Beer #816-883 / Day #138-150: Floor, Fermenting, Flights, Food, Friends, Fine Folks, and Fullerton

BREWING IN HIGHLAND PARK

Yep, I'm totally into grind.

As mentioned previously, I’ve spent years hemming and hawing about homebrewing.  I was determined to do it, but always found an excuse not to follow through.  A piece of equipment was missing.  Or I was too skittish about everything being properly sanitized.  Or the weather was too hot year round in SoCal for anything to ferment properly in my garage.  Or flat-out I was just too much of a goddamn scaredy cat.

The day arrived for me to finally Man Up, thanks to an agreed-upon collaboration with Ryan Harkins from Grill Em All and Eagle Rock brewmaster Lee Bakofsky.  Hell, if it wasn’t for Lee offering to show us the ropes I’d still be making weak excuses.  And we’re using all of his gear.  And he supplied the ingredients.  And he created the recipe.  So, when I say “collaboration” I actually mean I’m dead weight, but Lee has been gracious enough to drag my carcass along through the process, for which I’m thankful.

My cohorts in action.

As much as I’ve attempted to comprehend the brewing process by reading about it, taking a homebrewing class many years ago, and tagging along with multiple brewery tours, a lot of it never really sank in.  Nothing like hands-on experience with an expert to bring it all home.  I ground nearly all of the malt and barley by hand.  Measured the hops.  Stirred the mash.  The tactile experience, and the sights and smells of all of the source ingredients lead me to a greater understanding of just what the hell I’m smelling and tasting in other beers.  I thought I knew, and know I’m aware I’ve only been partially correct on some of my assessments.  Frankly, next to the beer itself, that’s my favorite thing about being so dorky about beer… there’s always something new to learn.  There will never be a finite number of beers to try.  There will always be something new, and brewers will always find ways to push the boundaries, good or otherwise.

Bottom line, we brewed an oatmeal imperial stout.  I prefer not to go into too much detail, only because I’m not sure what to expect.  I don’t have a solid concept of what the combination on the front end will produce on the back end.  For now, I’m generically expecting some semblance of a stout.  This rookie will post more once our fermentation is done.

More important than brewing: What toppings do we want on our pizzas?

MEMORABLE BEERS OVER MEMORIAL WEEKEND

The Wife and I hit a Cajun & Blues Festival in Simi Valley over Memorial Day weekend.  I’ve only stopped in Simi Valley maybe three times since I’ve lived in SoCal.  The name of this town alone maintains a negative association in my psyche thanks to the Rodney King verdict.  Despite my preconceived notions, I conceded to attending this Fest on Saturday and it was definitely worth the trip.  The entrance fee was reasonable.  Parking was free.  Plenty of room to spread out.  We could bring our own chairs and an ice chest.  Music was top notch… and when Guitar Shorty walked thru the crowd in the middle of a song, I even managed to snap an awkward selfie with him.  Gator On A Stick could have been chicken, but it was toothsome either way.  The beer selection was just a half-notch above abysmal.  I wasn’t expecting much, but I thought a Cajun fest with an abundance of jambalaya, gumbo, and gator parts would at least sell Abita beer.  We were stuck with the array of offerings from the Anheuser-Busch family.  Drinkable, but not memorable, of course.  At least it was an excuse to check a few more off my Big Year list.

Selfie with Guitar Shorty mid-song

The following day I headed down behind The Orange Curtain for a nephew’s birthday party.  Considering LA area traffic, the drive was smooth sailing, aside from a carsick dog.  Donnie puked everywhere in the backseat.  Do we have the world’s first dog with motion sickness?  Anyhow, my nephew was turning 1.  Early afternoon parties for babies tend not to have beer.  The party was over by 3:30pm, and when the rest of the family headed home, I stayed in The OC to conduct my own mini beer tour.  Aside from serious beering, I also stayed in the area to meet up with some friends from the band FLOOR, from Florida, in Fullerton…. That sounds like the beginning of a limerick, or a really easy tongue-twister.

Completely Logical.

Beer “tour” is synonymous with bizarre routes through non-descript industrial parks, but once found, these breweries appear like tiny, bustling oases in a mirage of tan-colored, shoebox uniformity.  First stop, BOTTLE LOGIC in Anaheim.  This brewer has only been open since January, but they were doing business out the door.  And the hype is justified.  I first sampled their beers at the Sabroso Festival, and they made such a solid impression, I had to make this the first stop on my field trip.  Despite the long line (I don’t do long lines), I waited semi-patiently and ordered my sampler of 7 new selections.  While there is no set “rule” that beer needs to be tasted in a particular order, Bottle Logic was smart to put the EMP: Extremely Mellow Porter and the Mother Heifer Milk Stout first, because once I hit their IPAs, I realized what true palate wreckers they can be (apologies Green Flash), especially the Alpha White IPA.  All selections were excellent, the service was helpful & patient despite the impatient long lines of thirsty Anaheimians.  I can’t say enough good things about this place.

Cali Gold: Huell Howser would be proud

Next, I cruised slightly North to the TAPS BREWERY AND FISHHOUSE.  To my knowledge, they’ve never bottled any of their beers.  They have an impressive roster that occasionally makes its way to SoCal beer bars.  I’ve always liked them, and was chomping at the bit to visit ground zero.  I planted myself at the bar, and while I was thankful for the mercifully small patronage, I was saddened that their tap selection wasn’t the endless conga line of beers listed on their website.  I thought for sure I could keep the conveyor belt of samplers going, but I ended up only ordering one flight.  No worries.  They rotate beers through on a regular basis, so that’s the perfect excuse to return often.  I had already claimed their Mocha Stout this year, but I had to order it and sample again because it was so freakin’ great.  All pours were tasty, the Cali Gold IPA and Helles being my favorites.  I was feeling frugal so I resisted the temptation to pig out on everything from their menu, but fortunately I did treat myself to the awe-inspiring Dragon Eggrolls. I’ll be back.

I headed back South to NOBLE ALE WORKS, hoping to stumble across some unique small batch, oddball brews, which is one of the many things they excel at.  Then the kind-hearted gal behind the counter informed me they close at 6pm on Sunday.  It was 6:11pm.  I forgot… even on holiday weekends, places close earlier on Sunday.  Shit.  But she took pity on me, sold me a bottle of their newest release, Rakau Showers Imperial IPA, and mercifully poured me a 16 ouncer of their mighty Man’s Milk Stout.  Indeed, I felt like a comforted man-baby suckling on this.

Portrait of a Man and his Milk. Diaper optional.

