Just noticed this week, that a mere TWO BLOCKS from our house, well, maybe three depending on your definition of a block...Prohibition Brewing Co. is opening!!
Expect a full update about this when they finally open. I keep peering in everytime I drop by, and they're definenlty working on the inside, so hopefully soon!
http://www.prohibitionbrewingcompany.com/
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Beer as a Thank You
Our friend Tim stopped by with this 4-pack of Anderson Valley Imperial IPA, in exchange for me helping him come up with some recipes for a picnic date he was planning.
He never did end up taking the girl on the date (despite our delicious Nutella/Nilla Wafer dessert) but the beer was good, and the extras stayed behind in our fridge!
For an IPA I liked it. It almost seemed to have a sweetness and was a bit more floral than I like, I like a hoppier grassier taste. But all around, Ryan, Tim and I gave it high marks. I think it's 9% abv and 100 IBU, so it packs a punch!
He never did end up taking the girl on the date (despite our delicious Nutella/Nilla Wafer dessert) but the beer was good, and the extras stayed behind in our fridge!
For an IPA I liked it. It almost seemed to have a sweetness and was a bit more floral than I like, I like a hoppier grassier taste. But all around, Ryan, Tim and I gave it high marks. I think it's 9% abv and 100 IBU, so it packs a punch!
A Baseball stop at URGE
We took two friends/customers to a Padres game in September, and before we decided to swing by URGE and grab dinner.
I didn't get the delicious chicken and waffles, but I did have an amazing sausage and grilled pepper sandwich. Even more importantly, I finally got to try Hop in the Dark by Deschutes. Deschutes classifies this as a Cascadian dark ale, but it's a Black IPA. Which, as I've said before, I'm a big fan of!
This is MUCH better than the Stone 15th Anniversary black IPA. It's a little coffeeish, but not too rich. Fairly high in carbonation, it's easy to drink and pleasant on the palate. I wish it wasn't seasonal! If you're lucky enough to come across some, try it!
The other beer in this picture is Mach 10 which is an IPA by Bear Republic, which Ryan had and enjoyed, but I didn't write down his specific comments and now I can't remember, oops!
I didn't get the delicious chicken and waffles, but I did have an amazing sausage and grilled pepper sandwich. Even more importantly, I finally got to try Hop in the Dark by Deschutes. Deschutes classifies this as a Cascadian dark ale, but it's a Black IPA. Which, as I've said before, I'm a big fan of!
This is MUCH better than the Stone 15th Anniversary black IPA. It's a little coffeeish, but not too rich. Fairly high in carbonation, it's easy to drink and pleasant on the palate. I wish it wasn't seasonal! If you're lucky enough to come across some, try it!
The other beer in this picture is Mach 10 which is an IPA by Bear Republic, which Ryan had and enjoyed, but I didn't write down his specific comments and now I can't remember, oops!
Deschutes: the dissident and THE ABYSS
Found these bottles at O'Briens in San Diego, CA. A great beer bar with inexpensive but really good traditional bar food (I recommend the garlic fries and the patty melt, or jalapeno tuna melt!). We actually visited Deschutes on our honey (beer) moon, but I drank these with a few friends a couple months before.
I had actually just come from an annoying dress fitting, where my dress didn't fit and I had to pay money to alter it so I was cranky, and these beers along with a few others helped ease the pain. I love drinking rare beers, and beer I haven't tried before, and luckily for me, Kyle and Logan were up for the challenge of splitting a few bottles!
the dissident
A flanders style sour brown, this one was great! Not as sour as my favorite (the Rodenbach Grand Cru), it had a subtle sour taste, that melded well with the brown malty notes. It's fermented in pinot and cabernet bottles, for 18 months! I've never found this beer anywhere else, but if you see it, let me know. I want more!
