Liking the Linkery

When reading the daily list of Beer Week events, I saw that on Friday The Linkery had a Beer Week special where you got two tacos and a half-pint of cask beer for $10. Not the deal of the century, but not bad. The Beer Rovette was up for lunch and off The Linkery we went. It was our first time back to The Linkery since I wrote this post. Since my last trip to The Linkery I have figured out its 18% automatic gratuity and did not tack on additional 20%-plus to my bill this time. (Funny how when you feel you paid too much for a meal can impact an impression, even when the food was excellent.) Everything was superb.

We ordered the cask version of Stone's Runiation (on right) and Ballast Point's Sculpin. I am not the biggest fan of cask beer, as past cask beers I have tried were too muted when compared to the non-cask versions. I know this is not a purist's attitude but it's how I feel, or how I felt. There was noting muted in the Ruination, as it was bitter up front and stayed through the finish. It lacked the sweetness and balance of the non-cask version and the overall impression was that the beer was off. Sculpin was amazing. It was creamy and the hops and malt were in perfect tandem. This was the best cask beer I have ever tasted. Like Runiation, there was nothing muted in Sculpin's taste. This version of Sculpin is why people rave about cask beer and gave me a new appreciation of cask beer.

I mentioned in my initial post that if I could create a restaurant it would be like The Linkery. This view was reinforced after lunch. No item is overlooked, even table salt, where two types of sea salt - white and gray - are offered. We had andouille sausage and portobello mushroom tacos to go with the two half-pints. The tacos were excellent, and I think I liked the mushroom taco more than the sausage taco, and I love sausage. The side dish was a bean salad on a bed of greens, it was great, too. We tried to figure out what was in it and were amazed at how fine the ingredients, including peppers and onions, had been chopped. To me it was just another attention to detail by chefs that care about the food. It's annoying when cooks rough cut vegetables, it shows a laziness that generally translates to taste.

It's questionable whether the lunch was really a Beer Week event - no brewers or brewery representatives - but I will count it as one. The excuse of Beer Week got me me to visit, which was the whole point of Beer Week. I suspect it will be less than a year before I go back to The Linkery.

A Beer Week Aside

After I told Fritz Maytag my story about Anchor Steam being my first craft beer, I struck up a conversation with guy who turned out to be Rick Chapman, the President of Coronado Brewing. Coronado Brewing is a brewpub on Coronado and bottles several of its beers. I told him that I liked his beers, which is true, and that my family had been to his restaurant in September and enjoyed ourselves. He was unpretentious and seemed like a regular guy. For some reason I did not blog about our Sunday lunch at Coronado Brewing, but it was a good time. The portions are huge and the food was good and reasonably priced. The picture is from our lunch and is Coronado's Idiot IPA, an excellent double IPA.

Anchor and SDBW

The first "micro brewed" beer I ever had was Anchor's Steam beer. It must have been in the early 80s when I was still in high school. My sister bought it for me when we were shopping at Corti Brothers' market in Sacramento. I hated it, but it made me realize that there was more to beer than Budweiser or Coors. Back then, outside of Anchor, it seemed like the only exotic beers were European beers, and in particular German beers. The world of craft beers has seen dramatic growth since the early 80s and America now leads the world in beer creativity, and Belgium has eclipsed Germany as the foreign beer of choice.

The funny thing is that even as my beer palate has expanded over the years, I still don't like Anchor's Steam beer. I guess persistence pays off, because I did not get discouraged and kept trying new beers despite an inauspicious start with Steam. ( I like other Anchor beers, just not Steam.)

I saw that Anchor's Fritz Maytag, the godfather of craft beer, was going to be at the Toronado on Thursday night as part of San Diego Beer Week. I made an excuse to be in North Park Thursday night and popped in to meet Mr. Maytag. I could only stay a short time at Toronado and most of it was spent watching Maytag get interviewed. I did get a chance to introduce myself to Maytag and told him that his Steam beer was the first craft beer I ever tasted. He was gracious but did not seem too impressed with my lame story. It's a story he's probably heard thousands of times. Judging by the age of the crowd that gathered, I was not the only person with an "Anchor as my first micro beer" story to tell, because most of the guys (and they were all guys) gathered around to meet Mr. Maytag looked older than me. I may have piqued his interest more if I told him that I didn't like Steam then and still don't now.