There was still an hour before my buds would be arriving, so I hit PROVISIONS in the heart of Orange.  This bottle store / taproom was originally run by The Bruery, then closed, then reopened under new ownership by HAVEN, one of my favorite brewpubs in the lower half of this great state.  The concept is still the same, however, the bottle selection has dwindled considerably, and half of the beer has been replaced by wine.  Regardless, it’s still a solid spot for a brau & a snack for the throngs who have endured a grueling, laborious day of antique shopping in Old Town.  Provisions still carries a wide variety of styles on tap, and are savvy enough to offer samplers.  As much as I wanted to keep pushing my own boundaries, I still had a long night ahead of me, and decided to limit myself to only four tasters… two fine selections from Pasadena’s mysterious Craftsman Brewing, the more elusive Lagunitas Waldo’s Special Ale, and the liquid Christmas tree overload of the Brouwerij Lupus Wolf 7.

Gettin' FLOORed!

While I still had my wits about me, I high-tailed it to downtown Fullerton to meet up with my pals:  Unabashed music geek, hardcore screenprinter, and graphic designer extraordinaire Jack Barfield, and Steve Brooks, guitarist / vocalist for Floor.  Floor is currently touring to support their new album “Oblation”.  This part of town is geared primarily towards the college crowd, boasting rows upon rows of restaurants and bars for the frat folks to exchange phone numbers, fluids, and fisticuffs.  Floor was booked at the Slidebar, which joined the ranks of the other non-descript hangouts in town.  A huge plus is the Slidebar is located directly next door to one of my favorite newer brewpubs in the area, HOPSCOTCH, so our trio patronized it for our pre-show indulgences.  Mr. Brooks is “known” (read:  “somewhat infamous”) for his antics when he drinks and refuses to stop drinking.  Were we in for the genuine Steve Brooks tonight or the reincarnation of Darby Crash?  Jack and I ordered beer.  Steve ordered iced tea.  He was keepin’ it real tonight.  I started with an 8 oz Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.  I’m such a nerd, I was actually excited when I saw this on the taplist.  This beer has always been elusive to me.  It’s release is always limited, and highly sought after.  I don’t wait in lines, and I don’t race all over town to collect rare beer, so having this fall in my lap was like Charlie unwrapping the golden ticket.  It was as dense, inky, and complex as I had hoped, but I should have had it for dessert, not as an appetizer.  I ordered the burger for dinner, and nearly doubled over from overstuffing myself, but I couldn’t help it… this is one of my favorite burgers since Grill Em All, and I couldn’t justify NOT eating the whole damn thing, no matter how high it was stacked.  Additionally, I ordered a sampler flight, the highlights being the Green Flash Hop Odyssey Black IPA and the 6^th Anniversary Wheat Wine from Fullerton’s own Bootlegger’s Brewery.  Well satiated, we headed back next door just in time for Floor to set up.  This three-piece unit absolutely crushed the room.  Their sludgy, down-tuned anthems are thick as molasses… the musical equivalent of that Bourbon County Stout.  Doomy, monolithic, powerful beyond belief.  I would have headbanged and whipped my hair around if I had any.  This was the pinnacle of an already great day.

All told, a top notch weekend, but how would it hold up compared to the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival a week later?  Stay tuned to find out.

The tally continues...

Well, it wasn't. Thanks to Total Wine.

5/18 – Chillin’ poolside

816 - SUDWERK BREWING MAIBOCK SPRING LAGER – Floral, well-rounded, refreshing

817 - MARIN BREWING TRIPEL DIPSEA BELGIAN STYLE ALE - Mandarin orange esters, golden yeasty goodness

818 - SANTAN BREWING DEVIL'S ALE - Musty malts, very tasty

819 - MARIN BREWING SAN QUENTIN'S BREAKOUT STOUT - Not an oatmeal stout but tastes like one, Delish!

5/19 – Homebrew Day

820 - NEW BELGIUM BLUE PADDLE PILSENER – Crisp pils, OK, but not much depth

821 - EAGLE ROCK BREWERY BOTANY BAY ESB – Killer!  Enjoyed from brewer Lee Bakofsky’s secret stash in an unlabeled bottle, awesome malt character.  Freakin’ yum!

Lee's homemade sour: Perfection!

822 - GENESEE BREWING GENESEE BEER – A midwestern regional shit lager I’ve never had.  Kinda like Natty Bo.  What you’d expect.

823 - LEE BAKOFSKY HOMEBREW OLD PROCRASTINATOR BARREL AGED SOUR – Treat of the evening… Barrel-aged in a Highland Park garage, room temp with no carbonation yet, and seriously phenomenal.

5/20 - home

824 - NEW BELGIUM SKINNY DIP - Forgettable , in fact I don't remember drinking it

825 - GRAND TETON BREWING LOST CONTINENT DOUBLE IPA - Heavy citrus , perty good

826 - NECTAR ALES RED NECTAR - Reds often disappoint, but Nectar Ales does not disappoint. Ever.

5/21 - home

827 - FIRESTONE WALKER OPAL DRY HOPPED SAISON - Major tart citrus bomb, grapefruity, dang tasty

828 - MAD RIVER BREWING STEELHEAD PORTER - Excellent chocolatey malt attack

Donnie approved.

5/22 – A quick after-work flight at Tony’s Darts Away, then home

829 - GOLDEN ROAD / THREE WEAVERS COLLABORATION CROSS THE POND IPA - Finally get to try something from Three Weavers (well, partially). Smooth, mild caramelly, almost buttery session ale

830 - CISMONTANE BREWING COFFEE CITIZEN – This beer and the next three are from a Cismontane tap takeover at Tony’s.  I got in on the tail end of the leftovers.  Cali Common infused with roasty coffee goodness, golden amber, doesn't look like it tastes, total breakfast beer

831 - CISMONTANE BREWING SCHWARZHOP AMERICAN BLACK ALE - Nice black ale, served @ room temp @ Tony's Darts Away, if it was too cold the subtle malts would be hidden, mild & bitter mouthfeel

United Colors of Cismontane 

832 - CISMONTANE BREWING DOUBLE RAINBOW DIPA - Double Rainbow? What does it mean? It means an all out superior hop assault, a delicious, deep amber, incredibly rich brew

833 - CISMONTANE BREWING 4TH ANNIVERSARY DOPPELBOCK - Decent doppelbock, heavily grain-like and wheaty on the palate, mild

834 - GOOSE ISLAND TEN HILLS PALE ALE - Has a good story behind it for these unique hops they source. Didn't do much for me taste-wise though. Sorry.

835 - CALDERA BREWING IPA - Potent, pungent hoppiness. Good stuff.