THE ABYSS
A stout, it's strong! At 11%, this beer means business. It's deep, malty, with some caramel? undertones, I really enjoyed this for a darker beer. A little rough to drink this side by side with the dissident, they are both great for different reasons. THE ABYSS is easier to find, although released just once a year. The bottle we tried had been aged awhile, and I'd love to compare a fresh bottle against an aged to see how they compare.
Deschutes is one of my favorite breweries, and these are just two reasons why!
Hub City Oatmeal Stout
I ordered this beer when I was having dinner with my extended family of aunts and cousins in Dubuque, IA a few years back for our grandmother's funeral.
Sad occasion, but no reason not to try a new beer. I ordered this one because I was in a big stout porter stage of life. This isn't a bad oatmeal stout, but a little thinner and more mild than I prefer. I would try something else from Hub City if I come across it!
Firestone Release Party at URGE Gastropub
Since we stopped by the Firestone Brewery, we have been following them on facebook. They mentioned they were having a VIP Firestone Release Party for this year's Parabola, but Ryan and I were feeling cheap and didn't sign up for the $25 tickets.
They posted again, two days before the event, and I was like, maybe we should see if they have room. It sounds pretty cool, and we can go over there after work. Sure enough, Ryan called and reserved us two placed.
We had never been to URGE before (now it's one of our favorite beer/food places!) and we were amazed. How had this place existed half an hour from our house without us knowing?! The even was in a private dining room, and there were maybe 10 of us there. Jayce, Firestone's own cicerone (like a sommolier, but for beer) led the tasting of way too many amazing beers.
They had Jack, Double Jack, Solace, Parabola, 2010 Parabola, DBA, Pale 31. If Firestone made it, they had it. Jayce was great, and trying different years side by side he really was able to point out some different tastes and varieties I hadn't realized before.
Oh, and the food. Mmmm. Wings, Mac and Cheese deep fried nuggets, some spicy rabbit sausage corndog style lollipops. It wasn't long before we went back and had a real meal. And some Dogfish Head 120 minute, but that's another post.
They posted again, two days before the event, and I was like, maybe we should see if they have room. It sounds pretty cool, and we can go over there after work. Sure enough, Ryan called and reserved us two placed.
We had never been to URGE before (now it's one of our favorite beer/food places!) and we were amazed. How had this place existed half an hour from our house without us knowing?! The even was in a private dining room, and there were maybe 10 of us there. Jayce, Firestone's own cicerone (like a sommolier, but for beer) led the tasting of way too many amazing beers.
They had Jack, Double Jack, Solace, Parabola, 2010 Parabola, DBA, Pale 31. If Firestone made it, they had it. Jayce was great, and trying different years side by side he really was able to point out some different tastes and varieties I hadn't realized before.
Oh, and the food. Mmmm. Wings, Mac and Cheese deep fried nuggets, some spicy rabbit sausage corndog style lollipops. It wasn't long before we went back and had a real meal. And some Dogfish Head 120 minute, but that's another post.
Beer Moon #19: Firestone
Firestone is a CA favorite, and this stop was really an excuse to meet up with Ryan's cousin Kyle who lives nearby, and to break up the long drive home. San Fransisco to Vista in one day. Ugh. With some LA rush hour traffic stopping us up a few hours from home.
I'm a huge fan of the Firestone DBA as an everyday drinking beer, and Ryan is in love with their Double Jack. The coolest part of this visit was the private tour Kyle arranged for us through his friend who works there in sales.
Their tasting room is super cute, and they offer pretzels (with the best mustard I've had in a long time) and small flatbread pizzas (which Kyle ate but I didn't, we stopped for Subway before we got there)
While we were here we tried the Parabola, Unfiltered DBA (better than the regular!) and the Velvet Merkin (or Velvet Merlin depending on who you ask) aged in bourbon barrels.
The Parabola was a little too bourbony for me. But the VM in bourbon was just enough!
I'm a huge fan of the Firestone DBA as an everyday drinking beer, and Ryan is in love with their Double Jack. The coolest part of this visit was the private tour Kyle arranged for us through his friend who works there in sales.
