The Official Bay Area Beer Thread
 

We all know the Bay Area is best. Adding to our greatness is our proximity to great west coast breweries. Tell us your top 5 and what you think everyone else should try. Not necessarily "Bay Area Beers", whatever you like from wherever, and if it's "rare" where we might find it in the Bay Area.

21 and over, please.

:puke: and discuss.

i would hate to start this thread off on the wrong foot, but i dont know all the west cost beers. however

-Moylan's Kilt lifter is bomb
-Moylans Irish Red is also awesome
-Thrid street ale works in Rosa make a Goat Rock Dopple Bach. it is way bombage
-Blue Moon is awesome
-Stella Artois is great (ya i knwo its not bay area)

Snow Shoe Brewing Co. Arnold, Ca. Favorites are... every beer I've tried there but Old Man Winter is the best.

I haven't tried a ton of local breweries, but from my experiences, everything from BJ's and Gordon Biersch sucks. Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos/Belmont is not bad. Steelhead in Burlingame is also good.

As an aside, I hate: (1) light beers, e.g. Stella, any kind of white, blonde, etc. ale; (2) Guinness, and to a certain extent, New Castle, (3) hefeweizens; (4) Heineken; (5) Budweiser. I hate Coronas too, but they aren't even really beer, and really don't deserve mention in a beer thread. PBR is at least 3x the "beer" Corona is.

Another observation - no good beer comes out of Asia. Period. End of discussion. Korean beer? Crap. Japanese beer? Crap. Philippino beer? Crap. Thai beer? Crap. Chinese beer? Crap. Get it? Got it? Good. This is also pretty true of Latin American beer.

My favorite beers include: Fullers ESB, most IPA's, Sam Adams, and generally, hoppy, bitter, nutty beers.
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[QUOTE=kyoung05;2419281]I haven't tried a ton of local breweries, but from my experiences, everything from BJ's and Gordon Biersch sucks. Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos/Belmont is not bad. Steelhead in Burlingame is also good.

As an aside, I hate: (1) light beers, e.g. Stella, any kind of white, blonde, etc. ale; (2) Guinness, and to a certain extent, New Castle, (3) hefeweizens; (4) Heineken; (5) Budweiser. I hate Coronas too, but they aren't even really beer, and really don't deserve mention in a beer thread. PBR is at least 3x the "beer" Corona is.

Another observation - no good beer comes out of Asia. Period. End of discussion. Korean beer? Crap. Japanese beer? Crap. Philippino beer? Crap. Thai beer? Crap. Chinese beer? Crap. Get? Got it? Good. This is also pretty true of Latin American beer.

My favorite beers include: Fullers ESB, most IPA's, Sam Adams, and generally, hoppy, bitter, nutty beers.[/QUOTE]
Tell us how you really feel.

[QUOTE=kyoung05;2419281]I haven't tried a ton of local breweries, but from my experiences, everything from BJ's and Gordon Biersch sucks. Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos/Belmont is not bad. Steelhead in Burlingame is also good.

As an aside, I hate: (1) light beers, e.g. Stella, any kind of white, blonde, etc. ale; (2) Guinness, and to a certain extent, New Castle, (3) hefeweizens; (4) Heineken; (5) Budweiser. I hate Coronas too, but they aren't even really beer, and really don't deserve mention in a beer thread. PBR is at least 3x the "beer" Corona is.

Another observation - no good beer comes out of Asia. Period. End of discussion. Korean beer? Crap. Japanese beer? Crap. Philippino beer? Crap. Thai beer? Crap. Chinese beer? Crap. Get? Got it? Good. This is also pretty true of Latin American beer.

My favorite beers include: Fullers ESB, most IPA's, Sam Adams, and generally, hoppy, bitter, nutty beers.[/QUOTE]

whack...................

[QUOTE=slow04wrx;2419299]whack...................[/QUOTE]

Aww....did I insult a beer you like? Does that make you :sad: Did you take that as a personal insult? :pointlaugh:
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[QUOTE=Unit 91;2419290]Tell us how you really feel.[/QUOTE]

:rofl:

[QUOTE=kyoung05;2419281]

My favorite pink beers include: Bartles & James wine coolers, smirnoff ice, mikes hard lemonade, and generally, fruity, sugary, sensitive beers.[/QUOTE]

fixt

[QUOTE=Irish_car_B0mb;2419318]fixt[/QUOTE]
I think what he's trying to say is he doesn't really like beer at all. Or is such an overhyped snob that good beer is out of his reach.

