What We’re Drinking | February 21, 2020

The 21st of February doesn’t have a whole lot of significance to many compared to last week’s Valentine’s Day. The 21st is National Caregiver Day, National Sticky Bun Day, and the oh-so-awesome National Grain-Free Day. Grain-free doesn’t much work for beer but that’s okay. There are plenty of other grainless fermented beverages, like cider, wine and hard seltzer. So while you might decide to go grain-free today, here are some (probably better) beverages you could have enjoyed instead:

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What We’re Drinking | February 7, 2020

One down, eleven to go. We’ll be leaving stouts, porters, and barleywines behind and move onto crispier, easy drinking lawnmower beer as spring blooms. Keep an eye out for big IPAs dry-hopped with floral forward aromatic hops, and super citrusy hazy IPAs utilizing some new exciting hop varietals. With GABF having another new IPA category, expect to see more “Emerging” IPAs (Category 65) being brewed across the country. As for what we’re drinking?

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What We’re Drinking | October 25, 2019

It’s that time of the year again; all things spooky, frightening and pumpkin spice is everything and everywhere. It’s a time of year when candy is shaped like spiders and gummy worms are dumped into mash tuns. It’s the perfect sugar-coma lead-up to the gluttonous holidays. While trying to not develop type 2 diabetes, check out what some of our writers have been drinking.

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What We’re Drinking | July 12, 2019

I don’t know about you, but the only thing the people I know are talking about is the newest season of Stranger Things. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it but you should probably stop reading this and binge. Here’s what some of our writers have been sipping on while debating what the post-credit scene meant.

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What We’re Drinking | May 24, 2019

Another week in the books. Tons of sports ball happenings. How about them Warriors, eh??

In beer happenings…no big buy-outs, more pastry stouts, tons of DDH trüb IPAs, and not nearly enough craft lagers. Luckily summer is upon us, maybe we’ll get more crispy bois (hint hint, brewers).

So anyways, here’s What We’re Drinking:

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What We’re Drinking | May 10, 2019

It only seems like yesterday that we were toasting to the new year, but here it is May, and festival season is in full swing. Between making pretzel necklaces, and trying to wrap our heads around the Dogfish Head/Boston Beer buyout, we had a lot of tasty beers this week. Here are a handful:

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San Francisco Beer Week | Can’t-Miss Events February 3-4

Hello darkness, my old friend…San Franciso Beer week is here again. This celebrated week that runs February 1 – 10 is a collection of curated events, spanning multiple days, that celebrate craft beer and the craft beer community. We’ve rounded a handful events you don’t want to miss today and tomorrow. Read More

Anchor Brewing | Old Foghorn Barleywine

We’re finally feeling the weather changes here in Northern California. It’s beautiful, and my favorite time of the year. Not only because of the crisp air, but because it’s now barleywine season. Don’t get me wrong, I can drink barleywine anytime of the year; however, it’s difficult to find someone to crush the strong stuff with in the middle of summer. 

I attended the 25th annual barleywine festival at Toronado in San Francisco a few weeks ago. 50 taps flowing, sweaty bodies crowding the bar, and the smell of future hangovers filled the room; I was in heaven. Soon I was sampling with other malt enthusiasts. A ton of great and not-so-great examples of the sweet stuff were tried, but one was particularly delightful. 

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Firestone Walker | Luponic Distortion IPA Series #10

I just got back from a weekend of epic proportions. World class beer, informative talks, great music,  new friends, and an impressive brewery tour. The Firestone Walker Invitational is definitely … Read More

Altamont Beer Works | Green Collar Pale Ale

As I write this, the Oakland Athletics are celebrating their 50th year in Oakland. Sadly I wasn’t able to make it to the game, but luckily I snagged a few cans of Green Collar. While the players were at Spring Training, an all-star team was brewing. Serious A’s fans, Altamont Beer Works and Mraz Brewing teamed up to create this home run of a pale ale. Read More

San Francisco Beer Week | Can’t-Miss Events February 13-15

With so many exciting events over the San Francisco Bay Area, I had to break it down regionally. Each day, I will highlight an event that I will either attend or wish I could. Sadly, I can’t be in two places at once.

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Fort George Brewing | Cavatica Stout

I’ve been drinking a lot of imperial stouts. Unlike most, I believe every season is stout season. Luckily for me it’s February and I don’t get flak for drinking a 12% Russian imperial stout. The proliferation of adjuncts to the market has been interesting. Brewers adding coffee, vanilla, cocoa, peppers, mint, you name it. While fun for the palate, I still prefer an adjunct-free stout. Let that malt shine, those chocolate and coffee notes should develop alone. One favorite is Cavatica Stout from Fort George Brewing.
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Reuben’s Brews | Holiday Gose

I’m going to start this off by saying I am not a fan of the holiday season. Suddenly, I’m expected to be merry and in good spirits, which is just not the way I work. Bribe me with a winter warmer and we might be able to talk, slip me an Imperial Stout and we will be best of friends. Like a lot of you, alcohol makes this season bearable. To quote National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, “I had a lot of help from Jack Daniels.”

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HenHouse Brewing | IPA (Incredible Pale Ale)

To HenHouse, their IPA means Incredible Pale Ale, to me their IPA means Intoxicating Pleasurable Awesomesauce. Read More

Fieldwork Brewing Co. | Hop & Glo Double IPA

I recently wrote about the division of IPAs that’s happening. New England style IPA against West Coast IPA, a real Biggie vs. Tupac situation. But now, Berkeley’s Fieldwork Brewing Co. comes along and unites the two with Hop & Glo.
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Modern Times Beer | Ice (Pilsner)

Summer may be coming to a close but that doesn’t mean the temperature has let up. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we’ve been bombarded with unseasonably stifling heat and sticky high humidity. This has meant that light beer has been a major staple in my refrigerator. Lagers, pilsners, session IPAs, and Gose are not normally in my wheelhouse but I’ve come to appreciate their low alcohol crushability.
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Port Brewing Co. | Mongo Double IPA

Remember the coastal rap rivalry of the 90s? Well, Tupac and Biggie’s beef is being resurrected. Instead of fresh beats and dope lyrics, craft beer lovers are squabbling over fresh hops and hazy juices. If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve undoubtedly seen that a line has been drawn. Hop heads still prefer the dank resinous West Coast style IPAs well known for their outrageous IBUs; However, the New England IPA is a little more complex, yet subtler, then to be expected. Most of these “juice bombs” sport intense fruit flavors, soft mouth feel and a much sweeter finishing flavor. You could say that West Coast is the rougher, bitter, more “gangsta” of the two, whereas the New England style is the softer, easier drinking, almost hip-hop of the two.

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