Their tasting room is super cute, and they offer pretzels (with the best mustard I've had in a long time) and small flatbread pizzas (which Kyle ate but I didn't, we stopped for Subway before we got there)
 | |
| Half pint glass! I bought one to use at home, perfect amount for me! |
The Parabola was a little too bourbony for me. But the VM in bourbon was just enough!
 |
| Aging in bourbon barrels. |
 | |
| Kyle and Ryan sporting some awesome safety glasses on the tour. |
Beer Moon #18: 21st Amendment
The second San Fransisco brewery we visited was 21st Amendment. Right near the baseball stadium, we were lucky we got there pretty early because the Giants were playing and it started filling up fast! We got seats at the bar, and they were in high demand!
One of our favorite breweries of the trip, I loved all the beer and I loved the atmosphere.
The most unique beer of the trip, the Hell or High Watermelon, was a watermelon infused wheat, served with a watermelon wedge. Just enough watermelon sweetness to give it a nice zing, but still have that wheaty fullness that I love in an unfiltered wheat.
The whole line-up that we tried: Hell or High Watermelon, 5-South, Hooligan, North Star Red, Back in Black, Oyster Point Oyster Stout
They also package their beer in cans, which seems cool to me. I'm anxiously awaiting their distribution to Southern CA, because the Back in Black is a great black IPA.
One of our favorite breweries of the trip, I loved all the beer and I loved the atmosphere.
The most unique beer of the trip, the Hell or High Watermelon, was a watermelon infused wheat, served with a watermelon wedge. Just enough watermelon sweetness to give it a nice zing, but still have that wheaty fullness that I love in an unfiltered wheat.
The whole line-up that we tried: Hell or High Watermelon, 5-South, Hooligan, North Star Red, Back in Black, Oyster Point Oyster Stout
They also package their beer in cans, which seems cool to me. I'm anxiously awaiting their distribution to Southern CA, because the Back in Black is a great black IPA.
Beer Moon #17: Thirsty Bear
We visited two San Fransisco breweries. Our friend Tim interned here, and highly recommended it. He was right! One of my favorite beers of the trip, and one of the most unique, was their Golden Vanilla. It wasn't sweet, but had an amazing cream soda type of vanilla flavor that wasn't overpowering. Yum.
This sample was composed of:
Polar Bear Pilsner, Golden Vanilla, Valencia Wheat, Brown Bear Ale, Meyer ESB (on nitro), Kozlov Stout, Howard Street IPA, Golden Hallucinator, and Farmhouse Ale
The awesome bartender gave us our samples for free for being newlyweds, and we heard all about how he wanted to propose to his girlfriend :) It was fun. We didn't eat here, but they had some great looking tapas on the menu.
This sample was composed of:
Polar Bear Pilsner, Golden Vanilla, Valencia Wheat, Brown Bear Ale, Meyer ESB (on nitro), Kozlov Stout, Howard Street IPA, Golden Hallucinator, and Farmhouse Ale
The awesome bartender gave us our samples for free for being newlyweds, and we heard all about how he wanted to propose to his girlfriend :) It was fun. We didn't eat here, but they had some great looking tapas on the menu.
Beer Moon #16: Russian River
Russian River is like, a mecca for beer-geeks. Ryan and I were really excited to come here. Now, I'm not sure if it was because we had traveled hundreds of miles and it was our sixth brewery of the day, not to mention it was 10pm, we still had to drive two hours to our hotel, the place was crowded, loud, and exhausting...but we both felt a little underwhelmed by the whole experience.
We got...the taster! Largest taster I've ever seen.
Redemption, Perdition, Damnation, Sanctifycation, Salvation, Erudition, Consecration, Aud Blond, O.V.I. Stout, Janet's Brown Ale, Happy Hops, Blind Pig IPA, Russian River IPA, Pliny the Elder.
