Bay Area (SF) Beer Week Thread

[stupac2]

Yep, 40+ (estimate) is "a couple." Right.

Try to get Younger side-by-side with SF Fusion. You may be able to do it at Toronado later this week.



There are a ton of better beers than Fusion 20. Gives you an idea of what to expect with Younger this year.

How's Citra this year?

I had Younger too, it was far better than Fusion.

 

[jtmartino1]

I had Younger too, it was far better than Fusion.

Got any tasting notes? Things you liked about Younger over Fusion? Are you a grassy hop kinda guy? You like your IPAs mild on citrus and high on dryness? You have it at the DIPA fest?

I'll definitely try to revisit the two later this week. I have a hyper sensitive palate to certain compounds but not others, so it's nice to have some external feedback. Could've been a weird keg at the Gala too.

 

[stupac2]

The beer dinner at Homestead was awesome, that's a really cool space. I hope the Trappist guys do that more in the future.

 

[matedog]

It's hard to go off of memory from having once last year (and a few times the year before), but the only thing I noticed about Younger that didn't seem to jive with my memory was that it was a bit hot, especially in the aftertaste. I remember getting less heat last year. Still great though and I hope to get to try it one or two more times this year.

I went to Sour Sunday for the first time yesterday. The rain made Triple Rock a particular chore. For the special hourly tastings, you had to line up again, the line leading back outside into the pouring rain. We ventured over to Jupiter after which was more spacious, but still a huge crowd. The tents were leaky as well. The tastings themselves were generally quite good. Perhaps if it isn't raining next year, I'll go back.

 

[AndresR]

Hitting up 540 Club tonight to see what Ballast Point BA'd beers might be one. *fingers crossed for BA V@S

 

[Touch_My_BrettSacch]

So according to the twitters Tomme Arthur was up at Toronado SF yesterday, and then I saw someone post some pics from Toronado San Diego in the hauls thread, which featured like 6 bottles of Cable Car. Prob doesn't matter, since it would all be gone now, but was anyone here at Toronado SF Sunday evening, and did they/do they have some Cable Car?

 

[basil1]

Prob doesn't matter, since it would all be gone now, but was anyone here at Toronado SF Sunday evening, and did they/do they have some Cable Car?

I was there on Sunday evening. They did not have Cable Car.

 

[Touch_My_BrettSacch]

I was there on Sunday evening. They did not have Cable Car.

Ok, cool. Here's hoping the "mystery beer" at the Lost Abbey tasting today may be Cable Car. Very much a want.

 

[stupac2]

Ok, cool. Here's hoping the "mystery beer" at the Lost Abbey tasting today may be Cable Car. Very much a want.

Almost certainly won't be. I don't believe Cable Car has ever been anywhere except the two Toronados.

 

[RyanG1]

Ok, cool. Here's hoping the "mystery beer" at the Lost Abbey tasting today may be Cable Car. Very much a want.

The mystery beer is RED BARN!

 

[RyanG1]

In other breaking news, Toronado actually updated their website: http://www.toronado.com/draft.htm

Although I use Untappd to see what is new.

 

[Touch_My_BrettSacch]

Almost certainly won't be. I don't believe Cable Car has ever been anywhere except the two Toronados.

Yeah, yeah, I know. But a girl can dream. Hoping its Duck Duck Gooze or something.

 

[Touch_My_BrettSacch]

Yeah, yeah, I know. But a girl can dream. Hoping its Duck Duck Gooze or something.

And did the secret beer is Mayan Apocalypse. Judgement Day with dried chilies, cinnamon, and tamarind. Pretty freaking tasty.

 

[matedog]

I'm looking forward to Tion night tonight. Here is a photo I snapped last year:

I remember Deviation being quite special.

 

[Teamizm]

I'm looking forward to Tion night tonight. Here is a photo I snapped last year:

I remember Deviation being quite special.

Hoping to make it out after work, but realistically won't get out there until after the kiddos go to bed. Did that last year (got there around 8) and still some decent stuff on tap.

 

[matedog]

Hoping to make it out after work, but realistically won't get out there until after the kiddos go to bed. Did that last year (got there around 8) and still some decent stuff on tap.

Yeah, one of my friends who is not as obsessive as me, showed up around that time, had no lines, and got some great stuff. Sure, no vintage Beat or Deviation, but a good time nonetheless.

 

[stupac2]

Tion night is ****ing terrible. I'm done with this **** after this year. Beer ****ing sucks.

