Bay Area (SF) Beer Week Thread

[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 shitshow, 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 shitshow, 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 (******* 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 ******* terrible. I'm done with this **** after this year. Beer ******* sucks.

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

 

[matedog]

Also, Dave Keene, Tomme, and Vinnie were all playing some kind of variation of Cornhole by the secondary entrance area. My only thought was, "I've waited in massive lines for all of you guys."

 

[flexabull]

Boneyard event at Harry's San Leandro on Saturday.

What Boneyard beers are they having at this event?

 

[buzzword]

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

really? the last 5 or 6 years, I've cruised in at 2 or 3 PM on a weekday and gotten it with no line and no wait.

 

[litheum94]

really? the last 5 or 6 years, I've cruised in at 2 or 3 PM on a weekday and gotten it with no line and no wait.

Yep. Took yesterday afternoon off. Got there just before 3, and there was still about a 2-3 hour wait. Keg blew just after 5.

 

[loeyjarko]

To the complainers: Stay home if you don't like lines. There's lines to order on an average friday at Toronado as well. 'Tion night wasn't nearly the ****-show you're making it out to be. I had a lovely time. Temptation 10 and T-25 were the personal favorites. Can't complain with the price of the pours either.

 

[buzzword]

Yep. Took yesterday afternoon off. Got there just before 3, and there was still about a 2-3 hour wait. Keg blew just after 5.

the world is changed...

 

[matedog]

Has anyone gotten Younger at some place other than the Gala and the Brewpub yet? I haven't gotten any notifications and I have been checking a few twitterfeeds but have seen nothing.

 

[loeyjarko]

Has anyone gotten Younger at some place other than the Gala and the Brewpub yet? I haven't gotten any notifications and I have been checking a few twitterfeeds but have seen nothing.

Start's hitting today. Will be at the T-Room.

 

[RyanG1]

Has anyone gotten Younger at some place other than the Gala and the Brewpub yet? I haven't gotten any notifications and I have been checking a few twitterfeeds but have seen nothing.

Monk's Kettle and Pi Bar today

 

[Touch_My_BrettSacch]

Has anyone gotten Younger at some place other than the Gala and the Brewpub yet? I haven't gotten any notifications and I have been checking a few twitterfeeds but have seen nothing.

Monks kettle is doing ticketed pours today starting at 11. I think it's $8 or $10 for 10 oz pours, with all profits going to charity.