I did get to try Anchor's new Humming Ale, a light bodied pale ale. This is a draft-only beer brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops, the same New Zealand hops that Alpine uses to perfection in its Nelson IPA. Humming Ale is not going to replace Nelson IPA in my beer pantheon, but it is a good beer. It is a clean, crisp pale ale. It has a light body and a mild bitterness in the finish. The hops are not prominent but give a balance to the beer. I don't know what the ABV is but it's not that high. Humming Ale is not as distinctive as Nelson, but it is worth drinking all the same. Humming Ale is only on draft and I don't think that much was brewed, so try it while you can.

"I Picked the Wrong Week to Stop Sniffing Glue"

Nearly thirty years on and I still quote Airplane!'s psychotic air traffic controller played brilliantly by Lloyd Bridges when life gets hectic. This week, San Diego's first "beer week," finds me struggling to meet deadlines, going to meetings and fighting bronchitis rather than hitting the many daily beer events. I should be out drinking beer and recording my findings, but as the week progresses I'm feeling more like Lloyd Bridges' character. It would not be right to go beer tasting until the work is done. Bronchitis can wait, as like chicken soup, an IPA is good for the soul (and I believe it also kills germs). The meetings and deadlines are finished tomorrow, and I should have some time in the early evening to hit an event or two. Fritz Maytag is going to be at the Toronado tomorrow evening, and Newport Alehouse is promoting Firestone Walker and others tomorrow night. This is a good week to be drinking beer.

Snicklefritz

Snicklefritz was the clever name of a character in the children's show The Big Comfy Couch. When I saw a beer with the same name on the beer list at Downtown Johnny Brown's I had to try it. A reward for hours spent watching children's television.

Snicklefritz is made by The Bruery (which had a description up on its website last week) and is based on a recipe from a homebrewer. The beer is a Belgian strong golden ale. It poured a deep copper without foam. I immediately noticed the smell of alcohol and spices. The alcohol was more prominent in the smell than in the taste. This is a big beer, weighing in at a mighty 9.5% ABV. The taste was rich and full, with alcohol, yeast and spices vying for dominance. I love a good Belgian strong golden ale and Snicklefritz is one of the bolder representations of the style I've tried.

Pizza Port - Ocean Beach

I have posted before that Pizza Port, one of San Diego's premier craft brewers, is opening an Ocean Beach location. This will be Pizza Port's fourth location and first in central San Diego. I heard this news earlier in the year, and thought the new brewpub was slated to open in the late summer or early fall. As the attached picture illustrates (taken last week), this restaurant is not going to open any time soon. I don't know the reasons for the delays, but would guess they're related to licensing. (I also read on BeerAdvocate (I think) that some neighbors were putting up a stink. Come on, it's Ocean Beach for chrissakes, not Del Boca Vista retirement community.)


I am looking forward to having a Pizza Port so close to my house. Pizza Port not only carries its fine beers, but also has an extensive guest tap list. I just hope the restaurant makes a small effort at being family friendly, which can be tough in Ocean Beach, especially in a location that is only a block from the beach. I drove by again today, and the structure is still at the frame level, and the floor was being jack hammered. The restaurant will be located on the northwest corner of Bacon and Santa Monica in Ocean Beach. It is on the site of an old Boll Weevil hamburger restaurant. I originally thought Pizza Port would modify the existing structure, which is why it had an estimated late summer opening date. The site is undergoing a major renovation and I don't expect Pizza Port Ocean Beach to open until the spring, at the earliest.