I've been partial to:

Hoptown Vanilla Porter (Can find at Hopyard in Dub/San Ramon)
Hoptown Hef (Can find at Hopyard in Dub/San Ramon)
El Toro Brewing has a nice Oatmeal Stout (Morgan Hill, you can sometimes find it at St Johns in Sunnyvale)

[QUOTE=Unit 91;2419342]I think what he's trying to say is he doesn't really like beer at all. Or is such an overhyped snob that good beer is out of his reach.[/QUOTE]

So, because I don't like certain beers, I must not really like any beer at all? Or, I'm a snob for not liking the beer most people like? Yea, that makes sense....:noidea:
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[QUOTE=Akira-R;2419374]I've been partial to:

Hoptown Vanilla Porter (Can find at Hopyard in Dub/San Ramon)
Hoptown Hef (Can find at Hopyard in Dub/San Ramon)
El Toro Brewing has a nice Oatmeal Stout (Morgan Hill, you can sometimes find it at St Johns in Sunnyvale)[/QUOTE]

the morgan hill El Toro? They have a beer there with more hops than I've ever had before. I mean my mouth was actually dry during drinking it.

Uhh ohh......this is going to bring out all kinds of Beer snobs.

Lets all just start by agreeing to disagree.

I will start...I like free beer like at my work thanksgiving party today:)

[QUOTE=kyoung05;2419281]I haven't tried a ton of local breweries, but from my experiences, everything from BJ's and Gordon Biersch sucks. Devil's Canyon Brewery in San Carlos/Belmont is not bad. Steelhead in Burlingame is also good.

As an aside, I hate: (1) light beers, e.g. Stella, any kind of white, blonde, etc. ale; (2) Guinness, and to a certain extent, New Castle, (3) hefeweizens; (4) Heineken; (5) Budweiser. I hate Coronas too, but they aren't even really beer, and really don't deserve mention in a beer thread. PBR is at least 3x the "beer" Corona is.

Another observation - no good beer comes out of Asia. Period. End of discussion. Korean beer? Crap. Japanese beer? Crap. Philippino beer? Crap. Thai beer? Crap. Chinese beer? Crap. Get it? Got it? Good. This is also pretty true of Latin American beer.

My favorite beers include: Fullers ESB, most IPA's, Sam Adams, and generally, hoppy, bitter, nutty beers.[/QUOTE]



good asian beers... or at least decent

china: Tsing Tao (since 1903 and started by the germans)
china has been making beer for 5000 years and is the second largest producer of beer in the world. They have to have something good.

japan: Kirin Ichiban (started by an american in 1870), Sapporo and Asahi.

Thai: Chang beer. Relatively new. 1990's. Most of their beers are rip offs.

Philippines: You gonna tell me you don't like colt 45... haaaa. What about San Miguel beers. (started by some spanish folks in 1890)



Latin beers... what about Negra Modelo or Bohemia. Dos Equis. There are TONS of germans in brazin and argentina and therefore some great beers from the area. Eisenbahn has some good beers. Weizenbier. Dunkel. Wiezenboch. Strong Golden Ale (I'd be surprised if you didn't LOVE this beer)




so...... anyways.

Wanna know what I will be the first to say it

I enjoy an occasional 32oz of Miller High Life, why not it is the champagne of Beers

[IMG]http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/DES/D857~Miller-High-Life-Posters.jpg[/IMG]

or a big ole 40oz of Country Malt Liquor

[QUOTE=OneManArmy;2419423]good asian beers... or at least decent

china: Tsing Tao (since 1903 and started by the germans)
china has been making beer for 5000 years and is the second largest producer of beer in the world. They have to have something good.

japan: Kirin Ichiban (started by an american in 1870), Sapporo and Asahi.

Thai: Chang beer. Relatively new. 1990's. Most of their beers are rip offs.

Philippines: You gonna tell me you don't like colt 45... haaaa. What about San Miguel beers. (started by some spanish folks in 1890)

Latin beers... what about Negra Modelo or Bohemia. Dos Equis. There are TONS of germans in brazin and argentina and therefore some great beers from the area. Eisenbahn has some good beers. Weizenbier. Dunkel. Wiezenboch. Strong Golden Ale (I'd be surprised if you didn't LOVE this beer)
[/QUOTE]

With respect to Asian beers, I am not a fan of Kirin, Sapporo, and Asahi. Just don't like 'em. Not enough hoppy flavor for me. Same goes for Tsing Tao. I haven't tried Chang, but I've had the Tiger beer from Thailand, and to me, it tasted a lot like Bud Light. I was not impressed with San Miguel the one time I had it.

I'm not too fond of Mexican beers, including Negro and Dos XX. I was at Cuba Habana (a Cuban restaurant in SJ) a few weeks ago, and ordered a "bucket" of 6 random Latin American beers. From what I recall, my favorites came from Portugal.

If there is in fact German style beer to be found in Latin America, I may have written them off too soon.

