A road trip to San Francisco brought the opportunity to visit some new places and try new beers.
I had a couple of “bucket list” venues to check out but set sail with an open mind — and eye — for uncharted beers.
First up was Enegren Brewing Company in Moorpark. I was familiar with Enegren and a big fan of Nighthawk, their black lager, schwarzbier. Since its founding in 2010, Enegren has prided itself on German-style lagers and ales.
The few cans I’ve had of Enegren — often available at Trader Joe’s — had already impressed me. But the Edel-Pils and Valkyrie amber lager were even better on draft. The Edel-Pils perfectly pairs German Noble, Saaz, and Tettnanger hops with pilsner malt. It’s light-bodied with the distinct bitterness of a true pilsner.
The Valkyrie was my favorite. An amber lager (altbier) crafted with 60% Munich Dark Malt balanced with German Herkules and American Mt. Hood hops, it’s malty but still light, with a perfectly clean finish.
Additionally, the venue in Moorpark shares a common space called “The Alley” with a restaurant (Hearth Woodfire), a coffee shop and a craft winery (Lucas Sellers). There is plenty of seating and space to enjoy yourself in the brewery or in the well-shaded shared area.
Trailer and dogs in tow, I continued up the coast. Any trip through Central California requires a stop at Firestone Walker for an Unfiltered Double Barrel Ale. Billed as “the beer that started it all,” Double Barrel Ale is an English-style beer that the brewery has been making since 1996. It’s crafted to honor the cask ales of England, and, in its unfiltered form, has subtle notes of tea, oak and malty goodness.
Another brewery on my “must visit” list has been Alvarado Street Brewing. I was ready to try something new, so I started with the sours.
First up was Pink Limo Dads, a pink lemonade imperial sour. The name, derived from an autocorrect error, was the best part of the beer. Good, but not great overall. At 8% ABV, with sweet lemon, raspberry and cranberry notes, the booziness and refreshing fruit notes just didn’t vibe with me.
But Howzit Punch was a hit. This fruited kettle sour features passionfruit, orange and guava. It has won several awards, including a gold medal at the World Beer Cup.
The surprise beer of the visit, however, was the Party Kyle Pub Ale brewed in collaboration with Oceanside’s Kyle Harrop of Horus Aged Ales. Maybe it was all the soccer I was watching, or maybe it was the Double Barrel Ale influence, but I found this beer exceptional.
Crafted using the partigyle brewing method — brewing several beers through the same mash and then blending them to different strengths — this 3.5% ABV English-style pub ale was toasty, malty and biscuity.
Much farther up the coast in Pacifica, I found Rockaway Beach Brewery. Right on Highway 1 overlooking the ocean and beach, this venue is impressive — and spacious. It’s a good thing they serve great food, too, because once you’re here, you’re going to want to stick around a while.
With a loaded potato and wings to complement my tasting, I went to work on a flight. And wouldn’t you know it, they had an English-style pub ale: Mind the Gap. But with the sun out, the OG Pale Ale, with its mild citrus and pine notes, won the round. Close behind was the Pacifica Pils. Every beer was masterfully crafted.
In San Francisco proper, I stepped into Otherwise Brewing on Grant Avenue to get out of the wind and crowds at the North Beach Festival, a 10-block event in the city’s Little Italy.
It was an old-school barroom. No TVs, no blaring music — just bar stools, a few tables and an upstairs loft. Dark, cluttered and beautiful.
The ambiance called for a stout, and they had two: Goth Girlfriend and Lovely Day. Goth Girlfriend is a velvety, medium-bodied stout with slight caramel and sweet malt notes. Excellent. Lovely Day was roastier with coffee and chocolate notes. Two excellent sippers in a space with character and full of characters.
The trip’s destination had always been Molloy’s Tavern, a storied Irish pub. The day spent there was like entering a time capsule. But as I reach my word limit, I realize Molloy’s will have to be a story for another day.
Cheers!
I Like This Beer!
Coming back home to San Diego meant no guesswork in finding a great beer, so I returned to a summertime favorite: Death by Blueberry from Belching Beaver. This wheat ale has become a core offering at Belching Beaver and, as the brewery markets it, “will murder your tastebuds with juicy goodness. You’ll be buried by berries, and resurrected to a new plane of nirvana.” Hyperbole aside, it’s an excellent and refreshing blueberry ale that isn’t overbearing in blueberry flavor.
Jeff Spanier is the co-host of I Like Beer the Podcast. Follow Spanier’s adventures on Instagram @ilikebeerthepodcast and on YouTube @ilikebeerthepodcast2757.
