Bay Area Thread

[archagon]

NorCal ones, anyway. For some reason, none of the signs mention the 10% extra discount, and some of the employees don't know about it either — but it's there.

 

[archagon]

It's pretty stupid how exciting it can be to save a few bucks, but... hey, it's exciting to save a few bucks. Hooray for Whole Foods day.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

Nice to met everyone at Ale Arsenal this evening. Thank you free weekend parking!

 

[theconductor]

For the record
Dud's not dude's

All the dude's I pick up are awesome.would bang again.


For the Mraz price point? Not for a while.

I would try Mraz again. Mike is absolutely killing it lately with his sours.

 

[benbikes4beer]

Any chance you have a MTB and a suitcase of Nelson?

If so, lets touch when you cross a bridge.

Dude. I wish! tomorrow night through ??? I'll be ruining your Bay Area vibes. I have a cooler full of Treehouse Cans?

 

[benbikes4beer]

Beat was fine on tap. Haven't opened a bottle yet. I've found Blind Pig and Row 2 to be off recently but that could be due to drinking a lot more Fieldwork and Cellarmaker.

Ok so. Real talk. I might see what you mean. It's still got that magic that we don't see whe it gets to SD, but it's like an A instead of an A+. It's like when Sage and I are all like, damnit why ain't my Pupil cloudy anymore.

 

[preacher1]

Dude. I wish! tomorrow night through ??? I'll be ruining your Bay Area vibes. I have a cooler full of Treehouse Cans?

Nor-Cal vibez run deep. PM forthcoming.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

Making a random trip to Rare Barrel. What is a must taste in their current lineup.

 

[Xul1]

Couple questions to finish planning an upcoming trip:
1) Are there any decent bars in Capitola or Santa Cruz that stay open later than SARA (preference to Capitola just for less time spent in an Uber)? Game plan is to hit Aptos BBQ, then SARA, then sort of unknown. I may not want any more beer but heading back to my hotel at 8 seems too early, just want to see if there are any good options to keep in mind.

2) Is the tasting at St George Spirits worth doing before/after a visit to Faction?

 

[HeavySpeedway]

I was going to do that spirits tasting but thought better of it. Still on my local bucket list.

I think you are pretty much getting into Santa Cruz for post Capitola night life.

Let me know if you want to grab a beer. Lol

 

[mzdoja]

Beer Thirty is open til 10. Otherwise Lupulo... or just stop into AJs market and have a bottle share at the hotel.

 

[tosh1]

Cleophus Quealy. Anyone following the bottle releases? stupac2 you had early opinions.

I was nonchalant on the Apricot one. This Plum Saison is excellent. Really impressed. Need more bottles.

 

[jtmartino1]

I might be crazy but I think RR has definitely been getting worse. And I don't just mean in comparison to other options. This Beat being a shadow of its former self on draft is one of the reasons I didn't bother trying to get any.

Same boat - not sure if it's them, or me. Could absolutely be the fact that we now have a bunch of solid options for decent beer for cheaper, so my preferences are skewed.

There's still definitely a need for more solid local producers.

 

[buzzword]

Couple questions to finish planning an upcoming trip:
1) Are there any decent bars in Capitola or Santa Cruz that stay open later than SARA (preference to Capitola just for less time spent in an Uber)? Game plan is to hit Aptos BBQ, then SARA, then sort of unknown. I may not want any more beer but heading back to my hotel at 8 seems too early, just want to see if there are any good options to keep in mind.

2) Is the tasting at St George Spirits worth doing before/after a visit to Faction?

1) lupulo and beer thirty as someone else said, or maybe get a nice dinner somewhere in town. I recommend bantam pizza on the west side and 515 kitchen and cocktails downtown

2) yes. their gin lineup is my favorite, and the bourbon isn't bad either.

 

[stupac2]

Cleophus Quealy. Anyone following the bottle releases? stupac2 you had early opinions.

I was nonchalant on the Apricot one. This Plum Saison is excellent. Really impressed. Need more bottles.

I haven't been, I haven't been buying much beer at all lately.