5/23 – A brief BevMo Burbank tasting, then home

836 - GOLDEN ROAD HEFEWEIZEN - Orangey deliciousness, way better than yer average Hef

837 - GOLDEN ROAD WOLF AMONG WEEDS - Slightly skunkified, danky goodness, a classic

838 - SIERRA NEVADA OVILA SAISON - Subtle citrus goin' on, didn't love it as much as I expected, but it was probably too cold

839 - BEAR REPUBLIC HOP ROD RYE - Crazy good marriage of rye and heavy hops

Real Cubans. Time for jail.

840 - ALASKAN BREWING ESB – I haven’t encountered many ESBs I love overall, but I heart this one. Deep caramelly malts. So damn tasty!

841 - MENDOCINO BREWING IMPERIAL BARLEY WINE ALE - Crazy rich, deep caramel flavors, semi sweet, all good.

5/24 – Two crappy beers at the Cajun & Blues Fest, then two great beers at the house

842 - MARGARITAVILLE BREWING LANDSHARK LAGER - What I expected

843 - SHOCK TOP BELGIAN WHITE - What you'd expect

844 - CORONADO BREWING SOCK KNOCKER IMPERIAL IPA - 20 megaton hop explosion

845 - STRAND BREWING BEACH HOUSE AMBER - Roasty malts, easy sippin

5/25 – Beering behind The Orange Curtain

846 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING EMP: EXTREMELY MELLOW PORTER - Extremely Mellow Porter, maybe considered an English style, light roasted caramel malts, easy drinking

847 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING MOTHER HEIFER MILK STOUT - They describe it as "velvety smooth"... that's an understatement. Ridiculously good.

848 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING JOULE THIEF KRYSTALWEIZEN - Light but complex wheat beer, glad I had this before their IPAs got to my palette.

849 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING RECURSION 2.0 IPA - Tart cantaloupe hoppiness. Yum.

850 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING PREQUEL ALPHA WHITE IPA - Excellent Citra hopped IPA... got that skunky, armpitty eucalyptus funk that we love

851 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING DOUBLE ACTUATOR DOUBLE IPA - Creamy imperial IPA, I'm tasting everything from subdued caramel to flowers to a veggie eggroll. It's a romantic dinner in one glass.

The many taps of TAPS

852 - BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING TATTERED PRINCE SAISON - Wild yeastiness and a good amount of spice

853 – TAPS CALI GOLD IPA - The Columbus & Amarillo hops give it a major crunch, serious hop bite. California's Gold.. Huell Howser would be proud.

854 – TAPS SEAWARD PALE ALE - Cascade hops, kinda piney

855 - TAPS POSEIDON 2.0 DOUBLE IPA - Nelson Sauvin & Cascade hops give it a deep citrus, slightly acidic hop bite, but nicely balanced as well.

856 - TAPS HELLES - Mild malts, golden goodness, great everyday beer. Everyone should replace Bud with this. Perfect with the TAPS Dragon Rolls as well.

857 - NOBLE ALE WORKS MAN'S MILK STOUT ON NITRO - Creamy, chocolatey, the name says it all. Bad ass. Finally a stout that does NOT taste like coffee. Thank you!

858 - CRAFTSMAN BREWING BAY LAUREL SOUR - Noted as a sour, but not cloyingly tart.  Liquefied tropical fruit trail mix (sans raisins).

859 - CRAFTSMAN BREWING POINT FIVE IPA - Tastes more like a pale ale, not distinctly hoppy, not like that’s a bad thing as this is mellow, easy sippin’.

860 - LAGUNITAS WALDO'S SPECIAL ALE DIPA - Excellent, hop-forward DIPA, Love it!

861 - BROUWERIJ LUPUS - WOLF 7 BELGIAN STRONG PALE ALE - Crazy Xmas potpourri spice, heavy cinnamon, clove, slightly cough syrupy, a good "winter warmer"

862 - GOOSE ISLAND BOURBON COUNTY STOUT - America, fuck yeah!  I finally get to taste this bad boy. 

863 - GREEN FLASH BREWING HOP ODYSSEY BLACK IPA – In a word: Killer.

864 - HOPSCOTCH TAVERN HEFEWEIZEN - Brewed for Hopscotch Tavern by Golden Road, citrusy goodness

865 - ROUGH DRAFT BREWING AMBER - Malt & caramel, good stuff

866 - BOOTLEGGER'S BREWERY 6TH ANNIVERSARY WHEAT WINE - Like a barley wine, a little less sweet, full bodied and damn good. One of their best.

5/26 - Home

867 - PIKE BREWING COMPANY PIKE PALE HEIRLOOM AMBER ALE - So-So. Least fave Pike brew.

868 - AVERY BREWING COMPANY ELLIE'S BROWN ALE - Nutty, tasty, and nutty

5/27 – Home, and a few at The Office, Burbank before Infest practice

869 - NOBLE ALE WORKS RAKAU SHOWERS IMPERIAL IPA - Nice oily hops, and it really opens up at room temp.  I wouldn’t drink it so cold next time.

870 - DUVEL MOORTGAT DUVEL - Heavy citrus esters, slight musk of a "corked" white wine, in a good way

871 - NORTH COAST BREWING COMPANY OLD RASPUTIN RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT - Chocolate malt overload, so good

872 - WIDMER BROTHERS HEFEWEIZEN - Like Brach's butterscotch, ech

5/28 - Home

873 - BIG SKY BREWING MONTANA TROUT SLAYER ALE - Didn't love it, tasted sweet for some reason, the description sounds like a beer I'd want though

874 - BIG SKY BREWING MOOSE DROOL BROWN ALE - Spittle never tasted so delish

The Dodges never met a tasting they didn't like

5/29 – Small tasting at Vendome and a couple at home

875 - BALLAST POINT PIPER DOWN SCOTTISH ALE - Low hopped but the hop subtleties are still present, roasty and malty, this piper should be down my gullet

876 - NEW BELGIUM GRUIT: LIPS OF FAITH - Wormwood? Thankfully I didn't turn into a lunatic and cut off my ear. But I did finally cut some slack to the LOF series. Floral golden yum

877 - NEW BELGIUM RYEPA - Hoppy, rye-ey, rustic, with a creamy mouthfeel. I'm a sucker for rye.

878 - STRUBBE'S FLEMISH RED - Tangy, heavy pomegranate, a bit too sweet, slightly funky, interesting, aged in Bordeaux barrels

879 - BRASSERIE DE BRUNEHAUT THE CLOAK OF ST. MARTIN BELGIAN QUADRUPEL - What a trip! Crazily complex. Heavy musky and musty barrel presence, highly raisiny, dank like an ancient old world stone dungeon

880 - EEL RIVER BREWING RAVEN'S EYE IMPERIAL STOUT - Excellent oily chocolate bomb, like any great imperial stout should be

881 - BRAUEREI SCHLENKERLA AECHT SCHLENKERLA EICHE DOPPELBOCK - Liquid smoke, like the charred remains of hobos from an apartment fire

RODRIGUEZ: Live at The Greek on the big screen. Sounds great. Looks like The Cryptkeeper.