[QUOTE=matthepcat] I will start...I like free beer like at my work thanksgiving party today [/QUOTE]

I think we can all get on board with this. Who doesn't like free beer?

Santa Cruz Ale Works- Tasty Hef, IPA and Pale
Santa Cruz Mtns Brewery-Excellent Amber, IPA, Hef is ok
Seabright Brewery (SC)- Most everything they make
Red Hook-killer Broken Halo IPA
Free- Duh

Tiger Lager, Fiji Bitter ( Ray - Found a store one block from me that stocks can and bottles ) Newcastle. Cant forget Red Stripe!

not too sure about breweries...but gordon and BJ's are alright by me...Im just a beer lovin freak that is all..Ill drink mostly any kind of beer out there..So far i've tried all the ones u see at your local safeway or lucky's and I like em all....I go through phases of which beer is my favorite..Right now I drink budlight lime damn near everyday...a couple 22oz and im feelin good...But my all time favorite beer, GUINNESS hands down :D

Stiegl - i first had this in Vienna... it goes down like Sprite it's so light, but i love it... Suppenkuche has it
Redhook Drop Top Amber Ale
Stone IPA
Racer 5 IPA
Coors Light - no joke...

also a fan of Big Daddy IPA and all the SpeakEasy brews...

[QUOTE=pignoseWRX;2419525]
also a fan of Big Daddy IPA and all the SpeakEasy brews...[/QUOTE]

Plus, the eyes on the top of the bottle are cool.

[IMG]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1030/536247354_9161d469b7.jpg?v=0[/IMG]
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I always wanted to try these, because I remember them from when I was a kid:

[B]Lucky Lager[/B] - my parents drank this and I would always try to solve the puzzles under the cap.
[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/Luckylager.jpg/180px-Luckylager.jpg[/img]

[B]Hamm's[/B] - loved the comercials and the song always got stuck in my head.
[img]http://www.sportsmansblog.com/hammsbeerbear.jpg[/img]

[B]Lowenbrau[/B] - awesome theme song!
[img]http://www.gono.com/beermagazineads/lowenbrau/l2.jpg[/img]

Santa Cruz Ale Works- Tasty Hef, IPA and Pale

just tried the. good beer.

Rau... I need that address.

[QUOTE=OneManArmy;2419580]Santa Cruz Ale Works- Tasty Hef, IPA and Pale

just tried the. good beer.

Rau... I need that address.[/QUOTE]

Islander's Market. Tilton ave/ B Street, San Mateo. Owned by this extremely nice family from Lautoka, Fiji. Incredibly nice family. Ill swing by tomorrow and grab a few ;)

okay whos going on a bar crawl with me tonite?? :D

Bay Brews I Like:

Trumer Pils
Anchor Steam

[QUOTE=Krinkov;2419604]okay whos going on a bar crawl with me tonite?? :D[/QUOTE]
if only i weren't installing parts.

[QUOTE=Krinkov;2419604]okay whos going on a bar crawl with me tonite?? :D[/QUOTE]

Hit a couple of my spots while you're out and about...

Irish Bank. 111 Minna. Lucky 13. Zeitgeist. 500. Kelleys. Kilowatt and ELIXIR.
and and and and.

Man I miss the selection of the city.

Being 22...im getting over my Fat Tire fad and finding the finer things in life.

Like Trader Joe's Simpler Times 6.2% $0.66 a beer!

All Japanese beer is great. Though i wont turn down any beer...because I'm a man arrrggGGGHHH!!!

[QUOTE=Unit 91;2419290]Tell us how you really feel.[/QUOTE]

:lol:

I could name off half of Bear Republic's pub on-tap list but I'm gonna try to only name 1 beer per brewery.

Bear Republic - Racer X
North Coast - Old Rasputin
Moonlight Brewing Co. - Death and Taxes
Stone - Ruination
Firestone Walker - Walker's Reserve

Tons of other great beers are left off the list, but I think this would be my snoby top 5 in no particular order.

[QUOTE=STi-FTW;2420116]I could name off half of Bear Republic's pub on-tap list but I'm gonna try to only name 1 beer per brewery.

Bear Republic - Racer X
North Coast - Old Rasputin
Moonlight Brewing Co. - Death and Taxes
Stone - Ruination
Firestone Walker - Walker's Reserve

Tons of other great beers are left off the list, but I think this would be my snoby top 5 in no particular order.[/QUOTE]

I went to school with the brew master and his lovely wife.

Anyone here go to Tied House or Marin Brewing Company?
I worked for the company that built the brewing tanks for those breweries.:eyebrows:

Tied House in MV? cool place...right next to MVPD! yay

weird, I was just thinking about starting a thread like this last night...

anyway, KONA LONGBOARD FTW!!

I miss working at San Ramon ONLY cause of Hopyards 30+ rotating beer selection on tap (not bottles).

