Category Archives: Food Pairing

A Perfect Storm / The Bruery Black Tuesday Release Parties (2012)

Posted on by

Patrick and Rachel Rue relive their Black Tuesday prom.

“I thought I had messed up raising my son” said a well-dressed older gentleman in a bow tie and extra-extra long grey suit. “Who’s your son?” I asked. “Patrick Rue”. I could tell by the gleam in his eye, Michael Rue (President of the Bruery) is proud of what his son has created. Even the lore of Black Tuesday, an epic brewday-gone-wrong, has turned into something magical. The mere fact that 3,000 bottles of the $30 beer sold out in ten minutes is proof Patrick Rue knows what to do when life hands him lemons…throw them in a bourbon barrel and hope for the best.

Peanut Panna Cotta w/Toasted Marshmallows

The 2012 Black Tuesday party and beer release is double the size of last year. The party has expanded to the Bruery Provisions and the new tasting room at two sessions a piece. With the beer, production was up and more variations are available at the parties, giving fans a chance to try special cask, randall’d and tap versions of this enigmatic Imperial Stout.  At Bruery Provisions, each variation is paired with a perfectly crafted dish! Here’s a write up of the tail end of Bruery Provision’s party, and my notebook notes verbatim of the full party at the Tasting Room. Please, enjoy.

Bruery Provisions Session One:

Faster than lightning strikes, tickets to the party at Provisions disappear.  I’m all about pairing beer with food and I’m quite curious how a complex 19% ABV bourbon barrel-aged beer will fair with food. What the hell would I pair? S’mores or maybe a nice Macanudo Robusto Cigar, or perhaps a nice triple-cream Brie glazed with a honey-bourbon reduction? I know, it’s not an easy beer.

Lukcy Basardts on the patio of Bruery Provisions

Arriving at Provisions as the sun sets, the squeaky back gate is all that welcomes me. The quiet crowd outside must be content as everyone is sipping gently with pinkies out. The outside air is refreshing, golden and still. Birds flutter inside the nearby hedges, snuggling in for a nap after eating artisanal crumbs all day. Going inside, I’m met with some serious 1920’s zing! The ambiance is brought to life by the smiley staff completely and not cheaply dressed to the nines. Ladies are elegantly draped with long strands of pearls, throwback hair feathers and flapper dresses. Gents are dashed in everything from bowler hats and suspenders to pinstripe three pieced suits. Tyler King, man of infinite fashion skills, even had a grey button-up short sleeve shirt (with shorts). One can always spot the artist at a show, I suppose.

Provisions kitchen coordinator Bryan Liem set out to prove his mad pairing skills with five versions of 2012 Black Tuesday.

  • Black Tuesday (straight) with Wild Mushroom Mole, Masa Cake & Sesame seeds.
  • Grey Monday (Hazelnut version of BT) with Blue Cheese cold smoked over Hazelnuts, Dried Figs, Fresh Pairs & Toasted Hazelnuts.
  • Black Tuesday Cask with Coffee & Vanilla served with Coffee & Vanilla Pulled Pork Slider w/Coffee BBQ Sauce on a pretzel bun.
  • Black Tuesday Cask ‘Banana’s Foster’ paired with Peanut Panna Cotta w/Toasted Marshmallows.
  • Black Tuesday Randall with Mint Chocolate next to Goat Cheesecake, Raspberry Coulis & micro Mint.

“I really wanted to do at least a couple of savory dishes to show Black Tuesday can be paired with a variety of dishes. I thought the vanilla brine I did for the pork added just hint of vanilla to really bring it out in the BT.” Bryan Liem, Bruery Provisions Kitchen Coordinator

courtesy Bruery Provisions facebook page.

Overheard inside, “The pulled pork dish and coffee Black Tuesday easily won best in show, best beer and best pork dish I’ve had.” Said a random lady. Kendra, Provisions GM agrees, but mentions the Smokey Blue by Rogue Creameries paired with Grey Monday was a close runner up. Anytime you can get a complex cheese that’s been smoked for three days over hazelnuts with a complex hazelnut beer, you’re in for a sure mouthgasm! Everything was delicious and perfectly paired.

Overall, session one at Provisions was super mellow. It was nice to see it wasn’t over-crowded, guests had plenty of elbow room to shmooze around and take photos. More on the beer in the next segment, but five variations of Black Tuesday with paired food is plain brilliant. Bryan Liem has some serious mad skills and I can’t wait to see what he has in store in the future!

Bruery Tasting Room Session Two

I took four pages of notes in a spiral SPAM notebook during the party; here they are verbatim.

Bruery BT 12 party

Dan from out of the park pizza is here with a Brewluminati shirt. He “probably should have been put on Ritalin, but his mom didn’t, thankfully, Fuck that shit” says Dan. Doors open, clock strikes 8 and Black Tuesday flows quick, thick and black like a 1970’s blaxploitation film. A hundred voices corrupt the fall night and are buzzing consciously with phones and beers in hand. Untappd is tappd out, thankfully. I don’t normally check in tasters, but this has more booze than a standard 12oz’er. Glasses clank unheard among Hipbone Slim & the Kneetremblers ‘Snake Dancer’. “Cheers!” screams a table with necks stuck out. Music is all encompassing and volumetric, throwback blues jam thick like a Black Keys Pandora playlist. Black Keys? Black Tuesday. Nice to meet you. Likewise. Pleasure.

Staff is sexy, dipped in classy 20’s garb. Crowd is sloppy with tshirts and tennies. Sitting by the last-call bell and firkins, wooden handle, 8” ringer. I’d ring the server’s bell like Anita Ward. Sitting by the casks, people yell drink orders without saying please and not tipping, “BANANA AND GREY MONDAY” yells a puffy guy that looks like Clint Howard. Lee Fields ‘Who do you love?’…great song…tappin my feet, sipping, scribbling, eavesdropping, heaven.

Vanilla coffee cask best I’ve had all year. On par with Smog City’s Groundwork Coffee Porter that took gold at GABF; fucking crazy good beer. After two pours I get a case of the sweats. Spoke to Jeff Duggan at Portola Coffee Lab in Costa Mesa; “the coffee is a lighter blend than Portola does normally, we ground it this morning to drop in the cask.” he says while hauling bottles to a work party. Vanilla? Not really punchy aromatically. There are GROUNDS in my beer! I repeat, there’s GROUNDS in my beer! Coffee character is perfect; it smooths out fresh BT perfectly, 19%? Nofa King way. I want this beer bottled..now. Ya heard.

