(Preface- if you don't care about beer, go ahead and skip to the bottom, where there is a cute picture of Henry. I guess we are celebrating beer week here on ADF?) Being a nursing mama, I have to keep my alcohol intake pretty minimal. This is ok for the most part, but kind of a bummer when I want to enjoy a nice hoppy beer. (Which is pretty much what I always want to enjoy.) When I had Ballast Point Brewery's Even Keel session ale last year, weighing in at just over 3.5% alcohol content, I was over the moon. It was so light, but so so tasty. To give you a clearer idea; some of my more favorite beers are at least 6 or 7%, and up to 11ish. Dude, Coors Light has a higher alcohol content than Even Keel. This is great; I prefer as much flavor with as little alcohol as possible. Unfortunately, being a session ale, it is only brewed a couple of times a year, and only available at select bars or restaurants. (Enter the brilliance that is an app like taphunter.) So when my coworker told me that as part of SDBW they had it on tap at the Ballast Point tasting room, and available for purchase by the growler, I packed up the growlers and the baby and headed to the tasting room with him. We had a great time- you can buy tasters of four ounce pours for a buck each, and fill up with specialty brews like Even Keel. (I also picked up some yummy barrel aged stout. OK, I admit I bought 2 of those- one for us one for my dad. I went a little crazy.) All ye beer drinkers in San Diego- head there now and see what they still have left on tap, you won't regret it! And if you love food and beer, go to this!
PS the tasting room was filled with a whole bunch of dudes; ranging from young hipsters to an old Hawaiian hippie, folks of both blue collar & office types just getting off of work, surfers, nerdy types, all dudes. But they loved Henry. A baby at a bar is quite the conversation starter.
who could resist a cute baby with pursed lips?
ReplyDeleteahhh, so that's why you can't drink too much. GOT IT.
ReplyDeletethanks for the tip, jamie! will definitely check it out since my dude doesn't work too far from there. all these SDBW events make my head spin...in a good way!
dude. so jealous of your access to The Younger. is it as amazing as I hear it is? I'm a sucker for all the "-ation beers" from RR, supplication, temptation, etc.
ReplyDeletewe should beer talk - plus, all the more reason for you to come to PDX!!!
Sounds delicious! we differ on hops but I love barrel aged stouts and porters.
ReplyDeleteHenry, it's ok to not like all that hoppy bitter beer and don't let your momma tell you otherwise. However, you do need to try everything at least once. Well, on the food/beverage side of things try everything once. Some things you just shouldn't try so listen to momma for those tips.
Mnnnn beer! Henry is adorable!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like HEAVEN. Food, beer, baby, bar = perfection.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a SD thing, but we've been dragging the baby to North County breweries since she was born, and she's never the only baby there! (Iron Fist and Lost Abbey have been great.) I do love me a yeasty Belgian.
ReplyDeleteDon't ever let your baby near me. I will have to be restrained from biting him. Gently, but fiercely. If that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteHave you had the Ballast Point IPL (india pale lager)? I've only ever seen it at Sea Rocket, but it was goooood.
ReplyDeleteholy crap! i love beer! and babies! and being the aunt of the 4 small children of my 2 brothers, who also love beer, i have indulged in both simultaneously many times!
ReplyDeletebut seriously, it sucks how if you are not in certain parts of the country beer is the realm of dudes (much like photography was when i was a young enthusiast). whenever my husband orders a glass of wine and i beer in a restaurant, the runner invariably puts the beer in front of him and the wine in front of me. what's that all about?