Visit to S.F., Part Three - Anchor Brewing

I hate how some of the best beer places are at airports. Boston-Logan has a Sam Adams bar, a Harpoon bar (way out of the way, in the terminal A annex - you have to use the under-tarmac tunnel to get to it), and a Cisco (of Nantucket) brewery bar. Why so many great beer places, in a place where no one wants to be? (I know - travelers drink a lot, so that's where the money is.)

With a little time to kill at SFO prior to my return trip, I ducked into the Anchor Brewing Company bar at the domestic terminal. Liberty Ale is Anchor's hoppy, pale ale offering, and it is excellent. A great way to say goodbye to the city by the bay.

The best part about this visit, though, was what transpired with another customer. A sixty-ish business woman sat a couple of seats down from me and asked the bartender what was on tap. OK, this is good. Quality beer is achieving demographic reach that would have been unimaginable only a short time ago. So the barkeep ran down the list, and when he got to "a Pilsner, with a touch of wheat", the woman said, "Yes, I'll have that. And could I have a lemon wedge, also?". "Oh, no", the bartender replied, "You'll want to try it first." So now we have bartenders, who are knowledgeable about the nuanced flavors of particular beers, to the point of knowing that a lemon wedge would overpower this particular pilsner. The woman tried the beer and agreed. I was very impressed.

On the other hand, this is San Francisco. Maybe that's just how they roll.

Study hard and do your homework...

... little boys and girls, and you too might someday get to write about(and more importantly, research) craft beer for a major newspaper/website.

Better Beer - The Boston Globe

(My way of saying, "I enjoyed this article.")

Visit to S.F., Part Two - Gordon Biersch

This twenty-year-old brew-and-gastro pub is located along the Embarcadero, San Francisco's very chic waterfront boulevard. It's in the old Hills Brothers Coffee building, and sits in the shadows of the Oakland Bay bridge (pictured above) (no, I didn't take that picture).

One big downside to this pub, for me at least, is their website. It features a little bit of information about the history of the pub and its founders, and just about nothing else. No detailed beer descriptions, and no menu. I can't understand that. Isn't browsing the menu online a must activity for like 95% of first-time diners?

The lack of a menu did force me to look at reviews, and I found plenty of opinions. Here's a summary:

"You must have the garlic fries"

"The Marzen is legendary"

"Frat-boy crowd"

"Try the garlic fries"

"I love the eclectic, un-pub-food-like menu"

"I hate the eclectic, un-pub-food-like menu"

"Did I mention, garlic fries?"

The Embarcadero truly is a great place for a walk in the early evening. The bridge is quite striking, and the waterfront is beautifully developed, with palm trees and curved walkways.

I sat at the bar (World Series in high-def - I was happy), and tried... wait for it... the garlic fries.

Now, I love garlic, and I usually can't get enough of it. But I don't think garlic fries are my thing. You take some nice fries, and you toss them in moist, oily garlic and some chopped parsley. This makes the fries a little less hot, and a little more soggy. The garlic was fresh - really fresh. And to my surprise, I found it a bit overwhelming. They were just OK for me. I don't think I'll have them again.

The beers at Gordon Biersch are decidedly European in style. Although I'm an American IPA guy at heart, I was more than open to trying hand-crafted European brews as a change of pace.

I was not disapointed. I had the Czech Pilsner, and it was great. It crisp and refreshing, with the right amount of bitterness. Great for watching baseball.

The Martzen is their most popular beer, and I tried a sample, but I didn't care for it. With Americian beers, I go for IPAs, bitters and porters. But when it's European, I find I like lagers and pilsners more. Darker European beers are not my cup of tea.

Some of the reviewers were down on the crowd at G.B., saying it is too uptight. Well, it is very close to the financial district, and the crowd is a bit older, and more formally dressed than at, say, the 21st Amendment. But I didn't feel that it detracted from the atmosphere.

I would visit George Birch again. I'd particulary like to sit on their patio on a warm evening, and enjoy the view.

Update: Regarding the website, somehow the Google search result I clicked on was the one for the Brewery (http://www.gordonbiersch.com/brewery/). There is a separate, very complete site for the Resturants (http://www.gordonbiersch.com/restaurants/). Oh, well.

