Going To America

[hopie89]

Hi all,
I've been reading for a while but haven't really posted incase you couldn't tell. Long story short I'm going to America next year namely San Diego, San Francisco and LA, and am looking at buying gear to convert my freezer to keezer with freight not being an issue. I've been looking HERE but was wondering if anybody else had any suggestions.
Cheers,
Hopie

 

[jyo]

I'm going to be ordering from Farmhouse soon. You can get the same set up of 525SS tap, shank, handle, hosetail etc for $55.00 .....bargain.

edit- Just double checked, and beverage factory are actually cheaper :wacko:

 

[IainMcLean]

Couldn't tell you about buying beer other than there's a store in chatsworth I think... Contact one of the Maltose Falcons and they'll sort you out.

But: What I can tell you about is where to drink... having lived in SF and in 'The Valley', in SoCal.

When in LA head to father's office in Hollywood.
check out The Loin in Santa Monica - can't miss it: all the brit tourists are drawn to is like a magnet...
Get yourself to Silver Lake and on Sunset find Good Microbrew - they have hundreds of beers available - so many I stole the menu for prosperity when we left.
The best burger in town is in Timmy Nolan's on Riverside Drive, they have some good beer on tap too - Ask for Steve or Dennis [owners and work the bar] and tell them Iain and Holly sent you ;-) Have their Irish Nachos to begin then the Blarney Burger next. Go on a friday night and first stop at Bobs Big Boy two blocks east - they have a car show in the parking lot each week where I used to take the vette.

In SF get yourself to the Green Street Pub, then walk down the hill a few blocks and when you get to the park hang a right and you'll find the Rogue Brewery's tavern on a corner ;-)

Then while in the North Beach Area get to Columbus and check out Tosca. Over the road from Tosca is an open front bar that's got some link with Anchor... might even be owned by them, I can't recall...

If you need any more tips let me know... ;-)

And on the subject of tips it's a $1 tip per beer when you're buying beers at the bar if you want good service... just leave the single on the bar when the guy gives you your change and you'll get good service. A top tip for a session is to make your first tip a $5 note.... usually gets the best service and a good time ;-)

 

[Greg Lawrence]

Cant help you on the equipment, but as far as bars go...

In San Diego, check out the Yardhouse, corner 4th and Market in the Gaslamp district. Around 100 beers on tap.

Had a meal there as well and has a run in with our server (waitress). I had finished my beer so went to the bar to get another. She told me not to do that again because she is supposed to get me my drinks. I tried to explain that I didn't want to wait for her and she just got nasty. Left no tip at all for her.



In San Francisco, there is a beer bar that has recently opened (3 months ago) in Loris Diner 161 Powell Street, just down from union square. I stumbled across this place by accident. Once again, around 100 on tap. Get in there early in the day/afternoon as it gets packed at night and in very small.

Also 21^st amendment for some lovey beers and great food. Gordon Bierch was ok by Australian standards, but nothing special in American standards.



If you are passing through Monterey, check out the Cannery Row Brewing Co. Its not actually a brewery, just a restaurant/bar, but once again with around 100 on tap.



Finding a bar with a good draught selection (20 plus on tap) is not to hard in California, there are also a lot of bars with standard American horse piss. These lesser bars quite often has Shocktop, which is an unfiltered Belgian wheat, which I found to be quite nice.

Happy drinking. You are going to love the beer scene there.

 

[DU99]

there's CHI they have a good range

 

[hopie89]

Thanks for the info on where too drink guys. I will only be spending between 3-4 days in each spot so will have to drink as much as I can while there.
I'm still chasing cheap places to buy gear for my keeping setup as in, keg, taps, gas bottle and reg. Also does anybody know if I buy a co2 bottle from America will I have any dramas getting it filled here?
Cheers,
Hopie

 

[bum]

I'd be extraordinarily surprised if you could even get that on the plane, mate. Forget about it.

[EDIT: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ass...ressed_gas.shtm Is it possible to do this with such bottles?]

 

[hopie89]

Like I said shipping isn't a problem, I won't be on a plane. Hence the reason I'm buying my gear there

 

[IainMcLean]

Like I said shipping isn't a problem, I won't be on a plane. Hence the reason I'm buying my gear there

If shipping isn't a problem and I can get you some details in time what's the chance of you bringing a project car over to replace the Vette I left in LA?

 

[bum]

Like I said shipping isn't a problem, I won't be on a plane. Hence the reason I'm buying my gear there

The way you've phrased it makes it look like you're getting it in person in order to avoid paying shipping. Please disregard. Good luck with it.

 

[katzke]

If you are saying you are getting to stash it in with other freight and not paying, I would look at any kind of brewing gear that is way expensive in OZ. Things like the little O2 cylinders and the regulators. Lots of things I can not remember that you pay way more then we do in the USA. For a place look at Morebeer.com. I think they have a place in California. If you have the space how about a pallet or 3 of $20 cornies.

 

[hopie89]

If shipping isn't a problem and I can get you some details in time what's the chance of you bringing a project car over to replace the Vette I left in LA?

Haha shipping isn't a problem for a few things but nothing of that size.

If you are saying you are getting to stash it in with other freight and not paying, I would look at any kind of brewing gear that is way expensive in OZ. Things like the little O2 cylinders and the regulators. Lots of things I can not remember that you pay way more then we do in the USA. For a place look at Morebeer.com. I think they have a place in California. If you have the space how about a pallet or 3 of $20 cornies.

Yeah something like that. Don't think I will have the room for a pallet but will definitely get a couple of cornies just need to research whether I will be able to get a co2 cylinder with cga-320 valve filled.

 

[freezkat]

William's Brewing is in California. Nice selection cheap LME It's by Oakland which is quite far.

2088 BURROUGHS AVE

SAN LEANDRO, CA 94577


I made my Big Amber (65%Barley Wine) from a 9 pound bag of their Golden unhopped LME.

Beautiful stuff

 

[bung89]

Like I said shipping isn't a problem, I won't be on a plane. Hence the reason I'm buying my gear there

You sound so dodgy :unsure: hahaha

 

[hopie89]

You sound so dodgy :unsure: hahaha

Haha if I'm dodgy then you are by proxy. I'm getting stuff for you to lol.

 

[Dazza88]

umm i think the subject of filling a us sourced co2 cylinder in oz has been asked over a number of years on this forum, no reputable gas dealer will fill them. Therefore regulators and so on would be pretty useless.

But the rest of it, go nuts.

I have bought from chicompany and farmhouse brewing - both well priced.

Maybe ask around on a us forum for the best homebrew stores in those areas, but in saying that shipping within the usa on some stores in cheap. .

 

[hopie89]

I had a feeling that might be the case, seems weird as the micromatic gauge on beverage factories site looks exactly the same as the craft brewer one but I guess its just the thread that's different. doesn't mean I can't grab a heap of kegs and a manifold and taps though. :beerbang: