rob133's Profile
Pliny the Younger sightings 2012
Lafayette PArk Hotel tapped a keg last night (according to Facebook) - I wasn't able to make it this year on short notice. Last year it was a very low key affair. I guess it is a good job I have a trip planned up to Santa Rosa on Monday for a taste.
It's Pumpkin beer time! What are you favorites?
Maverick's 2011 Pumpkin Harvest Ale from Half Moon Bay Brewing is about the best I have had so far this year.
Pliny the Younger sightings, 2011
I thought Beer Revolution were hinting that there's was going to go on today, but it appears that they are planning on next week sometime - there surprise for this afternoon is something else apparently.
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Beer Revolution
464 3rd St, Oakland, CA 94607
Pliny the Younger sightings, 2011
I find it interesting that two places who specifically held back kegs last year until a while after the release (Trappist tapped a Keg late March last year, Pacific Coast was well into the summer before they tapped it) didn't end up on the distribution this year. It seems Vinnie keeps his eyes open and as he wants this enjoyed fresh it would seem he had a say in who didn't get an alloctaion this year?
Pliny the Younger sightings, 2011
At 5 o'clock they started pouring - only three people drinking Younger - a few others came in specifically, and a few people who simply happened to be around were pursuaded to try it. There was a sign that said 'limit one glass per customer' that thankfully was not adhered to. I left close to 7 and I would guesstimate that maybe 30 glass had been poured in that 2 hour spell.
Pliny the Younger sightings, 2011
I was kind of hoping word would not get out about the Lafayette Park Hotel - I don't want to fight the crowds! - oh well as long as I get a taste
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Lafayette Park Hotel
3287 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549
CHOW Tour Oakland, Your Thoughts On Where To Go?
Along the same lines
Commonwealth Cafe - and as you mentioned beer who could leave out Beer Revolution?
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Beer Revolution
464 3rd St, Oakland, CA 94607
DogfishHead Brewmasters (moved from Beer board)
I thought it was a good show, I am loking forward to the rest of the series. I personally thought the rap scenes were hysterical - Sam seems like a good guy, simply having fun and enjoying what he is doing in life.
Thanksgiving Day Beer
Rare Vos from Brewery Ommegang has been my go to beer for Thanksgiving for a couple of years. It just works so very well with the turkey. Nothing wrong with your pick either in my view.
Rye Beers -- which ones have you liked?
Ale Industries out of Concord, CA do a decent Rye beer - Rye'd Piper. But I had a Bootleggers Brewery- Rustic Rye IPA a few weeks ago that I would rate as one of the best IPA's I have tatsed in recent months.
Chowing Down at 2010 Eat Real Fest in Oakland
My highlight was waiting for an order of Cactus fries when the person next to me got so upset that 2 people who ordered after him got their fries before him. After shouting at the girl, demanding to know where his fries where he stormed off muttering “that is it, horrible I am changing my tweet”. I smiled to myself and shook my head.
Baltimore girl coming to Eat Real Food Fest! Any advice?
Getting there early is definitely the way to go. Last year on the Saturday we was onsite before 10, and managed to sample quite a few things before the lines got ridiculous (12:30ish). Maybe we missed out on a couple of items as they were not yet prepared, but we left full and had used all the beer tickets we purchased without having to stand in lines.
Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest
Yes I think this years is excellent. Seen a bit of a price variance around here, but I can maange to pick up a bottle for a litlte over $4 which means it is sneaking into my drinking rotation often enough.
Pork-a-rama Walnut Creek: Chopin Cafe and Polish Wine (from Burgundy)
Well it looks like it opened again over the weekend, the caution tape was removed and while there are still boards up covering one area the chairs, tables and menu were all outside again.
Also noticed that new metal barriers were installed in the parking lot to stop any more cars driving through windows!
Pork-a-rama Walnut Creek: Chopin Cafe and Polish Wine (from Burgundy)
I shop at the Lunardi's acros the parking lot most days and last week I noticed that there appeared to be some work occuring at Chopin similar to work that was done a few months ago - or so I thought. Last night I actually paid a litlte more attention and apparently a car drove into the front of the place last week and caused some damage to the integrety of the exterior of the building. The sign on the door indicates that the place is closed at the moment with no indication on the length of this closure.
Like I say I shop close by most days so I will try and keep an eye out for any updates if they post any.
Odd question....
I'd suggest Pliny as well, or one of the Laganitas IPA's or Hop Stoopid
Beer Revolution - New Beer Bottle/Tap Room in Oakland
If its still on Moonlight’s Left 4 dead sour mash is one unique, interesting and very enjoyable beer
availability of Israeli beer in San Francisco Bay Area?
I might be wrong but I think Holy Land on college ave in Berkeley has some of what you are looking for?
Summer Beers Are Here!
Picked up a couple of the new Firestone Walker summer beer last night, Solace. A nice beer for a warm sunny afternoon.