Visit to S.F., Part One - 21st Amendment Brewery

I recently paid a visit to my company's San Francisco office, which located in the city's SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood. Not far from the office, toward AT&T Park (home of the Giants), is the Twenty First Amendment. As happy as I was to be in San Francisco, I was even happier to find a friendly, relaxed brew pub so close by. I visited two of the three nights that I was there. If trips to the West coast ever become a habit (and that's not very likely), the 21A will undoubtedly become my home away from home.

The beer I had the most of there was the "Brew Free or Die" IPA. Sounds more like the name of a New Hampshire brew, than a bay area one, if you ask me. It is a perfectly serviceable beer with medium color, a light head, and lots of citrus aroma.

I wanted to try Humming Ale, the new Anchor Brewing beer they were featuring the second night of my stay. I had a sample, which was just OK for me. As it turned out, they had just tapped the keg, and were having trouble drawing from it. So I stuck with the IPA.

I also had the good fortune to run into an acquaintance from another division of my company, also located in S.F. He, his wife and another co-worker did have the Humming Ale, and they said it was pretty good. It was nice to run into friendly folks - not hard to do in laid-back, friendly California. Thanks to Kieran, Trisha and Justin for making me feel welcome.

The twenty-first amendment is a very homey place with a very welcoming atmosphere. I can't wait for my next visit.

Pittsfield BrewWorks, Pittsfield, MA

Yesterday C. and I traveled to the Berkshires for the "James Taylor and Friends" concert at Tanglewood. Naturally, we did a search for local brew pubs. The Pittsfield BrewWorks looked like a good bet.

Pittsfield is a much bigger town than I envisioned. (I've only been there once before, many years ago. It was at night, and I didn't see much of the city.) The BrewWorks, like any good brew pub, is in an older building that's been nicely renovated. I really liked the decor - plenty of dark wood and brick. The dining room has nice ambient lighting. The bar, where we sat, has big windows that let in lots of light.

I had the Legacy IPA. It had a red-ish color, and light head, with a light hop aroma. This IPA leans more toward the malty and sweet, and less toward the hoppy and bitter side of things. I found it a nice change of pace from the other American IPAs I've tried. A little bit mellow, with a nice sweet finish.

C. had the ESB, which she really liked. A bit more brown in color, it has a hearty, bitter flavor, with out being overbearing. Both beers were top notch. We would have loved to stay for more.

The calamari was excellent, although C. thought the batter was a bit heavy. It was definitely robust, possibly cornmeal-based (but don't quote me on that.) I liked the firm crunchiness of it. The squid itself was very nice, and the hot peppers were great accent.

We also had some onion rings, which we both liked a lot. They seemed to have the same thick batter, making them a nice change of pace. They came with an assortment of sauces - barbecue, red pepper aioli, and horseradish sauce. A very nice appetizer.

Overall, two thumbs up. Nice atmosphere, very friendly staff, very good beer, and, from what we can tell, yummy food.

Offshore Ale Co., Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard

Instead of spending a week in Dennisport this year, we did the responsible thing and took a stay-cation. We took day trips to Scusset and West Dennis beach, the Norwottuck Rail Trail in western MA, and the centerpiece, a day-trip to Martha's Vineyard.

We took advantage of the Vineyard Transit Authority buses (thumbs up), and spent some time in Edgartown. We ate dinner in Oak Bluffs and made our only brewpub visit for the week. Fortunately, the brewpub we visited was well worth it.

Offshore Ale Company (a.k.a., "City, Ale and Oyster") has an interesting history, documented in this New York Times article from 1997. I particularly like their description of the building:

Outside, the building looks like a barn; inside, the motif is rustic chic, with oak booths, yellow pine floors and a mahogany bar. A tall window showcases two large copper brewing kettles.

The floor is littered with peanut shells - my two sons (14 and 11) loved that, even though the 11 year old doesn't eat peanuts. He also loved that the kids menu had mozzarella sticks and french fries as an entree.

In the mood for something light(ish) and summer-y, I started with an On Time Pale Ale. It was excellent - light brown in color, crisp and bitter, and appropriately lacking in the sweetness and hoppiness of an IPA. After that I moved up to Hop Goddess. This brew has a cloudy appearance, more golden in color than an IPA, but very similar to IPAs in taste. My better half had the Off Shore IPA. Darker color, more fruity aroma, and delicious. All three beers were top-notch.

We had the calamari, which came with red pepper aioli. One of the best calamaris we've had. Light, crunchy and very fresh. The menu also features a variety of hand-tossed, brick-oven pizzas. We had the potato pizza - mashed potatoes, bacon and scallions. Kind of like pizza skins, only with a hand-tossed crust. It was very enjoyable, although it feels a bit more like a starter than an entree. We both thought the crust was the perfect combination of chewy and crispy.