I've never been that huge a Pliny the Elder fan. I think it's really good, just not worth all the immense hype over it. Still, Pliny the Younger is a beer that I haven't been able to find yet, and can't wait to stumble upon!
I think getting this many tasters is too much. I wasn't even sure what I was tasting, they all started to blend together after awhile, and we left a lot of them half finished.
We also ate the chocolate brownie with ice cream here...and of course it was wonderful!
The actual bar was less a tasting bar/brewery and more a hip hangout place. Santa Rosa takes advantage of having Russian River in their town!
We got...the taster! Largest taster I've ever seen.
Redemption, Perdition, Damnation, Sanctifycation, Salvation, Erudition, Consecration, Aud Blond, O.V.I. Stout, Janet's Brown Ale, Happy Hops, Blind Pig IPA, Russian River IPA, Pliny the Elder.
I've never been that huge a Pliny the Elder fan. I think it's really good, just not worth all the immense hype over it. Still, Pliny the Younger is a beer that I haven't been able to find yet, and can't wait to stumble upon!
I think getting this many tasters is too much. I wasn't even sure what I was tasting, they all started to blend together after awhile, and we left a lot of them half finished.
We also ate the chocolate brownie with ice cream here...and of course it was wonderful!
The actual bar was less a tasting bar/brewery and more a hip hangout place. Santa Rosa takes advantage of having Russian River in their town!
Beer Moon #15: Bear Republic
Made it to Bear Republic in time for dinner, and I was starving when we finally got here! It seemed like the longest drive ever! Healdsburg, Ca is a super cute town north of San Fransisco. I could totally live there. Bear Republic is in an outdoor shopping area, it reminds me of The District in Henderson, NV or maybe a stretched out version of the outdoor mall in Carlsbad, CA.
I had wild game chili for dinner, and I have no idea what kind of meat the "wild game" was, but it was suppper good. Also, their beer rocks! We, of course, got the sampler.
Wine Country Wheat, Short Track, El Oso, Mainbock, Nor Cal Ale, Das Koma, Apex.
But, even though we didn't try it, my favorite most drinkable IPA is made here at Bear Republic, the always excellent Racer 5!
I had wild game chili for dinner, and I have no idea what kind of meat the "wild game" was, but it was suppper good. Also, their beer rocks! We, of course, got the sampler.
Wine Country Wheat, Short Track, El Oso, Mainbock, Nor Cal Ale, Das Koma, Apex.
But, even though we didn't try it, my favorite most drinkable IPA is made here at Bear Republic, the always excellent Racer 5!
Beer Moon #14: Anderson Valley Brewing
Let's just say, Boonville, CA really is in the boonies. It's near wine country, so it's an amazing drive to get there, lots of hills, trees, vineyards, but man. It really is not near ANYthing.
We barely made it there before they closed the tasting room at 5, and missed all the tours, but we still had a chance to try a few samples and check out the scenery.
We drank: Barny Flats Oatmeal Stout, Poleeko Pale Ale, Hop Ottin IPA, Imperial IPA, and Winter Solstice Dark Amber
Pretty great facility, just not really on the way ... anywhere really! I've never had an Anderson Valley I didn't like, but you can't go wrong with their Oatmeal Stout.
We barely made it there before they closed the tasting room at 5, and missed all the tours, but we still had a chance to try a few samples and check out the scenery.
We drank: Barny Flats Oatmeal Stout, Poleeko Pale Ale, Hop Ottin IPA, Imperial IPA, and Winter Solstice Dark Amber
Pretty great facility, just not really on the way ... anywhere really! I've never had an Anderson Valley I didn't like, but you can't go wrong with their Oatmeal Stout.
Beer Moon #13: Eel River Brewery
Next we found ourselves in the small town of Fortuna, CA. Eel River was our only certified organic brewery on the trip, and it was good! We loved the porter so much we picked up a six pack to keep at home after the trip was over.
We didn't eat anything here, but the food sure smelled good!