Beer steals.
I think the cashier made a mistake, a big mistake if you cleaned them out. I’m sure that was the per bottle price you paid for the four packs.
Fuller's "Mr. Harry"
I’m going to confirm this at the end of the week – but I swear I tried to buy a Bateman’s at the new Berkeley Bowl a couple of weeks ago – apparently it wasn’t yet in the system and it wasn’t until I got home that I realized the bottle never made it into my bag – but I am sure that it was a Bateman’s. Hopefully this time the price will be in the system, otherwise I will be making sure one way or another I leave with the beer I want.
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
Wexford is not a bad drink, all the nitro cans task a little too similar to be something I seek out too often, but Wexford is where I would go if nitro cans was the only choice available I will say
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
I didn’t see your note about it being in a can – I was going to say ‘Tanners Jack’ as that is something you don’t see very often (but it is a bottle). Beige can…maybe the Speckled Hen at a guess?
Anyway we decided to stop by Sunday afternoon. My previous experience with Berkeley Bowl was very short lived – I walked in the original a couple of years ago got as far as three yards down the first aisle and turned around and left thinking I would never set foot in the place again. A different experience at the new location altogether. If it wasn’t so far away I would be shopping for fruit and veg most days I think.
Thought the beer section was going to be a little more impressive, nothing wrong with it but I was hoping for a larger selection and a couple of more unusual items. Not sure I saw anything other than a couple of beers I can’t pick up elsewhere. And the one beer I actually wanted somehow didn’t end up being rung up at the register. I know the bagger wandered off with the bottle and then I guess I lost track of it and didn’t notice it was ‘missing’ until we got home. No charge on the receipt so I guess it was something not in the system; they could have told us that instead of simply taking the beer and not saying a word.
So the Mackeson XXX I was hoping to enjoy last night was not to be – so I only got to enjoy the Koshihikari Echigo and I’m not really sure enjoy is quite the right word!
Still I was impressed with the store, never really got passed the beer and produce, but my wife had little difficulty picking out a number of items from the shelves.
guinness 250
I only picked up two bottles as I am not a huge fan of guiness these days but I was impressed. Much more enjoyable than the last few Guiness I've had out of either a bottle or a can. Might even be pursuaded to pick up a 6 pack before it disappears off the shelves.
Berkeley Bowl West - The promised land ... west of Eden
Do you happen to remember the name of the beer? I am always on the look out for a decent English beer. and I think I have been through most of what is available in this area - so maybe just maybe I might need a trip out to Berkeley?
San Bernardino
Quick follow up to my trip
First night I grabbed a French dip in the hotel bar that was okay. Second night I enjoyed a really good curry at the Delhi Palace-Cuisine of India. The Tamarind chutney was amazing, the sish kebab reminded me of drunken Saturday nights back in England and the lamb vindaloo was not far from perfect (in terms of a UK version of a vindaloo – this was what I want when I order vindaloo not the usual dish that American Indian places serve). And to wash it all down a good selection of Indian beers – a couple I had never tried before.
Next night I tried the Peruvian place down the strip mall from Delhi Palace. No beer was a little disappointing, but the spicy dip with the roasted corn was pretty good. a couple of cans of Inca Cola washed down an okay Lomo Saltado. Nothing special but for the setting it is okay – I guess a couple of paces around here have spoiled me a little on this dish.
Lunch was catered, breakfast was eaten in the hotel, nothing to exciting - and the hotel bar supplied an okay beer in the evening, so the trip that I was REALLY REALLY not looking forward to wasn’t as bad as I was anticipating in terms of food.
San Bernardino
The more I hear about San Bernadino the more excited I get about this trip!!!! I think I might just stay in my hotel room and eat potato chips or something!
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check them out.
San Bernardino
Okay
So I have only spent a short amount of time searching so far, but the lack of results has me worried and asking this question….
Can anyone out there reassure me and point me in the direction of a couple of decent places to eat in San Bernardino? I am heading there in a few weeks for a course and all I can seem to find are chain restaurants, or a very limited number of small places that seem to lack a lot of information.
Last few trips I’ve been on I thought I had the knack of picking out places before hand and allowing myself to have a good time when away form home- this time I am a little concerned. My first issue is that I didn’t pick out my hotel and I think I am staying in chain restaurant central – so any decent evening places around the Hilton on East Hospitality Lane would be greatly appreciated. I found one reference to a Sister BBQ, but found no other information. There seem to be a couple of Indian restaurants that so far might be my base camp, all the Mexican places I find I am either struggling for information or the menu does not seem particularly exciting. Any pointers for a place to have a couple of beers and a decent meal at the end of the day.
Lunch I think seems a little more positive, but any places downtown worth checking out? I won’t have a car so it will be good if places are accessible by bus – any lunch places up near the Omnitrans depot on West 5th Street would also be appreciated but I think a couple of the Mexican places look okay.