I can't wait to go back again. I really like the beers and the atmosphere at Offshore Ale.

(Globe Slideshow featuring Offshore Ale.)

A clarification -- giving proper credit where it's due: Although it says below that I authored this post, it was actually penned by PJK. I neglected to log out of my account before returning his laptop to him.
~ Claire

Sunset Cantina part dos

Another year, another X show at the Paradise. What can I say. We enjoyed our first X show so much last year, when we found out they were coming around again. we just had to go.

So, another X show, another visit to the Sunset Cantina, on Comm. Ave., in the BU area (the strip of Boston that lies between the Fenway, Brookline and Allston). It's close to the Paradise, and is known for its beer and tequila selections.

I'm more inclined to beer than tequila, so the choice of drinks didn't take long. Our waitress informed us from the outset that, since it was a holiday week, they were out of a lot of beers. Now, I worked two different wholesale delivery jobs, so I can tell you from experience - holiday weeks are hell. You have one less day to hit the same number of stops, usually delivering more product, since holiday weeks are usually busy weeks. So I am not unsympathetic. However, Sunset Cantina, your reputation is built on your beer selection. It is extremely disheartening when a beer lover like myself is told that two or three of the IPAs he would like to try are right out. I was pretty bummed.

I tried to console myself with a Wachusett Green Monsta Pale Ale. (Our helpful waitress mispronounced it as "Monster".) The menu listed it under the IPAs - the closest category available. But no one would ever confuse this beer for an IPA. It's got a nice, clean flavor - somewhere between a lager and a pale ale, with a bit more body than a true lager.

Next, to quench my by now unbearable need for bitterness, I ordered the Sixpoint Bengali Tiger. This IPA, with a 6.5% B.V.A. had a nice, cloudy appearance, with medium red-brown color, and a medium head. The aroma was a bit keg-ish, for lack of a better word. (Perhaps a bar that makes it's living off of college students needs to make sure it's taps aren't *too* clean?) The taste was lightly fruity, and mild. The finish was strong with a bit more bitterness that you would have expected. Overall a pleasant, fairly mild IPA.

We had two appetizers - the Garlic Fried Calamari and the South of the Border Fiesta Nachos. Both appetizers were super-size, especially the nachos. The two of us were barely able to make a dent. We got the full order - the smaller order in hindsight would have been better for the two of us (with plenty to spare!). The low price for the nachos kind of sucked us in - they are a very good value if you're hungry! The only criticism is that there were so many chips with so much guacamole, lettuce and sour cream at the top, it was hard to get to the seasoned beef and cheese within.

The calamari was nice and hot, and well executed. The style was not my complete cup of tea. The rings were large and neat (I prefer thin and messy), but they were well seasoned, and the vinegar peppers were yummy.

It may not sound like the best drinking and dining experience, but I don't want to give the wrong idea. I would go there again - on a five-day work week (and maybe try some the the tequilas).

The show: X are an amazing live band. As one reviewer put it, it's four outstanding talents combining to make an even greater whole. Add 30-plus years of experience, and the confidence they must get from knowing that they are one of the truly original bands to come down the pike, and you get a five-star live experience.

The venue: The 'dise is a great place to see a show. We arrived early and got front-of-the stage spots in front of John Doe's mic. He is a joy to watch. I think he had even more fun at this year's show than he did last time. At least that's the impression he gave off. A fellow attendee posted video clips of this performance. (You can see our silhouettes down in front!)

The opening act: Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts opened the show. X have gone two-for-two in my book in this category. Last year the Detroit Cobras provided attitude and grit in the opening slot. Steve Soto (ex of the Adolescents) and his band put on a great chest-pounding, high-energy garage sounding set. I will check them out in the future.

Heartland Brewery, NYC

Back in February I took a one-day business trip to mid-town Manhattan. I took the Amtrak Acela - a great way to travel. Amtrak's high-speed, business class service is quite, comfortable, and very scenic. It's actually a great advertisement for visiting the Connecticut coastline. It takes you right to Penn Station, in the heart of mid-town.

After work I had some spare time before my evening train back to Boston. So I walked from my meeting at 55th St. to 33rd via Fifth Avenue. This part of Fifth Ave. is an area that most folks who have visited the Big Apple as tourists are pretty familiar with. I walked by St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockafeller Center, the New York Public library - all familiar landmarks, making for a very pleasant twenty-block stroll.

