The 16th annual Boonville Beer Fest made its mark on the quaint Anderson Valley this past weekend. From what I can remember, it was an unparalleled day of epic drinking. As an avowed aficionado of craft brews, I am somewhat ashamed to report that this was my first go-round at the sud-soaked celebration. Needless to say, I will NOT be missing it again… ever. The event kicked-off shortly before 1PM on Saturday, as hordes of beer-lovers from across the state descended upon the green pastures of the Mendocino County Fair. Several large tents were setup throughout the landscape, each one providing countless taps of microbrewed bliss. Taking advantage of my early arrival, I wanted to make sure to enjoy some of my favorite Russian River beers before their lines inevitably swelled to preposterous proportions. After a few swills of the peerless Pliny the Elder Double IPA and their lip-smacking Supplication sour, I [...]

I’m a big fan of beer. Who isn’t? But the one thing I can’t stand is going out to a local watering hole and seeing a subpar selection of flavorless beer on draught. Not only is it insulting to my tastes, it spits in the face of the time-honored tradition of brewing itself. Unfortunately, in Manhattan there seems to be an abhorrent abundance of bars that refuse to offer anything in the way of variety. To save us all from this unspeakable malaise, Blind Tiger Ale House (281 Bleecker Street) in the West Village comes to the rescue, offering 31 taps of microbrewed goodness along with an expansive bevy of limited edition bottled beers. Here you’ll come across a whole slew of West Coast style IPAs from the likes of Bear Republic and Green Flash—the good stuff that is very difficult to find anywhere in the East Coast, let alone [...]

Let’s talk Pizza. It doesn’t matter what age you are, where you’re from, what kind of food you’re into, one thing is for certain: you love fresh baked bread topped with melted cheese and sweet, tomato sauce. My love for pizza has stayed strong since childhood, but now that I’m technically classified as an ‘adult’ the accompanying beverage that I choose to wash it down with has evolved from artificially-flavored pop to something far more mature. And I’m not talking generic American lager here, folks. I mean, to each their own, but have you tasted some of the world-class artisanal pizza being produced in major cities across the country these days? You wouldn’t go to a five-star dining establishment and finish off your fine filet mignon with cheap swill, so why would consider doing such with an authentic Neapolitan-style pie made with all-natural, locally-sourced ingredients? 800 Degrees (10889 Lindbrook Drive) in [...]

After many months of eager anticipation, Berkeley favorite Gioia Pizzeria (2240 Polk Street) has arrived in San Francisco. And the iteration on this side of the Bay includes several notable additions that make it well worth the wait. Most importantly, owners Will and Karen Gioia have added an impressive collection of beer and wine to their delicious SF menu. In addition to a rotating list of 5 Italian reds and 5 whites, the bar also features 6 satiating local microbrews. If you make your way over to the beautiful new Polk Street digs, you’ll be able to indulge in several limited edition beers from right across the Bay in Oakland: Linden Street Brewery’s exquisite Burning Oak Black Lager–roasted to perfection to taste slightly sweet with a very light body. Also on tap is Dying Vine’s Hop Candi, an English-style IPA with tender tones of rye and citrus. From deeper in the Bay Area [...]

Known in Mexico as El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla, Cinco de Mayo is an annual day of celebration commemorating the Mexican army’s victory over the French on May 5th, 1862. The battle helped preserve freedom and democracy within the country and helped promote unity and national identity. Here in the United States there is perhaps no more popular way to honor the heritage and pride of this holiday than by drinking…heavily. And although you’ll find bars throughout the country offering up Cinco de Mayo specials, there are a few cities that seem to take it more seriously than most. Here’s a list, fittingly, of cinco:   1.) Los Angeles, CA When it comes to celebrating Mexican culture, the West is the best. And nowhere else demonstrates this better than the City of Angels, whose population is nearly half hispanic. As you’d expect, LA likes to have a grand [...]

In the heart of Glendale, California you’ll find one of the West Coast’s most exciting new breweries: Golden Road (5410 West San Fernando Road). Less than a year old, this young and promising line of craft beers has been created to fill the void of quality microbrewing in Southern California.  According to Meg Gill, their President and Co-Founder, “there’s 200 breweries in Northern California and 70 in San Diego, but only a handful of breweries in L.A.” So with a mission of bringing craft beer to the eclectic communities of Los Angeles, Golden Road has opened their very own brewpub and just recently started canning their own tasty line of IPAs. Their signature Point The Way American IPA is a medium-bodied, super sweet ale. With an ABV of 5.2%, it’s not incredibly strong, but it is flavorful and will last a while in your refrigerator thanks to its specially designed pint-sized can. [...]

Beer and booze were separated at birth. And I’m not just alluding to the obvious fact that they are both alcoholic. The actual fermentation process responsible for each is quite similar, reliant upon a fermented-sugar liquid, usually barley, to produce the buzz that we love so much. As craft distilling and craft brewing have ascended the ranks of popular culture over the past decade, it was perhaps inevitable that their paths would eventually converge. Nowadays many well-known breweries and distilleries are producing zany Frankenbrews like hopped whiskey, or whit-spiced rhum. And of course there’s always the rising trend of barrel-aged beer. So you have the choice of whiskey that drinks like a beer, or beer that tastes like bourbon. Either way, if you fancy yourself a beer geek or a distillery junky, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with this list of the 5 best blends available today… 5.) New Holland [...]

Bozeman, Montana might be a city of less than 40,000 people but it’s also the cultural hub of the intermountain west: a rugged region known for its magnificent mountains, burly outdoorsman and–thanks to a gnarly new microbrewery–craft beer. Named after the state’s only area code, 406 Brewing Company opened its doors in the middle of 2011 to a warm response from a community that had long been clamoring for a brewery to call their own. As an avid homebrewer, owner Matt Muth had dreamed of opening his own brewery for years but needed to gather the appropriate investment in order to make it a reality. Located just outside of downtown, the spacious tasting room he created was constructed almost entirely out of reclaimed materials such as cooper and wood from old barns. The aesthetic that he’s established is exactly what one would expect in the midst of Big Sky Country. [...]