They do tasters separatley, so we just got 4 that sounded interesting. We drank:
Acai Berry Wheat
Triple Exultation English Style Old Ale
Eel River Porter
Eel River IPA
The porter was definitely the highlight. Slightly more carbonated than the normal porter, it had a nice zing, and was super smooth with a nice malt finish.
Beer Moon: Brewery #12 Lost Coast Brewery
Day Seven of the Beer Moon had a lot of breweries. We actually got to Lost Coast before they opened, so we hung out in the car until about ten minutes after 11, just so we wouldn't seem like we were there waiting!
Our bartender was super nice, and even told us about other breweries in the area!
We drank their full sampler, which had the following:
Lost Coast Wheat
Scotch Ale
Alleycat
Downtown Brown
Apricot Wheat
Raspberry Brown
8 Ball Stout
Great White
Indica IPA
Tangerine Wheat
The highlights were definently the Tangerine Wheat (even Ryan said it was good, and he's not a fan of wheats!) and the Raspberry Brown. Mmmm. Summer seasonals, but pick them up if you see them! The 8 Ball Stout is always good, deep, rich, but easy to drink. We also ate a jalapeno cheese pretzel, that was fantastic! If you ever find yourself in Eureka, CA, make sure you stop by!
Stone: 15th Anniversary Escondian Imperial Black IPA
When Stone released their 15th Anniversary beer, The Esondidian Imperial Black IPA, I was totally excited to go to their special pour off the fermentor.
Black IPAs seem to be all the rage recently, so I was pretty stoked for another to try. Despite the fiasco of bad organization trying to buy tokens and find the right line to stand in, it was a great experience to head into the brew house and drink beer straight from that ginormous metal vat holding gallons upon gallons of beer!!
As far as the actual beer goes, I wasn't thrilled. Ryan thought it smelled funky, like bad old socks, and I kind of agreed. He didn't seem to be able to get past it, but I was fine drinking mine, where he complained about the smell the whole 10 oz. To be fair, I thought it was a good beer, but I didn't think it was anything better than the Sublimely Self Righteous, which is available year round and not as expensive.
We've got a few bottles in the beer cellar (the fridge in the garage) so I'll probably give it a try from the bottle instead of the fermentor and see if it changes my mind.
Black IPAs seem to be all the rage recently, so I was pretty stoked for another to try. Despite the fiasco of bad organization trying to buy tokens and find the right line to stand in, it was a great experience to head into the brew house and drink beer straight from that ginormous metal vat holding gallons upon gallons of beer!!
 |
| I look happy! |
 |
| Hand me my beer, sir! |
 |
| Cheesy. |
We've got a few bottles in the beer cellar (the fridge in the garage) so I'll probably give it a try from the bottle instead of the fermentor and see if it changes my mind.
Ballast Point and HWC Indra Kunindra
Monday, October 3rd, 2011. What better to do than sit at Churchill's in San Marcos, and enjoy this lovely anniversary brew for Holiday Wine Cellar, while I wait for some coworkers to join me for dinner. Brewed by Ballast Point, the waitress made sure I knew this was a spicey beer before I ordered a whole pint.
Totally worth it. More curry than coconut (although I have a friend who hates coconut and said that was all he could taste) I found it to be extremely well balanced. It got a bit harder to drink as it warmed up, but what beer doesn't. Reminded me a lot of the Maui Coconut Porter, but all the flavors were so well melded together, I couldn't have asked for more in an adventerous beer like this one. I'm on the search for some 22oz bottles if you seen any! Gets a delish rating from me!
Totally worth it. More curry than coconut (although I have a friend who hates coconut and said that was all he could taste) I found it to be extremely well balanced. It got a bit harder to drink as it warmed up, but what beer doesn't. Reminded me a lot of the Maui Coconut Porter, but all the flavors were so well melded together, I couldn't have asked for more in an adventerous beer like this one. I'm on the search for some 22oz bottles if you seen any! Gets a delish rating from me!
Dogfish Head 120 Minute. Wow.