Anyone got a place to crash at after a few pints?

[QUOTE=so steezy;2420161]weird, I was just thinking about starting a thread like this last night...

anyway, KONA LONGBOARD FTW!![/QUOTE]

Got some of the Longboard in my fridge along with some firerock :thumbsup:

i like BJ's Blonde and blue moon

leinenkugel

[IMG]http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A1263/126375/300_126375.jpg[/IMG]

also have different flavors for the holidays.. and they make a lager for Oktoberfest :thumb:

mmm that one looks good...chuggin a couple budlight limes now ;)

All things STONE
 

I'm a big fan of STONE beer. IPA, Ruination, Arrogant Bastard. I have a case of two year old "Old Guardian" aging in my closet.

Other than that, I really like Marin Brewing Co's. beer.

Finally, the beer I make and Keg at home is pretty damn good. On tap right now I have two different IPA's.

1.) Weidmer Hef(with an orange:))
2.)Sierra Nevada Summerfest.... MMMMM
3.)Pyramid Apricot Ale
4.) Heineken.. both light and regular
5.) And actually all the beers Schooners in Antioch.

I like a lot of beers to be honest. And this list can change often, but for the most part those are my 5 favorites. I like all the sierra nevada's beer too, but it all depends on what type of mood i am in lol

[QUOTE=subi4justin;2420728]1.) Weidmer Hef(with an orange:))
2.)Sierra Nevada Summerfest.... MMMMM
3.)Pyramid Apricot Ale
4.) Heineken.. both light and regular
5.) And actually all the beers Schooners in Antioch.

I like a lot of beers to be honest. And this list can change often, but for the most part those are my 5 favorites. I like all the sierra nevada's beer too, but it all depends on what type of mood i am in lol[/QUOTE]

Pyramid Apricot Ale is great on tap. They have some damn good burgers there too!

I agree with Krinkov. We should do an official I-Club Pub Crawl.

1.Smithwicks
2.Pacifico clara (my default beer)
.....

Hmmm.. Well, as far as "kinds of beer" for myself, I have to say I pretty much like every style, but I am not really a big fan of stouts and porters. My favs usually end up being ales or IPAs. I was reading through kyoung's "hate list" and it reminded me of some of my favorite beers - Devil's Canyon Silicon Blonde Ale for one, one of my favs and man does it kick my ass. I would also like to point out that Stella Artois is not a "light beer" rather it is a lager and looks/tastes the way it does because of how it is made.

So here we go...

Local breweries:

[B]Devil's Canyon[/B] - Silicon Blonde Ale (Jersey Devil at Jersey Joe's in San Carlos), probably the best lager I have ever tasted - Lager Diabla
[B]Speakeasy[/B] - Big Daddy, Prohibition and my wife likes White Lightning
[B]Bear Republic[/B] - Racer 5 is my fav from them...
[B]Stone[/B] - Arrogant Bastard oh man..
[B]Lagunitas[/B] - IPA wins for me
[B]Steelhead[/B] - I think I like all of their beers, but usually stick to the IPA. They have a new Kolsch that is really good
[B]Tied[/B] [B]House[/B] - I used to go here a lot more, but the Golden Ale is a winner
[B]Pyramid[/B] - I like Pyramid, the Hef is one of the best IMHO but the real reason I like Pyramid is because they have merged with my favorite East Coast brewer ever and one of my top favorite breweries of all time - [B]Magic Hat![/B] Soon we can get [B][B]Magic Hat[/B][/B] brew out here and damn, just damn.
[B]Beach Chalet[/B] - Or Park Chalet - I can never remember. I know they get a bad rap but I love sitting out there after a bike ride and having some beers. Ales are not bad. IPA is assy.
[B]Pizza Orgasmica[/B] - good beer, good pizza
[B]21st Amendment[/B] - On the fence on this one, used to like them a lot more till I started buying the canned "Hell or High Watermelon" to have around and noticed it's brewed in Minnesota. No mention of this anywhere else and it only talks about their SF brewery. I cannot find ANY info on this MN brewery yet it says right on the can "brewed in Cold Springs, MN" or something... Their Double IPA is really awesome - more like a brandy wine, and it's $6 for a small glass......
[B]Thirsty Bear[/B] - good beers and great food! Spanish themed food that is actually really good. They have a great IPA and a great Kolsch too.
[B]Magnolia[/B] - a Brewpub that tries to reach back to what brewpubs are about and missed the point... They used to be so awesome. I have been going there since about '99 and they recently went about some huge changes taking things like "fish & chips" off the menu and adding "infused" things that have "reductions" and "heirloom tomatoes" and other yuppie crap. Beer is much more expensive now but if you can get your hands on a pint of Proving Ground IPA you will **** bricks.

