Bay Area Thread

[matedog]

I mean, okay. I've yet to have anything from Novel that gets above "meh" and Temescal routinely has (or had, I guess) beers that easily clear that bar. I know it's easy to hate on the style but their kettle sours have been as good as anyone's, and when they try they can brew a good IPA. I have to say I'm all kinds of disappointed by them though, they've definitely underdelivered on their initial promise. I think if they stopped dicking around and actually brewed stuff people wanted to drink they could be as good as Fieldwork, but again that was with Wade there, who knows with the new guy? I guess it doesn't hurt them because in that location they clean up no matter what they do.

Fair points. Yeah, I think the collective expectation was another Fieldwork/Cellarmaker. I did enjoy the one kettle sour I tried from them, but they don't seem to make them very often. The board now looks pretty similar to the last few times I've been, albeit with the blonde/pilsner/IPAs having probably different names. I see promise in their hoppy stuff (which I think was the FW/Cmaker expectation from the get go), but wish they would not pussyfoot and make some more in your face "trendy" stuff.

 

[Gambit1]

I know stupac2 thinks I'm a Novel fanboy, but I rate Novel higher than Temescal at this point. If I'm going to go to a mediocre local brewery, it's gotta offer more than an adequate pilsner and like three decent hoppy beers. Novel at least has a interestingly broad selection, stylistically speaking. They've even done some barrel aged brews which I guess Temescal is hinting they will be doing, but haven't done yet.

Wow, everything I've had from Novel has been close to terrible. They are really local to me, so I visit about every 4 months hoping things will have improved and leave with 4 tasters that are half full and a wonder of why I gave them money. There really is no reason to go there with beer that tastes good readily available at so many other close locations.

 

[matedog]

Wow, everything I've had from Novel has been close to terrible. They are really local to me, so I visit about every 4 months hoping things will have improved and leave with 4 tasters that are half full and a wonder of why I gave them money. There really is no reason to go there with beer that tastes good readily available at so many other close locations.

 

[RyanG1]

Thankfully taste is subjective and you have nearby brewerie(s) you like.

 

[Oaklandtraders]

Anybody checked out Roses Taproom yet? Relatively new spot in Temescal.

 

[nothingisreal]

Anybody checked out Roses Taproom yet? Relatively new spot in Temescal.

I went around the second week that they have been open or so and their charcuterie board was good as a snack because I originally wanted BakeSale Betty's but got there too late. The beer was pretty meh but they only had 2 or 3 different beers at the time. I remember checking on untappd some dude was like "gentrification malt extract trust fund brewers" or something along those lines. He had a pretty cool avi wish he had a katana in it tho.

 

[nothingisreal]

aye y'all ledgers has pissenLIT for $7.99 and some other tomes. I couldn't dig around for that long had to go to dinner smh
berkeley bowl also had strange ghost on sale for $12.99 i think and it was at ledgers for $20?

 

[jtmartino1]

"gentrification malt extract trust fund brewers"

Does the owner wear Lucchese ostrich boots?

 

[jtmartino1]

aye y'all ledgers has pissenLIT for $7.99 and some other tomes. I couldn't dig around for that long had to go to dinner smh
berkeley bowl also had strange ghost on sale for $12.99 i think and it was at ledgers for $20?

Berkeley Bowl is the real deal. Shares the throne with AJ's Market in my book.

 

[jtmartino1]

Does the owner wear Lucchese ostrich boots?

I just can't stop chuckling at work. These ******' guys.

 

[nothingisreal]

Berkeley Bowl is the real deal. Shares the throne with AJ's Market in my book.

nothing more true than this statement folks

 

[jtmartino1]

I just can't stop chuckling at work. These ******' guys.

Also, since this is super weird out of context for those that didn't see this posted earlier:

Heirs to the Busch and Mondavi families are opening a brewery in Napa. The interview is pretty entertaining.

 

[RyanG1]

Does the owner wear Lucchese ostrich boots?

 

[jtmartino1]

Dem jeans should be a felony.

 

[pen15clubmember]

I went around the second week that they have been open or so and their charcuterie board was good as a snack because I originally wanted BakeSale Betty's but got there too late. The beer was pretty meh but they only had 2 or 3 different beers at the time. I remember checking on untappd some dude was like "gentrification malt extract trust fund brewers" or something along those lines. He had a pretty cool avi wish he had a katana in it tho.

I went within the first couple of weeks of opening and they also just had three beers available. Two of which, I thought were not good. They put a lime wedge in the porter . They have seven house beers on right now and I generally hate to write off a place after just one visit so I'll try to get back there next time we're in the area.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

Wow, everything I've had from Novel has been close to terrible. They are really local to me, so I visit about every 4 months hoping things will have improved and leave with 4 tasters that are half full and a wonder of why I gave them money. There really is no reason to go there with beer that tastes good readily available at so many other close locations.

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

 

[matedog]

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

Eh, I'm sure there are tons of mediocre breweries in Michigan too that are completely not on our radar. Do you think they've heard of any of those except maybe Drakes?