Hitting more CASK action: Banana’s Foster. Boozy bruleed banana that bounces on the palate like a real creamy banana. Banana fumes after a sip! On the belch, more banana fumes! Michael Rue gave me his on the way out. “I barely touched it.”

MINT – was this through a randall? I didn’t see Randall anywhere. Imagine Chocolate Rain with some cooling, boozy mint. Least Fave. Not bad by any means, but the bar has been raised. Last year’s BT S’mores cask wasn’t that distinct. This year, variations are nuanced and  a force to be reckoned with.

*Show a tweet with #BlackTuesday and get a free BT ’11. Done and done. Wow so smooth compared to ’12. Def going to bury my ’12 in the backyard like a dog.

Hottenroth – Palate cleanser of the Gods.

Grey Monday – Sweet hazelnuts! Sexy decadent hazelnuts tap dance in my mouth. Time to convert BT to P.

Straight BT ’12: Graham Crackers all day long like Heather Graham in Bowfinger. Deep dark fruit vanilla followed by bourbon, oak. Boozyness clashes with hoppier finish not prevalent in BT ’11. Baby Black Tuesday needs to mature, cut teeth and get potty trained.

Dan Auerbach ‘Streetwalkin’ blastin’. Serious Portola coffee sweats going on! Buzz hit! Caffeine too. Intense. Life of a beer blogger is always intense. Bank on that.

Ashley, peacock feathers, pearl necklace and beer. Best seat in the house!

Chocolate Rain materializes in my tasting glass. Manliest goosebumps ever. This is the point where they all start to blend in. Chocolate is decadent, smoothing. Wish I had a doggie bag for this. Time for food. Lime Truck ran out of food. Bastards.

The crowd is apologetic and nice with the tight squeeze. Overheard: “scuze me, sorry, may I get through here, sorry, pardon me, whatcha drinkin there? Didn’t I see you at another event?” “Tuesday, Monday, Tuesday, bananas!”  “Coffee, Coffee, Coffee, did you hear the Coffee cask is great? Anything? Nothing.” “Damn son.”

Overall! Great party, pretty much perfection! Was a little loud, but hell, I’m old. Next year I hope do the same thing. The beer is pretty much phenomenal and this year was an improvement with the variations. Portola Coffee / Vanilla cask Black Tuesday I will pretty much swoon over for weeks to come. I hope it makes a return throughout the year!

OC Beer of the Week: The Bruery Vitis Series Oui Oui

Posted on by

Thanks for stopping in to check out this new feature on OC Beer Blog! Each week, I will focus on a beer brewed in Orange County, talk a little bit about it, and suggest something fun to pair with it. Note that it may not always be food! Sometimes it may be paired with an album, a movie, or hell, even a festive blueberry flavored glow-in-the-dark condom. Today? Not so much. I’m starting out the new feature with The Bruery’s Vitis Series: Oui Oui paired with food from the craft beer friendly restaurant Carolinas Italian in Anaheim.

As The Bruery’s Reserve Society opens up for sale on 10/25, what better way start things off than a beer that came to me via the Reserve Society 2012.  Oui Oui is a one-off American Wild Ale brewed with Chardonnay grapes. From the Bruery’s Website:

via Untappd.

For Oui Oui we used a first running press of Chardonnay grapes from the central coast and added them to our sour blonde ale. The beer was then aged in oak barrels that had originally been used to store wine, imparting even more of that chardonnay-like quality.

To pair, I crack the bottle and and decide on a zippy Italian seafood dish; Scallops Pomodoro from Carolinas Italian Food in Anaheim. If you’ve never been, Carolinas has a ten page beer menu sorted by region of the world…over 286 beers! As craft beer becomes more of a ‘thing’ in OC, keep in mind Carolinas has been operating like this for over 30 years!

Pouring the beer into a flute glass, even the most aggressive pour coaxes no head. The carbonation is aces for the style, lending a vinous mouthfeel that is dry, sour and satisfying. Chardonnay grapes, funk and plenty of sour cling to your teeth well after a sip. Licking your teeth well after gives continued beer flavor, and also lets your partner know you’re feeling randy! Any beer that coats your palate and lingers makes a great beer to pair with food. This is such a pleasant sour, I wish I would have gotten another one!

As a pairing: The beer accentuates the basil, complements the acidity of the tomato, and cleanses the rich garlic pasta from the palate. My wife added some capers from the fridge which really brought the dish and the pairing to a whole new level. If you still have a Oui Oui sitting in your cellar, any dish with basil, capers, or some light acidity is a perfect match. Strong cheese is also a great option to match intensity.

Overall: I’ve always had trouble pairing a sour beer with food as I disagree with those that say to match acidity with acidity. A highly acidic sour + an acidic dish = puckered punum and heartburn. I look for a dish that is simple, light and fresh. Salad, seafood, tomatoes, bruschetta, super stinky cheese, fried green tomatoes, or shrimp cocktail are some other ideas to pair with a sour beer.

Other stuff: The Bruery Provisions is kicking off a week-long Harvest with events every night, check their site for details. The Bruery Reserve Societe goes on sale 10/25. Bottles of Black Tuesday go on sale 10/30.

Haven Brewing debuts in Orange for their 3rd Anniversary!

Posted on by

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.comUpdate, as of 2014, Haven no longer brews.

It’s 5:00 P.M. on a balmy Monday night, nerves shot from an emotional day sending my kid to Kindergarten. At Haven Gastropub in Orange, I bet brewmaster Dave Larsen is having the same feelings. Debuting his beers for the first time in his native Orange, I’m sure It feels like an artist’s first show or the first time a stripper shows her junk on stage. Making the jump from a homebrewer/sou chef at Haven to brewmaster is astonishing. Tapping ten beers in five months is equally ambitious! Although the beer isn’t brewed in OC, this event is essentially the welcoming of yet another craft brewer to our growing list in Orange County. Are the beers good? We shall see. (Pretty photos courtesy of blog collaborator Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.com)

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.comI pull in a bit early, drop anchor on a stool and snap a few shots. At the stroke of six, Haven’s front door looks like the tube of an arriving flight. A constant flow of people attack the tables and bar area like an army of well dressed ants. My goal for the evening? Sample every beer and have fun! Sampling every beer is not an easy task given brewmaster Dave Larsen’s average ABV with ten beers is 8%.

