Bay Area Thread

[sacrelicio]

Alright...

I'm rolling into town next weekend (March 27th-April 1st). What are the best places to hit? I already have Toronado, Russian River, and City Beer on my list. We're spending two nights in the city, two up in Sonoma wine country, and one in Napa wine country.

Hit me with your best shots. Rare Barrel? Drake's? Bear Republic? Lagunitas? I can't go everywhere, so I want to hit the must-hits.

 

[evilhead]

Gotta drive down to Sante, brah. Then up to Drakes, then Rare Barrel & even Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room is good for a quick stop, it's 5min from RBarrel, might as well. Then BLAOW over to the Sit-ay for some artisan sausages, metal & a tattoo @ Toronado. And since ur at T may as well stagger over to Cellarmaker. Ales Unlimited is cool if you wanna bring something home.

Or you could just plant your ass at Sante and help me share all these beers I have to get through.

 

[HevvyMetalHippie]

Squid Ink is a fine black IPA. I haven't had anything else even sort of good for them. And one of the founders left for Headlands.

It looks like they only have 3 beers on their website, or is it outdated? What's the word on Headlands?

 

[bird22]

Welp, work has me late I'mgonna be here until 6PM (sunnyvale) so it's not likely to se any of you at sara tonight. sorry.

Bummer. I was a bit late getting here, so figured you were just stuck in traffic. Should have still made the trek down, Asa few of us are still hanging out.

 

[Adam Jackson]

Bummer. I was a bit late getting here, so figured you were just stuck in traffic. Should have still made the trek down, Asa few of us are still hanging out.

I just left the office. Gonna hang at my hotel and drink some double sunshine and play sim city. Hampton Milputas if anyone wants to drink some arthur or heady. Lol.

 

[drgarage1]

It looks like they only have 3 beers on their website, or is it outdated? What's the word on Headlands?

I have never had anything approaching good from Headlands. Very disappointing.

 

[Adam Jackson]

Just imagine. Sitting in a cheap hotel room with an overweight neck beard playing sim city and drinkin Vermont beer. Sounds like heaven, huh?

I'm confirmed for sure to hit good Karma on Thursday and drink with Neil. If anyone is around

 

[HevvyMetalHippie]

I have never had anything approaching good from Headlands. Very disappointing.

Well thats not good, 0 for 2? :\

 

[evilhead]

Just imagine. Sitting in a cheap hotel room with an overweight neck beard playing sim city and drinkin Vermont beer. Sounds like heaven, huh?

 

[buzzword]

Whats the general consensus on Pacific Brew Labs?

Ditto the squid ink comment. Their hibiscus saison is decent as well, though not particularly true to style. Bryan is a nice guy, and I think he does about as much business as he wants to. He actually has a TON of draft accounts around the bay area, and hasn't started canning/bottling anything yet.

Headlands Hill 88 is the only Headlands beer I've had -- it was decent. Nothing I'd seek out, but if it were that or High Life...

 

[Adam Jackson]

Fine. LOL

 

[evilhead]

LOL you tease

 

[evilhead]

Wait, are you drinking all the god damn sunshine??

 

[bird22]

I'm confirmed for sure to hit good Karma on Thursday and drink with Neil. If anyone is around

Haven't been over to GK in a while, so may head over on Thursday night. I will post in this thread if I end up making it.

 

[Adam Jackson]

Wait, are you drinking all the god damn sunshine??

The Sunshine, Arthur, Lawson's Sticky and 1 more can of Heady are still alive!!!! They will be consumed Thursday night. I consumed 2 Heady tonight and one last night so maybe that last heady won't survive tomorrow.

Prepare your anooos.

 

[sacrelicio]

Gotta drive down to Sante, brah. Then up to Drakes, then Rare Barrel & even Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room is good for a quick stop, it's 5min from RBarrel, might as well. Then BLAOW over to the Sit-ay for some artisan sausages, metal & a tattoo @ Toronado. And since ur at T may as well stagger over to Cellarmaker. Ales Unlimited is cool if you wanna bring something home.

Or you could just plant your ass at Sante and help me share all these beers I have to get through.

What is the drive like down to Sante?

 

[82300sd]

Could be 1.5 hr from SF, or 2.5 hrs or more depending on traffic and the time of day you are leaving from SF

 

[sacrelicio]

Could be 1.5 hr from SF, or 2.5 hrs or more depending on traffic and the time of day you are leaving from SF

Hmm...might be tough. First time in the Bay Area so I want to see the city and whatnot, plus I have my girlfriend with me. I might have to settle for the options San Francisco . Oh well. I'm excited anyways. Does any SARA make it up to the Bay Area?

 

[bird22]

Have you ever heard how treacherous it is to Hill Farmstead? Think that...x 1,000,000.

 

[Arbitrator]

Have you ever heard how treacherous it is to Hill Farmstead? Think that...x 1,000,000.

This is true. I've done both.

 

[buzzword]

This is true. I've done both.

you guys don't like driving on 17?

 

[Arbitrator]

you guys don't like driving on 17?

I would rather drive from Stowe to Greensboro Bend... in snow. Blindfolded.

 

[buzzword]

I would rather drive from Stowe to Greensboro Bend... in snow. Blindfolded.

hahaha! wow - I love 17, but my car was made for such abuse. one of my favorite drives, unless I'm behind a semi, motorhome, or Asian grandpa.

 

[Arbitrator]

hahaha! wow - I love 17, but my car was made for such abuse. one of my favorite drives, unless I'm behind a semi, motorhome, or Asian grandpa.

The drive that WRXs are made for.

I suspect 17 is the reason bird22 never comes up for tastings. Respect the mountain.

 

[bird22]

I'm just ******* around. I have no problems with 17 ... unless I'm driving behind someone like Arbitrator ... but of course I don't have to cross the 17 to come to SARA. ****, it took me 45 minutes to get there tonight from the Westside!

 

[buzzword]

I'm just ******* around. I have no problems with 17 ... unless I'm driving behind someone like Arbitrator ... but of course I don't have to cross the 17 to come to SARA. ****, it took me 45 minutes to get there tonight from the Westside!

it took about that long for me to get there on Friday from the westside as well.1S was a parking lot.

sidenote: I locked my keys in the trunk at SARA once while the addition was being built. the contractor let me borrow a wrench so I could take the back seat out of my car and get into the trunk. Tim was laughing at me and my wife was not amused.

 

[evilhead]

LOL!

 

[johnnyramirez]

Could be 1.5 hr from SF, or 2.5 hrs or more depending on traffic and the time of day you are leaving from SF

I left Friday around 2:50 from SF and it took about 2.5 hours. Best bet is make it a day trip. Leave early, hit Santa Cruz until 2-3 PM then hit SARA and then leave and get dinner.

 

[HevvyMetalHippie]

I was totally enamored with the area around SARA when I was there last fall. I was up in Boulder Creek, and drove on 17 back into San Jose. So different than it is out here in New England, I loved it.

I saw a brewery out there in the mountains, it didn't look like much, but I didn't get a chance to check it out...anyone know anything about it?

 

[stupac2]

I left Friday around 2:50 from SF and it took about 2.5 hours. Best bet is make it a day trip. Leave early, hit Santa Cruz until 2-3 PM then hit SARA and then leave and get dinner.

WRONG. Go to Aptos BBQ for dinner, then go back to SARA.

Also, the only problem with 17 is the idiots who don't know how to drive on a curvy road. That road would be a ton of fun if there were no one else on it.