Let's Have Two

Last night I wrote a brief post proclaiming my affinity for Alesmith's Winter Yulesmith, an imperial red ale. Tonight, after trick-or-treating, I had a second, just to make sure my cold-addled self did not get a wrong impression from last night's Yulesmith. The second was as good as the first.

I like Christmas beers, and try to taste a variety during the Holiday Season. I have had Christmas beers well into the following year, but I tend to enjoy them most when they are first released, as it's not as fun to drink a Christmas beer in April or May as it is in November or December. Typically, the first Christmas release I see in stores is Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, but I have not yet seen it this year. I bought The Bruery's Two Turtle Doves earlier in the week and was all set to crack it open on Halloween as this year's inaugural holiday beer. Then I saw an email from The Olive Market stating that it had just received a shipment of Alesmith's Yulesmith. No mention on whether it was a late shipment of the Summer Yulesmith, a double IPA, or if it was this year's Winter Yulesmith. I stopped by the store and saw the distinctive green and red label and new it was this year's Winter Yulesmith. I picked up a bottle and had it with dinner last night (prompting the post) and thought it so good I went an bought a second bottle to have on Halloween. Two Turtle Doves will have to wait.

Winter Yulesmith pours a clear, deep copper with solid tan foam. The color is lighter than shown in the picture and has a rich, reddish hue. Yulesmith is sweet and rich on its initial tastes and the finish is all hop bitterness. The balance is fantastic, as the beer's flavor glides between the sweet and the bitter. Balance is where most imperial red ales fall short for me. If an imperial red ale has too much malt the sweetness makes the beers hard to drink, and if the hops are too dominating the bitterness would approach a double IPA. Yulesmith avoids this trap, which is why it is so good. This beer can be savored after dinner or swigged with pizza - I tried both methods.

Winter Yulesmith is the better of Alesmith's two Yulesmiths. The Summer Yulesmith, a double IPA, is in the sticky, syrupy double IPA camp, like Avery's Maharaja. This style can be unpleasant to drink. Winter Yulesmith is rich, but not syrupy; has a bold flavor, but does not ruin your taste buds. This was an excellent beer to kick-off the Christmas beer season and I hope it is a harbinger of many delicious winter beers.

Profound Thought

Alesmith's Winter Yulesmith is the best imperial red ale I have tasted. I'll write more on this later, along with posting a picture, but I just wanted to get this thought out before the end of the night.

San Diego Beer Week - Update

Here is a link to all the activities during San Diego Beer Week. There are plenty of events planned every night, some of which look interesting.

The Bruery's Beer Club

I'm on The Bruery's email list and here is most of an email I received yesterday announcing The Bruery's new beer club:

The Bruery Reserve Society is a revered group of beer enthusiasts who wish to gain access to the most esoteric beers The Bruery has to offer. In this inaugural year, we'll be offering 400 memberships to the Reserve Society. Reserve Society members will have first pick at special releases. There will be releases that will only be available to Reserve Society members. As an inaugural member, you'll also have the first right of refusal to join in 2011.

Reserve Society registration will begin in person on Tuesday, October 27th at 6 PM. In person registration will continue during tasting room hours (Friday & Saturday, 4 PM - 10 PM, Sunday, 12 PM - 6 PM). Registration through our website (www.brueryprovisions.com) will begin Friday, October 30th. The registration period will close on December 31st, 2009, or when all memberships have been sold.

Cost: $195

Benefits:

- At the time of signing up, the first 250 to join the Reserve Society will receive Barrel Aged Partridge in a Pear Tree (only 290 bottles produced), White Oak, and Saison Rue. The last 150 to join will receive Barrel Aged Autumn Maple, White Oak, and Saison Rue.
- Reserve Society Zip Hoodie (available in early January)
- Entrance for two to the Reserve Society Initiation Celebration (scheduled for early January)
- Access to Reserve Society-only events (barrel tastings, release parties; additional charges may apply)
- Access to purchase special bottle release allocations (in person or through our website; allocations only for Reserve Society members. Bottle limits will vary from release to release.)
- Shipping of allocated beers (shipping cost not included, will ship only within CA)
- 15% off all tasting room and Bruery Provisions purchases (Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts)
- Access to special growler fills
- First right of refusal for 2011 membership

