Tag Archives: beer

February 8, 2021 · 7:03 pm

Lagunitas IPNA

I’m doing a dry February. Lots of people do a dry January, but February is a shorter month so it’s easier. This is my third consecutive February without alcohol and it’s nice to take a break from the booze for a bit. I usually supplement my drinking habit with non-alcoholic beer. The problem is that most non-alcoholic beer is pretty terrible.

I drink a lot of craft beer, especially IPAs. Most non-alcoholic beers are based on lighter beers like lagers or pilsners, so they lack the hop heavy and complex flavors that I’m used to. Today I found a six pack of Lagunitas IPNA and I might have discovered my favorite non-alcoholic beer.

Lagunitas IPNA is a non-alcoholic IPA. They brew it like a real beer. They use hops, malt, yeast, and and water. It’s crafted with quality malts like Munich malt, English crystal malt, and Canadian 2-row barley then dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus hops. They just don’t allow it to get stronger than .5% ABV.

I poured it into a beer glass for the full effect. It pours nice, although the head is rather thin. Seems less carbonated than their flagship IPA. It has a beautiful dark amber color. It’s smells like a real IPA. Citrus and pine hops upfront, some biscuit, resin maybe.

The taste is a little thin. I was slightly disappointed because the aroma was so promising. I get pine, resin, citrus, orange peel, but it feels a little watered down. It starts to coat the tongue the more you sip it which adds to the flavor as you go along. It’s reminiscent of a session ale, but less filling which total makes sense due to the lack of alcohol.

It’s pretty close to the real deal. I think it would fool a non IPA drinker. It’s the most satisfying non-alcoholic beer I’ve had to date. I definitely recommend it. It makes those sober times easier to transition into.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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February 15, 2020 · 4:26 pm

Dry February 2020

Last February I decided to forgo alcohol. Why? Because it’s the shortest month of course. Just four quick weeks and it’s over. Dry February 2019 was a rousing success and I decided to do a dry February for 2020. I had an exception: I would drink if the 49ers won the Super Bowl, and if they lost I would drink on the 29th because it’s a Leap Day and those are worth celebrating. Well the 49ers lost, so I’m eagerly awaiting the 29th to get back off the wagon. I think that’s how it goes… you’re off the wagon if you’re drinking and you’re on the wagon if you aren’t drinking. Right? I don’t know much about wagons.

Anyway, today is February 15th so I’m already past the halfway point. So far so good. I’m pretty much in the clear. The first two nights are the worst. I had major insomnia and sleep was hard to get. I mostly tossed and turned. I wouldn’t have survived if I didn’t have some good indica. Hey, I said a dry February, not a sober February. Get over it.

Not drinking gives me a lot more time in the day. I’ve mostly used it by catching up on Netflix, Disney+, and HBO. Not very productive of me, but it passes the time. The weather has been hit or miss, but I’ll take the dogs to the beach and the park when I can. I’ve been avoiding bars and parties which definitely helps eliminate temptation and saves me money. I went to the Heat vs Warriors game at the new Chase Center in downtown San Francisco. I didn’t get any beer but still managed to spend forty-five bucks on food and soda. The game was a blowout and the Warriors got crushed but it was still a fun night.

With two weeks down and less than two weeks remaining, I’m looking forward to March and my triumphant return to the wonderful world of booze. But I don’t plan on indulging as much as I did before. I’ll probably copy my friend’s approach to moderation. She gives herself three days of drinking then takes three days off. That sounds like the perfect balance to me. And if I stick to that plan there won’t be a need for Dry February 2021.

Critically Rated at 16/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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January 4, 2020 · 3:56 pm

Natural Light Seltzer

It’s 2020 and we live in a world of hard seltzers. Brands like White Claw, Truly, Spiked Seltzer, Smirnoff Spiked Sparkling Seltzer, Henry’s Hard Sparkling Water, and Wild Basin Boozy Sparking Water are flying off the shelves. It’s a crowded marketplace and more brands are throwing their hat in the ring.

