San Francisco Beers

[bonj]

Wow. I don't know how I missed this thread... I just read through all of it, and am so jealous!

Although, I have to disagree on the Reese's peanut butter cups... I found them quite revolting. I love chocolate, and don't mind some peanut butter, but put them together and you have me driving the porcelain bus!

But... if you can find them... Moon Pies! They're fantastic. I had a friend in Memphis send me over a box of them a fews years ago. Apart from the friends, these are what I miss about the US.

 

[mobrien]

yep - having lots of fun here!

Just finished listening to TBN live. Drank two Truman Pils downstairs at the bar with dinner, then cam back up and drank the bottle of Fat Tire New Belgium, and am Just finishing the last of the Arrogant ******* Ale.

The Fat Tire http://www.newbelgium.com/beers_ft.php is obviously a belgian style, but not great (after drinking a few trappists lately). It was very easy drinking, but lacked the bigger character of the trappists.

The Arrogant ******* Ale http://www.arrogantbastard.com/ is quite good. Great hop character, nice finish - like this one a lot.

Of course, I'm quite drunk now so what would I know?

M

 

[mobrien]

Out to a fusion food restaurant tonight with the folks from work and ended up eating pasta. Drank Rolling Rock Extra Pale Ale http://www.rollingrock.com/ which was very drinkable and went well with the pasta. Nothing to rave about, but a nice crisp easy drinking beer.

Then onto the Boont Amber ale http://www.avbc.com/beers/amber.html which was quite a nice amber. Great colour, nice malt - enjoyed this one a lot - a fair bit more character than the very light (flavour) Rolling rock.

Chatted with the bar staff, and complained about the glass size in my room, so they gifted me a couple of glasses - who said the Americans aren't friendly!

So now onto a Brother David Double http://www.avbc.com/beers/BrotherDavid.html This is defintley the beer of the night, and at 9% it'll probably be my last! I've already said I'm on a Belgian kick, but this one is very good - and better than the Fat Tire last night. Nice lingering malt and hop balance - a sipper not a session beer like I started the night. And great colour - oh what the heck, I have a decent glass - photo time!

M

 

[Doc]

Nice work on the glasses.
I've also remember about Beer by Bart. A website on how to use Bart to get to breweries/bars in San Fran.
Website here

Have fun.

Doc

 

[big d]

Top write ups guys.Keep it coming as like Bonj am thoroughly enjoyng the journey even though i am not there.

Cheers
Big D

p.s would love a microbrewery glass

 

[mobrien]

Update time.

Heaps of new beers last night watching the game (all stars) with guys from work

1. Blue Moon http://www.coors.com/brews_brands.asp Great starting beer, a Belgian white. A nice semi cloudy beer, great aroma and nice aftertaste. I could see myself drinking way too many of these drank two this evening!

2. Gordon Biersch Amber ale http://www.gordonbiersch.com/brewery/ with a nice malty aftertaste. Another nice beer, but could have done with a few more hops in my opinion bordered on sweet.

3. Full Sail Amber http://www.gordonbiersch.com/brewery/ Much better amber, as it has an obvious hop character. Yum enjoyed a lot.

4. Pilsner Urquell http://www.pilsner-urquell.com/ A nice pils, but not on the par with the Trumer. Enjoyed it, but would prefer the Trumer.

5. Spaten http://www.spatenusa.com/ This had an almost acidic bite not sure might have to try it after I havent drunk so many others!


Doc - thanks for the bart link - will defintley use that!

Big D - glad you are enjoying me enjoying my beers! No brewery glasses yet

Matt

 

[mobrien]

WooHoo

Feels like christmas here! Three parcels just arrived - one from Amazon, one from Morebeer and the last (and biggest) from Northern brewer.

So... the boxes....



And then unwrapped:



From front to back...

Books from Amazon: Radical Brewing; Brew like a monk; Designing great beers and Principles of brewing science.

Parts from Morebeer: Some keg posts; Some carbonator caps and an O2 reg/aeration system

Northern Brewer: A shiney 14 gallon (52L) stainless conical fermenter. Its pressure rated, and all the taps etc are inside - I don't have a spanner to get the tightening ring undone... but this is what it will look like:



Does it get any better than that? And the cool bit - the fermenter will (with a bit of box adjusting) just fit as checked baggage for the trip home.

Should be fun!

M

 

[bonj]

I've got a grin from ear to ear, and it's not even mine....

I am so jealous!

 

[ant]

SWMBO reminds you to go to brewhouses AND lets you purchase beerp*rn on holidays? Lucky man...

Bee-ute-iful looking conical - hope you enjoy it!

 

[Ross]

WooHoo

Feels like christmas here! Three parcels just arrived - one from Amazon, one from Morebeer and the last (and biggest) from Northern brewer.

So... the boxes....

View attachment 13675

And then unwrapped:

View attachment 13676

From front to back...

Books from Amazon: Radical Brewing; Brew like a monk; Designing great beers and Principles of brewing science.

Parts from Morebeer: Some keg posts; Some carbonator caps and an O2 reg/aeration system

Northern Brewer: A shiney 14 gallon (52L) stainless conical fermenter. Its pressure rated, and all the taps etc are inside - I don't have a spanner to get the tightening ring undone... but this is what it will look like:

View attachment 13677

Does it get any better than that? And the cool bit - the fermenter will (with a bit of box adjusting) just fit as checked baggage for the trip home.

Should be fun!

M

i was jealous enough from just the drinking -
This is the bloody icing on the cafe, you b#$^@*d...

Looking forward the tour of your new brewery when you return :super:

Cheers Ross

 

[Doc]

Awesome Matt. Awesome.

Damm, if I'd have known that a conical could fit in checked luggage I'd have seriously considered getting one while I was up there.
Actually a couple of guys from work are up in Denver at the moment ...........