 

[axeman91821]

My flight to San Francisco leaves in 9 hours. I will be among you soon. I plan on checking out Toronado and Mikkeller tomorrow afternoon, and then hitting Ol Beer Cafe & Bottle Shop for their Prairie event tomorrow night if anybody's going to be around and wants to grab a beer...

 

[drgarage1]

Tion night is ****ing terrible. I'm done with this **** after this year. Beer ****ing sucks.

Agreed. That was stupid. And there wasn't anything particularly rare on. Old Temptation was delicious, even so.

 

[buzzword]

Agreed. That was stupid. And there wasn't anything particularly rare on. Old Temptation was delicious, even so.

did they have compunction on this year?

 

[Arbitrator]

I'm drinking 23 year old scotch instead of dealing with the lines at TION night. Did I make a good choice?

EDIT: I'm being an *******. I know I made a great choice.

 

[johnnyramirez]

Not as good as 23 year old scotch but I'm crushing a 2L growler of Faction's 2 Hop Collab Pale. Much better than any Beer Week event.

Rare Barrel over DIPA Fest was cool
SARA over Sour Sunday was genius since I got bottles and was out of the rain
Growler last night
Growler tonight

Taking the rest of the week off from drinking

 

[Arbitrator]

Not as good as 23 year old scotch but I'm crushing a 2L growler of Faction's 2 Hop Collab Pale.

I saw your FB status on that. I'm tempted to check them out soon. Do they fill unbranded?

Growler last night
Growler tonight

Taking the rest of the week off from drinking

Lulz

 

[johnnyramirez]

I saw your FB status on that. I'm tempted to check them out soon. Do they fill unbranded?



Lulz

Yeah, I had an unbranded screw top Hop Soup and consumed that last night. 2 Hop tonight. I think they also fill other branded growlers as long as you tape over it at home. Can't confirm that one though

 

[falc0n26001]

did they have compunction on this year?

They did have Compunction, and T25, you negative Nancies!

 

[Arbitrator]

They did have Compunction, and T25, you negative Nancies!

And if you're saying those two beers are worth the traffic up there, the PITA of parking, and standing in line, then vaya con dios, my friend. That's why I skipped Day 1 of the Beatification release: I had better things to do than wait for hours.

I've seen better tap lists at TION nights 4-5 years ago... With considerably fewer people. SFBW is no longer worth the hassle. I'd rather drink on a quiet night at Russian River (do those exist anymore?) than go to a TION night. I always feel those last-minute pangs before the event starts ("What if it's amazing? I should just go.") but seeing the tap list made me feel better last year and this year.

Just to be clear: it's a good list. It's not a "worth the PITA" list.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

And if you're saying those two beers are worth the traffic up there, the PITA of parking, and standing in line, then vaya con dios, my friend. That's why I skipped Day 1 of the Beatification release: I had better things to do than wait for hours.

I've seen better tap lists at TION nights 4-5 years ago... With considerably fewer people. SFBW is no longer worth the hassle. I'd rather drink on a quiet night at Russian River (do those exist anymore?) than go to a TION night. I always feel those last-minute pangs before the event starts ("What if it's amazing? I should just go.") but seeing the tap list made me feel better last year and this year.

Just to be clear: it's a good list. It's not a "worth the PITA" list.

I feel ya on the PITA factor. The BA Maple Stout release at Torpedo room was painless, I got there 20 min before and was near the front of the line. In and out in 2 min.

The SN tap takeover at BR was also harmless. Slight crowd, took me ~7 min to make my order and found seating. Crowded? Yes. Overwhelming PITA? Not at all.

 

[Arbitrator]

The SN tap takeover at BR was also harmless. Slight crowd, took me ~7 min to make my order and found seating. Crowded? Yes. Overwhelming PITA? Not at all.

You're right. Actually, it's not fair to write off all of SFBW. I attended the Cellarmaker event at Ale Arsenal last night and found it tolerable. I heard that the GHS event (Kern River Brewing) was a ********, and I'm glad I didn't go. I know what it was like the last couple of years.

I will be attending a few smaller events and keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[drgarage1]

did they have compunction on this year?

Yes. New batch, from what I can tell.

 

[buzzword]

united sours of America at monk's kettle was cool too, but I was also the 6th or 7th person in the door. didn't have to wait, tried everything I wanted to try, and continued day drinking to my satisfaction - including a chill BART ride to Oakland for food/beer at rosamunde, beer revolution, and trappist. chill day.

