I read a bunch of threads about where to go, what to drink, and who to sleep with, oops wrong thread… My wife and I left Santa Cruz to visit my brother in Laguna Beach. First stop was Long Beach - Beachwood Brewing - Really really good. We had a flight - Amalgamator was the best, as good an IPA as I have had. Laurel was good, not great, Knucklehead Red was very good. Street 3 Block 2 was pretty good and Dominator was great. By far a must stop. On to SD, stopped in Solano Beach - Pizza Port - wow, can't ever say enough about PP IPA's. Always great, great selection. Had the Kook, seriously great beer, wife had a double ipa - can't recall the name but really good as well. SD proper - we did North County a few years ago, so we went more south. First night stopped at TigerTiger. Nice place, very helpful servers, great beer selection, especially other breweries beers. Its hard to do a taste of the host brewery beer and then order something else, but thats what we did. Swami IPA from PPort (excellent as usual) and Hop-O-matic from Redlands. The host beer is Automatic brewing, not great. Next day hit Monkey Fist. DIPA was okay, their take (16th and F) on RR row 2 hill whatever was weak. Didn't finish either beer. Have you looked at the monkey? Ever been to Nimbus Brewing in Tucson, hmmm? Went to Toronado SD. Barkeep was fantastic. Had PP - Trifecta and Rip Curl Brewing - IN the Curl IPA, PP- Of the Chain and Iron Fire - Devil within IPA. Great drinking day, all fantastic, Hard to go to a pub and not drink Pliney, but we do get it up north. That night for dinner we went to PB Bar and Grill in Mission Beach - don't waste your time. Sculpin was out, host beers are bad. Food - yikes. Oh well, Next day off to Alpine Beer Company - Really, the horror stories of the drive blow me away. One guy at Tiger Tiger said he hates driving down the windy road. I thought we were on the wrong road - its 4 lanes - and beautiful. Not much to say about Alpine. Nelson was/is the best beer I think I have ever drank. Pure Hoppiness was fantastic. Duet - pass, not great like the others but maybe it will be great, I did buy a bottle, 2 of Pure hoppiness but sadly they were out of Nelson. Also, some confusion on buying bottles, or not, you buy them in the brewery next door (actually there is a hair dresser in between) when the pub is open, or in the pub if the brewery is closed. We looked a lot of places for their beer, only found Wilie and another at BC. On to Societe - 20 minutes away, not enough time after Alpine - Nice place, easy to find, comfortable but sort of industrial feel. Had another flight 2 pales, 2 ipas and 2 belgiums. Interesting that all the pales and ipas were really light colored, like maybe a spot of crystal 40 at most. Azacca Pale as good but light bodied. Publican - weak. Apprentice was great - Pupil - fair. Harlot good - Madam - great. Dinner - California Kebob - Amplified Brewing - Nice beer, great guest tabs, but I had their IPA. Very good, Wife had Hess Brewing Intrepidus IPA, pretty good, but mine was better. In the beer drinking we went to the following Bottle shops. Bottle Craft - Downtown. Bottles and Tasting . Decent selection, wanted to wait for the Best Damn BS which was worth it. (should have gone to the new Ballast Point right up the street from BC). We also went to Vine and Bine, pretty good, not great, nice guy anyway. Top 3 beers: Nelson, the Kook, Amalgamator
A lot fewer places update it now than did a year or two ago, so I doubt this will happen. Monkey Fist? A bastard stepchild of Monkey Paw and Iron Fist? [grin]
Did you stay in PB?? (PB Bar and Grill and CA Kebob for back-to-back dinners). I'm as big of a fan of PB as you're going to meet on this site, but I wouldn't recommend PB Bar and Grill's food to anyone. If you do it again, and stay in PB, check out Ciros, Tap Room and the new place Barrel Republic for solid beer lists. Also can go to PB Ale House to get some OK but not great house beers, but often a killer beach view. I have terrible quoting skills. Should have looked like this.
If one is in a pizza by a slice or other Itlianish things mood, Ciro's is OK. Tap Room has very good pizza (if ordering a whole pie). If your food needs are more, you can go to the Fishery. I'd also throw in the Kabob House / Amplified Ale Works.
To me that's one of the best part about Societe. They don't put unnecessary unfermentables in there to get in the way of the hops. Nice light bodies to let the hops shine. Dang, Publican is one of my favorite Pales of all time. Oh well, to each their own eh? Sounds like a damn good trip (other than PB Bar&Grill... PB Taproom would have been a MUCH better choice)