 

[RyanG1]

Cleophus Quealy. Anyone following the bottle releases? stupac2 you had early opinions.

I was nonchalant on the Apricot one. This Plum Saison is excellent. Really impressed. Need more bottles.

Brewery only bottle sales?

 

[tosh1]

Brewery only bottle sales?

Yep.

If only you had picked up them bottles I had for you...

 

[Xul1]

Let me know if you want to grab a beer. Lol

I was going to say "yes" but then you laughed, indicating that your offer wasn't sincere. There's a veritable arsenal of good beer options though, perhaps you'll run into me over an ale somewhere.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

I was going to say "yes" but then you laughed, indicating that your offer wasn't sincere. There's a veritable arsenal of good beer options though, perhaps you'll run into me over an ale somewhere.

The laugh was not insincerity; it was about how you seem to keep an amazingly low profile. But you knew that.

I have no idea what place you were describing in your post, though.

 

[grrrah]

Same boat - not sure if it's them, or me. Could absolutely be the fact that we now have a bunch of solid options for decent beer for cheaper, so my preferences are skewed.

There's still definitely a need for more solid local producers.

Agree. Either they have declined or I think techniques and abilities of other brewers have evolved and others are making as good or better but they are staying the same. And when we compare, they used to be at the top but now middle of the road.

 

[cardinalbruintriton]

2) Is the tasting at St George Spirits worth doing before/after a visit to Faction?

I say go before Faction. If you're interested in the whole distillation process, the tour of their facility is really cool. If I remember correctly, they only do a few tours per day.

And I agree with buzzword, go there for the gin. Also, liqueurs.

 

[Sage1]

2) Is the tasting at St George Spirits worth doing before/after a visit to Faction?

YES. And it’s totally worth doing the full-blown tour – I’ve done it twice and will do again.

I like to do the last tour of the day and then wander off to Faction and view the sunset over the bay.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

YES. And it’s totally worth doing the full-blown tour – I’ve done it twice and will do again.

I like to do the last tour of the day and then wander off to Faction and view the sunset over the bay.

When they get that deck built in the parking area it will be a much nicer view.

 

[HeavySpeedway]

The Willows. Wow. Such loud drunken yelling. Oh well, the KBS was good (as was the Curmudgeon- very underrated IMHO).

Monk's Kettle is cool but oh so expensive. But, it has an energy I miss in the South Bay or Peninsula or Cellarmaker or the ****** Beer Store.

 

[MrDave]

What's up with the City Beer Store hate?

 

[HeavySpeedway]

What's up with the City Beer Store hate?

No hate at all - it is a play on "City Wok" from South Park (which is pronounced, well, you know)

it is, however, a low energy place.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

What's up with the City Beer Store hate?

Ever see their outdated IPAs in direct sunlight on the shelf for market price? Their a craft beer store and should know better. That's my main gripe.

Well that and when you point it out on social media they get all pissy about it and called me names.

 

[RyanG1]

What's up with the City Beer Store hate?

I use to like going there when it was just a few taps and a push bar and when they got into the newer space, but just don't visit as much.

Good to pair with a Cellarmaker trip since there is just an alley between the two. And they usually have something good on tap.

The rar fridge for on site is over priced, hoard stock, etc. Most of the practices of other bottle shops in the city and elsewhere.

 

[drgarage1]

What's up with the City Beer Store hate?

Mainly to do with the cozy relationship between them and Artisan distribution (the same owners), which leads to suspicion they get more allocated product than other stores that don't also own a distributor.

 

[stupac2]

Mainly to do with the cozy relationship between them and Artisan distribution (the same owners), which leads to suspicion they get more allocated product than other stores that don't also own a distributor.

...Suspicion? It definitely happens. Also, when 50-50 switched distributors and they threw a hissy fit I thought it was pretty precious.

A lot of people don't like CBS because they upcharge on pretty much anything anyone reading this would want to buy (you'll probably see someone call them "City Rape Store" eventually), but I don't really care. Though I did laugh when Firestone 15 had just come out and they had 14 on the shelves for like $35. I guess some sucker bought it...