Natural Light decided that they wanted to play too. They came up with Natural Light Seltzer. I was reluctant to try it. Natural Light isn’t a brand known for high quality. It’s for college kids and amateurs. But Natural Light Seltzer has a few good things going for it. Number one: it’s cheaper than the other brands. Number two: it’s got a higher alcohol percentage. It’s 6% ABV, most of the other seltzers are 4.5% or 5% ABV. Cheaper and stronger? Yes please. The third good thing about it: they have great names.

There’s Aloha Peaches (described as When Mango & Peach Go Beach Mode) and Catalina Lime Mixer (described as When Cherry & Lime Become Best Friends). I always enjoy a nice Step Brothers reference. I like both the flavors but I prefer the Catalina Lime Mixer. Aloha Peaches is a little too sweet for me.

I will always prefer beer over hard seltzers, but I find myself drinking more seltzers and fewer beers these days. My local 7-Eleven has a deal on two 25 ounce cans for $5.10. That’s fifty ounces of booze for under six bucks. That’s a hell of a deal, especially for San Francisco. Can’t go wrong with that. Unless you’re driving.

Try it. Or don’t. I don’t care. You do you.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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August 24, 2019 · 4:59 pm

Outside Lands Reusable Cup

Man, Outside Lands was already two weeks ago? Time flies. For those who don’t know or need a reminder, Outside Lands is a three day music and arts festival in San Francisco. It’s held annually in Golden Gate Park, I live a few blocks away, and I go every year. This year they had reusable aluminum pints for sale. You buy a beer and for an extra six bucks you can get a reusable cup with the Outside Lands logo on it. The handle was a carabiner so you could clip it onto your bag or whatever. It was a great idea. Save the planet from unnecessary plastic and a cool souvenir. So I bought it on the first day with my first beer and I was stoked.

But apparently the OSL staff were completely unaware of what reusable means. I bought the cup so they could pour beer directly into it. Some venders did just that. Most venders did not. I brought my cup back on the second day of the festival and the first vendor I saw refused to use my reusable pint. She asked me when and where I bought it. I said I bought it at the same stand the day before. She said she couldn’t serve me a beer in it because I bought it yesterday. She said this while standing in front of a giant poster advertising the REUSABLE OUTSIDE LANDS ALUMINUM PINT. Whatever. I bought a pint in a plastic cup, then poured the pint into my aluminum cup, put the wasted plastic cup on her table, looked her in the eye, and took a sip. Refreshing and defiant. Delicious.

That seemed to be the theme of the remaining weekend. I would buy a beer and 75% of the venders would hand me a pint in plastic. I feel like I bought the cup for nothing but a souvenir. I wanted to reduce my carbon footprint with beer. They didn’t want me to. I’m still glad I bought it though. It’s a nice cheap vessel to drink booze with. I just wish they saved the plastic they were promised I would save. They used me. They should have used my cup.

Critically Rated at 8/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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February 21, 2019 · 4:50 pm

Dry February

I decided to take a short break from drinking. It’s been a dry February. There’s not a real reason for me doing it. I just felt like it and February is the shortest month so it seemed like the perfect time. Four short weeks, a mere twenty-eight days… totally doable.

The first night was the worst. It always is. I planned ahead though. I was stocked up on nonalcoholic beer and some indica pods for my vape. My sleep was mostly restless with weird dreams but I made it through. I noticed I had more energy in the morning after the first three days. I still needed coffee to really get going. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome was the Super Bowl. Luckily the game was so mind numbingly terrible that I didn’t need alcohol.

