Beer Friday: The San Francisco [Area] Edition

Oh, San Francisco. How I love thee! (Although my bank account begs to differ...).

Last week, Z and I traveled to San Francisco (first time since our honeymoon in 2013!) for work...and plenty of play. Heading to SF anytime soon? Here's where to grab a great beer.

Fieldwork Brewing Company, 1160 6th St., Berkeley, CA

The first stop on our unofficial beer tour provided a great first experience with this new-to-me brewery, which just opened in February of last year. The beers were fresh and solid, and their simple yet quality menu provided us with some delicious (and much-needed) after-travel fuel. (Get either the Kale and Mushroom or Curry Vegetable pasties!).

Beer to try right now: Salted Cucumber. Trust me. We went home with a crowler!

City Beer Store, 1168 Folsom St., #101, San Francisco, CA 

Great bottle/take-home selection, solid beers on tap, and a very friendly - and knowledgeable - staff to boot. They also have a few tables and light snacks, so you can stay and enjoy a few draft brews before taking your loot home.

Cellarmaker Brewing Company, 1150 Howard St., San Francisco, CA

Easily one of my favorites of the trip! Cellarmaker was a new-to-us stop, and it did not disappoint.

Besides all of the beers we tried being clearly fresh, well-made, and dangerously delicious, the atmosphere at Cellarmaker was also on-point. Although the tasting room is small - and busy! - we were able to find a barrel and stools to sit on while we relaxed and sipped on our brews. 

Beers to try right now: Mo'Simcoe IPA (pictured) or Sabrosa Mexican Chocolate Porter.

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, 103 Kennedy Dr., Capitola, CA

A little over an hour and a half drive from San Francisco, Sante Adairius is worth the trip. The open, casual setting gets loads of natural sunlight, and has a plethora of games to boot (Connect Four, anyone?). The story behind their beers and brewing process is also quite impressive - you can read more about that here. 

Beer to try right now: Doble Lúpulo, double IPA brewed for Lupulo's second anniversary. 

Toronado, 547 Haight St, San Francisco, CA

The staff at Toronado may be infamous for their less-than-pleasant attitudes, but if you can get past their abrasiveness, Toronado is a must-visit for any beer lover. The setting itself is nothing special, which, in my opinion, only adds to this place's shtick, but the impressive beers on tap (and in bottles)

will have you forgetting about that - and the service - in no time. 

Mikkeller Bar, 34 Mason St, San Francisco, CA

We first checked out Mikkeller Bar on our honeymoon, only days after it opened. Three years later, we were eager to revisit - and we're so glad we did. The beer list is lengthy, featuring plenty of Mikkeller and guest taps (as well as bottles), and the food menu is quite impressive. (Get the Cauliflower Tempura, $13 - served with farro risotto, asparagus, tomato, snow pea leaves, and pesto).

Beer to try right now: Mexas Ranger, brewed with spices, almond milk, cocoa, chile, black beans, and avocado leaves. (Sounds weird, but I swear it's tasty!).

Monk's Kettle, 3141 16th St,, San Francisco, CA

I love this bar. Again, we first visited on our honeymoon, and this was high on my to-revisit list for this trip. Monk's Kettle is open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch (the food's great!), but we just came here this time for a brew. Their draft beer and bottle list is lengthy and varied, and the staff is quick to greet you with a smile. It's a great spot to sit at the bar (or one of their window-side booths) and sip on a good beer.

Beer to try right now: We stopped in on Cinco de Mayo, so I had the just-tapped Taco Hands, a collaboration brew between Cellarmaker and Tired Hands. It was brewed with tortilla chips, cilantro, lime, etc. - and it was surprisingly delicious, without at all tasting like a taco (thank god). It tasted more like a juicy, hoppy IPA - my favorite!

Where have you had a great beer lately? 

Beer Friday: Parabola 2016 by Firestone Walker

On most Fridays, I'll share a beer I particularly enjoy, and think you might as well. This series will feature beers from all over the U.S. (and when we're lucky, the world). Cheers! 

OK, I get it: Spring's here, summer's coming, and stouts are so last winter. But, that is so not the case. Stouts gets a bad rap for being seasonal brews - but they're available year-round for a reason, my friends.

Enter this newly released Parabola from Firestone Walker. Parabola comes out once a year, and like many stouts, it's best if aged for a bit (6 months-1 year, I'd say) before consuming. However, it's also great right off the shelves, which is how we enjoyed this year's concoction.

What: Parabola 2016 by Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV: 13.1% (seriously)

Tasting Notes: Parabola is aged for a year in a blend of bourbon barrels - including Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Pappy Van Winkle, Woodford Reserve, and Buffalo Trace - giving it a boozy, bourbon flavor that's a little extra apparent in this new bottle (again, aging should help mellow this out a teeny bit). The rich, bitter chocolate and sweet vanilla notes help to cut the alcohol nicely, while the mouthfeel is wonderfully silky - albeit a bit thin.

