Sam Calagione is the kind of beer nut who works with a molecular archeologist in order to accurately recreate a resin and pomegranate-based beer once made by the ancient Etruscans. He is also the kind of brewer who will create a Japanese tsunami inspired beer called Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder (Gradually, Quietly, Steadily). Taking those two details into consideration, he doesn’t necessarily strike one as the type of guy to write a really useful homebrewing book. Alas, he is, and Extreme Brewing is that book. After a quick breeze through the basics of beer (barley, malt, hops, water, yeast), Calagione dives right in to getting you started on brewing. There is a great breakdown on your equipment, from what’s necessary to what you’ll want in order to make the process much more enjoyable. His suggested beer for virgins is the A-to-Z Brown Ale, a very simple beer made complex by [...]

 A couple of weeks ago we headed to Half Moon Bay, a short 40 minute drive from San Francisco. Thanks to global warming (or at least the Bay Area microclimates), it happened to be one of the warmer days and the drive down Highway 1 was stunning. We took a little stroll along the docks near Half Moon Bay before heading to Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. The brewpub has been around for years and is an icon in the area. It’s a hub of fresh seafood, delicious brews, and is bringing the “pub” back to it’s roots as a community public house. We opted to dive into their new cocktail menu first to whet our palettes, complete with fresh fried calamari, battered artichoke hearts, and several innovative egg rolls. The menu is extensive with everything you can find in the ocean and several meat dishes. Though the house specialty is [...]

While taking advantage of an unusually warm summer day in this city, we headed to La Mar – a staple of San Francisco, and a culinary (and cocktail) gem that we need to sometimes be reminded to visit every once in a while. Peru has always had interesting ties to San Francisco. Back before the gold rush, Pisco was imported to our fine city and shaken up in cocktails not far from where we sat down to have dinner. Located along the Embarcadero, the Peruvian hot-spot would have been close to where seamen offloaded their goods from Peru over 150 years ago. La Mar (now managed by Joselino Solis) continues to be a pisco haven that helps give San FranPisco its name. With locations across the world, from Santiago, Chile to Bogota, Columbia to Lima, Peru, La Mar’s San Francisco location continues to shake up some amazing cocktails to compliment one of [...]

Taste Buds and Molecules: The Art and Science of Food, Wine, and Flavor By François Chartier   Proper wine pairings for high-concept food have long been the realm of sommeliers relying on their mastery of classic pairings and, to an even greater extent, their highly subjective palates. Wine is ethereal, of the land and the people, and its connection with food is one that can only be pinpointed and perfected by a virtuosic conductor of flavors in a process of trial and error. Well, the work that Francois Chartier has been doing in his lab, as well as in the elBulli kitchen with Ferran Adrià, turns that classic process on its head and throws it under the microscope. Chartier starts with a wine, breaks it down to volatile molecular components, and pairs it with flavors and foods possessing those same components. This field of research, called “food harmony and molecular [...]

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 [...]

In honor of Earth Day and the spirit of drinking responsibly, I recently attended a tasting at the Emeryville BevMo where organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines made in California were featured. On the bus en route to this tasting, I was a bit unsure what to expect. Why? For starters, organic wines can often be, well, unpalatable. And biodynamic wines are seen by skeptics (of which there are many) as a superstitious European way of farming at best, and a science fiction level hoax at worst. Perhaps that is why the the two certified organic wines on our tasting list don’t even put that information on the bottle. All that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the wines that we tasted, and quite impressed with BevMo’s commitment to sustainability. 2010 Frog’s Leap Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc – $17.99 The Frog’s Leap sauvignon blanc is a certified organic wine, an impressive [...]

The first thing you notice when you make your way into Downtown LA’s newest brewhouse is the sheer number of taps behind the bar–100 in all.  But the Los Angeles Brewing Company (950 S. Broadway) isn’t just about quantity, it’s about quality.  This stylish and lofty bar and restaurant offers one of the most diverse arrays of craft brews that you’ll find anywhere in the city. This might not be the typical neighborhood to find such an establishment, but setting up shop in the middle of downtown allowed proprietor Ralph Verdugo the opportunity to open a spacious and friendly beer-lovers paradise that is accessible to aficionados from all parts of this notoriously expansive metropolis. Open daily for lunch, LABC offers business-types the ability to take a much needed break from the work day with a veritable laundry-list of beer and bar bite pairings. On a recent outing, I enjoyed some tasty Brewery Sliders–made [...]

Over the past decade, Gastropubs have taken over the dining scene, providing lovers of food and drink with a laid back environment to enjoy some innovative fare paired with world-class beer and cocktails. Eschewing the pretention often found in higher-end eateries, these no nonsense restaurants put a singular effort into that which matters most: what’s going into your belly.  The following is a list of the 5 most impressive gastropubs in the nation today… 5.) Longman & Eagle – Chicago, IL This plays takes drinking seriously.  Not only do they boast 148 whiskies–many of which are available for under $3–but they also have an extensive ensemble of craft brews on tap, every single one of which is meticulously described in their thoughtful menu.  The vibe is casual and the food delectable.  Diners rave about the wild boar sloppy joe and the beef fat fries can’t be missed. 4.) Magnolia Pub [...]