- A nifty Bruery Reserve Society ID card

Anticipated 2010 Special Bottle Releases:

- Oude Tart - Flemish Red
- Melange #1 - Flemish Red / Imperial Stout Blend
- Melange #3 - Barrel Aged Strong Ale Blend
- White Zin - Sour ale with Zinfandel Grapes
- White Oak - Blended Barrel Aged Wheatwine / Golden Strong Ale
- 100% barrel-aged Coton - Barrel Aged Old Ale
- Black Tuesday Imperial Stout - Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
- 100% barrel-aged 2 Turtle Doves - Barrel Aged Holiday Beer
- Perhaps a few other releases up our sleeves

A few details:

Membership begins on January 1, 2010 and ends December 31, 2010. Due to unfair and archaic alcohol laws, we cannot ship out-of-state. Those who are out-of-state may be members, but they must elect a trustee to pick up or receive your shipments within California.

This sounds interesting, but I don't think I will join. All the beers on this list don't appear like they'll be in regular distribution, which is positive for people that join the club. This wasn't the case when I joined the Lost Abbey's Patron Saint beer club two years ago. Only one of the six or seven beer selections was not widely distributed, and all but that one were in local beer stores before I received my membership allocation. I won't be able to make any of the events at The Burery or take advantage of discounted growler fills, bottle sales or merchandise at The Bruery. The hoodie sounds neat, though.

Wet Blanket

The Bruery's imperial stout, Black Tuesday, has garnered significant attention on BeerAdvocate message boards and beer blogs (I am too lazy to link to the references tonight). I'm just not that excited about Black Tuesday and there is no bigger Bruery fan than me. I just don't fall into all the hoopla and hype surrounding imperial stouts. The buzz around annual releases for beers like Dark Lord and The Abyss is incredible. The Bruery is releasing Black Tuesday next Tuesday, on the eightieth anniversary of the stock market crash of 1929. It is a brewery-only release at The Bruery's Placentia location.

Imperial stouts are fine, but I think they are overrated. I had a three-year old bottle of Stone's Russian Imperial Stout earlier in the year and thought it fantastic. And by coincidence, I was in Portland last year at a business meeting across from Deschutes' Pearl District brewery when The Abyss was released and managed to sneak in a small glass and thought it a fine beer. Imperial stouts are so big and full of alcohol they have to be sipped over long periods, there is just no other way to drink them. I don't have many days where I can invest most of an evening drinking one beer, and if I did, I'd choose other high alcohol styles first, like a triple IPA (Alpine's Exponential Hoppiness) or a Belgian quad.

My take on why imperial stouts get such high ratings (The Abyss, Dark Lord and Black Tuesday are rated A+ on BeerAdvocate) is their high alcohol levels. Beer geeks want an excuse to drink high alcohol beers, and Black Tuesday's expected ABV of 19% - 20%, alone warrants its A+ ranking. While others are fighting for a bottle of Black Tuesday, I am going to seek out a bottle of Saison Rue, which I have not yet tried and that the Olive Tree Market just started to stock, and keep my eyes open for Two Turtle Doves, a Belgian quad that's this year's holiday release from The Bruery.

Allagash Tripel Reserve - Batch 138

I picked up a bottle of Allagash's Tripel Reserve, Batch 138, at a Cost Plus World Market. It seems to me that Cost Plus has improved its beer selection in recent months, or maybe it just rearranged its shelves. This was a solid tripel. It had huge white foam, and plenty of Belgian spices and yeast. The tripel is one of my favorite beer styles and Allagash's Tripel did not disappoint. The alcohol (9% abv) was present in the initial taste but not overpower the beer and seemed muted in the aftertaste. This beer would be good with food or by itself. I wish I had more interesting comments about this beer, but it's been a hectic few weeks and it was a welcome diversion.