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.comAlong with ten Haven beers, the special 3rd Anniversary menu is an ode to Haven Gastropub and spinoffs.  Taco Asylum, Burger Haven and special gatropubish offerings are layed out in a proper celebratory fashion. The thing I’m most excited about are menu items in the $5-10 range for small plate foods. I would love to see more of these items in regular rotation! Thirstier than a beerblogger at a bar, I get hit with a paddle of Gross National Happyness (cream ale), Hafen Hef, upRYEsing (rye IPA) and Diana Brown with a side of Taco Asylum Wild Mushroom Taco. My flip flops rhythmically clap my heels to the beat of Fiona Apple’s ‘Fast As You Can’ playing obliviously over the heads of this full house.

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.com

Brewmaster Dave Larsen gingerly watches like a lifeguard at a pool. No splashing Dammit!

The last time I saw Haven this busy was a month after they opened! The tiny alcove window seats are sealed thick with bodies chomping at the bit for a beer. Jeremy the bartender scans the bar left and right like he’s watching a tennis match with two Russian gals playing. Dave Larsen stands nervously near the bar, scratching his red beard, like he’s about to be married. Lets get down to business!

Diving into the flight:

GNH Cream Ale is a light and herbal beer with low bitterness and a dry finish. Notes of sage, honey and spearmint ring the nose. I’d recommend this for someone that doesn’t like dark beer or the bitterness of an IPA. Fun fact: It’s brewed with some special heirloom red rice. Bitches love heirloom red rice.

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.comHafen Hef is just that, a traditional Bafarian Hefeweizen. It has some nice bubble gum flafor up front, yet mild banana and clofe. [Geek note – Drinking a hef in a 4oz taster on draft is not ideal. Most of my excitement drinking a trad Hef is how pretty it looks when poured in proper glassware. The bright golden-orange beer topped with a frothy meringue-like head is a necessity!] Bottom line: If you like Hef’s you’ll like Hafen’s version. It is heafenly. Skip the lemon, you heathen. (v’s replaced with f’s on purpose you feluptuous fagina fulture.)

* Fave of the evening! upRYEsing – I loves me some rye malt all up in my beers! Up front this is still a hoppy IPA with some juicy grapefruit and tropical notes chased with a slick pepper spice on the finish. It goes perfectly with my Wild Mushroom Taco! Each bite and sip found heat in the taco and complements the huge umami/parsley/garbonzo flavors going on. If Taco Asylum carries upRYEsing, I highly recommend this pairing. I can only imagine how the Ghost Chili Pork taco would fare with this beer. I’m salivating and clenching thinking about it.

Diana Brown – Sadly, my flight was mis-poured and I didn’t get a chance to sample this beer.  I got two Hef’s on my paddle. Dammit.

courtesy Anne Watson Photography www.annewatsonphoto.comOn to bigger and better things, I sample the oaked and non-oaked versions of Bremasters Breakfast Oatmeal Stout. Whoa there cowboy! This is a monster! Wait… what? This is damn near Old Rasputin Imperial Stout! An Oatmeal Stout shouldn’t be this big, bold, dry and boozy. When I think Oatmeal Stout, I think smooth, creamy roasty-roastyness!. I assume this is a mis-poured 100 Rubles, Haven’s Russian Imperial Stout. The oaked version, assuming it is also the 100 Rubles on Oak, really mellows out the mouthfeel, adding in some pleasant oak tannins and booze while boosting the dark fruit notes.

 

Sosigenes Double IPA is a huge hit with the crowd around me. The draft board is numbered and people order fast-food style. I overhear, “I’d like a number 6” many times. Haven’s bartenders, despite standing next to the draft board force people to say the name, causing some pretty hilarious mispronunciations.  Winner of the night: “I’D LIKE A SNAUSAGES PLEASE!” Haha! I personally thought it was soh-sih-JUH-knees, but I heard Wil Dee (Haven’s Bev Mgr) say it as soh-sih-jen-nis. Potato, Potato. It’s a damn tasty DIPA with tons of hops sitting on an easy drinking malt backbone. Paired with the Taco Asylum Short Rib Taco doesn’t do the taco any favors. The ‘salsa verdi’ in the taco is reminiscent of Italian salad dressing, perhaps a mis-douse? it was weird, although I still inhaled it.

damn auto correct

Changing my luck, I grab a sure-fire pint of Hello World Pale Ale to cap off the evening. I lift anchor on my bar stool and chat with Dave for a bit. “I need a beer” he says wiping sweat off his brow. “This tastes exactly like my Organic Pale Ale homebrew, which I love” I say. We both stare awkwardly at Greer Wylder nearby. “Welp, have a good night!”. “You too”. I’m like the Ryan Seacrest of beer blog interviewers. I was going to ask about growler fills, kegs, bottles, what’s coming up through the end of the year, why rice in a cream ale, what other fun adjuncts are you brewing with, is the moon made of swiss cheese, who trims your beard, etc. I drew a blank. Sorry readers!

I’m mildly annoyed Kate Upton has a tiger.

Overall:

Despite the mis-steps, Haven is still Haven. She’s like a beautiful girl that slightly annoys you from time to time, but you keep coming back because she’s super hot, ready for action and delicious. I’d like to see some more session beers to round out the beer repertoire; a 3-4% English Bitter, Porter or Mild might be pub friendly. I’m still impressed with this initial public offering after five short months. If they keep it up, they will surely increase my gross national happiness!

 

Hours of operation are 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. daily. Walk-ins welcome. For more information, including address and phone number, visit http://www.havengastropub.com (on Facebook,http://www.facebook.com/HavenGastropub).

Haven Gastropub on Urbanspoon

Beercation Two Parter! Chicago | Goose Island Clybourne

Posted on by

Howard fucking Johnson, here I come!

Chicago is curiously not windy at this moment in time. Curious, because my flight was a fucking rock polisher. I’m in rush hour traffic, seatbeltless, in a shuttle van that smells vaguely like a freshly returned Wookie costume. As we bounce around side streets like a bowling ball at a four year old birthday party, the driver, a middle eastern Kenny Powers, yells questions at us, “where you stay!” without a question mark. “Howard Johnson!” I say talking out of the side of my mouth so others won’t hear.  The lady next to me raises an eyebrow and checks her google navigation; 45 minutes away from downtown. Fuck. I’m going to miss the group meetup with the Beer Bloggers Conference. “Hey driver, what all the odds I’ll make it there by five?” He shakes his greasy mullet and sighs.