5/30 - A few before heading to The Greek to see Rodriguez live:
882 - BALLAST POINT PALE ALE - Formerly known as the Yellowtail Pale Ale, now it's simply "Pale Ale". Still the ol' standby. Got to sample it at BevMo Burbank on the way home from work.  Ballast Point never disappoints.
883 - INNIS & GUNN ORIGINAL BARREL AGED BEER - Smooth and sweet, like a pimp rollin' in a Cadillac Brougham

Beer #776-815 / Day #136-137: Isn't All Beer Vegan?

Earlier this year, I was included on an email chain with a few friends who were talking about all of us going to the LA Vegan Beer and Food Festival. 

I wasn’t planning on attending.  I’d never gone in the past.  It seemed kinda pricey.  And it looked crowded, overrun with hipsters, and seemed like an overall pain in the ass to deal with.  But having my friends go, who were not predominantly beer-drinkers, sealed the deal.  So, I bought tickets for The Wife & myself.

A lot of co-workers chuckled when I told them about this event.  “Vegan beer?  Isn’t all beer vegan?” was the usual response.  It’s just water,  hops, malt, and yeast, right?  Actually, no!  A surprising number of beers are processed using animal products such as isinglass, the dried swim bladders of fish which are used to clarify some beers, predominantly stouts, and most notably Guinness.  Barnivore is a site that lists beers known to use animal products, and the list is surprisingly long.

Vouchers in hand, a couple months later, I talked to my friends about the upcoming Vegan Beer Fest.  Unlike me, they had NOT bought tickets after all.  And they had no plans on going.  Wait…. What?

Remember that scene in the movie “Old School” where Will Ferrell aka Frank The Tank is running down the middle of the street, drunk, in the middle of the night, yelling “We’re going streaking!”  Then he realizes there is no “We”… he’s alone, naked, and no one is running with him.  That was me with my LA Vegan Beer Fest tickets.  Aw shit....

Last Saturday was the day.  Similar to my Sabroso outing, my pre-gaming consisted of two packets of Active Dry Yeast, mixed with Greek yogurt.  Not the greatest tasting combo, but I hoped it would help keep me sober for the afternoon.  Camille and I trekked from The Valley, over the hill, down side canyons to avoid the terminally backed-up Laurel Canyon, towards the Westside, and into the clusterfuck of westbound Sunset Blvd.  It wasn’t until a few days prior that it registered... this beerfest was in the heart of The Sunset Strip… had I known, that would have been the death knell of this outing and I would have sold my tickets.  But alas, I was a day late, and $90 short.  Traffic inched past legendary monuments to unparalleled douchiness… The Saddle Ranch, The Standard, The Viper Room.  At last, the Vegan Beer Fest was in sight… a fenced-in, gravel parking lot opposite The Roxy, with a line winding around the entire block.  I groaned an audible groan, and hunted for parking.  All street parking has a 2 Hour limit which clearly isn’t long enough.  From the looks of the line, we would easily spend half that time waiting to get in.  The few “reasonably priced” $10 parking lots were all full, and there were practically no other options aside from getting a parking ticket or spending $22-$26 parking in the garages of the nearby office buildings.  I searched in vain for options, but after wasting another 30 minutes fighting traffic and frustration, I realized time was being wasted not using these tickets that were already paid for.  I bit the bullet, pulled into a pricey corporate office parking garage, and we made our way to the back of the Vegan Beer Fest entry line.

One long ass line.

There were easily 200 people in front of us waiting to enter, and we still didn’t technically have our tickets. I had to retrieve them from Will Call.  As I pathetically peered through the iron-barred fence into the festival, kept outside like a disobedient pet, glaring at people who weren’t me... people who were enjoying my unlimited beer without me, I tried not to let my frustration and jealously get the better of me.  I was standing in direct sunlight, with a bladder on the verge of exploding after the long ride, and a belly full of active yeast. 

Then the line moved.  Then it moved again.  What I anticipated as another hour was perhaps only 15 minutes.  We were in the homestretch.  There was hope.  It was like being in line forever at Disneyland, and finally queueing up in a numbered row, next in line to jump in our log for Splash Mountain.

Cranky guy needs a beer.  Or 37.

My mood changed drastically once we were inside.  The spoiled brat finally got what he wanted:  Entry to the playground of bountiful beering.  For a Sold Out event, there was a mercifully ample amount of space to move around.  Lines were not overly long.  And my fears of elbow-wrestling against mustachioed hipsters for access to taps were laid to rest.  It was a ruly crowd of average folks like me who simply dig beer.  I even spotted a few cool underground types.  One of them had a “Soy Not Oi” shirt.  Another was wearing a Capitalist Casualties T.  My people were in attendance.  And so were some of the finest SoCal had to offer. 

Eagle Rock unveiled their biting Ginger Saison.  Golden Road unleashed their anticipated seasonal Almond Milk Stout… wait, is that vegan?  Figueroa Mountain has always been so-so in my book, but their Big Cone black ale won me over.  San Francisco's Speakeasy ventured to South Cali with their mediocre Big Daddy IPA, but then scored with their Betrayal Imperial Red. I braved the long line at the Bravery Brewing tent to try their decent La Fleur Hibiscus Wheat and Old Rat English Brown Ale.  Self-proclaimed Godfathers Of Beer Karl Strauss even stepped up the game a bit with their sessionable Mosaic IPA.  San Diego’s Modern Times brought up a few different canned beers, the Lomalond Saison and Fortunate Islands Wheat, which were both astoundingly better than expected.

Me and Faction guy: Big earlobes and great beers

Many breweries played it safe, and brought out their “usual” to pour, but I’m always appreciative to those who bring out specialty kegs.
The most impressive beers of the day, hands-down, were unleashed by Alameda’s Faction Brewing and Hermosa Beach’s The Brewery At Abigaile.  Faction provided a stripped down, DIY style booth with two of the more impressive offerings of the day.  And Abigaile won me as a loyal fan with all three of their beers, especially the Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Black Mass Porter.

I kept with my standard regimen of small pours throughout the day, and managed to sample my way through 37 new beers, plus a few tasty duplicates for good measure… hell, I can’t say no to the Ballast Point Habanero Scuplin.  Ever.  I kept hydrated when possible, although the organizers of this event would have been wise to make water stations plentiful and free.  Instead, some oddball frou-frou Hawaiian bottled volcanic water was for sale.  Not a big deal since it was only $2, but still….

We sampled a few vegan food offerings, both of which were excellent…. Caribbean quesadillas from Real Food Daily which were only $4 for two, and Frito Pies from Beyond Meat which were not only delicious and the perfect accompaniment for beer but, strangely enough, absolutely free!