As I reached 33rd St. I saw the "Heartland Brewery & Rotisserie" in the ground floor of the Empire State Building. Though I knew the place was undoubtedly a tourist trap, it was right on my way, and as I said, I had a few minutes.

I was unprepared for just how touristy the crowd actually was. I don't think one patron was from within 150 miles of the city. (The twenty-something couple next to me at the bar was reading the Lonely Planet guide!)

That being said, the beer list was impressive. I went with the Indy 500 Pale Ale. The were serving it via "Nitro Tap". According to Spokane7.com:

"Nitro - or nitrogen - taps get rid of a lot of the carbonation, leaving behind tiny bubbles and making for a silky-smooth beer with a rich mouthfeel and a milkshake-frothy head."

My helpful bartender explained it pretty much the same way. The ale had a light amber color, and was a little cloudy. It had a very subtle toasted aroma. Hoppiness was medium to light, compared with other IPAs - noticable, but not overstated. Similarly, the aftertaste was gentle, with less of the bitterness you would expect. I liked the nuances that the nitro-tap brought to the brew.

I would love to go back and try some more of their beers, tourists be damned.

P.S. Their printed beer list was much more helpful than their website, which is less than unhelpful.

Budweiser American Ale

I really want to like new beers that are released by big-name breweries. Imagine being able to enjoy a full-bodied, fragrant IPA at the same prices your neighbor pays when buying American carbonated water lager by the 30-pack. Or, would such accessibility somehow diminish the experience? But I digress...

I bought a six-pack of Budweiser American Ale about a week or so ago, and, of course, I really wanted to like it. Pretty smart move on the part of A/B. I'm sure the thinking was, "We're loosing market share left and right to craft brews, why not throw something out there for the quality-conscious public, and see if it sticks. Forget the fact that Miller, Coors and Bud's sister brand Michelob have tried the same tactic and failed. We can make this work. We're the King of Beers!"

First off, I think they are trying to make a statement with the pricing. Much closer to the Sam Adams or Harpoon range than say, Icehouse. They are probably thinking that us beer snobs would never look twice at something that goes $4.49 for a six-pack.

The beer does have excellent color - deep reddish-brown, and very consistent, with a substantial, fluffy head. The aroma was also very good, with the kind of roasted malt and citrus smells you would look for.

Taste-wise, it started out pretty good - a little sweet, a little bitter, a little fruitiness. But, then came the finish.

And that's just it. There isn't one - no slightly bitter aftertaste, no lingering feeling of fruit on the tongue. Nothing. It's like the beer just gets to the back of your pallet and disappears. It's really strange. Everything up to that point indicates it will be a real craft beer experience. But in the end, I was left wanting more.

I enjoyed the beer a bit more the second time I tried it, but that was after a strenuous night of in-line hockey, and all mainstream American beers taste better in that context.

Conclusion: I don't think I will be buying it again. I do appreciate that A/B is thinking about "us". (I know - they only want our money, but that's business.)

LJ's Barbecue in Pawtucket, RI

Since my better half takes lots of notes for this blog but never posts I will take the initiative.

This is a story of culinary blessings in disguise. Last Saturday we had planned a well-deserved dinner at our old favorite, Memphis Roadhouse in South Attleboro. I say "our favorite" but I will freely admit it's been a long time since the last time we were there (we used to go there very frequently -- I'm embarrassed to admit that it was frequently enough for us to be on a first-name basis with the bartender). Anyway, we've been dining out less frequently of late, so this trip to Memphis was highly anticipated by all of us. Sadly, as we approached the restaurant we experienced the slow dawning of comprehension that it had closed (For Sale sign... darkened windows... chained-off parking lot). We pulled over for a quick revamping of dinner plans and decided to check out a place we recently saw on The Phantom Gourmet -- LJ's BBQ. It's a little over 6 miles away from Memphis Roadhouse but the way we drove there it felt more like 600 (we got very lost). After giving in and calling, we finally made it there, and thank goodness we did. LJ's. Is. AMAZING. Everything we had was flawless -- from the St. Louis ribs to the kids' grilled cheese to the Sweet Potato Pie. The husband had the Flying Dog IPA and then switched to what I was having (the always delectable Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA) for his second. The next day we were plotting what we would order on our next visit -- the fried calamari awaits!