There are so many more but I gots to take my wife to pick up her car. Be back later. :)

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2420979]
[B]21st Amendment[/B] - On the fence on this one, used to like them a lot more till I started buying the canned "Hell or High Watermelon" to have around and noticed it's brewed in Minnesota. No mention of this anywhere else and it only talks about their SF brewery. I cannot find ANY info on this MN brewery yet it says right on the can "brewed in Cold Springs, MN" or something... Their Double IPA is really awesome - more like a brandy wine, and it's $6 for a small glass......
[B]Thirsty Bear[/B] - good beers and great food! Spanish themed food that is actually really good. They have a great IPA and a great Kolsch too.[/QUOTE]
my two favorite watering holes.

Boulder Creek Brewery on Highway 9--an excellent brewmaster and an ever-changing lineup of fine brews. I haven't been to Devil's Canyon Brewery,but Alice's Restaurant and The Alpine Inn (Portola Valley) carry their Full Bore Scotch Ale,and that is about the tastiest brew I have ever had on draft.

^ haha that brewmaster test drove my 88 Mazda GTX when i was selling it...his name was Brian i think?

[B]Stone Brewing[/B] - they make the fine and awesome, Arrogant Bastard Ale, is something that everyone really must try. they're based out of North San Diego county. they make a very limited run Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - i love this beer, and it when you pour it, it makes Guinness look like water. :)

[B]Pyramid[/B] - they have a fine selection of brews available. their Hefeweizen is quite respectable, despite being made in the US. i know of at least 2 breweries locally, Berkeley and Walnut Creek. i particularly enjoy the Apricot Ale.

[B]Rogue Breweries[/B] - Dead Guy Ale & Hazelnut are devine. last i recall though, they're based out of Portland, OR.

[B]Hopyard[/B] - has some decent beers. nothing that i'd write home about, but nothing nearly as terrible as the piss water made by Bud, Miller or Coors. Hopyard is also based out of Pleasanton, CA.

[B]Blue Moon[/B] - the standard (Blue) stuff is ok, but i've grown really tired of it. the Fall brew (orange) is ok, but the pumpkin hint does not agree with my stomach and causes many trips to the toilet... the Yellow (summer) brew is a tad bitter and works well on those summer days. the White (winter) is really tasty! the winter brew of theirs, is by far my favorite from Blue Moon. i'm not sure where they're based out of.

[B]New Belguim Brewing[/B] - they make the absolutely awesome, and under-rated Mothership Wit beer. every other beer they make, pales in comparison by a large margin. Fat Tire is their most well known of beer, but is so absolutely unremarkable and bland, there are times that i've actually forgotten that i was drinking a beer, and not just water with mild brown sugar and a bit of hops.


so, now for the suggested beers:
Tiger Beer from India
Samichlaus from Germany
Mönchshof Schwarzbier from Germany
Köstritzer Schwarzbier from Germany
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse (Gold Label) from Germany

i will definitely be adding more later...

[QUOTE=kYLEMtnCRUZr;2421546]^ haha that brewmaster test drove my 88 Mazda GTX when i was selling it...his name was Brian i think?[/QUOTE]
A rotund gentleman with black hair and beard?

yeah if rotund means testing the beer a little too often :lol:

I was going to go to Speakeasy's thing last night but ended up picking this up and just staying home:
[IMG]http://www.wombatsauce.com/images/crap/fredag.ol.jpg[/IMG]

Oh man I cannot believe I forgot to include Boulder Creek Brewing Co. That place is wonderful. I used to have some friends that lived within stumbling distance and we would always turn up for as many growlers as we could carry. Every once in a while you can catch their IPA which is great...

i need a birra.

I am 59% through a Fuller's ESB and moving on to IPA after a quick visit with an Arrogant Bastard. Woo!

My favorite beer of choice is Stone Pale Ale. Although I do like their IPA and Arrogant Bastard.
Been to the Stone Brewery in North County San Diego.. they have like over one hundred beers on tap!

Sierra Nevada Celebration floats my boat....Its floating my eyeballs at the moment too...

[QUOTE=SolSurferX;2425809]Sierra Nevada Celebration floats my boat....Its floating my eyeballs at the moment too...[/QUOTE]

I have something like a "wet hop ale" from Sierra Nevada up next after the Bastard. Never had it before, so this should be fun.

had a Stone IPA at delfina saturday night. brought back memories. i'll be back in san diego in december and you can bet i'll be drinking stone all day long.

anyone homebrew? my ex-coworker used to brew me up some wicked stuff.

Does anyone know where to buy this beer in the Bay Area?