The Grilled Cheese Truck?  Um…. Hate to break it to you, but NOT vegan.

Something is slightly nasty about this.

We left the Vegan Beer Fest full-bellied, comfortable, pleased, satisfied.  The mounting frustrations that kicked off the day were quickly forgotten.
Would I come here again?  No.  Well, not unless it was free.  And someone else drove.  And they dropped me off at the VIP entrance. 

It was a great time once we were in, but this is one of the worst parts of town to attend any event.  I avoid The Strip at night, and now I know to avoid it during the day as well.

Did the belly full of yeast help me stay sober, or is it a placebo?  I still wouldn’t bet money on it either way, but it seemed to work.  I didn’t hydrate nearly as much as I would have liked. 

Then again, I didn’t leave the Fest with the urge to go streaking through the quad.

The tally continues....

5/16 – Friday nite at home

776 - MAD RIVER BREWING HUMBOLDT HAZE IMPERIAL WHEAT IPA – Dense and tasty, with a name like Humboldt Haze I was expecting some kind of funky hemp beer.  Huh.  Huh huh.  Duuude.

777 - CALDERA BREWING ASHLAND AMBER ALE – I’m really warming up to more Ambers lately, probably because the bar has been raised.  These Oregonian tree huggers know what’s up.

5/17 – LA Vegan Beer Fest +1

778 - GOLDEN ROAD HEAL THE BAY IPA – Great IPA that tends to mysteriously come & go, so I like to enjoy it while I can.  Some proceeds go to a local organization protecting local watersheds.  I’m definitely wearing Birkenstocks whenever I drink this.

779 - GOLDEN ROAD ALMOND MILK STOUT – A limited, specialty release. Super tasty.  Probably doesn’t have milk in it.  Hope not.  This is a Vegan Beer Fest, ya know!

780 - NOBLE ALE WORKS ALL NIGHT LONG – Some sorta complex black ale.  I’m a huge fan of these fellas, and they never cease to push the boundaries of your average stein.

781 - SIERRA NEVADA BREWING SUMMERFEST PILSNER – Easy to drink, inoffensive, better than the usual Pilsner, but I’d opt for any of their other offerings first.

782 - SMOG CITY BREWING L.A. SAISON – Nice one from this Torrance brewery.  Golden, wheaty, farmy, yeasty.

783 - WOLF CREEK BREWERY WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING SESSION IPA - Just OK.

784 - ABIGAILE BREWERY RYE WHISKEY BARREL AGED BLACK MASS PORTER – Beer Of The Fest! Incredible, deep vanilla, barrel-infused, rich malt tastiness.

785 - ABIGAILE BREWERY OATS OF BIRMINGHAM ENGLISH BROWN ALE – Maybe I’m a heretic, but many “English style” beers are lost on me.  This is an exception, and it’s exceptional.

786 - ABIGAILE BREWERY 002 2ND ANNIVERSARY DOUBLE IPA – Lucky I got to try this one.  Fantastic West Coast IPA.  Not soapy or skunky.  Evenly balanced.  Just right.

787 - EAGLE ROCK BREWERY GINGER SAISON – Really decent ginger bite without being overpowering.  Bet this would be awesome with Thai food.

788 - EAGLE ROCK BREWERY REVOLUTION AMERICAN PALE ALE – The standby.

789 - FACTION BREWING DEFCON I BELGIAN QUAD – Inspired, rich, delicious… one of the few today where I enjoyed the full pour.  Excellent output from this modest SF Bay Area brewery.

790 - FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN BREWING HOPPY POPPY IPA – Had it before.  Thought it was one of their better brews.  But then I tried the Big Cone, which blew it away.

791 - FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN BREWING BIG CONE CASCADIAN DARK ALE – See above.  Fig Mtn finally has a beer I really like.

792 - GOLDEN ROAD BERLINER WEISSE – Tart but surprising how easy-to-drink this is.  Highly recommended for anyone needing a starting point to “try out” a sour.

793 - SPEAKEASY BETRAYAL IMPERIAL RED – Not a huge fan of Speakeasy to date, but I truly enjoyed this double red ale.  I guess I’ll start speaking easier about these guys myself.

794 - OMISSION IPA – Gluten free.  Not that great.  But if I had an allergy, I suppose I’d learn to like it.  The best of the three Omission offerings.

795 - OMISSION PALE ALE – Eh.

796 - OMISSION LAGER – Bleh.

Gotta keep track of these things

797 - EPIC BREWING ESCAPE TO COLORADO IPA – Dig it.

798 - BOOTLEGGER'S BREWERY RUSTIC RYE IPA – Enjoyed it more in the past, but maybe it was too cold.

799 - BOOTLEGGER'S BREWERY PALOMINO PALE ALE – I like Bootlegger’s, but this is my least favorite off their roster.

800 - MODERN TIMES LOMALAND SAISON – Excellent canned creation from SD.  Seriously way more impressive than expected.

801 - HANGAR 24 BETTY IPA – Everybody has an IPA.  Now Hangar 24 does, too.  Inland Empire rejoice!

802 - MODERN TIMES FORTUNATE ISLANDS WHEAT BEER – Very, very freakin’ good.  I started out on the wrong foot with this brewery.  Since my first disappointing try, I’ve truly enjoyed all of their releases since.  I’m a fan.  I’m gettin’ with the Times.

803 - OSKAR BLUES DALE'S PALE ALE – You’ve had it.  So have I.  I was really hoping they’d show up with a specialty keg.  Instead it was the standard cans.  Good, but Deviant Dale’s and Ten Fidy are my favorites.

804 - OSKAR BLUES OLD CHUB – See above.  Not the hugest fan of this Scotch Ale, truth be told.

805 - OHANA BREWING PACIFIC ALE – Pretty good

806 - BRAVERY BREWING LA FLEUR HIBISCUS WHEAT – I’m due to head up to the high desert & check out this place.  This pinkish taster was pretty good, not too complex, but I want to give them a chance.

807 - BRAVERY BREWING OLD RAT ENGLISH BROWN – Decent, solid, better than the wheat beer.

808 - OHANA BREWING PALE ALE – Keg wasn’t ready, but I was pushy & insisted on a sip.  Yeah, total dick move.  But nice, easy drinking beer.  I need to visit their tasting room.

809 - EPIC BREWING GLUTENATOR – Their take on gluten-free brau.  Much better than the Omission samples.

810 - KARL STRAUSS MOSAIC SESSION IPA – The big guys are an easy target.  It’s easy to pooh-pooh their beers as not being fancy or DIY enough.  The self-proclaimed Godfather Of Beer hits the mark with this one.  2014 truly is The Year Of The Session IPA.

