Samuel Adams Double Agent IPL

Many in the microbrew crowd diss Samuel Adams saying that is has gotten too big to be considered a microbrew.  I disagreed simply due to fond memories of when they first came out.
Double Agent IPL has changed my thoughts a bit.
It was one of the most boring beers I've had in a long time.
It really lacked character. 
It wasn't bad, but I expected much more character from a microbrew.
Maybe the skeptics are right.

Tripify's Best Breweries

Tripify has a great list of the Best Breweries in California.
Here are placemarks for each one of them so you can remember to go there:

Pizza Port Brewing Company
571 Carlsbad Village Dr.
Carlsbad, CA 92008


The Bruery
715 Dunn Way
Placentia, CA 92870


Half Moon Bay Brewery
390 Capistrano Rd.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019


Sierra Nevada
1075 E 20th St.
Chico, CA 95928


Stone Brewing Company
1999 Citracado Pkwy
Escondido, CA

Review: Linden Street's Burning Oak Black Larger

This tasted very much like a porter but with little or no hop flavor.
It was just ok.  Not very exciting but drinkable with food.

The food here was also good but not great.
The presentation was nice but the flavor was nothing special.
Chop Bar.
247 4th Street #111
Oakland, CA 94607

Review: Hof Ten Dormaal Dark

My accomplice chose a much better beer.
She chose the Hof Ten Dormaal Dark.
Well, to be more precise, the bartender recommended it when she said that she liked St. Bernardus.
Very sweet, brown sugar-like taste.

The Trappist
460 8th Street
Oakland, CA 94607

Review: Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar

Any beer with a name like Omnipollo Nebuchadnezzar is a must try!
That said, it was a bit of a disappointment.
It started out with a nice citrusy smell.
But, it followed with a not-so-pleasant bitter taste.

And the aftertaste left a lot to be desired.

That said, we drank it at a great location.
The Trappist
460 8th Street
Oakland, CA 94607

Review: Drakes Black Robusto

I have to say that I was quite disappointed with this. 

I love a good porter and brew a mean one of my own (called St. Paul porter, named by the home brew place I first learned the recipe). 

This one was very plain and unexciting. 

It did not go down easy at all. 

Review: Weltenburger Dunkel

I am not much of a German beer fan, so when I went to Suppenkuche the other day, I had to ask for their recommendation.  And a great recommendation it was.
The Weltenburger Dunkel is a smooth, sweet darker beer.
It went perfectly with the sauteed porkloin and spatzle.
I strongly recommend this restaurant and this beer.
Suppenkuche
525 Laguna st.
San Francisco CA 94102