 

[RyanG1]

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

I am fine being stuck in the Bay Area versus middle of Michigan with all our mediocre breweries.

 

[pen15clubmember]

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

Agreed, it sucks that they're mostly bad, but the proportion of good to bad in East Bay is pretty much on par with the rest of the country. There are like 5000 breweries and at least 4500 are bad.

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

Agreed, it sucks that they're mostly bad, but the proportion of good to bad in East Bay is pretty much on par with the rest of the country. There are like 5000 breweries and at least 4500 are bad.

Eh maybe. No need to get into this debate but I don't necessarily agree. I think on avg our local breweries are worse than most of the country's local breweries. In a city this size the fact that we have only have 2 solid local breweries and not a single great one is crazy.

 

[matedog]

Eh maybe. No need to get into this debate but I don't necessarily agree. I think on avg our local breweries are worse than most of the country's local breweries. In a city this size the fact that we have only have 2 solid local breweries and not a single great one is crazy.

Which city? SF? We have access to Sante, Cellarmaker, Fieldwork, Russian River, Alvarado St. Lesser solid options Rare Barrel, Almanac, Moonlight, we are doing just fine here.

Like I said, with distance, you are going filter out all the blah breweries in Bumfuck, USA.

 

[pen15clubmember]

Eh maybe. No need to get into this debate but I don't necessarily agree. I think on avg our local breweries are worse than most of the country's local breweries. In a city this size the fact that we have only have 2 solid local breweries and not a single great one is crazy.

Bro, you haven't heard of Pacific Coast Brewing?

 

[tosh1]

Bro, you haven't heard of Pacific Coast Brewing?

http://www.sfchronicle.com/insidesc...fic-Coast-Brewing-Co-to-close-in-12221823.php

 

[CommanderofAwesome]

Which city? SF? We have access to Sante, Cellarmaker, Fieldwork, Russian River, Alvarado St. Lesser solid options Rare Barrel, Almanac, Moonlight, we are doing just fine here.

Like I said, with distance, you are going filter out all the blah breweries in Bumfuck, USA.

Good point, I wasn't considering Sante/RR/Lagunitas, as I consider it too far.

 

[pen15clubmember]

http://www.sfchronicle.com/insidesc...fic-Coast-Brewing-Co-to-close-in-12221823.php

Yeah, I specifically chose them a) because I know they're closing I kinda feel bad shitting on local breweries and b) because that was the worst beer and food combo I've experienced in the Bay Area.

 

[AndresR]

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

Yup, lots of Meh is right.

But our distro is pretty damn good! And it keeps getting wider. Jackie 'Os just dropped a few weeks ago. I never thought that day would come.

I think we're gonna survive.

 

[jtmartino1]

It's crazy how many meh/bad breweries are in the Bay Area.

Novel
Temescal
Gilman
Federation
Ale Industries
Cleophus Quealy
Drakes
Alameda Island
21st Amendment

Yet some town in the middle of Michigan has 4 breweries better than all East Bay breweries combined.

It's crazy how SF has probably the best food in the world but just a small number of good breweries. The standard for cuisine is crazy high, yet a lot of breweries and brewpubs still act like it's 1998.

Places like BJs or Rock Bottom can hold their own against a lot of the SF Brewers Guild members.

Outside of a few places, innovation and cutting-edge brewing is pretty limited around here.

 

[stupac2]

It's crazy how SF has probably the best food in the world but just a small number of good breweries. The standard for cuisine is crazy high, yet a lot of breweries and brewpubs still act like it's 1998.

Places like BJs or Rock Bottom can hold their own against a lot of the SF Brewers Guild members.

Outside of a few places, innovation and cutting-edge brewing is pretty limited around here.

Food takes a lot less space.

Also, Drake's makes plenty of good beer, as does Temescal. I think some of you guys have stupid high standards.

 

[jtmartino1]

Food takes a lot less space.

Also, Drake's makes plenty of good beer, as does Temescal. I think some of you guys have stupid high standards.

Space is not the issue. Talent is the issue, or passion, or education, or something.

I have pretty low standards for breweries. Most around here are OK. Very few are great.

OTOH, so many great restaurants I can't ever hope to go to them all.

I mean it's not a big deal, I'm happy drinking whatever. Just an interesting observation.

 

[stupac2]

Space is not the issue. Talent is the issue, or passion, or education, or something.

I have pretty low standards for breweries. Most around here are OK. Very few are great.

OTOH, so many great restaurants I can't ever hope to go to them all.

I mean it's not a big deal, I'm happy drinking whatever. Just an interesting observation.

Well, sure, but saying "space is not the issue" is kind of crazy. There's a reason all these breweries start in random warehouses in suburbs or run-down districts. They need way more space and in a city like SF it's expensive! The only breweries there are either old or well capitalized for various reasons.

Also, of course there's going to be way more good food than good [insert kind of booze here]. People need to eat every day. They don't ever need to drink. One brewery can supply thousands of people's beer needs per day, one restaurant can't. There's more infrastructure around making food because of that.