811 - DESCHUTES BREWERY MIRROR POND PALE ALE – Not fancy, straight forward, but always good.

812 - NEW BELGIUM WILD DUBBEL – Unlike most of my beer drinking friends, I’m not a fan of this Lips Of Faith series.  They usually sound like a good idea, but rarely deliver the goods.  And I know I’m alone in that generalized assessment.  That makes this brew even more enjoyable…. I like it!  Tasty wild ale with a lot goin’ on.  Rich, malty, mildly spicy bite.  Nice.

813 - WOLF CREEK BREWERY HOWLIN' HEF – Ummm. Here’s the thing…

814 - SMOG CITY BREWING LIL BO PILS – Decent pilsner.  Lite and unobtrusive.  Don’t need it again, but I do support this brewery, smog and all.

815 - ABBAYE DE LEFFE LEFFE BLONDE – Post-Fest Belgian nitecap with some friends up in Santa Clarita at a wine place...  No, not a beer place.  You’ve had it.  You like it.

Nerd alert!

Beer #38-43 / Day 7&8: Expressions Of True Love

Tuesday band practice means the weekly Union Meeting with Domino & Denunzio.  We typically end up at The Office or Tony's Darts Away.  This week we mixed it up & tried a new spot in Burbank:  THE SNUG.  We thought it would be a silly, over the top, Irish pub, or the crummiest dive bar.  It was neither.  The Snug is officially our new hangout.  It's clean, hipster free, non-pretentious, non-crowded, with a decent selection of taps and hard liquor, a friendly bartender, affordable drinks, 70s classic rock & 80s hits in rotation.... No complaints. The Snug is The Shit!

The Shiznit.

Instead of limiting themselves to Guinness and Bass, like most of these faux Limey bars, they had some unexpected & interesting selections.  Domino was hooked as soon as we found out Fireball shots were $4 with any beer.  Welcome home!  I opted to start with the AVERY BREWING WHITE RASCAL - Beer #38, one of the more complex witbiers out there. I away shy from many lighter beers, but this has a lot going on, and exemplifies why Avery is one of my favorites Stateside.  Next, I went for the ALASKAN BREWING IPA - Beer #39.  Funny how it's doesn't have a name other than "IPA", but it's appropriate because that all it is.  It's not frou-frou, fancy, or ultra-rare... it's just a freakin' IPA, so deal with it.  Good, not amazing, but it does the job.

Avoid eye contact with the Brew Jawa

We stopped drinking a bit earlier than usual, in favor of actually having a good practice (i.e. not showing up shit-faced).  Good plan considering we're headed out to play Baltimore in 10 days.  On the way there, Domino stopped at the liquor store across from The Snug and discovered they carried singles of several good beers.  I knew this guy loved me the second he showed up at practice with a tall boy of GOLDEN ROAD POINT THE WAY IPA - Beer #40 for me. One of my top local favorites, no question.  Since we're playing out soon, we agreed practice next week should be sober.  Then again, we're not exactly famous for keeping our promises.

Wednesday night after work, I was without a car and needed to wait for a ride from The Mrs.  There's only one bar within a block of my work, and that's THE OFFICE.  I've frequented this room a million times, not so much because I'm such a huge fan, but because it's within walking distance. Any going away party or other co-worker milestone is celebrated at this establishment.  The Office is also the standard Infest pre-practice watering hole. The bartender knows us and occasionally hooks us up. And its less than a mile from where we practice. The Office has decent taps (although they rotate infrequently), uncomfortable chairs, but nice bartenders. The more I come here, the more I recognize the regulars. There's a few guys I see every time, no matter what day of the week. Gotta love local drunks.

Beer selfie.  Act natural.

Speaking of, I decided to start with the SIERRA NEVADA CELEBRATION ALE - Beer #41. The keg actually ran out halfway thru the pint, so the bartender gave it to me gratis. Good lookin' out, Sister!  That's service!  Showing true love, I say.  I somehow avoided this beer during the Holidays, which is when it's released annually, but wanted to get a taste before it disappears til next Fall. It has that familiar Sierra Nevada varietal hop bite, but its more akin to a hoppy, brown ale. Since I'm here often, and I usually order the same few things (Green Flash IPA, North Coast Old Rasputin, Angel City Angelino IPA, or Ballast Point Sculpin), I decided to mix it up & try something new.  I went for another seasonal selection, the SAMUEL ADAMS COLD SNAP - Beer #42.  This one is wheaty, and barnyardy.  Like a bale of hay fermented in apple juice. Not entirely awesome.  I wasn't expecting greatness, and I got what I expected.
The Wife scooped me up, and we wrapped up the evening at home with a SIERRA NEVADA OLD CHICO CRYSTAL WHEAT - Beer #43.  I've never seen this beer in SoCal, but my Mom lives in Chico, home of Sierra Nevada, and on her last visit brought me four cases of different Sierra Nevada brews.  That's true love, right there.  Old Chico is a perfect everyday beer.  Not overwhelming, but superior to any other mainstream beer you'd pick up on Game Day.  It's light, refreshing, but with distinct, gritty malt and barley flavor.  I've got another 10 or so stockpiled if you want to try it.
And to top off the evening, the Clippers win again.  Further proof that someone up there does love me!

CHEERS!

IPAs with INFEST: Beer #8-13 / Day 2

Day 2 of my Big Year In Beer was supposed to be the day when I would take it easy.  But then Matt Domino came into the picture.  I play in a band with Matt called INFEST.  Because of the holidays, our usual Tuesday night practice was moved to Thursday. Before practice, Matt, Joe Denunzio, and I always meet somewhere first. Tonight it was Tony's Darts Away.  "All Craft. All Draft. All California." is their motto.  I love Tony's, and any beer aficionado worth their salt loves Tony's.  I was trying to dry out a bit from New Year's Day, so it wasn't my idea.  But I also can't say "No", when someone suggests Tony's. And when Domino is involved, there is no such thing as "a quick one".
The room was packed, as usual.  The only free tables were outside. It was a perfect evening, but in LA everyone breaks out their heavy parkas and mittens whenever the temperature dips below 64 degrees, so we practically had the patio to ourselves.

Domino waxes philosophical.

I kicked off the night with the ST-FEUILIEN / GREEN FLASH COLLABORATION BELGIAN COAST IPA - Beer #8.  A hint of that Belgian floral thing going on, but still a solid IPA.  Sometimes these beers served in tulip glasses can go over the top with the whole dollar-store-perfume smell.  This one was a winner.
While Domino dished up his weekly dose of Life Lessons, I took a sip of his EAGLE ROCK BREWERY POPULIST IPA - Beer #9.  Sweet Jesus, what a great IPA.  The last few times I've had it, I didn't want anything else.  One of the best in LA.  Mildly skunky, definitely a brew for Real Men... like guys who work with machinery.  Men like Joe Denunzio, who then made his appearance. This silverback gorilla of a human always meets up with us, but usually doesn't drink before practice, but tonight was the exception.