It’s the twenty-first today so I only have a week to go. I’m not going to lie, I’m looking forward to ending my self imposed sobriety. It’s nice being clearheaded and all, but the sheer boredom is starting to get to me. I’ve done a lot of Netflixing, reading, and a bit of writing in my spare time, but those are all tasks that go better with a beer in my opinion. Ultimately I’ve realized I don’t need alcohol but I really like it and would like to continue having it as a part of my life. In moderation of course. Everything in moderation.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 22, 2018 · 8:36 pm

Clausthaler Dry Hopped

So I recently decided to cut back on drinking. I bought a few six packs of non-alcoholic beer to help ease into the transition. The only problem is that I’m used to drinking IPAs and most non-alcoholic beers taste like bland lagers. That’s why I was pretty happy to discover Clausthaler Dry Hopped. It’s a non-alcoholic malt beverage with less than .5% abv, and it’s imported from Germany so it’s classy. They dry hop the beer with Cascade hops (meaning they add the hops to the beer after it’s been brewed and cooled, which gives it a hoppy flavor). The end result is a non-alcoholic beer that tastes pretty close to a craft beer. It’s hoppy with a little citrus and a malty caramel finish. It won’t fool an experienced beer drinker, but most casual drinkers would think it’s the real deal. It’s easily the best non-alcoholic beer I’ve ever had. Not sure how much that’s worth, but that’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 12, 2018 · 9:38 pm

O’Douls

I’ve been drinking a lot lately and my girlfriend was kind enough to point it out, so I told her I would put down the bottle for a few days. Yesterday was the first day of my temporary sobriety. All I could think about was how nice it would be to go to the bar and watch the baseball game after work, but then I remembered I wasn’t drinking. But then I remembered that non-alcoholic beer is a thing. So I went to the bar and ordered an O’Doul’s with a chilled glass.

The bartender came back with an O’Doul’s Amber. I didn’t even know they had an amber, I’ve only seen the one in the green bottles. I poured the beer into my glass and admired its reddish hue and slightly hoppy aroma. It looked like beer. I took a sip. It tasted like an amber, a little rich and sweet with a slight hoppy finish. It had good mouthfeel. I sat there watching the game and making small talk with the other barflies and it felt like any other day at the bar. I just wasn’t getting drunk.

I had one more O’Doul’s Amber before I left the bar. The evening was still young so I got a six pack of the original O’Doul’s on the way home. The regular O’Doul’s is more like a lager. It’s mild with a slightly dry finish. I normally drink IPAs so it tastes very bland to me, but I still felt like I was drinking beer.

O’Doul’s is not fully free from alcohol. It’s less than .5% alcohol by volume. Kombucha is anywhere from .5% to 2% for comparison. They brew O’Doul’s like a regular beer and then they distill the alcohol out without heating or cooking the beer. That helps to retain the flavor profile. It’s not perfect. It’s like eating meatless chicken. It’s almost like the real deal but something is missing. It’s still a good way to wean yourself off alcohol. I say that as I’m currently enjoying my second six pack in two days. It definitely helps keep me distracted from real beer and my typical morning hangover.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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October 26, 2017 · 2:46 pm

Budweiser

Budweiser is a beer. It’s the only beer for a lot of people. Brand loyalty goes a long way and I know a lot of people that prefer Budweiser over water. My feelings on Budweiser are mixed. It’s too popular, it’s too bland, and it’s too pretentious. They call themselves the king of beers. They’ve even temporarily relabeled themselves as America instead of Budweiser as part of some bizarre marketing ploy. They proudly admit to being made partially from rice. Rice is nice but most beer lovers prefer hops and barley.

Budweiser is drinkable though. I have to give them that. It has a consistently crisp and refreshing taste. It doesn’t really get skunky. It’s my preferred tall boy for beach days because it’s cheap, it’s not too heavy, and it comes in twenty-five ounce cans. Most tall boys are twenty-four ounces. That extra ounce means you’re getting more bang for your buck.