[url]http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-brotherThelonious.htm[/url]

It's great, think of it a more robust New Castle. I've called and they can't tell me where to buy it in the Bay Area.

opps double post

I go back and forth between Sierra Pale Ale and Arrogant Bastard being my favorites. I also love Sierra's Wheat. There is a micro brewery in Monterey called Peter B's that has an amazing Dark Wheat. I'll do Smithwick's (same company as Guinness, not as thick) every once in a while. There is also a brewery in Marina (next to Seaside/Monterey) but I haven't tried their stuff yet (English Ales Brewery).

Hows the Racer 5? I've never had it but always see it when I go to get an Arrogant.

[QUOTE=pignoseWRX;2425824]had a Stone IPA at delfina saturday night. brought back memories. i'll be back in san diego in december and you can bet i'll be drinking stone all day long.

anyone homebrew? my ex-coworker used to brew me up some wicked stuff.[/QUOTE]

bring me back some of the good stuff? can't find it in the Monterey area!

Toranado's
 

A really cool place in S.F. to drink beer. Toranados (i think that's how it's spelt) has about 40 or so beers on tap and even a cask ale if you're feeling adventurous and some heavy barley wines.

[QUOTE=VRT MBasile;2425874]I go back and forth between Sierra Pale Ale and Arrogant Bastard being my favorites. I also love Sierra's Wheat. There is a micro brewery in Monterey called Peter B's that has an amazing Dark Wheat. I'll do Smithwick's (same company as Guinness, not as thick) every once in a while. There is also a brewery in Marina (next to Seaside/Monterey) but I haven't tried their stuff yet (English Ales Brewery).

Hows the Racer 5? I've never had it but always see it when I go to get an Arrogant.[/QUOTE] M.B if you like Sierra Pale, you will LOVE Celebration....I think...I could be biased at the moment...oh if you have nothing to do tomorrow come by and say hi at laguna, i'll be on the ambulance tomorrow 11/25.....

[QUOTE=SolSurferX;2425907]M.B if you like Sierra Pale, you will LOVE Celebration....I think...I could be biased at the moment...oh if you have nothing to do tomorrow come by and say hi at laguna, i'll be on the ambulance tomorrow 11/25.....[/QUOTE]

I do like the Celebration, kind of a blend between Sierra and Arrogant.

I actually have classes from 8-4 tomorrow, so I doubt I'll get a chance to swing by...unless I can get a ride on the track in the ambulance

I think i might be lucky enough to get my own aass on the track....and i'll be driving...lol

if you guys enjoy the IPA bite, give a try with Stone Ruination IPA (from Stone Brewing). it is, by far, the most intense IPA i've ever had.

as i've learned, the standard IPA has between 30-40 IBUs (international bitterness units), whereas Ruination has 100+. basically, it is LOADED with hops! :)

the first time i tried it, i only took 1 sip. but, i couldnt taste anything else afterward. since that time (a few years ago), my beer palette has expanded... so, it is not so taste numbing any longer. :)

there is a beer that i found at BevMo... quite unique. Skull Splitter. its smells like burnt rubber, but tastes like black licorice.

Trader Joe's has a Blueberry Wheat Ale which is very tasty too! :)

In the last few months, here are the decent ones I've tried:

Aventinus Doppelbock. Real good stuff on a cold day. (you really HAVE to try this one) It is just very flavorful.
Arrogant bastard ale is one I drink on occasion, I have yet to try Ruination (but will)
Mothers Wit Beer is good the one time I had it last week (I suspect it might get old fast if I drank too much of it)
Sierra Nevada has a Harvest wet hop beer out right now, I like it
Warsteiner makes a decent Pilsner, as does Sudwerks
Many local breweries are at least half decent.

Weird but some foreign beers are half decent when you drink it in the country that they make it in, but seem to suck real badly here: eg Harbin is half decent in China and Cusquena is half decent in Peru. However, drink it here and it sucks so damn badly.

The other beers I drink on occasion:
Newcastle, Guinness, Red Stripe (I think this one has gone downhill though), Blue Moon, and Steel Reserve (When I feel extra cheap)

[QUOTE=En3D;2425833]Does anyone know where to buy this beer in the Bay Area?

[url]http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-brotherThelonious.htm[/url]

It's great, think of it a more robust New Castle. I've called and they can't tell me where to buy it in the Bay Area.[/QUOTE]

i work for Whole Foods in Petaluma and we carry it, so i'm sure other WFs carry it was well.

My favs are:
Red Rocket Ale
Lagunitas Farmhouse Saison Ale
Anchor X-mas
And of course what ever is in front of me (just no domestic lights!!!! ewwww)

I don't even know what to say except that I am getting much more of this tomorrow. WOW.

