way beyond Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Foothill's Sexual Chocolate). Looking forward to this experiment!

Newport Pizza & Alehouse, Ocean Beach

Yesterday I had the opportunity to stop by Newport Pizza & Alehouse in Ocean Beach after work. My first interests were sparked by a review from The Beer Rover. I can see this being a densely packed party spot in the summer, but when I arrived it was the late afternoon and getting chilly which seemed to limit the amount of people hanging around. I got a spot at the almost empty bar and ordered a Lagunitas Lil' Sumpin Extra. I was pretty stoked to see this after having had the regular Lil' Sumpin a couple months ago. The bartender went over to the Lagunitas Brown Sugga tap handle and drew me a pint. I thought it was a bit strange but often bars won't have the tap handles matching the exact beer. I drank it, thinking "wow this is more like a (very) sweet East Coast DIPA or barleywine." Only a bit later did I realize there actually was a Lil' Sumpin Extra tap handle when a guy ordered a pitcher of it. Great, they poured me the wrong beer. I don't have a huge problem with Brown Sugga, but it definitely wasn't what I felt like.

The pizza is pretty good, it's a fairly thin, light, and crispy crust. The deals were good during happy hour too (from 3-6). $6 for a slice and a pint I think.

To end things I ordered a small pour of the Stone Double Bastard that was on cask. Just like how IPA's really suck on cask, Double Bastard lost all of its domineering flavor- the bitterness is quelled to an amber ale level and the hops aren't bursting with bitterness. Double Bastard on tap is where its at if you want that pint-punch to the face.

I'll be returning to this place at some point. Good pizza, great beer, potentially cool atmosphere in a great location, and I'll have to get the breadsticks next time.

San Diego Beer Week

I probably won't get the chance to get out to the San Diego Beer Week festivities too much with the sister's wedding on the horizon and sucky work hours, but if I can find a few minutes here is what I'd like to do.

Monday 9th - The Tomme Arthur Experience @ Stone. This will be slammed, but maybe good enough to brave the crowd. For the most part I'd rather hit less popular/crowded destinations but like I said, this would probably be worth it.

Tuesday 10th - Small Brewery NorCal Night @ Hamilton's. All the beer we normally don't try when we head up north (save for the awesome Moonlight brews). This could be a good chance to be introduced to them. With Valley Brewing on the list, I'm guessing there's a good chance their highly respected DIPA could be there. Hamilton's will surely smell (and I'm sure feel) like a sweaty sock this whole week.

Thursday 12th - Liars Club Redux @ Hamiltons. Holy Shit!! The old Liars Club Fuego Melt makes a return to Earth for one night only!!! Plus the tap list for that night is even better than the A+++ it usually is.

Winter Beer Is Here

It's always good to see Sam Adams Winter Lager out in the Fall. Except for it being 90 degrees in So Cal in November. Cheers
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