Doc

 

[mobrien]

yeah - I have a really good wife who understands about the need for these things!

A busy beer week over the end of last week and the weekend. BBQ at work on Thursday, so plenty of bottled beers and some good ones. Can't remember what they all were, I kinda drank too much.

Friday night out to Berkeley to Jupiter - http://www.jupiterbeer.com/jupiter/

Great little "brew pub" that has its own house beer that are brewed off site at Coast Range Brewing - http://www.whatalesyou.com/breweries/coastrange/index.asp

Of the house beers I tried:

Jupiter IPA - not bad, but missing aroma - all the guys I was with agreed that the Racer 5 (also on tap) was far far better.

Jupiter Quasar - this is a double IPA - again, missing aroma - but also double alcohol. This was actually the last beer of the night for 3 of us, and really knocked us for a loop!

The new (for me on this trip) "guest" beers I tried:

Old Rasputin - http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-rasputin.htm - great beer. I think I may have tried this earlier in the trip - I'm not sure. But a great beer - brilliant hops and nice balance.

Mendocino Eye of the Hawk - http://www.mendobrew.com/brews/eye_hawk.html - Really nice amber, great malt - Enjoyed this a lot.

I must say again - the beer range over here is amazing. So much fun.

I have finished cutting up my fermenter box and regluing and taping it, so now it meets checked bagage requirements.

Over for now....

M

 

[Lady B]

I'm so jealous.

If you can, get yourself to Left O'Douls in Union Square, Cnr Geary and Powell from memory. Great selection of beers, local and imported, and really good down to earth food. Was a favourite of ours.

Enjoy!

 

[Duff]

B)-->QUOTE(Lady B @ Jul 16 2007, 04:09 PM) [post="226571"][/post]

I'm so jealous.

If you can, get yourself to Left O'Douls in Union Square, Cnr Geary and Powell from memory. Great selection of beers, local and imported, and really good down to earth food. Was a favourite of ours.

Enjoy!
[/quote]

And baseball bats as barstool legs. (Sort) of remember it well. After all, it was St. Patricks day

 

[Doc]

Hey Matt,

Heard your email to Justin on TBN read out in the mailbag of this weeks show whilst listening on the way to work today.
The countdown is on to coming back to Oz and putting that kit into good use.

Doc

 

[mobrien]

OK - final report time, now I am back in Aust.

All in all it was a brilliant work trip. I think I had 85 different beers over the four weeks, although it got a little hazy towards the end - it is possible I doubled up on a couple!

I can say San Francisco micro's are awesome, and I definitely want to go back again.

I've come back with a huge love of big IPA's and belgian beers. Thats the next beers that will come through my brewery!

Best watering hole - Had to be the 21A - loved that place. Toronado was awesome for the range, and the city Tavern for its $2 beer and food every afternnon from 3-7

Best IPA: Tie between Racer 5 and the Pliny the elder. the 21A IPA was also good, but lost it on the last couple of visits for some reason.

Best Amber: Boont Amber

Best Hefe: 21A Hefe

Best Pisner: Trumer

Best Belgian: Tie between Ommegang three philosiphers and Russian River Sanctification

Best Bridge: Golden Gate

Best Science Museum: Exploratorium

The trip back was interesting - packed up my bag and box and headed to the airport. On checking in my bag was 31.8kg (allowed 32) and the box was 32.2 The guy checking me in was happy to waive the .2 over for the box, but was concerned about the overall size of the box and bag combined (and it was, in honestly over the limit when combined). I'm about to wear the oversize charge ($100 I think) and the guy askes "so whats in the box?". I tell him its a conical fermenter, and he asks "whats that for?". I explain its for making beer - he is very impressed, waives the oversize fee saying "I can't charge you for beer making equipment!"

When I get back to Au, have to go through customs in SYD - the xray the box, and I should mention the fermenter has a large amount of science electrical gear packed inside. The guy operating the xray obviously pales, and demands a full inventory of the box. I go through it, and he says "well thats a relief!"

So a bit of fun!

Anyway, a great trip, now I get to setup the brewery version 5 - now with march pump, HP gas reg and a conical fermenter! Pictures will come in another thread as it happens.

Matt

 

[Doc]

Awesome Matt.
Was thinking just this morning you must be close to being home, and back to the land of great cheese and coffee.
Great to hear you made it cheaply and safely through customs, even if it required a little explaining. Worth the effort indeed.

Did you manage to try Moylans Hopsickle ? That was my fav. Blows Pliny out of the water :beerbang:

Doc

 

[InCider]

Great Thead Mobrien,

Great thread Doc!

Me, like Bonj somehow have missed it!

Thanks for all the pics and great reviews.

InCider.

 

[bonj]

I'm looking forward to seeing your new gear. Such an awesome trip.

 

[Doc]

As per an earlier post here are the piccies to go with the earlier dialog.
The piccies of the convertible mustang we cruised up the valley in are on my mates camera. Should have the piccies in the next day or so.

Day 1. Up to the Sonoma Valley.

Russian River from the outside
View attachment 13451

Russian River Beer Board (bad shot. If I leaned any further back on the beer stool ....)
View attachment 13453

The RR tasting board. Two extra beers were on the side. Lap Dance and Santification (100% Brett fermented).
View attachment 13454

Me with Vinnie in the Barrel Room with some Death Metal playing loud exciting the yeast to #$(*, plus the bottle of Supplication he gifted me.
View attachment 13455

Finally back at the motel with a few extras I picked up from the local store.
View attachment 13457

Doc

This time last year I was in San Fran and visited Russian River (post above).
It has been a long time coming, but they have opened their new Production facility.
A video tour is here

Looking forward to getting some Pliny in the bottle next week.

Beers,
Doc