Fact: Kenny Powers is great fucking driver! Shockingly, we screech in front of the circa 1959 HoJo with ten minutes to spare. I check in, freshen up the pits, chonies, and batteries and head down to meet the absolute cream of beer bloggers. As is always my policy, befriend the blonde girls first. There’s a method to this theory, which boils down to them having more fun. I like to have fun too.

Wonder Woman!

The first blonde gal I spot is Amber Jansen, a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed beer blogger out of Massachusetts. Dipped in fresh pink Chuck Tailors and matching sunglasses,  shorts and a noticeable lack of a wicked accent, she’s been to the beer blogger conference before and is super friendly. Still woozy from the flight and no food for eight hours, we chat about a nearby ‘Foot Massage’ sign. “Are they really foot massage parlors? Is “foot” slang for “penis” in Asia?” I ask. Perhaps an investigation for a different blog.  “I’m part of 2beerguys.com, but obviously I’m not a guy, my husband is”. Relieved, I chug some water, then belch apologetically.

I must break you, American Beer Blogger.

We set out for Goose Island’s Brewpub in Clybourn via Subway, a method of transportation that has eluded me until today. I thought I was being rude by pushing myself in the crowded door, only to be ass-pumped by three well-built Russian guys before the doors finally shut. I reach back to migrate my wallet to the front pocket and man-graze the teen version of Ivan Drago’s junk. The only Russian I know is “dasvidonya” (until next time), which would have been awkward, so I simply say “excusé moi” in my best French accent. I must be glazed. Food and beer has eluded me. On the walk, I befriend the other blonde girl of the group, Elle from FAME, a PR firm that handles the Leinenkugel Brewery account. Based out of Minneapolis, I ask “ever run into Prince?”, “what do you think of the Zack Parise trade?”, also “how has Leiny been affected by the big guys purchasing them?” and other gems of a tired mind. Such a nice gal, I’m really looking forward to the Leinenkugel lunch just based on chatting with her. Plus, she is wearing white pants.

Beer Pairing Dinner | Goose Island Clybourn

Goose Island’s Brewpub in Clybourn is enchanting for any beer fan. A large wood crafted island bar resembling the one on the TV show Cheers (but nicer) is surrounded with tables, booths and side bars. The 10 barrel brewhouse is camped off to the side, down a small set of brick steps and plexied safely from the pub area. There’s also an overflow area, a banquet area and a place to purchase collectibles. Brewery tours are given by a well informed and passionate bunch and are highly recommended.

Here as part of the Pre-BeerBloggers Conference 2012, we are being treated to a four course beer pairing which is totally unexpected. Brett Porter (best master brewer name ever) welcomes us as we raise a pint of slightly warm and headless Sofie, their Farmhouse Saison. Being my first beer of the day after travelling 2,000 miles, anything is welcome.

The first pairing:  Trout and Tomatoes paired with Lolita was neither complimenting or contrasting. I tried different combinations of trout/tomato/balsamic with this American Wild Ale and simply didn’t get a relation. The complexity of the beer shines a light on the balsamic reduction with the acidity, yet over powers the rest of the dish. Lolita is a pretty beer, pinkish blushing rose, perhaps blushing for not working well with the pairing. I would be curious to try this delicate dish with Pepe Nero, offering some nutty/roasty notes without overpowering.

Second pairing: Pork Belly and Pasta with Matilda. Again, a beer that doesn’t play with the dish. Both on their own are spectacular, however Matilda’s Belgian spiciness argues with the Jus (gravy).  I was able to find it compliments the Camembert foam as cheese and Belgian style beer often do. Mixing the foam and gravy to get a relation with the beer only caused the Jus to overpower the foam. I would like to try this pairing with Goose Island’s Nut Brown Ale, which may play off of the gravy and have solid enough body and bitterness to cleanse the palate from this rich dish.

Third pairing: Leg of Lamb with Juliet. This pairing again, is not heightened by consuming together. The Lamb and Juliet are easily my favorite of the night yet she fails to make me a star-crossed lover when paired. Where for art thou food pairing skills, Goose Island? I savor Juliet, sip by sip. Inhale and exhale. The tart blackberry essence followed by smooth oak seduces me as I roll my eyes until she’s gone. Luckily I got her digits! As for the pairing, Lamb usually goes great with a nice Porter, but in this case I would have liked to contrast the dish with Goose Island’s Summertime Kolsch or IPA.

Dessert: Chocolate and Cherries – Flourless chocolate cake, seedling Cherries, and Black Dog Malted Gellato paired with Madame Rose. This worked stunningly well, as the cherry in the beer really brought the chocolate and cherry in the dessert to a whole new level. Alone, they were half-chub; together, full salute chub with finish. A shower might be necessary.

Overall I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to try the pairing. I’ve heard so much about Goose Island from the west coast and admire their line up of award winning beers. I’m a bit confused as they said multiple times that the food is developed around the beers. I simply didn’t get it. Perhaps they are eager to show off their vintage style Sister beers to a well informed bunch. Whatever the reason, I’d be more than willing to go back the next time I’m in town and try some standard menu items with them. Sofie with a cheese and charcuterie plate? Lolita with the Black Earth Short Rib Sandwich? Matilda with the Oyster Po’ Boy? Juliet with the Duck Reuben? My mouth is watering thinking about it, and I’m sure yours is too! I can’t wait to go back!

Many thanks to Goose Island and Zephyr Adventures for organizing this pre-conference excursion! Not so fine print: Goose Island was kind enough to cover the dinner for fifty or so bloggers and give us direct access to the brewer for questions and photos. They provided swag bags that included beer samples, mugs, a hat and a bottle opener. Bloggers paid a nominal fee for the side excursion and Goose Island is a sponsor of the conference. Contrary to popular belief, the brewpub isn’t owned by the big guys. The brewpub operates independently of the big guys. Cheers!

Coming soon: Part 2, the Beer Blogger Chitown Party Bus hits Piece Brews, Revolution and Haymarket. 

OC Beer Society Chili Cookoff and Bottle Share!

Posted on by

Picture this: a beer blogger so bloated he has resorted to wearing his wife’s old velour stretchy pregnant pants. My post-holiday gut firmly resting on my lap and my ass imprinting the word “yciuJ” on our Microfiber couch like an ass-stamp. The elastic waist band on these babies can easily hold a 20 pound turkey, a couple yams AND an actual baby!

Why so bloated? Today I participated in the OC Beer Society’s first annual chili cook-off and bottle share at Peace Brewing in Anaheim. Before I succumb into my yearly ten-pound anti-booze hibernation, I wanted to get one last binge in before I shed some un-needed lap-lard. Why not do it with rare beers?!?

