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Help with suggestions in Birmingham

Discussion in 'US: South' started by baconmcnuggets, Jan 14, 2014.

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  1. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    I'm going to be in Birmingham for a whopping 30 hours in February - get in, run a marathon, get out - and I'll hit whatever cool place I can find in walking distance from the race HQ hotel (or manage the two miles to Hop City), but I have a very specific need while I'm there: what can you suggest as a good local pale ale? (I know, it's only a pale ale, but it's good luck - every distance race I run I have one from a local or semi-local brewery the night before.) I appreciate any suggestions.
     
    #1 baconmcnuggets, Jan 14, 2014
  2. goldenpeanut

    goldenpeanut Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2006 Alabama

    Birmingham has a great beer scene. Hop City would be a one stop shopping for you with cans/ bottles available and about 60 taps, including 20 just from AL. You can't go wrong with Good People Pale Ale, Cahaba's Oka Uba IPA or Avondale's Battlefield IPA. Hope you can come back and visit all the tasting rooms next time and the J. Clyde. By that time, there will probably be 2 more breweries open: Beer Engineers and Trim Tab.

    Cheers,
    Sharon
     
    #2 goldenpeanut, Jan 14, 2014
    TrappistJohnMD and baconmcnuggets like this.
  3. wde83

    wde83 Initiate (0) Nov 9, 2012 Texas

    For a beer that you can find pretty much anywhere around Birmingham in cans that is a great truer pale ale (and not full IPA), definitely pick up Good People Pale Ale. Solid brew and should be available all over the place.
     
    #3 wde83, Jan 14, 2014
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  4. Eric15

    Eric15 Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2013 Alabama

    Gotta be Good People Pale Ale as others suggested. Not really many other PAs but lots of ipas to choose from. A good place to eat and try lots of local beer is The J Clyde. Im guessing you're running the Mercedes right? That was my first marathon. Its a double loop which sucked but good race overall. Good luck!
     
    #4 Eric15, Jan 14, 2014
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  5. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    That's the one! Thanks! I'm pretty excited about it. Slowly working my way up to a 50 Stater. I'm not expecting to do spectacularly well - slacked a little too hard over the holidays, squandering most of my Chicago Marathon training - and double loops aren't my favorite, but the race is so highly praised I took the leap. (I used to swear I'd NEVER do a double-loop marathon, until an ultra-runner buddy of mine told me about a 50 miler trail race he did that was a one mile loop. Same mile, 50 effing times. Yeah okay, I promise to never complain again.)
     
    #5 baconmcnuggets, Jan 14, 2014
  6. Eric15

    Eric15 Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2013 Alabama

    Thats just insane. I did do all my original training in my neighborhood doing 1 mile loops and it wasnt terrible. But mentally running a half, then starting over and knowing exactly how much is left each step in mental torture for me.
     
    #6 Eric15, Jan 14, 2014
  7. Eric15

    Eric15 Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2013 Alabama

    Is it your routine to try a local pale where u race? Cause that Invasion PA from CCB kills everything we got! Just had one this weekend along with White oak jai alai. Both were fantastic. I need a some of each along with the citra hopped on the high seas. We may get that one here but not sure.
     
    #7 Eric15, Jan 14, 2014
  8. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    Yeah, the mental struggle is it for me. But usually the first 10 miles or so flies by before I realize what's happened (please god please let the standard hold) so maybe the repeating won't be TOTAL agony. Helps that it's not my town. (Cuz yeah, on the trail near my house, I could tell you the mileage from any given point to another.)

    Invasion is INCREDIBLE; it's my new favorite "football beer". I think they were aiming for Zombie Dust, and they got dang close. And you're lucky, I actually haven't nailed down my White Oak yet. And yeah, it's always a local pale. Napa Valley, Lagunitas Pale Ale. Chicago, Half Acre Daisy Cutter. (I have a little US Map titled "50 States, 50 Marathons, 50 Beers". Each state gets colored in once I cover it. Pale ale doesn't bother me before a race and it's pretty reliable as a "there's bound to be ONE good beer in this style here" standard goes. Plus, having a special meaningful beer in every market is cute too.)

    (Er. Sorry. Just realized I mentioned football in Alabama, not sure if it's too soon. I didn't go to FSU. #goknights)
     
    #8 baconmcnuggets, Jan 14, 2014
  9. joshodonn

    joshodonn Initiate (0) Jan 21, 2011 Florida

    I'm a FL bum who spends a lot of time in the Ham for work. Where is the race HQ hotel? If you want other suggestions on beers in AL to bring back send me a BM. I realize this is nowhere near a close comparison at all and from the sounds of it hills shouldn't be a problem for you, but I ran a 5K in B'ham about this time last year and the hills killed me due to all my flat Florida running. Mind you I am fat and hadn't really been running much the month prior to the race, it was a last minute thing. Anywho, enjoy your visit, B'ham is a nice little city.
     
    #9 joshodonn, Jan 22, 2014
  10. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    The HQ is the Sheraton on Richard Arrington, near Linn Park and Boutwell Auditorium. Blessedly I do live in a hilly region of Florida, so I do get a LITTLE hill training (and I run a lot of stairs to make up for it) but yeahhhh I'm undertrained currently for sure. There is one big hilly section (twice) that I'm looking forward to. :grimacing: Fortunately I'm setting a goal of "just make it to the finish" for this one, so I'm not really aiming for a big PR or anything. Good thing, probably wouldn't get it!!
     
    #10 baconmcnuggets, Jan 22, 2014
  11. ddarden

    ddarden Initiate (0) Oct 15, 2004 Alabama

    You can walk to Todd English Pub that is next to the Westin in the same general area of the Sheraton if you don't feel like getting in a car. Of course you may not want walk either!
     
    #11 ddarden, Jan 22, 2014
  12. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    Haha! Fortunately my flight leaves immediately after the race, so all my (well, limited) partying will be while my limbs still work!
     
    #12 baconmcnuggets, Jan 22, 2014
  13. ddarden

    ddarden Initiate (0) Oct 15, 2004 Alabama

    If you are flying, you can get Good People at their bar in airport! Problem solved.
     
    #13 ddarden, Jan 24, 2014
    baconmcnuggets, tweezer159 and StuartCarter like this.
  14. baconmcnuggets

    baconmcnuggets Initiate (0) Mar 11, 2013 Florida

    Outstanding! That will be an excellent way to start and finish this trip. (I'll need a good airport beer before I leave. It's almost always Mich Ultra after the finish line, so I have to go find a real beer once I'm done. I don't understand that offering. I ran 26 miles. I can probably manage a few calories and carbs. It's fine.)
     
    #14 baconmcnuggets, Jan 27, 2014
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