Ryan and I have been searching for 120 minute since we first heard it existed. Every time we find a new beer bar, or a new liquor store that has a great selection of beer, we ask if they've ever seen it, if they can get it, etc.
Finally! We headed to URGE's year anniversary party, and they had a 2005 120 min! $18 for a 12oz bottle, Ryan guarded that thing like no other! He was totally paranoid about spilling it. It was sooo different than I thought it would be. Sweet, darker almost carmaley in color, it barely reminded me of what I think when I drink IPA. Maybe I'm a little conditioned to the west coast IPA, but I could get used to 120 min. It was amazing!
Low and behold, a few weeks later, URGE advertises they are having a KEG of fresh 120 min on tap. We leave work early, and head over to taste before it runs out!
Again, amazing. Not that much different than the 2005, just a little crisper, and stronger. Hands down the best IPA I've ever had. If I could buy it all the time, I might even turn into an IPA fan!
Finally! We headed to URGE's year anniversary party, and they had a 2005 120 min! $18 for a 12oz bottle, Ryan guarded that thing like no other! He was totally paranoid about spilling it. It was sooo different than I thought it would be. Sweet, darker almost carmaley in color, it barely reminded me of what I think when I drink IPA. Maybe I'm a little conditioned to the west coast IPA, but I could get used to 120 min. It was amazing!
He's so excited to finally try it!
We kept the bottle to prove we had it!
Low and behold, a few weeks later, URGE advertises they are having a KEG of fresh 120 min on tap. We leave work early, and head over to taste before it runs out!
Again, amazing. Not that much different than the 2005, just a little crisper, and stronger. Hands down the best IPA I've ever had. If I could buy it all the time, I might even turn into an IPA fan!
Belgo Yeti - Great Divide
A few weekends ago, found myself at Lady Face in Thousand Oaks, CA. Great atmosphere, really great food, and even better, they had a Belgian version of one of my all time favorite beers, Great Divide's Yeti.
Not a big Belgian fan, I loved this version of the Yeti. Smooth, not overly sweet, but still has that stout flavor I love. Easy to drink, I'd drink a whole 22 myself :) Look for it!
Not a big Belgian fan, I loved this version of the Yeti. Smooth, not overly sweet, but still has that stout flavor I love. Easy to drink, I'd drink a whole 22 myself :) Look for it!
Aztec Brewing, Vista CA
Heard about Aztec, and it's really new! They had a soft opening last month, but the grand opening isn't until later in October. Thought it would be fun to try it out before it "got big."
A little hard to find, it's in an industrial park, pretty much right in between Iron Fist and Mother Earth. Very simple on the inside, they do have barrels to stand around, and some great large free hard pretzel to eat. Ordered two tasters, and even though they only had 8 beers on the menu, it seemed to really confuse the bartender that I wanted to try all eight. It was a little weird. Here's the rundown:
Sacrifice - Tasty strong ale, the best at Aztec. Reminds me of Arrogant Bastard.
Seven Nations English 87 - Fruity, toffee, heavy burnt aftertaste. Just okay.
Aztec El Dorado Blonde - Not a huge blonde fan in general, and this one was pretty dry and boring, like Budweiser.
Aztec Red - I'm really into reds right now, but this was a let down. A little leathery, but I expect more in a red.
Seven Nations Bitter Brit - Light for an ESB in my opinion, I expect a little more umph in the malt, but Tim said it was a textbook ESB. Again, kind of just okay.
Agave Wheat - More like an agave blonde. Would be better unfiltered. Bitter.
Chipotle IPA - Pretty good. Don't think I'd order a whole pint, but the chipotle was nicely balanced.
Aztec Eclipse Chocolate Porter - Bitey. Some acid taste in the back of the mouth. Reminds me of the Stone Cherry Chocolate Porter from earlier this year. Maybe it would mellow if it was aged a bit, but I was let down. There are a lot of great chocolate porters out there, this doesn't live up.