I prefer to drink craft beer when I’m at a bar or at home. I like IPAs and sours and the occasional stout if the weather is cold. Whenever I buy a six pack of something nice I’ll still pick up a tall boy of Budweiser as well. I drink the good beer until I’m nice and toasty and then I’ll switch over to Bud when I’m drunk. That way I won’t waste my good beer when I’m too fucked up to enjoy it. That’s not alcoholism, that’s using my noodle. Budweiser is not the best beer. I wouldn’t even call it a good beer. But it’s beer and that’s enough reason for me to drink it.

Critically Rated at 11/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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June 13, 2017 · 8:37 pm

Ordering “Beer” at a Bar

I bartend at a tourist trap in San Francisco. That means I deal with a lot of people that don’t know how to order drinks. At least twice a shift I will ask a customer what they want to drink, and they will respond with “Beer.” I just shake my head and explain to them that this isn’t Hollywood. This isn’t a movie. You don’t just say “Beer” and get a beer. Do you want bottle or draft? Do you want something imported, domestic, or a local craft brew? Do you want a lager, an ale, a stout, a porter, a wheat beer or an IPA? You have to be more specific. If you want a Budweiser, then order a fucking Budweiser. I don’t have time to hold your hand and walk you through the menu. I’m too busy helping people who actually know what they want to drink. The next motherfucker who asks me for a beer is getting a glass of O’Doul’s and the middle finger. You wanted a beer, you got one. Now fuck off. 

Critically Rated at 5/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 10, 2016 · 4:04 pm

Ben & Jerry’s New Belgium Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale

I like beer. I like ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s New Belgium Salted Caramel Brown-ie Ale combines the two. They use New Belgium Brown Ale ice cream and combine it with fudge brownies and salted caramel swirls. I was expecting to get a slight whiff of beer when I took off the lid, but it just smelled like normal ice cream. Well, I’ve never really smelled ice cream before but it didn’t seem to have much of an aroma at all. I took a spoonful and put it in my mouth. My first thoughts were that it was smooth and creamy and not much else. I took another bite, and then another, trying to find a distinguishing flavor, but there really isn’t one. It doesn’t taste like a brown ale at all. It’s bland. I can taste the caramel and brownies, but the New Belgium Brown Ale ice cream is more boring than vanilla. I was expecting an ice cream that tasted like beer. I just got ice cream. Meh. It’s a limited batch. It’s going away soon. Good.

Critically Rated at 7/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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January 18, 2016 · 7:16 pm

Retox

My friend came over the other day to hang out for a few hours. Being the good host that I am, I offered her a beer. She said no and I asked her why. She said it was because she was doing a detox. I was totally supportive of her decision but I still cracked a beer open for myself. Some people choose to detox. Good for them. I choose to retox. It’s more fun. I retox almost every night. It’s what happens when you work in the restaurant industry. You work hard and play harder. Plus there are days when customers bring you down and crush your spirit. A little booze does a lot to revitalize oneself. If you do retox, retox responsibly. Use coasters and try not to spill anything. That’s alcohol abuse.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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October 20, 2015 · 5:19 pm

Your Father Smelt of Elderberries (beer, not an insult)

Your Father Smelt of Elderberries is a beer from Stone Brewing Co.’s Stochasticity Project and a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s a medieval-style ale brewed with elderberries. It’s a pretty interesting brew. It pours a dark amber color with a thin off-white head. It has a fruity, malty aroma with a hint of wood. It tastes more bitter than I expected. There’s fruit, malt, smoke, a little wood. It reminds me more of a barley wine than an amber ale. It has a hefty 10.3% alcohol content, so it’s a heavy beer. A couple of these will make you sleepy. It’s not my favorite offering from the Stochasticity Project, but it’s one of the more memorable ones. I bought a few bottles to age, but I’ll probably end up drinking them within the week. It’s a decent beer, but it’s a limited brew so you should buy it now while you have the chance.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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April 11, 2015 · 6:56 pm