[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/beer/images/img_2735.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=SolSurferX;2425907]M.B if you like Sierra Pale, you will LOVE Celebration....I think...I could be biased at the moment...oh if you have nothing to do tomorrow come by and say hi at laguna, i'll be on the ambulance tomorrow 11/25.....[/QUOTE]

You work the EMT there? I work safety for NASA events (haven't for a while but will be @ the 25).

yeah I work on the ambulance when I can, some nice cars here today. It's a little late but if you see this come on by, I'll be sitting in the drivers seat :)

squatch - thanks for the heads up.

that Sierra Nevada Harvest looks great.

deschutes abyss 22oz.... seasonal ... WOW

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2426099]I don't even know what to say except that I am getting much more of this tomorrow. WOW.

[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/beer/images/img_2735.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
So, I was going to post that I had found this beer as well and that it was quite tasty, like an IPA, blah, blah, blah...Then I realized its a different beer, Fresh Hop Ale instead of Wet Hop ale, THIS one tastes like an IPA, its pretty good.

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2426099]
[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/beer/images/img_2735.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
this picture is just full of win.

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2426099]I don't even know what to say except that I am getting much more of this tomorrow. WOW.

[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/beer/images/img_2735.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

I had a harvest ale once, and didn't really like it. It was the blue label one. I'll stick to the Pale Ale, Wheat, and Celebration.

[url=photography.mattbasile.net/galleries/idlehands][img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/3060980614_885bd5c445.jpg[/img][/url]

[QUOTE=VRT MBasile;2429654]I had a harvest ale once, and didn't really like it. It was the blue label one. I'll stick to the Pale Ale, Wheat, and Celebration.

[/QUOTE]

Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. But seriously, this Wet Hop Ale should not be confused with the much hoppier Fresh Hop Ale in with the blue label. It is less hoppy than Celebration, yet full of flavorsplosions. It's amazing. I also didn't care for the blue label one too much...

[QUOTE=SolSurferX;2429439]So, I was going to post that I had found this beer as well and that it was quite tasty, like an IPA, blah, blah, blah...Then I realized its a different beer, Fresh Hop Ale instead of Wet Hop ale, THIS one tastes like an IPA, its pretty good.[/QUOTE]

Yup - that is the more hoppy one. It can be very good but if you get a skunky bottle hoooooo boy watch out. Last time I had that stuff some friends and I were just strolling around SF with a few of those bottles in a backpack w/ ice. It was nice. People confuse the Harvest beers because it says "Harvest" in big letters, but then which beer it is in much smaller letters.

Yep, I was confused by the large "harvest" on the bottle (the fact I was already three beers deep didn't help either). I did find the wet hop ale yesterday though and found it pretty tasty as well.

So, I found out you can only work on an argumentative essay for so long before you need to drink and/or take pictures
[url=photography.mattbasile.net/galleries/idlehands][img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3215/3067939076_c48dbdee79.jpg[/img][/url]

Tonight was Big Sky Brewing's "Scape Goat" Pale Ale. Its nothing special. I've had their "Moose Drool" Brown Ale or whatever its called in the past, and it was really watery and lacking flavor. The "Scape Goat" Pale Ale is better, bust still not amazing.

So i just had myself some of the best beer money could buy.

a 40oz of COuntry Club Malt Liquor.

[IMG]http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/6/62/300px-CountryClubShiner.jpg[/IMG]

okay thats it, whos down to get a beer tonite, its on me! :D

[IMG]http://hoboken411.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/wewantbeer.jpg[/IMG]

the requisite "enjoy responsibly this holiday season" shot

[url=photography.mattbasile.net/galleries/idlehands][img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/3069678709_487d1ef228.jpg[/img][/url]

did not enjoy.
[url=photography.mattbasile.net][img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/3076911380_f04919d64e.jpg[/img][/url]

It had a really weird creamy aftertaste that I just could not stand. This is only the second beer I've just not finished (the other one being the Speak Easy Prohibition Ale).

Edit: I know its supposed to age for another 4 years, but I'm not going to do that.... however, that is why I'm not flat out saying it sucks, because I did not drink it properly.

Mmmmm..... Beer. Here's a pic of me halfway through my 2nd beer. This was a Weltenburger Helle and it was pretty nice.

[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/random.shots/images/img_2687.jpg[/IMG]

What, no love for Russian River?

I could make a top 5 list of just their beers...
Damnation... Oh man...
The Plinys...

And what about the Brothers David from Anderson Valley? You guys are missing out on some steller brews.

And the locals from Magnolia? Their IPA is phantastic! And we cant forget Beach Chalet...

[QUOTE=subaruwrx;2435758]
And the locals from Magnolia? Their IPA is phantastic! And we cant forget Beach Chalet...[/QUOTE]

I mentioned both. At Maggies, I like Proving Ground the best of their 3 IPA's. It's $2 cheaper/pint if you get it at Toronado... :der:

I love beer.....

