San Diego vs Portland

What part of SD are you moving to?

Remember, if you say Escondido or La Mesa, it's not really San Diego!!!

I believe Mission Valley. I will be there next week to put money down on a place with my wife.

BrianTheBrewer said:

I believe Mission Valley. I will be there next week to put money down on a place with my wife.

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That's down the street from where I'll be, I'm moving to Hillcrest in June.

Wow, you'll both actually be "In San Diego".

By the way, I really like Hillcrest, despite it's reputation...

dunnright00 said:

Wow, you'll both actually be "In San Diego".

By the way, I really like Hillcrest, despite it's reputation...

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Hillcrest has a reputation for being a really nice part of town. There's lots there to enjoy.

I think all the main points have been hit, most everything has been said. So, at the risk of repeating what has been said, both cities have great beer and vibrant beer scenes. In Portland, good beer drips from every inch of the city. People have figured out how to integrate drinking good beer into nearly every part of life...nothing like getting a pint of Black Butte or Brutal Bitter at the Farmers market.

I can't speak to San Diego's scene, but, as I said above, living in Los Angeles Green Flash and Alesmith (among others) are my salvation. At some point soon I'll take a weekend and go on a little bender down there. FYI, the Rogue in Portland doesn't actually brew anything, but they do distill spirits there.

Just as I, myself, want and need to experience San Diego, I'd advise all my So Cal comrades to take a trip up north. Go in the Fall at harvest time, it's a trip. Wet hop beers everywhere and you can take a hike and find wild hops growing all over. Do what I used to do, get a $40 room at the Mcmenamins White Eagle (supposedly the most haunted place in Portland), check out the Widmer Gashaus across the street, definitely go to Amnesia a mile up the road, the take the Max downtown and explore the brewpubs.

--BTW I'm 35k feet avoe Iowa right now watching Ghostbusters.... thanks Virgin America.

Ya I cant wait to get out there...

I finally added a poll to this thread as asked...

Being born and raised in Portland, I have to go with Stumptown. That said, I really really like Stone.

Well I am moving to San Diego. That said, Rouge is one of the best breweries in the country.

so are people still debating this? Can't we all just come together and have a pint at Russian River and call it even?

or Pliny the Elder...

nice article

http://tsl.pomona.edu/new/index.php...d=1661:trevor-felch&catid=105:food&Itemid=155

Allagash and Maine Brewing Co vs. Russian River and Lost Abbey? That's tough...Portland per capita, San Diego in total.

khiddy said:

The McMenamin brothers pioneered the brewpub concept.

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William Penn, Samuel Adams, and Patrick Henry were running brewpubs long before Lovejoy and Pettygrove flipped a penny and decided to name a new city out west after Portland, ME.

Many of the most positive developments in brewing since 1978 started here in PDX, and we're continuing the evolution with the move to recognize a distinct style of "Dark IPA" (working name: "Cascadian Pale Ale"), using darker malts and the "C" hops.

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The Black IPA was invented in Vermont. Greg Noonan started brewing them at Vermont Pub & Brewery in the late 1980s, then they were revived in the mid-90s and become a popular local style.

Shaun Hill (who'd worked with Noonan) brewed one at the Shed in Stowe, VT that he brought to one of the Boston beer festivals where Mitch Steele tried it, liked it, and turned the idea into Stone's 11th anniversary beer--the first west coast Black IPA.

a) It's an east coast style (which is why many people find attempt at naming it "Cascadian" either amusing or sad); and
b) San Diego gets credit over Portland for having the first brewery out west to make one and popularize it on that coast.

Tell you what...I will let you know when I get back from San Diego next month...already have two days packed full of nothing but BEER....

Thank GOD this was revived!!!