Horrifying.

My second round was the NOBLE ALE WORKS BIG WHIG IPA - Beer #10, another well-done, SoCal IPA.  This Anaheim operation has really been stepping it up across the board lately.  I'd pick this any day, if I could find it more regularly.
I helped myself to a taste of Joe's GOLDEN ROAD BREWING GET UP OFFA THAT BROWN - Beer #11.  This is his go-to beer at Tony's. In general, I don't love brown ales, but this one has made me a believer in recent years.

North Hollywood: the center of sadness

As the time approached 9pm, clearly we needed to get to practice quickly before drummer Bob "Crazy Legs" Kasitz decided to lock the door and teach us a lesson for being late.  Somehow, we took the long way to Casa de Crazy Legs, and ended up stopping yet again.  The evening had degenerated from The Raddest Beer Pub On Earth to The Saddest Liquor Store On Earth.  Somewhere in North Hollywood, and exactly what you would expect from a random liquor store in North Hollywood.  Sad.  Lonely.  Depressing.  An outpost for the dregs of humanity... so, of course, we were there. But like most sad liquor stores nowadays, they actually carry a few decent beers. I opted for the bomber of FIRESTONE UNION JACK IPA - Beer #13.

World's Shittiest Beer.  Confirmed.

We finally arrived at our destination, and Bob was uncharacteristically not pissed off at us. We set up, and before I had a chance to crack the Union Jack, I had a taste of Matt's ANHEUSER-BUSCH BUD LIGHT & CLAMATO CHELADA - Beer #12, a blend of three things I would never willingly drink... Bud Light, clam juice, tomato juice. I didn't like it before, and my dislike has not subsided.  Honestly, I could never drink an entire can of this, especially a tall can.  Then again, I don't like bloody mary's, and this is the beer equivalent.  These guys love it.  Clearly there's no accounting for taste, or lack thereof.  Speaking of "no taste", it was finally time for practice....

CHEERS!

Beer # 601 - 610 (or "GRAND FINALE OF MY FIRST BIG YEAR")

After fighting off a cold through the middle of the week, my sinuses cleared and my taste buds returned just in time for a last minute Big Year In Beer finale.  Friday, November 15th was my last day of my first Big Year.  And just by chance, it came full circle, ending exactly where I started a year ago.

In preparation of wrapping up my Big Year, I've been copying over my beers, in order, to an Excel spreadsheet.  And in doing so, I discovered that Untappd actually tallied my "Unique" beers incorrectly.  Contrary to my previous post, Hair Of The Dog Blue Dot was NOT my 600th beer... it was actually Beer # 601!  Woohoo!  I was starting off the day ahead of the game without even drinking anything!

To kick off my actual tasting for the day, I hit Congregation Ale House in Pasadena.  Many years ago before the huge craft beer explosion, this building was occupied by a brewpub called Crown City which had 100 beers available.  They used to give you a card to keep track of each beer, and you got a plaque on the wall when you reached 100.  Unfortunately, Crown City closed their doors before I got my plaque.
Congregation took over this great location a few years ago, offering an impressive tap list and excellent food.  In my book, the only drawback for Congregation, and the only reason I don't frequent this location more often has been the service.  I think they have improved service-wise over the past year, but prior to that, the waitstaff were frustratingly uneducated and clueless about the beer on their own menu.  No joke, nearly every time I ordered a beer, the cashiers would give me a blank expression like I was speaking Martian, and I would need to walk over to their huge tap board and point to the beer I wanted.  Honestly, I don't give two shits how cute you look in a Catholic schoolgirl outfit, I want a goddamn beer without playing a game of Charades (one syllable, sounds like 'trout'). I think management finally caught on, and during my last couple visits this year, the staff seemed more up to speed and actually knew what I was ordering.

This time I opted for their house burger, which is consistently one of the best around, and a DESCHUTES BREWERY flight.  The flight was a winner, especially with the inclusion of a few limited brews.
*JUBELALE 2013 - Beer # 602: A comforting winter ale that would have been even more comforting on a colder day (which we don't get much of in LA).
*BLACK BUTTE XXIV IMPERIAL PORTER - Beer # 603:  What you would expect in an imperial porter. Solid.
*GREEN MONSTER SOUR ALE - Beer # 604: The first Deschutes sour I've seen available. Like most American sours of late, a good amount of pucker but still very drinkable. Apparently, this one is super limited.
*CLASS OF '88 SERIES BARLEYWINE - Beer # 605:  A limited collaboration with GREAT LAKES BREWING, one of the most easy-drinking barleywines I've had in recent memory (along with maybe SANTA FE BREWING CHICKEN KILLER)

Later that evening, The Mrs. and I met up with Ryan Harkins from Grill Em All and his wife Kevine (newlyweds!) at GOLDEN ROAD.  This has been a local favorite for the past few years, based in a funky industrial part of LA, across the tracks from Glendale. It was packed like I've never seen it.  Then again, The Wife and I tend to visit breweries during "off" hours, usually in the 2-5pm range. We were introduced to Tara who worked at Eagle Rock Brewing, and Cole who is one of the head brewers at Golden Road.  Like most beer people, they're super cool, and I somehow refrained from bombarding them with endless mega-nerd beer questions. Every time I visit Golden Road, they have something new to offer, and this time they had more offerings than I've ever seen.
I started with the 99 KNOTS TO LA SAISON - Beer # 606.  This is the first time I recall a true saison on the Golden Road list.  Damn good!
I followed that with the SURFLINER PALE ALE - Beer # 607. I recall having a Surfliner IPA last year, and I never saw it again.  This time Surfliner was available, but it was a Pale Ale instead of an IPA.  Huh???  Brewer Cole was nice enough to explain "Surfliner" is actually a blanket name they give to experimental new batches of various brews, all of which are available that one-time only.  Ha!
Next up was the new PONCH'S PORTER - Beer # 608.  This porter freakin' rules.  Their flagship Hudson Porter is good, but I love this one!  Ponch's is a more rich, more dense, inky porter, which I gravitate towards... although if I were smart I'd just stick with imperial stouts since that's what I really have in mind when I order porters.
A couple more friends arrived, and after additional drinking, eating, and merriment, we were treated to a late night tour behind the scenes of the brewery.  The facility is beyond impressive, especially the safeguards implemented to ensure consistency and high quality.  We were lucky enough to taste CABRILLO KOLSCH straight out of the tank, unfiltered.  And no, I can't claim it, because I already had it earlier this year... Beer # 333.  Also fun was cracking open a rejected can (rejected because the fill wasn't exactly 16 oz) of GET UP OFFA THAT BROWN - Beer # 609.  It was canned earlier that afternoon, and even at room temperature it was perfection. In fact, I think I like it even better unrefrigerated... I could taste a lot more of the roasted malty goodness.  Could it be the Europeans have actually been right this whole time about not serving beer ice cold?  Nawwww....