$100 for 13 Bottles of Bud Light

I was hanging out with some friends at the bar the other night and last call snuck up on us. Suddenly the bar was closing and it was too late to run to the liquor store. My friend was desperate to keep the party going. How desperate? Well, she gave the bartender fifty bucks to take home thirteen bottles of Bud Light. And she tipped fifty bucks on top of that. Let that sink in. She spent $100 for 13 bottles of Bud Light. If that’s not a waste of money, I don’t know what is. You can get a 12-pack of Bud Light for less than fifteen bucks, or you can spend twenty bucks and get a 12-pack of good beer. She chose to waste a hundred bucks on thirteen shitty beers. To each their own, but that’s fucking ridiculous. I couldn’t even drink one. I was too busy shaking my head.

Critically Rated at 2/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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January 3, 2015 · 6:00 pm

Cracking a Beer

Cracking a beer is something that should be taken seriously. Opening a bottle of beer is a commitment. You’re investing time and money into another round. It’s not something that you should be taking lightly. There’s no going back once you’ve opened a beer. You either have to drink it or waste it, and it’s practically illegal to waste beer. There’s not a law against it, but there should be. Don’t crack open a beer if you can’t drink it. It’s as simple as that. Or give it to me if you can’t finish it. And yes, this post was inspired by a beer that I cracked open at 1:47 a.m. last night. I regret nothing.

Critically Rated at 11/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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December 16, 2014 · 1:40 pm

Drake’s Jolly Rodger 2014 Imperial Coffee Stout

Drake’s Jolly Rodger is an impressive Imperial Coffee Stout. It’s brewed by San Leandro, California’s Drake’s Brewing Company and uses Blue Bottle Coffee beans to create a rich, dark stout. It pours a dark brown with a nice tan head. The aroma is coffee, chocolate, roasted malt and a hint of vanilla. The taste is of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, bready malts, nuts, and toffee. It has an impressive 9% alcohol content. This is the perfect beer for cold winter nights. It makes you want to light a couple of candles or chill by the fire with a good book. This is a sit-on-you-ass-and-not-go-anywhere beer. It means you are officially in relax mode and can ignore the outside world.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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November 16, 2014 · 4:05 pm

Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale

A Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale is a summer seasonal version of Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. It’s higher gravity, meaning that it has more booze in it. It comes in at around 8.9% alcohol by volume, so it’s a strong brew. It pours a nice golden orange color with a thick white head. The nose is a lot of citrus, spice, cloves, with a hint of bubblegum. It has an interesting taste. They describe it as a Belgian IPA and I can see why. I get a lot of pine and citrus with the spiciness you’d expect from a Belgian Ale. It’s delicious. I wish it was available year round, that’s why I’m not complaining that I found a summer brew in the middle of November. It’s one of my favorite beers from one of my favorite breweries.

Critically Rated at 15/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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November 9, 2014 · 6:18 pm

Xocoveza Mocha Stout (beer)

San Diego’s Stone Brewing Co. is one of the best microbreweries in America and their Xocoveza Mocha Stout is just one of many reasons why. The recipe was created by a guy named Chris Banker and it was good enough to win a homebrewing competition. Stone took his recipe and collaborated with Mexico’s Cervezería Insurgente to bring Xocoveza Mocha Stout to the masses. This is one of the best stouts that I’ve ever had. It has a rich aroma, full of cocoa, coffee, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and toasted malts. It tastes even better than it smells. I get coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe some cloves, and there’s a little bit of heat on the finish because they brew it with chili peppers. Chris Banker says that he was inspired to create a beer version of Mexican hot chocolate. He succeeded spectacularly. This is a very drinkable beer, even with the 8.1% alcohol content. It warms you up and leaves you wanting more. Too bad it’s a limited batch and it’s hard to find. I was lucky enough to get in on draft. I would definitely grab a few bottles to hoard if I come across any in a liquor store.

Critically Rated at 15/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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