Going to a bottle share with a ‘Society’ is bit like a girl going to a dance. What should I wear? What if someone is wearing the same thing? I wander aimlessly inside Total Wine & More, wishing they had a mirror so I could watch myself pose while holding a selection of bottles. Dorkishly I turn the corner while talking to myself as a sales woman approaches, “find everything alright?”, “does this make my ass look fat?” as I hold a beer near my waist. I settle on a Unibroue Trois Pistoles, a very ‘safe’ beer to bring to such an event. I figured the dark label was slimming and the cork & cage seal is always a crowd pleaser. Now, I do actually have some beers slumbering away in a cellar, however my selection of Stone Vertical Epic, Alaskan Smoked Porters and various Bruery beers aren’t near their prime and probably commonplace in this group. I have yet to jump into beer trades at this point in my tenure, but this event will probably change all that.

On the way home I hit the local store for my fixin’s to make chili. I wanted to add a beer element by caramelizing onions in a cedary-pumpkiny milk stout from the Bruery, “Burly Gourd”. I thought the spice element of the beer would work well with the sweetness of caramelized onions. It smelled unbelievable, nearly like a port wine with added spices.

My Chili Recipe: “The Bourly Greg”

  • 1 Pack Charmin Wet Wipes (for day after)
  • 1 lb 93% Ground Turkey (any meat is good)
  • 60oz Tomato Sauce
  • 30oz Kidney Beans
  • 1 can Herndez chili peppers
  • 1 package chili spice, I used McCormick’s Hot Chili Spice. (follow directions on packet, silly!)
  • Onion

The event went super smooth. Someone grabs a bottle and cracks it. Smart phones pop out, everyone Untapp’s it. We have a brief chat and move on to the next.There were five chili’s to choose from, each so different and delicious in their own right! My Chili took fourth with only one vote, which wasn’t that bad considering I voted for the winner: Rico Nolan’s chorizo and steak masterpiece was diabolical. “I treated it like a brew day with additions and such” says Rico. The meat was pleasantly tender and absorbed the delicious chorizo grease for a complex and not overly hot mouthgasm. “I could swim in it” says Scott Bennett of SNB Brewing. Indeed. His serrano chili homebrewed Wit paired extremely well with it, carrying the spice nicely. He was pretty excited at his winnings, but was reluctant to share! Boo!

Beers Consumed:

  • Firestone Walker Abacus, Reserve Porter 07
  • Surly Brewing Surlyfest, Smoke, Furious, Abrasive, Bender (Thanks Scott!)
  • Fifty Fifty Totality (eclipse base beer), Eclipse – Elijia Craig 2011
  • Cigar City Brewing Cubano-Espresso Brown Ale, Maduro Brown Ale
  • Upright Brewing Six
  • Duck Rabbit Milk Stout
  • Three Floyd’s Behemoth 07
  • Alpine Beer Co Pure Hoppyness, Bourbon Barrel Aged Token
  • Goose Island Big John (Favorite)
  • Stoudts Fat Dog Stout
  • Unibroue Trois Pistoles
  • Weyerbacher Brewing Rapture
  • Victory Brewing Dark Intrigue
  • Kuhnhenn 4th D Old Ale
  • New Glarus Brewing Hop Hearty Ale
  • Shorts Brewing Co Bourbon Wizard
  • Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
  • Sierry Nevada Ruthless Rye
  • Homebrew: SNB Brewing 2010 Holiday Ale; Rico’s Chili Wit.

 

Food Trucks ‘Luxe

Posted on by

By now we can all agree that breweries in Orange County have a secret tractor beam that pulls us in. Gourmet food trucks, having so much metal with pots and pans and such, are also magnetically attracted to the strong force of the brewery tractor beams. There’s no other explanation for it! I wanted to spend a little time talking about some of them as they are such a huge part of our beer culture. A food truck bite, pint, and growler fill is fast becoming an average evening for a lot us beer types.

Let me start off by reminiscing about my first gourmet food truck experience: As my work migrated to Beigeland (Irvine), I found the Teller/Michelson lunch truck meetup. The large parking lot is packed with cars, usually around ten food trucks, a parade of professionals, a herd of hipsters and a flock of foodies. My first truck? Seabirds. I figured there’s no way in hell vegan food would give me a gnoshing greasy bubble gut! The other thing that attracted me to their line? The long queue of thin swanky gals, of course. If you’re going to be stuck in a line for an unknown period; lovely young ladies make the time pass more quickly.

I asked a couple girls in front of me if they’ve eaten vegan tacos before, “all the time”, answered one of them, oblivious to my crude undertones. “I bet vegan tacos aren’t fishy in the least.” I muttered, only to be ignored as they pretended to answer phone calls. Typical Irvine response! Approaching the front, I was greeted by Stephanie Morgan, a simply attractive and not-gaunt vegan brunette with a wrist tattoo of a girl being swept away by helium balloons. “What can I getcha?” as she taps her pen on the ordering pad. I settled on a trifecta of the taco offerings, a BBQ Tofu, Jerked Jackfruit, and a beer battered avocado taco. I was enamored at the simplicity and complex array of flavors for being vegan. The hot sauce? Adequately hot and flavorful. I should have prefaced this by saying I’m not vegan, or vegetarian for that matter. All food is food; if it’s tasty, I’ll eat it.

A couple nights later I was sipping some Saison Rue at the Bruery in Placentia as Seabirds rolled up. On the menu? Bruery beer battered avocado tacos. My vibrating internal giddiness didn’t stop for at least an hour. I smiled so hard it hurt. “This, is what love must feel like” I pondered silently like a teenager in a whorehouse. Just saying the name Seabirds or Stephanie Morgan makes me swoon to this day. Sadly, the birds have avoided Breweries since being on The Great Food Truck Race on FoodTV this past year. I heard rumors that they’ll opening a brick and mortar next door to Jason Quinn’s (of the Lime Truck) The Playground in Santa Ana. Please come back birds!

What is better than the swooning puppy love over vegan food? The flavorgasm that is the Rolling Sushi Van of course! Yes, sushi from a moving vehicle. I would have been hesitant over ordering sushi from a van; but a brand new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with a full sushi kitchen seems totally appropriate. I was at Bootleggers Brewery in Fullerton when I first tried Sushi Chef Chris’s rolls. The presentation, freshness, flavor and service are impeccable. I always thought pizza was beer’s best pairing, however this combo blows it out of the water like a Zero on a PT Boat (lol WW2 humor).

