Have a friend in San Diego this week. Had a couple question-- forgive me if they are very ignorant, I'm not familiar with the SD beer scene. Is there a place and time of the week where you can pick up Pliny the Elder? Anyone see any recently? This is my buddy's top want. Are any Speedway Stout variants other than the standard available in bottles at shops in the area? Same question with Monsters Park and its variants? Are you able to get Monkish on tap anywhere or are they solely a canning operation in LA (ala Treehouse in MA)? What are some great local IPAs that aren't distributed out East that are available in cans in bottles? Any bar recommendations in Ocean Beach / Mission Beach? Thanks so much
1. Pliny on tap can often be found at OBriens and Hamiltons, but bottles are still hunted and generally sold one at a time. Many other bars have Russian River accounts though 2. Speedway and Monsters Park variants -- go to the source for bottles. A few weeks ago Alesmith had Vietnamese, Mokasida, and Hawaiian in bottles and even BASS MT had MP and Saint Archer had 5 different Tusk and Grain for pours and bottles. I'm guessing that IF bottle shops have variants sitting around, likely are overpriced 3. MT has rotating 4 packs that get distro like (City of the Sun and Booming Rollers) and often have low production 4 packs on site 4. Bars in MB or OB, there are many. For a very short uber ride, include PB and Liberty Station. Drafts by Belmont Park coaster is craft centered, but not my thing. Look at Websites for tap lists at SD tap house in PB; Stone, Slaters 50/50 and Bottlecraft -- all 3 at Liberty Station. If you're a night owl - bar hopper go to Gaslamp District or Garnet or 30th St. My liver hurts from typing this.
Local cans, stop by modern times to see if they have any of whatever hazy cans they released recently still. Most of their stuff doesn't get distributed outside of California. Try everything else they have in cans on tap first to decide what you like. If you want hazy cans your main bet is modern times. Mikkeller has been releasing limited cans of haze at the brewery but I think those are selling out fast. They have cans of their other beers though and you can grab the waves ipa in six packs. A great beer. If you can find fresh alesmith ipa in cans grab it (less than a month old) it is a mainstay but not really rare or sought after. Besides this the Aurora hopyalis from Karl Strauss is fantastic too if you can find it fresh. These are some of my favorite easily available ipas around town. You won't find any monkish on tap anywhere. Mostly they keep it all in the brewery.