Pairing Suggestion: This beer is hefty, so it really doesn't need to be paired with anything. However, given the ABV, I'd highly recommend having a satiating snack or meal before sipping on it. ;)

Where Can I Find It? Parabola bottles are usually easy to find, but it's a seasonal release, so I wouldn't wait too long to try and snag a bottle. Drafts are also available from time to time at select bars, but they are much more limited. To see where you can find a bottle near you, check out Firestone's beer finder. 

Do you drink stouts year-round? Or are you more of a seasonal stout drinker? 

A Quick Trip to San Diego

Z had to travel to San Diego last week for work, so I decided to tag along. Flights were cheap (and short), and there was warm weather and sunshine in San Diego! Something Portland had been lacking for the last few weeks days.

Z was going there for a conference, so we stayed at the same hotel where the conference was being held: the Loews Coronado Bay Resort, a short 20-minute drive to downtown San Diego.

The Loews was absolutely gorgeous. In a nutshell, it had three outdoor, heated pools; a jacuzzi; a poolside bar and restaurant, as well as several other restaurants and bars (casual, to-go, and fancy); daily restaurant/bar specials and activities for guests; extremely accommodating staff; and impeccable views. It was also a 10-minute walk to Silver Strand Beach, which provided glorious views, surprisingly warm waters, and a relaxing walk along the shore.

At nighttime, when Z wasn't working (and I wasn't laying by the pool...my life is rough), we took an Uber over the bridge into the city. Shockingly, our stops were based on beer and food. Here are some of the more noteworthy stops:

Ballast Point Tasting Room and Kitchen, 2215 India St.:
Lots of on-premise-only beers, including some in the "research and development" phase. I love that! Plus, the food is incredible - I stopped there on the first night we got into town, and I craved their Fish Tacos ($12) the rest of the trip. It's also located right near the airport, so it's a great stop for when you first land, or for before you take off. (Also: you can buy bottles to-go!).

Modern Times Flavordome, 3000 Upas St.:

An intimate and awesomely decorated space (example: a wide array of VHS tapes decorate the front of the bar). I've always been a fan of Modern Times beer, but trying it fresh from the source, on tap (with some on-premise-only pours to boot) was fantastic. If they have it, I highly recommend getting the Monsters' Park with Coconut and Coffee, an imperial stout. Delicious dessert in a glass, without being overly sweet.

Berkeley Pizza, 3934 30th St.:
Berkeley Pizza is a great, walkable stopping point between Modern Times and Toronado (a fun spot for beer lovers, although we find the San Francisco location has a much better selection). Berkeley was one of those spots that pleasantly surprised us. We just wanted a quick bite, but ended up sitting at their bar and getting a pint each, as their beer selection was quite impressive. (I got the 21st Amendment Toaster Pastry, which I really enjoyed). Their pizza is deep dish, and somewhat backwards as the sauce is on top of the cheese. But it was incredible, albeit filling, and we ended up taking a slice home for later. (Which we may or may not have eaten for breakfast on Friday before heading home. Champions).

Hamilton's Tavern, 1521 30th St.:
Right next door to South Park Brewing (definitely stop there for a pint beforehand; the beer's decent, and they have great large tables for imbibing at with big, open windows all around), Hamilton's is a no-frills spot for great beer and even better food. The menu is mainly comfort food, done very well, with mainly sandwiches, wings, burgers, and pub snacks gracing the pages. You also order the food at a window at the back of the bar, making the experience that much more casual (and fun!). The Vegetarian Baja Dogs ($6.25) were an indulgent "starter," although the portion was large enough to be a filling meal. (We ended up taking half home...also for Friday's breakfast). My meal was the West Coast grilled cheese ($7.75), piled high with melted sharp cheddar, Haas avocado, tomato, and pickles, served on rosemary sourdough with fries on the side. I almost never eat a full plate of such a large portion, but just about everything was gone from this one. Absolutely delicious.

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd., #116:

Conveniently located 15 minutes from the airport, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens was a fantastic last spot to hit before we headed back to Portland. The weather was gorgeous, so we took advantage of their giant, gorgeous patio and sat outside. Samplers were quickly poured and food was quickly ordered from their inventive, Asian-inspired menu. I went with the Japanese-Inspired Tombo Tuna Sandwich ($15), which consisted of freshly diced Tombo tuna seared rare (although, not rare enough for my liking) and served on a toasted Kaiser roll with wasabi aioli, smashed avocado, and pea sprouts. It was served with a spicy and fresh green bean-wakame salad - a welcome dose of nutrients after having pizza and a vegetarian hot dog for breakfast. (FYI: If you sit outside, be prepared to talk over the planes taking off every few minutes. It's loud, but cool to see if you can take the noise!).

The beer here was good, with a number of on-premise-only taps and bottles. The only downside is they had several rare bottles on the list that actually weren't available for sale until the next day/next week. An odd typo to look over, and an unfortunate misprint for our table. But we did buy some rare bottles to-go, which helped ease our disappointment.

(For the active folks, Stone also offers fun lawn games on their patio - like bocce!).

All in all, we had a great few days in San Diego. I highly recommend making a trip out there for the weather, food, and beer alone!

Have you ever been to San Diego?