Doing a Pizza Port 4 locations trip

Another story I can tell you about when Mike Hess was @ Societe.

 

I also recomend Societe, posted a review recently if your interested.

Also, from that list, my vote would be for Hess. Judge them on their beer for yourself, one of my personal favorites.

 

I, too, really liked Hess' beer. It was interesting and different, and seemed well-crafted considering the big plastic conical fermenters sitting in the hot sun near the entrance of the warehouse. But the coffee additions to their beers are some of the best I've tried.

 

Societe is San Diego's Russian River. Love it more and more.

 

As I recall, they told me one of their brewers worked at RR. Doesn't surprise me- their IPAs show serious potential. (Bring back Everyman's.)

 

Their sours will tell the story I hope. Not a fan of their Belgians', not a fan of RRs either - go figure.

 

Being new to the game (1 year in), I'm not into sours or Belgians. Yet. Just knock my socks off with a complex, flavorful IPA (that doesn't nauseate me after a growler), and I'll be back. I'm easily impressed.

 

Don't get into sours or BA stouts, whatever you do. Wallet = gone. IPA's are plentiful and cheap. No trading required here in SD for them.

 

LOL

 

LOL bro - good post!!!

You can LAWLZ BLAHAHAHAHA all you want, but other than Societe's ******ed growlers the place already has RR beat on IPA's. Sours will tell the story. I'd pull Everyman's every time over PtY - and Pupil/Apprentice over PtE, and Dandy over Blind Pig all day, every day.

 

Disregard this post entirely if you want to maximize your meaningful experiences as a beer advocate.

 

I am just trying to help him. Spent $300 with UPS last month =)

 

His post was obviously meant to be ironic, as Evilc is admitedly into sours, Belgians, etc. He was just complaining about the associated costs, lol. And, with the preponderance of awesome IPAs available out west, I feel no need to rush into the more esoteric/expensive styles. Yet.
And, Sebowski, I do see his point in comparing Societe to RR. As much as I love both Plinys, I was very impressed with Societe's IPAs (especially Everyman's DIPA). And, considering one of Societe's brewers DID work with Vinnie at RR, referring to Societe as San Diego's Russian River makes a bit of sense. Let's just sit back and watch how Societe evolves...

 

Yep. Belgians' - it's a wash between RR and Societe. Stouts? At least Societe has an awesome RIS in The Butcher. RR just has OVL Stout. The only missing comparison is sours which we will soon be able to judge. So I see it:

IPA: Societe
Belgian: Tie
Stout: Societe
Sours: No contest currently.

"LOL" doesn't seem to fit.

I even prefer Societe's tasting room over RR's rowdy brewpub. Head over to SA Deli and bring a steak and mushroom meat pie in - forget all about Pliny Bites.

 

I think there are quite a few IPAs and DIPAs out there that beat Russian River's. I have not had Societe enough to make that call, but the ones I have had (Apprentice and Dandy) were really impressive.

That said, I'd rather drink IPAs from Boneyard, Alpine, HF, and Alchemist before RR. Hell, I even started to like Myrcenary this year more than PtE after a couple blind tastings with both beers. And Lagunitas' Fusion 10 had Younger beat in a couple side-by-side tastings I had last year during SF Beer Week.

I think it comes down to the hop profiles of BP, PtE and Younger - they all share similar notes of pine and grapefruit, whereas other brewers are experimenting with other, more exciting hop varieties.

 

Definitely prefer Alpine over Societe. I drew the comparison as Societe has the same focus as RR. Belgians, IPA, sours.

 

All I want to add is that you missed Societe's 2 best IPAs, imho: Pupil IPA, and (especially) Everyman's DIPA. Pretty damn awesome beers. And their tasting room is cowboy-cool. And their "ambience" music is west coast newgrass awesome. And (despite popular opinion), their stainless steel growlers are damn gnarly (and NOT excessively priced). I have high hopes for this upstart...

 

I love Societe. I even love my ******ed Societe growler. I'd have no problem at all if you said "Societe beers are as good as what Russian River is putting out", but to say "Societe is San Diego's Russian River" is idiotic on a variety of levels.