My other love comes in a bright green truck, winners of the Great Food Truck race, The Lime Truck! Whenever they’re at a brewery, it makes an easy sell for my wife to join as the Lamb Sandwich is one of her favorite things in the world. I’m privy to ordering an Ultimate Taco as 12 hour pulled pork with honey slaw, homemade guac and cotija cheese pair nicely with just about anything. It’s a steal for $3! We usually split a side and have never been disappointed. Everything from fried almond crusted goat cheese to baby bok choy are great and satisfying.

Shortstop BBQ does some interesting SoCal style BBQ and hits the perfect price point and serving size quotient. Any time you can get a grilled chicken sandwich with goat cheese and fresh greens for $5 and have it be fresh and delicious you’ve got something special. The serving size is “just right”, allowing you to easily fit in a couple beers without being over stuffed. Rancho A Go Go is another BBQ option, but they usually seem to be out of half of their menu.

Favorite Newcomer: The Viking Truck. Viking does gourmet hot dogs either fried in batter or on a bun; same price. I wish they would be true Vikings and take over Hot Dog on a Stick! My fave: The Loki Dog: Spicy Kielbasa, red peppers, jalapeno, bacon, cheddar cheese, spicy brown mustard, homemade ketchup and motherfucking SRIRACHA to top it off. The top of my head is sweating just thinking about it! Their Dragon Eggs (tater tots) are also great food for pillaging your hunger! Topped with black stout chili, cheddar cheese, ketchup and sour cream. Their brats, buns, everything are all great. My kid likes the plain hot dog and cheese tots. Bootleggers Black Phoenix and the Dragon Eggs is a great pairing.

Other Mentions!

Dos Chinos – Inventive mexi-asian fusion. $5 burritos, $2 tacos. Hollywood Chicken is a flavorgasm! Kind of like Kogi without the ridiculous line.

Home Skillet Truck – Again, love the $5 price point and smaller portions. Lamb Burger has it all!

Taco Tuesday’s at Anaheim Brewery – Until Umami Burger sets up shop, the fine folks at Lindo Michoacan #2 do $1 tacos out front. Such great tacos, nice people, and great beers to pair with it.

Not impressed:

Sexy Burger – My burger was plain and fell apart. In this day and age a bun should stay together to be sexy. I don’t want my burger to look like a Kim Kardashian sat on it! Butter Face Burger, more like it.

BaconMania makes me feel like I’m going to die just reading the menu. If it’s your only option, get the BLT. The menu reminds me of the OC Fair! I love bacon, but I guess I’m not manic about it. Perhaps put an AED machine on the side of the truck and I’ll eat there more often.

Garlic Scapes – Appropriate name as garlic seemed to somehow escape from my grilled cheese. I ordered it with the intention of torturing my wife with crazy garlic breath with no such luck. “HHHHHIIIIII HHHHHHONEY!!! SMEEEELLLL MYYYYY BREAAAATH”. “Beat it cheese breath”.

Slapfish – more like bukkakefish am I right? So much sauce drowned everything into a salty oblivion. I love seafood, so much that I actually like to taste it! I hear they’re opening a restaurant as well, bring napkins or some wet wipes. If I go, I’m dressing like the Gorton’s Fisherman, don’t hate.

Brats Berlin – Any time you peak over the $5 mark for your base items, the food better be aces. The casing on my brat was so thick and intense I had to remove it. Nothing creepier than a guy removing casing from a brat, just sayin’. I’m German too. I like casing.

 

the Copper Door | Santa Ana

Posted on by

Wandering around the exterior of the Santora Arts Building in Santa Ana’s Artist Village lie some steps leading down to a curious door. A Copper Door. As I walk slowly down the creaking steps and open the door, I feel like I’m in some sort of eighties horror movie. Heart thumping, hands clammy, high violin shrieks rhythmically going through my head. I check the time on my phone as its glow provides an ominous faint blue shadow on the walls. “Hi, I’m here for a beer tasting event?” I tell a tall slender blonde woman. “I sent the invitation…thanks for coming”. I firmly shake her warm hand, my nerves twitch my grip, just enough to hear and feel a subtle pop from her fingers. “Sorry my hands are freezing” I say nervously.

Stairway to the unknown…the ominous Copper Door!

I settle into a beer and and meet Joe Corona of Wine Warehouse, a stout fellow in his thirties with a penchant for Belgium beers. He pours me a Blache De Bruxells; the quintessential Wit from the Belgian motherland. Its subtle orange and coriander aroma enters my nose like a ghost taking over my soul.

Joe Corona stands and delivers. Such an ironic beer rep name!

The Copper Door is a gorgeous hip place reminiscent of a dark cozy ski lodge. What was once a former Jazz club in the 1930’s now sits a high end beer bar with live music and DJ’s. Walking the spacious room, I nearly feel the energy of the former tenants. I can easily envision the room packed with people dressed nice, flapper dresses swinging, and cigarette girls mulling about the crowd as music bellows and thumps from the stage. A circular fireplace warms this vast space as large golden candles flicker and glow. Centered in the room lies a mammoth solid wood table with more than adequate bench style seating. 

As we are seated, Joe starts off with a brief introduction on the beer offerings at The Copper Door. The beer menu is broken down into three sections: Beer Connoisseurs, Beer Lovers, and Beer Drinkers. Most selections are between $5-10 which includes a daunting selection of Belgium Trappist, Abbey, and Belgium style beers on draft and bottles. Other craft selections and macros are available, however the waitress informed me most guests are there for the imported Belgium beers. We quickly sample ten beers and jot down notes.

My favorites: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde (A+ Beer Advocate) is a stellar beer; the nose reminds me of the aroma you get when opening the door to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts…yummy bready funky sweetness. Three Allagash beers were poured, White, Black, and Curieux; the latter being my favorite as it’s probably the most readily available Bourbon Barrel aged beer (A on BA). Chimay Blue and North Coast Brewing’s Pranqster Belgium Strong (A+ on BA) went particularly well with The Crosby provided appetizers.

Yummy appetizers from The Crosby. credit www.kylerlocke.com

Of the appetizers provided by The Crosby, the Gruyere Cheese Tuile was my favorite; it included smoked sausage with Goosberry marmalade. The Red Cabbage Tart was also remarkable, containing beer braised red cabbage currants and carrot mustard puree on a dill puff pastry. Also served was a German Tea Sandwich that included Fennel sauerkraut, head cheese, smoked gouda, sweet & spicy mustardon on pumpernickel bread. The strong pumpernickel flavor really overpowered the bite. I must say, after power-housing through that many beers, I could have easily eaten my Chimay goblet! 