I am currently brewing some right now and am hoping that it comes out as good as it looks. Anyone who is interested in brewing should definately do it. It's a good hobby because you can really enjoy it and share it with others (if you want ahaha) and it is really easy.

My five favorite beers would be:

1. Lagunitas IPA
2. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
3. Guinness
4. Newcastle
5. Corona (nothing better when sitting on a beach chillin)

I like to hit up Moylans in Novato when I am visiting my dad and head over to San Francisco brewery every other week.

Anyone know where I can pick up some Ringwood brewery - old thumper extra special ale? I had a bottle one day and loved it.

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2437163]I mentioned both. At Maggies, I like Proving Ground the best of their 3 IPA's. It's $2 cheaper/pint if you get it at Toronado... :der:[/QUOTE]

Doh, sry. Bad reading.

Proving ground is my favorite IPA. White Knuckle is favorite double IPA.

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2435394]Mmmmm..... Beer. Here's a pic of me halfway through my 2nd beer. This was a Weltenburger Helle and it was pretty nice.

[IMG]http://photos.wombatsauce.com/albums/random.shots/images/img_2687.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

bro where the hell did u get that glass!? It looks like the in famous boot from beerfest! i need that in my life:biggrin1:

I think I'll try the Racer 5 tonight.

[QUOTE=subaruwrx;2437808]Doh, sry. Bad reading.

Proving ground is my favorite IPA. White Knuckle is favorite double IPA.[/QUOTE]

Mine as well, but they have been out the last 3 times I have been there. Anyway, no worries - it's good enough to mention it twice. :D

[QUOTE=TSNWrX07;2437840]bro where the hell did u get that glass!? It looks like the in famous boot from beerfest! i need that in my life:biggrin1:[/QUOTE]

At my favorite restaurant ever - Suppenkuche @ Hayes and Laguna in SF. It's a 2L boot. It was for my bday, do it every year and of course all the practice sessions in between. I actually had it bubble and nearly drench me this time because I forgot to drink it with the foot to the side (yes that really happens). DAS BOOT!!! We took down 5 of them that night.

[QUOTE=VRT MBasile;2437877]I think I'll try the Racer 5 tonight.[/QUOTE]

You going to try it on tap or in a bottle? It's so good... I might have to get a pint on the way home. Off on a bike ride to Jersey Joe's for some Devil's Canyon and a sammich.

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2438008]Off on a bike ride to Jersey Joe's for some Devil's Canyon and a sammich.[/QUOTE]

Damn. I need to go back there

[QUOTE=wombatsauce;2438008]You going to try it on tap or in a bottle? It's so good... I might have to get a pint on the way home. Off on a bike ride to Jersey Joe's for some Devil's Canyon and a sammich.[/QUOTE]

Bottle, have to finish my English paper tonight, so I need a good beverage in hand :lol:

[QUOTE=VRT MBasile;2438028]Bottle, have to finish my English paper tonight, so I need a good beverage in hand :lol:[/QUOTE]

Cool. I am gonna crack open my Racer 5 bottle when I get home and do my language homework. Haha.. Should help. Slurring in Swedish. :lol:

ended up getting the Stone Ruination IPA instead of the Racer 5

[url=photography.mattbasile.net/galleries/beer][img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/3082092452_b55134c6cd.jpg[/img][/url]
(yes I use my souvenir Cheers mug!)

I was sitting down typing, working on my paper, and I drank the majority of the bottle...was feeling it a little bit. Then I got up to get something out of my room and BAM! :lol: I had to wait for it to wear off a bit before I could go back to working on the paper. Good stuff.

[QUOTE=subi4justin;2420728]
I like a lot of beers to be honest. And this list can change often, but for the most part those are my 5 favorites. I like all the sierra nevada's beer too, but it all depends on what type of mood i am in lol[/QUOTE]

same here. for me, it's really what mood i'm in. except i don't like those Heineken tasting type beers.

Just had some on tap of Longboard Lager, and Amster Steam on Shattuck at Berkeley! woot!

How in the world has no one mentioned one of the best beers in beer history? (That is, if you like dark beer).


Kona Brewing: Pipeline porter.


It's so good that it got its own thread where people were going NUTS over the stuff. Its a GREAT winter beer brewed with real Kona Coffee, its a seasonal brew, but Kona has decided to make it for 6 months instead of the normal time frame of seasonal beer due to the fact that people like it so much that they are creating a shortage of the brew.

Trust me on this guys, its amazing!

[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2857075987_1a5bfe4c63.jpg[/img]


[img]http://www.bobwoodshed.org/beer/images/pipeline/bottle.jpg[/img]



PS: Kona Brewing Co makes some really great beers like the familiar Longboard ale, and Red Rock pale ale.