 

[buzzword]

Yes. New batch, from what I can tell.

did it kick yet?

 

[jtmartino1]

I heard that the GHS event (Kern River Brewing) was a ********, and I'm glad I didn't go. I know what it was like the last couple of years.

There were a lot fewer people there last night than the previous two years. Citra is on point this year too, so totally worth it to me.

Toronado was a frenzy tonight but after the first wave was done, getting beer didn't take much more than 10 mins. We were lucky to get a table too. The beers were solid, but not good enough to make me spend the time and money to get into the city next year for it.

The bottle shares I've had over the past week have been great, so that's something.

 

[Arbitrator]

There were a lot fewer people there last night than the previous two years.

That is pretty surprising -- didn't the Citra keg kick in 30-40 minutes each year, including yesterday? I could be remembering wrong.

The beers were solid, but not good enough to make me spend the time and money to get into the city next year for it.

Yeah, that's all I was trying to say.

I think I'll check out Serpents and Stouts tomorrow at Ale Arsenal and the Boneyard event at Harry's San Leandro on Saturday. I'm hoping those are beneath most people's radars.

I think my chances of drinking Younger without a crowd are slim, so I'm giving up on that one.

 

[litheum94]

I never said Younger isn't great. But there are a lot of great beers out there. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you like Younger or Fusion better. I'd be surprised if you picked Younger, because that means you and I have drastically different palates.

And for the record, I'm not over Younger, I'm just trying to have some discussion about a beer that is hyped beyond anything reasonable. If you don't care to read opinion posts, and if another person's opinion doesn't really mean anything to you, feel free to move along.

I was referencing the fact that you called Younger "Boring." That's all. Younger is a great beer. So unjust couldn't call it boring myself.

As for comparing, I still haven't tried Younger this year (****ing tourists), but I'm drinking a SF Fusion as I write this, and it's great, but it just doesn't compare to Younger. Younger has great hop flavors without a lot of bitterness.

I hope I can try Younger this year and be able to articulate my argument more for you.

 

[litheum94]

Tion night is ****ing terrible. I'm done with this **** after this year. Beer ****ing sucks.

**** man. Try being a local trying to get Younger. ****ing ridiculous.

 

[jtmartino1]

That is pretty surprising -- didn't the Citra keg kick in 30-40 minutes each year, including yesterday? I could be remembering wrong.



Yeah, that's all I was trying to say.

I think I'll check out Serpents and Stouts tomorrow at Ale Arsenal and the Boneyard event at Harry's San Leandro on Saturday. I'm hoping those are beneath most people's radars.

I think my chances of drinking Younger without a crowd are slim, so I'm giving up on that one.

The keg kicked last year when half of the people were still in line. People who got there 30+ mins early. This year, it you got there 15-20 mins before tapping, you probably still got a pour. I just know the line was WAY longer last year.

Come by Harry's for Crux before hitting AA, if you have time. Go to Toronado early in the day for Younger.

 

[jtmartino1]

Younger has great hop flavors without a lot of bitterness.

I thought so too, last year.

 

[matedog]

did they have compunction on this year?

The list wasn't as good as last year, but I went in at 5:15, got my top 3 pours by 6:15ish and was out by maybe 6:45. Not the worst of experiences, but fighting for the bartender's attention at Toronado is never fun.

*edit* - I should mention that I ordered compunction as one of my "Top 3" choices, but was poured some kind of saison instead. I was able to mooch some sips off of the beer pariah (HaveUseenmycellar), but it wasn't the same.

 

[RyanG1]

Tion night was fun with friends and meeting new people, not as good as years past as others have said. Favorite a were Compunction and 12 Supplication. Deviation and 08 Beatidicae were on last time.

Just pissed them wouldn't let me order a Hoegarden.

 

[stupac2]

Yeah, my issue with events like that isn't that it's bad beer, but that Toronado with a crowd is just a horrible PITA experience and by 4:30 the place was getting crowded. By 5:30 it was absolutely packed. I didn't have the hardest time all things considered, since I was able to order pretty quickly after 6, but if the best-tasting beer is one I have cases of in my basement, I don't see why I should make the effort.

I had way more fun at CBS and Cellarmaker beforehand. Cellarmaker makes some good beer. Oh and Deli Board, my god, those sandwiches are the things dreams are made of.