P to the T and the Y

For those who love the elusive Pliny the Younger, here are the details according to Russian River …..

We are releasing Younger at our pub in Santa Rosa on February 4th. When the pub receives it’s allocation, those kegs will be allocated to last for exactly 2 weeks. Therefore, we may run out at the pub each day, but will have more the following day for 2 weeks. It will be available in 10 oz. glasses only- no growlers or bottles to go. This will allow more beer enthusiasts like you, as well as our regular customers, to enjoy some Younger this year! And we won’t see it on Ebay!

Following are the markets to which we will send Younger (same as last year):

San Francisco
East Bay
North Bay
Southern California
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
Colorado
Philadelphia, PA

I will celebrate the start of PTY season with a nice Blind Pig a great IPA that I don’t have to fight through a crowd to get.

Blazing a Trail

I am a big Blazer fan. I know it’s been rough injury wise for what seems like forever. But I will never root for another team (except whoever is playing the Lakers) That is why it was a great treat to have Terry’s Porter at Migration in December and now this b-ball brew

….. “Saraveza and Amnesia Brewers, Chris Spollen and Sean Thommen, will tip off a dedicated handle (during games) of Amnesia’s Trail Hazer! This dry hopped unfiltered version of the Dusty Trail Pale will be on special every time the Blazers are on the court. It is the perfect beer for a game watching session with friends.”

Highway 78


What a difference two beers make! Stone had put out some really good collaborations but after the Camino (Un)Real mash-up, I started to feel that maybe the course had been run and that it would just be shocking ingredients for awhile.

But then came Saison du Buff and the San Diego Session which were tremendous and light and dare I say session beers and not imperials or doubles.

Now the first of 2011 is coming our way and it’s back to the bold….”a big, rich, malty beer made with all English ingredients.” The beer will clock in around 8%-9%ABV and 30 IBUs and aged in Scotch barrels. The trio includes Green Flash Brewing and Pizza Port-Carlsbad.

78 refers to the highway that starts at the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most impressive beer corridors with Stone, Green Flash and Lost Abbey within miles of each other.

Beer in Japan

Yes, the world of apps are crowded. I had my choice of 8 metronome apps and those were just the free ones. And yes, many apps have one neat feature that grows old. The vuvuzela app that I had for all of 2 days would fit that description.

But the Beer in Japan app (an offshoot of the website of the same name) is in a small niche and it is useful.

You can plan your trip and then use it when you are in Japan to take notes too! It doesn’t require wi-fi and it has coupons!

Tudor Brewing

As I have mentioned before, and I will mention it in the future (that is a promise). We cocky Yanks need to remember that ours is not the only country in the world and that we are not the only craft beer pioneers. The revolution is in Italy, Australia and in England too.

Which brings us to the Tudor Brewery in Wales.

They have three beers named after the peaks that surround the area that the beer is brewed in. And it’s real ale. Not the watered down Stella’s you will see in some pubs.

Here is their description of themselves and the beers…

“Our 2 barrel micro brewery is sited at the Kings Arms Inn on Tudor Street, Abergavenny. The brewery can be viewed from within the Inn. The 6 barrel brewery is located close by on Merthyr Road, Abergavenny.”

Skirrid
A robust medium strength dark hoppy beer at 4.2% abv. Appeals to real ale buffs and lovers of strong beer flavours. Great with seafood and cheese.

SugarLoaf
An amber medium dry beer with sweet aroma at 4.2% abv. A well rounded full bodied caramelised beer using local ingredients. Suitable with rare charbroiled steak and fresh hamburger.

Blorenge
A light summer ale with fresh scents and a clear blonde appearance. A session beer at 3.8% abv Appeals to the lager drinker if chilled 2 degrees below normal cask temperature. Lads and Lasses love it. Wonderful with hot curries and spiced dishes

Societe Brewing Company

It seems like every week a brewery is either opening in Portland or San Diego. Well, here is another one to watch for in the coming months; Societe Brewing.

Check out this piece by the esteemed Jay Brooks about this
new entrant into the SD beer community.

Then join their Facebook page to track the developments.

Let’s Tour – Hollister Brewing

Goleta is just north of Santa Barbara and tucked into an unimposing mall is Hollister Brewing. Where you can see (and hopefully drink) some fine beers like this…

KRISTALWEISS – 5.4% ABVFiltered German wheat beer with oats and honey malt for a smooth mouthfeel.

Orange Blossom Special – 5.8% ABVA light and reafreshing golden ale brewed with 6 gallons of local orange blossom honey and the peels of 25 pounds of oranges.

beer with hops – 5.5% ABVGolden yellow pale ale brewed with a blend of Minnesota 2 row barley and English floor malts. This rendition of an old friend is exclusively hopped with the Amarillo hop varietal.

The Pope I.P.A. – 6.7% ABVFull bodied yet dry this West Coast style India Pale Ale is packed with flavors reminiscent of fresh fruit and pine forests.

sorachi san – 7.5% ABV
Belgian style ale brewed with 100% Sorachi Ace hops. Deep golden in color with a spicy and earthy hop bite that fades into flavors of citrus. Strong aroma of freshly peeled lemons and aromatic yeast.

abbey Dubbel – 6.8% ABVDeep, flavorful, Belgian ale brewed with 25 lbs. of raisin puree, 12 malts and a fruity yeast profile.

Five Foot Shadow – 10.8% ABVA nontraditional strong ale, this Imperial Oatmeal Porter is beguilingly drinkable due to large quantities of oats and chocolate malts. A subduded hop profile dominated by a rich malt body.

2:01 Imperial Red Ale – 9.7% ABVSupercharged red ale that balances a hop profile with a rich malt backbone.

Maui Brewing photos

My beer partner in crime Richard went to Maui Brewing in 2010 and here are some photos for those (like me) who have yet to be to Hawai’i.

The tanks in the brewery
a mouth watering menu
a taster tray of Hawaii's best
this is how to pay for a pint!

all photos courtesy of Richard Rosen