The Copper door is ideal for large parties due to its vast space and hip cozy atmosphere. The large table also makes it a great spot to come alone and meet new people! Most nights the live music kicks off at 8 and may require a small cover charge. They also have pool tables if you’re feeling sharky! 

They’re located at 225 ½ N. Broadway in Santa Ana; basically underneath Chapter One. Valet parking is available off of 3rd Street, however the nearby parking structure on 3rd is only $2. Meters are free past 8pm on weekdays, but don’t quote me on that. The area also goes nuts on the 1st Saturday of the month for the Artist Village open house. Check http://www.aplaceforart.com/ for details, the next one is Dec 3!

 http://www.facebook.com/thecopperdoorbar

http://www.facebook.com/TheCrosbySantaAna

OC Beer Week | Chapter One: The Modern Local

Posted on by

Foraging around Orange County for unique food and craft beer is becoming easier thanks to modern technology. I still find word of mouth is best to find the true gems. Yelp? Yeah, it’s handy to find places, but the reviews are written by self-proclaimed foodies that rate everything either a 1 or 4 and rely heavily on adjectives like “awesome” or “yummy”.

Thanks to word of mouth from friend and food writer Richard Manning; he suggested we try Chapter One: the Modern Local in the Artists Village of Santa Ana. What once was a culture rich beautiful Hispanic area of Orange County is fast becoming a hipster enclave with some decent art and restaurants scattered about. Monument-like historic buildings anchor eateries such as Memphis (contemporary Southern cuisine), Proof Bar, and Lola Gaspar (Tapas). Nearby sits the Gypsy Den (cafe), Original Mikes (trad American, Creole) and The Crosby (lounge). Chapter One is nestled nicely in this mix. Don’t let the hipsters scare you off, there’s some really good food to be had at all of those places!

My draw to this place was knowing Jeff Hall from Haven Gatropub in Orange was part owner. That alone makes it a worthy spot! Aside from the crafted “culinary” cocktails, interesting appetizers, and a diverse menu with gourmet comfort food, the beer menu is flocked from Beer Advocate’s Alström brother “A” ratings. Nothing wrong with that! I foolishly started the night with an Avery Dugana, an American Double IPA, and prayed it wouldn’t wreck my pallet as a DIPA can do.

We stopped in on “Tentacle Tuesday”, which sadly had no reference to Hentai Tentacle Porn. After seeing my blonde waitress’ widely opened low cut blouse, hooo boy, my dirty mind went there in a bad way. The special was Octopus or Squid Tacos paired with whatever Pilsner is on tap. Funny story from my inaugural visit a few months back: On the menu was a small pasta dish with squid ink: “What can I get for you?” asked our Waitress. For some reason I involuntarily gestured the milking of a squid by pinching my fingers in a downward motion, “I’ll have the pasta with Squid Ink” (ala Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents). “Did you just gesture the milking of a Squid? BAHAHA!!!”. I watched our waitress echo the story to the kitchen staff and they all burst into applause. Well done, Greg. Oh yes, that’s how I roll.

As the evening rolled on, my 8.5% ABV Dugana began to buzz as the pre-storm weather turned ominous outside. A litter of lawyers deliberate at a table nearby from the Santa Ana courthouse. Two artists top a nearby parking garage painting the eclectic Santa Ana landscape as the sun peaks under the clouds.

I order from the OC Beer Week menu which consists of several tapas and beer pairings. I grab the Stuft Squid (stuffed with Kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms, breaded and served with a tomato coulis dipping sauce. The beer pairing was Maudite Unibroue Belgium Strong out of Quebec Canada. I’ve never had a Canadian craft beer, and beer geeks probably know that this beer scores an A+ from the Alström bros at Beer Advocate. The beer is soft on the pallet like a rose petal; very subtle hints of spice and clove. The Stuft Squid is also mild and the beer attenuates the flavors ever so slightly without changing directions. The beautiful thing was how delicate and un-salted it was. The Kalamata Olives fill that role nicely. $10 for the pairing and worth every penny.

Maudite, Such a lovely and delicate beer! It’s on tap at Chapter One!

Speaking of beautiful rose petals, my lovely wife ordered the Mini Mac with La Fin Du Monde Belgium Tripel also from Unibroue of Quebec (another A+ from BA!). I dare you to say this out loud without salivating: Bacon Panko Crusted Mac and Cheese. <DROOL!> The beer had more of a lively carbonation than mine which is great for cutting richness in a dish. She, of course, loved it and enjoyed the pairing.

La Fin Du Monde was bottle poured properly with yeast left on the bottom. Mine was keg draught.

I heard Chapter One wasn’t kid-friendly, which I totally get, but our experience was great with our girl! They served her a lidded and watered down lemonade in a plastic cup (per request). She also ordered the $5 mini-mac and enjoyed some duck fat fries. She was incredibly close to ordering Escargot as I explained that’s what Madeline (French themed kid’s show) would eat; in two straight lines no less.

  • OC Beer Week menu runs through 10/8.
  • Parking is easily done across the street in the parking garage; $1/hr. Avoid the meters as SA tediously tickets tardiness.
  • Also check out the area on the first Saturday of every month for the Artist Village open house. Click for details.

 

Barkenhagen’s Speakeasy (aka Bootleggers Brewery)

Posted on by

The year is 1921. I’m thirsty for a goddamn beer. Damn prohibition. I tip a paperboy on the corner of Harbor and Commonwealth in Fullerton and ask what’s the scuttlebutt on some blind pig action. He says “I don’t know from nothin’ mistuh” and points down Valencia, the bad part of town. I tilt my seat back in my hayburner as the local residents watch us roll under the canopy of elm trees. My bearcat lights a ciggy as we pull into the orange shipping area of town. The other cars around tell us we struck gold. (20’s slang guide here)

Fast forward 90 years, Bootleggers gives a nod to that era. Sitting down in their tasting room in Fullerton, I get the sense they were going for either a 1920’s speakeasy, or they just don’t give a crap about the decor. The brewery and tasting room sit with eight fermenters bubbling blowoff tubes around various unmatching tables and chairs. The room smells like spilled beer, sanitizer, and yeast farts; which is precisely what a brewery should smell like. As I walk around, my shoes make a tacky noise similar to walking around a budget movie theater with spilled soda on the ground. As I park my ass in a circa 2003 Home Depot Resin chair, I clean the remnants of the last satisfied customer’s beer rings off the wobbly table with conveniently abandoned food truck napkins. Music pumps out of a muddled speaker above the restrooms, making familiar music seem dreamy and distant.The Amtrak Surfliner Train flies by outside and rattles the walls at regular intervals, perhaps re-agitating the beer aging in wooden barrels a few feet away. I contemplate running outside real quick and flashing my dick at unsuspecting train travelers, but the beer I’m drinking gets the best of me. I firmly place a foot on a table leg to prevent my beer from moving around the table top like air hockey, and take a sip.