We hit a backroom where the BRANDY BARREL AGED HUDSON PORTER was on tap (which I had already claimed a few days prior as Beer # 596).  One of my favorite Golden Road beers to date.  And I was pouring it myself.  If there's a Heaven, I picture it resembling this moment in time. 
On tap next to the Brandy Barrel Porter was the TROUBLE AHEAD RED - Beer # 610, and the last, unique, claimable beer in my Big Year.  This was a keg from a batch not ready to be released in the brewpub until the following Monday.  Yep, I felt smug as hell, a total baller, even if only for a couple hours.

As we wrapped up the evening, profusely thanking our gracious hosts, I had the startling realization that my first attempt at a Big Year In Beer concluded exactly where it began.  It was a year ago I was sitting at an outdoor table at Golden Road, enjoying a BURNING BUSH SMOKED IPA with Dave Witte, and he told me about Untappd.  I signed up for an account, started logging my beers, and my Big Year was underway.  Here I was a year later, having the best time ever, concluding my Big Year in the exact same spot.  The date as well as the location of my 365 day, 610 beer journey had truly come full circle.  There was something very zen about ending my year with a tour of Golden Road.

Bizarre.
Poetic.
Tasty.

CHEERS!

Beer # 594 - 600 (or "Drank Em All")

As noted previously, this coming Friday, November 15th is the last day of my first Big Year In Beer.  I started counting November 16th, 2012, and not at the beginning of the proper calendar year.  With only a few days to go, and my numbers in the high 500's, my goal has been to at least break 600 for my Big Year.  Additionally, my wife was sick last week, and I've been guessing I'd get sick this week, thereby affecting my beer count.  I started feeling that telltale tickle in my throat and weirdness in my sinuses, telling me I either have really bad allergies or the sickness is lurking on the horizon.  And when I'm sick, I don't drink.  Especially no new beers.  If I can't taste them, I can't enjoy them. Earlier this year when I caught a particularly bad flu, I couldn't taste anything for 2 weeks straight, and therefore, I lost 2 weeks of serious beer time.  Needless to say, right now every hour counts.

My pal Ryan who runs the incredible Grill Em All burger joint in Alhambra, CA mentioned they were one of the few establishments around town that still had The Bruery Autumn Maple on tap.  Say no more. The adventure was underway...
Co-owners Matt and Ryan were both at the restaurant yesterday.  Business was unusually slow; bad for them, but for selfish reasons I was glad we had time to catch up.  Being the truly awesome gentlemen they are, the second I walked in, they poured me THE BRUERY AUTUMN MAPLE - Beer # 594 in my Big Year.  And not one of those frou-frou splashes in a tulip glass either. They pour like MEN... a 16 ouncer!  That's what I'm talking about.  This beer tastes like its name.  It tastes like harvest time.  The idea of a maple beer didn't really appeal to me until I tried the Anchor BigLeaf Maple a few months ago, and damned if I wasn't converted.  The Bruery does very little wrong, and this is on par with all of their other excellent selections.

Next I had a bit of the TROOPER beer by Robinsons.  I already counted this brew earlier in the year, so it wasn't in my official tally for the day, but when you're at freakin' Grill Em All, the hotbed of all things metal and meat related, it's a must that you indulge in a beer specifically brewed for Iron Maiden.
Food-wise I opted for the Anvil Fries, incredible duck confit frites named after the blundering Canadian thrashers.  And as further proof that Grill Em All is the greatest establishment in the contiguous United States, one of the staples of their menu, dating back to their food truck days, is The Witte burger named after beer guru and drummer extraordinaire Dave Witte. Seriously bad ass.

Afterwards, I headed one block west to 38 Degrees Ale House, a craft beer restaurant which took up residence in the former location of the old California Brewing Company.  I lived in Alhambra 12 years ago, and it was never this cool.  I used to go to California Brewing back then, and the food was excellent, but their beer was very much hit and miss.  38 Degrees is the opposite; their food is so-so, but the reason to make the trip out there is for their impressive tap & bottle selection.  And the biggest selling point for me is having the option of buying 5 oz pours instead of full pints. This is the first place in Cali where I've seen Portland's Gigantic IPA on tap, so they get major kudos for that alone. With Beer # 600 in such close striking distance, I racked up the 5 ouncers, determined to hit my numbers and beat out any impending sinus ailment.

ALESMITH EVIL DEAD RED - Beer # 595.  Sure doesn't taste like a traditional red ale.  Way more complex, smooth, and caramely. Totally different, totally excellent. 
GOLDEN ROAD BRANDY BARREL AGED HUDSON PORTER - Beer # 596.  I had the standard Hudson Porter earlier in the year, and thought it was pretty good.  This is a completely different animal.  The brandy barrel aging gives it a much more dense, sweeter taste than expected.  This would make a great dessert beer to finish off during a chilly fall evening by the fireplace.
BEACHWOOD BREWING THE DOMINATOR IPA - Beer # 597.   Major skunky hops, extreme, delicious.  A winner from Long Beach.
PIZZA PORT SOLANA BEACH (PORT BREWING) LOW TIDE FRESH HOP - Beer # 598.  Mild hoppy herbiness, tasting green and a bit like sage. I don't like sage in my beer, but this is mild enough to stay tasty.
MONKEY PAW LOW AND SLOW RAUCHBIER - Beer # 599.  Wow, this is the beer of the day.  An incredible smoked lager that's akin to BBQ brisket in a glass.  Impressive.

And yes, at last, the victorious glow of my goal achieved:  HAIR OF THE DOG BLUE DOT IPA - BEER # 600 IN MY BIG YEAR!  Easy drinking, hoppy but not oppressively hoppy, a good nitecap.

Time to sober up, head to band practice with Infest, and chug a billion milligrams of Vitamin C.  And if I don't stay healthy for the next couple days, at least I can relish in the victory of hitting 600... even though it would be way more metal to reach 666.

SUGGESTED PAIRING:
MONKEY PAW LOW AND SLOW RAUCHBIER
and
The Best Of JOHNNY CASH - "Ring Of Fire" LP
No matter how many mustacheoed, flannel-wearing hipsters and rockabilly rejects like him, I'm still a Johnny Cash fan.  He's straight forward and gritty.  Just like this smoky rauchbier. This is a beer you drink when you're telling stories about your time on The Yard, or that time you shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.