quote:
I think I liked the longer version better, the one where you killed the guy in Oakland and smoked his crack up in SF.
Ha, well while I wasn't smoking crack the homeless or nearly homeless were buying/smoking/tweaking out right across the street from the new Mikkeller Bar.
Hit Russian River BrewCo the 1st night and drank too much. Cabbed it back and forth. Blind Pig and Row 2, Hill 56 were amazing. The new Shadow of a Doubt Imp Porter was really good as were the sourz.
Next morning went to the RR production facility and Vinnie gave us a 2hr tour. Sampled some expiremental sour beers they're working on, saw the entire lineup and heard a ton about their quality control measures. I could live in the barrel room.
Then off to Moonlight to see the other side of brewing with Brian Hunt. Also really good beers made the 'old fashioned way'. Shot the **** and just chatted.
Lagunitas was next, but I took a nap in the car, the night before still hadn't let me be. Recharged by a nap we cabbed it back to RRBC for another night of eating/drinking...but everyone was wore out after 2 beers. Filled our growlers and left.
Saturday's tour fell through so we hit Napa to Downtown Joe's. Head brewer there is writing the new AHA book on water and we hoped to catch him, but he wasn't in. The owner was and gave us a tour, his facility was built by Brian (moonlight) 20+ years ago. Their pale was fantastic the rest was rather pedestrian.
Checked into our hotel in Oakland and BART'd it over to City Beer. Eh...was ok. Nothing there worth buying that we can't get in San Diego and it's all more expensive there in the city.
Walked over to Mikkeller bar for the grand opening. Had Cantillion on draft/cask, barrel aged beers and left with a much lighter wallet. Very cool place but very very expensive.
BART'd back to Oakland (which sucks) and walked down to the Trappist for dinner. That's a cool joint in a crappy city. From there we walked to Beer Revolution but their license closes at 11 and we arrived at 10:30. Thankfully the owners divorced and the ex-wife opened The Ould Depot right next door and her joint was open till 1am.
No idea how she managed that, but we continued to order tasty beers before stumbling home.
Sunday was off to Berkele to the Tripple Rock. I was feeling the effects so enjoyed my water and advil cocktail along with lunch. Another cool spot. And finally Drake's Barrel House where we had IPA's/barrel aged beers and sours.
From what I checked in on Untappd:
Airport: Lightning Brewing: Elemental Pislner
RRBC: Huge Large Czech Pils
Pliny the Elder
Shadow of a Doubt
Supplication
Blind Pig
OVL Stout
Row 2, Hill 56
Consecration
Temptation
Damnation
Moonlight:
Working for Tips
Santa's Tipple Ale
Death & Taxes
Reality Czech
Twist of Fate Bitter
Fou'Foune 2012
Downtown Joe's
Overdue Porter
Golden Ribbon Pale Ale
City Beer:
Marin-er Weisse
Extra Sour Black Dark Extra Batch Fantome
Sticky Zipper by Oakland Brewing
Gold Digger IPA by Auburn Alehouse
Drakes;
Aroma Coma
Jupiter OTC Pils
Mikkeller:
Parabola 2012
Maiden the Shade
**** Art-This is Architecture by To 01
Oude Geuze 1999 3 Fonteinen
Boogoop - 3 Floyds
Prairie Bomb, Prairie Artisan Ales
The Trappist
As Follows, by Stillwater
The Olde Depot
blue House citra by el Segundo
Santa's Little Helper
Rye Not, Auburn Alehouse
Rought Draft 2011, Alaskan Brewing
Tripple rock
Bug Juice
Not all were full pours, a lot of bottle sharing involved.