Not sure if I would head back here anytime soon.
A little hard to find, it's in an industrial park, pretty much right in between Iron Fist and Mother Earth. Very simple on the inside, they do have barrels to stand around, and some great large free hard pretzel to eat. Ordered two tasters, and even though they only had 8 beers on the menu, it seemed to really confuse the bartender that I wanted to try all eight. It was a little weird. Here's the rundown:
Sacrifice - Tasty strong ale, the best at Aztec. Reminds me of Arrogant Bastard.
Seven Nations English 87 - Fruity, toffee, heavy burnt aftertaste. Just okay.
Aztec El Dorado Blonde - Not a huge blonde fan in general, and this one was pretty dry and boring, like Budweiser.
Aztec Red - I'm really into reds right now, but this was a let down. A little leathery, but I expect more in a red.
Seven Nations Bitter Brit - Light for an ESB in my opinion, I expect a little more umph in the malt, but Tim said it was a textbook ESB. Again, kind of just okay.
Agave Wheat - More like an agave blonde. Would be better unfiltered. Bitter.
Chipotle IPA - Pretty good. Don't think I'd order a whole pint, but the chipotle was nicely balanced.
Aztec Eclipse Chocolate Porter - Bitey. Some acid taste in the back of the mouth. Reminds me of the Stone Cherry Chocolate Porter from earlier this year. Maybe it would mellow if it was aged a bit, but I was let down. There are a lot of great chocolate porters out there, this doesn't live up.
Not sure if I would head back here anytime soon.
Mother Earth Brewing, Vista CA
Another Vista, CA brewery, Mother Earth is also a home brew supply store.
We tried a few brews here:
Wet Hop Dreams - super grassy! Wow on the hops!
Roundabout Oatmeal Stout - nice, smooth, even balance, not too heavy.
Auld Kucker - pretty smooth for an IPA, I could drink a whole pint which says a lot.
Irish Red - A really nice red. I would drink this all day long!
The place is cool, pretty simple, but a little industrial with some hippy flavor. Lots of cool pictures and random six pack beer holders on the walls, and a few bikes hanging from the ceiling. The head brewer was around, and open to talking to us about the beer, which was fun! Probably the best of the three Vista breweries I've been to so far. (Also Aztec and Iron Fist)
We tried a few brews here:
Wet Hop Dreams - super grassy! Wow on the hops!
Roundabout Oatmeal Stout - nice, smooth, even balance, not too heavy.
Auld Kucker - pretty smooth for an IPA, I could drink a whole pint which says a lot.
Irish Red - A really nice red. I would drink this all day long!
The place is cool, pretty simple, but a little industrial with some hippy flavor. Lots of cool pictures and random six pack beer holders on the walls, and a few bikes hanging from the ceiling. The head brewer was around, and open to talking to us about the beer, which was fun! Probably the best of the three Vista breweries I've been to so far. (Also Aztec and Iron Fist)
Ironfist Brewery - Vista, CA
Last Friday night, I decided that it was time to venture out in the town I live in, Vista, CA. There are tons of breweries right here!
They have mostly belgian beers...which I am not a fan of. Tim recommend I try the Spice of Life, because although it was a belgian, it was heavily spiced which I might enjoy. If you can tell from the picture, I didn't! All I tasted was that sickly sweet belgian yeasty taste. Bleh.
Atmosphere in the brewery is good. Lots of barrels to stand around, pretzels hanging out to eat for free, and the occasional food truck parked outside.
I'll probably come back and try again.
Ironfist Brewery
They have mostly belgian beers...which I am not a fan of. Tim recommend I try the Spice of Life, because although it was a belgian, it was heavily spiced which I might enjoy. If you can tell from the picture, I didn't! All I tasted was that sickly sweet belgian yeasty taste. Bleh.
Atmosphere in the brewery is good. Lots of barrels to stand around, pretzels hanging out to eat for free, and the occasional food truck parked outside.
I'll probably come back and try again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)