Having just hit Bootleggers two days earlier I was really looking forward to sucking down the best beer ever; Bourbon Barrel Imperial Black Phoenix from my first official beer review. Black Phoenix is a year round offering at Bootleggers and the slight modifications they concoct keep this cowboy returning. The chipotle stout is easily one of Orange County’s greatest dark beer offerings (Cismontane’s Blacks Dawn and the Bruery’s Black Tuesday among others).  On Thursday, they had the barrel aged Imperial version, the regular version on CO2, and a version on Nitro. As the tap was blown on my fave, I went for something I’ve never tried before, Plum Riot.

Along with 18 taps, Bootleggers offers bottles, kegs, and growler fills for take away.

I was saving Plum Riot for just this occasion; when all my favorites were out. I wasn’t disappointed either! Call the Fullerton Plum Riot Police, this is one tasty Belgian Dubbel! Aroma, I get freshly toasted bread with sour plum jam…YUM! Color is a hazy blushing pale plum with a pinky finger head that fizzed away quickly. Tasted some plum hard candy and some subtle spices that didn’t stick around. This isn’t a very complex beer but would be great paired with BBQ or Teriyaki as it would draw some sweetness from the sauce. For a 7.8% ABV beer, I didn’t get the slightest hint of boozyness and was quite drinkable and refreshing.

The head cheese and his bearcat; Aaron and Patricia Barkenhagen run the joint. (credit Derek Bougie)

Bootleggers draws in all walks of life. One table was filled with some dolled up gals stopping in for a beer before going out on the town. Another table had an older couple chatting about a recent Fullerton Police beating.  Near the door is a gaggle of hipster looking types drinking non-PBR product. As the night wears on, the tasting room line is almost out the door. The music is completely drowned out by the crowd, until 9PM, when the death metal kicks in. Last minute growlers are filled and the place empties out.

9PM Leave or Death (metal)

With eighteen taps, Bootleggers has something for everyone. I highly recommend stopping in and doing a tasting flight for $4.50 with some friends. Whichever beer is your favorite, grab a pint, a growler fill, or a keg for your next party. I was shocked a 5 gallon keg of IPA was around $65! Compare that to any craft beer keg at Bevmo (over $100) and you’ll never do that again! Also keep in mind you’re supporting local business and drinking super-fresh beer! Applesauce!

They’re open Thurs-Sun and have food trucks on most nights. The location makes a great jumping off point for a night out in Downtown Fullerton. Check their website for details!

Carolina's Kitchen Fire!

Posted on by

From their facebook page:

As you may have heard, on August 31 a fire occurred in our kitchen & unfortunately caused severe damage. We therefore will be closed during the month of September and most of October. We will Post our exact opening date as we come closer. We thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you when we reopen. The beer tasting will still be held on Thursday, September 8 at 6:30 and we invite you to join us for that event for reservations feel free to call us at (714)971 5551 and leave a message and we will return your call. We invite you to try our sister location Al’s Big Burger & Mexican Grill located next door you may contact them directly at (714) 971 3131 for deliveries or special accommodations. Thank you for your patronage and we look forward to seeing you return.

 

Check their FB page for updates, or here. Hopefully everyone was okay.

Why the hell would a beer blog care about an Italian Restaurant? Well for one, it has a ten page beer menu. Aw, how cute, nice to see your liver perk up!

Tucked away near Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention center lies Carolina’s Italian Restaurant. A cozy little Italian “gastropub” tucked away in a strip mall with some interesting neighbors. Want to get your disability check cashed? The liquor store a few doors down can help you out. Need an Up-do? Get it right next door! Care for a Vampiro drink? You’ve come to the right place my friend!

This place is next door. Vampiro eh? No Werepanther? Maybe I’ll grab the Macho Man instead.

After being seated I was handed huge plate of fresh cheese bread and a beer menu larger than a Googolplex. Carolinas easily qualifies as a must-go-to beer place in OC. Why? The large selection is served in proper glassware and can be paired on request. I asked my waiter what would pair well with an eggplant parmesan, “oh, Green Flash Double Stout, sir”. Hmmm, what would pair well with Linguini with clam sauce? “Arrogant Bastard, sir”. What about spaghetti and meatballs? “Hmmmm, Saison Du Pont”. Well what about a Chicken Marsala cooked in a wine sauce? “I’d suggest something barrel aged, perhaps a Firestone Walker Abacus”. They will also reverse-pair beer with food. What goes with Budweiser? “Steaming pile of dog shit, sir.” Nicely done, touché my good man.

I’m not sure if these dudes are Cicerone certified or anything, but my girthy waiter was happy to talk beer and knew everything about their extensive offerings.

“waiter, there’s an eye in my beer”

I like to judge a place on basics first, then go back if I like the food. For Mexican food, I generally get a Bean, Rice, Cheese and Salsa burrito as a first choice. If it’s good, I go back. For Italian, I do Spaghetti and Meatballs. It has enough raw components to decide if the place is good. Pasta? Toothy. Sauce? Tangy. Spice? Nice. Meatballs? Perfect. Beer menu? Fuck yes. As I’m not a food blog I can safely give general statements like the food was spectacular, good, not worth taking home leftovers, or I spent the night in the emergency room on IV meds from eating there. I’d put Carolina’s food in the “good” category.

  • Protip#1: If you just want a couple beers, you are served some bomb ass cheese bread when you are seated. Order a soup and a beer. Full meal for $10!
  •  Protip#2: They have beer/food pairing nights at a set price. Check their FB for info.
Friends Kristina and Dave mid backhand-slap contest.

Google Map Street View with the crew out front sorting out a catering order no doubt.

Another Google Map Street View of the back. Not sure if this dude is peeing or what. Laffo

I’ll do an update when they’re open again.